All Sessions
Day / Time (CDT)
Sessions
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FEBRUARY 26TH 9:30 - 10:10AMKeynote Address: Key Insights for the Future of F&BJoin us for an insightful session where we explore our community’s commitment to sustainability, food safety, and innovation. Learn about the critical role of Guardians in protecting our planet, ensuring food safety, and driving innovation. This session will highlight real-world applications, future outlooks, and the impact of AI and automation on the workforce. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights for 2025.Hear from: Gary Nowacki, TraceGains
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FEBRUARY 26TH 10:20 - 10:50AMInnovation from Source to ShelfBringing new products to market in the F&B and CPG industries involves navigating complex challenges, from sourcing new materials to creating packaging solutions, all while ensuring compliance and quality across departments. Product ideation and developing initial concepts are notoriously difficult, especially when engaging with new suppliers. Getting those concepts to market with sustainable packaging and compelling artwork presents even greater challenges. Join us for an insightful session on the journey of product development from ideation to the retail shelf. Discover how TraceGains and Esko's integrated solutions address these pain points, streamlining the process and ensuring efficiency and quality at every stage.
You’ll learn how to:
• Rapidly experiment and iterate with integrated sourcing and supplier management.
• Leverage the synergy between TraceGains and Esko for efficient packaging design and development.
• Align product, finished goods and packaging specifications across teams and manufacturing partners.
• Ensure product assurance and quality control throughout the production process.
• Achieve seamless transitions from ideation to the retail shelf with integrated flows for critical data.
Join us to learn how to optimize the innovative solutions from TraceGains and Esko to enhance your product development process and ensure success from source to shelf.Hear from: Gary Iles, TraceGains | Paul Bradley, TraceGains -
FEBRUARY 26TH 11:00 - 11:30AMSecrets to Navigating the F&B Industry in 20252025 will be a year marked by seismic shifts for the global F&B industry. From chemical bans and label regulations to looming sustainability requirements and major supply chain disruption spurred by political turbulence, it's bound to be a wild ride. Join FDA lawyer, Tony Pavel as he covers key updates from the FDA causing global impact. He'll unpack some of the murkiest topics — traceability, Red Dye No. 3 ban, tarrif impact, recall spikes — and share strategies to ensure that no matter how the winds blow, you'll be prepared to navigate the waters and keep compliance tight with speedy time-to-market.Hear from: Tony Pavel, Keller and Heckman
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FEBRUARY 26TH 11:45 - 12:30PMControlling Supply Chain Risk: How to Wield Your Supplier DataExplore how to develop data-driven supplier scorecards to assess performance and mitigate risk. Learn how to align supplier performance with FSQ standards and foster stronger, more accountable supplier relationships.
What you’ll learn:
• How to develop effective supplier scorecards to assess performance and risk.
• Key strategies for reducing supplier risk through data-driven insights.
• Building strong, reliable supplier relationships to enhance food safety and quality.
• Using scorecarding to drive continuous improvement and supplier accountability.
• Practical methods for aligning supplier performance with FSQ standards and goals.Hear from: Maria White, Hudsonville Ice Cream | Dustin Furney, Hudsonville Ice Cream | Alex Sullivan, HelloFresh -
FEBRUARY 26TH 11:45 - 12:30PMSecrets to Efficiency: Harnessing the Power of Digital Workflows and Automations to Bolster FSQAUnlock the potential of automation to reduce manual tasks and boost workforce productivity. Learn how to design optimized workflows that enhance operational efficiency and data flow across departments.
What you’ll learn:
• How automation can significantly enhance workforce productivity and reduce manual tasks.
• Designing workflows to optimize efficiency across departments.
• Best practices for integrating automation tools into existing business processes.
• Leveraging data-driven workflows to improve decision-making and operational speed.
• Maximizing ROI by aligning automation initiatives with business goals and workforce optimization.Hear from: D'yana Gerda, Camerican | Mike Kirsch, FreshMark -
FEBRUARY 26TH 11:45 - 12:30PMCreating Tomorrow's Products: How to Innovate and Adapt in a Rapidly Changing MarketMaster agile product development to reduce time to market while maintaining product quality. Learn strategies to quickly adapt to shifting consumer trends and stay competitive by streamlining the R&D process.
What you’ll learn:
• How to accelerate product formulation to keep pace with market demands.
• Techniques for reducing time to market without sacrificing product quality.
• Best practices for innovating in response to rapidly shifting consumer trends.
