Thomas Lesaffre is the newly appointed president of the Federation of European Manufacturers and Suppliers of Ingredients to the Bakery, Confectionery and Patisserie Industries – Fedima. He shared his views on the role of the association in defending the industry and the work ahead, in support of the organization’s members, their customers and the consumer.
Catalina Mihu: You have recently taken on the role of Fedima President. What is your view on the association’s role as it mirrors the pace of the industry and its changing priorities?
Thomas Lesaffre: Fedima aims to be the European platform for baking ingredients and to support the growth of bread and pastry markets. We want to shape a favorable environment for our members, to ensure that this growth is achieved through solutions that are both sustainable and innovative. Ultimately, we aim to promote and protect our industry, especially in the current environment. Presently, we are living with a lot of uncertainties, and new regulations are shaping up in Europe. I often say that for example North America is good in innovation and creates new concepts, while Europe is very good to regulate innovations. Just think about AI: Europe is the first to take steps towards regulating this field, while America and China are prioritizing focusing their efforts on innovation and new developments based on this new technology. This is why Fedima, a European federation based in Brussels, comprising national associations, aims for a joint approach, with a shared vocabulary, so that we can defend our interests both locally and on European level.
In light of growing uncertainties, we strongly believe that it is important for our industry to be reactive and proactive in anticipation of all the new regulations that are coming – and this is where Fedima plays a key role.
