Track 1: Manufacturing & Technology Education Session

9:30 am – 10:00 am
Leveraging Constraints to Drive ROI
Caroline Sheehy
Brand Manager, Claussen Pickles, Kraft Heinz

In a post-pandemic world, CPG companies have been experiencing inflationary pressures that are forcing Brands to get creative with limited resources. Like many functions, marketing budgets are coming under increased scrutiny. This means marketing teams need to prove their value through increasingly creative and innovative approaches to spend, campaigns and strategy. Knowing this, Claussen Pickles partnered with Spritz Society - an influencer-founded sparkling cocktail brand - to launch a first of its kind Pickle flavored wine spritz. The first drop sold out in under 72 hours and, over 600 million impressions later, the collaboration was so popular that it is now available year-round in a new, bigger can! While inflation adds another layer of complexity to an already fractured marketing environment, it does offer teams two very clear wins: the opportunity to innovate and the opportunity to leverage data to create efficient use of their marketing budgets.

10:00 am – 10:30 am
Unlocking PR’s True Potential: Driving High-Growth Brands with Strategic Earned Engagement
Catherine Merritt
Spool Marketing

Public Relations (PR) is often overshadowed in the marketing mix, but its role in driving brand growth is critical and frequently underestimated. This talk will demystify PR and its profound impact on high-growth brands, highlighting how it can transition upper-funnel awareness into consideration, purchase, and loyalty. Catherine Merritt, founder and CEO of Spool—named "Disruptive Agency of the Year"—will be sharing insights from her 20+ year career in the food and CPG industry and her experience as a limited partner in several consumer-focused VCs.

Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of PR’s strategic importance, learning how to collaborate with PR agencies and teams to work smarter, not harder for maximum impact. It will explore setting the right goals, moving beyond vanity metrics, and leveraging earned media coverage to fuel sustainable growth. Discover actionable strategies for maximizing PR's impact and driving your brand's success.

10:30 am – 11:00 am
How Manufacturers and Retailers are Addressing the Value Seeking Consumer
Richard Bode
CEO & Managing Partner, Cadent Consulting

Richard’s presentation will include consumer, manufacturer and retailer trends on pricing, volume, definitions of value, how retailers and manufacturers are working to grow via tactics such as promotions, bulk sizes and digital media.  Richard Bode has been working in the consumer packaged goods industry for over 20 years.  He began his career in the early 2000’s at Cannondale Associates, now part of Kantar Retail, which primarily focused on helping manufacturer clients partner more effectively with their retail customers in areas such as category management, trade plans and distribution expansion.  Richard then worked at Kraft Foods for six years in various operating roles in the Cheese & Dairy division.  He joined Cadent Consulting Group in 2014 soon after its inception and is now CEO and a Managing Partner.  Similar to Cannondale Associates, Cadent’s key services include retail strategy and growth plans for manufacturer clients.  Richard brings considerable expertise in how consumer and shopper trends impact manufacturers and retailers.  His clients range from challenger brands to large cap, publicly traded manufacturers.

11:00 am – 11:30 am
Tank Yard Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment
Donald W. Schaffner, Ph.D.
Department Chair, Distinguished Professor, Extension Specialist, Department of Food Science, Rutgers University

Cucumbers may be desalted after fermentation and removal from brine storage, before being finished into various products. While these processes have a long history of safe use, concerns have been raised about the potential microbiological risks associated with fermented cucumbers during and after the desalting process. Dr. Schaffner will provide a brief introduction to the topic of quantitative microbial risk assessment for beginners. He will also explain how this technique can be used to assess and manage food safety risks in the tank yard environment.

11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Regulatory Developments Affecting Pickled Vegetable Manufacturers
Martin Hahn, J.D.
PPI Legal Counsel, Hogan Lovells

Hear PPI Legal Counsel Martin Hahn (Hogan Lovells) provide updates on regulatory matters affecting pickled vegetable manufacturers. This presentation will include an update on PPI position papers on common FDA regulatory questions.

