Tastes of Better Preview April 2024

Welcome

Welcome to the preview for the 2024 Spring edition of Tastes of Better, taking place at Food Matters Live on 16 – 17 April.

We are pleased to invite you to be our guest at this unique programme which brings the latest ingredient innovation to life alongside leading consumer insights and category analysis.

In this preview you will find a taste of what to expect from our inspiring Lead Partners, a guide to the Insights Programme, and information on the structure of the day.

Networking opportunities are also a fundamental part of the programme. You can connect with fellow VIPS, as well as the attendees to the co-located Sustainable Sourcing programme, over both lunch and drink receptions.

With thanks to all our partners and speakers, we very much look forward to welcoming you to Ascot this April.

Briony Mansell-Lewis Managing Director

Inspirational concepts from previous events

Be our guest

Key benefits

Access to multiple live tasting and technical demonstrations giving you the opportunity to explore the taste, texture and mouthfeel of new ingredient solutions.

A deeper understanding of the technology behind new applications from a range of technical experts.

Insights panel discussions where you will hear from industry leaders covering the latest market trends to ensure your NPD is aligned with consumer trends.

The opportunity to meet with leading ingredient innovators and have in-depth conversations with potential collaboration partners.

Dedicated networking opportunities to catch up with your industry peers.

Tastes of Better guests, October 2023

The flow of the tastings and talks worked really well. It was a brilliant opportunity to talk to suppliers and it was clear they had done a lot of preparation to give well-polished sessions.

NPD Manager, Valeo Foods

“

Tuesday, 16 April

Insights Programme

Join 30 speakers from across industry for leading insights into current and emerging consumer trends, growth categories, market analysis and culinary innovation.

09:15 - 10:00 | Food trends 2030: the megatrends driving change and innovation across the food and drink sector

Chair: Michael Adams Head of Product Innovation, Campden BRI

Robert Lawson Managing Partner, Food Strategy Associates

Richard Neish Global Futures and Global Tastepoint, IFF

Millie Diamond Food and Drink Strategist, WGSN

10:15 - 11:15 | The drive for positive nutrition and innovative ingredients to support health and wellbeing

Chair: Michael Adams Head of Product Innovation, Campden BRI

Ramsey Baghdadi Food and Foodservice Analyst, GlobalData

Dr Caroline Childs Associate Professor in Nutritional Sciences, University of Southampton

Dr Marie Lewis Associate Professor of Gut Immunology & Microbiology, University of Reading

Fiyin Makinwa Senior Diet and Health Executive, Food and Drink Federation

11:30 - 12:30 | The emerging and future trends driving sustainable food and drink solutions

Chair: Michael Adams Head of Product Innovation, Campden BRI

Ollie Rosevear Sustainability Director, Fuller Smith & Turner

Peter Cross Senior Lecturer Food and Nutrition, University of West London

Dini McGrath Co-Founder, The Wonki Collective

Jules Greene Qualitative Specialist, Good Sense Research

Richard Neish

Fiyin Makinwa

Michael Adams

Tim Sheed

13:45 – 14:45 | Leveraging AI and new technologies to create the next generation of food

Chair: Sterling Crew President, Institute of Food Science and Technology

Carolina Pinto Thematic Analyst, GlobalData

Geraldine Gilbert Principal Strategist – Food & Sustainable Nutrition, Forum for the Future

Dr Bernhard Strauss Director of Research, Camrosh Limited

Pete Noy Associate Director, Food Systems Institute at the University of Nottingham

15:00 – 16:00 | Culinary insights: exploring the latest gastronomic trends and innovations

Chair: Juliane Caillouette-Noble Managing Director, Sustainable Restaurant Association

Dominic Teague Executive Chef, One Alydwych

Jamie Robinson Executive Chef, Tesco

Jonny Bingham Co-Founder, Bingham & Jones

Dominique Woolf Food Writer, Author and Founder of Wool’s Kitchen

“

I’ve taken away a lot of learnings of trends and innovation ideas which I am going to share with my team.

