Three food company executives took to the stage at the Bayer AgVocacy Forum in New Orleans last week to discuss global food business trends. Each gave prepared remarks before sitting down for a conversations with event emcee Frank Sesno.

Ardent Mills CEO Dan Dye said that his company is less than two years old and unique in that it is a joint venture between Cargill, CHS and ConAgra Foods. Their brand promise is to really focus on nourishing what’s next. He tells people that when they created Ardent Mills they didn’t just create a large flour milling company. “We actually created Ardent Mills to help change the way people think about food. What they eat; how they eat; and how we can be a part of that and a solution to that,” he said.

To learn more about Ardent Mills’ consumer mission, listen to Dan Dye: Dan Dye, Ardent Mills

Tyson Foods VP of Sustainable food production Dr. Christine Daugherty talked about how both women and men today feel guilty about the food they are preparing for themselves or their family. She asked the audience how the industry should address the issue and answered, “We need to make sure consumers understand what they’re eating and feel good about it. It’s safe, it’s affordable, it’s sustainable,” said Daugherty. She added that consumers expect food companies to give that assurance and to discuss things like how the animal was raised.

To learn more about how Tyson Foods is communicating to consumers about food, listen to Dr. Christine Daughtery’s remarks: Dr. Christine Daygherty, Tyson Foods

WhiteWave Foods Company VP, Government & Industry Relations Kelly Shea shared some information about her company including they have been America’s fastest growing food company four years in a row. She noted that Millennials will have the most spending power of all the charted demographics by 2017 and are estimated to account for 75 percent of food growth over the next 10 years. She added that today most consumers skew towards wanting a higher level of food safety; they want more transparency; ethical sourcing; and lower environmental impacts from their food. Seventy-five percent of Whitewave’s portfolio is organic or non GMO. “So Whitewave is in a pretty sweet spot when you think where shoppers are going.”

To learn more about Whitewave Food’s brand strategy listen to Kelly Shea’s remarks: Kelly Shea, Whitewave Foods

Bayer AgVocacy Forum Photos