One Year of

Hands in Dough

ASB's In-Person Training Course

Last July, ASB launched the Commercial Bread Production Course to address a gap identified by our members and industry.  

Many baking professionals learn the process of dough without diving into the science behind it: how each ingredient functions, why dough behaves the way it does, or how to troubleshoot systematically when it does not! To truly grasp this knowledge, you need in-person learning with actual dough, that also fits into the working schedule. 

Three sold-out cohorts later, it's clear the course content and format is resonating with the industry.  

Where Theory Meets Dough

The course runs in two parts: ten self-paced online modules covering bread science from flour and ingredient functionality through mixing, baking, packaging, and formulation problem solving, followed by a four day in-person workshop where that theory gets tested in a team-based lab.   

For the in-person portion, production staff, QA professionals, and R&D specialists arrive to spend the week running dough variation experiments, comparing sponge and straight formulations, and scoring defects together. They leave better equipped to diagnose problems on their own line and explain the “why” to their teams. 

A Lasting Impact

Every survey respondent so far has reported being Very Satisfied, and 100 percent said they learned something they expect to apply in their work. As one graduate explained, “Instead of simply reacting to outcomes, I am better equipped to interpret possible problems earlier in the process and make adjustments with more confidence and in a more practical way.” 

That mix of technical depth and shared knowledge runs through everything in ASB's Education Hub. This course is just one piece of a much larger library, including 80+ live and on-demand webinars, self-paced courses in bread, crackers and cookies, and tortillas, 700+ BAKERpedia articles, and our Technical Bulletins. Different formats, same purpose: building the technical knowledge base of the commercial baking industry, one professional at a time. 

Join Our Next Course

October 19-22 | St. Louis

ASB Mentoring Program:

Build Your Career & Network

Professional growth goes beyond technical skills. It’s also built through relationships, shared experiences, and meaningful conversations. 

The ASB Mentoring Program connects baking professionals through a five-month virtual experience, matching participants within the ASB network based on their goals, interests, and experience. Through conversations and shared learning, participants build connections, expand their networks, and gain valuable career insights.

Whether you’re looking to learn from an industry professional as a mentee or ready to share your knowledge as a mentor, the program creates opportunities for every career stage to engage, contribute, and grow together.

Applications Close Aug. 17

Program Dates: Sept. 1, 2026 – Feb, 10, 2027

August 5th

Webinar: Formulation Floor

Join us for a live look at what's new on the Formulation Floor at BakingTECH 2027. We'll walk through the four key activations — Innovation Spotlight, CoMAN Lounge, First Taste: The BakingTECH 2027 Product Showcase, and Tabletop/Booth Experiences — and cover what's changing, what to watch for, and how to plan your participation, whether you're exhibiting, sourcing, or looking to connect with the right partners.

August 18th 

BakingTECH

Registration Opens

Get ready! Registration for BakingTECH 2027 in Atlanta opens August 18. As the industry's leading conference for the science and technology of baking, BakingTECH brings together professionals to explore the latest innovations, gain practical insights from industry experts, and build meaningful connections that help move the industry forward.

August 20th

Webinar: Resistant Starch

What distinguishes one resistant starch from another, and what does that mean for commercial bakery products? Join a technical session connecting published metabolic-health research with practical bakery applications. Explore ingredient options, high-amylose wheat flour, water absorption, dough machinability, finished-product quality, and more.

September 1st

Baking Hall of Fame

Nomination Deadline

Each year, the Baking Hall of Fame recognizes the innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs who have made a lasting impact on the baking industry. Join us in celebrating their legacy by nominating a deserving industry leader. Learn more about the process below. 

Protecting Our Industry

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.

Share Your Voice: Bakers Fly-In & Policy Summit

ABA is bringing ALL wholesale and retail baker organizations together to voice our shared concerns with lawmakers in Washington, DC. By joining forces with the Retail Bakers of America and the American Society of Baking, this policy summit and fly-in will include wholesale bakers of all sizes and product types from across the country. 

Not a baker? Please still attend. Many of the challenges that our industry faces also impact the industry’s suppliers. We believe in our shared strength and know having the entire baking supply chain present for these visits will lead to powerful results. We look forward to seeing you and your team at this free event.  

Learn More & Register

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Carlana Rodriguez

Sethness Roquette

R&D Product Development Manager 

This month, we're proud to feature Carlana Rodriguez, R&D Product Development Manager at Sethness Roquette. A food scientist driven by innovation, Carlana has a passion for creating new products and a specialty in formula development, ingredient functionality, and sensory evaluation.  

Her career has taken her across a wide range of food applications, including bakery, confectionery, snacks, dairy, beverages, and gluten-free baked goods. She spent several years at J&J Snack Foods Corp developing new bakery products and managing R&D projects, then moved to Grain Processing Corporation where she evaluated ingredient functionality and generated data-driven insights to support product optimization and commercialization. She now brings that experience to her current role at Sethness Roquette, where she manages the U.S. R&D team and works cross-functionally with sales and production to bring new products to life.  

Carlana's involvement with ASB reflects her genuine commitment to supporting and strengthening the baking industry. She has participated in the Mentoring Program and contributed to focus groups that helped shape it. An active member of the Young Professionals Committee, she also serves on the YP Membership Growth Sub-committee and is currently helping launch a new professional development webinar series. She brings the same commitment to growing and sharing knowledge, attending the Commercial Bread Production Course and presenting for both BakingTECH 2026 and a Baking Education Webinar.   

Outside of work, Carlana enjoys baking for her family. She has been working on formulating gluten-free versions of family recipes and loves experimenting with new dessert ideas. Her dream is to open her own bakery one day to share baked goods that everyone can enjoy, even those with food allergies.    

Fun fact: Carlana spends most of her vacations at Walt Disney World. She is a huge Disney fan and has started helping people plan Disney vacations as a travel agent.

Here's to you, Carlana! Thank you for sharing your knowledge, and investing in others.

American Society of Baking | 4231 W 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46268

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