NPD & Brand Manager, Evolution Foods

Dominic Teague Jamie Robinson

Ollie Rosevear Robert Lawson

09:15 - 10:00 | Food trends 2030: the megatrends driving change and innovation across the food and drink sector

Chair: Bertrand Emond Culture Execellence Lead, Campden BRI

Megan Van Someren CCO, Jamie Oliver Group

Gail Stevenson Head of Product Insight, Tesco

Edward Bergen Senior Analyst: Food & Nutrition, FutureBridge

Sophie Atkins-Ward Group Head of Innovation, Hilton Food Group

10:15 - 11:15 | The drive for positive nutrition and innovative ingredients to support health and wellbeing

Chair: Bertrand Emond Culture Execellence Lead, Campden BRI

Claire Baseley Industry Nutritionist and Regulatory Expert

Sophie Medlin Director and Specialist Dietitian, Chair of the British Dietetic Association for London

Louise Durrant Nutrition Communications Manager, Quorn Foods

Rick Miller Food & Drink Associate Director for Specialised Nutrition, Mintel

11:30 - 12:30 | The emerging and future trends driving sustainable food and drink solutions

Chair: Bertrand Emond Culture Execellence Lead, Campden BRI

Natasha Maynard Sustainability Programme Manager, IGD

Amy McDonnell Senior Sustainability & Social Innovation Manager, UK & Ireland, Danone

Vanessa Henry Research Director, Walnut Unlimited

Mikaela Linden-Ibrahim Senior Researcher, New Nutrition Business

Sophie Atkins-Ward

Natasha Maynard

Megan Van Someren Gail Stevenson

13:45 – 14:45 | Allergens update: getting ahead of the latest research, rules and regulations

Chair: Rob Easton Head of Environmental Health, Shield Safety

Caroline Benjamin Founder, Food Allergy Aware

Steve Hamon CEO, The Vegan Society

Natascha Gaut Director, Regulatory, Compliance and Investigations, DWF Law LLP

Ryan Panchoo Founder, Borough 22 Doughnuts

15:00 – 16:00 | Culinary insights: exploring the latest gastronomic trends and innovations

Chair: Juliane Caillouette-Noble Managing Director, Sustainable Restaurant Association

Jamie Robinson Executive Chef, Tesco

Tim Sheed Head Chef, 1215 Restaurant at Fairmont Windsor Park

Stephen Humphries Executive Development Chef for Vacherin

Chris Baber Chef, Author and Content Creator

“

I found Tastes of Better really insightful and it brought the whole supply and manufacturer piece together. But also, it was very informative and on trend and what we need to be thinking about going forward. It was a really good detailed insight and gave a wide variety from start to finish.

Head of Development, Finsbury Food

Edward Bergen Caroline Benjamin

Dominique Woolf Bertrand Emond

Enhance colour, taste and shelf-life

Kalsec will take you on an unconventional flavour journey showcasing their natural colour, taste and shelf-life solutions through a 3-course tasting menu.

Each dish will be built upon Kalsec’s world-class pantry and deliver trending global flavours with culinary flair.

Learn how Kalsec’s cross-sector team of chefs, sensory experts, food scientists, and flavour chemists leverage nature’s palette to deliver clean-label spices, herbs, alliums, and capsicum solutions for today’s increasingly label-conscious consumer.

Scientist

Meet the technical team

Director

Dr David Johnson Director of R&D Europe

Gareth Jones Product ManagerFood Protection

Andrew Bingham Chef and Senior Taste

James Smith Vice-President and Managing

Europe

Expect Mediterranean flavours and plenty of heat in a menu from the mind of Chef Andrew Bingham, a Senior Taste Scientist with over twenty-five years’ experience in the food industry

Categories

Meat & poultry

Plant-based proteins

Snacks

Soups

Sauces & dressings

Key Themes

Global flavour trends

Natural taste and sensory solutions

Clean-label innovation

Hot and spicy creations

Unlock science & creativity for NPD

IFF returns with a fast-paced and fun speed-dating menu concept to bring their rich portfolio to life and help solve your most pressing formulation pain points.

