4th International Dairy-Free Conference

Here's a big something I missed while my computer was visiting the land of nod. The 4th International Dairy-Free Conference in London.

What does one do at such a fete? Take a peek at what the movers and shakers spent their companies' money on:

Programme

Day 1 (1 November 2007)

Global Category Growth of Dairy-Free - Mr. Gerard Klein Essink, Director, PROSOY Research & Strategy (The Netherlands)

What’s hot in the global dairy-free market? Which markets are the shakers and movers? What are the key trends and industry developments? In this presentation you will be updated on global market trends, industry trends and developments and positioning & communication.

How to Apply Growth Trends in Healthy Marketing - Mr. Neal Cavalier-Smith, Managing Director, Healthy Marketing Team (United Kingdom)

What are the key category trends? New insights from the Health Focus European consumer surveys will be shared. How have these insights been applied? Case studies will be discussed.

Dairy and Dairy-Free in Sweden - Ms. Ethel Lindroth, Category Manager, ICA (Sweden)

The largest retailer in Sweden, ICA, offers dairy-free products in the dairy category as the number of dairy intolerant consumers in Sweden is very large. What are the consumer awareness and attitudes towards dairy-free in Sweden? What are the market developments: importance of communication and private label? How is the category of dairy and dairy-free positioned?

Growth in Fresh Soya Yogurts in Central Europe including Austria - Ms. Helga Tomann, Marketing and Communications Manger, Mona Naturprodukte GmbH (Austria)

In the past year the dairy-free market in Austria and other Central European countries has grown substantially. Joya has been one of the key brands behind this market growth. How is Joya positioned in the Austrian market? How are/were categories (fresh/ambient) developing in Austria? How did Joya manage to evolve from a national brand to a multinational brand? What are the similarities and differences between the Austrian market and south-eastern European markets?

From Science to Market. The Story of Oat Milk - Mr. Rickard Öste, Marketing Director, Oatly AB (Sweden)

The positive news about the health benefits of oat is getting more and more known amongst consumers. The consumption of oat beverages and desserts is very high in Sweden when compared to other European countries. What are tke key success factors for consumers acceptance in Europe? How does oat fit into the total dairy-free category, which includes also soya and rice? How will the market develop in the coming years?

Dairy-Free Products, Soya and Sustainability - Mr. Jochen Koester, CEO, TraceConsult (Switzerland) (On behalf of World Wildlife Fund Germany)

What are the aims of the global initiative international Round Table on Responsible Soya Association (RTRS) to maintain the integrity of the rainforests? How can dairy-free
manufacturers work with the RTRS and what are the aims of the RTRS as a multi-stakeholder dialogue and participatory process in respect of economically viable, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable soya? To what degree does the aspect of GM-free soya play a role?

Innovation in The Dairy-Free Category - Mr. Bernd Drosihn, CEO, Tofutown.com (Germany)

The dairy category consists of a large number of products for various eating moments. The Tofutown company has innovated in this category with many different products. In this presentation you will learn more about:
- Technologic challenges in developing aerated whipped cream, coffee creamer, soya cheese.
- Target groups for these new products
- Marketing opportunities

Conference Network Dinner at the Via Bar & Restaurant


Day 2 (2 November 2007)

Global New Product Development Overview in Dairy-Free Beverages - Mr. David Jago, Client Director, Mintel (United Kingdom)

Dairy-free beverages are one of the fastest growing categories world-wide. What are the major trends in the various markets and how do they compare to each other? Are there crossmarket concepts in new products in the category?
Key product claims and attributes of new products launched?

Sensory and Functional Advances in Processing of Vegetable Protein to More Effectively Replace Dairy - Mr. Will Black, Solae (Switzerland)

Recent advances in vegetable protein processing and application are enabling food designers to overcome flavor and functional issues in foods that have traditionally contained dairy ingredients. These new technologies and innovations are allowing more reduced-dairy and dairy free foods to be developed across a number of popular food categories, addressing consumer trends and needs.

Rice Milk: New Innovations Opportunities - Mr. Jeroen Ingelbrecht, Area Sales Manager, Remy Industries NV (Belgium)

Healthy rice-based beverages and desserts are getting more and more popular consumer products. What are consumer perceptions and awareness of rice? Which FMCG product positionings are used? Which products should a rice-based product range consist of? What are the challenges in product development?

Mineral Fortification & Health Claims - Mr. Gerhard Gerstner, Senior Technical Service Manager, Jungbunzlauer Ladenburg GmbH (Germany)

Fortification is an important requirement for dairy-free products. The EU legislation on health claims has also impacted the situation with regard to the suggested health benefits of minerals. What are the nutritional benefits of fortifications? What are the key market trends in mineral fortification? What are the developments in scientific research and EU health claims?

New Innovation Opportunities for a Better Health: The Collagen Case - Ms. Véronique Fabien-Soulé, Regulatory Affairs Director & Mr. Paul Stevens, Technical Support Manager, Rousselot (France)

A new EU health claim for collagen is underway. What are the consumer benefits and what is the basis of the scientific research? How can manufacturers position new products with collagen? How applicable is the claim for dairy-free products?

The Challenges in Flavouring Dairy-Free Products - Mr. Andrea Cavallero, Flavourist - Project Manager & Ms. Fidelma Crowe, Sensory Manager Europe, Mastertaste Spa (Italy)

The growing market for dairy-free beverages and desserts creates opportunities for further product development and flavour differentiation.In the flavouring of soya-, rice- and oat-based products it has proven key to understand the inherent flavour profile of the natural source. Depending on the product matrix, different flavour systems can be used to flavour the soya ingredients and deliver the required flavour direction.

Plant sterols for Dairy-Free and Dairy-Free Beverages & Desserts: Background and New Opportunities -
Mr. Declan Roche, Director of New Technology Platforms

The statistics about cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among the global population are staggering. Despite the medical advances made during the past several decades, coronary heart disease continues as the leading cause of death around the world. Among the various risk factors that predispose one to CVD, the link between total- and LDL-cholesterol levels and the development of heart disease remains strong. The need for cholesterol reduction is clear. Phytosterols can assist in inhibiting the uptake of cholesterol.