Sara Young, General Manager of Plant Based Proteins with presenting sponsor MorningStar Farms delivers opening remarks for the 2019 Good Food Conference.

GFI’s executive director and co-founder Bruce Friedrich kicks off the 2019 Good Food Conference.

It’s no secret that the plant-based industry is booming. In this session, industry leaders and market research experts will share sales data, consumer insights, and shifts underway in both retail and foodservice to uncover what’s driving this growth and what’s next for the rapidly evolving plant-based food industry.

Want to expand your target consumer base by a factor of 20? Then you need to appeal to meat eaters. Two of the largest plant-based meat brands will discuss how they are winning over America’s meat-loving masses. A top restaurant chain will share insights on marketing plant-based meat to their mainstream consumers.

2017 and 2018 were record years for investment in the plant-based and cell-based industries. Hear from some of the most active VCs in plant-based and cell-based meat, strategic industry investors, and a leading Sand Hill Road VC about why investors are bullish on new forms of meat production.

Organisms from beyond the plant kingdom are emerging as new sources of proteins and ingredients. Recombinant protein technology can enhance the sensory experience of modern plant-based foods. Discover the potential of these fermentation-based technologies to create novel flavors and other raw materials, improve sustainability, and drive manufacturing efficiencies.

Six startups. One stage. Thousands of eyes. See the next generation of good food innovators in action as they pitch their startups to the industry’s leading stakeholders. (And be sure to swing by their booths for a taste of a sustainable future.)

Experts in the research and development of plant-based meat will discuss recent advances in plant-based meat technology (including Impossible Burger’s recipe update), research into plant-based meat extrusion and manufacturing R&D, crop research for commonly used plant proteins, and breeding organic pulse and cereal crops to enhance their protein content.

Hear from people who influence U.S. food policy—through legislation, regulation, or litigation—as they reflect on how we can ensure that plant-based and cell-based meat have a fair shot in the marketplace.

When some of the world’s leading food manufacturers and restaurants start focusing on alternative proteins, it’s clear that there is a major shift afoot. In this session, executives from top meat companies discuss their current protein diversification efforts and how these are driven by both consumer demand and the imperative to minimize business risk.

Advancements in stem cell biology, tissue engineering, and bioprocessing have enabled innovators to develop cell-based meat. However, several key challenges lie in the path to commercializing cell-based meat. In this panel session, learn from the scientists and leaders who are using their skills in key technology areas to drive novel, foundational research on the path toward cell-based meat commercialization.

Evolving our global food system to one reliant on plant-based and cell-based foods is a massive undertaking. Panelists will address the potential for cell-based and plant-based meat to solve our most pressing sustainability challenges, including antibiotic resistance, global malnutrition and poverty, climate change, and natural resource utilization. The session will also include a discussion of the ways companies and investors can de-risk their investments.

Commercial-scale cell-based meat operations will require the support of companies and research institutes in life sciences, chemistry, and other sectors adjacent to cell-based meat. This session will provide perspectives on the scale-up of tools and technologies for cell therapy and pharmaceutical manufacturing, how these can be applied to cell-based meat manufacturing, and the translational research required to advance the industry.

Seafood is the next frontier for cell-based and plant-based meat. This session will feature perspectives from the front lines of plant-based and cell-based seafood companies, insights on the drivers of seafood purchase behavior, and philanthropic catalysts who recognize the immense potential impact of addressing ocean conservation challenges by advancing more sustainable methods of seafood production.

Founders of leading cell-based meat companies join one of the most active global investors to discuss the state of the industry, moving from proof of concept to commercial-scale operation, and the biggest challenges and opportunities along the path to market.

GFI’s executive director kicks off the inaugural Good Food Conference with his trademark bad joke, an invitation to everyone who wants to be engaged in the plant-based or clean meat space, and a preview of the many people and companies who are participating in the next agricultural (r)evolution.

GFI’s Director of Science and Technology provides a comprehensive overview of the state of plant-based meat, starting with a brief overview of the inherent inefficiencies of conventional animal agriculture and walking through the technological steps of producing plant-based meat.

Social scientists discuss effective communications that will help drive consumer purchasing of plant-based and clean meat, including consumer segmentation, analysis of benefits and barriers, effective message design, and interventions.

Religious leaders from the world’s biggest food certification organizations discuss whether clean meat could qualify as kosher (or pareve) or halal, and how certification could be obtained.

An Ocean of Opportunity: Sustainable Oceans without Sacrifice

“Living Legend” Oceanographer Sylvia Earle explores the tragic impacts of overfishing and the unique opportunities and challenges for plant-based and clean meat seafood products.

GFI’s Senior Scientist provides a comprehensive overview of the history of clean meat, the technological steps of producing clean meat and an overview of the marketplace today.

Hear from companies in life sciences, chemistry and other sectors not directly focused on clean meat as they discuss how the industry can leverage this knowledge to accelerate progress and produce the assets the industry requires at scale.