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BUILD YOUR TOOLKIT

This year, our agenda is packed with even more ways for attendees to walk away with actionable tools and insights. For 2024 we’re helping you build your toolkit with:

  • keynote speakers
  • mentorship workshops
  • breakout sessions
  • hand-on workshops
  • panel sessions

2024 AGENDA

Location: Agri-Food Hub, Lethbridge, AB

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

TOUR ITINERARY

Join us on a tour of the agri-food industry right in the heart of Canada’s Premier Food Corridor. This tour will include stops at three agri-food destinations with customized tours at each stop. Lunch and beverages are included.

12:00 p.m. | Tour Begins | Lethbridge & District Exhibition

Travel to Little Gem Winery

12:30-1:30 p.m. | Tour & Lunch | Little Gem Winery

Cultivating food is in their blood—Little Gem Winery is rooted in three generations of farming in Nobleford, Alberta. Born from the family’s love of haskap berries, the winery transforms them into distinctive wines and ciders. Because great food deserves exceptional wine.

Travel to Prairie Hill Farms

2:00-3:00 p.m. | Tour | Prairie Hill Farms

Prairie Hill Farms Ltd. (PHF), established in 2020 in Picture Butte, Alberta, is a food manufacturing facility specializing in processing a variety of food and beverages. Their core product line includes BBQ sauces, juices, jams, spreads, syrups, and other preserves. The facility also has the capability to freeze-dry and grind haskap berries into powder or package them as whole, sorted, and graded berries sourced from growers in Alberta and Saskatchewan. PHF packages these products in stand-up pouches and sachets and provides co-packing services to other local food manufacturers.

Travel to Lethbridge Polytechnic Greenhouse/ Aquaponics Centre

3:30-4:30 p.m. | Tour | Lethbridge Polytechnic Greenhouse/ Aquaponics Centre

Lethbridge Polytechnic has over 20,000 sq ft of controlled-environment agriculture facilities, including their internationally renowned Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (ACE) and their on-campus research greenhouse, the Centre for Sustainable Food Production (CSFP). Their unique facilities and technical expertise allow them to offer pre-commercial validation opportunities for commercial application and exploration of a variety of integrated food production techniques.

Travel to Lethbridge & District Exhibition

4:45-5:00 p.m. | End Tour | Lethbridge & District Exhibition

*The Pre-Conference Agri-Food Tour is a ticketed event. Click here to get tickets.

Proudly presented by:

Various Locations

As attendees are arriving to Lethbridge, local restaurants will provide discounted meal & drink options for dining options. A great way to connect with your peers and other expo attendees before the official start of the Agri-Food Innovation Expo.

Details on available dining options will be posted below as they are available.

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Agri-Food Hub

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Main Stage

The welcome address will set the tone for the event, highlighting the importance of Agri-Food Innovation Expo and the impact it will have on helping businesses build their toolkit in the agricultural and food industry.

Main Stage

There has been a lot of focus on the price of food and beverages. Cost increases in ingredients, labour, packaging, logistics and other inputs has forced price increases across almost every category. Consumers, retailers and even politicians are focused on the prices they see in grocery stores. Peter will share tactics and strategies to help you get customers and consumers to see the value in the innovation you bring to the market. Innovation costs money and you need to get a return on your investments.

Peter Chapman, SKUFood

Main Stage

Join us for an insightful panel discussion on the transformative topic of sustainability in the agri-food sector. As the world grapples with climate change, resource depletion, and food security challenges, the industry must innovate and adapt. Our expert panelists will explore innovative practices, technologies, and policies shaping the future of sustainable agriculture and food production.

Brett Wills, CarbonOne
Colin Chapdelaine, Whole Leaf (Star Produce Ltd)
Panelist Details Coming Soon!
Panelist Details Coming Soon!
Exhibits Area

Coffee Break, Networking & Exhibits

Breakout Rooms

Breakout 1

Tips on Getting Listed, Making Your Listing Thrive and Growing Your Business at Retail – Jeff Doucette, Field Agent Canada

Breakout 2

Carbon Reporting Best Practices for Agri-Food Brands – Brett Wills, CarbonOne

Breakout 3

Safe Food for Canadians Regulations – Elaine Miller & Gurdip Virk, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Breakout 4

Export Readiness: A Roadmap of Resources for Small Businesses – Rochelle Edwards & Shayne van der Meer, Calgary Economic Development
Exhibits Area

Lunch, Networking & Exhibits

Main Stage

Information on our keynote speaker will be coming soon.

