Prepared Foods: New Products Conference

Wednesday, September 9, 2009
1:00 – 5:00 pm	Drift Fishing Sponsored by Innophos Relax and enjoy an afternoon of drift fishing as you get caught up with industry peers. Lunch, license, and equipment included. Bring sun protection.
1:00 – 5:00 pm	Golf Tournament Sponsored by Chr. Hansen Join us for an afternoon at Polo Trace Golf Club. This course is similar to the landscape of Old Scotland, with sloping hills and unique water features, which makes it challenging for all skill levels. Golf Digest rated this course design a “10 out of 10”.
7:00 – 9:00 pm	Welcome Reception Sponsored by Kikkoman Connect with attendees at this casual reception and enhance your conference experience.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
7:30 – 8:30 am	Breakfast Buffet Sponsored by Tree Top, Inc.
8:30 – 8:45 am	Opening Remarks Michael Leonard, Publisher and Claudia O'Donnell, Chief Editor, Prepared Foods
8:45 – 9:30 am	Keynote Address Creating New Products in a New Economy Speaker: David Houser, Managing Director, Lincoln International Learn characteristics of products, product lines and companies that are particularly attractive to investors. Understand ways the credit crunch/economic downturn is impacting the deal-making activity in the consumer products/food & beverage industries. Gain insights into industry deals from the past quarter---including their significance and what new product developers can learn from them.
9:30 – 10:15 am	Creating Kid Food Products In a Mom-Driven World Speaker: Laurie Klein, Vice President, Just Kid Inc. Over the last few years, many kid food manufacturers have reallocated their marketing efforts toward moms. Although nutrition is a top concern for moms, there are many other things that influence her food choices for her child. Just Kid Inc. will share topline results from its revolutionary new study which will provide insights into some of these other factors. How important are trendier product ingredients such as omega-3 and probiotics? What are some of the principles for creating successful better-for-you products in the marketplace? What nutritional trade-offs are moms willing to make? And, even with the heightened awareness of feeding kids nutritious foods … are moms actually changing behaviors?
10:15 – 10:45 am	Refreshment Break Sponsored by Butterball Farms
10:45 – Noon	Seeking Excellence Through Understanding Flavor Exploration Speakers: Victor Gielisse, CMC, DBA, and Ron DeSantis, CMC, MBA, The Culinary Institute of America Certified Master Chefs explore the opportunity of “flavor” and critical taste points, bold and subtle, sweet and pungent, familiar and exotic. Stay on the cutting edge and clearly understand the complexities of flavor composition and development. This interactive tasting session will expand your flavor IQ and stimulate your senses.
12:00 – 1:30 pm	Luncheon Sponsored by California Raisin Marketing Board
1:30 – 2:15 pm	TBA
2:15 – 2:45 pm	Refreshment Break
2:45 – 3:30 pm	MOMologue: Let's Hear It From Moms! Facilitators: Laurie Klein, Vice President and Amy Henry, Managing Director, Research & Strategy, Just Kid Inc. We'll pick up where we left off with the morning session in this dynamic discussion with a panel of everyday moms. What really gets a snack in her shopping cart, what makes a meal her ideal (and what she does when she's getting real), and what she really thinks puts a smile on her kids' face. From organic to omega-3, explore moms' attitudes towards ingredients, benefits, and the latest innovations.
3:30 – 4:00 pm	Spirit of Innovation Awards Ceremony Moderator: William Roberts, Business Editor, Prepared Foods Sponsored by Ventura Foods Join us in celebrating the industry-nominated, innovative product development teams that recently introduced a new product in foodservice and retail markets. Learn the story behind the winning products.
5:00 – 6:30 pm	Spirit of Innovation Celebration Reception Sponsored by Ventura Foods Network and toast the 2009 Spirit of Innovation Award winners. Enjoy drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and good conversation before you head out for dinner.
