The food sector is undergoing a quiet revolution as healthy, nutritious and environmentally friendly foods gain an increasing share of the food sector market.

The vast Chinese market, accounting for 27% of the world’s meat consumption by volume is emerging as the best opportunity for plant-based alternative protein products as increasingly health-conscious Chinese consumers subvert traditional market demands.

Additionally, as global focus moves towards the environment and sustainability, there is a growing awareness of the benefits of reduced meat consumption and production.

Gain exclusive insight regarding a broad range of protein sources, food production and nutrition capabilities, and how CSIRO, along with commercial companies is developing new types of sustainable plant-based protein products that meet market needs.

Guests will gain insider access to sector experts in both research and industry to learn about the market, opportunities and science & technology innovation in this huge growth industry.

Our Speakers

Speaker Profiles

Prof Michelle Colgrave

CSIRO Proteomics Research Scientist & Future Protein Lead, CSIRO Agriculture and Food

Professor Michelle Colgrave is the Future Protein Lead in CSIRO Agriculture and Food, based at the Queensland Bioscience Precinct in Brisbane, Australia. Prof Michelle Colgrave is using mass spectrometry (MS) and proteomics to help identify key proteins that will benefit Australia's livestock and plant industries and improve human health. Proteomics is the study of proteins using mass spectrometry. Prof Colgrave is working to identify novel proteins and characterise their function and post-translational modifications. Prof Colgrave is a Chief Investigator on the ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science.

Prior to joining CSIRO, Prof Michelle Colgrave has built strong, international reputation for her studies in the structure and function of bioactive peptides, namely the cyclotides. Her research, often applying innovative approaches, has been widely published in high impact journals (ACS Chemical Biology, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Biophysical Journal). Her findings have gone beyond reporting molecular structures to uncovering the evolution and development of these peptides (PNAS, Nature Chemical Biology, Plant Cell). She is the editor of the book “Proteomics in Food Science: From Farm to Fork” aimed at introducing the application of MS and proteomics to the food science and agricultural research communities.

Nick Hazell

CEO, v2foods

Nick Hazell is an experienced food innovator, lecturer and consultant who is CEO of Australian start-up v2food. v2food is developing plant-based meat, building on a close collaboration with CSIRO to create tasty, sustainable and healthy products. Hazell holds a Master of Manufacturing from Cambridge University. He worked in aerospace and chocolate manufacturing before moving into research and development in the food industry, working at global multinationals in the Netherlands and Australia. He was R&D Director at Masterfoods and at PepsiCo Australia and New Zealand, working on products like Grain Waves, Red Rock Deli, Sunbites and Smiths. He lectures in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation at UTS and has consulted to CSIRO and the meat industry.

Michael Lee

Group Manager - Science and Innovation, Meat & Livestock Australia

Michael comes from a food and packaging technology background with 25 years’ experience across the meat supply chain from retail to operations. Prior to MLA he has worked for Woolworths Supermarkets National Office, Hans Smallgoods, and JBS Australia in various commercial and technical roles.

Dr Pia Winberg

CEO & Chief Scientist, Venus Shell Systems

Pia has worked across sustainable marine industry development and academia for the past 20 years. Her focus has gone from research to applied technology development in integrating marine food production systems with the environment, to deliver potent nutritional benefits to society. Her research was founded in the 1990s in integrated tropical aquaculture systems and marine systems ecology, and now Pia is focused on applying this knowledge to sustainable marine food production systems. Pia believes that nutrition and food is a key opportunity for a transition to a more sustainable future, and the oceans and especially seaweeds are a platform that can deliver on that if approached wisely.

In this way, Pia has undertaken over a decade of research of seaweed species in Australia and explored diverse production methods, as well as undertaken human clinical trials on seaweed for metabolic health. Pia has embarked on the development of the seaweed industry for Australia, and founded Venus Shell Systems for the production of seaweed, and PhycoHealth for the development and delivery of seaweed products to the market. Both companies are developing on the south coast of NSW.

Olympia Yarger

Founder and CEO, GOTERRA

Olympia Yarger is the founder of Goterra, where she leads the vision of redefining waste management with biotechnology and eco-friendly infrastructure design. Olympia is passionate about building products that allow businesses to meet a growing consumer demand for sustainable service provision and agile infrastructure capability.

Moderator - Katrina Spencer

Senior Business Development Manager, CSIRO

Katrina is a Senior Business Development Manager at CSIRO. Her deep knowledge of business comes from 25 years of professional, commercial experience across agriculture, food and nutrition and biosecurity sectors. Her focus has been with the global grains industry in both the public and private sectors. Katrina’s strong track record in establishing and building relationships both internally and externally is complemented by extensive commercial skills including commercialisation of agri-technology, negotiation, governance, intellectual property and contract management.

Prior to joining CSIRO in 2011, Katrina has worked for major Australian agribusiness companies including GrainCorp, the Australian Wheat Board and the Grains Research and Development Corporation. Her solid background in agribusiness gives Katrina unique experience extending across the value chain from research, logistics, export, product development, start-ups and innovation. Katrina is also the Business Lead for CSIRO’s Future Protein Mission. Her distinctive profile is supported by a Bachelor of Business and a Master of International Business. Katrina is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

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