International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association

It was a total shock, number one.

You know, we met the buyers at IDDBA in 2025.

You know, we always joke at IDDBA, if you meet one good customer, the show is totally worth it.

You know, maybe it's not true.

But my brothers and I always say that one good customer makes the whole show worth it.

And, you know, it was Harris Teeter five years ago at IDDBA.

And this time it was Target.

And, you know, our sales team, it took almost a full year before the launch.

And then you would go, "Okay, well, how do I go to the next level?" Right? "What, what does the next step look like?"

[gentle music] Welcome to Fresh Take with IDDBA, your source for essential insights, trends, and professional growth in the dairy, deli, and bakery industries.

I'm Kat Shanahan, and today we have another insights-packed episode in our What's in Store series.

In this episode, we're exploring the future of the fresh perimeter, consumer habits, and why the next generation deli has to win on speed, theater, and dinner tonight.

My honor.

Thank you for having me.

Remember, Fresh Take with IDDBA drops two episodes a month on the first and third Tuesdays.

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Because I think the minute you stop being curious because you think you know it all, you're already behind him.

Welcome to Fresh Take with IDDBA, your source for essential insights, trends, and professional growth in the dairy, deli, and bakery industries.

This is Kat Shanahan, and today we're bringing you a very special leadership feature.

In this episode, we're exploring the power of career progression, personal development, and the importance of investing in yourself.

Joining us today is Jodi Baric, founder and managing partner of Perimeter Partners, and our current IDDBA chair.

Jodi was on the show about a year ago to share her goals for her term, and today we're revisiting that conversation to talk about what she's learned, how she's navigated her incredible career across the fresh perimeter, and why lifelong learning is non-negotiable for industry leaders.

So glad to have you back on the show, Jodi.

And the energy they felt was, I would say, one of the best that I've seen.

And what we're seeing is consumers are willing to spend and go outside their comfort zones, but it better be incredibly relevant to their everyday life.

So why would you say bakery is underperforming other departments in the perimeter? I know at IDDBA, you kind of reported out that like deli and produce are bright spots, but why is bakery specifically struggling?

Well, I'm glad you brought that up because there's a story I don't think we're talking enough about.

That's very strategic, but is why we're here in breads and rolls.

And it's not doing that.

And then on the flip side, I think the other lifestyle trend we'd be remiss if we didn't talk about is food as medicine, food as fuel.

And certainly one of the trends that I saw at IDDBA that I knew I'd see, because we've seen it at every food trade show for the last three years, is protein everywhere.

But I'd argue we're a little bit late to that party for two reasons.