Main stage insights programme
The main stages at Food Matters Live will give you access to a wealth of knowledge across food innovation insights and trends, sustainable sourcing and positive nutrition. Discover influential speakers who will share thought-leadership, key insights and best practice through keynote talks, inspiring panel discussions and ground-breaking case studies. Don’t miss the NPD Discovery Table Talks, hosted by Nexira, Beneo, Raps UK, Campden BRI, Ulrich & Short, Gnosis Lesaffre, Prova, Ingredion and Koa Impact. Explore the full programme below and select the sessions that are going to help you navigate towards your strategy goals.
Please note: Welcome refreshments, lunch and drinks will be provided at each day of the event
Lead Partners
Partners
Ascot
08:30 - 09:00
Insights and Trends
Registration and Breakfast
08:45 - 09:00
Insights and Trends
Registration and Breakfast
09:00 - 09:35
Insights and Trends
Chair’s opening remarks and Panel discussion
Chair: Bertrand Emond, Membership Ambassador – Culture Excellence Lead, Campden BRI
Panel discussion – Heading into 2026: examining industry priorities for UPFs
Amy Glass, Head of UK Diet and Health Policy, Food and Drink Federation
Melanie Bulger, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Danone
Bertel Haugen, Head of Innovation and Sustainability, Rude Health
09:10 - 09:30
Insights and Trends
Chair’s opening remarks and opening keynote - The pathway to resilient food and nutrition: taking a collaborative approach to translating research into sustainable proteins
09:30 - 09:40
Insights and Trends
Partner welcome panel - Ingredient innovation shaping the future of food and positive nutrition
09:35 - 09:45
Insights and Trends
Partner welcome panel
09:45 - 10:45
Insights and Trends
Panel discussion - From insight to action: what do tomorrow’s biggest trends mean for ingredient innovation and product development?
Mark Dempsey
Senior Consulting Director - Consumer, Global
Global Data
Dr Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro
Director and Reader (Associate Professor) in Bioengineering
Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and Imperial College London
Tim Ingmire
Vice President - Global Innovation & Technology
pladis Global
Abbie Owens
Innovation Manager
Yeo Valley
Diane Camp
Executive Development Chef
Sodexo
09:45 - 10:45
Insights and Trends
Panel discussion – Heading into 2026: what next for the UPF debate?
Whatever your view on UPF categorisation, impact or importance, the debate isn’t going away. What are retailers and food service businesses doing in response to the continued furore? What are the product development challenges around reformulation to avoid UPF classification? How can industry unpick the challenges and navigate the noise?
09:50 - 10:50
Insights and Trends
Panel discussion - From insight to action: what impact will GLP-1s have on ingredient innovation and product development?
11:00 - 12:00
Insights and Trends
New Product Development Discovery Roundtables
These roundtable discussions offer practical, solution-focused insights. Key themes include innovative ingredients, expert formulation guidance, cutting-edge technology and patents, sustainable sourcing practices, regulatory considerations, and cross-sector collaboration. View NPD Table Talk Highlights.
Power up your prebiotic formulations: smarter, health-driven solutions with natural fibres
Thomas Chaussier — Sales Manager, Nexira
Bastien Berepion — Technical Manager, Nexira
Charlotte Wallart — Product Manager, Nexira
Functional flavours: discover PROTEC® by PROVA
Estelle Gautier — Flavourist, PROVA
Martyn Hamilton — Sales Manager, PROVA
Shaping the future of healthy aging
Stefania Sala — Product Manager, Gnosis by Lesaffre
Clarisse Geraci — Product Manager, Gnosis by Lesaffre
11:00 - 12:00
Insights and Trends
New Product Development Discovery Roundtables
These roundtable discussions offer practical, solution-focused insights. Key themes include innovative ingredients, expert formulation guidance, cutting-edge technology and patents, sustainable sourcing practices, regulatory considerations, and cross-sector collaboration. View NPD Table Talk Highlights.
Power up your prebiotic formulations: smarter, health-driven solutions with natural fibres
Thomas Chaussier — Sales Manager, Nexira
Bastien Berepion — Technical Manager, Nexira
Charlotte Wallart — Product Manager, Nexira
Functional flavours: discover PROTEC® by PROVA
Estelle Gautier — Flavourist, PROVA
Martyn Hamilton — Sales Manager, PROVA
Shaping the future of healthy aging
Stefania Sala — Product Manager, Gnosis by Lesaffre
Clarisse Geraci — Product Manager, Gnosis by Lesaffre
Developing higher quality, more natural products through a more scientific NPD approach
Dr Phil Spratt — Product Innovation Group, Campden BRI
Mike Adams — Product Innovation Group, Campden BRI
12:05 - 13:05
Insights and Trends
Tomorrow’s trends defining functional nutrition
12:05 - 12:25 – Latest science and innovation in sports nutrition
Joshua Rowe, Head of Sports Tech, Maurten
12:25 - 12:45 – Spotlight on magnesium: availability, forms and health benefits
Phil Beard, Nutritional Educator, Viridian Nutrition
12:45 - 13:05 – Exploring the science behind ingredients, from turmeric to ashwagandha
Dr Abbie Cawood, Head of Science, Holland and Barrett
12:05 - 13:05
Insights and Trends
Culinary Insights Panel - Flavours of the future: Trends and ingredients shaping future consumer trends
This session will unite culinary experts and food experts to delve into the latest culinary food trends and flavours and what they mean for new product development.
