April 15-17, 2024 | Lancaster County Convention Center, Lancaster, PA
Details will continue to be added as the conference approaches. Program is subject to change at the discretion of PMCA.
Beyond the Basics Seminar:
BEYOND THE BASIC CHOCOLATE BAR
Heritage Ballroom, 3rd Floor
PROGRAM COORDINATORS & CONTRIBUTORS
Beyond the Basics Sub-Committee Lead:
Eric Schmoyer, Barry Callebaut
Beyond the Basics Team
Steven Bernet, Utah State University
Chelsey Castrodale, Clasen Quality Chocolate
Judy Cooley, Global Confection Connections LLC
Bill Copeland, Rare Cacao
Pam Gesford, The Hershey Company
Silvana Martini, Utah State University
Abdoulaye Traore, ofi
Audio/Visual Liaison
Colleen Dommel, The Hershey Company
The Beyond the Basics program takes attendees on a deeper dive into important aspects of confectionery. This half-day seminar will feature presentations from experienced industry professionals accompanied by live demonstrations and audience tasting samples.
7:00 a.m.
Registration
8:15 a.m.
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Steve Genzoli, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company – PMCA President
8:25 a.m.
Student Outreach Program Update
Carly Meck, Account Manager – Technical Sales, Blommer Chocolate Company – Student Outreach Committee Chair
8:35 a.m.
Moderator Welcome & Introduction
Silvana Martini, PhD, Department of Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Science, Utah State University
The opening remarks will provide a basic overview of the topic and highlights of the program to follow.
8:45 a.m.
Chocolate Formulation
Jessica Blackford, Senior Manager Chocolate Product Science, Mars
This presentation is aimed at beginner chocolate technologists, food product developers and even marketing representatives who may need a new chocolate formula for a confection or candy bar. It will cover different aspects a formulator should take into account when creating a new chocolate formula, with a nod to which aspects have the potential to be in conflict with each other and how to make decisions around those tight spots.
9:30 a.m.
Break
9:45 a.m.
Cocoa Bean Traceability, Selection & Quality
Madeline Bills, Innovation Manager, ofi
Turning cocoa beans into chocolate requires several manufacturing steps to create the delicious and decadent products that we love. These production steps have been deeply researched but despite optimization, it is still well known that starting with high-quality cocoa beans is crucial for producing high-quality chocolate. Which leads us to the question of what makes a high quality cocoa bean?
10:30 a.m.
Industrial Chocolate Manufacturing
Ron Schade, Sr. Manager Product Optimization, The Hershey Company
Few people in the confectionery industry get an opportunity to see chocolate being produced on an industrial scale. There are many ways to produce chocolate on a kitchen or benchtop scale, along with many different types of equipment that can be purposed to simulate the full-scale equipment used by industrial manufacturers. In this presentation, we will review the key production equipment utilized to produce different chocolate products from raw materials, as well as methods of controlling key characteristics of chocolate such as color, flavor, fineness and rheology.
11:15 a.m.
Break
11:30 a.m.
Considerations of Packaging, Labeling & Quality Assurance of Bean to Bar Chocolate
David Klein, Operations Manager, Beyond Good
When growing or starting a bean to bar chocolate operation, there is much to consider beyond the making of the chocolate itself. The execution of packaging choices and design, labeling and quality assurance are all critical aspects of a successful operation and need to be carefully planned. In this conversation, we will explore not only how the business model affects management decisions in these areas, but also how they can affect the supply chain. We will also discuss these topics on a more granular level to understand the different approaches that businesses can take in order to best fit their supply chain, manufacturing environment and products to their business model and target market.
12:15 p.m.
Closing Remarks
12:25 p.m.
Adjourn
SUPPLIER EXHIBIT
12:30-5:00 p.m.
Freedom Hall, 1st Floor
FREE EXHIBIT HALL PASSES
All exhibit hall-only passes may be picked up in Freedom Hall Lobby starting at 12:00 p.m. To register for your free passes, visit our attendee registration page.
