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2025 Agenda

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October 6th

3:00 pm

Badge Pick Up

3:50 pm - 4:30 pm WELCOME DAY SPECIAL CONTENT

Panel: Shopfloor Safety – Understanding the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of Plant-Level Operations

Evelyn Parks

VP Global EHS, KWS & KNA

Kellanova

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Safety in food manufacturing touches nearly every aspect of our businesses. Join our panel of leading manufacturers to hear their report from the shopfloor and how they are developing and advancing their safety procedures and policies.

  • Achieving a single source of truth and increased visibility into everyday operations in order to:
    • Monitor real-time processes
    • Document procedure and policies
    • Use these aids in traceability and accountability
    • Provide actionable reporting and analytics
4:35 pm - 5:15 pm WELCOME DAY SPECIAL CONTENT

Panel: People vs Automation LATAM-Based Challenges

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  • Empowering Employee Engagement: Effective engagement is more than just morale; it’s about creating an environment where employees take ownership of their roles. We’ll discuss strategies for fostering open communication, recognizing contributions, and aligning individual goals with organizational success. Key challenges like overcoming resistance to change and bridging generational workforce gaps will be addressed.
  • Securing Buy-In for Digital Tools: Implementing new technologies often meets resistance on the shop floor. This session will explore how to present digital tools as enablers, not threats, by involving employees early, addressing fears of job displacement, and emphasizing practical benefits like improved safety, efficiency, and productivity. Training programs and peer advocacy will also be covered to ensure seamless adoption.
  • Building Skills for Tomorrow: Upskilling is critical to prepare your workforce for industry 4.0 and beyond. We’ll identify the technical and soft skills most in demand for 2025, strategies for integrating ongoing learning into daily operations, and how to overcome the challenge of knowledge gaps in a fast-evolving landscape.
  • Driving Continuous Improvement: In an era of fluctuating customer demands and supply chain complexities, continuous improvement remains a cornerstone. The discussion will focus on integrating real-time data analytics, fostering a culture of problem-solving, and balancing agility with consistency to optimize performance across the production line.
5:20 pm - 6:00 pm WELCOME DAY SPECIAL CONTENT

Panel: Plant-Based/Organics Improving speed and real-time visibility

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  • Leveraging Real-Time Data for Production Efficiency
  • Supply Chain Visibility and Transparency
  • Enhancing Distribution with Real-Time Tracking
  • Real-Time Inventory and Order Management
6:00 pm

Drinks Reception

October 7th

Stream 1 Chair

Douglas Guilherme

VP, NA Supply Chain

Hershey

Stream 2 Chair
7:30 am - 8:15 am

Registration & Breakfast

8:15 am - 8:20 am

Opening Remarks and Important Announcements

8:20 am - 8:30 am

Chair’s Welcome Address

8:30 am - 9:05 am KEYNOTE

Food Manufacturing Leadership as an Art, as a Science, and as a Heavy Responsibility

Magdi Batato

(Retired) EVP, Head of Operations

Nestlé

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  • Remembering that whatever our day-to-day looks like, or how the business landscape changes, we are feeding people, including our own families. We never get to take a break or cut corners, so how do we continue to excel in our work no matter what?
  • Discussing how the new generation of tools and technologies is changing how we work in the day-to-day and also changing what we are capable of in the long term. What are we as an industry doing to get the most out of these new capabilities?
  • Incorporating the best practices and lessons learned in other industry sectors to improve the productivity, quality, and reliability of food manufacturing
  • How are we positioning and futureproofing our organizations for future success? What should we be learning about and thinking about and starting right now so we will be ahead of the curve on what comes next?
9:05 am - 9:40 am KEYNOTE

Preparing Our Organizations for Disruption and Instability Ahead

Douglas Guilherme

VP, NA Supply Chain

Hershey

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  • Taking lessons learned from past disruptions to be proactive about our ability to respond to sudden changes in the business environment
  • Creating a diversified supply chain network to reduce dependence on single sources and bottlenecks
  • Discussing the importance of regularly assessing and reassessing supplier capabilities, resilience, and contingency plans
  • Investing in predictive analytics to anticipate and proactively address potential disruptions
  • Implementing modular production systems that allow for easy reconfiguration and scalability
9:45 am - 10:20 am Workshops
Stream One

Strategies to Enhance the Smart Factory Ecosystem

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Learn how modern Smart Factory solutions are revolutionizing manufacturing by connecting 4.0 technologies such as cloud computing, IIoT, AI, analytics, machine learning and data lake architecture with your existing systems allowing an evolution to Smart Manufacturing.

