Lobby
Registration and Welcome Reception
September 12 • 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
🥯☕
Food Forward 2025 will take place on September 12th and 13th, 2025, at the St. John's Convention Centre
Select a date to see events.
Centre Stage
Opening Session: Welcome & Land Acknowledgement, Greetings from The Honourable Senator Robert Black & The NL Eats Journey
September 12 • 8:45 AM – 9:10 AM
Centre Stage
Building a Resilient Food Future for NL
September 12 • 9:10 AM – 9:25 AM
Honourable Jamie Korab
Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, Minister of Seniors and Member for Waterford Valley
Centre Stage
Grassroots Food Systems for Better Health Outcomes
September 12 • 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Mystery Furtado
Founder, Diabeat‑It (Canada)
Centre Stage
Food Sovereignty through Indigenous Lens
September 12 • 9:55 AM – 10:10 AM
Jasmine Jesso
Newfoundland Naturals, Newfoundland & Labrador
Centre Stage
Stronger Together: How Community Food Organizations are Leading Change
September 12 • 10:15 AM – 10:55 AM
Mystery Furtado
Founder, Diabeat‑It (Canada)
Dan Rubin
Founding Chair, Food Producers Forum (Canada)
Alison Snow
Chairperson, Food Producers’ Forum
Laura Aguirre Polo
Manager, Amal Unite & Empower
Tom Cho
Writer and editor, Community Food Centres Canada
Maude Parent
Employment Support facilitato, Amal Child and Youth Centre
Lobby
Wellness break
September 12 • 10:55 AM – 11:15 AM
🥯☕
Centre Stage
Circular Food Systems: Turning Surplus into Security
September 12 • 11:25 AM – 11:40 AM
Marie-José Mastromonaco
Directrice des Opérations, Second Harvest
Centre Stage
Greetings from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
September 12 • 11:45 AM – 11:50 AM
Lobby, The Seed Stage, Centre Stage
Lunch, Networking and Exhibitor’s Fair
September 12 • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Centre Stage
Vision to Venture: Entrepreneurial Design Workshop
September 12 • 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Tammy Snook
Founder, Rising Tide Consulting (Newfoundland & Labrador)
Centre Stage
Practical Solutions for Food & Youth Futures
September 12 • 1:40 PM – 2:05 PM
Centre Stage
Joshua Smee
CEO, Food First NL
Jennifer Crowe
Executive Director, Choices for Youth (Canada)
Suman Roy
Chief Executive Officer, Scarborough Food Security Initiative
Centre Stage
Driving Change Through Human-Centered AI
September 12 • 2:10 PM – 2:45 PM
Centre Stage
Mehnaz Tabassum
Co-founder & CEO at CogniCo AI Consulting, Executive Director at NL Eats Community Outreach Inc.
Saif Ahmed
Co-founder & CTO at CogniCo AI Consulting, Chief Data and AI Officer at NL Eats Community Outreach Inc.
Centre Stage
Special Entertainment Feature
September 12 • 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Centre Stage
Centre Stage
Closing Reflections: Moving Food Forward
September 12 • 3:20 PM – 4:00 PM
Centre Stage
Networking Social: Reset at Quidi Vidi Brewery
September 12 • 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Lobby
Registration and Welcome Reception
September 13 • 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
☕🥐
Centre Stage
Leading with Resilience and Bold Action to Reimagine Food Systems
September 13 • 9:10 AM – 9:25 AM
Atif Rashid
Founder, Inspire1 IV Consulting (Canada)
Centre Stage
Shaping Sustainable Food Futures Through Engineering and Community Innovation
September 13 • 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Darlene Spracklin Reid
Assistant Deputy Minister
Centre Stage
Linking AI Innovation with Sustainable Growth in Food Systems
September 13 • 9:55 AM – 10:10 AM
Ujjwal Kumar
Founder, Quantum Alliance (USA)
Centre Stage
Blue Food at the Core of Ocean Resilience and Sustainable Futures
September 13 • 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Kendra MacDonald
Chief Executive Officer, Ocean Supercluster
Lobby
Wellness Break
September 13 • 10:30 AM – 10:40 AM
Centre Stage
Cities as Food Innovators and Climate Champions
September 13 • 10:45 AM – 11:10 AM
Sandra Baer
President, Personal Cities (USA)
Centre Stage
Scaling Smart Farming from Villages to the World
September 13 • 11:15 AM – 11:25 AM
Momodou Barry
Global Ambassador, Human Rights and Peace (Gambia)
Centre Stage
Upcycling Food Processing Discards into Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals
September 13 • 11:30 AM – 11:45 AM
Abu Saeid
Senior Lecturer (Dept. of Nutrition and Food Engineering), Daffodil International University, Bangladesh
Lobby, The Seed Stage, Centre Stage
Lunch, Networking and Exhibitor’s Fair
September 13 • 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Lobby, The Seed Stage, Centre Stage
The Seed Stage
Seeds of Change: Destigmatizing Mental Health
September 13 • 11:50 AM – 12:20 PM
Dean MacIsaac
Co-Founder, HeadCase, Genesis
Stu Greenoff
HeadCase
Centre Stage
Democratizing Agricultural Expertise with AI & Ag-Investments in Challenging Geographies
September 13 • 12:55 PM – 1:25 PM
Centre Stage
Tuna Dipçin
Co-Founder, Tabit
Tulin Akin
Co-Founder, Tabit
Centre Stage
Wellness Break
September 13 • 1:25 PM – 1:30 PM
Centre Stage
Special Launch: NL Eats Road to Agritech Success Program (R2ASP)
September 13 • 1:35 PM – 2:25 PM
Centre Stage
Lobby
Wellness Break
September 13 • 2:25 PM – 2:40 PM
Refreshments Included.
