Session highlights
NPD Discovery Table Talk Programme
Food Matters Live roundtables give you the opportunity to delve into a topic focused on a pressing issue specific to your business. Discuss solutions tailored to your needs with industry experts and other premium food businesses in an impartial, intimate setting. Explore the table talks taking place at Rotterdam below.
Tuesday 23rd September
11:15 – 12:00
Reclaim the Flavour of Smoke: How cutting-edge technology combined with traditional techniques is delivering the future of smoke and grill flavours
Hosts:
Huw Griffiths, Founder & CEO, Besmoke LTD
Becky Shaw, Flavourist & NPD Controller, Besmoke LTD
11:15 – 12:00
Collagen as a hero ingredient for GLP-1 formulations
(from nutritional support with Nextida GC and Peptan to boosting GLP-1 with Nextida GC)
- Explain formulation advantages: benefits focused on technical developments.
- Show Nextida GC and Peptan prototypes
- Provide samples
11:15 – 12:00
2026 Listeria Regulatory Roundtable: From Regulation to Implementation
Host:
Stephan Dobbelstein, Director Business Development EMEA, Corbion
11:15 – 12:00
Unlocking fibre potential: innovate with LifyWheat, a wheat flour with 10 times more fibre
Discover how LifyWheat—a next-generation wheat flour and flake naturally rich in resistant starch—can help you meet growing consumer demand for gut health, better blood sugar control, and high-fibre products.
Taste real-life applications like bakery items and cereal bars, and learn how to:
- Easily enrich everyday products like breads, biscuits, pizzas and pastas
- Tap into the fibre trend with a clean-label solution that keeps texture and flavour intact
- Support functional claims for digestive health and glycaemic response
- Create innovation your customers will feel good about eating
Whether you’re working on reformulation, clean-label upgrades, or gut-friendly NPD, this session offers practical solutions to apply to your NPD.
Host:
Erik Ligtenberg, Key Account Manager, Limagrain Ingredients
11:15 – 12:00
Bite into Better: A Clean Label Picnic.
Consumers aren’t just concerned about what’s in their food – they now want to know why it’s in there. Ingredient lists are under more scrutiny than ever, and brands are expected to deliver transparency, functionality, and flavour in every bite. For over 25 years, Ulrick + Short has partnered with food manufacturers to overcome complex formulation challenges using clean label ingredients that deliver on both performance and consumer appeal.
In this interactive roundtable, we’ll be serving up summer-inspired picnic – a hands-on tasting session showcasing how our ingredients drive innovation across bakery, meat, pastry, and sauces. So, whether you’re tackling reformulation, cleaning up ingredient declarations, or looking for inspiration for your next product launch, join us to discover what’s possible when functionality meets transparency.
Hosts:
Marlies Brouwer, Technical Sales, Ulrick & Short
Yvette Müskens, R&D Manager, Ulrick & Short
11:15 – 12:00
Front of pack nutrition labelling across Europe: disharmony, debates and reflections on implementation
In recent years there has been an ambition of achieving European consensus on and harmonisation of front of pack nutrition labelling systems. However, consensus has not been achieved, with many strong differing views from member states. At the same time, there is a growing call for front of pack nutrition labelling to become mandatory, and suggestions that current systems should be evolved or replaced to reflect the potential health impacts of processing and specific ingredients.
In this roundtable, we’ll explore the different front of pack nutrition labelling systems that currently exist across Europe and how these reflect the food cultures of the countries where they’re currently applied. We’ll discuss the relative pros and cons of each, share insights on their implementation by the food industry, and dig into the current discussions and debates around these systems.
Host:
Lauren Woodley, Head of Nutrition and Sensory Science, Nomad Foods
11:15 – 12:00
Unlocking the potential of upcycled food for sustainability and health
We’ll explore how pre-competitive collaboration can provide guidance on solutions where many residual streams can be used in food as a suitable alternative for current raw materials or ingredients that are under pressure due to geopolitics or climate change (such as cacao). We’ll also look at how upcycled ingredients can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to the development of healthier food products. For these challenges, upcycled ingredients/food are a possible handle.
Topics to expect:
- Insights from the Upcycled4Food Initiative on pre-competitive collaboration
- Lessons from entrepreneurs who have thrived in fast-moving markets by collaboration.
- Combo on how we can use upcycling to become more ingredient independent and climate neutral and the tension in this challenge.
- Showcases of pioneering companies from the Foodvalley Upcycling Community, and what this network offers for those ready to take action on this theme.
