This carefully curated two day programme will bring together over 100 outstanding international speakers, with hundreds of delegates from the UK and around the world
The future of the global food industry is on the agenda as world-class inspirational speakers take to the stage at the inaugural Food Matters Summit on 19 and 20 November at ExCeL London. Described as ‘The Davos of the food industry’ the Summit is the first high-level gathering of its kind in London. Confirmed speakers include academic and broadcaster
Dr Alice Roberts, Michael la Cour (head of food services for Ikea), David Green (director of U.S. Sustainability Alliance) and businesswoman Heather Mills (Vbites). With an international line-up of innovators and forward-thinkers, the Summit aims to connect organisations across the food supply chain, bring together disruptive innovators and established multinational companies to inspire the very best new thinking and accelerate innovation across the global food industry.
In addition, the SummitConnect initiative is a unique networking opportunity for delegates to connect with some of the world’s most prominent advocates for inspirational food change and development in bespoke one-to-one meetings.
Shaping the future
Over two days, the ambitious and wide-ranging Summit programme will focus on three crucial themes, which will shape the food industry in the future.
• The Food Revolution’ will examine how we can feed 10 billion people by 2050 and how the food industry can respond to philosophical as well as commercial needs.
• ‘Feeding our future’ looks at the consequences of an unprecedented level of food options, a shift in consumer demands towards healthy and sustainable foods, and a new generation of millennial buyers
• ‘Tomorrow’s Innovation’ investigates how customer tastes and trends have changed the food industry. How can innovations and tech be utilised for both consumer and commercial benefit? Explore the future of robotics, AI, nanotechnology, alternative proteins, nutraceuticals and more.
From these three streams, delegates can build an exciting bespoke programme across 12 sessions. These sessions include ‘The Future of Food’ where Australian food futurist Tony Hunter, Alan Dangour (professor of food and nutrition for global health at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), and Iggy Bassi (founder and CEO at Cervest) will be looking at an upsurge in new thinking and the game-changing developments in practices and technology.
Get a glimpse of the future in the ‘How can science save us’ session, which is an exciting look at what the next food and agricultural revolution will look like, and how science will enable it to happen. Join David Green (director, U.S. Sustainability Alliance), Dr Kurt Schmidinger, (founder, Future Food, Austria) and Dr Fabrice DeClerck, (science director, EAT Foundation, Sweden) for this futuristic session.
Other Summit sessions include ‘Tomorrow’s Innovation’, which looks at why innovation is the key to changing global diets for the better through an exploration of alternative proteins, nanotechnology, A.I., nutraceuticals and more. ‘Meet the game changers’ celebrates the innovators and disruptors who are making a difference to the food sector with innovative proteins, waste reduction solutions, smart kitchen technology, sustainable packaging,
food delivery, subscription kits, and many more.
Big debates are also on the agenda and with the clock ticking on the U.N.’s commitment to cutting food loss and waste in half by 2030 Ben Elliot (U.K. Food Surplus & Waste Champion, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), Pete Pearson (senior director, Food Loss & Waste, WWF US) and Michael la Cour (head of food services, Ikea) will be looking at how good practice and new technology is able to eliminate waste at all stages
of the food system. And with statistics showing around a third of Britons are reducing the amount of meat they eat or cutting it out altogether join Heather Mills (founder, Vbites), Patrick Holden (chief executive, Sustainable Food Trust) Andy Shovel (co-founder, THIS) and Claire Smith (CEO and vegan investor, Beyond Impact, Switzerland) as they ask ‘Are vegans the ultimate disruptors?’
In a unique and thought-provoking session looking at the philosophy of the food industry Julian Baggini, (writer and philosopher), James Rebanks, (bestselling author of The Shepherd’s Life and UNESCO Analyst), Dr Alice Roberts, (academic, writer and broadcaster) and A.C. Grayling (philosopher and author) will be reflecting on the ethical, political, social, artistic, identity-defining aspects of food and exploring why our relationship with food is such a complex subject.
The international speaker line-up also includes:
• Gil Horsky, Director of Innovation Snack Futures, Mondelez International (Israel)
• Dr Gyorgy Scrinis, Food Policy Research Group, School of Agriculture and Food, The University of Melbourne (Australia)
• Kate Cole, Global Head of Nutrition, Health and Wellness, Nestle (Switzerland)
• Dr Sandhya Sriram, Co-Founder and CEO, Shiok Meats (Singapore)
• Andrew Ive, Founder, Big Idea Ventures (United States)
• Didier Toubia, CEO, Aleph Farms (Israel)
• Deborah Sherry, SVP and Chief Commercial Officer, G.E. Digital Europe
Briony Mansell-Lewis, director of Food Matters, said: “Food Matters Summit, will provide a forum for new ideas and big thinking and is relevant for anyone involved in shaping the strategic direction for the long-term future of the food industry.”
She added: “The Summit offers delegates an opportunity to learn from industry leaders and disruptors, be inspired by futurologists and world-renowned academics and forge powerful cross-sector industry connections that will influence the future of the global food and drink industry.”
G.E. Digital is the technology sponsor of the Tomorrow’s Innovation stream. Deborah Sherry, SVP and chief commercial officer, G.E. Digital Europe, said: “Fast-paced changes in consumer tastes, regulatory requirements and the sheer velocity of new digital solutions is driving food industry professionals to ask – “what’s next – and how do we get there?”
She added: “The inaugural Food Matters Summit will be a focal point for the food industry to connect, engage and take the next steps to deliver the future of food.”
International connections through SummitConnect
Making a meaningful difference to the future of the food industry is also about making international connections and the Summit schedule allows for pre-planned meetings with potential partners alongside more informal networking opportunities.
Through the SummitConnect programme delegates will be able to pre-plan and book up to six one-to-one meetings with speakers and will also be able to join curated exhibition tours, leaders lunches and more, in a unique networking experience through the unique SummitConnect. For a full speaker line-up, more information about SummitConnect and to book a delegate pass register at: www.foodmatters.co.uk/summit
