What Would Synlait Be Worth to Fonterra or a2 Milk?
Speculation of a possible joint move by Fonterra and a2 Milk to buy Synlait raises a much bigger strategic question, says agribusiness expert Dr Nic Lees.
The overarching theme of the conference is the future of food innovation, nutrition, and technology, which will bring together more than 250 scientists, government officials, and industry representatives from more than 50 countries around the globe.
The conference also celebrates the 50-year anniversary of the International Journal of Food Science and Technology (IJFST) – one of the oldest and most established journals in food science and technology in the world.
The conference theme is a highly relevant one, with food science and technology expected to play an increasingly important role in addressing current and future challenges in food production.
A large and rapidly growing global population, deteriorating agricultural soils, increasing demand for water resources, and the need to rapidly modify production methods based on climate change are all providing a serious challenge to the field of food science.
According to Lincoln University professor in food science, editor-in-chief of IJFST, and conference chairman, Charles Brennan, the event is a unique opportunity to facilitate an information exchange that brings together industry, universities, and research centres.
"The mix of those attending should allow for some good dialogue between both industry and research, which is tremendously important to ensure that tangible and workable projects are undertaken, the right kind of issues are addressed, and new opportunities are identified," Brennan says.
"The conference will also provide a great opportunity to showcase the pivotal role New Zealand plays in the area of food science and product innovation."
"The fact that the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has chosen to be a major sponsor of the event indicates the importance of innovation within the global food industry and the relevance of food processing to the New Zealand economy as a whole."
The conference will see more than 200 oral and poster presentations over the three days.
Further details on the conference are available at www.lincoln.ac.nz/IJFST50.
