The movement toward limiting added sugars to 10 percent or less of daily calorie intake and the listing of “added sugars” on food labels are leading a growing list of trends that could significantly decrease the amount of sugar being used in food products. How are consumers reacting? What impact will these trends have on the food industry?
Sweetener users will find answers to these questions and many more during a first-day session “Is Sugar Under Siege?” at the International Sweetener Colloquium, February 21-24 at Turnberry Isle Miami in Aventura, Fla.
The 2016 event, co-hosted by IDFA and the Sweetener Users Association, is expected to kick off with a keynote speech from invited speaker Michael Scuse, undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During his tenure, the undersecretary has been a preeminent stakeholder in many of the critical decisions and issues affecting the sweetener sector in the United States. His term in office is drawing to a close, so you won’t want to miss his final colloquium address.
Building Consumer Trust
First up on the second day will be the session “Consumer Confidence: Build Trust in Your Products.” Charlie Arnot, CEO of The Center for Food Integrity, will dig into the mindset of today’s trendsetters among food consumers, including moms, foodies, millennials and others involved in food-purchasing decisions. Attendees will learn what influences, confuses, concerns and motivates buying patterns and how to use this information to build consumer confidence in their products.
Other sessions will include:
- World Sugar Outlook 2016;
- GMO Labeling On The Rise; and
- Sugar Policy Landscape: Anticipating What Lies Ahead.
“The International Sweetener Colloquium is one of the best places to connect with your industry colleagues, make new business contacts and develop stronger relationships with your customers,” said Rick Pasco, president of the Sweetener Users Association, in a video invitation released yesterday. “Come prepared to learn, to share your ideas and reconnect with your industry colleagues.”
For more than 30 years, the International Sweetener Colloquium has gathered key players from all sectors of the global sweetener industry to provide a dynamic look at the policies, politics and public perceptions that are driving today’s sweetener industry.
IDFA encourages you to register and reserve hotel rooms soon for the 2016 International Sweetener Colloquium.
For more information about the colloquium, contact Maria Velasco, IDFA meetings coordinator and registrar, at mvelasco@idfa.org.