2021 Event Schedule

Business-to-business meetings, professional networking opportunities, and education covering key industry issues.

Upgrade Your Meeting Space

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Morning

9:00 a.m. EST
Ballroom Open

Afternoon

1:00 p.m. EST
Welcome & Opening Keynote with Duncan Wardle

AFFI-CON Keynote Address: Think Differently

OVERVIEW

Duncan Wardle spent over 25 years at the world’s most innovative organization – The Walt Disney Company. As Head of Innovation & Creativity at The Walt Disney Company, Duncan and his team helped Imagineering, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar and Disney Parks innovate, creating magical new storylines and experiences for consumers around the globe. While at Disney he learned many important things about building a profitable business and winning creative culture.

He now brings his extensive Disney experience to audiences around the world using a unique approach to Design Thinking, helping people capture unlikely connections, leading to fresh thinking and disruptive ideas.

Using insights and key innovation case studies from his time at Disney as the Head of Innovation and Creativity, Duncan will share his unique Design Thinking process, empowering you to leverage your creative mind and think differently about frozen food innovation.

SPEAKER

Duncan Wardle, Former Head of Innovation & Creativity, The Walt Disney Company

Duncan is a multiple Ted X speaker and contributor to Fast Company, Forbes & the Harvard Business Review. He teaches innovation Master Classes at Yale, University of North Caroline and the University of Florida. In 2008, he received the American Citizen of Choice Award at the White House, and he also holds the Duke of Edinburgh Award presented by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. Duncan is a graduate of Edinburgh Napier University and has received a Hons. MBA and Hons. Doctorate from there as well.

Evening

6:00 p.m. EST
Opening reception

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Morning

9:00 a.m. EST
Ballroom Open

Afternoon

1:00 p.m. EST
Industry Spotlight: The Power of Frozen in Retail

Industry Spotlight: The Power of Frozen in Retail

OVERVIEW

The coronavirus pandemic has been the great accelerator when it comes to the growth of frozen foods at retail, with most frozen food categories maintaining double-digit gains compared to a year ago. Join us for the unveiling of AFFI’s latest business insights to maintain and optimize current and potential purchasing beyond the pandemic.

Key takeaways for attendees:

  • Understand the core frozen food shopper
  • Explore the needs and expectations of consumers who are new to the aisle
  • Understand what frozen food consumers want in terms of package size and variety; new, seasonal flavors; and e-commerce/online food purchasing decisions.
SPEAKERS
  • Moderator: Alison Bodor, President & CEO, American Frozen Food Institute
  • Speakers: Anne-Marie Roerink, 210 Analytics, Principal and Founder;
    • Anne-Marie provides customized research with a specialty in food retailing for her clients. Through countless consumer studies, Anne-Marie has developed an excellent perspective on the ever-changing wants and needs of the grocery shopper in a one-size-fits-no-one world. She understands the challenges and opportunities in the grocery retailing business today as well as the drivers of success tomorrow.
  • Sally Lyons Wyatt, IRI, Executive Vice President and Practice Leader, Client Insights
    • Sally Lyons Wyatt is a recognized thought leader in the CPG and retail industries and is a frequent keynote speaker and an authority on consumer eating and shopping trends. She has more than 25 years of industry experience and partners with clients to leverage big data, technology and cutting-edge ideas to help achieve better results and drive growth. As an executive and practice leader for IRI’s Client Insights division, Sally is responsible for driving integrated initiatives as well as measuring their success within consumer strategy, insights, media and personalization practice areas.

3:00 p.m. EST
U.S. Regulatory Updates from the Public Policy Council

US Regulatory Updates

OVERVIEW

With a new administration comes new priorities and new leadership. This session will provide an overview of the priorities of the Biden Administration as they relate to the frozen food industry. Learn what to expect for your business in terms of food safety, nutrition, labeling, trade and more in 2021 and beyond.

SPEAKERS
  • Dr. Donna Garren, Executive Vice President, Science & Policy, American Frozen Food Institute
  • Matt Foley, Senior Director of Legislative Affairs, American Frozen Food Institute

Evening

6:00 p.m. EST
Women’s Happy Hour

Friday, February 19, 2021

Morning

9:00 a.m. EST
Ballroom Open

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST
Cornell University Executive Leadership Certificate Program

Afternoon

1:00 p.m. EST
Lunch & Learn – Putting the Pieces Together: Three Food Safety Programs Frozen Brands Should Know About

Lunch & Learn

Putting the Pieces Together: Three Food Safety Programs Frozen Brands Should Know About

OVERVIEW

The threat of a high-level recall, consumer illness, and the associated costs to your business and reputation can keep you up at night. Whether it’s Listeria or enteric viruses, the regulatory and marketplace demands are real. AFFI will characterize the threats facing industry and share highlights of programs you can implement to mitigate those threats, especially for processors and importers selling frozen fruits and vegetables  into the U.S. marketplace.

