Master Allergen Control, Strengthen Food Safety Cultures & Unlock AI-Driven Supply Chain Transparency Whilst Upholding Regulatory Confidence
Unlock Critical Insights To Drive Proactive, Compliant & Consumer-Focused Food & Drink Safety Strategies
A One-Day, Industry-Led Conference & Networking Exhibition, Manchester, 22nd January 2026
You will shortly receive an email with a further £20 off, if you don’t receive your discount please email
info@foodsafetytrendsconference.com
REGISTRATION OPENS
08.15 Registration & Informal Networking
OPENING REMARKS
09.15 GIC Welcome & Morning Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks
Claire Yates, Senior Technical Manager, Co-op Food
Chris Newbold, Head of Product Technical & Compliance, Ocado Retail
Embedded Food Safety Cultures
PANEL | Q&A
09.25 Maximise Engagement & Drive Meaningful Behavioural Change & Accountability Through Strong, Positive Food Safety Cultures That Stick
- When culture is a notoriously tricky aspect to define and measure, deep dive into how to determine and develop metrics to measure the real impact across your organisation
- Bring your food safety culture to the forefront of operations and seamlessly integrate it within business practices to ensure that standards stay consistently high for lasting results
- Culture on a global scale: drive consistency in food safety standards across the globe to maintain understanding and awareness from all employees
- Ensure that food safety cultures are modelled from the top down to successfully embed this approach across all levels of the organisation
Dr. Lalitha Sivasundaram, Technical Director, Seagems Group
Caroline Dennis, Head of Food Technical, Gousto
Daniel Raines, Food Safety & Quality Director, IRCA Group UK
Practical AI, Digital & New Tech Implementation
10.05 Unlock The Practical & Proven Potential Of AI & New Tech To Streamline Daily Operations, Enhance Visibility & Power Next-Generation Food Safety Systems
- Move beyond the theoretical implications of AI to discover best practices for integrating AI into your day-to-day operations to maximise safety, quality and overall efficiencies across all functions
- Harness the predictive capabilities of the latest technologies to develop new approaches to data analysis and food safety strategies
- From supplier auditing to metrics tracking, how can digital platforms and software solutions be used to optimise business performance?
Dr. Stuart Warren, Senior Manager Food Safety, Coca Cola Europacific Partners
Bonus Session: Reserved For Exponent
10.30 Regulatory challenges for sustainable packaging
This presentation will cover recent regulatory updates associated with sustainability of food packaging, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), specifically focusing on the impact and challenges of bio-based and recycled food packaging compliance, authorisation and risk assessment.
Dr Malcolm Driffield, Managing Scientist, Chemical Regulation & Food Safety, Exponent
10.45 Morning Refreshment Break With Informal Networking
Proactive & Robust Allergen Controls
PANEL | Q&A
11.15 Reduce Risks To Consumers & Businesses With Robust Allergen Control Measures That Minimise Cross-Contamination & Maintain Stringent Standards Across Complex Supply Chains
- How can the food industry successfully convey allergen information to consumers so that they can make informed decisions and build trust with the company?
- Increase traceability and ensure rigorous standards across the supply chain to minimise allergen risks and catch cross-contamination early
- Unpack best practices and optimum strategies for allergen testing and controls across all operations
- Develop effective training techniques to ensure that allergen controls are at the forefront of colleague’s minds to achieve consistently high standards
Simon Flanagan, Research Fellow, Global Food Safety – R&D, Mondelēz
Steven Glass, Global Director Food & Product Safety, JustEat Takeaway.com
Mehdi Adjiri, Group Head of Technical Accounts, Compleat Food Group
Nadine Murphy, UKI & EE Marker Quality Operations Manager, The Magnum Ice Cream Company
Consumer Trusts & Insights
11.55 Tap Into Evolving Consumer Behaviours To Enhance Safety & Trust While Maintaining Optimal Food Safety Standards
- What do consumers really think about food safety today? Examine changing consumer perceptions and harness key strategies to boost consumer engagement in 2026 and beyond
- Consumer awareness: discover best practices for effectively communicating allergen information to consumers to minimise risk and maximise trust in your brand
- TikTok trends and Facebook frenzies: when online marketplaces are coming under fire for not consistently declaring allergen information, what can companies do to protect consumers and maintain engagement on their online platforms?
