Agenda

Twelve early-stage companies with pioneering technologies and business models will compete for two $10,000 prizes. Each company will have four minutes to pitch and three minutes for Q&A with a panel of investors. Two winners will be selected: one by our panel of investors and other by audience vote.

Twelve early-stage companies with pioneering technologies and business models will compete for two $10,000 prizes. Each company will have four minutes to pitch and three minutes for Q&A with a panel of investors. Two winners will be selected: one by our panel of investors and other by audience vote.

This session will feature presentations from businesses that are developing cutting-edge technologies to streamline fulfillment and transportation at grocery and CPG companies. The founder and/or CEO from each company will outline the challenges of inefficient warehousing and shipping, then each speaker will then demonstrate how his or her company's technology can help brands and grocery retailers optimize these aspects of the supply chain.

This Track Keynote will feature the co-founder of a cutting-edge technology company whose solution is helping brands and grocery retailers source food that is produced or enhanced in novel ways. He will outline how new developments are changing the way food is grown and handled and will demonstrate how his company's technology can help brands and grocery retailers provide customers with new food options.

This Track Keynote will feature the CEO of a cutting-edge technology company whose solution is helping grocery retailers source food that is enhanced in novel ways. He will outline how new developments are changing the way food is grown and handled and demonstrate how his company's technology can help grocery retailers extend the shelf life of fresh produce.

Technologies such as blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) are fundamentally transforming the food supply chain by making it more transparent and safe. By facilitating data sharing between disparate players in the food supply chain, blockchain makes it possible to trace food's origin all the way back to the farm in a matter of seconds and ensures that the information at each leg of the journey is authentic. As a result, retailers can vastly improve their ability to manage food recalls and prevent fraud. IoT, on the other hand, helps track freshness by continuously monitoring factors such as temperature as the food moves through the supply chain and issuing alerts that can help reduce spoilage. In this session, forward-thinking retailers, CPG companies and startups will discuss how they are utilizing the latest advances in these technologies.

Forward-thinking CPG brands and grocery retailers are exploring ways to optimize their products and packaging for home delivery. Some of the strategies they’ve adopted include (1) investing in sustainable packaging to limit the amount of waste they produce, (2) investing in solutions that keep fresh or frozen food at the appropriate temperature for extended periods of time, and (3) designing lighter products that are less expensive to ship. In this session, CPG brands and grocery retailers will discuss the changes they’re making to products and packaging to address shoppers’ sensitivity to the environment, cut unnecessary costs and keep food safe.

A wide variety of groundbreaking technologies are transforming how retailers operate, from optimizing their stores to creating more accurate forecast models. Some of the most forward-thinking retailers are deploying robots in their stores to keep track of on-shelf inventory; others are using artificial intelligence (AI) or store sensors to take into account a large number of variables that are likely to impact demand. In this session, leading retailers and startups will share learnings from the deployment of emerging technology solutions that are helping them minimize overstocks and out of stocks.

Moving products from the point of production to the point of sale is complex. Products change hands repeatedly and each leg of the journey requires extensive decision-making and coordination. New technologies are enabling greater visibility and control in the supply chain: sensors help track inventory in real time during transit, cloud-based transportation management platforms allow players to collaborate and share information, and AI-based solutions help optimize the path from the manufacturer. Emerging platforms are also enabling farm-to-fridge food deliveries thereby vastly improving speed and cutting waste. In this session, investors from leading venture capital firms will discuss new solutions that are helping brands and retailers cut lead times and minimize out of stocks.

Consumers increasingly expect faster delivery and a range of delivery options--last-mile fulfillment therefore continues to be one of the most rapidly evolving aspects of the retail supply chain. In this track keynote, a renowned startup will share how its technology is revolutionizing the last mile for grocery retail.

In the second half of this session, leading retailers and startups will share how they are pursuing new grocery delivery options, including one- or two-hour delivery timeframes and in-home deliveries. The speakers will discuss the investment in technology, people and partnerships that retailers need to make in order to provide more enhanced delivery offerings.

Pickup has rapidly become a popular delivery alternative for shoppers and retailers alike, as it reduces the need for retailers to fulfill pricey home deliveries while providing customers with the option to collect products shortly after placing an order. Forward-thinking retailers are exploring options that range from designated pickup stations in stores to curbside and drive-through collection. Join us to hear leading retailers and startups share their experiences in implementing these initiatives and discuss some of the operational and technology challenges they face in rolling them out at scale.

Today's supply chain is rife with inefficiencies and inaccurate information--the result is that each player has to hold safety stock, creating waste at almost every part of the supply chain. Additionally, CPG companies have launched a wide range of new SKUs to address new consumer preferences, leaving them and retailers with large amounts of unsold inventory. This workshop will explore the various new models and technology solutions that can help minimize shrink in the supply chain as well as help retailers cost-effectively dispose of unsold products before they expire.