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
Location: Inntel Zaandam

The IFFI Masterclass Route to Market opens with a day full of inspiration, a deep dive in the value chain of retail facilitated by Private Label strategist Koen de Jong. On the second day Inga Blokker of FSIN provides the participants with key insights of the food service market. 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

The IFFI Masterclass Route to Market opens with a day full of inspiration, a deep dive in the value chain of retail facilitated by Private Label strategist Koen de Jong. On the second day Inga Blokker of FSIN provides the participants with key insights of the food service market.

This masterclass brings industry professionals together for strategic insights and real-life inspiration on building strong retailer partnerships and successful private label solutions.

What’s in it for me?

As a participant, you will:

Understand how retailers and food service operators think, assess value and select suppliers;
Learn the language of retail, food service operators and consumers, enabling more effective collaboration;
Anticipate key consumer and retail/OOH 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 within the value chain of retail and food service, moving from interchangeable supplier to strategic partner.

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

ABOUT

Route to market

Securing Your Seat at the Retail & Food Service Table

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

The IFFI masterclass Route to Market opens with an inspiring day facilitated by Private Label strategist 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, Inga Blokker of FSIN provides the participants with key insights of the food service market.

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, retail and food service trends shaping the next five years, discover which marketing strategies truly drive behavioural change, and learn how to translate insights into propositions retailers and food service operators cannot ignore.

PROGRAM

Opening

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

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

10:10 – 10:30 hrs
Introduction ‘Private Label’ by Koen de Jong – IPLC

10:30 – 10:45 hrs
Workshop 1: “Where do you position yourself in the value chain, and what is your value proposition?”

10:45 – 11:15 hrs
Plenaire feedback

11:15 – 11:45 hrs
Break

11:45 – 12:30 hrs
Workshop 2: “How do you capture value from your proposition, and who is willing to pay for it?”

12:30 – 13:00 hrs
Plenaire feedback

Lunch

13:00 – 14:00 hrs

14:00 – 14:45 hrs

Keynote lecture

Keynote “The perspective of Private Label Retailing” – speaker to be announced

14:45 – 15:15 hrs

Keynote lecture

“Putting the business in perspective” by Koen de Jong

15:15 – 15:30 hrs
Break

15:45 – 16:30 hrs
Workshop 3: “How do you ensure that your value proposition does not erode and remains sustainable?”

16:30 – 17:00 hrs
Summary and closing remarks by Koen de Jong – IPLC

17:00 – 17:10 hrs
Wrap-up by Halbe Vogel

17:10 – 18:00 hrs
Pre-dinner drinks

Diner

18:00 hrs

Day 2

09:00 – 09:30 hrs

Introduction ‘Food Service’ by Inga Blokker – FSIN

09:30 – 09:45 hrs

Workshop 1: “Workshop 1: “Where do you position yourself in the value chain, and what is your value proposition?”

09:45 – 10:15 hrs
Plenary feedback

10:15 – 11:00 hrs
Workshop 2: “How do you capture value from your proposition, and who is willing to pay for it?”

11:00- 11:30 hrs
Plenary feedback

11:30 – 12:15 hrs
“Putting the business in perspective” by Inga Blokker

12:15 – 12:30
Wrap-up by Halbe Vogel

12:30 – 13:00 hrs

Lunch

13:00 – 13:30 hrs

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.

Inga Blokker – FSIN

Inga Blokker is a senior executive in the Dutch foodservice industry and serves as Director of FoodService Instituut Nederland (FSIN). With a strong background in research and market analysis, she previously led The Food Research Company before succeeding Jan-Willem Grievink as Director of FSIN in 2021.

Under her leadership, FSIN has strengthened its role as an independent knowledge and insight platform for the Dutch foodservice market, providing strategic analysis and trend insights to industry stakeholders.

PARTICIPANTS

This masterclass is for sales, marketing and business development executives and professionals employed by the IFFI member companies as well as non-member manufacturers of food ingredients. They share insights and best practices within the area of retail and food service.

EVENT INFO

IFFI Academy organizes this masterclass for sales, marketing and business development executives and professionals employed by the IFFI affiliating companies as well as non-affiliating manufacturers of food ingredients. They acquire best practice methods and strategic insights within the area of food retail and food service.

Registration

The IFFI masterclass includes lunch, dinner and drinks.
Hotel costs are excluded.

Participants employed by IFFI affiliating companies: participation is covered by the membership fee.
Participants employed by non-affiliating manufacturers of food ingredients: € 1.350,- (excl. VAT); please complete the registration form. After validation, an invoice will be sent.
Registration is open.

Questions regarding this meeting? Contact Marita Mantle-Kloosterboer via marita@iffi.nu.