EC meeting – Resilient companies

Name: EC meeting – Resilient companies
Start: 2025-09-03T00:00:00+02:00
End: 2025-09-05T23:59:59+02:00
Location: Crown Plaza Zürich

Executive Council Meeting – EC members only

3 September 2025 - 5 September 2025

ABOUT

Executive Council meeting

The second Executive Council (EC) meeting will be a two-day event held in Zürich, Switzerland, featuring visits to the innovation facilities of Bühler—one of the leading technology providers in the food ingredients industry—and Planted, a trailblazer in alternative protein solutions located in Kemptthal. These site visits will offer unique insights into how innovation is shaping the future of sustainable food production.

This event aligns with the 2025 IFFI program theme, Sustainable Business, Resilient Companies, which emphasizes leveraging innovation to generate sustainable business value.

The program is designed to support food ingredient manufacturers in building a sustainable competitive advantage and evolving into truly resilient organizations. From the perspectives of food technology, ingredients, and products, EC members will explore both the successes and challenges of strategies that respond to global economic dynamics and evolving consumer trends.

Key questions will guide the discussions:

Which technologies will enable carbon-neutral production of food ingredients?
What innovation capabilities are essential for long-term resilience and success in this sector?
How adaptable must innovation strategies be to keep pace with shifting global consumer demands and changing time-to-market expectations?

Executive Insights: Leveraging Innovation for Long-Term Resilience

This inspiring two-day experience is tailored for Executive Council members seeking to understand how innovation can drive value creation and resilience in the food ingredients industry. Senior leaders from hosting companies will share their innovation strategies and the rationale behind their investments aimed at building long-term resilience.

PROGRAM

Wednesday to Friday, 3-5 September 2025

Wednesday, 3 September
Venue: Crowne Plaza Zürich

16:00 – 17:00 hrs Walk-in, registration & drinks

17:00 – 18:30 hrs Opening & IFFI update by Dirk Lodewijk, IFFI

19:00 – 22:30 hrs Dinner @ Razzia.

22:30 – 23:30 hrs Networking

Thursday, 4 September
Venue: Bühler, Uzwil

07:30 – 09:00 hrs Travel by bus to Bühler Uzwil

09:00 – 09:15 hrs Welcome and introduction by Stefan Birrer, Bühler

09:15 – 09:45 hrs Keynote: sustainability as a business advantage by Vivienne Angeli, Bühler

09:45 – 12:00 hrs Tour Application Center

12:00 – 13:00 hrs Lunch

13:00 – 14:30 hrs Breakout Sessions

Group 1: Innovations in sustainable food production

Group 2: The role of digital twins & AI in reducing environmental impact

Group 3: Sustainable logistics & material efficiency

14:30 – 16:00 hrs Roundtable: How B2B companies can future-proof their business

16:00 – 16:30 hrs Wrap-up & Conclusion

16:30 – 17:30 hrs Travel by bus to Crowne Plaza Zürich

17:30 – 18:30 hrs Drinks @ Crowne Plaza

19:00 – 22:00 hrs Dinner @ DAR

Friday, 5 September
Venue: The Valley, Kemptthal

08:00 – 09:00 hrs Travel by bus to The Valley

09:00 – 10:30 hrs Visit of The Food Valley of Innovation (former Maggi)

10:30 – 12:00 hrs Visit of The Cultured Hub (excelling cultured food to market)

12:00 – 13:30 hrs Visit of Planted Foods (including lunch)

13:30 – 13:45 hrs Closing by Dirk Lodewijk, IFFI

SPEAKERS

Stefan Birrer
Managing Director, Bühler Group

Stefan Birrer is the Managing Director of Milling Solutions at Bühler Group, with over three decades of international experience in the food processing and milling industry. His journey began in his family’s flour mill in Switzerland and continued through formal training at the Swiss Milling School. Since joining Bühler in 1991, Stefan has held leadership roles across Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific, driving innovation, modernization, and sustainable growth. He played a key role in launching Bühler’s Grain Innovation Center and the new Milling Academy, with a strong focus on digital transformation, food safety, and sustainability.

Vivienne Angeli
Head of Business Segment Pulses, Bühler Group

Expert in the pulse and alternative protein sector, Vivienne leads Bühler’s global pulses business, driving innovation and market growth. Educated at RWTH Aachen University, she brings a strong technical and strategic background to her role. Vivienne is active in industry forums, including panelist duties on Innovation & Technology at Pulses 25. Spearheaded key sustainability initiatives like Bühler’s CO₂ emissions quantification across value chains.

Rudolf Hofer
Head of Grain Innovation Centre, Bühler Group

Rudolf Hofer leads Bühler’s Grain Innovation Center in Uzwil, where he oversees R&D and process development for grain and pulse processing. With a background in food technology and engineering, he brings a holistic view of the food value chain, focusing on innovation, sustainability, and versatility in raw materials. Under his leadership, the GIC has become a key hub for testing and developing next-generation processing solutions.