#30 (S4E5) The Executive Aisle: What's Rising - Carmela Serebryany on the Future of Bakery
Release Date: 04/01/2025
#37 (S4E11) Cheese: From Treasure Hunt to Category Growth with Brian Freeman
What's in Store Podcast
Cheese: From Treasure Hunt to Category Growth with Brian Freeman (Specialty Cheese Category Business Manager, Tops Markets) For November, Heather Prach, VP of Education and Industry Relations at IDDBA, speaks with Brian Freeman, Specialty Cheese Category Business Manager at Tops Markets, in a free-rolling but practical conversation that moves from social-media spikes and global flavor discovery to the merchandising habits and programs that turn a cheese case into a true destination. Brian shares how his category at Tops has outpaced national growth by pairing innovation and authenticity with...
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#36 (S4 E11) The Executive Aisle: Leading Change and Shopping Happy with Jody Barrick
What's in Store Podcast
Our quarterly feature, The Executive Aisle, continues with IDDBA President & CEO David Haaf in conversation with Jody Barrick, Senior Vice President for Fresh Meat, Seafood, Bakery, Deli & Specialty at UNFI. They start with an important industry announcemnet, and then together, cut through the noise on where fresh is headed, wellness as a mainstream driver, the shift to “restaurant-quality at home,” and how speed and simplicity are reshaping the trip from curbside to deli case. Barrick shares vivid examples of what’s working now. She digs into why global flavors and quality cues...
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#35 (S4E10) From Myths to Mindset: Gary Wills on Modern Food Safety Culture
What's in Store Podcast
From Myths to Mindset: Gary Wills on Modern Food Safety Culture (Global Director, Consumer, Retail & Food (Americas), BSI) For September, Heather Prach, VP of Education and Industry Relations at IDDBA, speaks with Gary Wills, Global Director for Consumer, Retail & Food for the Americas at BSI, in a practical conversation that moves from myth‑busting to the habits and systems that keep food safe across manufacturing, retail, and foodservice. Gary debunks a few myths, clarifies why food poisoning isn’t “just a stomach bug,” and lays out how proactive sanitation programs,...
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#34 (S4E9) Bakery is Civilization: Donald DeMont on the Big Picture of (Gluten-Free) Bakery
What's in Store Podcast
Bakery is Civilization: Donald DeMont on the Big Picture of (Gluten-Free) Bakery (Regional Sales Manager, Antonina's Gluten-Free Bakery) For August, Heather Prach, VP of Education and Industry Relations at IDDBA, speaks with Donald DeMont, Regional Sales Manager for Antonina's Gluten-Free Bakery, in a wide-ranging conversation that goes from the current world of bakery and taste trends all the way back to the beginning of human civilization. Donald shares the company’s origins in meeting family dietary needs, how and why it became America's No. 1 manufacturer of gluten-free muffins, cakes,...
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#33 (S4E8) The Executive Aisle - Cutting through the Noise - David Melnick on Marketing with Clarity
What's in Store Podcast
Our new regular quarterly feature of the What's in Store Podcast, The Executive Aisle, continues with our second installment: IDDBA President and CEO David Haaf discusses the future of our industry with David Melnick, Partner & EVP, Brand Integration at Marriner Marketing, where they dive into the meat of why clarity in communication is the key to successful marketing in our industry! Melnick gets into some specific details of successful marketing, from innovative campaigns by Tillamook, novel new products that solved an emergent trend from McCormick & Company, and storytelling...
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#32 (S4E7) Live from #IDDBA2025 in New Orleans!
What's in Store Podcast
Let the good times roll! IDDBA's Whitney Atkins, VP of Marketing and Membership, and Heather Prach, VP of Education and Industry Relations, take the podcast down to New Orleans to bring you a collection of conversations and stories right from inside #IDDBA2025, the premier event of the year in our industry. All of the podcast was recorded on location at the show - some of it on the busy show floor itself! If hearing the podcast isn't enough, you can head over to ! This year's show ended all too quickly. Being in New Orleans was very special, and . Be sure to check out an incredible...
