Track I: Consumer & Market Trends

11 Jun 2026

14:15 - 16:10

Summit | 11th June Summit 11th June Sessions Track I

Panel: What Consumer-Centricity means in Food Innovation and How to Put the Consumer at Heart of Decision Making - Jennifer Woollford, Neon Leaders & UNSTUCK, Dr. Dirk Herrmann-Bürk, Hochland, Claudia Kleyboldt, Rügenwalder Mühle and Roman Plewka, Managing Director & Co-Founder - Formo Bio

Success starts with the consumer. This is true whether you are building a consumer brand, selling ingredients B2B or serving foodservice customers. Early sustainable food innovation focused heavily on technology, sustainability claims and mission-driven messaging, but neglected consumer value and the need to create desire. In reality, food choices are rarely rational and purchasing is driven by needs, existing repertoires and emotional connection. The next phase of food innovation must reconnect with the fundamentals of marketing: identifying market opportunities, targeting the right audiences and building propositions people desire.

The discussion will draw on the core principles of market orientation, targeting and proposition building. Whilst their application differs depending on where a company sits relative to the consumer (brand, B2B, foodservice), these principles are imperative to successfully driving change across the food system.

What Actually Sells? Health, Sustainability, and Innovation in Modern Convenience Retail - Michael Norén, Reitan Convenience Sweden & Anders Fiskbæk Kragh, Reitan Convenience Denmark

This presentation will go into:

• Setting the Scene: A brief introduction to Reitan Convenience and our overarching sustainability strategy across the Nordic and Baltic markets.

• The Evolving Convenience Consumer: Key customer insights and behavioral data derived from in-store nudging and experiments. Is sustainability actually a driver for the on-the-go consumer, or do price, health, and taste dictate the purchase?

• Testing Innovation in Retail: How we use the Innovation Corner in Denmark and our "living lab" – Pressbyrån PBX in Sweden – to pilot new concepts. Real-world examples of pushing boundaries, such as The Spicy Korean Sticks from Tempty Foods and the circular Blood Brownie from Axfoundation.

• What Retailers Need from Emerging Brands: What makes a product scalable in convenience retail? Common mistakes brands make, and what types of products and food tech innovations we are actively looking for right now.