IBIE - 2013 Show Daily, Tuesday - 14

esource offers one-stop shop for industry T his year, the baking and snack industries’ various associations pooled their resources to bring all their buyer’s guides and published directories online in one centralized system: esource. This electronic directory acts as a hub for the grain-based foods industries with all companies, products, services and trade groups easily accessible at one online location. “For the first time, bakers have a well-designed, easy-touse, single online source for everything they need or want to locate in the industry,” said Paul Lattan, publisher, Sosland Publishing. “It will become their go-to site for finding information online.” The American Bakers Association (ABA), the American Society of Baking (ASB), BEMA and the Biscuit & esource success A major component of esource’s success is the fact that it was developed and is maintained by organizations directly involved in the industries. This ensures e-source is managed by those who understand industryspecific complexities instead of third-party providers 14 • IBIE • Cracker Manufacturers’ Association (B&CMA) came together to provide this resource to the industry. Sosland Publishing stepped up to launch the directory. “We are thrilled to be working with a strong partner like Sosland to bring the industry a user-friendly, one-stop shop for all baking supply needs,” said ABA president and CEO Robb MacKie. In the past, this information has always been available for those in the baking and snack industries; however, it was spread out across the four associations publishing buyers’ guides and directories. “Our baker members will have more information at their disposal when trying to seek out information on cookie and cracker suppliers,” said Stacey Sharpless, president, B&CMA. “We have wanted to move the Buyer’s Guide online for a while and think this is the best possible forum for the B&CMA to participate in.” With so much information in so many different places, the Internet was an obvious choice to make these buyer’s guides and directories accessible, centralized and useful. The move to the digital realm has been a longtime coming. “esource will be a great resource for BEMA members and for the overall baking industry,” said Kerwin Brown, president and CEO of BEMA. “This online resource has been needed for some time in the Tuesday, October 8, 2013 The baking and snack industries’ new online directory, esource, brings companies, products and services together in one searchable, accessible space on the Web. industry and will be extremely valuable. Once again, key associations in the baking industry are coming together to help bakers and suppliers connect.” A major component of esource’s success is the fact that it was developed and is maintained by organizations directly involved in the industry. This ensures esource is managed by those who understand industryspecific complexities instead of third-party providers. “esource will be the premier resource for ASB members to find information about companies and industry professionals that is critical to building their business relationships,” said Kent Van Amburg, executive director, ASB. “It will serve as the entire baking industry’s membership database, phone book, encyclopedia and buyer’s guide — all rolled into one.” Free listings include basic information such as company title, address and phone number. Beyond the free listing, sponsorship opportunities for esource are tiered and allow companies to add information such as Web links, badges, summary descriptions and priority listing in search results on esource. The resource is online at www.soslandesource.com/ baking. http://www.soslandesource.com/baking

IBIE - 2013 Show Daily, Tuesday

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