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Inaugural Small Change Big Impact Food Summit To Bring Together Industry Leaders At Harvard University April 3-4, 2019

Cambridge, Mass.

Hormel Foods and Harvard University Dining Services to Convene Summit of Institutions, Culinary Leaders, Nonprofits and Food Companies to Collaborate on a More Transparent, Secure and Sustainable Food System

More than 100 leaders in the food world will convene at Harvard University April 3 and 4 to discuss creating a more transparent, secure and sustainable food system. Led by global branded food company Hormel Foods and Harvard University Dining Services, the Small Change Big Impact Food Summit will bring together leaders and change agents from academia, foodservice, food companies and nonprofits to discuss innovative ideas and powerful insights and to forge new collaborations toward an improved food future.

Notable speakers and participants for the April 4 portion of the summit include:

  • Jim Snee, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Hormel Foods
  • David Davidson, Managing Director, Harvard University Dining Services
  • Sam Kass, Food Entrepreneur, Former White House Chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition
  • David Bell, Harvard Business School – George M. Moffett Professor of Agriculture and Business
  • Jeffrey Amoscato, VP of Supply Chain and Menu Innovation, Shake Shack
  • Doug Rauch, CEO of Daily Table, Former President of Trader Joe’s
  • Catherine D’Amato, CEO and President, Greater Boston Food Bank
  • Jody Adams, James Beard Foundation Award-Winning Chef/Co-Owner of Trade, Porto, Saloniki
  • John Ghingo, President, Applegate
  • Kathy Talkington, Project Director, Antimicrobial Resistance, The Pew Charitable Trusts
  • Maureen Timmons, Director of Dining Services, Northeastern University
  • Ron DeSantis, Certified Master Chef and Founder of CulinaryNXT
  • Adeline Druart, President, Vermont Creamery
  • Ethan Watters, Futurist and Author, Attention Span Media
  • And more. A full list of all speakers is attached.

The summit begins on April 3 with the OUR FOOD JOURNEY™ Small Change, Big Impact Challenge. Participating startups, individuals and nonprofits will present their ideas for improving our food system to a panel of food industry leaders. Winners will receive a share of $10,000 in grant funding, with the goal of fostering ideas that, no matter how small, will create positive change.

Hormel Foods and Harvard University Dining Services will also present the inaugural Small Change Big Impact Awards to changemakers and rising stars in food who have had or are making a significant impact and improving the future of our food.

The summit is being co-presented by Harvard University Dining Services and Hormel Foods, and is being organized by Attention Span Media with CulinaryNXT.

More details about the summit and the impact challenge can be found at www.thefoodimpactsummit.com.

About Harvard University Dining Services

Harvard University Dining Services operates 13 residential dining halls, 15 campus retail cafes, a kosher kitchen and complete catering services. The country’s oldest collegiate foodservice operation, HUDS serves approximately 25,000 meals a day with a focus on innovative, healthy, sustainable choices that celebrate and support the food system from local sourcing through food donation to mitigate wasted food. HUDS is a member of the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative. https://dining.harvard.edu

About Hormel Foods – Inspired People. Inspired Food.™

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, Columbus®, Wholly Guacamole®, Hormel® Black Label® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens” by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the tenth year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future – Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ – focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and https://www.hormelfoods.com/global-impact/.