From October 4th to 5th was organised the 8th edition of NutrEvent in Nantes, the leading European partnering event dedicated to innovation in Food, Feed, Nutrition and Health. With over 550 international participants, this edition was a success.
In 2009, the first edition of NutrEvent took place in Lille. This year, the city of Nantes hosted the 8th edition of the event dedicated to innovation in the nutrition and health sectors on October 4th and 5th. To satisfy a wider international audience, NutrEvent was organised in a hybrid format. The event online platform allowed participants who could not travel to Nantes to review conferences, pitch sessions and also one-on-one meetings.
An edition that reflects the sector: dynamic!
NutrEvent was a success with more than 550 participants from over than 25 countries. 60 speakers took the floor to lead the conference programme and discuss the challenges of the sector. The exhibition area welcomed more than 50 exhibitors and 15 project leaders competed in the pitches sessions. The choice of combining one-on-one meetings, conferences, presentation sessions and an exhibition in one place continues to prove its worth. Take part in NutrEvent allows participants to meet and create collaborations with key players in the sector. Participants have lively discussions with speakers from a variety of perspectives and opinions.
“As a Newcomer to NutrEvent I was amazed by the lively discussions bringing highly diverse aspects and views on the table. It is a great learning experience and an excellent opportunity to create new bonds and partnerships. The conference delegates and presenters were open, friendly and energizing.” Dr Elke Duwening, Senior Expert Global Regulatory Biotechnology, Nutrition & Health – BASF
The partnering dimension of the event has allowed 2,000 connections to be made thanks to its online platform, not to mention the many informal networking opportunities.
A plenary session about the transition to healthier and more sustainable nutrition
NutrEvent also provided the opportunity to discuss developments in the sector and, more specifically, the transition to healthier and more sustainable nutrition. It was the subject of the first plenary session of the event who reunited a panel of six experts.
Bo Dohmen, Nutrition and Health Manager at FoodDrinkEurope, talks about the issue of transparency: “Transparency is essential in food processing. It is important to demystify the process to build real consumer confidence.”
All the speakers in this session agreed on the main obstacles to this transition: the eating habits of consumers who are attached to price, taste and accessibility. Preconceived ideas are also an obstacle to a coherent food transition. An example would be the natural food trend: a natural product is not necessarily good for your health, just as a processed product is not inevitably harmful. In other words, information must play a major role in making the dietary transition possible.
The conference program and the speakers gave elements of solution concerning human and animal nutrition, in finished products and food supplements.
Plant-based foods at the heart of discussions
Other more specifical issues were raised. Among solutions who permit the transition to healthier and more sustainable nutrition, plant-based foods were at the heart of the debate.
For Adrien Villalong, Investment Associate – Big Idea Ventures, “replacing animal products with plant-based foods can have a major positive impact on the environment, animal welfare and public health. However, consumer adoption has not matched investor expectations.” The solution? Innovate to make these products attractive by taste, texture, material and financial accessibility.“Luckily, many innovative startups (among which some of our portfolio companies!) are working on. Improving texture through precision fermentation, industrial processes allowing to build whole-cuts, diversify the applications of plant-based foods.”
Paula Álvarez Ameijeiras, innovation consultant – Eatable Adventures, adds that it would be “crucial to get the support of public institutions to promote these solutions”. This solution should also be extended to animal nutrition, as was discussed during a session dedicated to alternative sources of animal nutrition. The conference programme and the speakers gave elements of solution concerning human and animal nutrition, in finished products and food supplements.
KetoM+, awarded most innovative start-up in Food, Feed, Nutrition and Health
During the NutrEvent 2022 Start-up Slams, the selected organisations presented their innovative projects in different categories: Digital solutions, Finished food products and Food supplements & ingredients.
Represented by Sybille Bellamy (Founder & CEO), KetoM+, a French start-up, won this year’s edition of the Start-up Slams. KetoM+ develops and produces ketogenic and low carb products for individuals requiring a medically indicated ketogenic diet. In addition to medical food, they also produce a line of ketogenic and low carb supplements and whole foods for anyone who would like to lower their daily sugar consumption.
“I had the opportunity to attend and pitch at the Start-up Slams, one of the best ways to display disruptive enterprises and engage with projects like mine. It was a wonderful surprise to win the NutrEvent prize! The jury was fully aware of the need for a new generation of healthy low sugar food products.” Sybille Bellamy
