Young IFFI Event | Food in Mind

Name: Young IFFI Event | Food in Mind
Start: 2026-05-19T00:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-05-19T23:59:59+02:00
Location: KNVB Campus

Discover how personal development and industry insight come together at the Young IFFI Event 2026. This inspiring one-day event ‘Food in Mind’ is designed for young professionals and students who want to grow their impact in the food ingredients industry.

19 May 2026

Young IFFI Event – Food in Mind

This year, the Young IFFI Event takes place at the inspiring KNVB Campus, where health, movement, teamwork and continuous improvement come together.

Theme 1: Personal Performance
Turn insight into action. Explore how you manage focus, energy and pressure and how to strengthen your own sustainable performance. Former atlete Gregory Sedoc will share his compelling story about his success, the challenges, disappointments, and mental obstacles he had to overcome.

Theme 2: The Gut–Brain Axis
Discover how the gut and brain communicate, what science tells us about stress, nutrition and the microbiome, and what this means for innovation in the ingredients industry.

From science to self. From microbiome to mindset.
Join us for a dynamic day where Food in Mind connects biology, innovation and personal growth.

ABOUT

Young IFFI Event | Food in Mind

From Gut–Brain Science to Personal Performance

This year, the Young IFFI Event takes place at the inspiring KNVB Campus in Zeist, a place where health, movement, teamwork and continuous improvement are at the core.

The theme of the day: Food in Mind.

Part 1: Personal Development in Practice

How do you perform under pressure? How do you manage energy, focus and decision-making in demanding environments? And how can you strengthen your own sustainable performance? Former atlete Gregory Sedoc will share his compelling story about his success, the challenges, disappointments, and mental obstacles he had to overcome.

Through interactive and hands-on formats, we’ll connect biological insight to personal effectiveness, because understanding the system only matters if you can apply it.

Part 2: The Gut–Brain Axis
How do the gut and brain communicate? What role do stress, nutrition and the microbiome play in mental performance? And what does this mean for innovation in the ingredients industry?

Expect evidence-based insights, practical translation, and interactive sessions where you’ll explore how gut–brain science connects to your professional world.

Why this setting?

At the KNVB Campus, home of Dutch elite football, the focus is on becoming better every day. The perfect environment to explore how nutrition, mindset and performance come together.

Join fellow young professionals for a day of learning, connection and inspiration and discover how Food in Mind shapes both innovation and personal growth.

PROGRAM

Walk-in and registration

09:30 – 10:00 hrs

Welcome

by moderator Marte Schuurmans

10:00 – 10:05 hrs

Opening

by Thijs van de Water, Young IFFI

10:05 – 10:10 hrs

Keynote lecture ‘From Startblock to Spotlight: Energy & Focus under Pressure’

by Former athlete, analyst and speaker Gregory Sedoc

10:10 – 11:00 hrs

Read an interview with Gregory here

Break

11:00 – 11:15 hrs

Break-out sessions

11:15 – 12:15 hrs

‘Energy & Focus under Pressure’

Amber Overmeer, Talent Manager EMEA, ADM

Performance & recovery

Esmé Smulders, Global Manager Talent, Interfood

We often talk about performance, productivity and resilience, but not enough about recovery during the day.

In this break out sessions, we will explore how you as young professionals can better understand their own energy through the metaphor of five batteries: physical, mental, purpose, work and home. Not from the perspective of stress management, but from the perspective of sustainable recovery and awareness.

We will explore what you need to recharge during the workday, how employers can facilitate healthier rhythms and environments, and why open dialogue about energy and recovery matters for both wellbeing and performance.

Two questions:

When you reflect on your study or workdays, which situations seem to give you energy and which ones drain it most? And which “battery” do you recognize in that?
What could recovery during the workday realistically look like for you, and what role could employers play in supporting that?

Forum discussion (plenary)

12:20 – 12:45 hrs

Practical dilemma decision-making & boundaries
Translation to own work/study practice

Moderated by Marte Schuurmans

Lunch

12:45 – 13:30 hrs

Keynote ‘The Gut–Brain Axis: How Nutrition Drives Brain Health and Resilience’

by Prof. Kerensa Broersen, WUR

13:30 – 14:00 hrs

Keynote ‘How Protein Shapes Healthy Ageing’

by Pol Grootswagers PhD, WUR

14:00 – 14:30 hrs

Break

14:30 – 14:45 hrs

Break-out sessions

14:45 -15:45 hrs

‘From nutritional claim to consumer’

Introduction by Piet Lazeroms, Account Manager, Sensus

Sensus supports product developers and buyers by translating nutritional claims into tangible product concepts, showcasing feasible claims, ingredient applications, and market-inspired prototypes. It highlights how, while not owning consumer insights directly, suppliers can still guide innovation by offering actionable options aligned with emerging product directions and perceived consumer needs.

More info about Piet and the break out session, here.

‘From nutritional value to food application’

Introduction by Marjoleine Bartels-Arntz, Technical Sales Specialist, FrieslandCampina

FrieslandCampina explores how protein’s nutritional value translates from raw ingredient to real-world applications in premium segments such as infant, sports, and clinical nutrition, including the challenges of preserving that value during processing and consumption. Participants will work in teams on two live cases, collaboratively developing solutions to shared industry challenges presented during the session.

‘From food ingredient to nutritional claim’’

Introduction by Maaike Bruins, Lead Scientist Nutrition, dsm- firmenich

Participants develop a concrete food or beverage concept focused on mental health, choosing between “energy & focus” or “relaxation & stress resilience” as the central consumer need. Each group translates insights on nutrients and brain function into a substantiated product idea, including a clear target audience, use occasion, and compliant (EU) health claim wording.

