IBIE Review: More Bakers and Buyers than Pre-pandemic Edition 

The International Baking Industry Exposition, which took place in Las Vegas, Nevada from September 17 through September 21, welcomed the industry after a three-year hiatus from events. Close to 20,000 professionals registered for the expo. 

Over the four-day expo, attendees flooded the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, looking for the latest equipment, ingredient and supply solutions from more than 800 industry suppliers. While exhibitor personnel and non-exhibiting supplier guests fell just shy of pre-pandemic numbers, baker attendee participation was an astounding 25% ahead, further cementing the perception from exhibitors that high-quality bakers—with intent to buy—were walking the show floor.

A common theme expressed by exhibitors was the number of international buyers who attended the Las Vegas event. Many exhibitors stated that this was the best IBIE in history for connecting with buyers from outside the United States—buyers that many exhibitors would not have been able to reach on their own. Despite COVID-related travel challenges, the number of international bakers increased 34% over 2019, hailing from more than 105 countries and making up more than 27% percent of baker attendance, with the largest participation from Brazil, Canada, Colombia, and El Salvador—and a record-setting delegation from Mexico.

“IBIE 2022 has exceeded all expectations,” said Dennis Gunnel, IBIE chairman. “The Baking Expo has a long history of championing innovation aimed at the changing needs of our bakers—from the advancements on the show floor and IBIEducate presentations to the high-quality buyers walking the aisles. During a time when trade events are getting a fraction of their pre-pandemic participation, our industry showed up.”