The American Society of Baking (ASB) has officially opened the Call for Content for BakingTECH 2026, taking place February 17–19, 2026, at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. This year’s conference promises to be a hub for innovation, collaboration, and practical solutions that drive the commercial baking industry forward.

BakingTECH 2026 is committed to delivering cutting-edge technical content, engaging speakers, and thought-provoking discussions. ASB invites industry professionals, thought leaders, and solution providers to share insights, emerging trends, and best practices that promote professional development and spark innovation.

Presentation Formats Include:

• Breakout Presentations (25-minute talk + 10-minute Q&A)

• Panel Discussions (must include at least one baker)

• Podcasts (30-minute sessions recorded live with a baker and moderator)

• BAKE Talks (10-minute rapid-fire presentations with Q&A)

• General Sessions (30–45 minutes on the main stage)

• Ideation Labs (30-minute collaborative brainstorming sessions)

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

• Emerging technologies and automation

• Innovative formulations and ingredients

• Workforce development and leadership

• Supply chain and sustainability solutions

• Food safety, quality, and regulatory updates

• Consumer trends shaping product development

Whether you have a breakthrough idea, a case study, or a panel of experts ready to share insights, BakingTECH 2026 offers a dynamic platform to connect with peers and influence the future of baking.

Submit your content proposal by April 14, 2025to be considered for this exciting event.

For full submission details and to apply, visit:
 https://asbe.org/bakingtech2026/call-for-content/

KANSAS CITY, August 15, 2024 — After celebrating its centennial earlier this year, theAmerican Society of Baking (ASB) is heading into its next 100 years riding on a platform of change.

With the association’s annual BakingTECH conference set for Feb. 15-18 in Orlando — the first time BakingTECH will leave Chicago since 1924 — the planning committee is taking the opportunity to reimagine the attendee and exhibitor experience, starting with Marketplace … now known as the Formulation Floor.

As with any industry event, attendee feedback is critical for organizers to create the best possible experience. For ASB, that meant paying close attention to member feedback and working collaboratively to redefine what the experience could be.

The BakingTECH planning committee, led by program chairAshley Robertson, director of marketing and communications for Corbion, worked closely with the Formulation Floor committee, led byLisa Arato, sales development manager for Spiromatic, to accomplish those goals.

“We had the opportunity to ask members, ‘What do you really like about Marketplace? What are the areas we should change?’” Robertson said. “We worked hard to distill down the information and have brainstorming sessions to address what members were saying. Because if Marketplace as it was didn’t meet members’ needs, it can’t support ASB’s aspirations to grow over the next five, 10 or 15 years.”

Mixing it up with a new name

Renaming Marketplace to Formulation Floor was only the first step, but not one the committees took lightly.

“Everyone in our group was tasked with sharing at least five different name ideas,” Arato said. “There was a lot of collaboration, and everyone shared their voice in the process because they were all invested in the success of this change.”

While some generally associate the word “formulation” with ingredients, the Formulation Floor name is meant to evoke a sense of the end-to-end process, from R&D to finished product on the shelf … and everything in between.

“We’re emphasizing the excitement of the floor,” Robertson said. “That’s where all the action takes place. The Formulation Floor is truly about having all the innovation, people and networking in one spot, where bakers can get support for their total product development, whether it’s manufacturing, ingredients, packaging or services. Everything bakers need to know will be on that floor. It’s about formulating ideas, formulating connections and networking, and formulating product innovation.”

“The Formulation Floor is truly about having all the innovation, people and networking in one place, where bakers can get that support for their total product development, whether it’s manufacturing, ingredients, packaging or services.” — Ashley Robertson | Chair | BakingTECH planning committee

Blending and bonding in new ways

While the Formulation Floor will look similar in terms of its physical layout (sans the columns in its previous home), it will be designed with features that help attendees navigate according to their specific, end-to-end R&D and operational needs or product applications. That includes a tagline encouraging bakers to “blend, bake and bond” at the tabletop exhibits.

It starts when attendees enter the space and experience Bakers Row. Think of it as an index of sorts: A row of panels designed for bakers to identify exhibitors that best fit their needs and easily navigate the floor in a more organized way.

