Bread has been a favorite food of human beings for a long, long time. More than two millennia ago, the Bible reports Jesus fed bread to the multitudes, along with a side of fish; He broke bread with His disciples at the Last Supper. He even called Himself “the bread of life.” In short, Jesus was all about the bread.

However, bread dates back even further than JC’s appearance on the planet. According to the bakery-related tome Flour and Breads and their Fortification in Health and Disease Prevention (that title just rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?), evidence indicates an early leavened bread was baked as early as 6000 BC in southern Mesopotamia, cradle of the Sumerian civilization. The Sumerians, in turn, likely passed on this baking wisdom to the Egyptians circa 3000 BC. The Egyptians then further improved the process and added yeast to the flour.

Now, in 2024, people are still busy with their baking—and baking professionals are still seeking out ways to improve the process and products they bake. These industrious individuals are drawing upon all the trial and error of bakers dating back thousands of years to build a better loaf (or roll, or bun, or croissant, or muffin, or…well, you get the idea). Then, they share these ideas with each other, collaborating on ways to elevate the art of baking for the masses.

That’s what conferences and expositions like BakingTech—an annual gathering of baking’s best produced by the American Society of Baking (ASB)—are all about. Knowledgeable, dedicated members of the baking business get together to talk tech and techniques, share their successes and snags, and work together to find ways to improve the field collectively.

The 2024 iteration of ASB BakingTech (taking place in Chicago, February 27–29) is carrying on the long tradition of working as a team to improve the industry. The conference will bring together experienced bakers, students, academics, suppliers, and other important stakeholders to share wisdom, challenges, and other concerns. The agenda includes a number of forward-looking sessions, including a presentation discussing innovative ways to incorporate fungi in the fermentation process, and the technique’s benefits.

The BakingTech schedule also includes sessions that journey back through baking’s history, during “The Evolution of Baking from Ancient Egypt to Sliced Bread” on Wednesday, February 28. As Kristen L. Spriggs, executive director of ASB, points out, the benefit of attending the presentation includes more than an entertaining history lesson.

I’m grateful to have been invited to join the staff of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery as chief editor. It’s always great to be gainfully employed, but it’s icing on the cake (no pun intended) to be drawing a paycheck for a gig that very often is so enjoyable, it doesn’t feel like work. What’s more, the amazing people I work with (like Senior Editor Liz Parker) and for (former CE and current Group Publisher Doug Peckenpaugh) make each work day better. I’ve spent years covering various corners of the food industry, but the position I find myself in at the start of 2024 is definitely the most fascinating, the most rewarding, and the most fun I’ve ever had.

Also, I’m thankful for the bakery and snack professionals I connect with every day. From the association leaders that guide the industry through education and events, to suppliers that offers a broad range of solutions, to the producers that share announcements of their latest developments (and sometimes send samples of their newest, delicious wares), and beyond, my job at SF&WB wouldn’t be possible without the contributions of these experts generous enough to share their time, insights, and tasty products with me.

Fast forward to today, where candy and snack manufacturers are giving a frighteningly long list of options that puts the trick or treat offerings of yesteryear to shame. In addition to longtime favorite sweet treats, producers now offer a range of savory snacks and better-for-you offerings that even health-conscious parents won’t find scary. That’s It, for example, offers its Spooky Fruit Bites, which features 40 fun-size no-sugar-added fruit bars (half banana, half mango) in a festive pack. Hershey’s SkinnyPop savory snack brand sells its vegan, non-GMO popcorn in a 12-bag pack, complete with friendly monsters on the front. Also, chickpea snack maker Hippeas recently launched a limited-edition multipack of its Vegan White Cheddar Puffs, with spooky ghosts adorning the 12-count bag.

“By delving into the history of bread, participants gain insights into broader trends in food production and consumption, anticipating future changes in the industry,” she says.

If you’re interested in learning more about the event and how attending can help you improve your business, and enrich your personal baking knowledge, check out the ASB BakingTech preview in this digital edition of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery. If you attend, tell us what you think about the program afterward—email me at spinnerj@bnpmedia.com. It’s always great to hear from committed baking pros like you. SF&WB