Tom Hanks to headline IDDBA conference

Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks will headline the general session of the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) conference on June 5 in Anaheim, California, the industry association announced late last week.

The “Forrest Gump,” “Saving Private Ryan” and “Philadelphia” star is perhaps less well-known as the founder of consumer-packaged goods brand Hanx For Our Troops, which donates 100% of the proceeds from its coffee sales to organizations benefitting veterans and their families.

Also coming to the IDDBA main stage are celebrity chef Alton Brown and TV host and author Padma Lakshmi.

Brown is well known as the host of cooking competition shows “Iron Chef America” and “Cutthroat Kitchen” and has written a number of bestselling cookbooks.

Lakshmi serves as host and executive producer of TV series “Top Chef,” as well as “Taste the Nation.” She is also a bestselling author of several books.

“Announcing our Main Stage lineup always comes with such anticipation, and I am honored to make the official announcement,” IDDBA VP of Marketing Whitney Atkins said in a statement.

The trade event is expected to have 10,000 attendees and more than 800 exhibitors June 4-6 for networking, new product sampling and more, the association said. Exhibit booths have nearly sold out, Atkins said.

In February, retail foodservice veteran David Haaf was announced as IDDBA’s new president and CEO, replacing Michael Eardley, who has led the group since 2014.

IDDBA was founded in 1964 and is based in Madison, Wisconsin. The trade group works to ensure that manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and brokers meet their business goals through education, networking and more.