“It’s an educational tool,” Arato said. “It will showcase how a few general products are made and how exhibitors fit into the production stages.”

Panels will display steps in specific processes, along with exhibitors whose products and services pertain to each step. Exhibitors will be listed with tabletop numbers and a QR code. This will allow attendees to identify which areas in the baking process — and suppliers that offer products and services in those areas — are most important to their needs.

“It’s also a way for them to quickly make the specific connections they need,” Arato noted. “And it’s a way for attendees who are new to the industry to quickly learn about the process.”

Previous feedback included feelings that Marketplace could be overwhelming, especially for younger professionals or those new to the industry. Bakers Row was developed to ease some of that trepidation.

“It could be hard to know how to navigate tabletops or know which exhibitors to visit,” Robertson said. “With the Formulation Floor, we hope to help attendees gain deeper insight into the process steps for the products they’re curious about and emphasize the contributions of all the various suppliers so they know exactly who they should connect with. For new attendees, that can eliminate a lot of that nervousness.”

This strategically aligns with ASB’s goal of bringing education and networking together at BakingTECH.

To deepen that experience, the Innovation Station is a new feature located at the heart of the floor, behind Bakers Row. This will be an exclusive area to showcase some of the conference’s most innovative and informative technologies, trends or services. Exhibitors must apply for a placement, and a select number of applicants will be chosen by a panel of bakers to be featured in the Innovation Station.

“These selections will be what the panel feels are innovations that are not only new but also meaningful for the industry,” Arato said. “The chosen companies will have the opportunity to present their solutions and offerings in a slightly more private space, where attendees can have a seat and visit with the selected vendors. They’ll also be able to give a presentation on a big-screen TV or provide deeper, one-on-one conversations without the bustle of nearby tabletops.”

The Innovation Station will be accessible during Formulation Floor hours, and the duration of presentations or conversations will be scheduled by the selected companies. All exhibitors are invited to apply when the application process begins in the coming weeks after registration opens.

In addition to new features on the Formulation Floor, attendees will also experience new hours they can access it.

While the former Marketplace was only open from 4-6 p.m. during BakingTECH, the Formulation Floor hours will be extended to include morning and afternoon sessions.

“By extending the hours, we can provide more flexibility and ensure there’s ample time for meaningful networking and connections throughout the day,” Robertson said. “So, if you make a connection on the Formulation Floor in the morning, it opens the door to interact at other points throughout the day, whether in the hotel’s atrium or during an education session. This will cater to diverse attendee schedules and also maximize those opportunities for collaboration and engagement.”

BakeTalks, which launched at BakingTECH in 2023, will remain an element of the Formulation Floor but with more prominence and easier access. The planning committee is currently recruiting bakers who can share their stories on the BakeTalks stage.

Innovation for a sustainable future

With leadership representing equipment technology for the Formulation Floor committee and ingredient technology for the BakingTECH planning committee (Arato and Robertson, respectively) and with a baker at the helm for the board —Xochitl Cruz, VP of Operations for Bimbo Bakeries USA serving as board chair — ASB is poised to execute a new vision for BakingTECH that serves most every sector of the industry in part through the Formulation Floor.

“BakingTECH attendees will experience a productive event full of relevant content” Cruz noted, “The work the Marketplace and BakingTECH Program Committees are preparing for the participants will exceed everyone’s expectations. It is a result of a needed evolution to enhance the experience with high quality and trendy educational sessions, effective networking and connections between bakers and suppliers to continue progressing in the Baking Industry.”

Reformulating the Marketplace into the Formulation Floor was done for all ASB members, from attendees to exhibitors.

“For tabletop exhibits, it’s important to consider all of ASB membership and represent the things people love and want to keep while also developing new aspects,” Arato said. “We’re listening to feedback from all members, including younger professionals, and keeping everyone’s needs in mind by reinventing and modernizing the tabletops … while also keeping costs down for attendees and exhibitors.”

Overall, the BakingTECH planning committee is focused on delivering education and networking opportunities in modern ways at a new venue, while it also supports the association’s vision for longevity into the next 100 years.