SUPPLIER EXHIBIT
Freedom Hall • 12:30-5:00pm
PMCA HOSTED LUNCH
Freedom Hall • 12:30-2:00pm
NEW CONFECTIONERS NETWORKING RECEPTION
Freedom Hall • 5:00-5:30pm
Are you a confectioner in business less than 10 years, a new PMCA member or an individual returning to the industry after being away for a while? If so, join us!
WESTERN REGION NETWORKING RECEPTION
Freedom Hall • 5:00-5:30pm
If you’re looking to meet other attendees from this region of the US, join us! Brought to you by the PMCA Western Region Committee.
MAIN RECEPTION
Freedom Hall Lobby • 5:15-6:15pm
Cash/card bar and hors d’oeuvres, all attendees welcome
Supplier Exhibitors
Heritage Ballroom, 3rd Floor
7:30 a.m.
Registration
8:15 a.m.
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Cynthia Angelo, Givaudan Flavors – PMCA Vice President
Moderator
Abdoulaye Traore, Head of Cocoa Ingredients Excellence Center, ofi
8:25 a.m.
Regulatory Update for the Confectionery Industry
Farida Mohamedshah, Sr. Vice President, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, NCA
9:10 a.m.
Food Safety Culture Strengthens Your Brand
Antonio Malaquias, Director of Quality, Lindt & Sprüngli
Food safety culture is the fourth element of FDA’s new approach to food safety for this decade, also known as the New Era of Smarter Food Safety. This new approach is a framework in which technology, education and communication will enable different sectors of the food industry to work harmonically and keep the food supply safe. Understanding how food safety culture fits in the organizational structure is a challenge many are facing. Some professionals are asking how food safety culture is different from the procedures they already have in place, such as GMP, new hire orientation, yearly training, etc. Though it is also a requirement from the Global Food Safety Initiative, many organizations still perceive as this being a quality assurance responsibility and consequently struggle to visualize how much their brand can benefit from such an initiative.
9:55 a.m.
Break
10:10 a.m.
Contaminants & Mitigation in Vegetable Oils & Fats
Adina Creanga, Global Quality & Food Safety Director, AAK Sweden
Fat is an important provider of energy and is the most energy-dense part of our diet. As essential component within food, vegetable oils are used for many food applications such as infant formula, bakery, dairy, chocolates, confectionery and plant-based foods, as well as for special medical purposes and personal care. This presentation will examine the formation of the process contaminants glycidyl esters and 3-MCPD esters as well as mitigation strategies. Current legislation in the EU and limits set for vegetable oils and fats will be covered as well as current discussions to set limits in all food categories and the current approach from FDA.
10:55 a.m.
Unpacking Third-Party Claims: A Manufacturing Perspective
Karina Scheren, PhD, Senior Regulatory Specialist – Regulatory Center of Excellence, The Hershey Company
Welcome to the wonderful world of claims! Try to think of the last time you picked up a product on the shelf and didn’t see some kind of claim. Can’t do it, can ya? So many of our everyday products have a claim (or five) to attract consumers. But what are the impacts of those claims to R&D, supply chain and regulatory? How much behind-the-scenes muscle and team collaboration does it take to bring these claims from a marketer’s pitch during the infancy of a project to a product’s final packaging? What are the repercussions of being out of compliance for these claims? Some of these claims have robust standards defined by the FDA, USDA or a third-party certifying agency. While other claims could have vast interpretations due to the current lack of standardized requirements and standards.
11:40 a.m.
Closing Remarks
Cynthia Angelo, Givaudan Flavors – PMCA Vice President
11:50 a.m.
Adjourn
PMCA Hosted Lunch | Freedom Hall A, 1st Floor
NEW THIS YEAR! More time to recharge and connect with friends, colleagues and new faces
12:00-2:00 p.m.
PMCA Annual Meeting of Members | Hickory Room, 3rd Floor
1:30-2:00 p.m. • Open to all individuals in the PMCA membership
Customize your Tuesday afternoon experience by choosing from six different topics led by experienced industry professionals. Pre-registration is not required.
