The International Sweetener Colloquium will return to the East Coast in 2018. Co-hosted by IDFA and the Sweetener Users Association, the event will be held Feb. 11-14 at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, where key players from all sectors of the global sweetener industry will gather to discuss the current environment, challenging issues and the future of the industry. 

Although the keynote speaker has not yet been confirmed, IDFA expects to feature a top administration official who is one of the decision-makers regarding the U.S. sugar program. Trade issues affecting sugar will receive a priority spot on the agenda as well, especially since the current negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement could have significant implications for the sugar sector.   

Sessions and Topics

The flexible meeting format will encourage formal and informal discussions and collaboration, while a host of presentations on timely topics will highlight dominant trends and issues affecting the sweetener industry.

  • A Path Forward to Achieve a Sustainable Sugar Sector
  • The State of Play in the Trade Arena
  • Domestic Sugar Market and International Sweetener Outlook
  • Political Update for 2018 and Beyond
  • Consumer Trends
  • Sugar Program Administration Under a U.S.-Mexico Sugar Suspension Agreement
  • Concurrent Sessions on Ingredients: 1) Grains, Oilseeds and Peanuts and 2) Cocoa and Dairy
  • U.S. Sugar Policy and the Farm Bill
  • Nutrition and Labeling Regulation in the Trump Era

For more details about the sessions, speakers and the panelists, visit the International Sweetener Colloquium webpages.

In addition to the educational sessions, the event will offer a broad range of networking options. Receptions, golf and tennis, informal meetings and meals all provide opportunities to make or strengthen business connections and broaden outreach to new contacts.

Registration is now open with an early-bird discount rate through Nov. 9. Information on sponsorship opportunities is available here.

For more details, contact Melissa Lembke, IDFA manager of meetings and educational services, at mlembke@idfa.org.