The summit will provide attendees with the chance to speak to Ocean Spray representatives, download information, network with other attendees and hear from expert speakers, the company said.
Two speakers are scheduled to make presentations at the event: Lee Linthicum, head of food research at Euromonitor International and Jeffrey Blumberg, senior scientist and director at the Antioxidant Research Laboratory, at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts. The presentations will be followed by live Q&A sessions.
Global senior marketing manager for Ocean Spray’s Ingredient Technology Group Kristen Borsari said: “The Cranberry World Summit is our answer to the economic downturn. We know companies are spending less on travel, so this is the opportunity for manufacturers and others from around the world to visit us, browse our product range and ask us questions on anything from harvesting techniques to cranberry applications and health research.”
She added that attendees will be able to speak with the company’s R&D, sales, marketing and scientific staff online and that there is a private chat facility, so people can search for and connect with colleagues and contacts in a virtual networking lounge.
Borsari told FoodNavigator-USA.com that the virtual summit was driven by “ease of participation…in a way that’s fun, low-pressure and low key.”
“It’s a tactic that has been used in other industries but to the best of our knowledge it hasn’t been used in food ingredients – certainly not in cranberries – and we wanted to try it out. If it goes well, it’s definitely something we’d do again,” she said.
Interested food industry members can find more information or register for the event at www.cranberryworldsummit.com.