The PMCA Annual Production Conference is a premier technical conference for the confectionery and snack industry. This year’s agenda includes a supplier show, presentations, and breakout sessions on essential and trending topics and lots of networking opportunities. Join the industry from April 17–19, 2023 in Lancaster, PA to connect with friends, colleagues, and new faces. A detailed agenda is available here.
The agenda includes:
Sunday
Join the industry for a casual get-together before the conference, where you can relax and enjoy some sweet conversation and light fare with friends and colleagues.
4:00-5:00 p.m. – Western Regional Networking Reception
5:00-7:00 p.m. – Learn | Connect | Grow Networking Reception (All attendees welcome!)
Monday AM Beyond the Basics Program
The Heat Is On: The Use of Heating and Cooling in Confectionery Production
8:15 a.m.-12:25 p.m.
- The Beyond the Basics program takes attendees on a deeper dive into important aspects of confectionery. This half-day seminar will feature presentations from experienced industry professionals accompanied by live demonstrations and audience tasting samples. Moderator: Abdoulaye Traore, head of cocoa ingredients excellence center, ofi
- Control Your Temper(ature): Best Practices for Handling Chocolate: Jan Schnitgerhans, Senior Process Engineer, Sollich
- Fahrenheit 300: Amorphous & Crystalline Forms in Confections & Specifically High-Boiled Sugars: Nina Puch, Senior Food Scientist Knechtel, Inc.
- The Many Degrees of Caramel: Mike Koch, retired, Sanders & Morley Candy Makers
- The 7-Day Forecast: A Climate for Gummy Manufacturing: Emily Flatau, R&D Manager, Kenny’s Candy & Confections
Monday PM: Supplier Exhibit – 12:30-5:00 p.m.
Hosted Lunch: 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Tuesday AM
Technical Presentations: 8:15-11:50 a.m.
- A Journey to the Center of the Shelf: Regulatory Impacts Along the Way: Kevin N. Boyd, PhD, DABT, Manager, Allergens &Toxicology, The Hershey Company
- Environmental Troubleshooting: Virginia Deibel, PhD, chief scientific officer, Deibel Labs
- How Sweet it is! Formulating with Alternative Sugar Ingredients in Chocolate: Jenna Derhammer, R&D corporate manager—innovation, Blommer Chocolate Company
- Conquering Labor Challenges with Productivity Solutions & Technology: Jason Schmid, chocolate & confectionary market leader, Burns & McDonnell
- Evolution to Revolution: Journey to Global Innovation: Liz Kamei, PhD, director of open innovation & external partnerships/head of Fuji Oil Global Innovation Center Europe, Fuji Vegetable Oil
Lunch: 12:00-1:30 p.m.
Tuesday PM Breakout Sessions: 1:45-4:30 p.m.
Attendees can customize their Tuesday afternoon experience by choosing from six different topics led by experienced industry professionals. Pre-registration is not required. For each session, choose one out of the three topics listed to attend during that time.
SESSION 1 – 1:45-2:30 p.m.
DE&I in Confections & Snacks Part I
Faridah Khan, HR programs specialist, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Trends in Confectionery & Snack
Christine Binner, director, Omni Solutions and Scott Kubik, VP of SMB retail omni portfolio, NielsenIQ
Transforming Sugar Reduced Confections to Satisfy Your Consumer’s Sweet Tooth
JoAnn Fritsche, business development director – sweet goods, taste, & beyond division and Craig Savage, technical program leader – global sugar reduction innovation program, Firmenich
SESSION 2 – 2:45-3:30 p.m.
DE&I in Confections & Snacks Part II
Tory Niceswander, manager ER, DEI, & ESG Programs, The Hershey Company
Complexities of Vanilla
Dan Fox, director of sales, Nielsen-Massey
Transforming Sugar Reduced Confections to Satisfy Your Consumer’s Sweet Tooth
JoAnn Fritsche, business development director – sweet goods, taste, & beyond division and Craig Savage, technical program leader – global sugar reduction innovation program, Firmenich
SESSION 3 – 3:45-4:30 p.m.
Complexities of Vanilla
Dan Fox, director of sales, Nielsen-Massey
Trends in Confectionery & Snack
Christine Binner, director, Omni Solutions and Scott Kubik, VP of SMB retail omni portfolio, NielsenIQ
Charting Flavor Innovation Pathways to Sweet Success in Confections
Lisa Jackson, director of marketing, FlavorSum
Tuesday Dinner and Awards
Theme: Spice the Night Away
Enjoy a cocktail reception followed by a dinner and brief awards ceremony. Afterward, stay for some fun and celebration; attendees will be treated to some spicy surprises. Reception – 6:00 p.m., dinner – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday AM
The Heat Is On: Environmental Pressures on Businesses
9:00 a.m.-12:25 p.m.
In this interactive session, panelists will share their perspectives and learnings on the pressures facing companies to be greener, safer and more sustainable. They will discuss energy efficiency and related costs, microbiological concerns, climate change, and its effect on agriculture and the environmental impacts of packaging. The pressures coming from multiple angles might seem daunting. Companies are responsible for producing safe products; a recall is the last thing anyone wants. Company stakeholders may put pressure on companies to consider impacts to the bottom line. Consumers increasingly expect companies to engage in greener practices and use sustainable packaging. Additionally, the pressure is on for companies to continue producing while cocoa and other commodities grown in certain regions are affected by climate change. Join to discuss how to navigate these challenges with confidence, creativity, and agility.
Moderator: Leigh Horner, vice president, corporate communications & corporate social responsibility, The Hershey Company
Other sessions include:
Micro, Recalls & Environmental Concerns
Virginia Deibel, PhD, chief scientific officer, Deibel Labs
Energy- & Cost-Efficiency in Facilities
Jason Schmid, chocolate & confectionery market leader, Burns & McDonnell
The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture
Ann Vaughan, senior advisor for climate change, Bureau for Resilience and Food Security & Caitlin Corner-Dolloff, senior policy advisor for climate and agriculture, USAID
Clean & Green Packaging
Click here to register for the PMCA conference.