- Generational gaps: navigate consumer trends, such as the reduced consumption of alcohol by Gen Z, and analyse the potential implications for food safety policies
Resilient Supply Chains
12.20 Develop Resilient & Robust Supply Chains That Maintain Traceability & Ensure Product Quality While Embracing New Markets & Navigating Disruption
- Dive into the increasing diversification of supply chains and discuss how to best approach these developments and maintain a robust supply chain when navigating these new avenues
- From conflicts to tariffs, explore how to navigate geopolitical developments and determine their potential implications on the supply chain to mitigate setbacks and disruption
- Discover best practices for maintaining top-quality standards across every stage of the supply chain to reduce the risk of fraud
Kevin Baker, Group Produce SME & Integrity Lead, 2 Sisters Food Group
12.45 Lunch & Informal Networking For Speakers, Delegates & Partners
13.45 Afternoon Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks
Simon Flanagan, Research Fellow, Global Food Safety – R&D, Mondelēz
Zoë Shuttlewood, Senior Manager, Global Food Integrity & Risk, McCormick & Company
Labelling Strategies
13.55 Increase Consumer Trust, Safety & Awareness & Harness New Technologies To Drive Safety With Accurate & High-Quality Labelling Strategies
- Tackle the most effective ways of formatting labels so that consumers can easily access and understand the allergen and safety labelling
- Harness AI and new technologies to ensure accuracy in labelling and future-proof your labelling processes
- What are the next steps in labelling, and what can business do to stay ahead of the curve?
Guenther Augustin, Director of Global Quality Assurance, Dr Schaer
Fast-Moving & Comprehensive Recall Strategies
PANEL | Q&A
14.20 Develop Effective & Efficient Recall Strategies That Minimise Risks, Maximise Trust & Protect Consumers
- Develop effective pathogen control strategies to control hygiene, swabbing and verification within your plan to minimise the risk of recalls
- Debate and discuss effective strategies for maintaining and regaining consumer trust if recalls do occur
Jonathon Bayne, Partner & Technical Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Mehdi Adjiri, Group Head of Technical Accounts, Compleat Food Group
Idwin Bouman, Quality Assurance Manager, Vivera
Laura Pariente Bergaz, Quality Director, Bimbo EMEA at Grupo Bimbo.
Metrics Tracking
15.00 Move Beyond Basic KPIs To Revolutionise Performance Measurement With Innovative Metrics & ROI-Driven Insights
- Discover how to most effectively use AI and new technologies to improve metrics tracking processes
- Tracking the technical: from temperature control to HACCP adherence, analyse how to monitor key metrics throughout the food production process
- From KPIs to training programmes, unpack essential strategies for tracking the food safety culture within your organisations
- What next? Once these metrics have been thoroughly tracked, explore how to best analyse and communicate these conclusions
Sam Delamore, Risk & Compliance Director, The Restaurant Group
15.25 Afternoon Refreshment Break With Informal Networking
Sustainability & Food Safety
DOUBLE PERSPECTIVE
15.55 Maintain Top-Quality Food Safety Standards Without Compromising On Your Sustainability Commitments
- What can companies do to reduce their carbon footprint and implement sustainability measures across a complex supply chain?
- With sustainability continuing to grow in its importance to consumers, navigate how to introduce impactful sustainability policies and communicate this to consumers
- How can teams work to improve sustainability without compromising on the quality and safety of their products?
- Unpack strategies to introduce sustainable packaging solutions without incurring additional risks or challenges
15.55 Perspective 1
Prof. Bizhan Pourkomailian, Global Food Safety Director, Restaurant & Distribution, McDonald’s
16.20 Perspective 2
Jacque-Noel Sacramento, Head of Technical, Salisbury Poultry (Midlands) Ltd
16.45 Afternoon Co-Chairs’ Closing Remarks
Simon Flanagan, Research Fellow, Global Food Safety – R&D, Mondelēz
Zoë Shuttlewood, Senior Manager, Global Food Integrity & Risk, McCormick & Company
17.20 Official Close Of Conference