Bakery World 2023 expo aims to empower startups

CEBU, Philippines — Startup bakery businesses will take the spotlight in the upcoming Bakery World 2023 exhibition on September 14-16, 2023.

Organized by the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), the two-day event aims to help small and starting bakery businesses to thrive under a new breed of consumers and changing business landscape.

MCCI President Kelie Ko, chair of the Bakery World 2023 exhibit, said the exhibit aims to enable bakeries and café owners, especially the small and medium, to level up.

New products and technology for the bakery business take center stage in the upcoming 2023 Bakery World exhibition set on September 14 to 16, 2023 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino Cebu City.

Start-up bakery businesses have the potential to grow through innovation and technology, reiterated Ko.

“We’re going to see a lot of bakery and café related suppliers, from ingredients to equipment and a little bit of packaging. They will see different ways of using products, and come up with new products. We will also have food photography sessions,” Ko said.

He explained the importance of taking good product photos. “It’s a digital age. We want them to put up good pictures so they can sell their products.

Carrying the theme, “Learn. Innovate. Grow,” Ko hopes that participants will be able see and learn the latest technologies, innovations, and trends in the baking industry. “This will help entrepreneurs improve their products and services and be more competitive as well as open more markets for their products.”

MCCI past president Stanley Go, who also chaired the Bakery World Exhibition in 2018, said it has been MCCI's goal to provide business opportunities to various stakeholders in the baking and food industry in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“The goal was to help home-based bakers grow their businesses,” recalled Go referring to why MCCI decided to organized the Bakery World exhibitions as part of the Mandaue Business Month (MBM) roster of events.

“With Bakery World we can bring in ways to help these small bakers. By giving them access to ingredients and equipment they can use, such as a mixer, they can increase productivity, improve the product quality, and even create new innovations,” Go explained.

In the past, bakery exhibitions were always held in Manila. By holding the Bakery World in Cebu, MCCI can help bakers not only in Cebu but also those based in other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, Go said.

With the special focus on startup bakery businesses, Ko is encouraging owners of bakery businesses and cafés to join “so they could see what the exhibit could offer.”

“They could come up with new products, and for would-be investors to start their own business. There’s a market for bakery products in Cebu island alone,” Ko added.

Bakery World 2023 will also feature international and local chefs who will conduct seminars and share their expertise. All those interested can attend the seminars for free.

On the opening day, the exhibit will also feature competitions on Wedding Cake Decoration, the Love Philippines cake decoration featuring the country’s tourist attractions, and Bread Art Showpiece.

The first Bakery World 2018 exhibition, held at the then JCenter Mall in Mandaue City, had 57 exhibitors with 113 booths that featured leading brands in the baking and food industry and recorded at least 5,000 visitors.