News | events The five main sessions consist of:


• Market overview with trends and outlook from Kantar and Zenith Global


• Category management panel with Danone, Highland Spring and Nestlé


• Industry leadership panel with emerging top producers Niagara and Roxane alongside dilutable and dispense leader Britvic


Drinks conference


charts new waters


The full programme for this month’s UK Water Drinks Conference has been announced, including the latest statistics, a masterclass in category management, an industry leadership panel, an update on policy issues and a series of innovator case studies. The conference will be held online on 23


March and has the theme of ‘Charting New Waters’, to reflect the changes anticipated in a post-COVID world and the opportunities offered to broaden water drinks consumption.


“Online conferences are more


accessible, because they are more affordable and the content can be reviewed more flexibly at any time,” commented event organiser Richard Hall, chairman of Zenith Global, the global food and drink experts. “Everyone can participate fully by asking questions and taking part in polls. In some ways, it’s also easier to identify and meet up with other delegates for networking.”


• Key issues and opportunities with British Dietetic Association on hydration, Natural Source Waters Association on environment and health, and Dash Water on infused waters as the next big thing


• Innovator case studies with Wow Hydrate on functional waters, GUTsy Captain on water kefir, Radnor Hills on selling direct to consumers and Drinks Cubed on zero carbon.


“Water drinks remain so vital for consumers, but many aspects of the market have changed radically in the past year,” Mr Hall commented. “There will be a continued focus on health and the environment. Extra attention will be given to flavour, functionality and refillability.” The event is organised in association with


the Natural Source Waters Association. Full programme and booking details are available at zenithglobal.com/events/ukwd2021.


World Cocoa Conference postponed to 2022


Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Cocoa Conference, due to have been held in May, has been postponed to May 2022 at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC). The World Cocoa Conference (WCC) is a ground-breaking


networking event created by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) and launched in 2012 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Organised every two years to assess the status of the world cocoa


economy, review current challenges and agree on measures to address these issues, it has been established as one of the leading forums for the global cocoa sector, with over 1,500 delegates attending the last edition in Berlin, Germany in 2018. It is said to be the only event in the cocoa sector to bring


together a diverse range of decision-makers and other stakeholders in the cocoa and chocolate value chain, from all over the world in one place, representing an opportunity to encourage discussion of challenges and opportunities, to gather intelligence, to make new contacts and to do business. After four successful editions held in Africa, then Europe and Latin


America, the Conference is moving to Asia and Oceania for the first time, providing an opportunity for the global cocoa community to focus on the third largest cocoa producing region of the world. The fifth edition of the World Cocoa Conference (WCC5) will be


hosted by the Government of Indonesia in partnership with the ICCO at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC), a state-of- the-art business. Meanwhile ICCO, in partnership with the French institution


Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) has announced that the International Symposium on Cocoa Research will be


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taking place on 27-29 September this year in Montpellier, France. The International Cocoa Research Symposium is becoming a well-


established event in the sector, having previously attracted over 500 participants, not only from the scientific community, but also from the entire cocoa value chain, making it a must-attend event for anyone concerned about the future of cocoa. The main theme of this edition of the symposium is “Innovations


to Support Market Development and Promote Sustainability in Cocoa Farming to Improve Farmers’ Incomes”.


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