Innovating for women’s health: An unmet need with opportunities across categories and life stages

27-Oct-2023 - Last updated on 09-Nov-2023 at 15:34 GMT

Source: Getty/ fcafotodigital

Women’s diverse nutritional needs have long been overlooked or pigeonholed to focus primarily on appearance, but a new class of products made by women, for women across life stages are on the rise as is research to support the development of sex-specific products.

At FoodNavigator-USA’s Futureproofing the Food System Summit Nov. 14-16 a panel of women entrepreneurs, industry researchers and leaders will explore why there is a dearth of products (and information) focused on women’s wellness, the market potential for foods and beverages to fill this gap, how physiological differences between males and females impact nutritional needs, and strategies for effectively marketing to modern women.

Drawing from consumer and patient research, their lived experiences and feedback from women across life stages and socio-economic dimensions, we will hear insights from:

Sherry Frey, vice president, Total Wellness NIQ;
Linda Alvarez, co-founder and CEO, Levelle Nutrition;
Julie White, founder and CEO, MenoWell Menopause Bars; and
Wendy Colson, a registered nurse, Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consutant and the CEO and founder of Boobie Superfoods Products.

In addition to exploring the untapped market potential for products that support menopause, women in sports nutrition, new moms, women struggling with infertility and more, the panel will also examine how to improve equitable access to healthy nutrition through product development, strategic pricing, consumer education, community building and more.

A 3-day event focused on food-tech, food as medicine and the circular economy

The panel is part of a broader discussion about food as medicine – a fast-growing movement that is the focus of the second day of FoodNavigator-USA’s Futureproofing the Food System Summit, during which we explore how the goals of preventing and managing diet-related disease with nutrition, encouraging healthy eating and ending hunger are creating new paths to market and sales opportunities, as well as inspiring innovative products and business models.

Complementary panels and fireside chats will look at how consumers define healthy, what it takes to convince consumers – and insurers – about the potential of healthy eating, and what it will take to reset the table to ensure equitable access to nourishing and sustainable food.

The first day of the summit will explore the potential for rapid advances in technology, from vertical and molecular farming to cellular agriculture and precision fermentation, to feed a growing population without further harming the planet.

The third day will consider sustainability in the food system more broadly by zeroing in on efforts to build more resilient supply chains, select more environmentally-friendly packaging and safely communicating to consumers sustainability practices without running afoul or regulations or inadvertently misleading consumers.

Learn more about and register for this free-to-attend event at www.foodnavigatorusasummit.com.