Host:
Caroline Duivenvoorden, Programme Manager Circular Agrifood, Foodvalley
13:55 – 14:40
Reclaim the Flavour of Smoke: How cutting-edge technology combined with traditional techniques is delivering the future of smoke and grill flavours
Hosts:
Huw Griffiths, Founder & CEO, Besmoke LTD
Becky Shaw, Flavourist & NPD Controller, Besmoke LTD
13:55 – 14:40
The Ozempic effect in F&B: science driving innovate ingredients boosting GLP-1 release
(GLP-1 mimics vs GLP-1 boosters)
Discussing the Ozempic trend and its influence in the functional Food & Beverage market, focus on discussing innovate functional ingredients in the GLP-1 space and market trends in GLP-1 support related formulations.
- Explain differences: GLP-1 mimics (Ozempic-like drugs) vs GLP-1 boosters (functional ingredients found in F&B and supplements).
- Discuss innovate ingredients to ride the GLP-1 trend focusing on scientific evidence
- Discuss consumer perception/education level in terms of science and overall understanding of GLP-1 food options
- Highlight potential of Nextida GC as a GLP-1 booster (and its science)
- Provide samples
13:55 – 14:40
2026 Listeria Regulatory Roundtable: From Regulation to Implementation
Host:
Stephan Dobbelstein, Director Business Development EMEA, Corbion
13:55 – 14:40
Navigating innovation, taste and AI in an increasingly complex world: how the blurring lines between Food, Health & Tech are impacting consumer choices
Explore how the convergence of health, technology, and nutrition is transforming the food and beverage industry. With a $2.8 trillion wellness economy and health services moving into gyms, homes, and digital platforms, companies face both enormous opportunity and growing complexity. You will discuss:
- How AI is transforming consumer product discovery
- What leading companies are doing to stay ahead amid regulatory and scientific uncertainty
- The biggest opportunities for innovation across R&D, product development, and data-driven UX
- Practical ways to leverage AI responsibly in formulation, personalisation, and transparency
Host:
Mariette Abrahams, CEO & Founder, Qina
13:55 – 14:40
Unlocking fibre potential: innovate with LifyWheat, a wheat flour with 10 times more fibre
Discover how LifyWheat—a next-generation wheat flour and flake naturally rich in resistant starch—can help you meet growing consumer demand for gut health, better blood sugar control, and high-fibre products.
Taste real-life applications like bakery items and cereal bars, and learn how to:
- Easily enrich everyday products like breads, biscuits, pizzas and pastas
- Tap into the fibre trend with a clean-label solution that keeps texture and flavour intact
- Support functional claims for digestive health and glycaemic response
- Create innovation your customers will feel good about eating
Whether you’re working on reformulation, clean-label upgrades, or gut-friendly NPD, this session offers practical solutions to apply to your NPD.
Host:
Erik Ligtenberg, Key Account Manager, Limagrain Ingredients
13:55 – 14:40
Bite into Better: A Clean Label Picnic.
Consumers aren’t just concerned about what’s in their food – they now want to know why it’s in there. Ingredient lists are under more scrutiny than ever, and brands are expected to deliver transparency, functionality, and flavour in every bite. For over 25 years, Ulrick + Short has partnered with food manufacturers to overcome complex formulation challenges using clean label ingredients that deliver on both performance and consumer appeal.
In this interactive roundtable, we’ll be serving up summer-inspired picnic – a hands-on tasting session showcasing how our ingredients drive innovation across bakery, meat, pastry, and sauces. So, whether you’re tackling reformulation, cleaning up ingredient declarations, or looking for inspiration for your next product launch, join us to discover what’s possible when functionality meets transparency.
Hosts:
Marlies Brouwer, Technical Sales, Ulrick & Short
Yvette Müskens, R&D Manager, Ulrick & Short
13:55 – 14:40
Catalyzing food autonomy through regenerative agriculture and innovative value chains
To enhance food autonomy, this session explores how regenerative agriculture, landscape approaches, and short value chains can be combined as powerful, practical solutions. We will take a closer look at how regenerative practices not only restore ecosystems but also strengthen local food systems, offering resilient alternatives to globalized supply chains.
Beyond these proven approaches, we will ask:
What other innovative strategies, partnerships, and business models can further stimulate regional food independence and accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture?
Together with participants, we will discuss new ideas to advance food autonomy, drawing on practical insights and lessons from initiatives such as the Regen Inn portfolio, ReGeNL, and other leading-edge regenerative food system models.
