Packing for the largest baking event in the western hemisphere and the largest International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) in the event’s 96-year history can be a daunting task. There are long lists of friends to reconnect with, new people to meet and countless booths filled with new technologies, ingredients and products to see. Where does a person begin?
The simple answer is with comfortable shoes. Attendees will be traversing more than 700,000 sq ft of exhibit space featuring over 800 leading manufacturers and suppliers and will be putting in plenty of steps during the show. But more than that, attendees need a plan and a way to stay organized. IBIE and Baking & Snack have produced several means with which anyone in the industry can organize their trip, before, during and even after the show.
Plan ahead
With so many companies to see, a new lineup of more than 60 education sessions and even more demonstration stages, IBIE 2016 is packing everything it can into its four-day schedule. Jorge Zarate, IBIE committee member and senior vice-president of operations, Grupo Bimbo, Mexico City, recommended establishing a personalized plan for the event.
“I suggest doing as much planning as possible in advance of the show,” Mr. Zarate said. “Make a thorough list of points of interest: innovation/product launches, problem-solving solutions, ingredients, training, learning opportunities, updating equipment or systems, or even networking with specific exhibitors or industry colleagues.”
To help organize everything, IBIE upgraded its mobile app, available for both iOS and Android devices, with several new features. People are expected to take further advantage of the service in 2016 because the official app is anticipating 9,500 users this year with a total estimated number of views to reach 425,000. The My Event feature can serve as a personal assistant, helping organize anyone’s IBIE experience into My Inbox, My Agenda, Favorite Exhibitors and Favorite Speakers. Twelve other options put everything show-related at your fingertips.
The app provides instant access to exhibitor information and the ability to save favorites. It even offers show floor directions — giving attendees the shortest route from point A to point B. The Schedule feature reveals a comprehensive listing of seminars, workshops and demonstrations that can be filtered by time, date, track and type (demo or seminar). If you “favorite” an education session, the app automatically displays it by date under My Agenda, helping organize where attendees need to be and when. These features can be accessed at any point before and during the show.
Also available before the show is the IBIE PreShow Guide and the IBIE Directory. The IBIE PreShow Guide features an in-depth look into the industry’s biggest trends and things to look for at this year’s event. The IBIE Directory features a full exhibitor listing, hall map, education schedule and other important information about the show, including hotel and travel information and welcome letters from IBIE Committee chairmen. At the show, use the IBIE Pocket Guide and check out the IBIE Show Dailies each day for information on upcoming events and previous days’ highlights.
New this year is IBIE Connect, a web-based program that aligns attendees’ interests with exhibitor solutions and allows participants to not only locate exhibitors on the show floor but also connect with them and create an appointment.
With all of these resources, there’s no excuse to be unorganized at IBIE 2016.
Explore your world
Michael Cornelis, IBIE chairman and vice-president, international sales, American Pan, a Bundy Baking Solution, said this year’s show incorporates all facets of the baking world into one event.
“There’s so much to do and so much to see,” Mr. Cornelis said. “Everyone brings an incredible amount of energy to the show floor, and our attendees walk away with a ton of information, tools, connections and inspiration.”
Not only has the North Hall expanded with more exhibitors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, many of them exhibiting for the first time, but there are also numerous new features that aim to create an immersive and interactive experience. For example, the new Idea LAB, located on the show floor, features an Innovation Spotlight Theater showcasing presentations on the latest advances in baking as seen in the Innovation Showcase in the convention center’s entryway. An Ask the Experts answer bar is designed to function similar to the Apple Store’s Genius Bar concept. Another new concept attendees can experience is the Fresh Take Talks, which are based on the idea of TED Talks and present brief, informative presentations from influential baking industry leaders on consumer, nutrition and industry trends.
With the theme “your world of opportunity,” attendees can expect a world to open up in front of them at IBIE 2016, and all it takes is some preparation to take full advantage. So get ready, because Oct. 8, IBIE’s opening day, will be here in no time.