You’re invited to sample a rich spread of ingredient solutions across five stands and ten menu items including modulation, texture, and colour solutions for the Orange Market Crisis, flavour blends masking off notes in sodium, sugar, and fatreduced products and a range of textured proteins for hybrid and plant-based formulation.

Learn more on the podcast

Insights-led innovation through science and creativity

Meet the technical team

Eden Derrick Research & Development Chef

Laurent Venzi Sales Director North Europe

Matthew Stokes Design Director, North Europe

Chet Willcock Research Chef

On the street-food menu:

Vietnamese pulled pork Bahn mi style

Savoury cheese and onion nibbles targeting salt reduction

Plant-based Birria Pulled Beef Tacos

Thai Sabai Mocktails

Mango Masala Iced Tea and more

Categories

Culinary Dairy Snacks Beverages Bakery

Key Themes

Taste modulation

Non-HFSS formulation

Low and no alcohol

Authentic global flavours

Plant-based/hybrid innovation

Reimagine health & sustainability

Kerry will be flexing their full spectrum of expertise as they serve authentic breakfast, lunch, and dinner options from around the world reimagined for health and sustainability.

You’ll be able to taste a range of impactful innovation such as their solutions for optimised orange juice and shelf-stable tastes for bakery, a selection of non-HFSS crisps , and delicious meals using their expertise in kokumi and authentically made beef stocks.

You’ll journey through a day of better choices which showcase Kerry’s solution in meals, snacks and beverages.

Meet the technical team

Pascal Miola Senior Development & Application Chef

Breda Kelly, Business Development Manager, Sweet & Beverage Taste

Jane Terry RD&A Graduate, Bakery

Liam Brown Business Development Manager, Savoury Taste

Collette Wellings RD&A Senior Technologist I, Beverage

Expect authentic regional dishes:

Paella Valenciana

Barbacoa Tamales

Veg-Forward Ratatouille

A selection of better-for-you crisps

Categories

Beverages

Savoury Snacks

Ready meals

Bakery

Key Themes

Sustainable Nutrition

Functional Flavour Pairings

Global Flavour Trends

Experience ethically grown palm oil from Colombia

Daabon is showcasing their diverse applications for their ethically grown palm products in frying, bakery, and confectionary.

Learn about the unique benefits of Daabon’s sustainable and organic certified oils for shortening, coating, pan release and icing as well as coatings, fillings, and spreads.

Enjoy a live demonstration showcasing the improved heat tolerance, stability, and nutritional profile of their High Oleic Palm Oil compared to conventional frying solutions and how this translates to better palatability, appearance, and mouthfeel for consumers.

Meet the technical experts

Balachandra Salvemohan Global Innovation Director

Anne-Charline Gal, Principal project manager at Proforest

Bernd Brinkman New Product Application Manager

Manuel Davila Managing Director

Categories

Frying

Confectionery

Bakery

Applications in focus include:

Bakery

Pan releasing agent & soft filling range

Organic dough shortening

Bake-stable filling biscuits

FressPress GPFill

Confectionery

Clean label coatings

Compound chocolate filling

FressPress Chocospread

Frying

Better-for-you High Oleic palm oil

Key Themes

Sustainable palm sourcing

EUDR reformulation

Better-for-you frying

Organic & clean label

How your day will work

Registration opens from 8.30 am

Your day begins with a macro trends Insights session, followed by four sessions combining tastings, technical and market insights.

We provide you with a personalised itinerary ensuring access to a combination of sessions tailored to you.

There is a networking lunch at 12.30 - 13.45 and the day finishes at 16.00 pm with a drinks reception.

Attend as a team

Join us a team for a unique opportunity to discover innovation together.

If you are a start-up or SME and collaborate with a contract manufacturer, you can attend together as at team.

Register your team

“ I thought the day was well organised. The preorganisation to allocate time slots was a great initiative as I was able to see everything there.

Head of R&D and Innovation, Baker & Baker

Food waste matters

Our innovation partners source ingredients and prepare bespoke tasting menus with your attendance in mind.

