Protein Vision is a two-day interactive broadcast series brought to you by the editorial team behind FoodNavigator.
Over four sessions live-streamed on 8-9 June we will examine the trends shaping innovation in the alt protein space, from the latest plant-based innovation drive to advanced cellular technologies and cutting-edge approaches to fermentation.
Register for free to hear from speakers including Unilever’s The Vegetarian Butcher, Quorn, Ecotone, Bunge, Givaudan, Doehler and more.
Meat Alternatives, 8 June
Innovation in plant-based alternatives to meat is creating ever more sophisticated analogues that are able to mimic the taste and texture of the real thing. Join us as we profile the latest ingredients, technology and culinary science propelling innovation in the space.
Can plant-based take a bigger bite out of the meat market?
The rise-and-rise of plant-based alternatives is well documented, as innovation brings what was once a niche proposition into the mainstream. In terms of buzz, the category is punching well above its weight. But can it maintain momentum and keep growth going? We'll set out to answer this and more in the first session of Protein Vision 2022.
- 11.00-11.15am CEST / 10.00-10.15am UK: Leveraging scale for maximum impact with The Vegetarian Butcher: What role do brands play in driving growth of the plant-based sector? How important is it to leverage scale and reach to boost consumption? And is it possible for mission driven plant-based brands to thrive in a corporate environment? Join us as we catch up with Hugo Verkuil, CEO of The Vegetarian Butcher, to hear about the brand’s roll-out across the globe, innovation - and innovation challenges - in plant-based meats, and how the brand sits within Unilever.
- 11.15-11.35am CEST / 10.15-10.35am UK: Lumina Intelligence presents shopper insights and menu trend tracking data to examine what consumers want from the plant-based segment.
- 11.35am-12.30pm CEST / 10.35-11.30am UK: Plant-based fatigue? Innovation to combat concerns of category slowdown: The plant-based meat alternative segment has been growing at a sharp clip. But we have begun to see some evidence of this trajectory slowing. Our expert panel asks: What can be done to maintain consumer excitement? How can brands, innovators and influencers support the continued transition to plant-based diets? From sustainability to health and animal welfare, what messages are cutting through the noise? FoodNavigator and our expert panel will be answering this and more.
Alt. Meat 2.0: Innovation shaping the future of slaughter-free meat
To date, innovation has driven phenomenal growth in plant-based meat alternatives. Products that mimic the taste, texture, mouthfeel and even cooking experience of meat have wooed an ever-growing number of consumers to the fixture. As innovators search for that elusive better bite, what technology and trends will shape future product development? Session two of Protein Vision 2022 investigates.
- 15.00-15.15pm CEST / 14.00-14.15pm UK: Quorn Foods talks extending channel reach in plant-based: Expanding distribution points and making plant-based options the go-to choice for consumers in- or out-of-home will be critical to the sector’s future. Innovation and collaboration have played a key role in extending meat-free alternatives to more settings, a strategy that has been critical for plant-based pioneer Quorn Foods. Fast food and QSR have proven fertile ground for alternative meats. How can brands like Quorn capitalise on these opportunities and, as plant-based becomes more accessible, how will the sector continue to ramp-up its reach? We are joined by Peter Harrison, Chief Commercial Officer at Quorn Foods, to learn more.
- 15.15-15.35pm CEST / 14.15-14.35pm UK: Bunge leverages its know-how across fats, oils and proteins to look at innovative formulations for the best sensory experience.
- 15.35-16.30pm CEST / 14.35-15.30pm UK: Next Generation meat alternatives: Alt meat has seen a massive influx of capital as investors recognise not only the need to transition away from intensive animal agriculture but also the opportunity on offer to develop truly disruptive product concepts. This is supporting mind-blowing levels of innovation in products and processes. From 3D printing to cellular agriculture, emerging ingredients and future-fit food tech, this expert panel will asking what developments will shape the meat alternatives of tomorrow.
