Course Americas 2023 Highlights
“A great way to dive headfirst into plant-based proteins: lectures by industry experts on topics spanning from health, nutrition, consumer insights, global market, farming, R&D, processing, to distribution and so on.”
- Jessica Mannix, Elementar, on Course Americas 2023
Course Americas 2023 was a great success, with attendees and speakers joining us from around the world to learn about the latest developments and trends in the plant-based foods and alternative proteins industry. Taking place in Minneapolis, MN, USA, on October 18-19, 2023, the Bridge2Food team was pleased to bring our events to a new city – well-known as a food hub and the center of the milling industry. In addition, being in close proximity to the headquarters of Cargill and General Mills, we were thrilled to be joined by representatives from both companies, as well as others from MBOLD, the University of Minnesota, and PPIC.
The two-day Course kicked off with a bonus Welcome Reception the night prior, which allowed attendees to begin networking over food and drinks. This casual setting facilitates connections to be made between the Bridge2Food team and new and familiar faces in our community. To showcase the latest product developments in the plant-based sector, Impossible Foods and MorningStar Farms by Kellanova sponsored Meatballs made from plants and Pringles flavored Chik’n Fries, respectively. We want to extend a huge thank you to our sponsors – the food was a hit, and delegates were raving about the new products for the remainder of the Course!
“I think it's a powerful message that the food contains alternative proteins - truly showing people what a diverse and nutritious meal looks like. It's a show-don't-tell element that I think makes a strong impression.”
- Andreea Bota, Consulate General of the Netherlands
Day one began bright and early, with a complimentary networking breakfast and coffee. Up first were presentations in Block 1 about the Latest Insights on Plant Protein Nutrition, Functionalities, & Applications featuring Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Dr. Kathy Greaves, Dr. Franck Carbonero, and Dr. Lutz Grossmann. Topics covered included insights about consumer perspectives on plant proteins, current developments in the health benefits of plant proteins, plant-based foods in the gut microbiome, and plant protein interactions with other food ingredients. Key takeaways included:
- There is a noticeable shift in consumer priorities, where younger generations are continuing to make food choices that support their concerns for climate change and the environment, even with the rise of food prices due to inflation. Consumer consumption of plant-based meat and dairy products in Canada has increased between 2022 and 2023, and dairy alternatives are paving the way by achieving price parity or lower costs compared to traditional counterparts.
- The "protein package" from the raw materials also includes vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, unsaturated fatty acids, phytates, etc., which are generally accompanied by health benefits and chronic disease risk reduction.
- A study on quinoa (a complete plant protein) is looking into the impact of heat treatments and the related effect on the microbiome. Quinoa and other cereals were tested in an in vivo human model, and noticed that all the cereals have a positive effect on beneficial gut bacteria, such as firmicutes.
Block 2 switched gears to focus on New Plant Protein Innovations, with presentations from ingredient and consumer packaged goods companies. The topics included mycoprotein, sesame, upcycling barley, and potato & fava bean protein, as well as protein quality and protein structural and functional change during food processing. Learn more about Dr. Yi Jin from Impossible Food’s presentation in this interview, or read more from our partners about Potato Ingredient Solutions with Avebe and the Opportunities of Fava Bean Protein Isolate with Cosun Protein. Day one closed with a Course Dinner, which provided additional time for networking and enjoying the delicious, fresh food options.
"With the experts of suppliers who provided the futuristic solutions; to us, academicians who shared the latest brilliant ideas; and industry experts who showed us the current ‘Market Pulse’ for plant-based products. I am happy to say that I learned from every speaker and now I have a great network for all kinds of challenges, solutions, and new ideas."
- Neval Ceyhun, Unilever
Day two focused in on Designing Your New Plant-Based Foods in Block 3, with presentations about clean labeling from Unilever, 3D Printing from Redefine Meat, Driving Innovations with Collaborative Partnerships from Kellanova, Mitigating Off-Flavor Formation, and Food Safety in Novel Products. We also learned from two more partners about Plant-Based Color Solutions with GNT (read the interview) and Reference Methods for Plant Proteins during the Production Process with Elementar (learn more about elemental analysis here).
“Bridge2Food is the gathering place that makes you feel like you are at a plant-based family reunion. It is a perfect example of knowledge transfer, thought-provoking innovation, and embracing the mindset of growing as one unified plant-based industry.”
- Armetha Pihlstrom, Pihlstrom Consulting Group, LLC
Last but not least, the Course ended with hands-on workshops to fully immerse attendees into the Plant Proteins & Plant-Based Food Innovations. Block 4 offered the opportunity to connect with various speakers, partners, and EU projects in small groups to sample products, take part in live demonstrations, ask further questions, and exchange contact details.
If you want to join us for our upcoming Course Europe 2024 in March or another Bridge2Food event, register your interest today!