{ “title”: “Ice Cream & Cultured Innovation Conference: Shaping the Future of Frozen Delights and Cultured Dairy”, “description”: “The Ice Cream & Cultured Innovation Conference is the leading event for ice cream makers and professionals in the frozen dessert and cultured dairy sectors. This conference will highlight the latest advancements in research, technology, and market trends.”, “tags”: “ice cream, frozen desserts, cultured dairy, innovation, food industry, conference”, “rewritten_content”: “## Ice Cream & Cultured Innovation Conference: Pushing the Boundaries of Frozen Delights and Cultured Dairy
The Ice Cream & Cultured Innovation Conference is the essential event for those involved in creating ice cream, frozen desserts, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, dips, and spreads. This conference focuses on advances in research, technology, and the latest market trends across these diverse categories.
Previously known as the co-located Ice Cream Technology and Yogurt & Cultured Innovation Conferences, this revamped event retains the same high-quality content, networking opportunities, and product competitions.
This conference is a must-attend for those seeking to stay ahead of industry developments, with hands-on sessions, product tastings, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Don’t miss the Innovative Flavor and Product Competitions, which highlight the most current and innovative ice cream flavors, inclusions, novelties, and cultured dairy products.
Whether your focus is ice cream or cultured dairy, this conference is designed to inspire and equip professionals with the knowledge and connections needed to drive innovation in their products and processes.
Who Should Attend?
All professionals in ice cream and frozen dessert technology will gain valuable insights by attending the conference. This includes plant managers, regulatory compliance personnel, research and development professionals, and quality assurance staff. Suppliers to the ice cream industry are also encouraged to attend.
Agenda
All Times Eastern
April 1, 2025
-
8:00am – 8:30am: Breakfast – Ocean View Terrace
-
8:30am – 8:45am: Welcome Remarks – Grand Salon E-F
-
8:45am – 9:30am: General Session – Gaining Inspiration from Here and Abroad: Keep Ice Cream and Cultured Dairy Part of the Conversation with Today’s Evolving Consumers + Donna Berry – Grand Salon E-F
Today’s consumers seek unique experiences in their food and beverage choices. Sometimes, this translates into the pursuit of health and wellness (think probiotics and adaptogens), while other times it involves recreating a viral recipe from an online influencer. Social media offers consumers a window into global culinary trends, with dairy foods often playing a central role in everything from refrigerated and frozen desserts to high-protein yogurt beverages. This presentation will explore ice cream and cultured dairy innovations for the present and future.
Donna Berry, Food Scientist, Editor and Consultant -
9:30am – 10:15am: General Session Fireside Chat – Training the Next Generation of Innovators + Loren Ward, Samuel Alcaine, PhD – Grand Salon E-F
How innovative is your business? That’s a challenging question to address. Join an engaging discussion about how we define innovation, the ways company structure fosters new ideas, and how to nurture an innovative mindset in a structured world.
Loren Ward, Chief Innovation Officer, Glanbia Nutritionals
Samuel Alcaine, PhD, Vice President, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs -
10:15am – 10:45am: Networking Break – Sponsored By: Grand Foyer
-
10:45am – 11:30am: Ice Cream Concurrent Session – Innovative Colors as Solutions to Regulatory Pressure + Livia Engel – Grand Salon E-F
Achieving the ideal sensory experience for consumers depends on the right color in food products. Current and upcoming regulatory changes, bans, and public petitions are reshaping the tools that can be used for coloring foods and supplements in North America. This session will discuss label-friendly coloring solutions that help ice cream manufacturers create visually appealing frozen desserts.
Livia Engel, Regulatory Affairs Manager for North America, dsm-firmenich -
10:45am – 11:30am: Yogurt & Cultured Concurrent Session – Transforming Yogurt: Improving Nutritional Quality for an Enhanced Snacking Experience + Melissa Kaczmarczyk PhD, MPH, McKenna Mills – Grand Salon G-K
With consumers increasingly seeking foods with health benefits, yogurt is poised to play a key role in this trend. This discussion will review current health claims in the food industry and present research supporting future health and nutritional benefits. The session will then demonstrate how to formulate yogurts for customized nutritional delivery.
