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
08:00 - 09:00
REGISTRATION AND MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:00 - 09:10
OPENING ADDRESS
09:10 - 09:35
FROM LEGISLATION TO LABELS TO LITIGATION
Rebecca Lee
Amin Wasserman Gurnani LLP
- Reviewing the 2026 regulatory outlook shaping approval and oversight of protein sources
- Explaining FDA labeling requirements, including PDCAAS and Daily Value implications
- Examining litigation trends and practical steps companies can take to reduce risks
09:35 - 09:40
Q&A SESSION ON NAVIGATING REGULATION LABELING AND LITIGATION RISKS
09:40 - 10:05
BUILDING FOOD INTELLIGENCE FOR THE GLOBAL PROTEIN TRANSITION
Selena Ahmed
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative
- Reframing protein quality by examining biomolecular diversity and function
- Introducing how standardized proteomics and multi-omics data enable meaningful protein comparison
- Showing how AI-driven translation tools support smarter decisions on health sustainability and design
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON BUILDING INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS FOR PROTEIN TRANSITION
10:10 - 10:35
LEVERAGING PRECISION FERMENTATION FOR PRODUCING ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS AND SMART FATS: STRENGTHENING THE NEW ZEALAND STORY
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
10:35 - 10:40
Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING NEW ZEALAND'S ROLE IN ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS
10:40 - 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
- Challenging clean labels on meat for lacking crucial health and ethical information disclosures, demanding transparency
- Leveraging process innovation to deliver clean‑label proteins with strong taste, texture, and scalable functional performance
- Navigating clean-label claims and protein innovation amid rising legal scrutiny and regulatory enforcement
- Reframing sustainability and cultural protein innovation through design, storytelling, and circular food strategies
- Positioning alternative protein sources as clean‑label, sustainable innovations enhancing satiety and consumer acceptance
| SCO2 | Moderator
| UnchainedTV
| CoryPro Ingredients
| Greenberg Traurig, LLP
| Sauterelle® Foods
11:30 - 11:55
THE "PROTEIN CRAZE": DECODING THE CONSUMER'S MULTI-FACTOR PROTEIN CHOICE
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
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING NATURAL PRESERVATION IN FOOD PROTEINS
12:00 - 12:25
CLEAN-LABEL FERMENTATION: DELIVERING TASTE, NUTRITION, AND TRUST
David Flochel
Quorn Foods
- Exploring how 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
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON BUILDING TRUST THROUGH CLEAN-LABEL FERMENTATION
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
- Assessing the commercial viability and economic challenges of hybrid and cultivated proteins
- Positioning blended proteins as a scalable, affordable, cravable middle ground between plant and animal sources
- Optimizing hybrid proteins for cost, nutrition, functionality, consumer acceptance, and scalable cultivation efficiency
| Hodo Foods; University of California, Berkeley
| Riddet Institute
14:00 - 14:25
THE SOFT PLASTICS SOLUTION: TACKLING FOOD PACKAGING WASTE IN THE PROTEIN INDUSTRY
Matthew Clough
Plastic Beach
- Explaining why soft plastic waste undermines protein sustainability goals despite lower-emission production
- Showing how community-scale collection can divert soft plastics and reduce landfill dependency
- Exploring how closed-loop recycling supports zero-waste targets and circular economy outcomes
14:25 - 14:30
Q&A SESSION ON REDUCING SOFT PLASTIC PACKAGING WASTE IN PROTEIN
14:30 - 14:55
CULTIVATED MEAT REDEFINED FOR SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE FOR PROTEIN COMPANIES
Patricia Bubner
Fork & Good, Inc.
- Explaining how cultivated red meat reduces exposure to tariffs, trade shocks, and price volatility
- Showing how shortened production timelines diversify supply and bypass livestock constraints
- Demonstrating how cultivated ingredients improve taste, functionality, shelf life, and clean labels
14:55 - 15:00
Q&A SESSION ON CULTIVATED MEAT AND SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE
15:00 - 15:30
AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
15:30 - 16:00
PANEL DISCUSSION ON LEVERAGING AI TO ENHANCE ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN QUALITY AND PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY
- Bridging pilot success to industrial scale by identifying adoption barriers and scalability accelerators
- Using AI to optimize protein quality, bioactivity, and data standards beyond simple yield metrics
- Applying AI to optimize protein processing, hybrid formulations, and scalable production efficiency
| SCO2
| The Periodic Table of Food Initiative
| SEOBI Co., Ltd.
16:00 - 16:25
CAN ALT PROTEINS SAVE THE PLANET?
Jack Bobo
University of California, Los Angeles
- The potential role of alternative proteins in the broader transformation of the global food
- Why technological breakthroughs alone are not enough to transform food systems
- How narrative, trust, and public perception determine whether food innovations succeed or stall
16:25 - 16:30
Q&A SESSION ON THE IMPACT OF ALT PROTEINS
16:30 - 16:55
RE-ENGINEERING CHICKEN PROTEIN FOR HYBRID SYSTEMS AND SCALABLE PERFORMANCE
Kim In Sup
SEOBI Co., Ltd.
- Demonstrating how enzymatic hydrolysis redesigns chicken protein to enhance bioavailability and metabolic relevance
- Exploring solubility formulation flexibility and compatibility across beverages, meals, and medical nutrition
- Positioning precision animal protein within hybrid systems to improve efficiency, costs, and scalable manufacturing
16:55 - 17:00
Q&A SESSION ON PRECISION REDESIGN OF ANIMAL PROTEIN SYSTEMS
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 - 10:05
PROCESS DESIGN FOR PLANT-BASED AND HYBRID PROTEINS
Crystal Dinh
Blentech Corporation
- Integrating thermal, shear, and mixing control to protect plant proteins and build targeted multi-texture structures
- Using automation and AI-driven pattern detection to stabilize outcomes and reduce formulation waste across diverse ingredient systems
- Engineering sanitary, flexible systems that adapt to viscosity shifts, hydration curves, and particulate sensitivity
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON PROCESS DESIGN FOR PLANT AND HYBRID PROTEINS
10:10 - 10:35
MORE THAN PROTEIN: WHY FOOD INNOVATORS NEED SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, NOT JUST INVESTORS
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
LATEST INNOVATIONS IN NATURAL PRESERVATION FOR FOOD PROTEINS
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
11:25 - 11:30
Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING NATURAL PRESERVATION IN FOOD PROTEINS
11:30 - 11:55
BLUENALU CELL-CULTIVATED SEAFOOD: A CASE STUDY IN PRODUCT-MARKET FIT, VALUE CREATION, AND COLLABORATION
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
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON SUSTAINABLE MICROBIAL AND ALGAL BIOPROCESSING
12:00 - 12:25
INTEGRATING BIOPROCESSING FOR SUSTAINABLE MICROBIAL AND ALGAL PROTEIN PRODUCTION
Antoinette Kazbar
Wageningen University & Research
- 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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