The all-new Baking Industry Exhibition is just three months away. Following massive investment in visitor attractions, the show will take over from Food & Bake and build on past events to make this the best UK bakery trade show ever!

BIE will feature a huge array of new and exciting visitor attractions, such as a demonstration theatre, artisan masterclasses and competitions, a fully functioning bakery and access to industry trend update analysis. Together, they will provide a festival atmos-phere, making this the must-see bakery event in your diary.

But that’s not all! BIE will run alongside four high-profile trade shows, covering every aspect of food and drink manufacture. Food & Drink Expo, Foodex Meatex, Convenience Retailing Show and IFFE are all part of Food and Drink World 2008, the collective name for the shows, which together add up to around 1,300 exhibitors and 18 innovative features, packed into eight interconnecting halls.

Launched in response to visitor and exhibitor demands with the support of Bakery Exhibitors Ltd (BEL) - the board of Food & Bake exhibition, David Marsh, chairman of BEL, welcomes the reinvigorated bakery show: "This decision secures a single industry exhibition and conference event to provide a unifying platform for bakers, suppliers and their associations."

Charles Reed, group MD of show organiser William Reed Business Media (owner of British Baker and Bake & Take), says: "The UK bakery sector is diverse, covering craft, plant bakers as well as supermarkets. It is vital for our industry to have a truly focused event, with British Baker leading the way. I feel confident we will be able to convert the industry enthusiasm for a quality marketing platform."

The aim is to build on the success of the 2006 event by producing a series of shows that are even more tailored to a food and drink audience. "The launch of BIE underlines our commitment to creating a forward-thinking series of shows," says Andrew Reed, MD of William Reed Events & Exhibitions.

Peter Mellon, president of machinery supplier Reiser UK, adds: "If William Reed can do for bakery what it has done for the meat industry, it will give the whole sector a much-needed boost."

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=== Special features ===

Baking Live!

This fully-functioning bakery will produce goods throughout the day for sampling and use in other BIE and Food and Drink World features. Showcasing equipment in action, sponsors and exhibitors already lined up include: Benier (UK), Mono Equipment, Rondo Doge, Brook Food Processing Equipment, British Bakels, Unifine Food & Bake Ingredients, Rank Hovis and Dawn Foods.

Bake-off

Bake-off has helped many retailers to capitalise on the profit opportunities frozen baked goods can offer. The Bake-off ’Shop’, which will showcase retail concepts and food, will be found on the borders of CRS and IFFE. Sponsors include Benier (UK), Mono Equipment and Brook Food Processing Equipment.

The Theatre @ BIE

Featuring the Future Baker of the Year competition and Craft and Artisan Masterclasses, the demonstration theatre will create a real buzz.

Masterclasses

Live demonstrations, with inspirational bakers such as Stephen Hallam, from Dickinson & Morris, making an authentic Melton Mowbray pork pie. French baker and author Richard Bertinet will focus on French breads; and bakery consultant Wayne Caddy will showcase the latest in ethnic breads.

Ingredients Area

Central to this section will be a ’prep arena’ where ingredients exhibitors can prepare and bake products. Tom Chandley Bakery Engineers, a leading supplier of commercial bakery equipment in the UK, will supply the ovens.

Future Baker of the Year

This live competition is sponsored by California Raisins and will take place each day of the show. It is open to teams of three people from colleges or companies*. Judges will be looking for original recipes along with good technique, efficiency, presentation and innovation. The main categories are: Fermented Goods, Confectionery, Savoury and Innovation. Prizes include: 1st £2,000; 2nd £1,000; 3rd £500.

*Entrants must be under 30 years old on 9 April 2008. For further information contact tel +44 (0) 20 8741 8513 or email info@ukraisins.com

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=== WHO’S WHO at the show ===

Wiesheu, Stand H28B

Those who want to know how to make high-quality breads, cakes and pastries faster, easier and more economically should not miss out on visiting the Wiesheu stand, says the firm.

Wiesheu will showcase infrared heat-transfer technology, claimed to give energy savings up to 20%. With its Stir oven, a core temperature of 97°C is achieved within three to four minutes. The result is that baking time can be reduced from 20 minutes to 12.

Wiesheu will also be displaying new features for the convection ovens in its Euromat series, which can now be operated using the new "contact-free" loading trolley. The loading trolley has been raised to ensure that the uppermost baking tray can be reached on all models.

Unifine Food &

Bake Ingredients (UK)

Stand F59B

The firm’s latest acquisition, French

bakery ingredients specialist Caullet, will take the limelight at BIE, where visitors will be able to see how ingredients from both firms have been combined to make successful products. The focus of the Unifine stand - clean label and all natural - is a theme that will run through products showcased, from new versions of 2D Sugar Shapes and fruit preparations, to natural fonds and flavours. It will also show how to cash in on trends for bright colours and sprinkle toppings with coloured soft swirly icings, sugar and chocolate ingredients. Unifine’s latest rustic-style muffins, a new clean-label cheesecake and an