Melissa Kaczmarczyk PhD, MPH, Principal Scientist, Global Nutrition, Tate & Lyle
McKenna Mills, Technical Services Manager, Dairy, Tate & Lyle Americas -
11:30am – 12:15pm: Ice Cream Concurrent Session – Crafting the Guilt Free Indulgence Through Ingredient and Product Innovation in Frozen Desserts + Kaavya Rathnakumar, PhD, Biqing (Jasmine) Wu, PhD, Aditya Sharma – Grand Salon E-F
As consumer preferences move towards healthier choices without sacrificing taste, this presentation will explore consumer trends and strategies to enhance the texture and overall consumer experience in better-for-you ice creams and frozen desserts. This panel will provide marketing insights, focusing on the role of ingredients in product development, framing the talk around current trends, strategies, and the future of the healthier ice cream and frozen novelties market.
Kaavya Rathnakumar, PhD, Senior Scientist, Balchem
Biqing (Jasmine) Wu, PhD, Dairy Application Scientist, Tate & Lyle
Aditya Sharma, R&D Scientist, Wells Enterprises -
11:30am – 12:15pm: Yogurt & Cultured Concurrent Session – The Future of Cottage Cheese Production + Byron Ba, PhD, Lisa Stanger – Grand Salon G-K
The cottage cheese market is experiencing significant growth in consumer demand. This presentation explores the solutions and new technologies that can bolster the market.
Byron Ba, PhD, Sr. Scientist of Cheese Applications, Novonesis
Lisa Stanger, Manager Business Development, North & South America, Tetra Pak -
12:15pm – 1:30pm: Lunch – Ocean View Terrace
-
1:30pm – 2:15pm: General Session – Making it Lactose Free: Opportunities and Challenges for Ice Cream and Cultured Dairy + Eric Hallstead, Todd Blase, Grace Lewis, PhD – Grand Salon E-F
Consumers are increasingly interested in lactose-free dairy products. This panel will discuss the processing and ingredients tools you can use to achieve lactose-free products, including ice cream and cultured dairy. The panel will also address the formulation and functionality impacts of going lactose-free and the process of balancing them when creating dairy products.
Eric Hallstead, Director of Sales for the North American Lactase Division, Kerry
Todd Blase, Business Development Specialist, Separation Technology Segment, Alfa Laval Inc. (US)
Grace Lewis, PhD, Assistant Professor at UW – River Falls and Dairy Innovation Hub Affiliate at UW – Madison -
2:15pm – 3:30pm: Innovative Ice Cream Flavor Contest, Part I: Most Innovative Prototype Flavor – Grand Salon A-D
-
3:30pm – 4:15pm: Ice Cream Concurrent Session – Listeria: Why It’s a Persistent Challenge Requiring Persistent Solutions + Samantha Bolten, PhD – Grand Salon E-F
Why does Listeria remain a persistent challenge for the dairy industry? This session will discuss the reasons for the continued presence of Listeria in headlines and facilities. Learn the steps processors can take to reduce risk and thoroughly address the root causes of a Listeria positive occurrence. Don’t miss these tips!
Samantha Bolten, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Food Safety Lab, Cornell University -
3:30pm – 4:15pm: Yogurt & Cultured Concurrent Session – Prebiotic & Probiotics: Health & Wellness Opportunities for Cultured Dairy + Junrui Cheng, PhD, Ian Bodkin – Grand Salon G-K
It’s time for a gut check. Discover how advances in prebiotics and probiotics are driving the growth of health and wellness products. Learn about new applications and opportunities in the pre & probiotic space and how they might impact cultured dairy.
Junrui Cheng, PhD, Senior Nutrition Scientist, Ingredion
Ian Bodkin, Technical Service Manager, dsm-firmenich -
4:15pm – 5:00pm: Innovative Cultured Dairy Product Contest – Grand Salon A-D
-
5:30pm – 7:00pm: Networking Reception – Resort Beach
April 2, 2025
-
8:00am – 8:30am: Breakfast – Ocean View Terrace
-
8:30am – 9:15am: General Session – Unlocking the Potential of the GLP1Landscape + Sarah Miller, Kevin Thompson – Grand Salon E-F
GLP-1 drugs are transforming the food and beverage industry. Dairy, being an inherently nutritious option, provides opportunities for manufacturers to innovate with this demographic in mind to stay ahead of the curve. Learn about consumer research into the use of GLP-1 drugs, lifestyle and eating habit changes, and their purchase habits. Then discover how to create groundbreaking dairy products that meet their evolving needs.
Sarah Miller, Sr. Marketing Manager, Marketing & Consumer Insights, North America, Kerry
Kevin Thompson, RD&A Associate Manager, Dairy Applications Lead for North America, Kerry -
9:15am – 10:00am: General Session – Flavor Innovation in Dairy: Drive Consumer Appeal Through Flavors for Mood, Season or Moment + Lindsey Oostema, Kaylind Cook – Grand Salon E-F
Explore novel ways to connect with consumers by showcasing customized or limited-edition flavors that cater to specific consumer segments or moments, such as mood-focused, seasonal, or geographically-inspired flavors. Learn how successful partnerships between flavor companies and dairy producers can co-create market-winning products through flavor innovation.