Main Stage

Explore the evolving landscape of marketing in the agri-food industry in this dynamic panel discussion. As consumer preferences shift and digital platforms proliferate, effective marketing strategies are more crucial than ever for connecting with audiences and driving growth. Our panel of marketing experts will discuss emerging trends and best practices for marketing in the agri-food industry.

Tom Harrison, TNT Ecommerce

Panelist Details Coming Soon!

Panelist Details Coming Soon!

Panelist Details Coming Soon!

Exhibits Area

Coffee Break, Networking & Exhibits

Breakout Rooms

These can’t-miss sessions will give you hands on experience, allowing you to walk away with insights, tools or assets that you can immediately integrate into your business.

Workshop 1

From Prime To Pantry: How to Successfully Launch Your Food Brand on Amazon – Tom Harrison, TNT Ecommerce

Workshop 2

Labeling Essentials: Building Compliant Labels for Canadian Markets – Anu Bernier & Danni Kneeland, Food Safety Solutions Inc.

Workshop 3

Cyber Hygiene – Protecting your business, staff, and clients from a cyberattack – Aaron Toplician, TLC Solutions

Workshop 4

HR Strategies for Albertan Employers – Kevin Elder, Food Processing Skills Canada
Exhibits Area

Not sure how to take your business to the next phase? Have an idea that you need a second opinion on? Back by popular demand from 2023, these sessions will give you access to experts in the industry. Get one-on-one feedback to help you take the next step in your business.

Information on our mentors and how you can book your session will be coming soon.

Agri-Food Hub

We’re ending night one of the Agri-Food Innovaiton Expo off by brining the agri-food industry together. The first tool in your toolkit is your network. Here you will have the opportunity to create a deeper connection with like-minded professionals and exchange ideas.

Thursday, November 28, 2024

Agri-Food Hub

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Main Stage

The welcome address will provide attendees with a recap of Agri-Food Innovation Expo day one while highlighting what our guests can expect for the rest of the day.

Main Stage

What Does the Future Hold for Agri-Food?

Jo-Ann McArthur
Nourish Food Marketing

The Nourish 2025 Trend Report will be hot off the press. What trends of the future can you leverage for your business? What blue ocean opportunities still exist from ongoing trends?

Join Jo-Ann as she gives you plenty of food for thought and real-world examples to future-proof and grow your business.

Main Stage

Information on this panel will be coming soon!

Exhibits Area

Coffee Break, Networking & Exhibits

Breakout Rooms

Breakout 1

Details Coming Soon!

Breakout 2

Small is Strong: Turning Size into a Strategic Advantage in Growing your Business – Bryanna Kumpula-Yung.

Breakout 3

Trials and Tribulations of innovation in Consumer Packaged Goods – Shawn Leggett, GroundUp eco-ventures ltd.

Breakout 4

Details Coming Soon!
Exhibits Area

Lunch, Networking & Exhibits

Breakout Rooms
Hand-On Workshops

These can’t-miss sessions will give you hands on experience, allowing you to walk away with insights, tools or assets that you can immediately integrate into your business.

Workshop 1

Branding Workshop

Workshop 2

HR Strategies for Albertan Employers – Kevin Elder, Food Processing Skills Canada

Workshop 3

Safeguarding Food: A Practical Guide to SFCR Traceability – Alyssa Brett & Danni Kneeland, Food Safety Solutions Inc.

Workshop 4

Workshop Details Coming Soon!
Exhibits Area
Mentoring Workshops

Not sure how to take your business to the next phase? Have an idea that you need a second opinion on? Back by popular demand from 2023, these sessions will give you access to experts in the industry. Get one-on-one feedback to help you take the next step in your business.

Information on our mentors and how you can book your session will be coming soon.

Exhibits Area

Coffee Break, Networking & Exhibits

Main Stage

This panel will explore the transformative trends shaping the future of the agri-food industry in Canada. From technology-driven innovations to shifting consumer preferences and the growing importance of food security, our expert panel will discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Join us as we delve into how the agri-food sector is evolving to meet global demands, and what it means for producers, consumers, and stakeholders across the supply chain.

Hubba Khatoon, Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) MODERATOR
Dana Gibson, Alberta Innovates
Michael Poynton, BDC
Panelist Details Coming Soon!
Main Stage

Information on our keynote speaker will be coming soon.

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