KANSAS CITY — The Food Entrepreneur Experience is back with a fresh roster of innovators and powerful insights. Set for Oct. 26, this live, online event presented by Food Entrepreneur and hosted by Food Business News managing editor Monica Watrous, will feature a roundtable discussion and conversations with rising food and beverage brands.

“The Food Entrepreneur Experience is a fast-paced and interactive event, packed with valuable information and inspiration for industry professionals,” Ms. Watrous said. “Attendees will get a taste of the latest trends transforming the food and beverage marketplace.”

A roundtable discussion will explore how the SnackFutures team at Mondelez International, Inc. is elevating early-stage businesses and developing new brands to revolutionize the food system. Panel members will include:

  • Brigette Wolf, vice president and global head of SnackFutures at Mondelez International.
  • Tapan Shah, head of venture capital for SnackFutures at Mondelez International.
  • Jackie Haney, innovation and CoLab program manager for SnackFutures at Mondelez International.

Following the roundtable, Ms. Watrous will host conversations with four rising food and beverage brand founders, discussing the inspiration behind their products, their startup journeys and challenges they encountered along the way. Each of the businesses represented are reducing food waste by using previously overlooked ingredients. The founders set to speak include:   

  • Betty Lu, founder and chief executive officer of Confetti Snacks, converting irregular produce into vibrant vegetable chips.
  • Alana Lima, co-founder of Caju Love, creating meat alternatives from fiber-rich cashew fruit.
  • Chris Kajander, co-founder and CEO of Candid, producing sustainable snack bites using the whole cacao pod.
  • Caroline Cotto, co-founder and chief operating officer of Renewal Mill, transforming leftover pulp from plant milk production into climate-friendly flours.

“The upcycled food movement is gaining momentum and contributing to the fight against climate change,” Ms. Watrous said. “We are excited to feature four outstanding brands that are delivering sustainable solutions with truly delicious products.”

The Food Entrepreneur Experience launched in 2020 in response to widespread cancellations of industry events due to the coronavirus pandemic. Today, the biannual event provides an interactive digital experience for more than 1,000 food and beverage startup founders, retail buyers, marketers, product developers and ingredient suppliers.

A recording of the event will be available to view on demand following the live presentation. Register and learn more atfoodentrepreneurexperience.com.