AGENDA

Chicago 7

• How advances in science, nutrition and management have transformed dairy production
• The innovations that have genuinely improved productivity, efficiency and animal performance
• Balancing technological progress with practical implementation and economic returns
• What decades of industry evolution can teach us about adopting innovation successfully
• The priorities and technologies likely to define the next generation of dairy production

Chicago 7

• Aseptic Excellence: Maximize product freshness and nutrients without refrigeration using cutting-edge barrier technology
• Consumer Connection: Stand out on crowded shelves with unique designs and multiple sizes
• Sustainable Solutions: Reduce your carbon footprint with high-speed, low-waste filling systems and circular materials

• From calories to protein: how the consumer mindset has shifted—today’s shoppers actively “count protein, ” not carbs or calories.
• New targets, new expectations: many active consumers aim for 100–120g/day, linking protein to satiety, strength, recovery, healthy aging, and weight management.
• GLP-1 effect: rising demand for nutrient-dense, higher-protein foods as GLP-1 users prioritize quality nutrition.
• The competitive question: consumers want protein—so the opportunity is winning where they get it and which proteins they trust, with dairy positioned as a go-to choice.

• Using AI trained on real-world sales and consumer data to more accurately identify which dairy concepts are most likely to succeed in market
• Uncovering the hidden drivers that separate winning and losing dairy innovations – and pinpointing the strengths and weaknesses behind concept performance ·
• Turning open-ended consumer feedback into actionable optimization guidance, helping teams select stronger
  

• Consumer priorities: Insights from 11K+ U.S. consumers on their top health and wellness concerns, current solutions, and unmet needs
• Dairy opportunity spaces: The health and wellness conditions where dairy is best positioned to deliver meaningful consumer benefits
• Innovation in action: Examples of dairy products and concepts addressing priority consumer wellness needs 

• Sustainable PET transformation through customised, sustainable packaging.
• Food safety leadership through aseptic processing expertise.
• End-to-end solutions to improve efficiency while reducing energy, water and chemical consumption.

• New demand drivers: Back-to-cooking momentum, GLP‐1 reshaping household eating habits, and evolving US dietary guidelines.
• AI changes the cart: Shift in consumers shopping with increasing use of AI- generated lists
• Adopting and leading this major transformation in the food market
  

• Optimizing UHT processing for high-protein beverages.
• Enabling next-generation cheese sauces and spreadable cheese.
• Driving innovation in ready-to-eat dairy desserts through advanced processing technologies.
  

Scene-Setter: The Regulatory Forces Reshaping US Dairy

Skye Witley, Food & Health Reporter, Bloomberg Law

Followed by:
Panel Discussion: Winning the Next Dairy Consumer: R&D, NPD & Premium Health-Led Growth

• How changing consumer behaviours, health priorities and GLP-1 are reshaping dairy innovation Identifying the next high-growth opportunities across protein, functional dairy, beverages, cheese, yoghurt and infant nutrition
• Accelerating new product development to meet evolving consumer expectations while navigating labelling, claims and product standards
• Premiumisation through taste, convenience, functionality and brand differentiation
• Turning consumer insight into compliant, commercially successful innovation

• Identifying opportunities beyond traditional dairy formats and consumption occasions
• Translating consumer demand for convenience, nutrition and indulgence into differentiated product concepts
• Balancing nutritional benefits with taste, texture and sensory appeal through the R&D process
• Taking innovative dairy concepts from formulation through scale-up and retail launch
• Extending successful innovation platforms across new formats, audiences and occasions

• Seeking convenient dairy products delivering targeted health benefits (mobility, beauty from within, overall wellbeing)
• Leveraging clinically supported, low-dose ingredients (Collavant® n2, Mobilee®, Dermial®)
• Combining scientific substantiation with application know-how to enable incorporation of branded ingredients into innovative dairy formats

Protecting what is good for you in PET

• Explore how hidden variability in dairy production can impact margins through giveaway, rework, delayed release, and inconsistent product quality
• Learn why a holistic data strategy should combine compositional testing, functional performance testing, and real-time process monitoring
• See how FT-IR, benchtop NIR, RVA, and process NIR can help connect laboratory insight with production decisions
• Understand how high-quality analytical data can support AI-driven trend identification, anomaly detection, and more automated decision-making

• Identify the right growth opportunities using consumer insights, market intelligence and competitive analysis
• Turn emerging trends into targeted innovation strategies by pinpointing the right consumer, product, price point and channel
• Use AI to continuously monitor market shifts and optimise innovation decisions before major R&D investment

• Eco-Friendly Labels: Drive circularity with "Wash-Off" and ultra-thin technologies that ensure 100% PET bottle recyclability
• Tamper-Evident Safety: Guarantee product integrity and consumer trust with integrated, high-speed shrink sleeve security
• Interactive Engagement: Use digital watermarking and QR codes to turn packaging into a direct-to-consumer marketing channel

Interactive roundtable sessions offer a unique opportunity to come together with your peers to share best practice and develop solutions to critical challenges facing the industry as a whole. Hosted by industry experts and each focused on a single issue, roundtables are an exciting, interactive way to build your personal network and learn from the experience and expertise of others. Each roundtable session lasts for 40 minutes, and delegates may attend up to 2 roundtables.

RT1: Driving Packaging Efficiency and Sustainability - SIG

RT2: Packaging for Emerging Consumption Models - SIDEL

RT3: The Next Generation Dairy Plant: Using Better Data to Improve Decisions, Not Just Measurements  - PerkinElmer

• Fortification Trends in Dairy and Plant-Based: Key Market Drivers and Consumer Insights
• Co‑Developing Calcium Solutions: Case Studies from Dairy and Dairy Alternative Applications
• Optimizing Powder Handling: How Functionalized Minerals Enhance Flowability and Reduce Caking
• Smarter Screening Methods: Developing Lab‑Scale Tools to Minimize Costly Pilot Trials

• Translating consumer demand into scalable product innovation
• Leveraging next-generation ingredients, probiotics and bioactive solutions
• Optimising formulation without compromising taste, texture or nutrition
• Building resilient ingredient supply chains to support future innovation
• Collaborating across the value chain to accelerate commercialisation