In September, Las Vegas was the glamorous home of the latest and finest concepts in baking. The key takeway: the global industry is determined to succeed and thrive, same as it ever was.
Reporting: Catalina Mihu
Among industry events, IBIE excels at encapsulating the joy and excitement in professional baking: from launching new innovations, sometimes years into development, to experimenting and creating product assortments that offer the elusive ‘unique and unexpected’ experience; from competitions to interactive education sessions and panels. From its fitting start with a confetti bang, a playful ceremony planned by IBIE chair and Grupo Bimbo’s Global Senior Vice President of Operations and Engineering at Grupo Bimbo, Jorge Zarate, IBIE celebrated the industry for four days of work-and-play, preceded by its trademark, full-day IBIEducate program. The sentiment was conveyed and relevant meetings made the event a success despite down winds, which this year saw travel worries and cautious trip planning, as well as a lasting trend for less live baking on the show floor.
“Every time we gather here at IBIE, the world looks a little different, but the spirit of the industry remains the same: resilient, innovative and always moving forward,” Zarate commented in his show opening remarks. He also shared a notable reminder: IBIE invests considerable effort and resources into meeting attendee needs: from dedicated programs and services, to the moment’s most important education topics, high-end technologies and solutions.
Although attendance was 8% lower than in 2022, the show floor, sold out months before IBIE’s opening, and was the largest in the exhibition’s 105-year-old history. With a 9% increase over the previous edition, IBIE occupied a record 451,100 sq ft (41,908.56 sqm) this year. The overwhelming majority (91%) of the visitors were decision-making professionals in their companies, with direct influence over investments. “While baker attendance at IBIE was slightly lower — largely reflecting today’s economic pressures and complexities in international travel — we saw strong performance in the number of baking companies participating, many of which chose to send leaner teams to manage costs. Even so, the energy on the show floor and the level of engagement were remarkable, underscoring that IBIE remains an essential event, driving progress and continuity for our industry,” Zarate shared the organizer’s perspective.
NEW! In 2025
“If there is one constant in our industry, it’s change,” Zarate observed in his welcoming message. And IBIE brought exciting changes of its own on the show floor. For the first time, IBIE registration also included access to all IBIEducate sessions. The carefully crafted day dedicated to learning comprised over 250 sessions on a comprehensive range of topics. Categories included technology and innovation, food science and product development, business and strategy, baking and pastry, working and professional growth, as well as quality and sustainability. The agenda was built to address key issues in automation, workforce management, supply chain volatility, changing regulations and cost-related challenges.
The premier Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie – Americas selection was also staged this October. The renowned competition brought together teams of top bakers from Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Mexico and the USA, who competed in three categories: Bakery, Viennoiserie, and Artistic Bread Showpiece. Team Canada won first place and Team USA came in second – both are now qualified for the final stage. The 13th installment of the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie will be held in France, at the Sirha Bake & Snack (formerly Europain Show) in Paris, which is held from January 20 to 21, 2026.
Also new in the show was the Panettone World Cup, an event celebrating the specialty’s rich heritage and reflecting its status as a beloved dessert worldwide. The creations in the traditional and chocolate categories were judged on external appearance (shape, volume, color), interior structure (honeycomb, fruit distribution, roundness) and sensory characteristics (aroma, flavor, overall balance). The winners in the Traditional Category panettone creations were Martinez Jaime (USA) and Emmidio Isernia (Canada). The Chocolate Category winners were Flores Torres Wilson (Ecuador) and Vielma Ammary Coromoto (USA). They all advanced to global finals, held in Milan, Italy, in November 2026.
At the Wholesale Bakers Center, another new show section, a tailored learning experience was provided, addressing unique challenges and opportunities for industrial bakers. The Snack Food Pavilion also made a successful debut this year, catering to global producers on this fast-paced, USD 49 billion market, with ideas for international flavors, functional ingredients, sustainable packaging, equipment innovation and expert insights. Other targeted sections were the Pet Food Pavilion (another new entry) and the International Pavilion.
Chef Talks was also a newcomer to this year’s IBIE agenda, a series putting the spotlight on leading voices from the industry in Mexico and Latin America. Recognized across South America as a creative platform for dialogue, inspiration and professional development, Chef Talks featured some of the region’s most respected chefs, pastry artisans and baking entrepreneurs. “We’re honored to collaborate with IBIE to bring Chef Talks to a global stage,” said Amador Méndez, president of the National Association of Suppliers of the Bread Industry (ANPROPAN) and Mexipan. “Our mission has always been to spark conversations that connect creativity with industry advancement. By sharing Latin American culinary perspectives, we hope to foster mutual learning and deeper engagement across borders.” This initiative is part of IBIE’s effort to support the global baking community through multilingual learning opportunities. Real-time translation services were provided for this segment. As part of this commitment, IBIEducate 2025 featured more sessions in Spanish than ever before.
IBIE 2025 in numbers
+ 1,005 exhibitors
+ 451,100 sq. ft. (41,908.56 sqm) space
+ 250+ education sessions and demos
+ Overall registration was down by 4%
+ Bakers’ attendance decreased by 8% compared to 2022
+ The number of baking companies represented rose by 5% compared to pre-pandemic levels
+ 91% of attendees were purchasing decision-makers or influential in the process
+ 96 countries represented, including 27 official delegations
+ 28% of the buyers were international, with 74% of those from the Americas — led by Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, and Peru.
Innovation
A popular returning feature of IBIE is the Innovation Showcase, which highlights the ‘must-see’ developments launched over the past three years. Solutions displayed here included: a sough cooling system from Agriflex, a churro donut mix from Dawn Foods, Intralox’s ZeroSpliceTM technology, the automated rotoform depositor developed by IPCO, KPM’s MixoLab 300 universal flour and dough analyzer, Lallemand’s Essential BTR Prime, the SAF PRO Accent Fortification CaD2 Plus by Lesaffre, the Flex Combi – Hybrid Gas, Electric Oven from Middleby, Multivac –Fritsch’s Progressa Pastry line, the Puratos Industrial Pilot Bakery, powered by AMF Bakery Systems, and Rondo’s Starline 5, among others.
The Baking Expo is proudly organizing the only non-profit event in the industry. “To all of you, thank you,” Zarate expressed in his closing remarks, “Your participation is what powers the event. IBIE is a non-profit show with one mission: to reinvest in the baking industry. Over the last decade, we’ve given back more than USD 24 million through ABA and BEMA to fund programs, resources and research that benefit our entire community.”
IBIE is owned and produced by the American Bakers Association (ABA) and BEMA (Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds), with support from Retail Bakers of America (RBA). As of May 2025, IBIE has reinvested USD 24 million back into the industry. It was a trip worth taking, in 2025 – an opinion shared by many. The next edition will be held in three years’ time, from September 10 to 14, 2028, with the IBIEducate day before the show starts, on September 9.
