With a master’s degree in Food Marketing and Innovation, Melissa has been tracking key trends in the culture of food, including health, wellness, sustainability, retail, and food service industries for over twenty years. She has extensive experience in ethnographic research and delivering clients groundbreaking insights based on our rapidly evolving consumer culture. Melissa has been pivotal in forecasting long-term trends in the consumer packaged goods industry and has a keen ability to determine fads from trends. She is a retail culinary expert and has worked on a range of custom projects for major retailer and consumer packaged goods clients in the US and the EU. Among the first to analyze the European soy foods sector and evolving natural/organic products consumers in the UK, Melissa has developed a deep understanding of retail & cultural trends in her consultations with a variety of companies in the food and beverage industry. Melissa has appeared on the Food Network and is the Vice President of the Hartman Group’s Retainer Services division, working closely with client partners to develop global insights, make strategic planning recommendations and advise on product innovations. She leads brainstorming, ideation, and immersion sessions and regularly presents current consumer insights from a strategic lens to a broad range of clients and organizations. In addition to her work at The Hartman Group, Melissa graduated from the Chef’s Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City and has worked at restaurants ranging from gastro pubs in Ireland to exclusive wellness spas in the US.

Presentation Description

What is the relationship between Plant-Based Eating & Regenerative Agriculture? How does Consumer Interest in a Tastier, Healthier, and More Sustainable Future influence what is on our plates? How consumers are excited about approaching agriculture. Consumers believe we cannot continue the way that we have. They are very interested in new forms of agriculture, including regenerative agriculture. How will technology help to solve some of the problems of our warming planets and feed our growing population? Conflict with the consumer: they are ready for this to happen - however they still want to eat as close to nature as possible. How to unite technology & regenerative agriculture? How to avoid it becoming a slogan.