The British Society of Baking (BSB) has issued a final call for industry members wishing to take part in its autumn conference on 11 and 12 October, as the event is nearly sold out.

Held at Woodland Grange Hotel and Conference Centre in Leamington Spa, the autumn conference promises a strong line-up of speakers, headed by Tesco bakery category director Gordon Gafa.

Other speakers include former boss of Genius Foods Roz Cuschieri; business consultant and former chief executive of Allied Bakeries David Garman; Julius Deane, wheat director  at Carr’s Flour Mills; Justine Fosh chief executive of the National Skills Academy; Daniel Carr public relations manager at Warings Bakery; and Matthew Verity, business unit director  - chilled & bakery at market research giant Kantar Worldpanel.

Verity will present an overview of key trends in the bakery sector, including how retailers are performing, where the analyst sees growth and how consumers are behaving. Verity said: “As well as touching on Brexit, I will look at the major macro trends we need to consider in terms of how and when consumers are eating and the eating occasion. For instance, younger generations eat out more and eat bakery less frequently which, in itself, presents a challenge to the whole industry. And while there is big growth in people eating alone, bakery struggles to get into the one-person occasion.”

Cuschieri will give an insight into the factors bakers need to be aware of to survive in today’s tough bakery market.

The booking form and agenda are available on the BSB website.