To facilitate open communication, breakouts will NOT be video or audio recorded. For each session, choose one out of the three topics listed to attend during that time. Each session will last 45 minutes. 15 minutes are allotted to switch to the next session.
SESSION 1 | 2:15-3:00 p.m.
The Chocolate Symphony – Instruments of Taste & Smell
Independence Room, 2nd Floor
Panel: Things Are Getting Gummie!
Heritage Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Confection Perfection with Dried Fruit
Federal Room, 2nd Floor
SESSION 2 | 3:15-4:00 p.m.
The Chocolate Symphony – Instruments of Taste & Smell
Independence Room, 2nd Floor
Panel: Things Are Getting Gummie!
Heritage Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Heavy Metals, Heavy Topic
Federal Room, 2nd Floor
SESSION 3 | 4:15-5:00 p.m.
The Power of Color
Heritage Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Heavy Metals, Heavy Topic
Federal Room, 2nd Floor
Benefits & Successes of a Vertically Integrated Vanilla & Cacao Supply Chain
Independence Room, 2nd Floor
Breakout Descriptions
The Chocolate Symphony – Instruments of Taste & Smell
Cynthia Loi, PMCA/PSU Fellow, The Pennsylvania State University
The perception of sweetness is often enhanced in sugar-reduced products through the addition of “sweet-smelling” aromas. But how do the product-inherent aromas of chocolates affect their tastes? Let’s explore taste-aroma interactions in chocolate during this interactive session where we will discuss insights gained from two research projects and taste chocolate.
Confection Perfection with Dried Fruit
Carrie Taylor, Corporate Chef, Traina Foods
This session will guide the participants through the various opportunities that dried fruit presents in the realm of confections. Attendees will acquire knowledge on the art of pairing chocolate with dried fruit and have the chance to engage in an interactive tasting experience involving both chocolate and dried fruit.
Heavy Metals, Heavy Topic
Tim Ahn, Owner, Breakwater Quality Assurance LLC
Lead and cadmium are heavy metals that have become an issue of concern for the confectionery industry. While lead and cadmium are naturally occurring in certain confectionery ingredients, there is interest with industry stakeholders to identify their source and reduce their level to the lowest feasible. Session attendees will gain an awareness of key litigations concerning lead and cadmium in confections. This includes State of California Proposition 65 litigation involving confectionery products such as chocolate and Mexican style candy.
Panel: Things Are Getting Gummie!
Moderator: Elizabeth Hagerman, Regulatory Specialist, The Hershey Company
Panelists: Emily Flatau, R&D Manager, KLN Family Brands; Michelle Frame, President & Founder, Victus Ars; Tessa Porter, President & Owner, Sprinkk; Nina Puch, Sr. Food Scientist, Knechtel, Inc.
Your gummie creation is not turning out the way you had hoped. You and your team have questions, as your lab recipe is not turning out the way you had thought in production. You wonder what trends and ingredients also cause other people headaches.
Benefits & Successes of a Vertically Integrated Vanilla & Cacao Supply Chain
David Klein, Operations Manager, Beyond Good
It’s a strange thought to consider that a business’s biggest strength or opportunity can also be its greatest challenge. When one visualizes a nearly 100 percent vertically integrated supply chain, that can certainly be the case. The bean to bar and vanilla industries already have their challenges: fluctuation in quality and volumes depending on weather, fermentation quality, product consistency, government regulations overseas, rising freight costs and trust in suppliers to name a few.
The Power of Color
Natalie Myers, Business Development Manager, Colorcon
The confectionery industry is synonymous with exciting, and that’s thanks to color. In this breakout, we’ll explore and discuss the importance of color when it comes to consumer preference and marketing strategies, where we are in regards to color expectations and their sources, the challenges that come with some of those options and a little summary on what regulations are changing for a few hot topic pigments.
