Discover emerging technologies, see future trends and meet the professionals that are shaping the pet food landscape at Petfood Forum. The Pet Food Tech Talk Stage showcases the latest products and capabilities from suppliers and innovators assisting pet food companies worldwide.
Pet Food Tech Talks were among the most-well attended sessions in 2022 with many presentations at standing-room only. In 2023, we’ve expanded the program to add even more sessions providing attendees with maximum opportunities to see what’s next in pet food technologies.
Tuesday, May 2
9:50 a.m. | NorthWind Technical Services | Presenter: Ryan Grier
>> Improving quality through automation — Is your automation system helping improve the quality of your product? What data should you be monitoring to ensure process changes can be implemented early, preventing material waste? NorthWind’s Ryan Grier dives into how automation can improve your overall product quality. From setting tolerances and tracking ingredients to on screen quality checks and automatic reporting, this presentation will lead you through the extrusion line highlighting quality control features.
10:05 a.m. | Chr. Hansen | Presenter: Marcial Guevara, DVM, PhD.
>> Evidence-based approach to guide your probiotic choice — We will discuss why not all probiotics are the same, the science behind selecting a good probiotic, and aspects to consider when selecting a probiotic for your product
10:20 a.m. | Schenck Process | Presenters: Alan Harmon and Madhan Ramalingam, Director, Digital Technology
>> Digital Workflow using CONiQ® Assist — Improve productivity and efficiency for our customers through CONiQ® Assist by offering live video and audio technical service and curated step-by-step workflows to help maintain, inspect, troubleshoot and repair their equipment.
10:35 a.m. | ProMach | Presenter: Troy Snader
>> Compostable/Recyclable materials and machinery compatibility: Updated choices and options — Green initiatives continue to permeate the pet care industry. Are you aware of the most recent developments in materials and machinery, both retrofits, new machinery, and packaging options to make this happen? Join us as we walk through the options and trends when considering how you package your products
10:50 a.m. | Oterra | Presenter: Ashlee Martin
>> Why natural color in pet food matters? — Visual appeal of pet food is driving the humanization trend. Consumers treat their pets like one of the family and want to provide them pet food and treats that have clean labels. Learn about the factors leading to this trend and how to be on target with your products to meet pet parent’s demands.
11:05 a.m. | Parker Freeze Dry | Presenter: Matt Graunke, sales & marketing manager
>> Introduction to commercial freeze drying in the pet food industry — A brief overview of the “why & how” of commercial freeze drying in the pet food industry. We will cover freeze drying basics, best practices, and discuss new equipment offerings.
11:20 a.m. | Zinpro Corporation | Presenter: Dr. Allison Millican
>> Unlock the power of Zinpro Performance Minerals for improved coat quality — Discover the role of trace minerals in feline coat quality. Learn how Zinpro Performance Minerals provide superior nutrition to unlock the full potential of companion animals to feel and look their best; realize the power of Nutrition You Can See.
11:35 a.m. | Gray Solutions | Presenters: Adam Richards, Food Safety Engineer and Alan Stanfill, Director of Digital Transformation
>> Predictive analysis: Smart data, healthy pets — Machine downtime, quality issues and inventory concerns are operational challenges that can cripple manufacturer profit margins and impact the quality of your pet food, introducing reputational risk. A reactive approach is a risky one especially when it comes to the four-legged family members. Predictive analysis solutions allow manufacturers to make informed decisions faster, often providing the insight needed to address the problem before there is one. In this session, we’ll talk about how predictive analysis or centralized ‘smart’ data can give you peace of mind and competitive advantage by creating operational efficiency, improving quality control and mitigating risk.
Wednesday, May 3
9:50 a.m. | Phileo | Presenter: Rodolphe RABOT, DVM
>> A billion beneficial gut bugs for a healthy cat and happy parent — Attendees will learn how it is possible to provide adequate amounts of a new generation of yeast probiotic (Actisaf SC50 Pet) on a premium dry cat food through its entire shelf life, and make sure that cat parents perceive digestive health improvement over a few weeks of supplementation.
10:05 a.m. | GEA | Presenter: Morten Woldsted Pedersen
>> Freeze drying of pet food — Introduction to latest advances in freeze drying technology that’s being applied to pet food at pilot and industrial scale. Also a look at the energy consumption and the potential improvement in drying time.
10:20 a.m. | Kerry | Presenter: Nooshin Moradi and Erin Klipstein
>> Protecting and perfecting pet food: A science-backed approach — Humanization continues to be a driving force in the pet industry as consumers demand products that are more human-like for their furry family members. Kerry, a leading innovative human taste and nutrition company, specializes in bringing humanization to the pet segment across a wide portfolio of solutions made by nature, but rooted in science. During this tech talk you will learn how to translate key trends in human food into your pet food, treats and supplements portfolio including delivering on emerging need states, such as digestive health and immune health, while also maintaining product quality over shelf-life with clean label preservation technologies (focusing on susceptible – higher moisture products). Grow your brand in this era of humanization by protecting and perfecting pet food with a science-backed approach with accelerated shelf life tools.
10:35 a.m. | Format Solutions Inc. | Presenter: Ian Mealey
>> New opportunities: Advances in formulation technology for pet food — There are so many things to consider when formulating pet food. Issues such as ingredient quality, cost and supply chain fluctuation compete with priorities in designing and manufacturing quality, consistent products. This presentation discusses how recent advances in formulation technology can help you develop quality recipes whilst considering real-world complexity.
10:50 a.m. | Buhler | Presenter: Michael Cheng, PhD.
>> Automation: The brains behind precision and profits in pet food production – As pet food manufacturers realize that higher precision in their production equals higher profits, automation is quickly becoming the star of the show. This presentation will cover the current advancements in automation focused on bringing greater efficiency and control to pet food production, improving margins and protecting brand value.
11:05 a.m. | IFF | Presenter: Jordon Gruber, PhD., animal health technical leader
>> Microbiome from mom – Why the early microbiome is essential for pet health and nutrition — As young animals adapt to nutrient sources and coordinate their own microbiome development, the role of mom and environment microbiomes have profound effects in maintaining the healthy microbiome system – and in turn – returning key nutrients and energy back to the animal. Over this critical window, microbiome transfer and stability turn into systems-level effects across the developing gastrointestinal tissue and immune system maturation.