Dairy Analogues, 9 June
Dairy alternatives are disrupting the US$720bn dairy market. From shifting consumer perspectives to cutting-edge innovation, FoodNavigator probes what is driving the sector and asks where future innovation is likely to take it.
The innovation and formulation that’s mainstreaming plant-based dairy
Dairy alternatives are one the largest and most dynamic spaces in plant-based, with a global value of around €18bn. Research from the UK, for instance, suggests one-in-three consumers now buy plant-based milks, suggesting that they have become a mainstream choice for shoppers. Join FoodNavigator as we profile the brands, innovation and ingredients that have brought the category this far and ask what innovation will further invigorate plant-based dairy.
- 11.00-11.15am CEST / 10.00-10.15am UK: Ecotone’s trailblazing brands maximising the appeal of plant-based dairy: Multinational organic food group Ecotone is focused on low-impact food and drink that gives biodiversity a boost. ‘Far from ordinary’ dairy alternatives are one of the company’s strategic priorities. In order to deliver innovative thinking to the plant-based milk and yogurt categories, Ecotone brands have a focus on ingredient diversity to maximise appeal. From crowd-pleasing oat, coconut and almond options, to more ‘unexpected’ creations using cashew, millet, spelt or Buckwheat Ecotone’s brands place R&D and ingredient provenance front-and-centre. We speak to the maker of brands like Abbot Kinney’s, Bjorg to learn more about how it is bringing trailblazing innovation to plant-based dairy alternatives.
- 11.15-11.35am CEST / 10.15-10.35am UK: Givaudan asks whether plant-based and conventional dairy are ‘friend or foe’ and looks at innovative ways to drive demand across the category.
- 11.35am-12.30pm CEST / 10.35-11.30am UK: How ingredients and innovation has invigorated alt. milk: Oats have been a big winner in alt. dairy, while milks produced from peas, barley, chickpeas and even potatoes are all flourishing. Consumers are attracted to the category for its health halo and sustainability credentials. In this vibrant ecosystem, how are brands standing out on-shelf? Our panel of experts weigh in.
Next gen dairy: The trends and tech disrupting dairy
Innovative brands have spear-headed the significant uptake of plant-based dairy, with new entrants and NPD continuing to drive excitement in the category. This session examines how brand and product development are shaping the plant-based dairy aisle of today, and asks what ingredients, processes and technologies will shape the alt dairy sector of tomorrow.
- 15.00-15.15pm CEST / 14.00-14.15pm UK: Investing in the future of alt dairy with Pascual Innoventures and Eatable Adventures: Through its open innovation arm, Pascual Innoventures, Spanish dairy major Pascual Corporation is embracing an entrepreneurial spirit and forging alliances with start-ups as part of the dairy giant’s ambition to anticipate global food needs. With support from Eatable Adventures, the group has launched what it bills as ‘the first global incubation program for cellular agriculture technologies in the dairy industry’: The MYLKCUBATOR. Join us to learn more.
- 15.15-15.35pm CEST / 14.15-14.35pm UK: Doehler examines the next generation of dairy alternatives highlighting opportunities and challenges around the diversification of product formats and proteins.
- 15.35-16.30pm CEST / 14.35-15.30pm UK: What’s next in the plant-based dairy aisle? In the buoyant plant-based dairy space, we are witnessing a shift to develop cleaner, more nutritious ingredient lists. Plant-based innovators are also working to develop products that compete with the functional versatility of dairy – think vegan cheeses that melt and milks that foam. Looking further into the future, exiting innovations are on the horizon in the precision fermentation space – with companies developing processes that replicate dairy ingredients while cutting out the cow. In this panel, we’ll profile the latest advances that could be poised to disrupt dairy.
This free-to-attend event will live stream across four sessions on the 8-9 June. Whether you are interested in the ingredients that are delivering better plant-based products today, or the food tech that will shape the future of the category, can you afford to miss it?
REGISTER FOR FREE HERE or check out more the latest PROGRAMME AND SPEAKER UPDATES HERE.
