WORKSHOPS! An Exciting New Feature

WORKSHOPS! An Exciting New Feature

The goal of BeanCon24 is to inspire participants to take the actions necessary to help us reach the goal of doubling dry bean consumption over the next four years and beyond. This is a big ask but we are committed to this goal. In order to achieve this we need to work all angles including; advocacy, policy change (at various levels), medical and nutritional detail, and the qualities that make dry beans versatile and delicious on their own, as an ingredient in product development, and that plays well with others on the plate. It is critical that we continue to work together and keep building coalitions, amplify our messaging, and share technical information about bean nutrition and how to work with bean ingredients.

In recognition of this next level programming for 2024 and beyond, we have designed day two of Beancon24 to feature a series of targeted workshops. The workshops begin immediately after the one on one business meetings and lunch. These are designed to address some important challenges and opportunities tied directly to increasing dry bean consumption.

Workshop 1

New Product Development with Bean Ingredients – led by Olivia Rhode, ADM and Christine Lopes, Innova Market Insights. At this workshop, Olivia will teach and share technical information on how to use bean ingredients in new product development such as snacks, sweets, breads, pastas, etc. This will include flours, fractionates, and dehydrated product. Christine will be talking about consumer trends and new bean-based products available in the Latin American market.

Workshop 2

Reaching Millennial and Gen Z Consumers via Social Media – led by Amelia Christie-Miller of the trendy Bold Bean Company in the UK, this panel will share ideas and inspiration from influencers and public relations specialists including, Paul Newnham – Beans is How, Max Hellier and Johanna Broomfield of Root The Future, and Alexa Tonkovich of London based public relations firm, LOTUS UK. Examples of campaigns they are running using different social media on bean-related topics globally will be shared. This highly-experienced and passionate panel will be glad to answer questions on what works best and what doesn’t! They have informally titled their workshop, “Tackling Social: navigating the ways we can harness social media to increase bean consumption.”

Workshop 3

Beans Is How Coalition Meeting Led by Beans Is How and UN SDG2 Executive Director Paul Newnham, Beans Is How is a global coalition of a wide spectrum of “beanlievers”, with over 60 coalition members all dedicated to one overarching goal, doubling dry bean consumption by 2028. The coalition meets monthly to discuss results and future events and will hold their February meeting on the sidelines of BeanCon24. All workshop are open to all BeanCon24 attendees and we highly encourage your participation as we take beans to the next level See the full agenda and register at BeanCon24.com