The Flavor Experience brings together the brightest in the foodservice industry to inspire with trend-forward ideas and experiences, all through the lens of flavor. With the high-volume food & beverage menu developer in mind, the Flavor Experience promises three days of flavor and menu innovations, trends, strategies and solutions.
Highlights:
Flavor/Menu Trends for 2026 & Beyond: An annual highlight presentation by Flavor & The Menu’s Cathy Nash Holley, publisher/editor-in-chief and Katie Ayoub, managing editor, to guide attendees through the flavor trends with a clear pathway for menu opportunity.
Sprint F&B Innovation: Rapid differentiation through modern strategies designed to respond to the cultural moment, presented by Grace Bryan, CEO of Juicy Brick, a London-based F&B innovation agency.
Winning the Value War: Circana’s David Portalatin explores winning elements of value that go far beyond price and are resonating with consumers, highlighting emerging pathways for growth across the restaurant landscape.
Conquering the Niches to Claim the Middle: Melbourne-based Eugene Healey offers a unique exploration into the decline of mass culture and how foodservice brands can succeed by embracing a niche-at-scale strategy to create tailored, meaningful experiences for specific audiences.
F&B Innovation in the Age of AI: Innovation reaches its greatest impact when grounded in human experience. As artificial intelligence shapes our future, foodservice professionals must tap “authentic” intelligence to deliver innovation that resonates, presented by global innovation strategist Louis Bonini.
The Everchanging Tastes & Needs of Gens Alpha, Gen Z and Millennials: Datassential’s Renee Wege shares data and insights that shed light on the changing flavor preferences and dining habits of these three key demographics.
Finding the Right Trends for Your Brand: The Culinary Edge’s Graham Humphreys and Betty Kaufman reveal an innovation framework that goes beyond trend tracking—providing a strategic approach to acting on trends. Learn how to evaluate, test and implement the right trends, and leave behind those that aren’t a perfect fit.
How the New Dynamics of Weight Health Will Impact Menus: This session, presented by Mattson’s Barb Stuckey, illuminates the needs and desires of GLP-1 users, providing essential knowledge for developing relevant and appealing menu choices for this growing segment of consumers.
Plus…
The Latest Beverage Trends
AOM, Personalized Nutrition and Other Pressing Wellness Trends
The New Age of Hospitality
How Smart Technology Can Elevate the Guest Experience
An Interactive “Taste the Trends” Session
The Biggest Opportunity in Cocktail Development And more!
Schedule Of Events:
7:00-8:30 am: Coffee/light bites
8:30-10:30 am: General sessions
10:30-12:00 pm: Sponsor Showcase
12:00-1:30 pm: Breakout sessions
1:30-2:00 pm: Break
2:00-3:30 pm: Tasting Toolboxes
3:30-5:00 pm: Breakout sessions
5:30-7:30 pm: Sponsor Showcase
Additional Dates:
