IFFI Masterclass | Route to Market

Name: IFFI Masterclass | Route to Market
Start: 2026-03-25T09:30:00+01:00
End: 2026-03-26T12:00:00+01:00

The IFFI Route to Market network event opens with a day full of inspiration, with a lecture of private label specialist Koen de Jong. On the second day participants visit a food company that has successfully built its route to market through private label solutions. This event brings industry professionals together for strategic insights and real-life inspiration on building strong retailer partnerships and successful private label solutions.

25 March 2026 | 09:30 - 26 March 2026 | 12:00

Securing Your Seat at the Retail Table is a IFFI Route to Market event designed to help ingredient suppliers strengthen their relevance and value proposition for food retailers in a rapidly changing retail landscape.

During the first day of this masterclass event, Koen de Jong, private label specialist, will share his knowlegde.

On the second day, participants visit a food company (members only) that has successfully built its route to market through private label solutions.

Overall, the event combines strategic insight with real-life inspiration, helping participants understand how to build stronger retailer partnerships and develop propositions retailers cannot ignore.

What’s in it for me?

As a participant, you will:

Understand how retailers think, assess value and select suppliers
Learn the language of retail and consumers, enabling more effective collaboration
Anticipate key consumer and retail trends shaping the next five years
Identify marketing strategies that actually drive behaviour, not just awareness
Gain practical private label insights from a company that has successfully built its route to market
Strengthen your position with retailers, moving from interchangeable supplier to strategic partner

In short, this event helps you secure a stronger seat at the retail table by turning insight, innovation and collaboration into commercial impact.

ABOUT

Route to market

Securing Your Seat at the Retail Table

In a rapidly evolving food retail landscape, ingredient suppliers must do more than innovate; they must clearly demonstrate where and how they create value for retailers. Speaking the same language, understanding consumer and retailer priorities, and knowing how to stand out has become essential.

The IFFI Route to Market event opens with an inspiring day with a lecture of private label specialist Koen de Jong. During this interactive session, participants will gain insight into:

– How retailers assess supplier value and differentiation
– The consumer and retailer trends that will shape food categories over the next five years
– Which marketing strategies genuinely drive behavioural change—and which do not

On the second day, participants will visit a food company (for members only) that has successfully built its route to market through private label solutions. This behind-the-scenes visit offers a practical perspective on:
– Translating consumer and retailer insights into scalable private label propositions
– Collaborating effectively with retailers to become indispensable rather than interchangeable
– Turning innovation into commercial success within a private label context

This event brings industry professionals together for strategic insights and real-life inspiration on building strong retailer partnerships and successful private label solutions. Participants will explore the consumer and retail trends shaping the next five years, discover which marketing strategies truly drive behavioural change, and learn how to translate insights into propositions retailers cannot ignore.

PROGRAM

Opening

09:30 – 10:00 hrs
Walk in and registration

10:00 – 10:10
Welcome by Halbe Vogel – IFFI

10:10 – 10:40 hrs
Introduction ‘Private Label’ by Koen de Jong – IPLC

10:40 – 10:55 hrs
Workshop 1: “What is your position within the value chain, and what value proposition do you offer? What are the key sensitivities within the process? What learnings, bottlenecks, and successes have been identified?”

10:55 – 11:15 hrs
Plenaire feedback

11:15 – 11:30 hrs
Break

11:30 – 12:15 hrs
Workshop 2: “How do you create value within the value chain, and how is this value monetized? What are the practical experiences and pitfalls in practice?”

12:15 – 12:45 hrs
Plenaire feedback

Lunch

13:00 – 14:00 hrs

13:45 – 14:30 hrs

Keynote lecture

Ways to influence the Request for Tender (RFT) process, including timing, key arguments, and practical experience.

Koen de Jong

14:30 – 15:15 hrs
Workshop 3: “How do you ensure that your value proposition does not erode and remains sustainable?”

15:15 – 15:30
Break

15:30 – 16:00 hrs
Plenaire feedback

16:00 – 16:30 hrs
Summary and closing remarks by Koen de Jong – IPLC

16:30 – 16:40 hrs
Closing by Halbe Vogel

Diner

16:40 hrs

Day 2

09:00 – 09:30 hrs
Walk in and registration

09:30 – 10:00
Welcome and introduction – to be announced

10:00- 10:45 hrs
Presentation ‘Providing long term value instead of short term costs’ by …… – Private Label Producer

10:45 – 11:00 hrs
Break

11:00 – 12:00
Tour de factory – Private Label Producer (to be announced)

12:00 hrs
Closing by Halbe Vogel

SPEAKERS

Koen de Jong – IPLC

Koen de Jong is a private label strategy consultant specialising in the strategic governance and long-term development of private label within the retail ecosystem. His work focuses on the role of private label as a strategic asset in retail competitiveness, value creation and structural differentiation across the value chain. He advises retailers and upstream partners on the strategic deployment of private label in increasingly complex and mature markets. Drawing on deep expertise in retail economics, consumer behaviour, category management and value chain dynamics, Koen translates structural market trends into coherent strategic frameworks and decision-making models.