Webinars | Digital Learning | American Society of Baking

From the comfort of your own office, ASB invites you to join us for year-round continuing education. Whether you are just starting in the industry or a long-time professional, our webinars have something for everyone! See below for our upcoming live webinars, or check out our On-Demand Webinars to watch past recordings covering topics such as ingredient functionality, scaling commercial bakeries, workforce issues and sustainability.

Note: Webinars are always free for ASB members. Not a member? Get a digital membership for $99/year here!

COFFEE BREAK WEBINAR

Breaking Into Automation: Baking’s Roadmap to Optimized Efficiency, Higher Profits & Scalable Growth

April 24, 2025 | 11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM PT
Sponsored by Harpak-ULMA

The bakery industry is evolving, driven by labor shortages, rising costs, and increasing consumer demand for consistent, high-quality products. By 2030, the global manufacturing sector will face an 8-million-worker shortage, making automation a necessity. Meanwhile, the global packaging automation market is projected to hit $86.72 billion by 2025, signaling a major shift.

As automation becomes essential for maintaining profitability, bakeries must determine the best strategies for integrating it into their production lines. From case packing and tote management to full-line automation, the right solutions reduce labor dependency, improve throughput, and ensure product integrity. Advanced vision inspection systems, such as ULMA Vision and G. Mondini’s Neural Vision, replace manual quality checks, enhancing accuracy while maintaining high safety standards.

In this session, Harpak-ULMA’s John Weddleton, Automation Product Manager, and Josh Becker, Bakery & Confection Segment Manager at Harpak-ULMA Packaging, will break down how bakeries can adopt scalable automation solutions. They will share insights on optimizing packaging lines, implementing vision inspection, and achieving up to a 22% increase in productivity with ROI in under two years. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how automation future-proofs operations, enhances efficiency, and meets evolving consumer expectations.

SPEAKERS

Josh Becker
Bakery/Confection Segment Manager, Harpak-ULMA Packaging

Josh Becker is the Bakery/Confection Segment Manager at Harpak-ULMA Packaging. With more than 25 years of professional experience in consumer-packaging, Becker employs his expertise to oversee packaging development, design, management and execution, and continuous improvement across a wide range of applications. His decades of expertise in the bakery and confection packaging makes him an invaluable resource to producers and consumers at every stage of production and retail.

John Weddleton
Automation Product Manager, Harpak-ULMA Packaging

John Weddleton is the Automation Product Manager at Harpak-ULMA Packaging, specializing in integrating advanced automation technologies into packaging systems. With almost 20 years of experience in automation and packaging automation, he plays a key role in optimizing efficiency and expanding automation capabilities for new and existing operations. Weddleton’s expertise in robotics and fully automated, product to pallet packaging lines makes him a valuable resource for producers seeking to enhance packaging performance while reducing risk—bridging the gap between cutting-edge automation and customer needs.

Join live and submit your questions directly to the experts. Can’t join us live? Register and receive the recording.

Past Recordings

Innovations in Gluten-Free Baking: Grains, Formulations & Emerging Ingredients

This webinar is a collaboration with the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the American Society of Baking (ASB).

This Webinar Covers:

Understand the unique properties of gluten-free flours and how they behave in different baked goods.
Learn how to use amaranth, quinoa, millet, sorghum, and other grains to enhance texture, flavor, and nutrition in gluten-free products.
Gain practical formulation techniques for gluten-free pan bread, pizza crust, and biscotti to improve structure and consistency.
Explore real-world applications from industry experts, including process adjustments for commercial-scale production.

SPEAKERS

Amrita Ray, PhD
Milling Specialist, Northern Crops Institute

George Chookazian
Retired Baker

Richard J. Coppedge, Jr., CMB
Professor—Baking and Pastry Arts, The Culinary Institute of America

WATCH RECORDING

High Protein in Baked Goods: Science, Benefits, & Challenges

A collaboration with Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the American Society of Baking (ASB).

This Webinar Covers:

Protein Claims & Regulations – Learn what qualifies a baked good as “high in protein” under FDA guidelines and how PDCAAS plays a role.
Ingredient Functionality – Understand how several commonly used plant proteins impact hydration, emulsification, and product texture.
Formulation Strategies – Explore how to blend plant proteins to create a complete amino acid profile while maintaining dough structure and machinability.
Market Trends & Consumer Demand – Discover how protein-fortified baked goods align with clean-label and better-for-you trends.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Runnan (Grace) Li
Research Analyst, University of Kentucky

Susanne Stoeger-Moore
Chief Technical, R&D, & Quality & Officer, Nature’s Ingredients

WATCH RECORDING

5 Things to Improve Efficiency in Industrial Bakeries

Sponsored by Vantage Food

This webinar covers:

The automation sweet spot: Where technology meets ROI. When to scale?
Production scheduling secrets that slash downtime.
Production efficiency tips & tricks that reduce waste.
Staff training techniques that stick. Staff training trends and forward-looking techniques to mitigate turnover.
Quality control methods that deliver consistency every time.

SPEAKERS

Laura Williams
Applications and Technology Manager | Vantage Food

Yannick Gil
Marketing Manager | Vantage Food

Drew Pope
VP of Business Development | Vantage Food

WATCH RECORDING

Bakery Enzymes 101

This webinar covers:

Dissecting the Wheat Kernel: Gain a deeper understanding of wheat’s components—endosperm, bran, and germ—and their unique compositions.
Enzyme Functionality in Baking: Learn how enzymes like amylase, protease, lipase, and xylanase enhance bread formulation, from increasing volume to improving softness, freshness, and crumb structure.
Scientific Insights for Practical Application: Explore how enzymes modify flour’s structural components to create innovative bakery products.

SPEAKER

Chef Alex Peña
Founder, Baking Evolution: School of Baking | Director of Product Development & Technical Services, Bellarise

WATCH RECORDING

Mastering Whole Grains: Blending Science, Art, and Practical Solutions for Bakers

This webinar covers:

The benefits of whole grains, including the nutritional features and some of the functional differences that can affect doughs
Options for formulating with whole grains and for conveying the benefits of whole grains to consumers
Techniques like pre-soaking, adjusting fermentation times, and other techniques can improve texture and flavor
Knowledge and skills to overcome common challenges in making whole grain bakery products

SPEAKERS

Richard Charpentier
Certified Master Baker & CEO/Founder of Baking Innovation

Elizabeth Arndt, PhD
CIO & Lead Scientist, Baking Innovation

WATCH RECORDING

Transitioning an Industrial Sponge & Dough to Straight Dough

In this presentation, you will learn:

Types of sponges and sourdoughs, and their purposes
Pros and cons of using preferments
Challenges associated with switching to a straight dough process
Necessary equipment and processing adjustments required for a successful transition