The International Bakery Industry Exhibition (IBIE)—the global grain-based food industry’s largest, most-important trade event in the Western Hemisphere—will take place on September 7–11 in Las Vegas. Several new and updated show features will help drive the business of grain-base snacks and baking forward in the coming years. One of these features is the newly updated BEST in Baking Program, sponsored by IBIE and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery.

The BEST in Baking Program seeks to recognize IBIE exhibitors and baker attendees that have made notable advances in Sustainability and Product Innovation—as well as Sanitation and Workforce Development, two new award categories for 2019. APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH THE END OF APRIL. APPLY TODAY.

Sustainability. Fostering environmental was the original impetus for creating the BEST in Baking Program, and it still remains a strong focus. This category is open to suppliers only and includes four subcategories:

• Equipment—that improves efficiency, reduces energy use, increases throughput, improves sanitary design and/or otherwise brings a notable level of sustainability innovation to the baking industry
• Ingredients—that improve processing/machinability for better throughput, improve agricultural or supply-chain sustainability, and/or otherwise bring a notable level of sustainability innovation to the baking industry
• Packaging—packaging materials or designs that reduce material usage, make innovative use of recycled material, reduce shipping/distribution environmental impact, streamline recycling or composting, and/or otherwise brings a notable level of sustainability innovation to the baking industry
• Logistics—technology or software that notably streamlines fleet management, significantly improves operational or warehouse efficiency, improves bakery sustainability, and/or otherwise brings a notable level of sustainability innovation to the baking industry

Sanitation. This category, which is open to suppliers only and is new for 2019, encompasses sanitation equipment, infrastructure materials like floors and walls, products, technology, or software that improve sanitation procedures, streamline facility maintenance, improve food safety, reduce environmental impact, and/or otherwise bring a notable level of innovation to the baking industry.

Workforce Development. This category, which is open to both suppliers and bakers and is new for 2019, encompasses workforce development programs that foster sustainable development and ongoing growth of the baking industry workforce.

Product Innovation. This category is open to bakers only and includes three subcategories:

• Wholesale Bakery, High-Volume ($50 million or more in sales)
• Wholesale Bakery, Intermediate (up to $50 million in sales)
• Retail Bakery

The BEST in Baking program will, for all three subcategories, honor bakeries that have implemented notable improvements related to ingredient sourcing, product development, packaging and/or distribution to drive growth of a specific bakery product or product line and the bakery’s overall business.

Note that all qualifying submissions must outline advancements that have taken place within the past three years. Also, one exemplary submission will qualify for Top Honors in each category or subcategory.

All qualifying participants in the 2019 BEST in Baking Program will be featured in the August Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery IBIE Show Issue, in IBIE pre-show promotions and in the BEST in Baking Lounge at IBIE.

For complete details on the 2019 BEST in Baking Program, and to enter a submission, visit www.IBIE2019.com/BEST.