Read more about Maaike’s introduction here

Forum discussion (plenary)

15:50 – 16:20 hrs

How do we turn complex nutrition science into real, effective products?

Wrap-up (plenary)

16:20 – 16:25 hrs

Personal takeaway: 1 concrete action

Closing

by Thijs van de Water, Young IFFI

16:25 – 16:30 hrs

Bites & Drinks

16:30 – 18:00 hrs

SPEAKERS

Gregory Sedoc, former atlete, analist and speaker

Graceful like a cheetah, Gregory Sedoc sprinted over hurdles for many years, a journey that took him to the Olympic Games three times. What he overcame on and off the track cannot be contained in a single backpack of experiences. The highest hurdles included a one-year suspension from competition, an injury at the following Olympic Games in London in 2012, and the depression that filled the black void afterward. Gregory regrouped and rediscovered his passion on the track, bringing the circle to a close.

The little boy who, when he missed the bus home, would run from his primary school at Olympiaplein all the way home, eventually ended his impressive career at the 2016 European Championships on home ground, in the Olympic Stadium.

Today, he hosts his own television program Sportlab Sedoc, in which he explores the world of elite sports, and he is a highly regarded analyst for NOS. In his inspiring presentations, he touches on a wide range of themes, including vitality, innovation, and data.

Marjoleine Bartels-Arntz, Manager Technical Sales Specialist FrieslandCampina Ingredients

Marjoleine Bartels-Arntz is a seasoned expert in the dairy and ingredients industry, currently serving as Manager Technical Sales Specialist at FrieslandCampina Ingredients. Operating from the Innovation Centre in Wageningen—the heart of the Dutch “Food Valley”—she acts as a vital bridge between technical product innovation and commercial application.With extensive experience in the functional properties of milk proteins and whey derivatives, Marjoleine advises global clients on how to optimize ingredient performance in diverse food applications. Her expertise lies in translating complex technical specifications into value-driven solutions for product developers and manufacturers.

Maaike Bruins, Lead Scientist Nutrition, dsm-firmenich

Maaike Bruins is a senior scientist in Nutrition at DSM Nutritional Products in Switzerland. She obtained her PhD in Nutrition at the University of Maastricht in The Netherlands. She has over 20 years of experience in food industry research, addressing both overnutrition and undernutrition through innovation. In the last 10 years she has focused on nutrition solutions to narrow the nutrient deficiency gaps in vulnerable populations. She has been working in different public and private partnerships, aiming to enhance food and nutrition security. Her interests cover early life nutrition, the double burden of malnutrition, and health economic modelling.

Prof. Kerensa Broersen, PhD
Chair of Nutritional Biology at Wageningen University & Research (WUR)

Kerensa Broersen (Hoorn, 1975) studied Nutrition and Dietetics at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and earned her Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Management from the University of Huddersfield (UK). She obtained her PhD at Wageningen University & Research within the Food Chemistry chair group.

Following postdoctoral positions in Cambridge and Brussels, she established her own research line at the University of Twente, where she was appointed Professor in 2024. As of April 1, 2026, Professor Broersen holds the Chair of Nutritional Biology at WUR’s Department of Human Nutrition and Health, succeeding Renger Witkamp.

Piet Lazeroms, Sales Manager at Sensus

Piet Lazeroms serves as a Sales Manager at Sensus, a member of the Royal Cosun group based in Roosendaal. In this capacity, he is responsible for managing client relationships and advising food manufacturers on the application of functional ingredients, specifically inulin and oligofructose derived from chicory roots.

His work focuses on supporting projects related to sugar and fat reduction, as well as prebiotic fiber enrichment and gut health across various sectors including bakery, dairy, and functional foods confectionery.

Representing Sensus and its product lines, Frutafit® and Frutalose®, he also represents the company at industry events and trade fairs, focusing specifically on the food ingredients market in the Benelux and Central Eastern European regions.

Pol Grootwagers, PhD, WUR

Dr. Pol Grootswagers is an Assistant Professor at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) specializing in Nutrition and Ageing. His research focuses on preserving muscle mass and physical function in older adults through optimized protein intake and lifestyle interventions. He is renowned for developing tools like the Meal Protein Quality Score (MPQS) and the Alpha Tool, which evaluate the quality of plant-based diets for seniors. By combining data science with human nutrition, he aims to slow down biological ageing and promote independence. Beyond research, he coordinates master-level courses and serves on the board of the Dutch Society for Research in Ageing.

PARTICIPANTS

Registration

This network meeting is exclusive to:

Young professionals employed by the IFFI member companies
BSc and MSc graduates from food related (HBO/university) studies
Teaching staff at food related educational institutions
Young professionals working at a non-IFFI member company

Costs & participation

For IFFI members, students, graduates and teaching staff, attendance is free of costs
Participation fee for young professionals, working at a non-IFFI member company, an invoice for € 450 ex VAT will be sent.
Participation is subject to final confirmation by the committee

Cancellation
For cancellations received after May 15, an invoice of € 50 will be sent.

Click here for registration!

EVENT INFO

Registration

Click here for registration!

This network meeting is exclusive to:

Young professionals employed by the IFFI member companies
BSc and MSc graduates from food related (HBO/university) studies
Teaching staff at food related educational institutions
Young professionals working at a non-IFFI member company

Costs & participation

For IFFI members, students, graduates and teaching staff, attendance is free of costs
Participation fee for young professionals, working at a non-IFFI member company, an invoice for € 450 ex VAT will be sent.
Participation is subject to final confirmation by the committee

Cancellation
For cancellations received after May 15, an invoice of € 50 will be sent.