Wednesday 26 February 2025 – Side events
6:30 pm
Welcome Function
Join us on the lawn at Pacific Bay Resort for a casual evening of festivities, showcasing local produce and beverages.
Thursday 27 February 2025 – Summit Day 1
8:30 am
Registration / Coffee / Tea
9:00 am
Welcome
Introduction | Kim Berry (MC), Food & Drink Business
Welcome to Country | Richard Widders, Aboriginal Elder of the Garlambirla guuyu Girrwaa
Chair Address | Fiona Simson, FFS
CEO Welcome | Dr James Krahe, FFS
9:45 am
Collaboration: It takes a village (keynotes)
The Power of Connection | Dr Lou Conway, UNE SMART Region Incubator
10:30 am
Morning tea
11:00 am
Partnerships: A systems approach (panel)
Representatives from clusters, co-operatives, and governing bodies come together to explore the benefits and opportunities of a systems-based approach in addressing challenges and driving innovation in the agrifood sector.
Dr James Krahe (Chair), FFS
Andrew Eves-Brown, TURBINE
Nicole McNaughton, Food and Agribusiness Network
Shaun Tholen, Oz Group Co-op
Kris Cooling, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC)
11:45 am
Value-adding: Unlocking nutrition in food (keynotes)
Dr Ruey-Leng Loo, Australian National Phenome Centre
Tim Cassettari, FOODiQ Global
1:00 pm
Lunch
2:00 pm
Manufacturing: Boosting agribusiness (panel)
Exploring the economic gains, community impact, and highlighting how local manufacturing can drive regional development and innovation.
Peter Schutz (Chair), FFS
John King, King Tide Brewing
3:00 pm
Afternoon tea
3:30 pm
Automation: Benefits and upskilling (keynotes)
Dr Chris Lehnert, Queensland University of Technology
4:15 pm
Agritech: Simplifying tasks (panel)
Exploring the economic gains, community impact, and highlighting how local manufacturing can drive regional development and innovation.
Bob Mullins (Chair), FFS
Wayne Ford, Vertical Patch
Dr Chris Lehnert, Queensland University of Technology
5:15 pm
Summit close: Day 1
7:00 pm
Gala Dinner
Enjoy culinary delights at our Gala Dinner with the menu curated by popular chef and restaurateur, Mindy Woods
Friday 28 February 2025 – Summit Day 2
9:00 am
Coffee / Tea
9:30 am
Future food: Possibilities and reality (keynotes)
Mindy Woods, Chef, Restaurateur and Author
Dr Flávia Fayet-Moore, FOODiQ Global
10:30 am
Morning tea
11:00 am
Future menu: It’s happening now (panel)
From insect proteins to animal-free fats, panellists will share their personal experiences in creating innovative product formulations along with the opportunities and challenges in catering to a diverse range of consumers.
Dr Flávia Fayet-Moore, FOODiQ Global
Kathy La Macchia, Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council (GLNC)
12:00 pm
Ecosystems: Clusters and precincts (keynotes)
Dr Jack Adams, Queensland University of Technology
Andrew Eves-Brown, TURBINE
Nicole McNaughton, Food and Agribusiness Network
1:00 pm
Lunch
2:00 pm
Native foods: It takes a nation (panel)
This panel will explore how we can work together to protect and uplift First Nations communities, ensuring their vital involvement in the growing native food industry.
3:00 pm
Summit close: Day 2
4:00 pm
Post-event drinks
Program and speakers are subject to change.
FFS = Future Food Systems
CSIRO = Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
DPIRD = Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA)
QUT = Queensland University of Technology
UNSW = University of New South Wales
WSU = Western Sydney University
Program and speakers are subject to change.
FFS = Future Food Systems
CSIRO = Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
DPIRD = Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA)
QUT = Queensland University of Technology
UNSW = University of New South Wales
WSU = Western Sydney University