Track 2: Agricultural Research and Education Session

9:30 am – 10:00 am
Cucurbit Downy Mildew: Pathogen Surveillance and Disease Management
Lina M. Quesada-Ocampo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Vegetable Pathology Specialist, North Carolina State University

Dr. Lina Quesada was born in Bogota, Colombia. She obtained B. Sc. degrees in Microbiology and Biology at Universidad de Los Andes and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Michigan State University. Dr. Quesada is currently a Professor, University Faculty Scholar, and Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology at NC State University. Dr. Quesada integrates genomics and molecular plant pathology into a research and extension program focused on diseases of vegetable crops.

10:00 am – 10:30 am
Specialty Crop Entomology
Ashley Leach, PhD
Assistant Professor, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University

Dr Leach is broadly interested in optimizing agricultural production systems, including understanding the biology and ecology of these systems and the pest management tactics that can improve their efficiency. (In short, I help kill the bugs that eat your food.) Before I started my time in research, I was in the field working with growers to optimize agricultural production. As a scout and consultant, I helped growers create effective integrated pest management programs for their farm. But this isn’t just a professional goal but a personal one. I grew up in a region where tree fruit production had a massive impact on the cultural tapestry of our community. These experiences in agriculture have shaped my current interests and motivations as an applied entomologist specializing in pest management. I am always looking for new collaborations in agricultural research and extension.

10:30 am – 11:00 am
Sustainable Agriculture: From Marketing to Measurable Progress
Kenny Fahey
President & CEO, Leading Harvest

Leading Harvest provides educational programs and independently audited certification standards to improve sustainability outcomes and create transparency in agriculture.

Sustainable agriculture initiatives are often reduced to splashy headlines and telling nice stories about individual farmers. Brands typically lack an understanding of the complexity and diversity of supply chains, and the potential for measurable impact across these entities. This has led to fragmented sustainability reporting structures and an overall lack of progress on the sector's ambitious sustainability goals. A holistic management-system approach to pursuing sustainability can accelerate brands' impact and progress toward more sustainable outcomes.

The nonprofit Leading Harvest offers a single, clear, and consistent farmland management standard that is applicable across every crop and geography, reducing confusion and administrative burdens while harmonizing the crowded landscape of sustainability certifications. With one universally applicable, third-party audited standard, the organization is cultivating trust and alignment across the entire value chain, from farm to retailer, to accelerate global agricultural sustainability. Although a relatively new organization, over 3 million acres are certified to the Leading Harvest Standard. Leading Harvest’s founding supporters include Nestle, John Deere, and Nutrien, while companies like Lamb Weston, Constellation Brands, and UBS have enrolled significant acres in the program.

11:00 am – 11:30 am
Phytophthora on peppers and pickling cucumbers 
Mary K. Hausbeck. Ph.D.
University Distinguished Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University

Dr. Mary K. Hausbeck is a University Distinguished Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University. She has worked at Michigan State University since 1990 and has statewide extension and research responsibilities in plant pathology of vegetables, greenhouse ornamentals, ginseng, and hop.  Her current research emphasis includes downy mildews and Phytophthora spp.  Her overall program goal is to develop novel and integrated disease management strategies for growers and to train graduate students in plant pathology.

11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Blue Book Services – Helping Feed America for over 100 Years
Lacey Scotthennen
Senior Vice President of Sales and Customer Success, Blue Book Services

Join Lacey Scotthennen, Blue Book’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Customer Success, to learn how Blue Book Services can help you manage business risks, connect with trusted suppliers and buyers, and grow your pickle business. Discover how Blue Book’s market insights, credit ratings, and industry connections can give you a competitive edge and ensure your success from farm to table in the ever-evolving produce market. Don't miss this opportunity to strengthen your business and take advantage of all that Blue Book Services has to offer!

Lacey Scotthennen serves as Senior Vice President of Sales and Customer Success. Lacey has decades of experience in every facet of the sales process including direct sales, sales operations, sales process simplification, sales automation, post sales implementation, financial management, and customer service. Lacey earned her BA in Financial Management from the University of Saint Thomas and her MBA in Finance and Strategic Management from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.