Sustainable Foods Summit Europe: impacts, ingredients, green marketing

Last year´s edition of the Sustainable Foods Summit in Amsterdam. Photo Ecovia

The European edition of the Sustainable Foods Summit will take place in Amsterdam on 7-8th June 2018. The summit will showcase health impacts, sustainable ingredients, and green marketing in different sessions. 

With sustainability intricately linked to health & wellness, how can the health value of food & beverages be improved? What new sustainable ingredients are emerging? How can such ingredients create innovation? What are marketing best-practices for sustainable products? These and other questions will be addressed in a high-level forum.

Session One: Sustainability Developments

The opening session gives an update on sustainability, highlighting some of the pressing challenges facing the food industry. The introduction is followed by a seminar on social entrepreneurship and how it can be a force of positive change for the environment and social communities. A case study is given of a leading ethical chocolate brand.

Using phosphorus as an example, the nutrient challenges faced by the food & farming industry are described. A leading European retailer gives insights into how it is addressing its environmental and social impacts, whilst an update is given on the use of biopolymers in flexible packaging. The need to move to circular models for nutrients and materials is further explored in the panel discussion. With a growing population and scarcity of resources, how can the food industry move from linear to circular models?

Session Two: Food Ingredients for Sustainability

The palette of sustainable ingredients for food and beverage applications continues to widen. Companies are adding sustainable value to established materials such as flavourings and vegetable oils. At the same time, new ingredients are emerging either from new sources or new processes. This session gives an update on the growing number of sustainable ingredients making their way into food and beverage applications. Seminars will cover flavourings, palm oil, and deforestation-free ingredients.

Session Three: Health Impacts

With sustainability intricately linked to health & wellness, this session discusses the health impacts of food products. It begins with a keynote that stresses the relationship between sustainable food, health and wellness. How can changes in diet affect physical health and mental well-being? An industry pioneer gives some insights into a new campaign that encourages consumption of healthy foods. The environmental and health benefits of fruit & vegetables are emphasised. With sugar and meat products associated to health conditions, details are given of sustainable alternatives.

The concept of sustainable healthcare is described. With Europe having an ageing population and many countries struggling with providing public healthcare, a paradigm shift is called for. The growing use of mobile devices for sustainable & health foods is featured, followed by latest consumer research on health products. To conclude, featured speakers will debate approaches to push the needle for health foods. What can be done to raise production levels and consumption of such products? How can obstacles to greater adoption rates be overcome?

Session Four: Green Marketing

This session showcases marketing best-practices for sustainable foods, giving case studies of operators that are riding the green wave. With growing interest in veganism and vegetarianism because of ethical and health reasons, an update is given on this growing movement. Details are given of two of the most popular labelling schemes for such products in Europe.

A pioneering company shares its experiences in developing an ethical chain of retailers in Europe. Some insights are given into how it is encouraging sustainable agriculture, fair trade practices, as well as traditional food culture. Case studies are given of successful sustainable brands, whilst another speaker gives pointers on maximising the potential of social media and digital marketing. To conclude, the panel will discuss marketing communications for sustainability. What is the best way to communicate green values to modern consumers?

More info on: www.sustainablefoodssummit.com