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Bridge2Food North America 2025

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08:00 AM
  1. Registration
    60 mins
    • Registration
09:00 AM
  1. Memorial Hall
    10 mins
    • Course
    Welcome to Bridge2Food's course! This course is organized in collaboration with the Bezos Center. 
10:50 AM
  1. Coffee Break
    30 mins
    • Break
    • Networking Opportunities
01:00 PM
  1. Memorial Hall
    10 mins
    • Course
01:10 PM
  1. Lunch Break
    60 mins
    • Break
    • Networking Opportunities
02:10 PM
  1. Travel to SunOpta's Headquarters
    45 mins
    • Travel Time
    • Networking Opportunities

    Buses will be arranged by Bridge2Food to travel from the McNamara Alumni Center to SunOpta's headquarters in Eden Prairie.

03:00 PM
  1. SunOpta Headquarters
    180 mins
    • Course

    Look out for some exciting workshops from: 

    • Novonesis
    • Kalsec
    • Others TBA

    More information will be announced soon. 

06:00 PM
  1. 45 mins
    • Travel Time
    • Networking Opportunities
    Buses will be arranged by Bridge2Food to travel from SunOpta's headquarters back to the main venue, the McNamara Alumni Center.
06:45 PM
  1. Welcome Reception
    Memorial Hall
    165 mins
    • Welcome Reception
    • Networking Opportunities

    Join us for a Welcome Reception to meet peers, colleagues, and speakers at Bridge2Food North America!

08:00 AM
  1. Light Breakfast
    Exhibit Area
    60 mins
    • Break
  2. Registration
    60 mins
    • Registration
09:15 AM
  1. Memorial Hall
    25 mins
    • Plenary
    Leaders from the food industry have a candid discussion on how they are driving innovation across the protein and food value chains. The conversation will highlight how purposeful leadership, collaboration, and long-term strategy are shaping the future of food - while addressing evolving consumer expectations, market dynamics, and sustainability goals.
09:45 AM
  1. Memorial Hall
    45 mins
    • Plenary
    Addresses the rising critique of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) within the plant-based and alt-protein sectors. Experts debate nutritional science, clean-label strategies, and how brands can balance processing with functionality, nutrition, and taste. Topics covered will include the rising concern over food dyes and other additives, seed oils, and other ingredients commonly used in the plant-based industry and beyond.
10:35 AM
  1. Memorial Hall
    25 mins
    • Plenary
    This presentation analyzes the sweeping impact of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs on food choices, snacking habits, and product design. Food companies are racing to meet demand for high-protein, portion-controlled, and functional foods that support satiety and wellness.
11:30 AM
  1. 25 mins
    • Plenary
    This session examines how U.S. politics and trade shifts under the Trump administration are influencing food prices, product availability, and consumer spending. From tariffs on key ingredients to regulatory changes and inflation pressures, panelists will explore how policy is shaping what Americans eat, how it’s made, and what it costs.
12:00 PM
  1. Memorial Hall
    45 mins
    • Plenary
    Highlights cutting-edge research on cultivated, fermented, and plant-based proteins. Topics include protein functionality, nutrient bioavailability, novel protein sources, sustainability metrics, and novel scaffolding materials. Bringing world experts in the academic world is critical for bridging lab breakthroughs with commercial scalability.
01:00 PM
  1. Lunch Break
    Exhibit Area
    60 mins
    • Break
    • Networking Opportunities
02:00 PM
  1. Memorial Hall
    5 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
  2. Johnson Great Room
    5 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
02:05 PM
  1. 25 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
    Examines the bifurcation in food tech funding between “moonshot” innovation (e.g., cell-cultured meat) and “back-to-basics” trends (e.g., whole-food simplicity). VC leaders share where capital is flowing amid cautious market sentiment and pressure for near-term returns.
  2. Johnson Great Room
    25 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
02:35 PM
  1. Memorial Hall
    25 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
    The FDA is tightening labeling rules for plant-based products, with new guidance encouraging nutrient comparisons to dairy for plant-based milks and requiring clearer naming (e.g., “soy-based burger”). A proposed Front‑of‑Pack (FOP) nutrition label will flag saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium—driving reformulation and more transparent packaging.
    The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasize plant-forward, nutrient-dense eating, reinforcing the need for health-focused product development. Meanwhile, FDA funding cuts and staffing shortages are reducing resources for food safety, GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) reviews, and new ingredient approvals—potentially delaying innovation for novel plant-based products.
    Adding to the shift, a national phase-out of synthetic food dyes—starting with a ban on Red Dye No. 3—will impact formulation for many brands.
    This session will explore how these regulatory changes reshape consumer perception, packaging, and marketing—and how plant-based brands can stay ahead by aligning with evolving nutrition policy, ingredient safety standards, and leaner FDA oversight.
  2. Johnson Great Room
    25 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
03:00 PM
  1. Coffee Break
    30 mins
    • Break
    • Networking Opportunities
03:30 PM
  1. Memorial Hall
    25 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
    This panel explores how regenerative agriculture is shaping sourcing strategies and storytelling in alternative proteins. Food companies are embedding soil health metrics into procurement, partnering with growers, and using verified claims to build consumer trust. Transparency and third-party validation are key to avoiding greenwashing and meeting evolving retailer and ESG expectations.
  2. Johnson Great Room
    25 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
04:00 PM
  1. Memorial Hall
    25 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
  2. Johnson Great Room
    25 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
05:30 PM
  1. Summit Dinner
    Nicollet Island Pavilion
    240 mins
    • Networking Opportunities
    • Summit Dinner
06:30 PM
  1. Nicollet Island Pavilion
    70 mins
    • Summit Dinner
    • Start-Up Pitch Slam
08:00 AM
  1. Exhibit Area
    60 mins
    • Break
    • Networking Opportunities
  2. Registration
    60 mins
    • Registration
09:30 AM
  1. Memorial Hall
    5 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
  2. Johnson Great Room
    5 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
09:35 AM
  1. Memorial Hall
    25 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
  2. Johnson Great Room
    25 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
10:05 AM
  1. Memorial Hall
    25 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
  2. Johnson Great Room
    25 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
10:30 AM
  1. Coffee Break
    Exhibit Area
    30 mins
    • Break
12:00 PM
  1. Memorial Hall
    25 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
  2. Johnson Great Room
    25 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
12:30 PM
  1. Memorial Hall
    30 mins
    • Track 1: Market & Consumer Insights
  2. Johnson Great Room
    25 mins
    • Track 2: Product Development & Processing Innovations
01:00 PM
  1. Lunch Break
    Exhibit Area
    60 mins
    • Break