Speaking Topics

 Format: ​40-50 minute keynote

This program is perfect for:

• Executives in NGOs and non-profits concerned about global hunger
• Food and packaging company leaders who accept the challenge of working together with others to address global hunger 
• Federal, state and local government officials

The "age quake" is coming. By 2030, 34 countries, including the U.S., will have at least 20% of their population older than age 65. While the world's overall population is increasing to 10 billion people in 2050, the birthrate is slowing in every country leaving a shrinking number of young people available to help the aging population. Add this to the fact that with medical and nutritional advances, people are living longer. The global demand for food, water and energy is outpacing the increase in population. By 2050, over half the world's population will face water shortages. And today, 75% of the world's food is generated from only 12 plants and 5 animal species making the global food system highly vulnerable. In this compelling presentation, Dave Donnan presents the undeniable factors making us ask-can we feed the world? He discusses the role politics, demographics and technology play in addressing this critical issue.

Format: ​40-50 minute keynote

This program is perfect for:

• Technology innovators
• Nutritionists, medical researchers, wellness experts
• Food and beverage manufacturers

Our geographic cultures once defined what we ate - from French Quarter beignets to Asian-inspired dumplings to Indian tandoori chicken. Today our food choices define our culture as people, especially Gen Z and millennials, are choosing food life styles like keto, pescatarian, gluten-free and vegan. What's causing this major shift? Our eating and dieting patterns are influenced by mobile technology and artificial intelligence, rising health care costs, peer pressure and social media. Dave Donnan shows how wellness products like performance nutrition and shelf-stable bars are growing significantly while technology tools like wearable fitness trackers and smartphones are the go-to devices for tracking diet, exercise, ingredients, even mood. The days of buying food on price alone are gone as people seek positive health outcomes with every bite.

 Format: ​40-50 minute keynote

This program is perfect for:

• Brand and marketing strategists in food and retail companies
• Food and retail product innovators
• Internet company leaders selling exclusively via ecommerce

What are the forces reshaping mass markets? Now more than ever, consumers are passionate about the food they eat, and their appetites are creating shifts in the marketplace. Viewpoints and products that were once outliers are now mainstream. Food, particularly food with benefits, is seen as key to good health. Free-from segments, fresher food, and greater transparency from food brands and retailers are important to today's consumer, especially millennials. The days of affluence, advertising and scale are giving way to core principles of trust, influence, and personalization. Dave Donnan digs into this phenomenon that's here to stay. Using data from a global study of more than 7000 consumers across seven countries, he explains the shift from affluence to influence arising from unstoppable forces of demographics, changing values, and hyper-connectivity. 

 Format: ​40-50 minute keynote 

This program is perfect for:

• ​Food and beverage manufacturers
• Food product entrepreneurs
• Restaurant managers, owners, chefs or investors
• Delivery and distribution company executives

As the world population shifts to greater urbanization over the next several years, what we eat and how we eat will change commensurately. Imagine drones dropping a boxed dinner on your 20th floor balcony. Or a rooftop garden that can feed families for weeks. Urban trends we know, like food trucks, mobile phone ordering and bicycle meal deliveries, to those that are just gaining traction, like vertical farming, meal preparation kits and commercial kitchens are here to stay. Or are they? Urbanization brings both opportunities and challenges. Dave Donnan explores the landscape and presents a fascinating picture of new technologies and innovations in food production, delivery and consumption. 

 Format: ​40-60 minute moderator panel or keynote

This program is perfect for:

• Executives in NGOs and non-profits concerned about global hunger
• Food and packaging company leaders who accept the challenge of working together with others to address global hunger 
• Federal, state and local government officials
• Business school administrators and educators
• General audiences 

The food processing industry has faced a series of pandemic related hurdles over the last three years from foodservice market shutdowns to labor shortages, increased sanitation and work protocols to shifts in consumption patterns among consumers. On top of these disruptions the industry is facing climate change, more volatile weather patterns and shortages of key resources such as water and labor. The next few years will be a period of reflection on how to make the industry more resilient to disruptions and a more volatile world. Technology and process automation will have a significant impact on the path forward and new industry design. 

During this session David Donnan, an Adjunct Professor of Engineering and Sustainability at Northwestern University will present the impact of industry disruptions, shifts in consumer sentiment and the future of agriculture and food technology in solving the most pressing problems for the industry. He will also share a deeper view of some of the breakthrough technologies as well as a look at the entrepreneurs and innovators in sustainability, and novel food processing that are changing the industry.

 Format: ​40-50 minute keynote 

This program is perfect for:

• ​Business leaders in CPG and food manufacturing companies who are continuously developing products that address the ever-growing need for convenience
• R&D experts in bakery, prepared foods, dairy and snacks
• Food product innovators - small-to-mid-market

Typically, when we think of convenience foods, we think of a microwaved burrito or single-serving pizza. Today that definition is changing dramatically. Dave Donnan presents a new definition of convenience representing the amalgamation of technology and food preparation. From fresh prepared meals at the grocery store to home delivery via UberEats and Grubhub, the availability of fresh, nutritious meals has never been greater. Donnan shows the shift in consumer diets and the implications on the entire food distribution system from grocery and convenience stores to restaurants. It's a fascinating exploration of how we are changing the way we eat our meals at home.

 Format: ​40-60 minute moderator panel or keynote

This program is perfect for:

• Anyone interested in launching a food product
• Food entrepreneurs and startups
• Early stage investors
• Business school administrators and educators
• General audiences 

It seems like everyone has that one idea that is destined to take the food world by storm. Whether it's the latest in jerky, organic baby food or another off-the-charts hot sauce, innovation is key. Today small food startups and entrepreneurs are the new face of innovation in the food industry. 

Even well known brands are launching their own incubators - targeting early stage food and beverage companies that mirror their corporate mission and philosophy. Dave Donnan explores these new sources of innovation and the people behind them. He also assembles a panel of leading food entrepreneurs and startups to talk about their experiences, the good and the not-so-good, as they push forward in a competitive and demanding landscape.