Kerwin Brown is president and chief executive officer of BEMA. He has worked in the baking industry for 33 years, and 2022 marks his 10th International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE). IBIE is owned by BEMA and the American Bakers Association (ABA).
After a lengthy reliance on virtual meetings, how important is the in-person meeting to the industry?
The in-person element is fundamentally important. I will even go so far as to say the joy and excitement of being together again will be one of the major takeaways from the show. Trade shows are essential for bringing people together, and I think a show like this, especially one of this magnitude, is vital for everyone involved. It is vital for individual companies, and it is also vital for the individual attendee. With the newfound ease and comfort of participating in virtual meetings, the connections made in-person at IBIE will grow at an incredibly positive pace post-show.
What do you hope people take away from the show?
Relationships are key in any industry, and they are uniquely important in the baking industry. In our current environment, everyone is looking for solutions. IBIE brings the retail and wholesale categories together in one place, which creates a more significant opportunity to build relationships and find solutions at a level we have not been able to achieve in the past few years.
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