IT WAS with great excitement and enthusiasm that the 81st Araw ng Davao was celebrated with a whole new event.

On March 1 to 3, the 1st Bakery Fair was brought in the city by the Filipino Chinese Bakery Association Inc. (FCBAI). Being the first that it was in the city, it was well-attended by very eager bakers, chefs, entrepreneurs, culinary students, and even foodies and bloggers.

It was such a huge three-day event attended by almost 7,000 visitors coming from Davao and other provinces in Mindanao. There were a total of 76 exhibitors and companies all showcasing their different baking products, equipment, and services.

As it is already an Araw ng Davao event, City Councilors Mabel Acosta and Al Ryan Alejandre were also there to join the celebration and to support the event. Alejandre also led the induction of the Mindanao Cake Decorating Society (MCDS), with Hannah Granado as the new president.

As being launched in Mindanao for the first time, the attendees were very much excited to the learning and the new insights they were able to gain through the seminars and presentations. These were led by local and international experts in the baking industry.

However, one of the biggest highlights of the event was the cake competitions. Upon entrance to the SMX Convention Center, participants are greeted by beautifully-displayed cakes of seamless designs. There were two categories for the cake competition – the Wedding Cake and the Best of Davao categories.

Mariflor Dollaga’s wedding cake hailed as the winner of the first category while for the Best of Davao category, Queenie Mae Moneba was declared the winner. The booth dress-up was also actually a contest and at the end of the event, Universal Robina Corporation’s flour division was hailed the winner.

The Bakery Fair is a biennial event that started in 2001 in Metro Manila and continues to be organized to showcase under one roof the technological advancement and techniques in baking in order to gain competitive intelligence about market leaders and to track industry trends and opportunities.

The ribbon cutting of the 1st Bakery Fair in Davao City was attended by SMX Convention Center Davao Branch Manager Daphne Jezelle Alojado, Davao Bakers Club President Cecil Mark dela Cruz, Mindanao Cake Decorating Society President Hannah Granado, FCBAI honorary president Henry Ah, Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, Bakery Fair 2018 Chairman Bien Enrico Ah, FCBAI President Peter Fung, BACNOBA president Arvin James Chua, Raisin Administrative Committee Chef Judy Koh, US Wheat Associates Assistant Regional Vice President for South Asia Joseph Sowers, and FCBAI honorary president James Chua.