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The International Dairy·Deli·Bakery Association’s™ (IDDBA) 17th annual Cake Decorating Challenge will be a featured event at the annual
Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminar and Expo, to be held June 10-12, 2012, in
New Orleans. Three store-level decorators will have the opportunity to
create show-stopping displays that promote their artistic abilities and
show off the talent and hard work that sells cakes for their companies.
Judges are looking for decorators who have skills in three areas: production cakes, theme cakes and wedding cakes. The challenge begins
with creating enough production cakes to fill an 8-foot bakery case on
Day One. Day Two is devoted to the creation of a wedding cake. On the
last day, each contestant will decorate three cakes of their choosing,
one from each category: special occasion, theme/event, and decorator’s choice.
Three contestants (one store-level decorator from each of three supermarkets) will compete for first-, second- and third-place trophies.
There will also be a separate trophy for the store of the first-place
winner. IDDBA will cover transportation, lodging and meals for each
contestant during the contest. Materials and tools will be provided,
and each contestant will be able to keep the full set of professional
cake decorating tips and supplies used for the challenge.
It’s easy to enter. Cake decorators need only to send a photo album
of the best cakes they have ever decorated, along with an entry form.
The more photos sent, the easier it is for the selection committee to
determine the skill level. Photo albums will be returned. Retailers may
enter as many contestants as they choose.
The deadline for entering is Feb. 14, 2012. Visit the IDDBA Web site,
www.iddba.org, for more information and an entry form.
17th Annual Cake Decorating Challenge
IDDBA FSCRP Scholarship Deadline is April 1
A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows
growing consumer demand for local food and says more should be
done to boost productivity.
“Policy decisions that foster local food sales must account for the
importance of vital, but unalterable, regional characteristics,”
according to “Direct and Intermediated Marketing of Local Foods
in the United States.”
Demand for Local Food is Increasing,
USDA Reports
The next application deadline for the International Dairy·Deli·Bakery
Association™ (IDDBA) Food Safety Certification Reimbursement Program (FSCRP), for training completed Jan. 1-Feb. 28, is April 1, 2012.
The IDDBA reimburses a portion of expenses to IDDBA-member
retailer companies that certify dairy, deli and bakery department-level managers and associates in food safety. In the fiscal year 2010-
11, the program paid out $11,497 to retailers who certified a total
of 408 managers and associates.
Since the program began in July 2003, retailers have received
reimbursement totaling $212,733 for certifying 5,584 managers
and associates.
There are six FSCRP application deadlines each year for the previous
testing period. More information, including the application deadline
dates and corresponding testing periods, and an online or printable
application, are available at www.iddba.org/certification.aspx.
Additionally, the IDDBA offers scholarships to employees of member
companies in amounts that range from $100 to $1,000 for college
or vocational/technical school students in business, marketing, or
food-related fields of study.
Applicants must:
• be a current full-time or part-time employee of an IDDBA-
member company and work at least 13 hours a week during
the semester;
• study a food-related field (such as culinary arts, baking/pastry
arts or food science) or a business or marketing program;
• and carry a 2. 5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale or the
equivalent. This requirement is waived for first-time applicants
if you have not completed a semester of high school or college
in at least three years.
There are four application deadlines per year: Jan. 1, April 1, July 1
and Oct. 1. More information and an online or printable application
are available at www.iddba.org/scholarships.aspx or by calling
Jonathan Whalley at 608-310-5000.
