Finding the Sweet Spot: What IBIE 2025 Taught Me About Innovation, Workforce Development, and Oz

Walking into IBIE 2025 in Las Vegas felt a bit like stepping into Oz. The show floor was expansive, filled with energy, color, and discovery at every turn. Each aisle offered something new: the latest equipment, conversations about industry challenges, and tables of baked goods that made it impossible not to stop and sample. Putting in plenty of steps each day helped offset at least a fraction of the croissants, cookies and pie (so much pie!). 

After the show was complete, I had the chance to experience The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere. Sitting there, immersed in the transition from black and white to brilliant technicolor, I realized how fitting that metaphor was for what I’d just seen at IBIE. The baking industry is undergoing its own transformation — moving from the approaches of binders and classroom training into the vivid, engaging, digital learning strategies that better reflect today’s workforce. 

Brains: Closing the Skills Gap 

One of the strongest themes at IBIE was the growing urgency around technical skills. The Workforce Gap Study revealed that 78% of bakeries face shortages in engineering and maintenance roles. That number is hard to ignore, and it underscores why developing talent from within is becoming essential. 

It was also clear that while product innovation — from functional breads to protein-enriched pastries — continues to push boundaries, the real question is whether bakeries have the skilled workforce needed to bring these ideas to life. Without the brains — knowledge, training, and technical competency — even the boldest innovations risk staying ideas instead of becoming realities. 

Courage: Embracing New Approaches 

Another observation repeated across sessions and conversations was the need for new approaches to training. Equipment manufacturers themselves pointed out that clients often struggle with the basics of workforce readiness, particularly when it comes to operating and maintaining increasingly complex machinery. 

Scaling training with eLearning solutions isn’t a nice-to-have anymore, it’s a pressing need. For many bakeries, that means stepping away from what’s familiar and leaning into the unknown. Like the Cowardly Lion discovering he had courage all along, bakeries need to recognize their own ability to take bold steps. Adopting new training methods may feel intimidating at first, but it’s the very thing that will help them meet the demands of today’s workforce. 

Heart: Retaining the People Who Make It Possible 

The other major thread running through IBIE was retention. Finding talent is challenging, but keeping it is even harder. Bakeries are competing not only with each other but with local employers in other industries for the same pool of workers. 

Retention requires heart, and in the workplace, that means creating a culture of trust and transparency. This came through especially at the NextGen Bakers Leadership Forum, where leaders emphasized that younger generations expect more than a paycheck — they want honesty, clarity, and a sense of shared purpose. Employees stay when they know what’s expected of them, when they feel supported, and when they believe their leaders are being upfront about both challenges and opportunities. 

Just as the Tin Man realized he’d had a heart all along, bakeries don’t necessarily need to reinvent how they care for employees. They need to show it more clearly — through open communication, clear development pathways, and a genuine commitment to investing in people. When employees feel that level of trust, they’re far more likely to stay, grow, and contribute to the long-term success of the bakery. 

From Black & White to Color 

At the Sphere, when the movie shifted from black and white to color, the transformation was breathtaking. It reminded me of the shift underway in workforce development. 

For years, training in this industry often looked the same: paper manuals, in-person training, and compliance checklists. It worked, but it was flat — a black-and-white experience. Today, digital learning brings training to life: micro-modules available on the floor, multilingual content that’s accessible to every team member, and structured pathways that make skills development realistic and achievable. 

It’s a move from dull to dynamic, from static to immersive — a change as striking as that first glimpse of technicolor on screen. 

Closing Thoughts 

IBIE reminded me that the future of baking isn’t just about what’s on display at the booths or on the sampling tables. It’s about the people who make innovation possible — the ones who need the right skills, the right support, and the right connection to stay and grow in the industry. 

Just like in Oz, the answers aren’t always found somewhere over the rainbow. More often, they’re right in front of us: brains, courage, and heart. When bakeries invest in those qualities for their teams, they unlock the sweet spot between innovation and workforce development — and that’s where the real magic happens.