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!
Future-Proofing Commercial Baking: Workforce Challenges and Solutions
May 5, 2025
2:00 – 2:30 PM EST
Presented by ABA, ASB, and IDDBA
Since 2016, the American Bakers Association (ABA) and the American Society of Baking (ASB) have partnered to deliver valuable insights into recruitment, retention, and training trends across the commercial baking industry. For the 2025 edition of the study, Future-Proofing Commercial Baking: Workforce Challenges and Solutions, the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) has joined the partnership, broadening the study’s scope and strengthening its industry impact.
In this webinar, Cypress Research, a leading research firm in the food and beverage space, will present part one of the study – key findings from the industry survey, highlighting today’s most pressing workforce challenges and emerging trends. The full members only whitepaper, including industry case studies, will be available later this year.
Attendees will gain strategic insights to help attract, retain, and develop top talent – ensuring a strong and sustainable workforce for the future of commercial baking.
More Live Webinars Coming Soon!
Breaking Into Automation: Baking’s Roadmap to Optimized Efficiency, Higher Profits & Scalable Growth
Sponsored by Harpak-ULMA
This webinar covers:
- Why Automation is Critical: Understand how labor shortages and rising costs are driving the need for automation in bakery operations.
- Scalable Automation Solutions: Explore practical approaches to integrating automation across packaging lines, from case packing to full-line systems.
- Vision Inspection Technology: Learn how advanced tools like ULMA Vision and Neural Vision are replacing manual quality checks.
- ROI and Productivity Gains: Discover how bakeries are achieving up to a 22% productivity boost with automation—and seeing ROI in less than two years.
SPEAKERS
Josh Becker
Bakery/Confection Segment Manager, Harpak-ULMA Packaging
John Weddleton
Automation Product Manager, Harpak-ULMA Packaging
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
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
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
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
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
Transitioning an Industrial Sponge & Dough to Straight Dough
This webinar covers:
- 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
SPEAKERS
Brian Chang
R&D Manager Sourdough & Grains, Puratos
Martin Chiappetta
Sr. Application Specialist, Puratos
Why Damaged Starch is a Must Parameter in Flour Specifications for Bakers
This webinar covers:
- What damaged starch is and how does it occur
- Why we measure starch damage
- The importance of damaged starch from the baker’s point of view
- The effects of damaged starch on fermentation and a variety of baked goods
SPEAKER
Dr. M. Hikmet Boyacioglu
Application Engineer, KPM
Monitoring Flour Quality to Reduce Waste in Bread Production
This webinar covers:
- The specific attributes of wheat flour
- What makes wheat flour variable at the mill
- What to look for in your flour specifications
- How to control your flour quality
SPEAKER
Dr. Lin Carson
Founder, BAKERpedia