Food and Beverage 101 (FiNA)
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One of the most popular education sessions of SupplySide West 2022, we’re back in 2023 with a whole new cast of characters. While the session is designed for newcomers to the industry, it also serves as a great primer for veterans. We’ll delve into topics always top of mind, including food safety, supply chain challenges and best practices for working with a co-packer. Expect, as always, experts discussing emerging trends, plus a case study of a successful CPG to learn from the brand’s experiences.
Those who come will gain valuable insights such as:
• Navigating a rather complex supply chain, including working with co-packers and ingredient manufacturers.
• Understanding color, flavor and texture, and how to formulate with the right combination.
• Learning the ins and outs of food safety, and the regulation that impacts food and beverage manufacturing.
  • 1:00-1:30 Food safety/sanitation: Dr. Angela Anandappa, President and CEO, Alliance for Advanced Sanitation
  • 1:30-2:00 AI and other technological advances in F&B: Riana Lynn, CEO, Journey Foods
  • 2:00-2:30 Product development from A to Z: Webb Girard, Senior Director of R&D, CuliNEX
  • 2:30-2:40 BREAK
  • 2:40-3:05 Sustainability: Udi Lazimy, Founder & Principal, Lazimy Regenerative Impact Partners
  • 3:05-3:30 Overcoming supply chain challenges; working with farmers: Mohammad Salehi, Owner & CEO, Heray Spice
  • 3:30-3:55 CPG success story: Matt Rink, Co-Founder, VP of Sales, Every Body Eat ®
  • 3:55-4:00 Open floor for Q&A
In partnership with:
Date & Time
Tuesday October 24th, 2023 1:00pm PDT
End Date & Time
Tuesday October 24th, 2023 4:00pm PDT
Location
Islander Ballroom E
MODERATOR
11fa57c318fd46d063afb78f1c42fdaa-huge-phAudarshia Townsend
Content Director, Food and Beverage Insider, Informa Markets
A lifelong Chicagoan, Audarshia Townsend is a veteran food and beverage journalist who serves as the content director for Food & Beverage Insider. She also appears regularly on local and national media outlets to discuss food and beverage trends. When Townsend's not on the eats beat, she's an avid yogi and meditation practitioner.
SPEAKERS
11fa57c318fd46d063afb78f1c42fdaa-huge-phDr. Angela Anandappa
President and CEO, Alliance for Advanced Sanitation
Dr. Angela Anandappa is a food industry leader specializing in innovation and food safety. She has worked on product development, scaleup, launches and manufacturing for over 20 years. She consults on food safety systems implementation and management, with a focus on biotechnology to transform the food system and develop safe, nutritionally sound alternatives to traditionally produced foods.
 
11fa57c318fd46d063afb78f1c42fdaa-huge-phRiana Lynn
CEO, Journey Foods
Riana Lynn is a neo-scientist, creative entrepreneur, AI-patent holder, and technologist that build companies that solve science and supply chain problems. She's currently an angel investor, creative director, and former Google Entrepreneur in Residence. Riana has been featured in USA Today, MIT 35 under 35, and serves as World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer. Riana Lynn is an Austin-based entrepreneur that enjoys growing fruit trees, writing film scripts, and exploring culinary and architectural heritage sites around the world. 
11fa57c318fd46d063afb78f1c42fdaa-huge-phMatt Rink
Co-Founder, VP of Sales, Every Body Eat®
Matt Rink, Sales Leader with 27 years of experience in the Food industry, successfully developing sales and distribution for a variety of early stage brands within multiple categories and retail channels: Sinbad Sweets, Odwalla, Lotus Bakeries-Biscoff, ONE Coconut Water, popchips, Somersault Snacks, Perfect Bar, Limitless, and Every Body Eat®. 
11fa57c318fd46d063afb78f1c42fdaa-huge-phUdi Lazimy
Founder & Principal, Lazimy Regenerative Impact Partners
Udi Lazimy works with companies around the world to build and transform supply chain and sustainability strategies, from farm to product. He has over 20 years experience leading sustainable food system policy, sourcing and  innovation at companies and organizations like Eat Just, Upcycled Foods Inc. and Organic Farming Research Foundation. Most recently, Udi led both the sourcing and sustainability programs for Eat Just, makers of world-famous Just Egg and Good Meat brands. More can be found at https://udilazimy.com/about-udi.
11fa57c318fd46d063afb78f1c42fdaa-huge-phMohammad Salehi
Owner & CEO, Heray Spice
Mohammad Salehi, founder of Heray Spice, is a visionary social entrepreneur and advocate for Afghanistan’s farmers. With a passion for quality spices, he embarked on a mission to share the rich flavors of Afghanistan with the world. Through sustainable farming practices, fair trade partnerships, and ethically sourced fresh spices, he has established Heray Spice as a renowned brand, blending tradition, sustainability, and innovation.
11fa57c318fd46d063afb78f1c42fdaa-huge-phWebb Girard
Senior Director of R&D, CuliNEX
Webb leads the R&D team at CuliNEX and is a veteran manager focused on projects requiring technical expertise in product or process improvement, process standardization, plant scale-up, and shelf-life determination and extension. His experience ranges from dried meat snacks to fresh sausage, fresh pasta (including cut and filled), fresh entrees, pesto, sauces, dips, salsas, spreads, hard candy, and crackers. His background as a food scientist enables him to apply a deep understanding of food chemistry, engineering, and formulation with his passion for great food. Webb is a frequent industry speaker on the topics of clean label and plant-based formulation, scale up and commercialization, and more.