AIBI 2026 Congress
AIBI and Fedima are co-hosting the 2026 Congress, organized by the International Association of Plant
Bakers every two years. The associations will welcome participants for two and a half days of learning,
sharing and highly-anticipated reunions. This time, the background of the hemisphere’s main event for
industrial bakers will be the French Riviera.
Under the theme ‘Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow’, Europe’s biggest industry associations will put forth different perspectives on today’s most important topics, through guest speakers who are among the industry’s influential names. As always, the event not only provides the platform for AIBI’s General Assembly, but is also a well-established event, known for its high-quality insights and insightful dialogues.
The main themes taking center stage for presentations and conversations will include:
+ Sustainability at the core of the bakery’s strategic agenda: The SWIE coalition of action
+ Navigating the bakery into a new digital revolution era
+ Nutrition and health: A matter of corporate social responsibility and existential strategy
+ Reinventing bakery
+ Market trend insights
A highlight of the session, ‘A thriving bakery business: getting acquainted with the latest economic and consumer trends’, for instance, will be a look at the transformation of the bakery/pastry market in the event’s host country of France. Nicolas Nouchi, an industry expert and the founder of Strateg’eat, a consultancy firm specializing in out-of-home consumption and food service trends, will explain how the French sector is adapting to the European model and inspiring it.
Also in this session, the industry leaders panel discussion will bring together on the stage Jan Hertz (Lantmännen Unibake), Mary-Ann Kilby (Warburtons) and Peter Deriemaker (Puratos), to discuss the latest developments.
The conversations taking place in this segment of the conference will seek to identify the drivers of the market changes affecting the bakery business.
Another part of the day’s agenda will focus on the Sustainable Wheat Initiative Europe, moderated by Nele Van Malderen, Chief Communication & Sustainability Officer, La Lorraine Bakery Group and Chairwoman of the Sustainability Expert Group of AIBI. She will share an update on the progress and outline the next steps in the industry’s sustainability journey, through this program. “The Sustainable Wheat Initiative sets common objectives and fosters a framework of mutual trust, enabling all partners to progress more efficiently and in a coordinated way toward net zero by 2050. A key milestone on this journey is 2030, by which time we aim to achieve a 30% reduction in emissions linked to wheat and wheat flour,” the program details.
The Sustainable Wheat Initiative
A group of CEO’s of leading bakery companies, under the governance of AIBI, have put sustainability high on the strategic agenda of the bakery industry. European bakeries rely on healthy soils for the availability and quality of their main raw material, wheat. According to the EU Soil Observatory, 90% of European agricultural soils are considered unhealthy due to unsustainable farming practices and climate change. Through this initiative, the bakery sector assumes the responsibility to help wheat farmers transition to sustainable agriculture, which is viewed as essential to meeting the industry’s sustainability goals and to safeguarding the resilience of the European bakery value chain in the face of climate change.
The Sustainable Wheat Initiative aims to reflect a shared vision between the bakery industry, millers and agriculture, with overarching targets towards the net zero aim in 2050.
The segment’s panel discussion will bring Guido Vanherpe (La Lorraine Bakery Group) and Pierre Tossut (Puratos) to the stage to highlight the developments of the coalition’s actions.
Another segment puts the spotlight on digitalization and how the industry is navigating the new digital revolution age. Integrating digital and AI features in bakeris can improve quality output, reduce waste and energy consumption, help reach better sustainability goals, and automate customer service routines, the focus topic highlights. The roundtable will bring together leaders and researchers to compare real-world experience with research evidence on data digitalization (digital reviews, geolocation, performance steering) and its effects on decision-making, location strategy and competition. The keynotes will include field-tested insights and lessons learned from other industries, and will include discussions with the audience.
A different focus topic of the renowned conference will delve into consumer and business trends – adapting to consumer expectations, their behavioral and purchasing evolution.
In addition, the nutrition and health portion of the conversation will include a focus on ‘Consumer Perceptions & Scientific Realities: Putting an End to Preconceptions about Bread, Nutrition & Health’, presented by Léa Ribbet and Sandrine Cuisenier (Lesaffre).
The 39th edition Congress will provide generous networking opportunities for all delegates, along with a small exhibition area and break-out sessions for sponsors. The event will be held at the Mouratoglou Hotel & Resort, in the Sophia Antipolis technology park on the French Riviera, from May 27 to 29. Registrations are open until May 26.