The Sustainable Foods Summit will feature ingredient innovations, social value, and marketing developments. Taking place in Amsterdam on July 4-5, the summit will showcase the latest sustainability developments in the food industry.
Focus on Ingredient Innovations
The 15th European edition of the summit will feature ingredient innovations. New
technologies are being utilised to create sustainable alternatives to popular ingredients.
Jeroen Hugenholtz, Co-Founder of NoPalm Ingredients, will explain how the company
uses microbes to create fats and oils. The start-up is developing a palm oil alternative by
fermenting food side streams and other biomass with yeast. Other speakers will explore
the role of artificial intelligence in creating sustainable proteins, precision fermentation,
and upcycling methods.
Ingredient Diversity & Sourcing
Dorothy Shaver, Global Food Sustainability Director at Unilever, will discuss the
importance of ingredient diversity. She will highlight lesser-known varieties of grains,
tubers, beans, sprouts, vegetables, nuts, and seeds that have a lower environmental impact and higher nutritional value. As many food and ingredient firms prepare for the European Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR), set to be implemented in December 2024, an industry expert will provide guidance on ensuring agricultural supply chains are EUDR-compliant. With transparency and traceability becoming increasingly important for ingredient sourcing, a dedicated panel will discuss sourcing trends and opportunities.
Social Value Session
The Social Value session will address social sustainability issues related to food. The
session will begin with a keynote by philosopher and author Julian Baggini on the
evolving role of food in modern society and how sustainability issues are influencing
food production and consumer choices. Julian will share excerpts from his upcoming
book, “How The World Eats: A Global Food Philosophy.”
Social Impacts and Supply Chains
Cristina Figaredo from the FAIRR Initiative will outline social risks in food and
agricultural supply chains and propose approaches to identify and mitigate these risks.
Claudio Krause from Fairtrade International will highlight the positive impact of fair
trade sourcing on small producers. According to the organisation, EUR 222 million was
received as a Fairtrade Premium by producer organisations in 2023, mostly benefiting
producers of bananas, cocoa, sugar, coffee, and tea.
Deborah Vorhies, CEO of FairWild Foundation, will explain how the FairWild standard
promotes sustainable sourcing of wild plants, berries, and related fruits. Aduna
Superfoods, an ethical sourcing pioneer, will share its experiences in sourcing and
marketing baobab, moringa, and fonio from Africa through its CEO and Co-Founder
Andrew Hunt.
Marketing Ethical Brands
The marketing session will open with a keynote from Bibianne Roetert of Tony’s
Chocolonely. Originating as a protest against conventional chocolate in 2005, it is now
the leading chocolate brand in the Netherlands and has expanded across Europe and the
US. Bibianne will discuss the brand’s marketing strategy, stating how it is raising
awareness about slavery in cocoa supply chains.
Tackling Greenwashing
Greenwashing is a significant problem in the food industry, with many brands making
inaccurate 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,
which mandates that environmental labels and claims be third-party verified and certified.
Katia will explain the marketing implications of the GCD for food brands, stating what
claims will be permissible.
Retail Insights and Responsible Consumption
Jade Hoia, Executive Leader of Purchasing at Whole Foods Market, will provide some
retailing insights. Whole Foods Market, the leading natural and organic food retailer
globally, operates over 500 stores, including five in the UK. Jade will share experiences
in selecting sustainable and organic foods. Marta Messa, Secretary General of Slow Food
Europe, will discuss strategies to promote responsible consumption. The panel will
further explore how consumers can be encouraged to make sustainable choices when
purchasing food and beverages and adopt more responsible eating and waste disposal
practices.
Join us at the Sustainable Foods Summit to gain insights into the latest ingredient
innovations and explore the social value of sustainable food practices.