For decades, the bakery industry has walked a familiar path, shaped by the comfort of routine and the romance of tradition. Ovens fired the same way, recipes shifted only slightly and innovation often arrived as decoration rather than transformation. Yet behind the warm aroma of freshly baked bread, the cracks began to show. Many bakeries struggled to balance freshness with scale, consistency with creativity and health with flavour. Consumers became more conscious, yet the industry responded slowly. The result was an old craft in need of new imagination, a sector waiting for someone to treat bread not just as a staple, but as a canvas for progress.
That spark of reinvention found its champion in Gilbert Hobeika and the team at Modern
Bakeries, celebrated across the region as RichBake. Gilbert steps
into the bakery world not merely as a leader, but as someone who sees
possibility where others see routine.
Gilbert Hobeika’s professional path began with a degree in Mechanical
Engineering from AUB, followed later by an EMBA from ESA and ESCP Business
School. His thirty years of experience span multiple manufacturing fields
including steel manufacturing, corrugated packaging, waste management, the
pharmaceutical sector, and twelve dedicated years in the bread and food
industry. This diverse exposure shaped his leadership philosophy, which is
deeply rooted in people and the belief that teams form the common asset behind every
success. His leadership evolved around the understanding that people drive
business excellence and form the true force behind every turnaround he has
achieved.
Gilbert Hobeika recalls a defining moment early in his career when he became a
success story of fast growth. Just two years after graduation, he was entrusted
with leading large teams and managing significant operations with diversified
responsibilities. This rapid advancement set the direction for his journey and
fueled his commitment to constant learning, leading change, and championing
turnarounds. His exposure across multiple industries strengthened his ability
to understand and nurture teams, encourage innovation, and apply emerging
technologies to support people in challenging environments.
Gilbert’s role has evolved through a wide and dynamic spectrum of
responsibilities. He began as a manufacturing and installation engineer for
steel structures and sorting lines, progressing into maintenance management for
major fleets and equipment. His performance led to his promotion as Project
Director of a major waste management project and later into responsibilities in
new manufacturing business acquisitions.
His journey in Egypt began in the corrugated packaging industry with a leading
international entity. In 2013, he moved into the bakery sector with
WoodenBakery, one of the fastest growing Lebanese companies at the time, where
he contributed significantly to its expansion in Lebanon and the Middle East.
Since then, the bakery industry has been an essential part of his professional
identity. He eventually took on roles in the pharmaceutical sector as COO of
Benta Pharma Group and later as GM of Suez Steel, a major steel industry player
with more than two billion dollars in turnover. Even throughout these
transitions, his investment and engagement in the bakery industry remained
constant until he assumed his current role as CEO of Modern Bakeries.
Gilbert Hobeika identifies automation, machine learning and artificial
intelligence as essential tools for driving innovation and creativity in
today’s fast-changing cultural and business environments. He notes that
competitive pressures amplified by social media and the evolving interests of
younger generations require industries to understand their core product
offerings deeply and innovate around them. This is especially important as
awareness about health continues to rise and consumer demand for healthier products
intensifies.
As a fresh product provider with a short shelf life, the company faces
challenges in managing returns. Gilbert explains that this prompted strong
investment in artificial intelligence for demand planning, enabling the
organization to adapt to daily changes influenced by seasonality, holidays, pay
cycles, weather patterns and consumer behaviour.
The company is also implementing AI imaging tools to evaluate shelf presence,
shelf share and market opportunities. With thousands of images processed each
day, AI assists in identifying market presence and guiding sales actions with
greater precision.
Gilbert Hobeika addresses a pressing challenge in the Egyptian industrial
market: the shortage of qualified technical labor. In response, the
organization collaborates with four educational entities to train and develop
technical students aged fifteen to eighteen through onsite schooling and
training programs. More than one hundred students have already been educated
through this initiative, and the company continues to expand these efforts.
Some graduates have even been hired, marking the beginning of what Gilbert sees
as a long journey toward sustainable community impact.
The company also prioritizes continuous training, technology introduction and
automation, supported by external consultants and machinery manufacturers.
Under Gilbert Hobeika ’s leadership and through the dedication of the RichBake
team, the company won the Best Innovation Award in 2023 for its sugar-free
toast bread and was named the most innovative brand in the bakery industry for
2024 by Global Brand Magazine. The company was also recognized by Nielsen as a
Breakthrough Innovation brand for 2025.
Another major achievement was the development of the Baladi Egyptian Bread with
an extended frozen shelf life of eighteen months, allowing it to enter and
expand significantly into the United States market, with growth also
progressing in Canada and Europe.
RichBake additionally achieved more than thirty five percent growth in the
local market for the second consecutive year, reinforcing its leadership in the
bakery sector.
Gilbert ensures operational excellence by grounding decisions in a deep
understanding of consumer preferences, market needs and emerging trends.
RichBake conducts frequent surveys, monitors competitor activity and studies
industry reports to remain informed. The company operates a dedicated research
and development team that creates new products and reformulates existing ones
to align with evolving consumer expectations.
Product testing is conducted rigorously to maintain quality, taste and texture.
RichBake upholds multiple certifications, including ISO 22000:2018, ensuring
adherence to international food safety and quality standards.
Gilbert highlights that consumer trends increasingly favour healthier options
with fewer additives and greater nutritional value. This shift inspired the
launch of products such as low carb and high protein toast.
With a commitment to forward-thinking strategies, RichBake has integrated
modern machinery and technologies that streamline production, increase
efficiency and improve product quality. A major rebranding of the Brunch
sandwich line and Razz cake range in collaboration with Warner Bros. and DC
Comics has amplified brand visibility and strengthened RichBake’s reputation as
an industry trendsetter.
Gilbert explains that resilience in the food industry begins with
recipes. By continually innovating in product formulations, RichBake has been
able to withstand market turbulence, material shortages and shifts in supply
chain dynamics while maintaining strong margins.
Gilbert prioritizes sustainability as a central component of operational
strategy. RichBake has reduced gas and water consumption by ten percent over
the past two years by improving processes and investing in equipment designed
to conserve resources. The company plans to adopt solar energy to reduce
emissions and continue upgrading water treatment systems to reinforce its
environmental responsibility.
Looking ahead, Gilbert emphasizes expanding the product portfolio to
meet changing consumer preferences. This includes healthier choices and
convenient on-the-go products such as filled sandwiches and cakes designed for
fast-paced lifestyles.
RichBake is also building a new state-of-the-art facility to support increased
production capacity and a broader range of offerings. The facility will feature
automated production lines, robotic packaging systems and advanced quality
control technologies such as X-ray machines and metal detectors. These
enhancements will ensure product safety, elevate consumer satisfaction and
strengthen the company’s market position.
A Legacy Built on Nourishing Communities
Gilbert’s long-term vision is to reach every household in Egypt with healthy, differentiated and affordable products while expanding regionally and internationally. He aims to elevate the global presence of Egyptian Baladi Bread and strengthen its position in international markets, contributing to a more dynamic and influential manufacturing landscape across the region.
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