The Future of Food and Beverage Forum USA

27th - 28th May 2026

Minneapolis, USA

Unlocking the commercial opportunity in innovation: How to align R&D, agriculture and nutrition

Plenary
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Evolving regulation, supply chain volatility and shifting consumer trends can require a fundamental rethink of agri supply chains and product portfolios. Moving from renovation to innovation can drive differentiation, growth and real resilience.

This session explores how companies can make a strong commercial case for reformulation and develop innovation pipelines that are fit for the future:

  • How reformulation and portfolio optimization can unlock new revenue streams, category growth, and retailer opportunities
  • Practical approaches to align internal teams in R&D, procurement, marketing and nutrition around shared goals
  • Where companies are seeing the biggest wins (and the biggest barriers) when aligning portfolios to consumer trends
  • Innovation levers that accelerate speed-to-market while reducing cost: ingredient swaps, partnerships, tech, and on-farm collaboration
Plenary

What to expect from this type of session...

Main stage sessions, but not as you know them. Because we’re off-the-record, leading experts can speak candidly about their experience with what works, and what doesn’t. At least half the session is dedicated to audience insights and questions to ensure we tackle the big issues head on.

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Day 0

Tuesday 26th May 2026

Time
Session title
Session theme
Session type
Day 1

Wednesday 27th May 2026

Time
Session title
Session theme
Session type
8:30am - 8:55am
Plenary
10:10am - 10:55am
10:55am - 11:45am
Plenary
12:15pm - 1:15pm
1:15pm - 2:00pm
2:00pm - 2:45pm
2:45pm - 3:30pm
3:30pm - 4:15pm
4:15pm - 5:00pm
Plenary
5:00pm - 6:00pm
Networking
Day 2

Thursday 28th May 2026

Time
Session title
Session theme
Session type
9:00am - 9:45am
The say-do gap: Are young consumers buying more 'sustainable' ? 
Dole Food Company | McCain Foods | The Center for Food Integrity | Fairtrade America
Plenary
9:45am - 10:30am
Plenary
10:30am - 11:00am
11:00am - 11:45am
Investing in resilience: How blended capital, venture funding and partnerships can work together to scale resilience? 
Transformational Investing in Food Systems | SVG Ventures | Danone | Sand County Foundation | The Rockefeller Foundation
Plenary
11:45am - 12:30pm
Plenary
12:30pm - 1:30pm
1:30pm - 3:00pm
3:00pm - 3:15pm
Plenary