Stream Two

Improved Performance by Investing in your Performers – Workforce Development Programs as an Engine for Positive Change

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  • Building and operating a hands-on training system of use to every facet of your organization
  • Creating opportunities for your workforce to learn and grow as individuals, as leaders, and as part of a team
  • Educating your team to identify waste and impediments to productivity and generate value
  • Learning from your team to find the real KPIs that determine productivity, technological capabilities, environmental performance, and cost savings
  • Building capabilities that drive integrated improvements across quality, service, and cost outcomes
  • Demonstrating the ROI of investing in training
10:25 am - 12:05 pm Pre-Arranged One-To-One Meetings Arrow Icon

These mutually agreed-upon conversations are arranged and facilitated by Executive Platforms staff to ensure attendees have valuable discussions about their top-of-mind questions, challenges, and opportunities.

  • 10:30 am – 10:50 am: Meeting Slot 1/Networking
  • 10:55 am – 11:15 am: Meeting Slot 2/Networking
  • 11:20 am – 11:40 am: Meeting Slot 3/Networking
  • 11:45 am – 12:05 pm: Meeting Slot 4/Networking
12:10 pm - 12:45 pm Case Studies
Stream One - Value Chain Strategy

Breaking the Ice: Solving the Cold Chain Crisis in Food & Beverage Logistics

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  • Navigating limited visibility & traceability due to Legacy systems not integrated with IoT or GPS, leading to fragmented data silos between suppliers, transporters, and retailers

  • Managing rising energy & operational costs, volatile fuel and electricity prices coupled with regulatory push for greener refrigeration (e.g., phasing out HFCs)

  • Addressing cold chain capacity constraints, the demand for refrigerated space often outstrips supply—especially during peak seasons leading to congestion and pressure on cold chain infrastructure

Stream Two - Shop Floor Enhancements

Building a Co-Manufacturing Ecosystem to Accelerate Product Innovation

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  • Creating Strategic Partnerships: Explore how to identify and collaborate with co-manufacturers to leverage their expertise, resources, and scalability to bring innovative products to market faster

  • Streamlining Production Processes: Discuss methods to optimize the co-manufacturing workflow, ensuring quality control, cost-efficiency, and flexible scaling as new products evolve

  • Enhancing Agility and Innovation: Learn how a co-manufacturing ecosystem fosters flexibility, enabling faster iteration, adaptation to market changes, and the ability to incorporate new technologies in the product development process

12:45 pm - 1:45 pm THEMED LUNCH DISCUSSIONS

Explore this year’s themed lunch discussions led by industry leaders, where executives engage in focused conversations over a meal, discussing topics they’re passionate about alongside their peers.

Manufacturing’s Contributions and ROI from Integrated Business Planning (IBP)

Adam Chartier

Manager, Safety, Environment, Health & Security

Dsm-Firmenich

From Fear to Excitement: Getting Operators Onboard with AI

Understanding Asset Lifecycle Management to Control Costs and Maximize Productivity

Discussing Safety Management’s Big Three: Behaviors, Processes, Environments

Integrating Risk Management into Quality Management and Automated Systems

How to Drive Affordable Automation

1:45 pm - 2:20 pm Case Studies
Stream One - Value Chain Strategy

Driving Operational Excellence: Lessons in Efficiency, Automation, and Leadership

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  • Enhance production processes with cutting-edge technologies and data-driven decision-making.
  • Implement sustainability initiatives that reduce waste, improve efficiency, and meet evolving regulations.
  • Adapt to shifting consumer demands through agile manufacturing and strategic innovation.
  • Drive operational excellence by optimizing global supply chains and streamlining workflows.
Stream Two - Shop Floor Enhancements

