Why scaling plant-based and alternative proteins now depends on cross-industry collaboration
Under this year’s guiding theme, ‘Beyond the Hype: Resilient Systems, Cross-Industry Alliances’, the New Food Conference 2026 brings together leading minds from the food industry, retail, agriculture, investment, and politics. Together, these stakeholders will explore how cross-sector collaboration can help transform the plant-based and alternative protein space from an emerging startup ecosystem into a mature, resilient industry. The specialist conference, organized by food awareness organization ProVeg International, will take place on 25 August 2026 at the former Gasometer on the EUREF Campus in Berlin.
- Date: 25 August 2026
- Time: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm + Networking Evening
- Location: Berlin, EUREF Campus, Gasometer
- Conference Language: English
The conference program bundles the value chain into three thematic pillars:
- ‘Volumes & Scale’ highlights how retailers are anchoring plant-based shopping routines and manufacturing companies are overcoming systemic barriers to scaling.
- ‘Health, Technology & Taste’ focuses on the profitable production of ‘Plant-based 2.0’, and how modern health debates are shaping consumer behavior.
- ‘Protein Sovereignty’ provides the strategic framework for turning supply chain crises into growth opportunities through tailored contracts and targeted management.
As this year’s main sponsor, Lidl in Germany is facilitating this cross-industry exchange. The discounter actively promotes plant-based alternatives by offering price advantages and strategically expanding its product range.
In impulse sessions, keynotes, and panel discussions, speakers including Denise Blömers, Miriam Überall, Mark Evans, Patricia Rishi Sundstrom, and Prof. Dr. Peter Feindt will provide insights into crucial stages of the value chain.
Market penetration and corporate reality
Across several high-performing categories, private-label plant-based products at entry-level price points are now often cheaper than their animal-based equivalents. As price gaps narrow, retailers are shifting their focus from affordability alone to long-term category normalization and profitability. Retail expert Denise Blömers from YouGov will explore how consumer purchasing behavior is evolving and how alternative proteins are increasingly securing their place in the mainstream market.
Meeting growing demand, however, requires production at industrial scale. Miriam Überall of Bain & Company and PeakBridge VC argues that the greatest barrier to scaling plant-based innovation is often not the product itself, but organizational resistance to change. Drawing on more than 20 years of R&D experience at companies including Unilever and Kraft Heinz, she will discuss how businesses can overcome internal bottlenecks and convert innovation ambitions into commercially viable, large-scale production.
Technology, profitability, and health
The next generation of alternative protein products will only achieve widespread adoption if it delivers both commercial viability and sustainable margins. Mark Evans, CEO of Upp Farm, will bring this perspective to a panel discussion on shaping the next wave of product innovation. As the sector matures, success will depend on developing products that meet consumer expectations on taste and affordability from the outset.
The program will also explore how evolving health priorities are influencing food choices, from emerging insights in longevity research to the growing impact of GLP-1 receptor agonists, commonly known as weight-loss medications.
Stable supply chains and policy frameworks
Resilient supply chains start at farm level. Yet scaling protein diversification is often constrained by limited financial certainty for farmers and insufficient infrastructure linking agricultural production with the market. In a panel discussion on cultivation contracts, Patricia Rishi Sundstrom, CEO of the Farm Adaptation Network and former regenerative farmer, will examine how smarter procurement models can help bridge this gap.
Long-term growth also depends on a stable policy environment. To ensure that geopolitical disruption and unfair competition do not undermine investment and industrial development, Europe needs a predictable regulatory framework that provides long-term certainty for businesses. Prof. Dr. Peter Feindt of the Scientific Advisory Board on Agricultural Policy, Food and Consumer Health Protection (WBAE) at the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture will present the board’s latest recommendations for strengthening Europe’s alternative protein sector during the European policy panel.
Tickets and the full conference program are available here.
– ENDS –
Contact details for press officers:
ProVeg International: Gemma Chapman | Advocacy Communications Manager | [email protected]
Editor’s notes
- To attend: Please register to attend by 18 August 2026. For daily media outlets, short-notice registration is available upon request. Accredited media representatives will receive timely access to the digital press kit ahead of the conference.
- About the New Food Conference: The New Food Conference is a leading international specialist conference for plant-based and alternative proteins. Since 2019, the event, hosted by ProVeg International in Berlin, has connected executives from the food industry, retail, politics, agriculture, and investment to pave the way for sustainable industry solutions. Under the guiding theme “Beyond the Hype: Resilient Systems, Cross-Industry Alliances”, the 2026 platform is dedicated to the next phase of growth, demonstrating how companies can build resilient value chains and scale the sector into an established industrial branch. The conference is held in English. new-food-conference.com
- About ProVeg International: Our vision is a world where the food we eat is good for all people, animals, and our planet. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable global food system by making plant-rich foods and alternative proteins more accessible and appealing.
