WESTLAKE, OH — To get bakers excited for the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE), set for Sept. 14-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Retail Bakers of America (RBA) is hosting six specialized webinars featuring industry leaders who will be presenting as part of the tradeshow’s IBIEducate programing.
The IBIE 2025 Preview Series of webinars, which range from piping techniques to AI applications for retail bakeries, will give a first look into what attendees can expect to see at the show.
Bakers can transform their skills and business strategies through the following webinars:
Scroll Piping, Vintage Piping, and String Work | June 16 | 1 to 2 p.m. ET
This webinar, led by award-winning certified master sugar artist Peggy Tucker, will offer a sneak peek into the techniques presented in her full workshops, including creating perfect string work, designing scroll piping patterns, mastering vintage over-piping techniques, working with royal icing and selecting the proper piping tips.
Leveraging AI to Transform Your Retail Bakery | July 8 | 1 to 2 p.m. ET
Cydni Mitchell Hodges will explain how artificial intelligence can revolutionize bakery businesses, providing insight into how small bakeries can work smarter, boost creativity and streamline operations. The session will cover how bakeries can harness AI, automate time-consuming administrative tasks, and create stunning visuals and engaging product descriptions.
Edible Wafer Flowers, Isomalt, and Royal Icing Cookie Magic | July 15 | 2 to 3 p.m. ET
Sugar artist chef Analaura Garza and industry professional Ricardo Correa will demonstrate essential decorating techniques for professional bakers. They will offer details on creating delicate edible wafer flowers, working with isomalt, mastering royal icing techniques for perfectly decorated cookies, selecting the proper tools and tips for achieving consistent results.
Heart-Shaped Vintage Cake Decorating Demo | July 28 | 1 to 2 p.m. ET
Abigail McGreevy, owner of Bae’s Bakery, will showcase cake decorating techniques to help bakeries create distinctive, social media-worthy cakes. Techniques will include professional frosting methods, classic Lambeth piping techniques and pointers for applying decorative elements such as maraschino cherries or edible pearls.
Cookie Portrait Hand Painting Demo | Aug. 5 | 1 to 2 p.m. ET
Michelle Curran, known as Chef Mitchie, will demonstrate how to work with fondant, gum paste and wafer paper, create edible “acrylic” paints, map facial details without a projector and choose optimal edible colors.
Baking an Impact: Small Changes for More Sustainable Baking | Aug. 11 | 1 to 2 p.m.
Renowned pastry chef and author Genevieve Meli will preview her IBIE session as well as offer insights from her newest book. Chef Meli will demonstrate how small, practical changes in baking can make a significant positive impact on the environment without compromising quality or integrity.
The IBIE 2025 Preview Series webinars are free for RBA members and $30 for non-members.
Visit the RBA website to learn more and register.
