Highlights of the Program

2 days business program:

Learn from real-world case studies by industry leaders.

SHOWCASING INNOVATION:

Discover the latest technology and techniques from across the industry.

leaders talk:

Hear from top-level experts about how to stay ahead in a fast-changing industry.

MULTIPLE STREAMS:

A business program that is multi-disciplinary, giving you a broad view of the industry.

SMART TECHNOLOGIES:

Explore the latest smart and AI-driven solutions, and see how they can be used in your business.

roundtable discussion:

Join talks with industry peers. Share ideas, make connections, and find new partners.

Program

Day 1 :
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
REGISTRATION AND MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:30 - 09:40
OPENING ADDRESS
09:40 - 10:05
PATENTS POWERING INNOVATION IN CELL CULTIVATION AND PRECISION FERMENTATION
Ilona Datskovskaya
National Beverage Corp

Ilona Datskovskaya

National Beverage Corp

  • Exploring how patents drive scale, investment, and approvals in alt-protein technologies
  • Highlighting case studies from UPSIDE Foods, GOOD Meat, Oobli, and Superbrewed Food
  • Examining future trends including IP challenges, licensing, and sustainable food system innovation
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON PATENTS IN CELLULAR AND FERMENTATION INNOVATION
10:10 - 10:30
SPEED NETWORKING SESSION
  • Exchange business cards and get connected in short one-to-one meetings
  • Start the conversation to arrange a more formal meeting later on in the conference
  • Share your professional background and discuss your biggest business issues – don't forget your business cards!
10:30 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
11:00 - 11:30
PANEL DISCUSSION ON BALANCING CLEAN LABELS, SENSORY APPEAL, AND INNOVATIONS IN PROTEIN SOURCES
Speaker Image
  • Challenging clean labels on meat for lacking crucial health and ethical information disclosures, demanding transparency
  • Accelerating protein innovation through sensory-driven R&D cycles and clean-label alternatives beyond “fake meat” paradigms
  • Leveraging process innovation to deliver clean‑label proteins with strong taste, texture, and scalable functional performance
  • Driving plant-based protein demand through affordability, clean-label, superior taste, and GLP-1 aligned "better-for-me" offerings
  • Engineering indulgent textures and flavor-masking in clean-label proteins through novel, scalable, transparent processing

| UnchainedTV

| CoryPro Ingredients

11:30 - 11:55
TRANSFORMING MEDICAL NUTRITION WITH NEXT-GENERATION PROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES
Shelly Xu
Nestle

Shelly Xu

Nestle

  • Advancing protein systems to deliver precise nutritional outcomes for clinical applications
  • Exploring ingredient innovation and techno-functionality for muscle and metabolic health
  • Integrating science, sustainability, and GLP-1 support to enable future-ready nutrition solutions
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON PROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES IN MEDICAL NUTRITION
12:00 - 12:25
FOOD SAFE FACILITY DRAINAGE DESIGN
Viking Kristjansson
Global Drain Technologies

Viking Kristjansson

Global Drain Technologies

  • Learning how to choose the right drainage systems for different food production areas
  • Understanding cleaning protocols that maintain hygiene and comply with regulations
  • Exploring how proper design supports sanitary processes and reduces facility risk
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON FOOD-SAFE DRAINAGE DESIGN STRATEGIES
12:30 - 13:30
NETWORKING LUNCH AND VISITING THE FOOD PROTEIN EXHIBITION
13:30 - 14:00
PANEL DISCUSSION ON OPTIMIZING HYBRID PROTEINS AND COST-EFFECTIVE CULTIVATION TECHNOLOGIES
Speaker Image
  • Exploring advancements in hybrid proteins and cultivation technologies to improve sustainability and cost efficiency
  • Assessing the commercial viability and economic challenges of hybrid and cultivated proteins
  • Integrating hybrid proteins and cultivation technologies to enhance sustainability, reduce costs, and scale production

| McWin SRO

14:00 - 14:25
LEVERAGING PRECISION FERMENTATION FOR PRODUCING ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS AND SMART FATS: STRENGTHENING THE NEW ZEALAND STORY
Munish Puri
Riddet Institute

Munish Puri

Riddet Institute

  • Introducing the rising market demand for alternative proteins and smart fats
  • Delving into metabolic engineering in precision fermentation through a detailed case study
  • Discussing downstream processing and its role in biomass recovery and cost reduction
14:25 - 14:30
Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING NEW ZEALAND'S ROLE IN ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS
14:30 - 14:55
LATEST INNOVATION IN NATURAL PRESERVATION FOR FOOD PROTEIN
Chauncey Dixon
GPI Inc