Production Conference Annual Dinner
Freedom Hall A, 1st Floor
6:00-6:45pm – Reception, cash/card bar • 7:00-9:00pm – Dinner & Awards
Toastmaster
Steve Genzoli, PMCA President, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Awards Program
Distinguished Service Award
Presented to Ed Wilson, retired, AAK
Award Presentation by Rose Potts, Award Chair, Blommer Chocolate Company
Marie Kelso Memorial Award
Presented to Jenna Derhammer, Blommer Chocolate Company
for the 2023 Conference Presentation “There’s No Sugarcoating It: Formulating with Alternative Sugar Ingredients in Chocolate”
Award Presentation by Sarah Houle, Award Chair, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Dennis L. Zak Education Award
Distribution of the PMCA Candy Bag will immediately follow the awards program. Please bring your blue badge ticket with you to dinner.
Heritage Ballroom, 3rd Floor
8:00 a.m.
Registration
8:30 a.m.
Closing Day Session Remarks
Steve Genzoli, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company – PMCA President
Moderator
Serena Bitzer, Manager – Global Operations Network Design, The Hershey Company
8:40 a.m.
Climate, Confections & Caring
Camille Woods, Sustainability Manager, Blommer Chocolate Company
As climate change increasingly impacts industries reliant on agriculture, the confectionery sector faces unique challenges and opportunities. This session delves into how environmental shifts are affecting key aspects of the industry, from cocoa and sugar sourcing to manufacturing and consumer preferences. We will discuss innovative strategies, best practices for resilience and will reveal actionable insights derived from consumer data. Join us for an enlightening journey to understand how sustainability can drive innovation and growth, and how embracing these changes can lead to a sustainable, thriving future for the confectionery sector.
9:25 a.m.
Formulation Challenges & Solutions in Reduced Sugar Gummies
Jake Walsh, Tech Service Scientist—Food & Beverage Solutions, Tate & Lyle
Partial or full sugar replacement in a pectin or gelatin gummy can be challenging as it can cause lack of set, sweating and many other unacceptable textural characteristics. Even in a well-set gummy, the selection and usage level of fibers, rare sugars and sugar alcohols can impact the overall texture. In addition, while certain ingredients used for sugar reduction can have nominal sweetness, high intensity sweeteners are needed to bring back “sugar-like” levels of sweetness. This presentation will focus on formulation solutions, leveraging fibers and sweeteners that perform well in gummy systems and the impact ingredient selection has on the final product through both sensory and texture analysis.
10:10 a.m.
Break
10:25 a.m.
Chemosensory Function & COVID-19
Elisabeth Weir, Associate Principal Scientist – Flavor Technologist, PepsiCo
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented as one of the most devastating infectious disease outbreaks in a century, causing millions of deaths. Chemosensation is how we sense chemicals around us, by turning signals from our environment into nerve impulses that are interpreted in the brain, leading to the perception of flavor. Smell and taste loss (chemosensory systems) have been identified as predictors of COVID-19 and the effects on the chemosenses can negatively impact quality of life. Due to this, it is essential to assess chemosensory function in individuals with COVID-19. This talk will discuss research on novel data on how oral chemesthesis (the system that allows for sensing chemically induced temperature, pain and vibration), taste and/or orthonasal smell function can all be acutely affected by COVID-19 and will include an interactive tasting exercise displaying the different chemosensory systems.
11:10 a.m.
Key Trends: Challenges & Opportunities
Ricardo Rodriguez, Marketing Manager for Bakery, Snacks & Confections Categories, Ingredion Incorporated
The North American confectionery market is expected to reach a value of USD 62.12 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 2.14% from 2023 to 2028. This growth is being driven by a number of factors, including rising disposable incomes, changing consumer preferences and innovation. This presentation will examine key trends, including but not limited to health and wellness, functional confectionery, and sustainability. It will also look at the challenges and opportunities this market presents. Overall, the North American confectionery market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. Confectionery manufacturers that can adapt to the changing trends and consumer preferences will be well-positioned for success.
11:55 a.m.
Closing Remarks
Steve Genzoli, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company – PMCA President
12:05 p.m.
Adjourn
EVENT SPONSORS