Host:
Ileen Wilke, Community Manager Regenerative Agriculture, Foodvalley
Wednesday 24th September
11:15 – 12:00
Reclaim the Flavour of Smoke: How cutting-edge technology combined with traditional techniques is delivering the future of smoke and grill flavours
Hosts:
Huw Griffiths, Founder & CEO, Besmoke LTD
Becky Shaw, Flavourist & NPD Controller, Besmoke LTD
11:15 – 12:00
Collagen as a hero ingredient for GLP-1 formulations
(from nutritional support with Nextida GC and Peptan to boosting GLP-1 with Nextida GC)
- Explain formulation advantages: benefits focused on technical developments.
- Show Nextida GC and Peptan prototypes
- Provide samples
11:15 – 12:00
2026 Listeria Regulatory Roundtable: From Regulation to Implementation
Host:
Stephan Dobbelstein, Director Business Development EMEA, Corbion
11:15 – 12:00
Unlocking fibre potential: innovate with LifyWheat, a wheat flour with 10 times more fibre
Discover how LifyWheat—a next-generation wheat flour and flake naturally rich in resistant starch—can help you meet growing consumer demand for gut health, better blood sugar control, and high-fibre products.
Taste real-life applications like bakery items and cereal bars, and learn how to:
- Easily enrich everyday products like breads, biscuits, pizzas and pastas
- Tap into the fibre trend with a clean-label solution that keeps texture and flavour intact
- Support functional claims for digestive health and glycaemic response
- Create innovation your customers will feel good about eating
Whether you’re working on reformulation, clean-label upgrades, or gut-friendly NPD, this session offers practical solutions to apply to your NPD.
Host:
Erik Ligtenberg, Key Account Manager, Limagrain Ingredients
11:15 – 12:00
Bite into Better: A Clean Label Picnic.
Consumers aren’t just concerned about what’s in their food – they now want to know why it’s in there. Ingredient lists are under more scrutiny than ever, and brands are expected to deliver transparency, functionality, and flavour in every bite. For over 25 years, Ulrick + Short has partnered with food manufacturers to overcome complex formulation challenges using clean label ingredients that deliver on both performance and consumer appeal.
In this interactive roundtable, we’ll be serving up summer-inspired picnic – a hands-on tasting session showcasing how our ingredients drive innovation across bakery, meat, pastry, and sauces. So, whether you’re tackling reformulation, cleaning up ingredient declarations, or looking for inspiration for your next product launch, join us to discover what’s possible when functionality meets transparency.
Hosts:
Marlies Brouwer, Technical Sales, Ulrick & Short
Yvette Müskens, R&D Manager, Ulrick & Short
11:15 – 12:00
Scaling market demand and production of local and land-independent proteins
Join this table to explore how we can scale the production and adoption of novel- and locally produced plant proteins. We will examine pathways for market adoption and cross-sector- and international collaboration, needed to advance sustainable progress across the value chains.
Together with participants, we will discuss and exchange learnings on how to scale innovations.
- A reflection on the learnings of the ‘EAT’ methodology, established in the Plant Protein Forward initiative, enabling scaling of demand via new partnerships, accelerating the adoption of locally produced plant proteins
- Showcase practical examples from initiatives such as the Protein Transition Map NL and personal collaborations via The Protein Community, illustrating effective ways for a global representation and collaboration
- A forward-looking vision on the trends for the second half of the ‘roaring twenties’
Host:
Leo Koning, Manager The Protein Community, Foodvalley
13:55 – 14:40
The Ozempic effect in F&B: science driving innovate ingredients boosting GLP-1 release
(GLP-1 mimics vs GLP-1 boosters)
Discussing the Ozempic trend and its influence in the functional Food & Beverage market, focus on discussing innovate functional ingredients in the GLP-1 space and market trends in GLP-1 support related formulations.
- Explain differences: GLP-1 mimics (Ozempic-like drugs) vs GLP-1 boosters (functional ingredients found in F&B and supplements).
- Discuss innovate ingredients to ride the GLP-1 trend focusing on scientific evidence
- Discuss consumer perception/education level in terms of science and overall understanding of GLP-1 food options
- Highlight potential of Nextida GC as a GLP-1 booster (and its science)
- Provide samples
13:55 – 14:40
2026 Listeria Regulatory Roundtable: From Regulation to Implementation
Host:
Stephan Dobbelstein, Director Business Development EMEA, Corbion
13:55 – 14:40
Front of pack nutrition labelling across Europe: disharmony, debates and reflections on implementation
In recent years there has been an ambition of achieving European consensus on and harmonisation of front of pack nutrition labelling systems. However, consensus has not been achieved, with many strong differing views from member states. At the same time, there is a growing call for front of pack nutrition labelling to become mandatory, and suggestions that current systems should be evolved or replaced to reflect the potential health impacts of processing and specific ingredients.
