Live conferences on the hottest topics in the industry!

 Speakers:

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Fast growing segments of the drinks industry

11:00 am

The programme starts with an overview of the beverage industry using the latest data to uncover the most important market segments, challenges, trends, and growth opportunities. 

It will identify consumer trends that are driving product development, innovative beverage formats with high potential, challenges the industry is facing, and geographical hot spots promising high future growth.

How beverage businesses should respond to obesity

12:00 noon

Industry has come under fire for the contribution of sugary soft drinks to overweight and obesity; according to the critics, consumers don't count the calories from soft drinks and end up consuming far too many.

This session will look at the challenges obesity poses to growth in the beverage sector - and the opportunities it throws up for healthier products and more responsible marketing. It will examine whether a soda tax is practical in Europe, and what the impact on businesses could be.

Soft drinks for adult taste buds

2:00 pm

Gone are the days when the main drinks deemed suitable for adults were soda, orange juice or water. Grown ups today have ever more sophisticated and adventurous tastes, and the drinks they sip must be a fit with their lifestyle.

This session shows how to tap the market for adult tipples, like flavoured waters, ready-to-drink tea, herbal drinks and juice; as well as convenient products and products to fit a mood or a need (eg stress-busting, relaxing, concentration aids).

Tackling flavour-texture interactions in drinks

3:00 pm

Consumers are increasingly seeking lower calorie beverages, and functional products that are enriched with protein, vitamins and minerals – but they want them to taste good too. This session will give insights into how technologies for flavour-texture interactions can be used to develop beverages that meet consumers’ tough demands.

This session will give an overview of some of the technical challenges, and possible ways around them.

Making health claims for beverages

4:00 pm

The new health claims regulation is shaking up the world of functional food and drinks. This presentation will discuss the latest developments on the regulatory front, with a specific focus on drinks.

How could the new health claims regulation limit the market? Which drink-friendly ingredients have health claims and which have been denied? Where does one draw the line between a beverage and a liquid supplement? What about dosage?