“It will be here before we know it.”

So said Jorge Zarate of the 2022 International Baking Industry Exposition scheduled for September 17-22 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Speaking during the all membership meeting of the American Bakers Association March 22, Zarate revealed new details about IBIE 2022.

The vice chair of IBIE, Zarate described his fellow committee members as “very passionate, dedicated.” He said the baking industry was fortunate the 2019 IBIE was held before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and that the 2022 IBIE is scheduled far enough in the future that there is good cause to expect the event to be held as scheduled.

Programmatically, first time additions to the 2022 IBIE will be a cannabis pavilion, a sanitation pavilion and the World Bread Awards, Zarate shared.

He reviewed and updated the bakers on major changes set for the IBIE floor plan. The Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center will not be used, and IBIE will be held in the North Hall (as it has been for several IBIE cycles) as well as a new West Hall.

“It is a beautiful space with lots of windows, natural light, a food hall, digital signage for exhibitors and a new underground loop where attendees will be transported by Teslas,” Zarate said. “The upgrades will elevate the show to a new level.”

Exhibit space will be sold in tranches with the largest 30 exhibitors, who account for a significant proportion of the trade floor, selecting their space first, June 28-29, 2022, Zarate said. Afterward, the floor plan will be reconfigured based on the first round selections to help remaining ABA, BEMA and RBA members select space. The second round will be done July 13-15.

A third tranche will be booked beginning July 28, open to members and 2019 past exhibitors.

An iba strategic alliance, first announced in 2019, also was outlined by Zarate. The partnership included pre-event promotion giving IBIE brand visibility at iba’s virtual event, shared website promotion and speaking opportunities. Specifically, in partnership with iba, the International Baking Industry Exposition hosted three education sessions at Iba.CONNECTING EXPERTS in March.

Zarate’s presentation was followed by a video presentation by Caroline Kenyon, director of the World Bread Awards. Kenyon offered background on the awards, which will be part of the IBIE 2022.

A public relations professional based in the United Kingdom, Kenyon conceived the idea for the award in 2012 to celebrate bread baking there. The award quickly became the premier bread competition in the United Kingdom.

The idea to launch a US award came in 2016 during a visit by Kenyon for a family wedding. An introduction of her by Fred Springer, former president of Burford Corp., to Robb MacKie, chief executive officer of the ABA, helped launch a relationship with the US bread industry. The first US awards were presented in 2018, and in 2019 New York Bread Week was inaugurated. During 2020 and planned for 2021, because of COVID, a virtual Bread Heroes version of the award has been adopted. Honorees are selected among millers and bakers for their ”impact on their community, their reach, how they may have innovated, their generosity of spirit or their care for the well-being of others.”

For 2022, the event will be held at IBIE, and Kenyon expressed excitement to be at “this great event for people who have fed nations across the world.”