With a record-breaking number of participants, the Fedima GA 2024 was the stage of sector-wide conversations around sustainability, innovative solutions, AI in baking, challenges to look out for, and European bread market trends.
Fedima, the Federation of European Manufacturers and Suppliers of Ingredients to the Bakery, Confectionary and Patisserie Industries, held its Annual General Assembly (GA) in Istanbul, Turkey, on September 18-20, 2024. The three-day event brought together Fedima members from across the European continent, and a variety of key baking industry players to discuss the unique challenges faced by the sector, and foster connections and collaboration.
As the voice of the bakery and pastry ingredients industry at the EU level, Fedima actively engages in shaping policy issues relevant to its members. The Association, which defends the interests of 13 national associations representing almost 27,000 direct employees and 200 companies across Europe, takes decisive action at European level to shape a favourable regulatory environment, to ensure a sustainable and innovative bakery sector, and to support the growth and image of the European bread and pastry market.
The 2024 Fedima General Assembly, hosted by Fedima Turkish member association GIDABIL and sponsored by TraceGains, Kerry, Novonesis, Aromsa, and the Welsh Government, was attended by over one hundred participants, a record number for Fedima. These included representatives from Fedima's 13 national member associations across Europe, guests from partner organisations, external speakers, and local figures of the Turkish bakery sector.
Dr. Mehmet Çetin Duruk, President of GIDABIL, said:
In line with Turkey's renowned tradition of hospitality, it was a great pleasure and honour to welcome our fellow members and guests on the banks of the Bosphorus. Turkey is the leading market for bread consumption per capita in Europe, which makes Istanbul the perfect setting for this year's Fedima General Assembly focused on sharing best practices among the Fedima community. It was truly inspiring to see great interest in how the peculiarities of our country can translate into actionable insights benefiting the wider European market.
During three days of topical committee meetings, thematic sessions, a gala evening, and a field visit to Istanbul's Halk Ekmek bread production site, the Fedima General Assembly tackled several critical topics for the bread ingredients and wider bakery sector. The path to sustainability in the sector took the front stage, with guest interventions highlighting how technologies like regenerative wheat and biosolutions offer promising pathways forward. On the agenda were also talks on nutrition and flavours, and on the potential of data sharing in improving supplier management and compliance tracking to meet safety standards. Lastly, participants discussed how new technologies like Artificial Intelligence can drive product innovation and shape the sector of the future, acknowledging current and upcoming demographic trends and related shifts in consumer needs and spending patterns.
Thomas Lesaffre, the President of Fedima, shared:
I am delighted to see such a large participation to our General Assembly, within Fedima’s membership and beyond. The most crucial takeaway from this event is that we must continue to invest in strengthening our cooperation with all actors of the bakery value chain to address the common challenges that the entire European bread and pastry sector faces.
In a year extraordinarily shaped by the run up to the 2024 European elections, our General Assembly has offered an ideal platform for our members and like-minded partners to come together and reflect on what we want to achieve in the next five years. The regulatory landscape we navigate is expected to change: whether in addressing technical regulations or sustainability matters, the months ahead will be dedicated to making our vision come to life by amplifying Fedima’s role as an expert voice in the sector and a vital partner in the development of a resilient and sustainable European bread and pastry industry.