New Food Summit 2024

Between European perspectives and Ukrainian challenges: registration for the main agri-food conference of the year New Food Summit 2024 is open

On October 15-16, 2024, New Food Summit will take place in Kyiv and online, bringing together the main players of the Ukrainian agricultural, retail and food markets for the second time to discuss the most pressing issues of the agri-food industry. The organizer of the event, IdeasFirst, together with its partners Volia Agri-Food Park and Enzym Group, announced this year’s key topic: “Between European Perspectives and Ukrainian Challenges”.

“Is it time to think and talk about innovations, trends and technologies, new products and strategies for the development of the food industry? Amid the war, energy crisis and lack of human capital, the main task of business is to survive, minimize costs, optimize resources and processes, take no risks and even freeze. At the same time, the world is rapidly moving forward, and the prospects of joining the EU are pushing Ukrainian agri-food to actively integrate into the European market. And this means new strategic decisions, new standards and requirements, new technologies, new products,” says Iryna Bondarenko, co-producer of New Food Summit 2024, founder of IdeasFirst. 

“In such a stretch — between Ukrainian challenges and European prospects — the Ukrainian food business must not only survive, but also ensure future growth. Only by balancing business efficiency today with innovations tomorrow can we become leaders in the international market and contribute to the growth of the agri-food industry,” says Alla Lipinska, co-producer of New Food Summit 2024. 

Among the important topics to be discussed at the event:

• Agri-food strategies 2024. Business efficiency in the new environment. What approaches and technologies will allow companies to maintain their market position and maintain margins? The path from energy efficiency to energy generation. Successful HR strategies in the face of staff shortages and many other important issues. 
• Global agenda and Ukrainian trends in the food market 2024. What changes are expected in the market in the near future? How to prepare your business for new challenges and new opportunities? Let’s talk about balanced investments in technology on the way to the EU.
• New launches 2023/2024. We analyze cases of successful entries into the food market.
• Food in times of blackouts. How does the consumer adapt to energy restrictions, how is the way and format of food consumption changing, what is happening to consumer behavior in general? Is there a demand for new food and how long-term is this trend? New products and technologies in the ready-to-eat/ready-to-cook segment. Freeze-dried products and other ways of consumption.
• Export: becoming “your own” in foreign markets. Expectations of Ukrainian companies vs. requirements and standards of other countries. How to create successful promotion strategies.
• Laboratory of new products. We continue discussing breakthrough products: new technologies, ingredients and flavors, innovative packaging. 
• Food as medicine. New niches and prospects for their development. Can food cure anxiety and other unproductive conditions? Should we expect a boom in the healthy food market? Technological innovations in the field of personalized nutrition.
• HoReCa. Popular formats in the context of the systemic energy crisis. New menu items, process changes – how market players are adapting to changes and new consumer requirements. Is there a demand for new food in such conditions?
• The pet food market: an upward trend. Innovations in feed production. What new food technologies are being developed in the pet market? How do they affect the food market in general? 
• Retail in the new environment. How does the retail sector solve energy problems while maintaining margins? Solutions to minimize the risks associated with store/product security due to military operations and fire safety. Logistics, storage, food quality and safety. 
• Food-tech startups. Innovations that change the industry and create new opportunities. How startups find solutions to today’s agri-food market challenges and attract investments.
• Financing and investments in the agri-food sector. New domestic investors and financial programs. Prospects for investment projects during the war.
• Agro-processing: prospects for the development of agricultural holdings for 3-5 years.

The New Food Summit 2024 will feature more than 50 speakers, and the quality of the content is ensured by an advisory board of innovative companies and food market enthusiasts. The event will feature a startup pitching session with a presentation of the most interesting startups in the food tech sector, a special session dedicated to the development of next-generation food for animals, and networking with potential partners and investors. In the EXPO zone, participants will be able to see breakthrough solutions for the agro and food industries, and in the NEW FOOD BAR, they will be able to taste innovative products.

The New Food Summit is more than a business event. It is a platform that brings together representatives of the food, processing and agricultural industries, retail and technology companies. Hurry up to register for the event on the best terms by following the link: https://bit.ly/3SEcIWg   

The event is organized by IdeasFirst. The general partner is Volia Agri-Food Park. Intellectual partner — Enzym Group.