Lindsey Oostema, Sr. Category Development Manager – Food, Synergy Flavors
Kaylind Cook, Senior Applications Technologist, Synergy Flavors -
10:00am – 10:30am: Innovative Ice Cream Flavor Contest, Part II: Most Innovative Flavor and Most Innovative Novelty – Grand Salon A-D
-
10:30am – 11:00am: Networking Break – Grand Foyer
-
11:00am – 11:45am: General Session – Vanilla: There’s Nothing Plain About It + Darian Rottman – Grand Salon E-F
Discover what makes vanilla such a complex flavor, with the opportunity to “taste and see” why there’s no such thing as “just plain vanilla”. From the cultivation of vanilla beans to curing and current economics, this presentation will provide a broad perspective on the flavor.
Darian Rottman, Vanilla Specialist, Lochhead Vanilla -
11:45am – 12:30pm: Ice Cream Concurrent Session – Innovations in Sustainable Ice Cream Packaging + Danielle Quist, Shaf Lalani, Murray Bain, Cafer Arac – Grand Salon E-F
Many ice cream companies are focused on meeting sustainability goals and complying with state Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements. This session will explore innovative packaging solutions, including compostable materials, with insights from the ice cream packaging supply chain. Considerations for companies looking to utilize more sustainable packaging while maintaining food safety and quality will also be discussed.
Danielle Quist, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Counsel
Shaf Lalani, General Manager Ice Cream, Mars
Murray Bain, Vice President, Marketing Stanpac
Cafer Arac, Director of Product Development, Clearwater Paper Corporation -
11:45am – 12:30pm: Yogurt & Cultured Concurrent Session – Trends in High Protein Yogurt + Olivia Finer – Grand Salon G-K
Explore the dynamic trends shaping the high-protein yogurt market in North America. As the demand for nutritious and functional foods continues to rise, the opportunities within the kids’ protein yogurt segment will be reviewed. Learn how innovative formulations can capture the attention of health-conscious parents and their children.
Olivia Finer, Senior Customer Marketing & Regional Planning Manager for the North America region, Fonterra -
12:30pm – 1:30pm: Lunch – Ocean View Terrace
-
1:30pm – 2:15pm: Ice Cream Concurrent Session – Equipment Suppliers: How are You Innovating to Reduce Waste and Energy? + Sheldon Young – Grand Salon E-F
Sustainability is embedded in the dairy industry. Technological advancements offer opportunities to further reduce environmental impact and improve product results. This session will explore the ways some modern processing equipment improves sustainability and reduces manufacturing costs (and potentially increases profitability). The presentation will be fun and engaging.
Sheldon Young, Sustainability Solutions Specialist, Alfa Laval Inc. (US) -
1:30pm – 2:15pm: Yogurt & Cultured Concurrent Session – Developments in Centrifugation for Dairy Processing Sustainability + Spencer Moore – Grand Salon G-K
Increased emphasis on sustainability in dairy processing has led to developments in centrifugation for cultured products. The presentation will summarize new technologies and procedures that contribute to reduced power consumption and the minimization of water and cleaning chemical usage. A comparison of separation technologies and associated energy and chemical consumption will also be discussed.
Spencer Moore, Dairy Process Specialist, GEA Mechanical Equipment, INC, US -
2:15pm – 3:00pm: General Session – Research to Reality: Translating Innovative Concepts into Real World Value + Samuel Alcaine, PhD, John Renye Jr., PhD, Omid McDonald, Emily Darchuk – Grand Salon E-F
Deriving value from by-products is attracting more interest from dairy companies, but success requires vision, research, and persistence. From proof-of-concept benchtop fermentation studies to launching high-end consumer liquors and high-volume plants for biofuel, this panel will demonstrate the opportunities and challenges of upcycling dairy waste streams into ethanol.
John Renye Jr., PhD, Research Microbiologist, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture
Omid McDonald, Founder, DD Biofuel and Dairy Distillery
Emily Darchuk, Founder, Wheyward Spirit
Innovative Flavors and Product Contest
This competition provides a platform for ice cream and frozen dessert makers, dairy processors, and flavoring suppliers to showcase their newest ice cream flavors, novelties, and cultured dairy products (cultured milk, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, and dips) and flavors.