• Streamlining the R&D process to adapt quickly to market changes.
• Leveraging agile development strategies to stay competitive in a fast-paced industry.Hear from: Jaime Reeves , Mattson | Michael Hoang, Home Market Foods -
FEBRUARY 26TH 11:45 - 12:30PMDesigning for Impact: Sustainable Product Development in F&BExplore strategies to reduce lifecycle impacts with the help of tools like Sustained, while aligning your R&D efforts with long-term ESG goals, innovation and compliance.
What you'll learn:
• Approaches to reducing lifecycle impacts by leveraging insights from Sustained to factor environmental costs into product design and formulation.
• How to balance sustainability goals with innovation and compliance in a dynamic regulatory landscape.
• Strategies to address industry challenges like environmental accountability and operational integration.
• The importance of broadening your focus beyond climate to include water use, biodiversity, and other critical sustainability factors.
• Practical tools and best practices for aligning product innovation with environmental impact and business success.Hear from: Carl Olivier, Sustained -
FEBRUARY 26TH 11:45 - 12:30PMSo You're A TraceGains Supplier - Now What? Tips for Succeeding in the Digital Supply ChainDiscover how to use TraceGains Gather® tools to strengthen buyer-supplier relationships, improve transparency, and enhance compliance. Learn best practices for thriving in the digital supply network and becoming a preferred supplier.
What you’ll learn:
• How to use TraceGains tools to strengthen partnerships with buyers.
• Best practices for navigating the digital supply chain and staying competitive.
• Tips for maintaining transparency and compliance with buyer requirements.
• How to use digital platforms to improve communication and build trust with buyers.
• Strategies for becoming a preferred supplier and fostering long-term relationships in the digital era.Hear from: Amber Van Mansfeld, TraceGains | Daphne Berhmann, C.L. Smith -
FEBRUARY 26TH 12:30 - 1:00PMNetworking BreakConnect and collaborate! Join peers and industry leaders in the Networking Center chats to tackle industry challenges, share successes, and pick up a few new jokes. Climb the leaderboard for your chance to win!
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FEBRUARY 26TH 1:00 - 1:30PMTraceGains Toolkit: AI-Driven Supplier ComplianceAs we move into 2025, artificial intelligence is shifting from industry buzz to tangible business impact. In supplier compliance, AI is driving new efficiencies, reducing risk, and enhancing decision-making. This session will explore how advanced technology is transforming the way organizations manage and verify critical supplier data. With a focus on real-world applications, we’ll share insights from our latest AI-driven innovations and how they’re shaping the future of food safety and quality assurance.Hear from: Brandon Davidson, TraceGains | Customer Success Team, TraceGains
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FEBRUARY 26TH 1:00 - 1:30PMTraceGains Toolkit: Configurable Formula ManagementInnovation looks different for every business, so learn how to set up formula management to suit your business needs. Join this hands-on training session to learn how to fine-tune your formula calculations, manage process steps, and update base recipes so you and your team are ready to rock.Hear from: Julie Yu, TraceGains | Customer Success Team, TraceGains
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FEBRUARY 26TH 1:00 - 1:30PMTraceGains Toolkit: Supplier Risk ScoringWe're showing off our favorite parts of TraceGains that pack some serious punch! Learn how to set up supplier risk scoring and take control of your risk management. Walk away from this hands-on training session with the knowledge of how to protect your supply chain and empower your vendor partners like never before!Hear from: Mary Grunder, TraceGains | Michael Moree, TraceGains | Customer Success Team, TraceGains
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FEBRUARY 26TH 1:00 - 1:30PMTraceGains Toolkit: Time Saving SecretsWe're showing off our favorite parts of TraceGains that you might not know about. Learn how to access the configuration library, utilize dynamic display templates, and create value lists.
This hands-on training session with experts from the TraceGains Customer Success team will leave you with the power to wield your TraceGains solution to drive efficiency and productivity like never before!Hear from: Ted Nelson, TraceGains | Lauren Capuano, TraceGains | Customer Success Team, TraceGains -
FEBRUARY 26TH 1:00 - 1:30PMTraceGains Toolkit: Improving the Supplier Buyer RelationshipLet's face it - collaboration can be challenging. Join this hands-on training and therapy session to understand top 10 best practices for working in TraceGains Network. Top 10 tricks for suppliers and top 10 tips for customers - that's 20 top tips & tricks for the price of one!
What you’ll learn:
• Best practices for supplier document library
• Tips for when you surpass 100 suppliers in TraceGains Gather
• The docs you should and shouldn't be requesting
• Ways to improve your buyer-supplier relationshipHear from: Ian Buljung, TraceGains | Amber Van Mansfeld, TraceGains | Customer Success Team, TraceGains -
FEBRUARY 27TH 5:00 - 5:45AMCutting the Mustard: Ensuring Supplier Transparency and Preventing Food Fraud in EuropeThis session will dive into the critical issues of food contamination and fraud and the importance of supplier transparency across Europe while highlighting practices and insights that are globally relevant. Join Professor of Food Security Chris Elliott, where he will explore recent food safety incidents, including the recent case of mustard ingredient contamination in the UK and multiple incidents of cinnamon contamination in the US, to illustrate the dangers of compromised supply chains. Professor Elliott will discuss how the need for food and beverage companies to strengthen supplier understanding and implement more rigorous quality checks to ensure their supply chains truly "cut the mustard" when it comes to product safety, authenticity and compliance.Hear from: Chris Elliott, Queen's University - Belfast
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FEBRUARY 27TH 6:00 - 6:30AMGuardians of F&B: Uniting for the FutureHear firsthand from the TraceGains F&B Community on how they are fortifying data, refining processes and empowering collaboration across their teams, organizations, and supply chain.Hear from: Lewis Rogers-Duffield, Baker & Baker | Jeroen Hendrixx, Lamb Weston
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FEBRUARY 27TH 7:00 - 7:45AMYour Products, Sustainability Regulations and How to Adapt Your Business ProcessesSustainability efforts are no longer a choice. In addition to market demands, Regulations and policies are now driving the need for change. It is vital for Food and Beverage manufacturers and Brands to be aware of how these developments will impact their business. We will decode the regulations and showcase how businesses can be prepared for the arrival of enforcement activities and ensure meaningful levels of engagement throughout their business for future success.
What you will learn:
• Where market demands, policies and Regulations intersect
• Who needs to prepare for EUDR enforcement
• How relevant regulations may impact various departments
• What future-proofing your business looks like against a changing regulatory landscapeHear from: Rebecca Kaya, Ashbury Global | Edward Allen, Ashbury Global -
FEBRUARY 27TH 8:00 - 8:30AMSo You're A TraceGains Supplier - Now What? Tips for Succeeding in the Digital Supply ChainDiscover how to use TraceGains Gather tools to strengthen buyer-supplier relationships, improve transparency, and enhance compliance. Learn best practices for thriving in the digital supply network and becoming a preferred supplier.
What you’ll learn:
• How to use TraceGains tools to strengthen partnerships with buyers.
• Best practices for navigating the digital supply chain and staying competitive.
• Tips for maintaining transparency and compliance with buyer requirements.
• How to use digital platforms to improve communication and build trust with buyers.
• Strategies for becoming a preferred supplier and fostering long-term relationships in the digital era.Hear from: Amber Van Mansfeld, TraceGains | Pete Clarke , TraceGains | Tony Nelson, Organic Valley -
FEBRUARY 27TH 8:00 - 8:30AMThe Power of Real Time Supplier Data: How to Get It and How to WieldFree yourself from the hours of endless data scavegar hunts and validation, wasting resources, and exposing your business to risk with bad data. Hear strategies on how to make your data useful and drive powerful decisions that bolster growth and compliance.Hear from: Bart Bosch, Vlitix
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FEBRUARY 27TH 9:30 - 10:00AMTraceGains Business Ingenuity AwardsThese awards celebrate the TraceGains F&B Guardians who have married the TraceGains solutions into their company’s daily processes to reshape their business and achieve growth and agility. Come hear directly from the winners as they share resourceful tips & tricks to moving forward.Hear from: Gary Nowacki, TraceGains
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FEBRUARY 27TH 10:00 - 11:00AMTraceGains RoadmapSneak peek of the exciting TraceGains functionality built to empower Guardians to build the future of F&B.
