Art and Science of Bar Formulation
Schedule
Tue, 15 Sep, 2026 at 08:30 am to Thu, 17 Sep, 2026 at 05:30 pm
UTC-04:00Location
150 N Research Campus Dr | Kannapolis, NC
A 3-day hands-on food manufacturing course using the Bühler SnackFix production system.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, Ben Jewell of Bühler, and Marco Hirscheider from Confectionary Technologies and Consulting (CTC), and Larisa Campbell from Allen Flavors.
See full agenda below.
Early bird registration (May 1-June 30): $1800
General registration (July 1 - September 7): $2300
Contact [email protected] with questions.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, NC State University will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. Please direct accommodation requests to: Dede Beaver, , or 704-250-5497. Requests can be served more effectively if notice is provided at least 10 days before the event.
NC State University is an equal opportunity institution and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics; sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy or related conditions; age; disability; genetic information; religion; veteran’s status or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Day 1
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Breakfast and Welcome
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Bar Basics, and Pre-Examination
🕑: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Caramel, Spreads and Mixing
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Mixing and Forming Workshop and Flavor Application Workshop
🕑: 03:30 PM - 05:00 PM
Enrobing, Cutting, Cooling
🕑: 05:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Recap and Q&A
Day 2
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Breakfast
🕑: 09:00 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 - 03:45 PM
Granola Bar Workshop
🕑: 03:45 PM - 04:45 PM
Food Safety and Shelf Life
🕑: 04:45 PM - 05:30 PM
Recap and Q&A
Day 3
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Breakfast
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Chocolate Coatings and Tempering
🕑: 10:15 AM - 12:15 AM
Fat and Sugar Blooming, Preservatives
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:15 AM
Lunch
🕑: 01:15 PM - 03:15 PM
Tempering Workshop and Tasting
🕑: 03:15 PM - 04:00 PM
Flavorings
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Recap, Q&A, and End of Training
Where is it happening?
150 N Research Campus Dr, 150 North Research Campus Drive, Kannapolis, United StatesUSD 1800.00 to USD 2300.00