Effective Labor Negotiation in a Changing Workforce Landscape

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  • Understanding the evolving expectations of the modern workforce and how to address them in negotiations
  • Navigating union relationships to create mutually beneficial agreements that support business objectives
  • Developing negotiation strategies that foster collaboration and long-term workforce stability
  • Addressing workforce challenges, including skills shortages and generational shifts
2:25 pm - 3:00 pm Workshops
Stream One

Seamless Multi-Plant Rollouts: Overcoming Challenges and Driving Measurable Improvements in Efficiency, Quality and Cost Whilst Ensuring Consistency, Scalability and Performance Across the Board

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Manufacturers with multiple plant locations often struggle to maintain consistency, quality, and operational efficiency. In this session, we’ll showcase best practices and a real-world case study for executing successful multi-plant rollouts. Learn how to integrate key systems—ERP, quality control, graphical scheduling, and inventory management—across facilities to streamline operations and boost productivity.

Key Takeaways:

  • ERP Integration: Synchronize procurement, production, and distribution across plants for smoother operations.
  • Quality Control & Assurance: Establish integrated systems to maintain product consistency and compliance at scale.
  • Graphical Scheduling: Optimize production scheduling to reduce downtime and improve resource utilization.
  • Intelligent Inventory Management: Ensure materials are available when needed, avoiding shortages and overstocking.
  • API Connectivity: Implement seamless communication between plant systems and corporate infrastructure, enabling real-time data flow.

 

 

Stream Two

A Journey into Smart Factory Implementation

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  • Highlighting the significance of integrating advanced technologies to streamline production processes
  • Offering practical solutions for real-time monitoring and data analytics enable quick decision-making
  • Utilizing smart sensors at various stages of the production line ensures consistent quality control by continuously monitoring critical parameters like temperature, humidity, and ingredient proportions
  • Integrating AI-powered tools in the manufacturing process to enhance worker productivity and safety
3:05 pm - 4:15 pm Pre-Arranged One-To-One Meetings Arrow Icon

These mutually agreed-upon conversations are arranged and facilitated by Executive Platforms staff to ensure attendees have valuable discussions about their top-of-mind questions, challenges, and opportunities.

  • 3:05 pm – 3:25 pm: Meeting Slot 5/Networking
  • 3:30 pm – 3:50 pm: Meeting Slot 6/Networking
  • 3:55 pm – 4:15 pm: Meeting Slot 7/Networking
3:45 pm - 4:15 pm Case Studies
Focus Group - Exhibition Hall

Panel: Dairy - Navigating the Future of Dairy: Key Challenges Faced by Large Manufacturers in a Changing Landscape

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  • Technological Advancements and Automation
  • Sustainability and Environmental Pressure
  • Regulatory and Policy Pressures
  • Supply Chain Disruptions
4:20 pm - 4:55 pm KEYNOTE

Strengthening Financial Resilience in Food Manufacturing

Amy Haigler

Vice President, Americas Supply Chain Operations

McCormick & Company

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  • Identifying cost-saving opportunities in production processes without compromising quality
  • Optimizing capital investment in automation, facility upgrades, and workforce development
  • Managing raw material and supply chain costs to improve financial stability
  • Leveraging financial forecasting and data analytics to drive operational efficiency
  • Implementing lean financial strategies to enhance profitability in a competitive market
4:55 pm - 5:30 pm KEYNOTE

The Future of Smart Manufacturing – Harnessing Emerging Technologies

Ricardo Moreira

Chief Supply Officer

AB InBev

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  • Exploring the impact of AI-driven predictive maintenance to minimize downtime and reduce costs
  • Leveraging digital twins for real-time simulation and optimization of production processes
  • Integrating blockchain for enhanced supply chain transparency and traceability
  • Utilizing autonomous robotics and cobots to streamline labor-intensive operations
5:30 pm - 5:35 pm

Chair’s Closing Remarks

5:35 pm

Drinks Reception

October 8th

7:30 am - 8:20 am

Registration & Breakfast

7:45 am - 8:20 am breakfast workshops
8:25 am - 8:35 am

Chair’s Opening Remarks

8:35 am - 9:10 am KEYNOTE

Optimizing Food Manufacturing Through Digital Innovation

Venkatesan Santhirahasan

Senior Vice President of Engineering

PepsiCo

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  • Discover strategies to streamline operations, adapt to market shifts, and optimize supply chains in real time
  • Learn how to harness predictive analytics and digital twins to improve quality control and operational performance
  • Uncover innovative solutions that minimize resource consumption, reduce emissions, and enhance profitability
9:10 am - 9:45 am KEYNOTE

