The New Food Conference (NFC) 2026, scheduled for August 25 in Berlin, marks the sector’s transition from startup mode to industry standard.
Under the theme "Beyond the Hype: Resilient Systems, Cross-Industry Alliances," the event builds on visionary discourse to focus on securing supply chains, protein sovereignty, and the evolution of Plant-Based 2.0.
This year, we will focus on four pillars designed to bridge the gap between innovation and infrastructure:
Capturing the Plant-Based 2.0 wave by aligning product portfolios with market trends and consumer demand.
Transitioning from niche production to industrial reliability by stabilizing the flow from agriculture to the end consumer.
Synchronizing advanced food science, nutritional integrity, and taste to meet the market’s evolving expectations.
Aligning national interests with industry development to de-risk and strengthen the food ecosystem.
Through these pillars, NFC 2026 aims to foster alliances between agriculture, industry, and government. Join us to shape the partnerships that will define the future of food.
Time
Title
09:00 – 09:15
Welcome Speech
09:15 – 10:00
Panel: Mainstreaming Alternatives and Plant Proteins from category management to consumer communication
10:00 - 10:10
Impulse: Where Plant-Based Innovation Struggles in Corporates and Where It Succeeds
10:10 - 10:55
Panel: The Quality Imperative: imagine and engineer plant-based 2.0
10:55 - 11:25
Coffee break
11:25 - 11:35
Impulse: State of the EU Market
11:35 - 12:20
Panel: From Silent Transition to hybrid products, field notes
12:20 - 13:05
Panel: In demand, yet unavailable or priced out: Contract models, cost and scale strategies plant-Based Crops
13:05 - 14:35
Lunch break
14:35 - 14:45
Impulse: Supermarket of tomorrow
14:45 - 15:30
Panel: In times of crises: food systems resilience as key to turn risk into opportunity
15:30 - 15:40
Impulse: Mastering Health, Technology, and Taste
15:40 - 16:25
Panel: Beyond UPFs: Longevity, the Microbiome and Future Health Narratives
16:25 - 16:55
Coffee break
16:55 - 17:05
Impulse: The innovation torch between research institutions, brands and private label
17:05 - 17:50
Panel: Advancing alternative proteins in Europe: strengthening political support and improving regulatory frameworks
17:50 - 18:00
Closing speach
18:00 - 21:00
Networking evening
The New Food Conference 2019 was the first of its kind in Europe, featuring plant-based innovations as well as cultured-meat research. The programme was exceptional and packed with knowledge – high-profile speakers covered a wide range of subjects, from inspiring best-practices to the technical and regulatory, all embedded in a highly interactive atmosphere.
While the first wave of plant-based products has very successfully hit the markets, we see a clear trend to nutritionally optimized products now with Natural Health Ingredients delivering physiological benefits. The New Food Conference is a great platform to discuss in-depth developments and provides valuable insight from the whole industry.
