She will provide her perspectives as part of the following panel at Roots 2018: Cultivating for the Broader Market: The Role of Manufacturers and Chain Restaurants. “There are things manufacturers and national chains can do quickly to make a difference, while other initiatives will be more long-term. They will need to determine how they can participate, what roles they can play and how they will address challenges they’ll face.”

Maeve is actually quite optimistic about the roles that manufacturers and national chains will play in the cultivation of healthier eating in the future. “I consult, primarily, with manufacturers, and national chains secondarily, and I can say that virtually everyone I work with believes that these changes must and will take place. But, with large organizations, it’s like turning the Titanic so it will take time.”
 
Ways in which Maeve sees these organizations changing how they do business range from their menu designs to community outreach and involvement to the ways they cultivate employees and offer better working conditions. “I can say that the people I consult with are sincerely looking for solutions and ways to improve.”
 
More specifically, she sees organizations looking to source well, to use healthy ingredients, and to embrace plant-forward to plant-exclusive dishes and menus.
 
Cultivating for the Broader Market: The Role of Manufacturers and Chain Restaurants
 
Here is a brief description of the panel:
 
Cultivation is an important part of food and the direction foodservice is heading in whether that is cultivating healthier behaviors, fresher ingredients, or higher quality options. To truly impact the vast majority of American consumers, national chains and major manufacturers have to participate in this cultivation. This panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities for chains and manufacturers as well as provide examples from past efforts and future possibilities. 
 
Members of the panel will include:

• Maeve Webster

• Chef Andrew Hunter: works in the foodservice and food manufacturing business segments

• Pam Smith: RDN, nutritionist, radio host, industry culinary consultant and author

• Heather Smith: SRG Managing Director and Partner

• Katie Ayoub: managing editor of Flavor & The Menu

“This will be an interesting panel,” Maeve predicts, “thanks to the mix of backgrounds and perspectives. Attendees will come away with a broad understanding of what’s possible, as well as what takes time to change and how to engage people and ultimately effect serious change.”
 
Sign Up Today for Roots 2018 Culinary Conference
 
It’s not too late to register for our annual culinary conference, held this year on September 24 and 25,and we’d love to have you be part of the conversation. This conference continues to get better and better, thanks to unique perspectives offered by panelists and attendees alike.
 
You can find the Roots 2018 agenda here.