Centre Stage
Innovation Challenge Presentations
September 13 • 2:45 PM – 4:05 PM
Centre Stage
Growing Together: Grounding Food Futures in Equity, Innovation & Resilience
September 13 • 4:05 PM – 4:35 PM
Centre Stage
Leticia Ama Deawuo
Executive Director, Environmental Leadership Canada
Momodou Barry
Global Ambassador, Human Rights and Peace (Gambia)
Evan Fraser
Director, Arrell Food Institute, University of Guelph
Veronika Sherova
Digital Agriculture Specialist, FAO (UN)
Centre Stage
Awards Ceremony: Innovation Challenge
September 13 • 4:40 PM – 5:00 PM
Centre Stage
Closing Remarks
September 13 • 5:00 PM – End
Centre Stage
Contact form
FAQ
📌 What is FOOD FORWARD 2025?
FOOD FORWARD 2025 is NL Eats' flagship food systems innovation conference, taking place September 12–13, 2025 at the St. John’s Convention Centre (SJCC) in St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador. The event brings together thought leaders across food security, agriculture, technology, and public health to drive innovation, collaboration, and community action.
👥 Who is the conference for?
The event is designed for:
- Professionals and researchers in food systems, agriculture, and public health
- Tech innovators, policymakers, and government leaders
- Students, entrepreneurs, and startup founders
Community leaders, advocates, and anyone interested in food justice and sustainability
📍 Where is the conference taking place?
Venue:
St. John’s Convention Centre (SJCC)
📍 101 New Gower Street, St. John's, NL A1C 1J5
📍 View on Google Maps
There is no on-site parking at SJCC. Nearby paid public parking is available. See City of St. John's On-Street Parking Info. We recommend arriving early.
🍽️ Are meals included with the ticket?
Yes! Attendees will receive:
- Breakfast, lunch, and light refreshments on both September 12 & 13
- Note: Food and beverages are not included at the September 12 networking event at Quidi Vidi, where they will be available for purchase.
If you have dietary restrictions, please indicate them in the Pre-Registration Form so we can accommodate your needs.
🧾 What is the Pre-Registration Process?
All attendees — including speakers, volunteers, and guests — must complete the pre-registration form to receive their event badge and minimize wait times.
If you purchased tickets for a group, each attendee must complete their own form individually.
➡️ Complete the Pre-Registration Form
🧠 What kinds of sessions or topics can I expect?
Expect a range of panels, workshops, and keynote sessions on topics such as:
- Food security and innovatio
- Agri-tech and climate-smart farming
- Indigenous and community-led food systems
- Youth leadership in food justice
- Public policy and food access
We’ll also be using SLIDO for live polls and interactive Q&A — download the app in advance to participate.
🌐 Can I attend virtually if I’m not in St. John’s?
The conference is in-person only, but select sessions may be recorded and shared with registered attendees post-event.
🛏️ Is there accommodation available?
Yes! Our Official Accommodation Partner is:
Delta Hotels by Marriott St. John's Conference Centre
🏨 Book at our preferred rate here
🤝 I’m interested in sponsoring. Who should I contact?
Please reach out to:
Fatima Malik
📧 events@nleats.ca
📌 To discuss sponsorship opportunities or employee ticket packages
🎤 I’m interested in speaking at future events. How can I get involved?
To explore speaking opportunities in the FOOD FORWARD 2025 series or future NL Eats events, please email:
Fatima Malik
📧 events@nleats.ca
🧪 I’m participating in the Innovation Challenge — who do I contact?
If you're part of the Innovation Challenge, you should have received a message from Freddie Pike, Director. If not:
📧 Contact: freddie.pike@nleats.com
🛜 Will Wi-Fi be available?
Yes. Free Wi-Fi will be provided throughout the venue. Details will be shared during check-in.
💬 Is there a WhatsApp group for updates?
Yes! Join the FOOD FORWARD WhatsApp group to receive real-time updates and network with other attendees. 📲 Join WhatsApp Group Invite
👕 What’s the dress code?
Business casual attire is recommended.
🧑💼 On-Site Support & Accessibility
Volunteers will be stationed throughout SJCC to assist you.
For urgent matters, contact: 📧 events@nleats.com 📞 +1 (613) 898‑4399
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