Improving Manufacturing Performance Through Standardized Global Operating Systems

Francisco Camacho Beltrán

CEO

Grupo Lala

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  • As we rethink our supply chains and add regional autonomy into our business strategies, let’s remember good ideas found anywhere can work everywhere. How do we make sure our best practices are applied throughout our organizations?
  • Creating and implementing a scientifically rigorous model to control both short- and long-term planning and execution of work
  • Highlighting the role of people as the catalysts and drivers of change within an organization
  • Standardizing business practices across global operations and encouraging a culture of Continuous Improvement
  • Illustrating process optimization in action and discussing what the next steps will look like
9:50 am - 10:25 am Case Studies
Stream One - Value Chain Strategy

Managing Energy Consumption and Costs is Easier and More Impactful Than You Think

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  • Showcasing examples of easy wins and quick victories that eliminate waste and improve efficiencies in energy usage that convince people positive changes can be achieved
  • Encouraging input from all levels of the workforce and translating local successes into global best practices
  • Creating a system where success is reinvested into further efficiencies and improvements
  • Demonstrating how incremental improvements and ongoing changes in workforce culture can produce an enormous return over time
  • Offering ways to take these examples and lessons learned and apply it to your own operations
Stream Two - Shop Floor Enhancements

Embracing HOP Principles- How do we Reimagine Safety and Restart our Journey?

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  • Moving from reactive compliance to a proactive safety culture that prioritizes prevention and employee well-being
  • Integrating sustainability and environmental considerations into everyday operations
  • Implementing cutting-edge safety technology to minimize risks and ensure regulatory adherence
  • Exploring the role of leadership in fostering a safety-first mindset across all levels of the organization
10:25 am - 11:15 am Pre-Arranged One-To-One Meetings Arrow Icon

These mutually agreed-upon conversations are arranged and facilitated by Executive Platforms staff to ensure attendees have valuable discussions about their top-of-mind questions, challenges, and opportunities.

  • 10:30 am – 10:50am: Meeting Slot 8/Networking
  • 10:55am – 11:15am: Meeting Slot 9/Networking
10:45 am - 11:15 am Case Studies
Focus Group - Exhibition Hall

Bakeries: Winning with process efficiency and how to maximize supply chain partners to ensure success

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  • Streamlining Production Processes
  • Maximizing Supply Chain Partnerships
  • Efficient Distribution and Delivery Systems
  • Data-Driven Decision Making and Continuous Improvement
11:20 am - 11:55 am Workshops
Stream One

Overcoming the Challenges and Realizing the Potential of Automated Inspection Systems

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  • What does it take to design a system that can handle the variability of the food industry?
  • Investing in automation technologies allows people to be problem-solvers, not button pushers
  • Addressing the issues of adapting these systems to unforeseen changes which may be time-consuming and costly, limiting its flexibility
  • Offering solutions to ensure that new technology complies with industry regulations and standards
Stream Two

Generate Value from Plant Floor Data with AI and the Digital Twins

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  • Why do some food manufacturers continue to struggle to extract useful information from the data available?
  • Illustrating the power digital twins can offer food manufacturers
  • Understanding the role of AI and digital twins in making plant floor data actionable in real-time
  • Demonstrating real-world use cases with measurable ROI
12:00 pm - 12:35 pm Case Studies
Stream One - Value Chain Strategy

How We are Navigating Tariffs and Geopolitical Risks

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  • Offering frontline insights from a real-world perspective on building a resilient supply chain amid unprecedented tariff and geopolitical challenges in 2025
  • Finding the tactical and day-to-day wins in an environment where we cannot commit to long-term plans and strategies the way we traditionally do
  • eDiscussing what we know now and the road ahead: forward-looking strategies to navigate the evolving supply chain challenges
Stream Two - Shop Floor Enhancements

Shop Floor Efficiency as the Foundation for a Culture of Continuous Improvement

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  • Revisiting the tried, tested, and true Lean Manufacturing principles that minimize waste and streamline processes
  • Updating our Lean toolbox to include the latest digital and automated systems to take repetitive tasks off our people’s workload while enhancing speed and accuracy
  • Discussing how smart technologies such as sensors and robotics improve production line efficiency, and how our teams will interact with them on a daily basis
  • Remembering that success is driven by a culture. How do we build and maintain a culture that wants to do better every day?
12:35 pm - 1:35 pm THEMED LUNCH DISCUSSIONS

Explore this year’s themed lunch discussions led by industry leaders, where executives engage in focused conversations over a meal, discussing topics they’re passionate about alongside their peers.

