Wednesday, June 20, 2018

5:00pm – 6:00pm       

Registration

 

6:00pm – 8:00pm       

Ice Breaker Reception
 

Thursday, June 21, 2018
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8:30-9:00 am

Coffee

 

9:00 am
Welcoming Remarks and Coffee

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9:00 – 9:30 

Meal Kits: Retail Responds
Josephine Theal, Senior Manager, Category Solutions, Daymon

 

“What should we do about meal kits?” It’s the question on every retailer’s mind as the competitive pressure of both online and off-the-shelf kits continues to grow. Meeting your consumer’s needs in the meal solutions space and executing at retail is not a one-size-fits all proposition. In this session, you’ll gain insight into the mind of the meal kit consumer, how they shop, and what drives their purchases. We’ll explore four common retail solutions in the space, and provide thought starters on what to consider while planning a meal kit program that works for both your category and your customer. 

• Gain insight into the mind of the meal kit consumer, how they shop, and what drives their purchases

• Provide thought starters on what to consider while planning a meal kit program that works for both the category and the customer

• Explore four common retail solutions in the meal kit space

 

9:30 – 10:15 am  

Marketing & Menuing Seafood…How to Reel in New Customers and Bigger Profits

Thomas J. Delle Donne, Assistant Dean, Johnson & Wales University,

Anna Malek Mercer, PhD, Executive Director, Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation

 

Seafood is a critical component of the menu and meals at home these days, in every segment and at every price point.  So how do we procure it, prepare it, and market it so guests understand the benefits, the preparation, and the value?  Keeping these critical components in mind, our panel of Seafood Experts share their knowledge and experience on seafood strategies, industry outlooks, menu theories and menu development.

• Discover how and why we should diversify seafood offerings to meet various palate preferences

• Learn how to get consumers excited about why they should eat more seafood, including how to sell and select the right seafood and why they should buy it and eat it more often

• Understand the critical role of developing creative menu solutions, partnerships and procuring relationships

• Gain an understanding on how to menu and sell lesser known fish and new seafood items, in addition to how to menu “the usuals”

10:15 – 10:30 am

Networking Break
 

10:30 – 11:30 am

The Narrative of Seafood as a Menu Frontier

Barton Seaver, Director, Sustainable Seafood and Health Initiative, Center For Health and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health 

• Discover how wild and farmed seafood offer opportunity to move menus into the future

• Learn about the history of seafood in America

• Recognize and address cultural roadblocks we must overcome to increase seafood consumption

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11:30 – 12:30 pm

Sampling Showcase 

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12:30 – 2:00 pm

Luncheon

 

2:00 - 3:30 pm

Supplier Presentations

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3:40 pm

Wine and Cheese Reception

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Dine Around Providence

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​Friday, June 22, 2018

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8:00am – 12:00pm 

Buyer/Supplier 1on1 Meetings