Chauncey Dixon

GPI Inc

  • Exploring natural ingredient solutions that effectively replace traditional chemical antimicrobials
  • Showcasing innovative natural products that extend protein shelf life while maintaining quality
  • Presenting new processing aids and topical applications supporting clean-label preservation
14:55 - 15:00
Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING NATURAL PRESERVATION IN FOOD PROTEINS
15:00 - 15:30
AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
15:30 - 15:55
CLEAN-LABEL FERMENTATION: DELIVERING TASTE, NUTRITION, AND TRUST
David Flochel
QuornFoods

David Flochel

QuornFoods

  • Exploring how natural fermentation using mycoprotein supports clean-label, climate-positive innovation
  • Demonstrating how Quorn’s purpose-led strategy builds trust through transparency and sustainability
  • Examining how embedding clean-label principles drives long-term growth and consumer loyalty
15:55 - 16:00
Q&A SESSION ON BUILDING TRUST THROUGH CLEAN-LABEL FERMENTATION
16:00 - 16:30
RESERVED PRESENTATION
16:30 - 16:55
CAN ALT PROTEINS SAVE THE PLANET?
Jack Bobo
University of California, Los Angeles

Jack Bobo

University of California, Los Angeles

  • Exploring how alternative proteins can mitigate the environmental impact of agriculture
  • Understanding the role of breakthrough technologies in accelerating sustainable food innovations
  • Examining consumer demand and its influence on the adoption of climate-resilient solutions
16:55 - 17:00
Q&A SESSION ON THE IMPACT OF ALT PROTEINS
17:00 - 18:00
NETWORKING DRINKS RECEPTION
Day 2 :
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2025
09:00 - 09:30
MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:30 - 09:40
OPENING ADDRESS
09:40 - 10:10
RESERVED PRESENTATION
10:10 - 10:35
MORE THAN PROTEIN: WHY FOOD INNOVATORS NEED SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, NOT JUST INVESTORS
John Sanbonmatsu
Worcester Polytechnic Institute

John Sanbonmatsu

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

  • Examining how technology alone cannot shift cultural habits around animal product consumption
  • Exploring the myths driving the alternative protein narrative and their social implications
  • Understanding why systemic change and collective movements are key to transforming food ethics
10:35 - 10:40
Q&A SESSION ON SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE FUTURE OF FOOD INNOVATION
10:40 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
11:00 - 11:25
THE "PROTEIN CRAZE": DECODING THE CONSUMER'S MULTI-FACTOR PROTEIN CHOICE
Tyler Lorenzen
PURIS

Tyler Lorenzen

PURIS

  • Exploring what drives the protein trend across fitness, satiety, and healthy aging
  • Understanding how taste, sustainability, and clean labels shape consumer protein preferences
  • Comparing perceptions of plant, dairy, and novel proteins across diverse demographics
11:25 - 11:30
Q&A SESSION ON SUSTAINABLE MICROBIAL AND ALGAL BIOPROCESSING
11:30 - 11:55
INTEGRATING BIOPROCESSING FOR SUSTAINABLE MICROBIAL AND ALGAL PROTEIN PRODUCTION
Antoinette Kazbar
Wageningen University and Research

Antoinette Kazbar

Wageningen University and Research

  • Examining challenges in cell disruption, protein recovery, and purification for microbial and algal systems
  • Understanding how upstream cultivation choices influence downstream complexity and overall processing cost
  • Exploring integrated bioprocess strategies that reduce energy use, increase yield, and improve sustainability
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON SUSTAINABLE MICROBIAL AND ALGAL BIOPROCESSING
12:00 - 12:25
BLUENALU CELL-CULTIVATED SEAFOOD: A CASE STUDY IN PRODUCT-MARKET FIT, VALUE CREATION, AND COLLABORATION
Lou Cooperhouse
BlueNalu, Inc.

Lou Cooperhouse

BlueNalu, Inc.

  • Reviewing BlueNalu’s species selection strategy, value proposition and consumer insights across eight nations
  • Showcasing how open innovation and entrepreneurial strategies accelerate product development
  • Highlighting the role of partnerships in enabling commercialization and long-term profitability
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON STRATEGIC LEARNING FROM CELL-CULTIVATED SEAFOOD MODELS
12:30 - 12:45
FEEDBACK & RAFFLE DRAW
12:45 - 14:00
NETWORKING LUNCH

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