The retail industry has undergone unprecedented change over the last 5 years, driven in large part by e-commerce, eater demand for convenience & better products, & narrowing margins. Now, Amazons $13.7 billion dollar acquisition of Whole Foods is forcing retailers & brands to innovate even faster.
Is the future of retail online? What role will bricks & mortar play? How do we increase accessibility to underserved communities? Are meal kits a fad? How do we support small emerging brands? What will it take to cater to the rapidly evolving needs of modern eaters?
Join us to hear from some of the game-changing startups who are changing the way we shop for food at our October Food+Tech Meetup. Founders will do a deep dive into their business & technology models, challenges & lessons learned. We will also have networking with the community & lots of great emerging food & drink startups to sample including Haven's Kitchen,Rise Brewing Co, Bon Harvest, The Brooklyn Kitchen, Yumami+ More!
SAMPLE YOUR PRODUCTS
Do you have an innovative food or beverage product you would like to showcase? We have a few openings for food partners to sample products. Apply to sample here!
SCHEDULE:
6:30 - 7:15pm: Networking
7:30 - 9:00pm: Presentations + Q&A
9:00 - 9:30pm: Networking
CONFIRMED PRESENTERS:
(Virtual Presentation) Gunnar Lovelace, co-founder & co-CEO of Thrive Market
Thrive Market is a membership e-commerce platform on a mission to make the world's best organic & non-GMO products accessible & affordable for everyone. For $60 per year, Thrive Market members get access to their favorite healthy groceries & non-toxic cleaning supplies at 2550% of retail price, shipped directly to their home. For every paid membership we donate a free membership to low-income family, teacher, veteran or student through Thrive Gives. Our members also donate portions of their savings to help offset the purchases of Thrive Gives members through free grocery credits.
Josh Hix, co-founder & CEO of Plated
Plated is on a mission to create a world where healthy, delicious, affordable food is available to everyone by applying technology to how food is grown, distributed, prepared & consumed. Plated recently partnered with Albertsons to increase its reach to 35 million US households & to accelerate its ability to impact the broader food system.
Trevor Sumner, CEO of PERCH
PERCH was founded with a transformational vision for the physical retail industry By overlaying digital experiences on top of physical products, retailers & brands can enrich the shopping experience, drive remarkable 30-80% product sales lift & surprise & delight their customers. The future of retail marketing is physically aware displays that sense what customers are doing, what products they are touching & deliver the right marketing message at the right point of the journey. With clients such as Kate Spade, Estee Lauder, Fossil, Neiman Marcus, Petco & Sunglass Hut & deployments in 20 countries across 5 continents - the future of retail is now.
Yuni Sameshima, CEO & co-founder, Chicory
Chicory is a technology company based in NYC that uses artificial intelligence to create digital grocery experiences.In 2014, Chicory launched its core product, the "Get Ingredients" button, which allows consumers to get to online recipe ingredients delivered from various grocers & retailers.Today, Chicory reaches approximately 65 million unique monthly users & has partnered with companies like Peapod, Time & General Mills International to lay the groundwork for the future of grocery.
Amanda Hesser, CEO & co-founder, Food52
A few years ago, we set out to bring cooks together from all over to exchange recipes & ideas & to support each other in the kitchen.Together we create cookbooks, take on food projects, help others with our real-time food Q&Athe Food52 Hotlineand support local food producers.We launched our shop in 2013 to bring like-minded makers & artisans together with all of us, & to celebrate their goods & crafts. Because great food isn't just about ingredients, it's about everything that makes a meal.
HOST:
We are a leading national law firm intensely devoted to our clients success & deeply committed to our core values. We have built a reputation for pursuing every matter with creativity & passion. Our industry knowledge, entrepreneurial drive & proven commitment to our communities deliver a different & better law firm experience to our clients. We focus on building long-standing relationships & anticipating our clients needs, rather than responding to them. Working side-by-side with our clients, we serve not only as attorneys, but as trusted advisors.
SPONSORS:
Rabobank is an international bank providing sector expertise, strategic counsel & tailored financial solutions to clients across the entire food value chain. Rabobanks Banking for Food Startup Innovation Team fosters the worlds most pioneering & bold food & agriculture startups. From farm-to-fork, Startup Innovation Team understands how critical innovation is to solving fractures in the food supply, a key focus of Rabobanks Banking for Foodstrategy. Additional information about Rabobank is available on our website. For more information about B4F Innovation Startup initiatives please visit TERRAand FoodBytes!.
Like our namesake borough, the Brooklyn Brewery is made up of a rich collection of characters from all over the world. In our Williamsburg home, these characters are dedicated to brewing & selling great beer & enriching the communities we serve. Together, these Brooklyners have assembled the skills needed to transform a home brewing hobby into an independent brewery with a brand that has become an international beacon for good beer.