	Dinner on your own
Friday, September 11, 2009
7:30 – 8:30 am	Breakfast Buffet Sponsored by ConAgra Mills
8:30 – 9:15 am	Structural Changes in How Americans Eat & Drink Speaker: Joe Derochowski, Executive Director, The NPD Group Inc. The NPD Group has been tracking how Americans eat and drink for over 30 years. Understand the structural changes that occur today and those that may occur in the future. Identify new opportunities based on current trends as well as think about how consumers behave which will help interpret other research you may have.
9:15 – 10:00 am	Successful Product Strategies for Launching Functional Foods Speaker: Bob Jones, Principal, Scientia Advisors LLC Functional Foods may seem like the logical way to move into Health & Wellness. Learn common factors experienced by both successful and unsuccessful entries into this marketplace. Gain insights into a number of factors that drive this market and enhance your probability of success with new functional foods products.
10:00 – 10:30 am	Refreshment Break
10:30 – 11:15 am	Transforming the Relevant Restaurant Trends of Today into the Retail Products of Tomorrow Speaker: Kevin Higar, Director Operator Product Development, Technomic Savvy retail operations can realize tremendous benefits by closely following current and emerging restaurant trends, then modifying them to fit their own unique product offerings. Explore the most relevant current and emerging operator trends with new retail product implications. Proprietary Technomic consumer research and restaurant examples — spanning Quick Service to Fine Dining — will bring these retail innovation opportunities to life. Gain numerous “insight nuggets” ripe for future retail product transformation.
11:15 – Noon	TBA
12:00 – 12:15 pm	Collegiate Education Awards
12:15 – 1:30 pm	Luncheon Sponsored by TIC Gums
1:30 – 2:15 pm	Driving Authenticity Through Ideation, Process, and the Consumer Speaker: Mario Valdovinos, CEC Director of Culinary Services Research & Development, Tyson Foods, Inc. Consumers can experience authenticity in a product through all of their senses. Rarely can a new product own an authenticity claim by simply adding “just the right ingredients”. Learn how a leading food processor identifies, captures and immerses authenticity into its process as well as makes sure it rings true with the American consumer. See how you can leverage the consumers desire for “real” food and beverage products by learning about the multitude of mechanisms and executions that trigger authenticity.
2:15 – 3:00 pm	Idea mash-up: Adapting existing ideas into winning new products Speakers: Lynn Dornblaser and David Jago Directors, Custom Solutions Group, Mintel International New product development is not always about creating a winning concept from “thin air.” Rather, ideas come from everywhere—from competitors, from other categories, from other companies, and sometimes from outside food and beverage entirely. Mintel's trend experts will discuss some of the most important trends affecting consumers and new products, and they have scoured the world to show attendees some of the products and ideas that fit those trends.
3:00 – 3:30 pm	Refreshment Break
3:30 – 4:45 pm	Mintel Tasting Session See and taste dozens of products that may spur your new product development.
5:30 – 6:30 pm	Networking Reception
	Dinner on your own
Saturday, September 12, 2009
8:00 – 9:00 am	Breakfast Buffet Sponsored by Mane, Inc.
9:00 – 11:30 am	When Failure is not an Option-Improvise: Applying the Lessons of Structured Creativity to Everyday Business Challenges Facilitators: Christopher W. Miller, Founder, Innovation Focus Sarah Finch, Director, The Second City Communications Rigor and ridiculous are natural partners Dialogues trump monologues Killer ideas vs. idea killers Innovation facts vs. innovation fiction There are no grown ups…we are all making it up! Let's learn how….. Learn how to bring together structured process and an improvisational attitude. Our goal is simple….we want to show you and your team that you can do it too. There is a lot we know about how to make it up as we go along…this means flexible rigor, learning how to involve the audience as a real partner, and challenging ourselves to higher levels of collaboration. There will be a 15-20 minute Refreshment Break during this workshop.
11:30 – 11:45 am	Closing Remarks: Thank you from NPC Organizers Mintel Global New Products Giveaways