Three days of inspiration.
See the 2024 event schedule here:
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1:00 p.m. REGISTRATION OPENS
4:00 p.m. GENERAL SESSIONS
A Trends Timeline: 20 years of trends to predict what’s next
Flavor & The Menu’s Trends for 2025 and Beyond
5:30 p.m. FLAVOR EXPERIENCE KICKOFF SHOWCASE
Flavor Experience sponsors being flavor to life with trend-forward tastings
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7:00 a.m. MORNING WELLNESS & EARLY A.M. BITES & SIPS
8:30 a.m. GENERAL SESSIONS
Keynote: Bestselling Author Dan Heath on How to Change What’s Not Working: A framework for getting unstuck and making the changes that matter
Disrupting the Dine: Navigating Shifting Consumer Decisions — Maeve Webster, Menu Matters
10:30 a.m. FLAVOR EXPERIENCE BRUNCH SHOWCASE
Trend-forward food & drink provided by our sponsors
12:00 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Growth Strategies for Brands: An operator panel on marketing campaigns that win
Using AI as Your Creative Copilot — Mike Kostyo, Menu Matters
Flavor & The Menu’s Trends Roundtable #1
Between Two Ferns: A conversation with two industry experts on brand alignment, culinary integrity and craft at scale — Dan Kish and Steven Goldstein
1:00 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSIONS (sessions repeat)
Gen Z Consumer Insights: An interactive tasting to highlight four key behaviors that shape their purchasing decisions
Unlocking Flavor With Cryo-Concentration: A comparative tasting
Tasting Table: An Immersive Journey Exploring Unexpected Flavor Combinations
Ozempic Nation: Understanding Obesity Drugs' Impact on Food & Beverage Behavior — Barb Stuckey, Mattson & Co.
2:00 p.m. FLAVOR BREAK
2:30 p.m. TASTING TOOLBOXES
Fast-paced, interactive and inventive tasting experiences to inspire menu development for tomorrow
3:30 p.m. GENERAL SESSIONS
The Next Big Beverage Trends — Datassential’s Renee Wege
A Non-Alc Case Study: A close look at what’s next in modern flavor building
5 Macro Themes to Grow Your Business in 2025 — David Portalatin, Circana
Calamity as Inspiration: Learning to see food system challenges as opportunities for innovation — Jason Evans, Dean, College of Food Innovation & Technology, Johnson & Wales University
5:30 p.m. FLAVOR EXPERIENCE SHOWCASE
Trend-forward food & drink provided by our sponsors
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7:00 a.m. MORNING WELLNESS & EARLY A.M. BITES & SIPS
9:00 a.m. GENERAL SESSIONS
Craveable Flavors and Viral Trends Through the Lens of a Gen Z Influencer — Jack’s Dining Room
Global Menu Innovation: Operator panel on trends and learnings from abroad
10:30 a.m. FLAVOR EXPERIENCE BRUNCH SHOWCASE
Trend-forward food & drink provided by our sponsors
12:00 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSIONS
C-Store Innovations: A panel discussion on why to the convenience store space is one to watch
Beverage Superstars: Exploring next-level innovation with San Diego standouts
Flavor & The Menu’s Trends Roundtable #2
Operator Panel: Leveraging “Newstalgia” to Revitalize Menus and Attract Gen Z
1:00 p.m. FLAVOR BREAK
1:30 p.m. GENERAL SESSIONS
The Race to the Next Generation: Where should the industry look to drive distinction? — Graham Humphreys & Betty Kaufman, The Culinary Edge
Pioneering the Plate: A Journey to the Future of Flavor— Mike Kostyo, Menu Matters
3:00 p.m. SAN DIEGO FLAVOR EXPERIENCES
A curated tasting tour of North Park
7:00 p.m. FLAVOR WRAP COCKTAIL PARTY
Close out the 2024 Flavor Experience over drinks, light bites and music overlooking the San Diego Bay