Food and Drink Federation Scotland (FDF Scotland), in collaboration with Food Standards Scotland (FSS), has announced ‘Celebrating Innovation and Reformulation for Health,’ a free conference set to take place on 12 March at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.
The event is designed for food and drink manufacturers, industry professionals, and stakeholders interested in addressing public health needs, regulatory changes, and consumer trends. The conference will feature keynote speeches from Jenni Minto MSP, Scotland’s Minister for Public Health, and Gary Maclean, the National Chef of Scotland, who will discuss the importance of reformulation in improving the nation’s health.
Attendees will have the opportunity to network with industry leaders, solution providers, and peers to explore the latest trends and innovations in food and drink reformulation. Practical advice will be provided by organisations such as Kantar, the Knowledge Bank, FSS, and FDF Scotland. Ingredients suppliers, sensory analysis providers and academic services will offer guidance on creating healthier products without compromising taste or quality. The event will also showcase successful reformulation efforts by some of Scotland’s most well-known brands, highlighting how small changes can significantly impact public health.
FDF Scotland’s Reformulation for Health programme, funded by the Scottish Government, will be a focal point of the event. The programme supports businesses in aligning their products with eight key principles of reformulation, including reducing salt, sugar, fat, and calories; increasing fruit, vegetables, and fibre; improving consumer information; and replacing ingredients with healthier alternatives. Attendees will also gain insights into future policy and legislation, such as restrictions on promoting foods high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) and the implementation of the Good Food Nation Act.
Joanne Burns, Reformulation for Health Manager at FDF Scotland, commented: “While many Scottish businesses are already leading the way in developing new recipes and modifying well-loved food and drink products to create healthier options for consumers, it can also be hard to get started on the reformulation journey.
“The day is not just about reformulation and innovation but also about collaboration as we can’t do it alone. With this event, we’ll be bringing together industry experts, regulators, and businesses to share advice, the latest news, and new legislation to help even more of Scotland’s best-loved brands to make their products healthier.”
Laura Wilson, Head of Public Health Nutrition at FSS, added: “Reformulation to improve the nutritional content of commonly consumed food and drinks is essential in supporting a healthier food environment in Scotland. That is why we are supporting this vital programme with practical and tangible help for Scotland’s food and drink sector to rise to the challenge and help improve the health of people living in Scotland.”
The event will run from 9.30am to 3.30pm on 12 March 2025 at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. Registration is free and open to food and drink manufacturers, industry professionals, and anyone interested in public dietary health and reformulation.