In this roundtable, we’ll explore the different front of pack nutrition labelling systems that currently exist across Europe and how these reflect the food cultures of the countries where they’re currently applied. We’ll discuss the relative pros and cons of each, share insights on their implementation by the food industry, and dig into the current discussions and debates around these systems.
Host:
Lauren Woodley, Head of Nutrition and Sensory Science, Nomad Foods
13:55 – 14:40
Reclaim the Flavour of Smoke: How cutting-edge technology combined with traditional techniques is delivering the future of smoke and grill flavours
Hosts:
Huw Griffiths, Founder & CEO, Besmoke LTD
Becky Shaw, Flavourist & NPD Controller, Besmoke LTD
13:55 – 14:40
Navigating innovation, taste and AI in an increasingly complex world: how the blurring lines between Food, Health & Tech are impacting consumer choices
Explore how the convergence of health, technology, and nutrition is transforming the food and beverage industry. With a $2.8 trillion wellness economy and health services moving into gyms, homes, and digital platforms, companies face both enormous opportunity and growing complexity. You will discuss:
- How AI is transforming consumer product discovery
- What leading companies are doing to stay ahead amid regulatory and scientific uncertainty
- The biggest opportunities for innovation across R&D, product development, and data-driven UX
- Practical ways to leverage AI responsibly in formulation, personalisation, and transparency
Host:
Mariette Abrahams, CEO & Founder, Qina
13:55 – 14:40
Unlocking fibre potential: innovate with LifyWheat, a wheat flour with 10 times more fibre
Discover how LifyWheat—a next-generation wheat flour and flake naturally rich in resistant starch—can help you meet growing consumer demand for gut health, better blood sugar control, and high-fibre products.
Taste real-life applications like bakery items and cereal bars, and learn how to:
- Easily enrich everyday products like breads, biscuits, pizzas and pastas
- Tap into the fibre trend with a clean-label solution that keeps texture and flavour intact
- Support functional claims for digestive health and glycaemic response
- Create innovation your customers will feel good about eating
Whether you’re working on reformulation, clean-label upgrades, or gut-friendly NPD, this session offers practical solutions to apply to your NPD.
Host:
Erik Ligtenberg, Key Account Manager, Limagrain Ingredients
13:55 – 14:40
Bite into Better: A Clean Label Picnic.
Consumers aren’t just concerned about what’s in their food – they now want to know why it’s in there. Ingredient lists are under more scrutiny than ever, and brands are expected to deliver transparency, functionality, and flavour in every bite. For over 25 years, Ulrick + Short has partnered with food manufacturers to overcome complex formulation challenges using clean label ingredients that deliver on both performance and consumer appeal.
In this interactive roundtable, we’ll be serving up summer-inspired picnic – a hands-on tasting session showcasing how our ingredients drive innovation across bakery, meat, pastry, and sauces. So, whether you’re tackling reformulation, cleaning up ingredient declarations, or looking for inspiration for your next product launch, join us to discover what’s possible when functionality meets transparency.
Hosts:
Marlies Brouwer, Technical Sales, Ulrick & Short
Yvette Müskens, R&D Manager, Ulrick & Short
13:55 – 14:40
Breaking barriers to a healthier food offer: making the healthy choice the easy choice
Today’s food environment often makes it hard for consumers to choose healthy options, as convenience and taste are prioritized over nutrition. Over 80% of the products in stores and food outlets don’t align with healthy diet guidelines.
To change this, we need a system-wide shift in both supply and demand for healthier food. By working together, we can overcome barriers like consumer habits, business pressures, and limited innovation. Join this table to share ideas, tackle challenges, and help make the healthy choice the easy choice, together.
Host:
Sabine Poelmann, Partnership Manager and Community Manager, Food & Health, Foodvalley
NPD Discovery Table Talk Themes
Food Innovation
- Innovative ingredients for food innovation – formulation focus (cross category)
- Formulating for plant-based and hybrid proteins
- Flavours of the future
- Safety-led NPD innovation
- Allergen awareness
Sustainable Sourcing
- Sustainability in NPD – showcasing ethical and sustainable sourcing
- Sustainable sourcing for product development
- Benefiting from collaborative partnerships between academia and industry stakeholders
- Upcycling
Positive Nutrition
- Innovative ingredients for positive nutrition and nutraceuticals formulation
- Preparing for HFSS legislation in practice
- Trends and opportunities for targeting longevity and healthy ageing
- Gut/brain axis insights
Host a roundtable
A roundtable will position your business in front of an engaged, pre-qualified audience of industry peers, actively looking for solutions to help them navigate the future of food and nutrition.
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