13:00 - 13:45
Networking Lunch
13:05 - 14:00
Insights and Trends
Networking Lunch
14:00 - 14:45
Insights and Trends
New Product Development Discovery Roundtables
These roundtable discussions offer practical, solution-oriented insights. Key themes include innovative ingredients, formulation expertise and guidance, cutting-edge technology and patents, sustainable sourcing practices, regulatory considerations, and cross-sector industry collaboration. View NPD Table Talk Highlights.
Healthier formulations: elevating taste and texture with natural texturisers
Thomas Chaussier — Sales Manager, Nexira
Bastien Berepion — Technical Manager, Nexira
Charlotte Wallart — Product Manager, Nexira
Cocoa prices are rising — what are your options?
Estelle Gautier — Flavourist, PROVA
Martyn Hamilton — Sales Manager, PROVA
Vitamin allies in the menopause transition
Stefania Sala — Product Manager, Gnosis by Lesaffre
Clarisse Geraci — Product Manager, Gnosis by Lesaffre
14:00 - 14:45
Insights and Trends
New Product Development Discovery Roundtables
These roundtable discussions offer practical, solution-focused insights. Key themes include innovative ingredients, expert formulation guidance, cutting-edge technology and patents, sustainable sourcing practices, regulatory considerations, and cross-sector collaboration. View NPD Table Talk Highlights.
Healthier formulations: elevating taste and texture with natural texturisers
Thomas Chaussier — Sales Manager, Nexira
Bastien Berepion — Technical Manager, Nexira
Charlotte Wallart — Product Manager, Nexira
Cocoa prices are rising - what are your options?
Estelle Gautier — Flavourist, PROVA
Martyn Hamilton — Sales Manager, PROVA
Vitamin Allies in the Menopause Transition
Stefania Sala — Product Manager, Gnosis by Lesaffre
Clarisse Geraci — Product Manager, Gnosis by Lesaffre
Developing higher quality, more natural products through a more scientific NPD approach
Dr Phil Spratt — Product Innovation Group, Campden BRI
Mike Adams — Product Innovation Group, Campden BRI
15:00 - 15:45
Insights and Trends
Creating healthier choices: overcoming technical challenges in NPD presented by HFSS regulation
15:00 - 15:15 – Overcoming flavour and sensory challenges
Anand Michandani, Senior Application Technologist, Symrise
15:15 - 15:30 – Examining the data around consumer attitudes to HFSS products
Speaker to be confirmed, Kantar Worldpanel
15:30 - 15:45 – Creating healthier choices: overcoming technical challenges in NPD presented by HFSS regulation
Kate Harrington, Senior Diet and Health Executive, Food and Drink Federation
15:00 - 15:45
Insights and Trends
Understanding the fibre engagement gap, public health implications and fortification opportunities
15:00 – 15:15 – The future is fibre: ingredient innovation and product development
Talk tbcJoe Sanderson, Product Director, Upp Farm
15:15 – 15:30 – Spotlight on consumers: gauging current levels of awareness and engagement
Louise Dye, Professor of Nutrition and Behaviour in the School of Psychology, Co-Director of the Institute for Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield
15:30 – 15:45 – The science behind the public health crisis around fibre
Gary Frost, Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, Imperial College London
16:00 - 17:00
Insights and Trends
Progressing sustainable protein: the UK market outlook
16:00 - 16:20 – National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre
16:20 - 16:40 – New technologies and protein alternatives
Gareth Payne, Chief Product Officer, Adamo Foods
16:40 - 17:00 – Emerging concepts for producing more sustainable, protein-rich food and feed: Insights from international public-private partnerships
Professor Dr Alexander Mathys, Head of Sustainable Food Processing Laboratory, ETH Zurich and Principal Investigator, Singapore-ETH Centre and Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein, National University of Singapore
16:00 - 17:00
Insights and Trends
Exploring the latest innovations and insights into gut health and the microbiome
16:00 – 16:15 – Insights into the consumer relationship with gut health: how is the trend evolving?
Maria Mascaraque, Global Insights Manager: Food and Dairy, Euromonitor International
16:15 – 16:30 – Next generation post-biotics
Jelena Vulevic, CEO and Co-Founder, veMico
16:30 – 17:00 – Panel discussion – Future opportunities for NPD in gut health
Amy Partridge, Director, Naked Biotics
Colette Shortt, Regulatory & Nutrition Specialist
Jelena Vulevic, CEO and Co-Founder, veMico
Swamy Sannaveerappa, Head of NPD and Innovation, Naturya
17:00 -
Insights and Trends
Food Matters Live Networking Drinks Reception
17:00 -
Insights and Trends
Chair’s closing remarks and end of Food Matters Live Ascot
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