Eric Dell, ABA CEO: ”IBIE 2025 Is about Equipping Every Participant with the Tools and Insights to Thrive”
Eric Dell joined the American Bakers Association as President and CEO in January 2023. He leads the trade group’s sweeping mission of promoting and growing the baking industry in partnership with its 300+ Members. In preparation for the first International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) of his tenure, we asked him how he and ABA see the industry and what has changed since he took over.
You became the CEO of American Bakers Association almost three years ago, taking charge of the most significant voice of the baking industry in the US. What were your objectives back then and how do you evaluate the progress you made toward them?
When I joined the American Bakers Association (ABA), one of my first priorities was to develop a strategic roadmap that would advance our association and position the entire commercial baking industry for long-term growth and resilience. To do that effectively, we embarked on a thorough, collaborative planning process, listening to our members, visiting companies across the country, and engaging deeply with our board and leadership to identify the most pressing challenges and promising opportunities. Our top priority throughout this process was to listen to our members and focus on building for the industry’s success.
That work culminated in the launch of ABA’s strategic plan, which was built around three key pillars: Destination Workplace, Category Growth, and Higher-Level Impact. Each pillar reflects our commitment to the people and businesses that make this industry thrive.
Over the past three years, I’m proud to say we’ve made meaningful and measurable progress. We’ve amplified efforts to make baking a career destination, advocated for workforce-supportive policies, and forged partnerships with educational and veteran organizations. On the category growth front, we’ve highlighted our members’ incredible community impact and explored ways to expand product reach and food access to all communities.
Perhaps most importantly, we’ve worked to elevate ABA’s impact as the leading industry voice. Our advocacy has grown stronger, events and research more valuable, and internal culture and core values directly aligned with the values of the commercial baking industry.
What do you think are the most stringent challenges of the industry in 2025 in the US? What does ABA do, advocacy-wise, to address them?
In 2025, ABA continues to focus on strengthening advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. and in states across the country, ensuring that the voice of the commercial baking industry is heard on the issues that matter most to our members. We’re actively engaging with the Administration, Congress, and key state-level stakeholders to advance policies that support growth, drive innovation, and protect our ability to feed communities nationwide. From food and workplace safety, to nutrition, tax, trade and workforce, ABA is focused on building bipartisan support and keeping the industry’s priorities front and center in today’s fast-moving and unpredictable policy environment.
What kind of support can bakers get from ABA? How do you adapt your support to the new challenges?
ABA champions the baking industry and equips our bakers and allied members with the tools, advocacy, and insights they need to succeed and grow. We provide robust support across three core areas: workforce development, category growth, and driving collective industry impact.
Our advocacy leadership ensures the voice of commercial baking is heard at every level of government, with members regularly engaging policymakers in Washington, D.C. and in state capitols, to shape business-critical policies. We invest in career development through exclusive training, workforce resources, and programs like NextGenBaker to build a strong talent pipeline.
We help our members navigate evolving challenges, from workforce shifts to changing consumer demands, we adapt through forward-looking research, professional events, and data-driven insights. Our events and specialized meetings foster collaboration and spark innovation, while our member-only research helps companies make strategic decisions. Everything we do is designed to position the commercial baking industry for a sustainable and successful future.
At iba 2025, in Düsseldorf, you talked about the extensive research ABA does within the baking community in the US to identify up-and-coming trends and opportunities and thus help bakers run their business better. What are the most relevant insights you can share about the current state of the industry and where people find new business niches?