The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) will be recognising its 2025 BEST in Baking Baking awards winners at the tradeshow, which is set to take place in Las Vegas from September 13-17.

Introduced in 2010, the BEST in Baking program recognises the suppliers and bakers who are leading the way in tackling some of the industry’s most paramount topics, from sustainability to workforce development, sanitation, packaging innovation, plant efficiency and automation/robots.

IBIE chair Jorge Zarate said the BEST in Baking Awards are a powerful platform to showcase incredible innovations and recognise outstanding work across the baking industry.

“These awards allow remarkable companies to set themselves apart from competitors,” he said.

The BEST in Baking honorees include:

Workforce development

Despite a booming economy, bakery manufacturing positions are going unfilled and skilled workers are hard to come by. This category honors bakers and suppliers developing programs that foster sustainable development and ongoing growth of the baking industry workforce.

Retail Bakeries:

• TOP HONORS: Rising Above Bakery Inc. – Individuals with special needs as equal members in the bakery’s workforce
• Cake Craft Shoppe – Cake Craft Shoppe Baking Academy
• Nick Vina Artisan Bakery – Workforce development and bakery sustainability

Wholesale Bakeries:

• TOP HONORS: Craftmark Bakery – The Power of Lean Training to Maximize Operational Efficiencies and Employee Engagement
• Crown Bakeries – Leadership Essentials
• New Horizons Baking Co. – Career Ladder Program

Suppliers:

• TOP HONORS: Puratos – Calling for Caring: Our Commitment to Employee Wellbeing 
• Dawn Foods – Dawn Inspire Internship Program
• The Butter Book – The Butter Book

Plant efficiency

This category salutes equipment, ingredients, packaging, technology, or another process not related to automation or robotics that improves operational efficiency.

Wholesale Bakeries:

• TOP HONORS: Bimbo Bakeries USA – Baked for Nature: Strategic Energy Management and Net Zero Carbon
• Aspire Bakeries – Green Champion Program & Energy Efficiency Focus
• Bimbo Canada – ZERO Loss Strategy

Suppliers:

• TOP HONORS: Intralox, LLC – ZeroSplice Technology 
• AB Mauri North America – Data Collection for Process Improvement
• AccuSpray, a Bundy Baking Solutions Co. – AccuSpray Pan Oiler
• DAMS MACHINE – Tortilla Bread Production Line
• Hygiena – Time Tracker – KLEANZ
• IFF – ENOVERA 3004
• Lallemand, Inc. – Essential BTR Prime
• Leaven Foods – Leaven Instant Sourdough
• MECATHERM – MyMecatherm
• Regal Rexnord Corporation – Rexnord 6400 Series KleanTop Plastic Spiral Cage Belt
• Topos Mondial Corp. – MFR-730 melting filtering reservoir
• Vantage Food – OPTIRELEASE suite of release agents

Automation and robotics

This category recognises equipment or other technology that automates a manual process, improving throughput and reducing labor requirements.

Wholesale Bakeries:

• TOP HONORS: New Horizons Baking Co. – Smart Autonomous Bun Production System (SABPS)
• Bimbo Bakeries USA – Digital Transformation & New Manufacturing Management Model

Suppliers:

• TOP HONORS: JLS Automation – Peregrine IS Robotic Cartoning System
• ABI Ltd – KATANA 2.0 Robotic Scoring System
• Blueprint Automation – Spider 100v
• Apex Motion Control – Baker-Bot Quad
• Cimcorp Automation Ltd. – Dreamfield, Order Fulfillment Solution
• GYRDIS – Gyro-pancake
• Houdijk North America Inc./Royal Houdijk – COOKIEBOT XP
• Koenig Baking Systems – Dough sheeting line Artisan SFE EC
• Meritech – CleanTech Automated Handwashing Stations with the Sole Clean enhancement
• Niverplast NA Inc. – CombiPlast Case Erecting & Bag Placing Machine
• PackNWood – REVOLUPACK Industrial Tabletop Sealing Machines
• Pcdata Logistics Automation – Robotic Order Picking
• Schmalz Inc. – Finger Grippers (mGrip)
• Simply Bread Co. – Simply Bread App
• Twin Peaks Online – MyOnlineBakery.com
• Vantage Food – MALLET CPG 1100
• Wherefour Inc. – Wherefour ERP Software

Sustainable Packaging Innovation

This category recognises companies that have introduced sustainable packaging, including primary or secondary product packaging, for retail, wholesale, food service, e-commerce, and/or direct-to-consumer.

Retail Bakeries:

• TOP HONORS: JAMMPCO The TA-DAA Box

Wholesale Bakeries: 

• TOP HONORS: KIND Snacks – Paper Wrapper Pilot
• Bimbo Bakeries USA – Arnold Organic 22 Whole Grains & Seeds / 30% PCR resin Bread Bags
• Sugar Foods LLC – Fresh Gourmet Homestyle Country Ranch Croutons

Suppliers:

• TOP HONORS: Ardent Mills – Stretch Wrap Reduction Program
• Bedford Industries Inc. – TagBack
• Formost Fuji Corp. – Alpha 8 Horizontal Flow Wrappers
• Puratos – EcoPak: Journey to Sustainable Packaging

Sanitation

Considering a sanitation strategy is of utmost importance to bakery facilities in the wake of contamination, recalls and other public events, this category recognises bakers and suppliers developing or using innovative sanitation equipment, infrastructure like floors and walls, products, technology, or software that improve sanitation procedures, streamline facility maintenance, improve food safety, reduce environmental impact, or otherwise brings a notable level of innovation to the baking industry.

Wholesale Bakeries:

• TOP HONORS: Nummies Bakery – Supreme Sanitation Program

Suppliers:

• TOP HONORS: Goodway Technologies – PureBelt Modular Cleaning System 
• Airgas, an Air Liquide company – Cryo Tunnel FP1
• Best Sanitizers, Inc. – Portable EZ Step2 Foot Activated Dispenser
• Sani-Matic Inc. – CyClean 35 Parts Washer with Sanitation Carts

IBIE has been recognised as one of the world’s most comprehensive trade events in the Western Hemisphere, and successfully brings together professional in the baking industry.