Think You Know Plant-Based Foods?

Learn Much More at Prepared Foods’ New Products Conference!

Prepared Foods’ 37th annual New Products Conference will take place Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 at Swissôtel Chicago.

Prepared Foods proudly hosts an intimate and thought-provoking event for food + beverage professionals in consumer insights, innovation, R&D, marketing, packaging, and related roles. Just as the food and beverage industry is always changing, Prepared Foods is pleased to bring you completely fresh and exclusive new insights and perspectives on tastes and trends for today—as well as tomorrow.

Make plans to attend the New Products Conference, Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Chicago’s Swissotel. Think you know enough about plant-based foods? Here are just three NPC sessions guaranteed to about deliver even deeper insights.

SESSION #1 / PLANT-BASED FOODS FROM ALL ANGLES: INVESTMENT, INGREDIENTS & INNOVATION
Plant-based food sales more than doubled from 2017 to 2018 to reach more than $3.3 billion (up 20% year over year) according to Nielsen retail sales data and a report from the Plant Based Foods Association. Without a doubt, this type of fast-paced growth bring opportunities for everyone involved—including entrepreneurs, big CPG companies, investors and ingredient suppliers. Elohi Strategic Advisors was founded to help emerging natural and sustainable food and beverage companies navigate the world of foodservice. Come hear Elohi Strategic Advisors Founder and Chairman Stephanie Lind lead a multi-dimensional panel discussion about where industry stakeholders can quickly identify and pursue new opportunities and technologies. Her panelists include:

Investment: Andrew Ive, Founder, General Partner for Big Idea Ventures & New Protein Fund, New York, N.Y.
Ingredients: Melissa Facchina, CEO, Siddhi Shot Corp., a New York, N.Y., specialist in operational strategy, manufacturing / co-manufacturing and co-packer vetting and negotiation
Innovation: Todd Boyman, Co-Founder, CEO of Hungry Planet, a St. Louis manufacturer of plant-based chicken, ground-beef and burger alternatives

Learn more.

SESSION #2 / KEYNOTE ADDRESS: GOOD CATCH PLANT-BASED SEAFOOD AT BEYONDBRANDS LLC
BeyondBrands LLC is a mission-driven “Conscious Collective” of industry veterans who believe a new generation of the profitable businesses can benefit people and the planet. Led by Founder Eric Schnell, BeyondBrands applies its business and brand building talent to emerging companies in five core areas: Food, Beverage, Plant Medicine, Well Being and Nutraceuticals. Come hear Schnell share BeyondBrands’ vision for growth for emerging brands and cutting-edge categories—including plant-based foods! Schnell also is a co-founder of Good Catch Foods, a plant-based seafood brand based in Austin, Texas.

Learn more.

SESSION #3 / KEYNOTE ADDRESS: PLANT-BASED COMPANIES JOIN MARS’ SEEDS OF CHANGE ACCELERATOR!
Talk about timely trends. This July saw Mars name its first emerging company partners in its SEEDS OF CHANGE Accelerator program! The program involves Mars’ equity and professional support and it focuses on companies that share the Mars food values of (1) World Flavors, (2) Plant-Based Eating, (3) Easy-Meal Solutions, (4) Responsible Food and (5) Creating with Care. Come hear Dan Jackson, Vice President of Marketing at Mars Food North America, share Mars’ vision for innovation as well as news about the first six U.S. emerging food company partners in the SEEDS OF CHANGE program. Those companies include Fora Foods, New York City, which offers a dairy-free butter; and NoBull Burger, a Charlottesville, Va., maker of premium veggie burgers.

Learn more.