CEBU, Philippines — The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) is bringing back one of its flagship projects this year, on September 14 to 16, 2023, updating the food and processing industry players with new ingredients, innovations, and changes in consumer preferences post-pandemic.
Chaired by MCCI president Kelie Ko, this year’s Bakery World to be held at the Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino will not only gather the prime movers in the bakery and food industry in Cebu but will also put the spotlight on new businesses born during the pandemic.
“The year 2023 is a very exciting yet critical year as the world finally emerges from the global pandemic. This is a time for new beginnings, of renewal, change, and new opportunities as we forge ahead to a new era,” Ko said.
With a highly competitive market, challenged by the rising cost of raw materials—fuel, logistics, sugar, four, among others, Ko said the three-day event will give old and new players how to thrive and stay ahead of the competition, with the introduction of alternative raw materials, particularly those that are locally produced.
“During the pandemic, there were people who lost their jobs and started businesses. They came up with good products. We are trying to support the new businesses as well considering that they do not have access to new bakery ingredients, or innovative technology,” said Ko during the formal announcement of the re-opening of the Bakery World exhibition in Cebu since it commenced in 2018.
The 2nd Bakery World 2023 will highlight alternative baking products that would help entrepreneurs stay on and be competitive in the business amid the elevated inflation and unstable supply of raw materials.
According to Global Pacific Distribution Network Corporation president Peter Limquiaco, prices of raw materials are going up, “but there’s a lot of alternatives, cheaper choices which quality and taste are similar with imported and traditional products. These are among the features that the upcoming Bakery World 2023 will feature.”
These cost-efficient alternative ingredients can give our bakers the opportunity to earn more, while the industry is one of the challenged businesses because of the high cost of raw materials, especially imported products, Limquiaco explained.
Limquiaco mentioned the new market introduction of alternative sugars, less fat content butter, alternative milk and healthier milk products, new kinds of flour, and other cheaper but quality products that are out in the market today.
Since 2018, the local bakery and food processing industry noted the introduction of alternative products and upgrades in technology even before the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war which affected the supply of food processing raw materials.
Bakery World 2023 is one of the flagship events of the Mandaue Business Month (MBM 2023) chaired by young entrepreneur Mark Ynoc.
Ynoc said the organizers of the MBM 2023 will invite the new players in the food processing and baking businesses in Cebu to guide them and link them with big players so that will be able to sustain their business and become bona fide stakeholders in the long run.
The Bakery World 2023 is calling for the participation of new players who don’t have access to bakery ingredients and new innovative technologies.
“We are trying to help them [new players] by linking them with possible suppliers,” said Ko.
Because of the rising demand for baked goods to cater to the growing population, the bakery industry has grown exponentially. Revenue in bread and bakery products is expected to grow by 6.63 percent annually.
“In a very competitive business such as this, every industry needs to level up in order to survive and continue to flourish,” Ko added.
With a total of 185 booths, organizers target more participation this year, as the players have increased in numbers and interest in the business has also heightened, despite the inflationary challenges.