Sri Artham founded Hooray Foods in 2019 with the ambition of turning back climate change by displacing pigs from our food system, starting with their first product, a plant-based bacon that sizzles. Sri’s worked in sustainable food systems for 15 years now, including several years leading the Consumer Packaged Goods team at Fair Trade. He also runs his neighborhood farmers market with two of his neighbors as a fun side-project.

Claire is in charge of the syndicated content for Datassential's ReportPro. She's been part of the Datassential team for over a decade. When she applied for her role at Datassential her cover letter stated “I am not only passionate about market research and data analysis, but have a love for all things culinary. I enjoy dining out, cooking in, and introducing people to new foods.” which holds true today. Datassential's tools are her happy place and a job that allows her to spend all day finding new food trends and playing with data is a true dream come true. She has a BS in Decision Science and a BA in Hispanic Studies from Carnegie Mellon University. She was a flexitarian before that was a phrase, is a hobby veggie gardener, and mom to two budding foodies.

Lisa Feria, CEO and managing partner, Stray Dog Capital, one of the most prolific and well-recognized venture capital funds in the plant-based market. With more than 45 investments in the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Israel, and New Zealand, Stray Dog Capital invests in early-stage food, food-tech, and biotech companies that will transform our food system. Lisa brings more than 20 years of experience in food operations and consumer packaged goods and led billion-dollar brands in multinational companies such as Procter & Gamble and General Mills.

Ross Mackay is the CEO and founder of Daring, the leading plant-based chicken brand on a mission to remove chicken from the global food system. Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, Ross always kept a strict diet of high protein, low calorie foods as a former competitive tennis player. He became vegan over ten years ago, after a fellow athlete “dared” him to try a vegan diet for a week to discover if there was a positive impact on his performance (hence the name Daring Foods). After struggling for years to find a minimally processed vegan alternative with recognizable ingredients, Ross set out to create a plant-based chicken that rivaled the animal-based counterpart in taste, texture and accessibility, while contributing to a more healthful world. After years of product development alongside researchers and food scientists in the UK, Ross launched Daring Foods in the US in early 2020. In 2021, he closed Series A-C funding, raising more than $120M from high-profile investors like Founders Fund, D1 Capital Partners, Maveron, Palm Tree Crew, Drake and Naomi Osaka, and rapidly expanded the brand’s national retail distribution from 200 to 11,000+ stores. Ross continues to position Daring for significant growth through retail expansion, as well as the brand’s national direct-to-consumer platform, new restaurant partnerships, innovative product launches, and more. Since its inception in 2018, Daring has been named an honoree on Fast Company's World Changing Ideas list, and in 2021, Ross was recognized as a Food & Beverage innovator by Forbes 30-Under-30.

Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, LLC, which provides customized research and marketing strategies with a specialty in food retailing. Working closely with retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and trade associations, Anne-Marie has developed an excellent perspective on the ever-changing wants and needs of the grocery shopper in a one-size-fits-no-one world. She understands the challenges and opportunities in the food, and particularly the meat, business today as well as the drivers of success tomorrow. Prior to founding 210 Analytics, Anne-Marie was responsible for all research efforts at FMI. Anne-Marie authored the Power of Meat study on behalf of NAMI and FMI along with monthly meat and meat alternative performance reports and similar studies in bakery, produce, deli prepared, frozen, candy and other categories.

Elizabeth has more than 10 years of experience as a regulatory and business reporter for trade press. She covers the food and beverage industries, including innovation, start-ups, health, wellness, nutrition, FDA and dietary supplements.