SPEAKERS
  • Dr. Donna Garren, Executive Vice President of Science & Policy, AFFI
  • Dr. Sanjay Gummalla, Senior Vice President of Scientific Affairs
  • Dr. Lory Reveil, Director of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs

Monday, February 22, 2021

Morning

9:00 a.m. EST
Ballroom Open

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST
Business Meetings

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST
Cornell University Executive Leadership Certificate Program

Afternoon

1:00 p.m. EST
Lunch & Learn – Trends in Foodservice

Lunch & Learn

Trends in Foodservice

OVERVIEW

With a series of Covid vaccines on the horizon, food and drink businesses have two big questions:

1. How has the pandemic changed consumers?

2. What's next in health, foods and flavors?

Join Jack Li, CEO of Datassential, as he addresses consumers' quest for food experiences, their definitions of global authenticity and the role that personal values will play in food choices of the future. This highly engaging session will be fueled with powerful insights from Datassential's MenuTrends (a trended catalog of what's on menus), FLAVOR (a tracker of consumers' usage and affinity of foods/flavors) and original consumer research.

SPEAKERS
  • Jack Li, President & Haiku Master, Datassential
    • During his 20-year tenure with Datassential, Jack has created multiple tools that dramatically improve the innovation process to predict food trends to help companies fill their long-term innovation pipeline. Today, Jack works on a variety of projects including targeted innovation, go-to-market strategy and health & wellness

2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST
Business Meetings

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. EST
International Buying Missions

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Morning

9:00 a.m. EST
Ballroom Open

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST
International Buying Missions

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cornell University Executive Leadership Certificate Program

Afternoon

1:00 p.m. EST
Lunch & Learn: A New Era of Smarter Food Safety – What Executives Need to Know

Lunch & Learn

A New Era of Smarter Food Safety: What Executives Need to Know

OVERVIEW

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is rolling out a blueprint for their New Era of Smarter Food Safety that will affect food processing and how foods are sold in the US marketplace. Today, foods are being reformulated, new production and delivery methods have launched, and we continue to see tracking systems become digitized and all of these changes will be impacted by FDA’s new food safety programs. This session will review the four core elements of FDA’s blueprint: Traceability, Smarter Tools and Approaches for Prevention and Outbreak Response, New Business Models and Retail Modernization and Food Safety Culture and prepare you to set your company up for success in this new era. This session is designed for business leaders rather than food safety specialists.

SPEAKER
  • Dr. Donna Garren, Executive Vice President of Science & Policy
    • Donna’s extensive background and expertise in food safety, food science, nutrition and regulatory affairs are instrumental in building and enhancing strong and effective regulatory programs for the food and beverage industry. Prior to joining AFFI, Dr. Garren was the President and General Manager for NSF Agriculture (formerly NSF Davis Fresh), a business unit of NSF International. Dr. Garren has also held senior food safety and health positions with The Consumer Goods Forum, National Restaurant Association and United Fresh Produce Association. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science and Technology from the University of Georgia and her Bachelor of Science in Food Science from Clemson University.

2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST
Business Meetings

Evening

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. EST
International Buying Missions

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Morning

9:00 a.m. EST
Ballroom Open

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST
Business Meetings

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST
International Buying Missions

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST
Cornell University Executive Certificate Program

Afternoon

1:00 p.m. EST
Lunch & Learn – Growing your Brand with RangeMe

Lunch & Learn

Growing your Brand with RangeMe

OVERVIEW

AFFI has partnered with RangeMe to provide frozen food processors with a revolutionary way for processors and retailers to connect. Some retailers won’t even consider your product unless you’ve set up a profile in RangeMe. Hear from RangeMe and one of their retail partners on how to utilize this platform to continue your AFFI-CON experience throughout the year.

SPEAKERS
  • Brandon Leong, Vice President of Marketing & Growth, RangeMe
    • Brandon combines over 10 years of marketing experience with a passion for growth and technology. He is a native San Franciscan, a dedicated husband and father and has a love for food.

2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST
Business Meetings

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Morning

9:00 a.m. EST
Ballroom Open

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST
Business Meetings

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST
Cornell University Executive Leadership Certificate Program

Afternoon

1:00 p.m. EST
Lunch & Learn – Global Regulations & Trade in 2021

Lunch & Learn

Global Regulations & Trade in 2021

OVERVIEW

A lot has changed in our world in the last year, especially when it comes to regulations and trade. This lunch and learn will feature Julie Cerenzia from Bryant Christie Inc. who will share the latest in the import/export marketplace, non-tariff barriers, traceability and updates on free trade agreements currently under negotiation. 

SPEAKERS
  • Dr. Julie Cerenzia, Director, Research & Information Services, Bryant Christie Group

2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST
Business Meetings

Friday, February 26, 2021

Morning

9:00 a.m. EST
Ballroom Open

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Business Meetings

Afternoon

2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST
Business Meetings

Evening

6:00 p.m. EST
Closing Happy Hour

International Buying Missions

Food Export, in conjunction with AFFI, will conduct a Frozen Food Buyers Mission at AFFI-CON 2021. This is the perfect opportunity for suppliers of product with at least 50 percent U.S. agricultural origin to meet qualified buyers from around the world.  These buyers of frozen food represent retailers, wholesalers, distributors and foodservice.  

For more information and to request meetings with buyers, follow the link below to sign up or contact Food Export USA – Northeast at info@foodexport.org or Activity Coordinator Maureen Coughlin at mcoughlin@foodexport.org.

Sign Up

 We invite you to watch highlights from one of our most popular 2019 sessions about how to properly handle a recall.

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