IBIE - 2016 Special Edition & Show Preview - 97

SOCIAL MEDIA p l u g g e d into C ON S UM E R S Through social media, wholesale bakers are finding a whole new way to connect with consumers. by Beth Day, Baking & Snack contributor U Understanding emerging technology and the way people communicate with one another is more important than ever before for food manufacturers. New digital devices provide almost unlimited access to information about world cuisines and culture, recipes and trendy food products, and IBIE 2016 will be offering plenty of educational sessions to get bakers up to speed. Interaction with their smartphones and use of social media reconfigure how consumers eat today and has shifted food culture, according to the Hartman Group's Digital Food Life report. Seventy percent of consumers use digital food resources at least weekly to research different types of cuisines, collect recipes and photos, or learn how to assemble ingredients and prepare foods. "There is a robust conversation happening around food across social channels that creates truly unique opportunities to engage directly with consumers - which wholesale bakers don't often get to do," said Christine Cochran, executive director, Grain Foods Foundation (GFF). Dave's Killer Bread (DKB), Milwaukie, OR, has fully embraced the use of social media to cultivate a fan base of more than 500,000 followers. "Since the day we started our social channels, Dave's Killer Bread has drawn a passionate, engaged fan base," said Michelle Hunt, vice-president of marketing for the bakery. "Our talented in-house brand team combines close engagement with fun, beautiful digital content like graphics or videos that our fans can use and enjoy." Knowledge about what people are actually doing with food and how they share it with their own social media connections is essential for food manufacturers to be successful in an increasing digital world. "While these platforms can be scary for those who have not engaged, it can also be incredibly rewarding giving wholesalers the opportunity to showcase how their products are made and make their products appeal to consumers," Ms. Cochran said. Inquiring minds want to know Consumers - foodies in particular - have been interested in the "story" behind the foods they eat, according to Food Technology's Top 10 Predictions for 2016. Recent technologies and social media platforms have facilitated a "packaging connection," making it possible for manufacturers to bring this kind of information to the everyday consumer. "The story behind the bread is equally important to the fans, and they enjoy getting to know the people and Even though the Grain Foods Foundation doesn't sell a product, the organization saw the value in using social media to educate people on the nutrition of grains. Grain Foods Foundation IBIE 2016 / PreShow Guide / 97

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IBIE - 2016 Special Edition & Show Preview

IBIE - 2016 Special Edition & Show Preview
Table of Contents
IBIE PERSPECTIVE - Challenges Amid Attractive Conditions
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY - Well Positioned for Growth
Fuel for the future
PARADE OF PROGRESS - Bakers and exhibitors say they go to IBIE because …It's About the Future
EQUIPMENT TRENDS SURVEY - Good Vibrations
IBIE TECH - Must-have Mobile
ENGINEERING ROUNDTABLE - Putting it on Automatic
ABA PERSPECTIVE - Election 2016: The Stretch Run
Getting the Message Out
‘Premiumization’ opportunities abound
B&CMA, ABA - Pathway to the Future
Cookie-cracker education at IBIE
FSMA & THE BAKERY - Proof of Validation
SANITATION & SAFETY - Signs of the Times
How to collaborate, a PMMI protocol
PACKAGING - One-stop Shop
COLD STORAGE LOGISTICS - Securing Smooth Sailing
INGREDIENT CHOICES - The Big Questions
Go ahead, eat, it’s safe
TAX RELIEF - Go Ahead, Spend
SOCIAL MEDIA - Plugged into Consumers
INGREDIENT TRENDS - Favorable Forecast
INGREDIENT TRENDS: FATS & OILS - Deadline: 2018
WORKFORCE GAP - A New Paradigm
BREAD TRENDS - I Love Bread
bake - Special Edition
Retail Perspective - Road to Recovery
Retail Perspective: Equipment - Innovations Abound
Retail Perspective: Cake - Standing out from the crowd
Retail Perspective: Education - School in session
A World of Opportunity
INTERNATIONAL INSIGHT: BAKED FOODS - Global Growth: It's Not Easy
ALL-AMERICAN TAILGATE - Kickoff IBIE 2016
VEGAS GUIDE - Something for everyone
Off the beaten path
Ad Index

IBIE - 2016 Special Edition & Show Preview