June 2025

Last month the team spent time on the road continuing our listening and learning tour making important connections and developing impactful solutions. 

We Traveled To:

• Visit state-of-the-art bakeries  
• Collaborate with baking industry colleagues and peers to better serve you 
• Develop new solutions to meet training and educational development needs of today's and tomorrow's workforce 
• Strategize over the best, most technical content to deliver at BakingTECH 2026 

Why We Gather

Meeting face-to-face offers invaluable benefits that go beyond digital interactions, and we know that's one thing people value about ASB. In-person connections foster deeper relationships by allowing people to read body language, tone, and facial expressions, which enhance communication and understanding. They also build stronger trust and rapport, and we see this time again at our in-person meetups, physical presence encourages authentic engagement. 

At ASB, we know how powerful it is when our members connect face-to-face. Research shows that in-person interactions lead to stronger collaboration and more effective problem-solving, especially in team settings where trust and spontaneous idea-sharing are key. It’s those real-time, unscripted conversations that often lead to the most impactful breakthroughs.  

In-Person Experiences Matter

Meeting in real bakery environments and talking directly with professionals on the ground allows us to understand your challenges firsthand. It’s where ideas are pressure-tested, insights are shared, and solutions are shaped together. These kinds of hands-on interactions offer a richer learning experience than anything you can get from a screen. They help us, and the broader ASB community, grow more confident and capable, ready to meet the evolving needs of the baking industry. 

Ultimately, personal connections create memorable experiences and reinforce human bonds in a way that virtual interactions often can't replicate. That's why our upcoming Casual Meet-ups, Regional Events, and intentional experiences at IBIE are so important for us to offer the expanding ASB community. We can’t wait to see you soon! 

June 10th

Kansas City Regional Meetup  

Start your summer with us on June 10 in Kansas City for a premier networking event, sponsored by Corbion and Avant Food Media/Commercial Baking. Build valuable connections, share ideas, and engage with industry peers in a relaxed, collaborative atmosphere. Come along and bring a friend or colleague!

June 10th

Webinar: Baking with Ancient Grains From the Great Plains

Rediscover the grains that shaped baking history—einkorn, spelt, millet, buckwheat, and more—in this engaging webinar featuring real demos and expert insights. Learn how these ancient grains offer unique flavor, nutrition, and functionality for today’s baked goods. 

June 24-28th

BEMA Annual Convention

ASB and BEAG staff and leadership will be on hand at the upcoming BEMA convention in Puerto Rico, connecting with baking and manufacturing industry leaders. Reach out to Kristen Spriggs ([email protected]) or Jon Anderson ([email protected]) if you'd like to schedule time to connect while there. 

July 16th

Chicago Regional Meetup  

Join us for our exciting event at Rademaker USA's Technology Center in Illinois! Explore cutting-edge bakery solutions, network with industry peers, and gain insights into the latest innovations in bakery production technology. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and learn! 

ASB is a proud investor in Grain Foods Foundation and its valuable research.

Learn more about GFF's mission to showcase a grains-positive message.  

GFF Action Plan To MAHA Commission Report

Recently the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released its official assessment report. In response, GFF is taking the following steps to ensure a science-forward, stakeholder-informed response: 

 
 🔬 Facilitating Scientific Review 
GFF is convening a group of grain foods-focused nutrition scientists and clinicians to assess the report’s implications. 

📣 Stakeholder Communication  
A summary of key findings, filtered through a grain foods lens, is being developed for GFF investors. It will include shareable insights and expert commentary grounded in peer-reviewed science. 

⚠️ Top-Line Concerns & Our Positioning 
The report addresses carbohydrate consumption, ultra-processed foods and dietary quality — areas where oversimplified messaging could create confusion. GFF positioning will underscore the nutritional value and accessibility of grain foods, the need for nuance when discussing processing and the potential for unintended consequences if broad guidance leads to reduced intake of key nutrients such as folic acid, fiber and iron. 

🔄 Perspective on “Next Steps” 
While the report outlines several potential “next steps” toward national implementation, some of these proposed actions raise concerns. A few appear misaligned with established nutrition science best practices, and in certain cases, may even conflict with ethical standards for public health research and communication. GFF will continue to engage constructively, but will remain firmly grounded in evidence-based practice.

To keep you informed on important legislative and regulatory issues impacting our industry, ASB is partnered with the American Bakers Association to bring you timely updates.

Court Grants CalChamber’s Request to

Block Warnings for Dietary Acrylamide  

In the beginning of May, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California granted CalChamber a favorable motion in its Prop 65 acrylamide litigation that has been pending since 2019. This decision affirms that the State of California’s mandated warning for acrylamide in food products violates the First Amendment.  The court agreed that compelling businesses to provide a warning that implies a known cancer risk, when the science remains unsettled, amounts to unconstitutional compelled speech.. The State has until June 2 to appeal the decision. 

State Activity on Packaging and Ingredients 

Recently Maryland’s Governor signed packaging bill SB901 into law. In 2023, the Maryland legislature passed a bill directing Maryland to conduct a needs assessment to determine statewide recycling needs. Maryland’s packaging law differs from other states in that it will allow multiple producer responsibility organizations (PRO) to operate at the program’s launch. 

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Eric Kastel

Senior Manager of R&D | Dave's Killer Bread

When Eric Kastel raised his hand to get involved with ASB, he didn’t just volunteer—he hit the ground running. After meeting with ASB staff in May 2023, Eric immediately saw an opportunity to make an impact in baking education. Within hours of that initial conversation, he had already drafted a list of ideas for how he could contribute to ASB’s mission. His passion and initiative have since made a lasting impression, particularly through his leadership in the development of ASB’s new hybrid course and his position as Vice Chair on the Education Committee. 

Eric’s career in baking began at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where a culinary externship at Trellis restaurant in Virginia sparked his interest in baking. That moment led him to pivot his focus, and after completing his degree, he joined Bread Alone in the Catskills—an artisan bakery known for its organic products and wood-fired ovens. From there, he moved to Whole Foods Bakehouse in Dallas, where he scaled artisan techniques for full production, managing everything from bread and rolls to croissants and cakes. 

After eight years in production, Eric followed his passion for teaching, returning to the CIA as an Associate Professor of Baking. During that time, he earned his Certified Master Baker designation, authored Artisan Breads at Home, taught internationally, and consulted for brands like Pepperidge Farm and H-E-B. His career later expanded into R&D at Panera Bread and his own consulting work, before he took on his current role leading product development for Dave’s Killer Bread at Flowers Foods. 

Through the years, he has been involved with the Bread Bakers Guild of America, Retail Bakers Association, and the American Society of Baking. Eric’s story is a powerful reminder of what happens when members step forward with a vision and work collaboratively to bring it to life.  

Here's to you, Eric! Your contributions are helping shape the future of industry education, creating opportunities not just for ASB members but for the entire baking community. 

American Society of Baking | 1415 Shelby Street, Suite A | Indianapolis, IN 46203 US

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