BEANCON22 Draws in Big Crowd to Learn About the Latest in Beans

Live from Mexico, BeanCon22!

USDBC is celebrating the conclusion of another successful BeanCon global buyers event, with the wrap of BeanCon22 held as a hybrid conference online and in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Close to 300 attendees participated in the diverse sessions online and over 45 attended in person. Additionally, almost 120 one on one personal business meetings took place virtually in addition to networking conducted on-site in Mexico. This year’s BeanCon agenda reflected a mix of pertinent production data, advances in innovation and bean ingredients, and numerous real-time policy issues of concern including logistical and supply chain issues, EU’s regulatory and food system proposals, and sustainability.

The BeanCon22 agenda was crafted to reflect a year full of unexpected challenges and new developments for U.S. dry beans as well as present exciting advances in bean innovation. Over the last year, dry beans have continued to capture the global spotlight as a unique sustainably produced healthy plant-based food that can fit into any diet. Dan Buettner, the founder of Blue Zones, opened the conference on a very high note stating that beans are the only real superfood. We will certainly relish that designation as we continue to craft global strategies to increase the consumption of US dry beans. The event touched on some of the production challenges facing the industry further complicated by ongoing shipping and supply chain logistical complications. Dr. Greg Thoma from the University of Arkansas’ Resiliency Center presented exciting data on the Dry Bean Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) showing how and why dry beans are ‘sustainable.’ Dr. Silke Boger from the EU’s delegation to the U.S. emphasized the importance of the US/EU trade relationship and Dr. Juan Salinas and Chef JuanMa Barrientos showed us the amazing ways that bean ingredients can be used to make some of the most delicious and healthy food you can eat. Thank you to our partners at USDA/FAS for continuing to support this critical global event helping us to elevate beans worldwide and to our industry sponsors, The Manchester Company, Steele and Co., Kelley Bean, and Bush Bros. Over the next weeks, we will be producing more concrete data on the impact of BeanCon22 but we were left inspired and excited by the opportunities and are looking forward to BeanCon23.