From Feb. 5-9, 2016, 12 international teams will compete in an attempt to win the title of Champion du Monde de la Boulangerie. For its 9th edition, the most prestigious international bakery contest announces a renewed program that will thrill the jury, as well as the supporters and professional visitors attending the Europain & Intersuc trade show at Paris-Nord Villepinte.

Bread Bakers Guild Team USA (Nicky Giusto, Jeffrey de Leon, and Jacob Baggenstos) will be competing against teams from 11 other countries for the title of "Champion du Monde."

Focused on the sharing of savoir-faire and on team spirit, this exceptional contest is a perfect illustration of the bakery trade. As its ambassador for this new edition, the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie has chosen Thierry Marx to embody these values.

Every 4 years, the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie brings together 12 international teams selected as follows: 3 teams that made the podium in the previous edition and 9 teams selected during the 4th Louis Lesaffre Cup. The two remaining teams were selected on November 14: China and South Korea.

With their imposed pieces and free-style creations 36 contestants, men and women, will illustrate the technical excellence and the cultural influences of their respective countries.

Illustrating the changes in the trade and openness to the world of bakers and their clients, new points are introduced to the rules and regulations of the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie 2016.

The titles of the categories change to become: Baguette & Bread of the World, Savoury Baking, and Artistic Bakery Creation. Also, three new challenges will spice up the different tests and stimulate the finalists’ competitive spirit.

New for 2016: team Viennoiserie test

To highlight team spirit and sharing that are essential values of Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, the contestants will have to complete a new test: Savory baking. This requires that the 3 contestants work together as a team to propose an offering of savory products, in line with the development of bakery catering. They will use nutritive products adapted to the diet of athletes to prepare: 15 mini burgers, 15 free-style savory small rolls, 15 savory club sandwiches and 15 filled savory viennoiseries, which will be integrated in the Artistic Bakery Creation.

This year, the contest will introduce an improvisation test to challenge the contestants’ savoir-faire and give free reign to their inventiveness. After drawing lots on the eve of the contest the contestants will discover:

In the Baguette & Bread of the World category: a basket of different ingredients and a fermentation method to be used;

In the Viennoiserie category: a basket with a list of ingredients and a type of dough to be used.

The theme for the Artistic Creation 2016 has been announced. Each team will have to prepare an artistic creation on the following theme: Sport representative of your country. This artistic piece will require both technical and artistic talents and will include the products prepared for the new test Savory baking.

In parallel to the tests, visitors and supporters will be able to attend roundtables on topical themes and challenges for the bakery sector worldwide. From Feb. 6-8 between 10.35 a.m. and 11.10 a.m., 3 roundtables will address the following themes:

Feb. 6: The importance of contests in sharing knowledge and savoir-faire

Feb. 7: The bakery industry: a major player driving changes in consumer habits

Feb. 8: New potential for growth and new sources of margins for artisan bakers

Experience the contest from an insider’s point of view. Come to: Le Cube, Hall 5, from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., from Feb. 5-9, 2016. Register at www.europain.com