Event: IFT18 – A Matter of Science + Food, July 15-17, 2018

Why were you there?
The Dayton Region has a strong Food & Agriculture industry (Cargill, Tate & Lyle, Bob Evans, Golden Fresh Farms, BrightFarms, Mama Rosa’s, Conagra Foods, The Fremont Company and many others). There are more than 60 Food & Ag companies employing over 9,500 people in the 12 county Dayton Region.

Who did you meet?    
Justin Farmer and I met with several companies looking to expand their presence. A few of them were international companies wanting to establish a presence in the United States for the first time.

Top 5 things you learned: 

1. The Food & Ag industry has tons of sub-industries. From food technology to supplements to flavoring to brewing to chemistry and more, all were represented at the show.
2. The Food industry is heading in the direction of personal customization to fit each person’s needs. This could lead to more availability of healthier food options
3. If you want to attract attention to your booth, have a former NFL Super Bowl Champion sign and give away footballs.
4. Plant-based food alternatives including meat and pasta, as well as drink enhancers providing additional nutritional supplementation.
5. Make sure to order the Firecracker Shrimp at Howell’s and Hood.

Bonus: Don’t forget to pack your dress shoes!