PBFA Members: Grab a drink and a plant-based appetizer, forge new connections with your fellow members, and hear all about The Plant Based Foods Association’s plans to support you and our broader industry in 2022 and beyond!

PBFA Members: Click here to RSVP

Not a member? Apply online here

Any questions? Contact Maddie Segal Business Development Manager at Plant Based Foods Association Maddie@plantbasedfoods.org

Much has evolved in the plant-based marketplace since we last gathered for Plant Based World Expo in June of 2019. This panel of industry leading experts and decision makers will highlight the progress and growth of the plant-based category and preview what the future has in store.

Attendees will learn how major retailers, foodservice operators and product manufacturers are evolving their business and the industry as a whole. 

Consumers are looking for more plant-based items on the menu as they continue to explore this continuously growing movement and expand their palate. Bringing meat alternatives and dairy products to market poses challenges to the food and beverage industry. Ingredion can help you develop plant-based products to take advantage of this growing trend and expand your customer base. 

Speakers:

Maria Tolchinsky 
Global Sr Marketing Manager, Plant Based Proteins, Ingredion, Inc. 

Karen Constanza 
Marketing Manager, Meat & Meat Alternatives, Ingredion, Inc.

Hear from David Wilson, founding partner of Green Seed Group North America. Green Seed Group is a boutique brand incubator with 30 years of experience growing food & bev brands including plant-based businesses such as Quorn, Violife, Pukka, Meatless Farms, Fullgreen, The Coconut Collaborative, Raglan Yogurt, LikeMeat and Fry's.

Learn plant-based best practices throughout the brand lifecycle from pre-revenue concept to brand launch, incubation, national rollout, raising capital and scaling to exit through strategic acquisition. Additionally, David will discuss observations in building consumer adoption and transforming brands from one product to multi-category international businesses.

Speaker: David Wilson, Founder & Partner, Green Seed North America

Speaker: Certified Master Chef James Corwell

Jerrod has been competing in submission grappling (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) for over 15 years and is the cofounder of WildHeart Nutrition.  In this talk, he’ll summarize what he has learned about the science of protein and how he meets his nutritional needs as a vegan athlete.

Speaker: Jerrod Appenzeller, Co-Founder, WildHeart Nutrition

What will be the breaking news for investing in 2022? What are the biggest investment trends?  Public investing? Private investing? Plant-based?  Algae? Microbes?  Which technologies will garner the most funds: fermented or cultivated?  Which companies are expected to IPO? Get the biggest news in investing with Elysabeth Alfano in this comprehensive and exciting session. 

Speaker: Elysabeth Alfano, Founder, Plant Powered Consulting

Now in their second year, The World Plant-Based Awards are a celebration of innovation and excellence across the plant-based food and drink industry.

These awards celebrate plant-based excellence and innovation from around the world, across 15 different categories.

Join us in the Learning Garden Theater in the Expo Hall to find out who this year's lucky winners and finalists are!

Unwind from a busy day and stroll through the aisles to take in the latest in plant-based products and solutions. Enjoy a drink and network with colleagues and exhibitors during this casual event in the Exhibit Hall.

Sponsored by the Plant Based Foods Association

When Tyler Lorenzen ended his NFL career, his true mission was just beginning. Tyler became CEO of Puris Proteins, continuing a family legacy of bringing healthy, organic foods to market all the way from the seed to the tip of the fork. Puris is the only company that has been growing plant-based food for generations, now 100% vertically-aligned and doing business in all areas of the supply chain. Feeding happy customers all starts with healthy soil and proper farming - attend this session and learn how it's all connected!

Why, on average, is plant-based still more expensive than meat and what needs to be done to achieve price parity between the two?
Are you planning to launch a product in a market that is not the US? What should you be aware of?
What could 'fast-food' be like in 15 years?
What is happening to the prices of soy & pea proteins?

Join this session with Marcel Goldenberg of Mintec to find out more. 

Speaker: Marcel Goldenberg, Head of Proprietary Pricing, Mintec

Consumers need to experience the taste and texture of emerging plant-based brands, and where products are sold in retail matters! This session is hosted by retail merchandising experts Survey.com and will discuss the best tips, tricks, and strategies for successfully growing your brand on grocery store shelves.
 

Speakers: 
Lauren Abda, Co-Founder, Branch Venture Group

Zoe Croft, Atlantic Sea Farms

Mark Whilhite CRO, Alpha Foods

• Why all "Clean Labels" are not made equal
• Why a true clean label makes a difference to consumers
• How to ensure a clean label tastes delicious

We all know that plants and plant based foods time has come. But to actually get diners to order and reorder these dishes there must be a well thought out path to menu success...

Speakers:
Rocco DiSpirito, Healthy Lifestyle Crusader

Larry Sashin, Founder & Sr. Partner of L. Sashin& Associates, Ltd, LLC 

Bob Heiss, Founder and Sr. Partner of StrategicAdvisoryboard.net

Christine Mulen, CEO, Aspire Digital Solutions 

The Future of Women in the Plant-based Industry will dive into the state of women founders in the plant-based industry, recent trends across the industry, and how suppliers, vendors, and companies can build a more diverse and equitable company. 

Speaker: Jennifer Stojkovic, Founder, Vegan Women Summit

There are 7 BILLION meals served in schools in the US every year. The entrée portion of the meals are almost always meat or cheese. This is a HUGE opportunity for the plant-based food industry. Many schools don’t have cooking kitchens and are looking for healthy manufactured vegan options. Find out what it takes to enter this space and the impact on students, the environment, and social justice issues.

Speaker: Amie Hamlin, Executive Director, Coalition for Healthy School Food