Editor’s Note

Set Your Fear Aside

JOANIE SPENCER Editor-in-Chief | joanie@avantfoodmedia.com I recently learned a lesson about the word “should.” As in, how to know if you should do something like, say, clean out your inbox (or in my case, the closet, car, shoe rack and junk drawer).

Before you decide if you should do something, ask yourself two questions: Do you want to? And do you need to?

Everyone says we should innovate; look at Disney’s Robert Iger: “Innovate or die, and there’s no innovation if you operate out of fear of the new or untested.”

Yikes. Innovating means change, and that’s scary! But if you want or need to ... then by all means, you should.

And in that case, this Innovations Annual is for you. On the pages ahead, you’ll meet bakers who are thriving despite the current challenges, and you’ll get a glimpse at how next year’s IBIE is adapting to the COVID tradeshow life. You’ll also discover 37 of the most innovative supplier solutions available in the industry.

I don’t want or need to clean out my inbox (or my junk drawer, though the car, closet and shoes are up for debate). But I do know we need innovation to keep moving forward.

Enjoy our special edition. I hope it inspires you and empowers you with the technololgy — and courage — to make meaningful change for your business and the baking industry.