Tesco bakery chief Gordon Gafa will head a star line-up of speakers at this year’s British Society of Baking (BSB) conference in October.

The conference, which will be held at the Woodland Grange hotel, near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on 11-12 October, will also include presentations from a number of other leading bakery delegates.

Gafa, who is category director for bakery, commodities and wholesale operations at Tesco, will discuss the retailer’s bakery strategy and what the retail giant looks for from suppliers, new product development and more.

 Genius Foods chief executive Roz Cuschieri  will discuss the growth of the gluten-free brand and how smart marketing has turned it into a household name.

Former chief executive of Allied Bakeries and business consultant David Garman will give a unique insight into achieving potential in the baking industry, while Julius Deane, wheat director at Carrs Flour Mills will present a seminar on who supply and demand in the global wheat market are affecting flour prices and quality in the UK. He will also look at the implication of Brexit for the British flour market.

The new Trailblazers apprenticeship scheme will be the topic discussed by Justine Fosh, chief executive of the National Skills Academy. Meanwhile, Daniel Carr, responsible for PR at Warings Bakery and president of the London and South Eastern Region Craft Bakers Association will share his experience on how to use social media to promote a bakery business and products to increase sales.

Finally, Matthew Verity, chilled and bakery business unit director for research firm Kantar Worldpanel, will outline the latest developments in bakery product marketing.

Incoming BSB chairman Paul Turner said: “The BSB committee’s aim this year is to present key insider perspectives that will help attendees adapt, survive and prosper in today’s tough and sometimes volatile trading environment.”

Prices and attendee packages for both BSB members, non-members and students will be announced shortly. Booking will be available from 1 August on the BSB website.

In January Zeelandia national sales manager Richard Hazeldine became a member of the BSB executive committee.

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