Art and Science of Bar Formulation
Schedule
Tue, 04 Nov, 2025 at 08:00 am to Thu, 06 Nov, 2025 at 04:30 pm
UTC-05:00Location
150 N Research Campus Dr | Kannapolis, NC

About this Event
Join us at the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab (NCFIL) for The Art and Science of Bar Formulation, a 3-day immersive course designed for food scientists, developers and technical professionals in the snack and nutrition bar space. This highly interactive workshop emphasizes hands-on learning using commercial-scale equipment including the Bühler SnackFix line. Participants will gain firsthand experience with unit operations including mixing, forming, enrobing, tempering and more.
Participants will explore a wide range of bar types—from granola and chewy to filled and high-protein. The course will dive into key topics such as ingredient functionality, process design, food safety and shelf life. Participants will have inside access to technical expertise and real-world formulation strategies from leaders in the bar manufacturing space including presenters Julie Mann and Joe Hildebrand from NCFIL, Mike Bond from Bühler and Marco Hirscheider from Confectionary Technologies and Consulting (CTC).
See full agenda above.
Early bird registartion (August 22 - September 30): $1500
General registartion (October 1 - 28): $1750
Contact [email protected] with questions.

Day 1
🕑: 08:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Welcome and Bar Basics
🕑: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Caramel, Spreads and Mixing
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Mixing and Forming Workshop
🕑: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Enrobing, Cutting, Cooling
Day 2
🕑: 08:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Quality Attributes and Granola Bar Ingredients
🕑: 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Formulation and Process Considerations, Binder Cooking
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:15 PM - 03:15 PM
Granola Bar Forming Workshop
🕑: 03:15 PM - 04:00 PM
Food Safety and Shelf Life
Day 3
🕑: 08:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Chocolate Coatings and Tempering
🕑: 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Fat and Sugar Blooming, Preservatives
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:15 PM - 03:15 PM
Tempering Workshop and Tasting
🕑: 03:15 PM - 04:00 PM
Flavorings
Where is it happening?
150 N Research Campus Dr, 150 North Research Campus Drive, Kannapolis, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 1500.00 to USD 1750.00