The TraceGains product roadmap has always been customer-driven. And this year, we've listened to our customer advisors and are excited to share real solutions to help serious everyday struggles for quality, regulatory, and R&D teams. Our solution is now more holistic and comprehensive for teams wanting to innovate faster while keeping compliance tight. Explore the technology behind the F&B industry’s premier networked ingredients marketplace and learn how to power networked data across your organization.Hear from: AJ Dolan, TraceGains -
FEBRUARY 27TH 11:30 - 12:10PMGuardians of the Brand: A Story About Dedication and SpeedBlack Rifle Coffee Company is one of America's fastest-growing coffee companies. Hear their journey to launch a new RTD product with aggressive timelines and how the operation and innovation teams collaborated to ensure the brand's mission and premium quality never faltered.Hear from: Taylor Charville, Black Rifle Coffee Company | Jose Ramirez, Black Rifle Coffee Company | Chris Linder, Black Rifle Coffee Company | Monique Crist, Black Rifle Coffee Company | Robert Gordon, Black Rifle Coffee Company
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FEBRUARY 27TH 12:15 - 1:00PMSustainable Success: Integrating Climate Action Into F&B SourcingDiscover how to integrate climate action into your sourcing strategy with practical tools, data-driven insights from DitchCarbon, and actionable steps to reduce carbon emissions while optimizing your environmental impact in real time.
What you’ll learn:
• How to use data from DitchCarbon to drive more sustainable supplier decisions.
• Practical steps to integrate climate action into sourcing processes.
• Methods for reducing carbon emissions through informed supplier selection.
• Tools to monitor and optimize environmental impact in real-time.Hear from: Marc Munier, DitchCarbon | Brittany Vanbuskirk, Ingredion -
FEBRUARY 27TH 12:15 - 1:00PMAdapting to Changing Global Food Regulations in 2025: Strategies for Reformulation and NPDAs global regulations tighten in 2025, F&B and CPG manufacturers face the challenge of reformulating products to meet new standards without sacrificing taste, quality, or brand integrity. This session will show you how to turn these regulatory hurdles into opportunities for growth and innovation. Learn strategies to streamline reformulation, leverage AI for compliance, and engage consumers with transparency.
What You’ll Learn:
• Review of looming regulations impacting the F&B and CPG industries
• How to navigate ingredient restrictions and design compliant, innovative products
• Strategies for quick, efficient reformulation with advanced technology tools
• Ways to streamline packaging redesigns and approval processes to stay ahead of regulatory shiftsHear from: Kari Barnes, TraceGains | Gwen Bultelle , Esko -
FEBRUARY 27TH 12:15 - 1:00PMEnhanced Traceability: Interpreting FSMA 204 Regulations and Retailer "Dear Supplier" LettersThere is a storm coming, and it's called Enhanced Traceability. The deadline for compliance is sooner than you think.
What are you doing to get ready? Who are you talking to? What new ways of system thinking do you need to employ? What strategy are you going to use?
Get your questions answered by experts that literally helped write the rules.
What You'll Learn:
- Breakdown of FSMA 204 regulations and enhanced tracebility requirements
- What recent letters from retailers requiring tracebility compliance are actually asking for
- Decoding the terminology of the regulations and retailer requirements
- Real-world strategies on how to prepare your supply chain and operationsHear from: Andrew Kennedy, New Era Partners | Tejas Bhatt, New Era Partners | Stay tuned, more speakers announcements coming soon! -
FEBRUARY 27TH 12:15 - 1:00PMDon't Get Left Behind: Why You Can't Wait to Invest in Digital TransformationGain confidence in your digital transformation journey—no matter what stage you are—with helpful tips on practical daily challenges.
What you’ll learn:
• How digital transformation enhances workforce efficiency.
• The impact of automation on reducing operational bottlenecks.
• Scaling business operations sustainably with digital tools.
• Navigating ethical challenges in AI and automation.
• Staying competitive by embracing innovation through digital investment.Hear from: Gary Weber, Crisis24 | Richard Scarsella, Eagle Family Foods | Bryan Nguyen, 7-Eleven -
FEBRUARY 27TH 12:15 - 1:00PMFrom Data to Action: A Guide to Harnessing Real-Time Insights for Buyers & SuppliersLearn how real-time data enhances transparency and collaboration across the supply chain. Master techniques to optimize procurement and drive strategic decisions with actionable insights, improving agility and ROI.
What you’ll learn:
• How real-time insights enhance buyer-supplier collaboration.
• The role of data in improving transparency across the supply chain.
• Optimizing procurement processes through actionable data.
• Leveraging agility to respond quickly to market demands and supply challenges.
• Transforming data into strategic decisions for improved business outcomes.Hear from: Amber Van Mansfeld, TraceGains | Emma Karp, TraceGains -
FEBRUARY 27TH 1:00 - 1:30PMEvent ClosingBefore we sign off, join your fellow Guardians one last time for special announcements, prizes, and give-aways.Hear from: Rachel Jones, TraceGains