Meat Free Strategies Conference 2022

• Taste and texture: the ins and outs of creating a realistic plant-based meat substitute
• Breaking down the tried and tested proteins, flavours, and formulation processes, and new technology emerging on the scene
• Market leaders – who are the industry players leading the way with meatless meat substitutes?
• How to thrive in a competitive landscape and make your meat-free product stand out from the crowd

• Top 3 reasons consumers are choosing meat free options
• The 4 essential pillars of meat-free product replication – How brands should prioritise the sensory experiences
• Why focusing on the complete consumer experience is critical for converting consumers

• Working together – how can plant-based brand owners thrive by sharing resources, knowledge, and talent?
• Should food and drinks giant takeover smaller sized companies or will the plant- based USP be lost in all the noise?
• Which market leaders are making traction in covering all categories of plant-based?
• Benefit of being small – unearthing the pros and cons of small-scale production from local operations to sustainability and community impact

• Fruits of the sea: how plant-based fish, prawns, and seafood are rising the ranks and entering the vegetarian and vegan diet
• Why there is a need for seafood alternatives to promote marine conservation and sustainability
• Asian flavours in western diets: key ingredient and flavour trends that suit seafood-inspired plant-based products
• What kind of product innovation is out there and where are the gaps in the market?

• Vegan bacon’ in the UK, ‘bacon flavour’ in France – why the name of your product matters on the packet
• What are the rules and how can Meat-Free brand owners think long-term when labelling their product range?
• Do consumers expect a food product that imitates meat to be labelled the same?

• Market trends – looking at key motivators for consumers to reduce their intake of meat and fish
• From health and wellness to environmental sustainability – the growing awareness fuelling more plant-based dietary lifestyles
• Customer behaviour: what do flexitarians want to eat on days when they eat meat and days they don’t?

• Plant-based diet or vegan lifestyle – does the former connote health and the latter connote ethical living?
• Consumer needs – thinking about which boxes the customer expects to tick when they see a meat-free product’s branding and messaging
• The king of meat-free: is the term ‘vegan’ a one-size-fits-all surefire way to attract every time of customer?
• Meat alternatives, dairy alternatives, to coincidentally plant-based snacks – looking at the full spectrum of meatless food products out there and how they fit into the category

• Be green or fall behind: why consumers expect more than sustainable ingredients
• The road to net-zero: from sustainable ingredient choices to sustainable transportation
• How can brand owners expand their products overseas and retain locally-sourced, small-scale production models?

• Uncovering the different types of plant-based proteins on the market, from well-known staples to up and coming newbies in the protein alternative scene

• Lactose intolerance to gluten sensitive – what do consumers with allergies and intolerances look for in a protein-based product
• The golden ticket to customer success – which protein wins for health and nutrition?
• The sustainability angle – how source, production process, and transport mileage affect how ethical ‘sustainable’ protein really is – which is the least damaging?

• Fast food, junk food, snacks – should plant-based food products designed to imitate junk food be branded the same way as the originals
• Nutrition versus taste – what is the priorities when consumers purchase plant-based fast food – health or flavour appeal?
• Reverse psychology – is the idea that a plant-based food product is healthy damaging to a brand that mimics processed meat products when targeting consumers who crave the real thing?
• Brand and marketing – how packaging design, brand identity, and marketing language shape how the consumer sees your product

Roundtable 1: Reserved for Relative Insights

James Cuthbertson, CRO, Relative Insights

Roundtable 2: Reserved for Mark Laponder, Commercial Director, Evolution Meats

Roundtable 3: Reserved for Sponsor

Roundtable 4: Reserved for End-User

• Stay ahead of the game: the latest updates on how the UK’s ‘High in Fat, Salt and Sugar’ (HFSS) Compliance determines where your product can be sold and advertised in retail
• From product development to front-of-pack nutrition labelling – why to put health and nutrition at the heart of your product strategy
• Health and wellness: why healthy eating is a key driver for the rise in plant-based eating and reduced meat consumption
• The processed food debate: are there too many junk food imitation food products out there for vegans, and should there be healthier plant-based products available?

• Vegan lifestyle or health reasons – what are the key drivers for plant-based milk sales?
• Regional trends – identifying key market for growth opportunities and increased sales
• Latest technology- uncovering new ingredient bases such as potato, and innovative flavour profiles for creamy beverage experiences
• Oat, almond, or hazelnut: what milky beverages are consumers craving right now?

• Looking at the recent success of plant-based food product sales in ecommerce
• Consumer profiles – which customers are using D2C platforms and what kind of products do they want for convenient dining?
• Which meat-free products are best formulated and designed to into an online delivery model?
• Innovative distribution – how to think outside the box when it comes to ecommerce, from subscription models to party packs for different social occasions

• A glance at consumers habits post-pandemic with the rise in eating out and increased demand for plant-based food options in the foodservice industry
• How can brand owners ensure their products end up in the right establishments to increase sales?
• Which meat-free products do consumers want on-the-go, and which should be sit down dining experiences?
• Is nutrition or taste the priority for consumers eating out?

• Processed meat’s next big contender – how the plant-based sector can keep up with the affordability and availability of meat
• How can plant-based brand owners increase efficiency and bring the cost down?
• What key decisions can you make in your supply chain that will make the customers understand a premium price?
• Creating transparency – how to retain brand integrity and a sustainable end-to-end supply chain while optimising production

• Creating a strong USP for a meat-free product – sharing strategies for defining you pant-based product’s value proposition
• Market insight – how to balance what your existing customers want from your product range versus where the opportunities are in the plant-based market as a whole
• Lessons learned – offering tips on achieving portfolio growth
• Latest technology – which sub-categories are thriving right now, and where should meat-free brands focus their attention to meet consumer demand?

• An overview of how plant-based food, dairy alternatives, and free-from product ranges can cater to growing niches
• Unpacking latest trends in ingredients, flavours, product formats, and eating occasions for plant-based food and drinks
• Understanding consumer habits to successfully communicate meat and dairy alternative options to the best fitting occasion and diet
• Looking at the challenges and opportunities in the foodservice, retail, and ecommerce to push plant-based products into a space of growth and demand