Packaging Innovations: The Future of Sustainable and Smart Packaging Emerging

Investing in Next-Generation Talent: The Role of Apprenticeships and Training Programs

Cyber Risk Management in Connected Food Manufacturing Environments

1:35 pm - 2:10 pm KEYNOTE

The Leader’s Role in Cultivating an Engaged, Dynamic Workforce

Ewan Andrew

President, Global Supply Chain & Procurement and Chief Sustainability Officer

Diageo

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  • Examining the unique role and responsibilities of leaders in transforming the culture and results of an organization
  • Demonstrating the power of Servant Leadership – Putting people first and expecting them to be extraordinary
  • Introducing practical leadership approaches that compel and empower the participants to move their organization beyond the constraints of the past and go to the next level of performance
  • Winning support through early successes, ongoing training, and a clear path forward for your workforce
  • Illustrating the value of soft skills of change management and effective communications to leaders of OpEx programs
  • Discussing different ways to bridge the gap between leaders and their teams
2:10 pm - 2:45 pm KEYNOTE

Putting Talent at the Centre of Smart Factories

Peter Hagmann

SVP of Manufacturing, Engineering, Logistics & Safety

Nestlé

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  • Empower frontline workers with digital tools and real-time data to enhance decision-making and productivity.

  • Upskill and reskill talent through continuous learning programs aligned with emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and automation.

  • Embed cross-functional collaboration into factory workflows to break silos and accelerate innovation.

  • Prioritize human-centric design in smart factory systems to boost engagement, safety, and job satisfaction.

2:45 pm - 2:50 pm

Chair’s Closing Remarks

Sessions From Previous Years

Frontline Empowerment as a Competitive Advantage: MOTOR – PepsiCo Cultural Transformation

Frontline Empowerment as a Competitive Advantage: MOTOR – PepsiCo Cultural Transformation

Oct 16, 2024
Fireside Chat: Revolutionizing Food Manufacturing with the People, Process, and Technology

Fireside Chat: Revolutionizing Food Manufacturing with the People, Process, and Technology

Oct 16, 2024
Navigating Cultural Transformation

Navigating Cultural Transformation

Oct 15, 2024
AI Advantage: Boosting Efficiency in Manufacturing and Supply Chains

AI Advantage: Boosting Efficiency in Manufacturing and Supply Chains

Oct 15, 2024
Leveraging the End-to-End Supply Chain to Enable Growth

Leveraging the End-to-End Supply Chain to Enable Growth

Oct 10, 2024
Contract Manufacturing as an Enterprise Capability Multiplier When Strategically Managed

Contract Manufacturing as an Enterprise Capability Multiplier When Strategically Managed

Oct 10, 2024
Manufacturing – A Competitive Advantage for the Company

Manufacturing – A Competitive Advantage for the Company

Oct 10, 2024
Building Better Supplier Partnerships with Data

Building Better Supplier Partnerships with Data

Oct 10, 2024
Unlock Factory Data in F&B Manufacturing for AI and Data-Driven Excellence

Unlock Factory Data in F&B Manufacturing for AI and Data-Driven Excellence

Oct 10, 2024
Practical Ways to Deal With Operational Complexity

Practical Ways to Deal With Operational Complexity

Oct 10, 2024
Fireside Chat: Learnings from Diageo’s Approach to Building a Sustainable and Resilient Operation

Fireside Chat: Learnings from Diageo’s Approach to Building a Sustainable and Resilient Operation

Oct 10, 2024
Building A Digitally Connected Supply Chain

Building A Digitally Connected Supply Chain

Oct 10, 2024
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