This means that last minute cancellations result in food waste, which we as an organisation make every effort to avoid. Therefore, we do just ask one important thing - if you can’t attend for the whole day for any reason, please inform us as soon as you know, and ideally send a colleague in your place.

You will be in good company

Join your peers already attending

AB World Foods | American Muffin | Aramark | Arden Fine Foods

Around Noon | Aryzta Bakeries | Baker & Baker | Beyond the Bean

BOL Foods | Booker | Britvic | Burger King Charlie Bighams | Costa

Coffee | Cranswick Country Foods | Crediton Dairy | The Dairy

Collective | Ella’s Kitchen | English Provender | FEI Foods | Fuller

Smith & Turner | Geary’s Bakeries | Gosh! Foods | Gousto | Higgidy

Hilton Food Group | Holland & BarreX | Hovis | Huel | ISS | Jamie

Hilton Food Group | Holland & Barrett | Hovis | Huel | ISS | Jamie

Oliver Group | Jordans Ryvita Dorset | Kanes Foods | Le Caselle

Legumology | Lidl | Mars | Marston Foods | Marstons | Mitchells & Butler | Mizkan Mondelez | Moo Free Chocolates | Nando’s | Nurture

Brands | OTC Beverages | Papa John’s | Pasta Evangelists | Pep & Lekker | Pilgrim’s Food Masters | Pladis | Plant Heads | Quorn

Ramona’s Kitchen | Redefine Meat | Rondanini | Rowse Honey

Sainsbury’s | Saputo Dairy Tesco |The Tofoo Co | Unilever | Urban

Legend | Valeo Foods | Waitrose | WARP Snacks | WHSmiths

Windmill Organics Companies

Join us

Product Development

Head of Product Development

NPD Director | NPD Manager | Concept

Development Manager | Product

Development Manager | Assistant NPD

Manager | Product Development Scientist

Senior Product Development Team Leader

Product Developer | UK R&D Product

Developer | Development Technologist

Product Technologist | Development

Executive | Assistant Product Developer

Development Chefs

Head of Culinary | Director of Culinary

Innovation | Senior Innovation Chef

Culinary Innovation Manager | Food Product

Development Chef | Development Chef

Manager | Development Chef | Senior

Executive Chef

Brand and Marketing

Senior Category Manager | Head of

Marketing | Head of Market & Insight

Marketing Director | Insights Partner | Senior

Brand Manager | Brand Manager

Innovation

Group Head of Innovation

Head of Innovation | Head of Food

Innovation | Senior Innovation Manager

Innovation Manager | Innovation Lead

Innovation Projects Lead | Food Innovation

Manager | | Trends & Innovation Manager

Technical Innovation Manager

Procurement and R&D

Head of Ingredients | Head of Direct

Procurement | Head of Product | Director of R&D | Raw Materials & Technical Manager

Technical Manager | Senior R&D Manager

R&D Manager | Quality Development

Manager | Procurement Manager

Sustainability and Nutrition

Head of Sustainability | Sustainability

Director | Health & Sustainable Diets

Manager | Senior Health & Nutrition

Manager | Nutrition Marketing Manager

Nutritionist

Getting there

Tastes of Better will take place in the VIP suites, situated within the main Grandstand. Please follow the signs on arrival to registration on level 4.

Car

Ascot Racecourse provides full accessibility to those travelling by car via the M3, M4 and M25. Check before you travel for any disruptions to your journey. Parking at the racecourse is free for all visitors. Upon arrival, follow signs to Ascot Car Park 3 as this is closest to the venue.

Train

South Western Railway runs a frequent service to Ascot from Reading, Guildford and London Waterloo. The average journey time is 27 minutes from Reading and 52 minutes from Waterloo. Ascot railway station is a seven-minute walk from the racecourse.

Plane

Ascot Racecourse is located 20 minutes away from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and one hour from London Gatwick Airport (LGW).

Check your airline for further details on arrivals. Local taxi services operate in the area and can be arranged for airport drop-off and pick-up.

Inspirational concepts from previous events