FDF hosts 56th sweet conference

26th March 2009, 10:09am

Today marks the start of the 56th Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery (BCCC) Technology Conference, hosted by the Food and Drink Federation's (FDF) BCCC Sector Group.

The conference, entitled 'Drivers for Success', continues to provide an opportunity for discussion and networking for the BCCC sector.

Key speakers from food groups such as Bayer CropScience; the British Retail Consortium; the Food Standards Agency; The Futures Company; Kerry UK; Leatherhead Food International; Premier Foods; Sheffield Hallam University; the Soil Association; Sweet Charity; the University of Birmingham; and the University of Leeds will take to the stage.

Topics up for discussion include: GM foods; labelling; positioning of industry challenges and developments in social science and consumer research; implementing innovation; development in flavours; new and emerging legislation; addressing the challenge of Acrylamide; the future of organic ingredients; and process integration in food manufacture.

United Biscuits' Simon Roulston, FDF's BCCC conference chairman, says in his opening speech: "This year's conference will focus on the drivers for success in the food industry. By gaining understanding of these drivers, we will be better able to respond to the challenges the industry faces during the current economic downturn. With any recession, there are immediate pressures on survival, but there are also opportunities.

"During the conference we will look to set the context within which we all operate, gaining insights into what motivates consumers. Pressures on consumer health and nutrition remain strong; people's interest in the content of products, their labels and their ethical origins has increased.

"Proposed legislative changes will also impact on the industry, as will non-regulatory pressures such as saturated fat reductions. With such requirements for change, it's essential that the products we make are innovative, yet remain attractive propositions to the consumer. Texture and flavour are key elements to this and we'll seek to address them over the next couple of days."

The conference is taking place from 26-27 at Ettington Chase Conference centre near Stratford-upon-Avon.

Related Articles:

• 06 Feb 2012 - FDF launches regional apprenticeship roadshows
• 28 Oct 2011 - FDF calls on food manufacturers to sign up to apprenticeship pledge
• 22 Mar 2011 - Date for the diary: FDF's Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Sector Group's conference
• 21 Jan 2011 - FDF appoints new director of communications
• 01 Feb 2010 - New recipes contain less salt, says Food and Drink federation
• 27 Oct 2009 - FDF appoints food safety and science director
• 20 Oct 2009 - Food and drink exports buck trend despite recession
• 08 Jul 2009 - No health crunch on product innovation, says FDF
• 14 Apr 2009 - New environment category for FDF awards
• 20 Feb 2009 - Sweet conference on drivers for success
• 12 Jan 2009 - FDF appoints new director of sustainability
• 27 Nov 2008 - FDF slash carbon emissions by 17%
• 23 Oct 2008 - Health remains our priority, says FDF
• 22 Jul 2008 - FDF responds to salt intake reductions
• 27 May 2008 - FDF discusses salt reduction at CAOBISCO conference
• 13 May 2008 - Scottish FDF hosts symposium on sustainability
• 25 Apr 2008 - FDF hosts BCCC Technology conference

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