Innovative Ingredients & Social Value at Sustainable Foods Summit

The Sustainable Foods Summit highlights the latest innovations in food ingredients and emphasizes the importance of social value in the industry. Attendees will explore cutting-edge developments that promote sustainability and learn about initiatives that enhance social impact. The summit gathers industry leaders, experts, and innovators to discuss and share insights on sustainable food practices, aiming to drive positive change and inspire the future of the food industry.

Boston Brand Media brings you the latest news - The Sustainable Foods Summit will highlight breakthroughs in ingredient innovation, social value, and marketing advancements. Scheduled for July 4 and 5 in Amsterdam, the summit will present the newest sustainability trends in the food sector.

‍Focus on Ingredient Innovations

The 15th European edition of the summit will showcase innovations in ingredients. New technologies are being employed to develop sustainable alternatives to widely used ingredients. Jeroen Hugenholtz, Co-Founder of NoPalm Ingredients, will discuss how the company utilizes microbes to produce fats and oils. The start-up is creating a palm oil substitute by fermenting food byproducts and other biomass with yeast. Additional speakers will examine the role of artificial intelligence in generating sustainable proteins, precision fermentation, and upcycling techniques.

‍Ingredient Diversity & Sourcing

Dorothy Shaver, Global Food Sustainability Director at Unilever, will emphasize the significance of ingredient diversity. She will spotlight lesser-known grains, tubers, beans, sprouts, vegetables, nuts, and seeds that offer lower environmental impact and higher nutritional value. As food and ingredient companies gear up for the European Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) coming into effect in December 2024, an industry expert will offer advice on achieving EUDR compliance in agricultural supply chains. With the growing importance of transparency and traceability in ingredient sourcing, a specialized panel will explore current sourcing trends and opportunities.

Social Value Session

The Social Value session will focus on social sustainability challenges in the food industry. It will kick off with a keynote speech by philosopher and author Julian Baggini, who will discuss the changing role of food in contemporary society and how sustainability issues are shaping food production and consumer behavior. Julian will also share excerpts from his forthcoming book, "How The World Eats: A Global Food Philosophy."

‍Social Impacts and Supply Chains

Cristina Figaredo from the FAIRR Initiative will discuss social risks in food and agricultural supply chains, offering strategies to identify and mitigate these risks. Claudio Krause from Fairtrade International will showcase the positive impact of fair-trade sourcing on small producers. According to Fairtrade International, producer organizations received EUR 222 million in Fairtrade Premiums in 2023, benefiting mainly banana, cocoa, sugar, coffee, and tea producers.

Deborah Vorhies, CEO of FairWild Foundation, will explain how the FairWild standard supports sustainable sourcing of wild plants, berries, and related fruits. Andrew Hunt, CEO and Co-Founder of Aduna Superfoods, an ethical sourcing pioneer, will share the company's experiences in sourcing and marketing baobab, moringa, and fonio from Africa.

Marketing Ethical Brands

The marketing session will commence with a keynote from Bibianne Roetert of Tony’s Chocolonely. Initially launched in 2005 as a protest against conventional chocolate practices, Tony’s Chocolonely has grown to become the leading chocolate brand in the Netherlands, with expansions across Europe and the US. Bibianne will elaborate on the brand's marketing strategy and its efforts to raise awareness about slavery in cocoa supply chains.

Tackling Greenwashing

Greenwashing is a significant issue in the food industry, with many brands making misleading claims about their environmental impact, sustainable ingredients, and packaging. Katia Merten-Lentz, Partner at Food Law Science & Partners, will discuss the proposed EU Green Claims Directive (GCD), expected to be enacted later this year. This directive mandates that environmental labels and claims must be third-party verified and certified. Katia will explain the marketing implications of the GCD for food brands, outlining which claims will be permissible under the new regulations.

Retail Insights and Responsible Consumption

Jade Hoia, Executive Leader of Purchasing at Whole Foods Market, will offer retailing insights. As the leading global retailer of natural and organic foods, Whole Foods Market operates over 500 stores, including five in the UK. Jade will share experiences in selecting sustainable and organic products. Marta Messa, Secretary General of Slow Food Europe, will discuss strategies to promote responsible consumption. The panel will also explore ways to encourage consumers to make sustainable choices when purchasing food and beverages and to adopt more responsible eating and waste disposal practices.

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Source: FNBNews‍