All conference attendees are invited to submit entries in the following categories:
- Most Innovative Ice Cream Flavor
- Most Innovative Ice Cream Novelty
- Most Innovative Prototype Ice Cream Flavor
- Most Innovative Cultured Dairy Product
- Most Innovative Cultured Dairy Prototype Flavor
Awards will be given to the first, second, and third place winners in each of the Ice Cream categories, judged by conference attendees. First-place awards will also be given for the Cultured Dairy Products.
All winners will be featured in an upcoming edition of Dairy Foods magazine. To submit an entry, complete the contest entry form no later than Friday, March 14. Contact vpender@idfa.org with any questions.
Guidelines for Contest Submissions
A company representative must be registered for the Ice Cream & Cultured Innovation Conference to participate.
- Limit one (1) entry per company, per category.
- Please plan for your product submission to arrive between March 28 and March 31.
- If your product is received after March 31, we cannot guarantee that your entry will be included in the contest.
Submit product according to the following requirements per category:
Ice Cream Flavors and Novelties:
- Send the equivalent of at least one (1) gallon of ice cream per category entry.
- Ice cream MUST be in an unmarked container, except for the lid.
- For ice cream novelties, send at least thirty-six (36) pieces for each entry.
- Novelties should use plain wrappers, if possible.
- The lid or the outside of the novelty box MUST have the company name and the flavor.
Cultured Milk, Yogurt, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese, and Dips:
-
Send enough product so that 200 individuals may sample the submission.
-
For example, if your product is a 6-10 oz. container, send 40 containers; if it is a 16-32 oz. container, send 20 containers.
-
If the cultured dairy product is submitted in the original retail containers, the product will be placed in individual portion cups for the contest.
-
Be sure to pack the shipment well, wrapping each container in bubble wrap or paper to help protect it from damage during the extreme cold temperature of the dry ice.
The box MUST be clearly marked as follows:
- Ice Cream Flavors and Novelties: “Must Be Kept Frozen” and “IDFA Ice Cream Contest”.
- Cultured Milk, Yogurt, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese, and Dips: “Must Be Refrigerated” and “IDFA Product Contest”.
A shipping label will be provided. Complete and attach the label to your shipment. Once the product is shipped, email vpender@idfa.org with the following information:
- Tracking number(s)
- Arrival date
- Number of boxes and approximate size and weight of shipment
- Submission name and product type
- Company contact attending the conference
Hotel Information
Fort Lauderdale Marriot Harbor Beach Resort & Spa
Address: 3030 Holiday Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33316
You may make your hotel reservations online or directly with the hotel by calling 954-525-4000 or 1-800-222-6543. When calling, please refer to IDFA to receive the special rate of $349 per night plus a daily resort amenity package of $20 and applicable taxes. The deadline to secure a room is March 10, 2025 or until the room block sells out. We have reserved a large block of rooms, but once the room block is full, we cannot guarantee that additional space will be available. Hotel reservations can be canceled up to twenty-four (24) hours prior to arrival without fees. If complete cancelation of an individual reservation takes place within twenty-four (24) hours of the scheduled arrival, a cancellation fee equal to one (1) night room and tax will be charged by the hotel.
Registration
Registration fees are based on your company’s IDFA membership status. For more information about membership, please email membership@idfa.org.
Q: Registration Substitutions
Registration is non-transferable from one company to another; however, substitutions within companies are welcome at any time. Please email registrar@idfa.org if you would like to make a registration substitution.
Q: Registration Cancellation Policy
Registration cancellations received in writing will be accepted prior to March 4, 2025 for a full refund, minus a $75 processing fee. Cancellations received after March 4, 2025, will be eligible for a 50 percent refund, less the processing fee. Your registration fee is non-refundable after March 18, 2025. Substitutions may be made without penalty. All cancellations and substitutions must be received in writing at registrar@idfa.org.
Q: News Media
Credentialed members of the news media are welcome to register at a special rate by contacting ajerome@idfa.org. News media must present credentials to qualify.
Questions: If you have questions or need assistance with the registration process, please contact IDFA at (202) 737-4332 or registrar@idfa.org.
Sponsorships
The Ice Cream & Cultured Innovation Conference delivers great value and offers an opportunity to engage with more top-level decision-makers than ever before – including executives, plant managers, regulatory compliance personnel, product development specialists, research and development professionals, quality assurance staff, plant engineers, and operations personnel. Sponsorship is one of the best ways to brand your organization as a thought leader and to highlight your commitment to advancing the dairy industry. IDFA offers a variety of sponsorship opportunities. Please contact lgold@idfa.org for more information.
