NJFPA 2026 Annual Conference Registration is Open!
Join Us to Explore All Aspects of Keeping Food Safe... and Why It Matters!
Location: Harrah’s, Atlantic City, NJ
Date: March 5-6, 2026
Food safety is not just a checklist, it is a commitment. This year’s NJFPA Annual Conference brings together industry leaders, innovators, and regulators to explore the future of food additives, colors, dyes, allergen management, and labeling compliance, and everything in between.
Whether you are a processor, manufacturer, service provider, or associate, this is the event for you.
What You Will Learn
Our sessions will explore:
- Emerging regulations around food safety
- Best practices for managing allergens in production
- What clean label really means
- How to stay compliant without falling behind
- Consumer trends shaping the food industry
This is where safety meets strategy, and where food processors gain a competitive edge.
Meet the Speakers
More expert panelists will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Below are the speakers already confirmed.
Keynote Speaker
Brian Song
PepsiCo
Personal Bio:
Dr. Brian J. Song, PhD, is a Principal Scientist at PepsiCo’s Global Research and Development Department, where he leads research focused on clean-label ingredient solutions. His work centers on preservatives, shelf-life optimization strategies, and functional ingredients that support product quality, safety, and consumer trust.
Dr. Song brings deep expertise in developing scalable, science-driven approaches that balance performance, regulatory considerations, costs, and clean-label demands across global food and beverage applications. As a panelist, he contributes insight on ingredient technology innovations, emerging preservation strategies, and the future of clean-label formulation within the food industry.
MenuTrinfo (Certified Free From)
Betsy Craig
Company Bio:
MenuTrinfo's Certified Free From™ program provides ISO 17065 accredited third-party certification across allergens, artificial colors, and artificial flavors, helping brands validate clean label claims with rigor and transparency.
Personal Bio:
Betsy Craig is the CEO and founder of MenuTrinfo®, LLC, a recognized leader in food allergen safety and clean label certification. Her work supports major retailers and brands including Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Costco.
Foster Garvey PC
Ralph Simmons, Counsel
Company Bio:
Foster Garvey is a full-service law firm with approximately 150 attorneys serving clients nationwide.
Personal Bio:
Ralph Simmons brings over 40 years of FDA and regulatory experience advising food and beverage companies on labeling, packaging, and compliance.
Mary Ellen Peppard
Mary Ellen Peppard
Company Bio:
New Jersey Food Council (NJFC), a trade association representing food retailers, including supermarkets, independent grocers, and convenience stores, along with their supplier partners.
Personal Bio:
Mary Ellen Peppard serves as Vice President of the New Jersey Food Council (NJFC), a trade association representing food retailers, including supermarkets, independent grocers, and convenience stores, along with their supplier partners.
As the government affairs lead for NJFC, Ms. Peppard formulates policy positions, implements legislative strategies, and leads industry coalitions on priority issues, including environmental, food safety, and food security legislation. She also serves on the New Jersey Plastics Advisory Council representing retailers.
Prior to joining NJFC, Ms. Peppard represented the business community at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, focusing on tax and healthcare issues.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Muhlenberg College and a Master of Public Affairs and Politics from Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
Tanner Food Group
Ron Tanner
Company Bio:
Tanner Food Group is a specialty consultancy focused on international trade and regulatory strategy.
Personal Bio:
Ron Tanner is a former Specialty Food Association executive and frequent international industry speaker.
Organic Food Incubator (OFI)
Michael Schwartz
Company Bio: OFI helps new brands formulate and bring products to market with minimal processing, preservatives, stabilizers and thickeners. Mike’s perspective on the subject of food additives should be quite interesting.
Personal Bio: Coming soon
Vivify
Dana Trull
Company Bio: Vivify Company’s Food & Beverage division provides specialty ingredients and solutions to manufacturers across the food and beverage industry. The portfolio includes natural and synthetic food colorants, flavors, extracts, distillates, sweeteners, and custom blends tailored to specific applications. Through partnerships with global suppliers, Vivify delivers technical support and formulation expertise to help customers meet evolving market demands, including clean labeling, sensory performance, and nutritional enhancement.
Personal Bio: Dana Trull is a Product Manager at Vivify with over 13 years of experience in the food, beverage, and nutrition industry. Dana leads diverse ingredient portfolios across natural colors, flavors, and specialty ingredients, bringing deep expertise in product strategy, regulatory affairs, and innovation. Dana holds a Master of Jurisprudence in Global Food Law and a Bachelor of Science in Food Science, Nutrition, and Business.
More speakers will be added as they are confirmed.
Meet the Exhibitors
Connect with organizations providing products, services, and solutions that support the food processing industry.
Innovative Benefit Planning
Interested in exhibiting? Contact us for details.
Registration Pricing
2026 Registration Pricing Price
Non-member Attendee: $575
Member Exhibitor (2 attendees): $1,200
Non-member Exhibitor (2 attendees): $1,650
Additional Member Exhibitor Attendee: $250
Additional Non-member Exhibitor Attendee: $550
*Pro tip: Becoming a member often pays for itself. Click here to join NJFPA today.
Hotel & Room Reservations
NJFPA has secured a discounted room block for attendees at Harrah’s Atlantic City.
Book Online:
https://book.passkey.com/go/SH03FP6
Call-In Reservations:
- Room Reservations: 888-516-2215
- Hours: 8:00 AM - 2:00 AM EST, 7 days a week
- Group Name: NJFPA
- Group Code: SH03FP6
All callers will be asked for the group code but can also book by saying NJFPA.
Ready to Keep Food Safe?
Lock in your spot today. We are expecting our biggest year yet.
(You MUST Login to Receive Member Pricing)
Thank you to our 2026 Conference Sponsors
Lead Sponsor
Hoffman Exterminating
Friday Luncheon Sponsor
M&T Bank
Registration Bag Sponsor
B&B Poultry
Want to see your logo here? Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Interested in Sponsorship? View all available 2026 Conference Sponsorships or email [email protected].
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