“The committee is always looking at what’s happening in the baking industry and considering how we should be looking at it from a perspective of innovation,” Robertson said. “We are considering topics and discussions to support innovations and keep ASB — and the industry — going for another 100 years. After ASB celebrated its 100th anniversary, we needed to help build BakingTECH in places that encourage disruption and help create a solid market for another century.”

“A reimagined BakingTECH sets us up to exceed record registration in 2025,” Cruz said. “Our agenda content centered in innovation, disruption and relevancy will position us all to be better equipped and connected in this competitive environment.”

BakingTECH registration opens Aug. 20. For more information on registration, Formulation Floor exhibitor packages and Innovation Station applications, visit the ASB website.

CHICAGO, July 19, 2024 — The American Society of Baking (ASB) has historically held its annual BakingTECH conference in Chicago, but next year’s event is seeing a change in venue beyond hotel. BakingTECH 2025 will be held in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 15-18, 2025.

At the IFT FIRST 2024 event in Chicago, Kristen Spriggs, executive director, ASB, shared with Baking & Snack the latest updates on BakingTECH 2025 planning. The change in location has offered ASB the opportunity to make some changes to the conference itself.

“Moving out of the Hilton gave us a chance to completely reimagine the experience for attendees,” Spriggs said.

The hotel with its atrium offers a centralized meeting area for people to congregate as they enter the hotel, much like the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile, where BakingTECH has been held previously. This central atrium will provide a space for BakingTECH to kick off with an earlier reception on the opening day, welcoming people to the conference as they enter the hotel.

The area designated for the Marketplace is also larger, which has afforded the BakingTECH planning committee to offer more points of connection than the traditional tabletops. While tabletops will still be available for companies, the space will also host the BakeTalk stage, and new features such as student posters, Bakers’ Row and Innovation Station. To reflect the expanded offerings, ASB has changed the name of Marketplace to Formulation Floor.

“We wanted it to be something that’s more indicative of the collaboration and partnership and innovation that happens at BakingTECH,” Spriggs explained. “It’s all about how you can make those connections to learn about new products and solutions and talk to your partners about your business.”

Bakers Row will be an interactive part of Formulation Floor, with QR codes that attendees scan to learn more about each process of commercial baking. Those QR codes will be available for supplier companies to sponsor to demonstrate how their equipment, ingredients and services play a part in those processes.

Innovation Station will showcase the latest technologies in equipment, ingredients, software and more. Companies wanting to secureone of the 10 spots available in Innovation Station will submit their innovation, which will then be scored by a panel of bakers who will choose the top 10 most innovative technologies.

To attract more student attendees, ASB is spotlighting student posters on Formulation Floor for the first time. Previously, the only posters featured were those from the National Honey Board-sponsored Product Development Competition, which will still be taking place. This year’s competition will focus on grab-and-go foods and every submission must feature honey as an ingredient. Preliminary proposals are due Nov. 8.

Programming will still be baker-focused with a baker offering their perspective in every technical session.

“A part of our strategic outreach to universities, culinary schools and trade schools is to grow our student population, which will help incubate new talent for the baking industry’s workforce,” Spriggs explained.

Rising Baker and the Baking Hall of Fame will also remain fixtures of ASB BakingTECH. The deadline for Hall of Fame submissions is Sept. 1.

The event will end not with Casino Night but an outdoor games celebration, another benefit of being South in February.

“We’re expanding beyond casino games to include group activities such as corn hole,” Spriggs said. “We want to get out and enjoy the Florida weather and the resort setting, which is a first for ASB.”

Last year also saw an influx of first-time attendees with 250. With membership growth a strategic goal of ASB, the organization is working hard to recruit hundreds of ambassadors who can connect with first-time attendees and make their inaugural BakingTECH experience a positive one. Ambassadors are expected to reach out to their first timers a few days ahead of BakingTECH and help them navigate the conference and network.

“One of the best things about community is the connection that people feel to it,” Spriggs said. “But one of the downsides is that tight-knit community can feel like a clique for a first-time attendees and be hard to break into. Our whole goal is to break that down because we never want anyone to leave BakingTECH and feel like they never broke into the community.”

Registration for BakingTech opens Aug. 18, and because of the new location, ASB extended the discounted hotel rates to the three days before and after the conference for those wishing to extend their stay in Orlando. For more information about BakingTech and to register, visitASB’s website.