Education & EPPS Programs
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Educational Session: NielsenIQ
30 minutes

Tuesday, April 21st | 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Details coming soon

Roundtables
45 minutes

Tuesday, April 21st | 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM
 

1. The Value Equation: Balancing Cost Pressures Without Sacrificing Quality

Focus:

  • How operators are navigating inflation, labor costs, and tighter budgets

  • Reformulation, portion optimization, and smart sourcing strategies

  • Where suppliers can add value beyond price

  • Case studies of cost-saving partnerships that didn’t compromise quality


2. Menu Innovation That Drives Traffic & Participation

Focus:

  • Limited-time offers (LTOs) and seasonal rotations

  • Global flavors and cultural authenticity on campus

  • Data-driven menu decisions

  • Turning trends into operationally executable menu items


3. Convenience Redefined: Meeting the On-the-Go Consumer

Focus:

  • Grab-and-go evolution in foodservice

  • Micro-markets, unattended retail, and frictionless checkout

  • Packaging that supports portability and sustainability

  • How suppliers can design products specifically for campus and retail environments


4. The Protein Shift: Plant-Forward, Functional, and Performance-Based Eating

Focus:

  • Growth of plant-forward and flexitarian demand

  • High-protein, functional, and performance nutrition trends

  • Clean-label protein innovation

  • What operators are actually looking for vs. hype


5. AI, Data & Digital Tools in Foodservice Buying

Focus:

  • How operators are using data to inform purchasing

  • Forecasting, inventory optimization, and waste reduction

  • Supplier data transparency and digital sell sheets

  • Leveraging technology to strengthen buyer-supplier collaboration

Wednesday, April 22, 2026
The BAM Blueprint - Turning Sponsorships into Sales
20 minutes

Wednesday, April 22nd | 8:00 AM - 8:20 AM
 

In a 2026 marketplace saturated with omnichannel noise, the most critical gap for a brand to bridge is the "Last Mile." Traditional awareness is no longer enough; sales velocity is the only victory lane that matters. Join the leadership of Brand Activation Maximizer (BAM) for a strategic masterclass on the BAM Blueprint TM—a proprietary "Sponsorship-to-Sales" architecture designed to transform consumer passion into measurable momentum across every vertical.

Our Blueprint connects high-emotion triggers—such as a NASCAR pit stop or a mobile marketing unit —directly to the professional kitchen and the shopper's countertop.

Kris Parlett, Communications Director
Brand Activation Maximizer, LLC