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#31 (S4E6) Countdown to #IDDBA2025 in New Orleans with Heather Prach
What's in Store Podcast
Join IDDBA’s Whitney Atkins, VP of Marketing and Membership, and Heather Prach, VP of Education and Industry Relations, for a full-on dive into the premiere event of the year—#IDDBA2025 in New Orleans, June 1–3! In this high-energy episode, Whitney and Heather walk you through everything you can look forward to: unforgettable General Sessions featuring stars like Kevin Costner, Claire Saffitz, Michael Strahan, and Carla Hall; hands-on excitement at What’s In Store Live; next-gen connection at Career Connect Live; and trend-forward insights from experts at Bixa, Euromonitor, and...
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#30 (S4E5) The Executive Aisle: What's Rising - Carmela Serebryany on the Future of Bakery
What's in Store Podcast
Whitney Atkins, VP of Marketing and Membership introduces a new regular feature of the What’s in Store Podcast: The Executive Aisle, a quarterly series where IDDBA President and CEO David Haaf discusses the industry with another knowledgeable leader. In this episode, he welcomes Upper Crust President and IDDBA Board Chair Carmela Serebryany for a thoughtful and timely look at the forces shaping bakery manufacturing today, from real-world innovation to evolving consumer preferences and operational realities. Carmela opens with a powerful story of personal and professional transformation, from...
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#29 (S4E4) Fresh Leadership: Ken Wicker on Retail Grocery Trends
What's in Store Podcast
Fresh Leadership: Ken Wicker on Retail Grocery Trends (Senior Vice President of Fresh Foods, Festival Foods) For March, Whitney Atkins, VP of Marketing and Membership at IDDBA, speaks with Ken Wicker, Senior Vice President of Fresh Foods at Festival Foods, in an engaging conversation where he shares insights on fresh foods, leadership, and the evolving grocery landscape in 2025. With decades of retail experience, Ken discusses how consumer demand for convenience, high-quality fresh foods, and personalized shopping experiences is shaping the industry. He and Whitney explore the commitment to...
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#28 (S4E3) Navigating 2025: Tim Powell Breaks Down Challenges & Opportunities
What's in Store Podcast
Navigating 2025: Tim Powell Breaks Down Challenges & Opportunities (Managing Principal, Foodservice IP) As 2025 unfolds, dive into this episode of the What’s in Store Podcast! Join Whitney Atkins, VP of Marketing and Membership at IDDBA, as she chats with Tim Powell, Managing Principal at Foodservice IP, to discuss key trends and challenges shaping retail groceries, convenience stores, and foodservice in the year ahead. With over 20 years of experience in market research and consulting, Tim shares insights on navigating economic pressures, shifting consumer behaviors, and evolving...
info_outlineWhitney Atkins, VP of Marketing and Membership introduces a new regular feature of the What’s in Store Podcast: The Executive Aisle, a quarterly series where IDDBA President and CEO David Haaf discusses the industry with another knowledgeable leader. In this episode, he welcomes Upper Crust President and IDDBA Board Chair Carmela Serebryany for a thoughtful and timely look at the forces shaping bakery manufacturing today, from real-world innovation to evolving consumer preferences and operational realities.
Carmela opens with a powerful story of personal and professional transformation, from immigration to law to ultimately leading one of North America’s most influential frozen bakery companies. They then dive into key trends, with Carmela identifying several areas of growth: the return of fresh in-store baking, the rise of global flavor mashups, and the shift toward more functional and health-conscious offerings, all driven by consumer demand and fueled by social media.
The conversation also explores how companies like Upper Crust are managing challenges like labor shortages and rising costs by investing in technology and automation. Carmela emphasizes the importance of freezer-to-oven solutions that reduce in-store complexity while maintaining product quality. David and Carmela also touch on sustainability, digital traceability, and what it takes to scale innovation efficiently while still responding to changing consumer expectations.
From tariffs and supply chain disruption to TikTok-driven cravings and protein-rich croissants, this episode paints a nuanced picture of a bakery sector in the middle of rapid evolution. Whether you’re on the retail side, in manufacturing, or part of the broader foodservice ecosystem, you’ll walk away with practical insights—and a clearer view of what’s rising in bakery.
Want to be a guest on the podcast or learn more about IDDBA? Reach out to us at podcast@iddba.org.
To learn more about IDDBA and becoming a member, head here: https://www.iddba.org/membership/join-iddba/membership
We're excited to see you at #IDDBA2025 in New Orleans, June 1-3. You can register for this amazing event here:
https://www.iddba.org/registration
Check out all of our upcoming webinars here:
https://www.iddba.org/trendscenter/trends-research/webinars#featured-webinar