Disruptive protein technology and the market for sustainable food solutions are both growing at a mind-blowing pace. The New Food Conference is Europe’s first and biggest conference on new-protein solutions, an industry-oriented event that aims to accelerate innovative food technologies by bringing together key stakeholders. Taking place in April, this year’s virtual edition will cover the entire value chain of plant-based products, from transformations in agriculture to manufacturing and retail, as well as investments and startups.

The plant-based value chain: production, retail, and food services

In 2021, no player in the food-supply chain will remain unaffected by the growing demand for plant-based food options. It is no longer a question of whether this shift in consumer patterns is going to continue, but how, and what forms these developments will take. The New Food Conference is a professional B2B event specifically tailored to the food industry, sharing insights into opportunities and whitespaces in the continually growing market, connecting stakeholders, and shaping valuable partnerships. The programme will cover developments in the food-service sector, and advancements in functional ingredients, as well as sharing market data and looking at the criteria for retail placements of plant-based products. Speakers include Josh Tetrick (Eat Just), Prof. Dr Peter Eisner (Fraunhofer Institute) and Caroline Zimmer (Simply V).

Political framework

One of the event’s highlights will be the debates on the political framework for advancing innovative food solutions. “Plant-based foods are a vital part of the transition towards more sustainable food systems, and a level playing field is needed to bridge the gap”, says Siska Pottie, Secretary General at the European Alliance for Plant-based Foods and a speaker at the New Food Conference. The New Food Conference will look at what the EU’s ‘Farm to Fork’ initiative actually means for businesses, as well as debating the importance of regulations on product labelling.

At the forefront of innovation: startups and investment

In today’s business world, startups provide a sense of what’s to come – long before big companies sense the change. Their innovative product ideas, together with the venture capital used to fund their growth, often lay the groundwork for new developments in the food world. At the New Food Conference, we will discuss the current alternative-protein startup scene with three international incubators, complemented by a panel on insights into the investment side of things with experts such as Rosie Wardle (Synthesis Capital) and Björn Witte (Blue Horizon). Additionally, we will showcase some of the most promising startups in the virtual exhibition space, which can be explored at any time during the event.

A virtual experience

Adapting to the current circumstances, the New Food Conference will take place as an online event in April 2021. Although the experience will be different to an on-site event, a lot of careful consideration has been put into setting up the virtual event in a way that allows engagement, interaction, and professional networking. Participants are encouraged to take an active part in shaping the conversation. The programme sessions include Q&A sessions, as well as the possibility for participants to engage with experts in the virtual exhibition space. Delegate and speaker profiles will be provided online and one-on-one video calls can be scheduled with other participants from a week prior to the event.

Would you like to be part of shaping tomorrow’s food solutions? Get your tickets for the New Food Conferences at www.new-food-conference.com/berlin. Here, you can also learn more about the programme and the virtual event, as well as explore highlights from the 2019 edition of the New Food Conference.