IBIE - 2013 Show Daily, Tuesday - 5


After period of extraordinary change,
MacKie sees industry in healthy position
The baking industry and the American Bakers Association (ABA)
are emerging strongly from a period of wrenching change said
Robb MacKie, president and chief
executive officer, ABA. Mr. Mac
Kie spoke with Milling & Baking News
on the opening day of IBIE 2013.
“Yes, there has been unprecedented change since 2010 when
the last Baking Expo was held,”
Mr. MacKie said. “But in the last
18 months alone, there has been
more change than in the 18 years
since I became part of the industry. It’s been simply incredible.”
Mr. MacKie was referring to numerous industry developments,
including the exit from baking of
two of the largest players in the
industry — Sara Lee Corp. and
Hostess Brands L.L.C.
“There are half as many large
baking companies today as there
were in 2010,” he said. “And the
baking industry had many other
changes to contend with, including changes in consumer preferences and in the economy. But the
industry has emerged with strong
large players, independent bakers
that are doing well and smaller
ones who also are doing well and
have big plans for expansion.”
ABA itself is in a healthy posi-

tion today, Mr. MacKie said. “You
never want to be complacent,
but with the commitment of our
membership, we are in a strong
place,” he said. “A great Expo certainly helps.”
Regarding IBIE 2013, Mr.
MacKie said he was particularly
pleased by the level of innovation on display, both in terms of
baking equipment manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. “We
challenged the industry to bring
their ‘A game’ to Expo this year,
its newest and most innovative
products,” he said. “And that has
shown up in spades. I’ve seen
equipment that has amazed people. With the ingredient suppliers,
there have been great advances
around health and wellness.”
The emphasis IBIE organizers
have given to highlighting technological advances also was evident in the Innovation Showcase
introduced this year. Members of
the IBIE committee selected submissions from exhibitors for innovations that are briefly shared
with showgoers in the Grand
Concourse.
“Suppliers are able to give bakers a quick snapshot of what they
are introducing,” Mr. MacKie
said. “We were very pleased by the

number and quality of submissions we received.”
For Mr. MacKie and others on
the ABA staff, the trip to Baking Expo allowed them to leave
Washington, where Congress
looked for ways to end a government shutdown. The impact
on the baking industry has not
been great, but threats loom, Mr.
MacKie said.
“The immediate and direct effects have been limited, but if dollars are cut for feeding programs
such as SNAP and WIC (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program and the Women Infants
and Children Food and Nutrition
Service), our members will feel it,”
he said.
Also of concern to baking is
the potential effects on the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA),
which Mr. MacKie singled out as
“one government agency ABA has
a close working relationship with.”
In particular, Mr. MacKie expressed concern that even before
the shutdown, FDA did not have
the resources it needed. “Without a safe food supply, everyone
in baking — bread, cake, cookies,
everyone — will be hurt.”
Asked what ABA initiatives
deserve particular attention, Mr.

MacKie immediately focused
on the Grain Foods Foundation
(GFF) and the Dietary Guidelines
Advisory Committee.
“Funding for the GFF is on top of
my list,” he said. “It has undergone a
renewal with a focus on educating
influencers and the public about
the benefits of grain-based foods.
Regarding the Dietary Guidelines,
every other major category is investing heavily in trying to make
sure the guidelines appropriately
reflect the value of their industry’s
products. Produce, dairy and frozen foods manufacturers just announced an initiative. It is crucial
that the baking industry keep pace
with that. Our efforts need to be
strengthened.”
— Josh Sosland

CRMB honors spirit of the baking industry
Normally held at AIB International in Manhattan, KS, the America’s Best Raisin Bread Contest
(ABRBC), run by the California
Raisin Marketing Board, hit the
big stage at IBIE 2013 featuring five
proofer retarders, two rack ovens, a
deck oven, mixers and other equipment and ingredients donated by
several well-established baking industry vendors.
Just back in February during an
IBIE preview, the ABRBC was still
in its concept stage. By April, the
CRMB had all it needed to run
the contest. By the time the show
started, CRMB created what Chief
Judge Theresa Cogswell calls “a
spectacular environment for a
baking competition.”
“What amazes me is the generosity of our sponsors,” said Larry
Blagg, CRMB’s senior vice-presi-

dent of marketing. “They realized
what’s really going on here is that
we’re honoring professionals and
students.”
During the three-day contest,
36 finalists are competing in the
breakfast, artisan and commercial bread categories. The breakfast and artisan competitions
ran on Sunday and Monday, respectively. The commercial event
occurs today (Booth No. 3043),
and a group of international winners will show off their skills on
Wednesday. There are 12 finalists competing in each event. The
day’s winners are announced each
day around 4 p.m. IBIE attendees are encouraged to stop by the
event, watch the finalists at work
and even sample their products
after judging.
Although this contest is in its

sixth year, international best raisin
bread competitive
events have been
going on for decades with Mr.
Blagg dreaming up
the idea 22 years
ago in Japan to
showcase the talent
in that nation’s baking industry.
Unlike other cut- The judges and winners of Monday’s America’s Best
throat competitions, Raisin Bread Contest for the breakfast category celthe ABRBC focuses ebrate with Larry Blagg (far right) of the CRMB.
on
networking,
training and professional devel- fessionally. It’s all about working
opment.
side-by-side and teaching people
“This is not an in-your-face, to share.”
hard-knocking competition,” Mr.
See www.loveyourraisins.com
Blagg said. “This is a competition for more information and contest
where people a share informa- results.
tion to grow personally and pro— Dan Malovany
Tuesday, October 8, 2013 •

IBIE

•

5


http://www.loveyourraisins.com

IBIE - 2013 Show Daily, Tuesday

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IBIE - 2013 Show Daily, Tuesday - 1
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