How do you build a food business based on uncompromising quality in an industry where price often matters more than taste and ingredients?

Master baker and dessert entrepreneur Markus Grigo shares his journey from baker to TV-famous entrepreneur and producer. Drawing on his own experiences, he discusses the importance of craftsmanship, ingredients, and expertise—and the challenges of maintaining authenticity as production and distribution scale up.

The presentation offers an honest look at the collaboration between manufacturers, retailers, and artisans—and questions what actually creates value for the consumer.

What is it, really, that sets companies that succeed over time apart from those that don’t—and what role do people play in that?

Trond Moi built Bølgen & Moi from a single restaurant into a chain with ten locations. When COVID hit the industry hard, he made a conscious decision to start over—with people at the center. In this post, he candidly shares what has actually been the key to his success: employees as the most important resource, culture as the foundation, and passion as the driving force.

This post offers an honest and practical look at what fosters loyalty and engagement—and what a team united by a shared passion can achieve.

Consumer behavior doesn’t change randomly. It responds to societal changes, shifts in values, and new priorities. The question is: Which trends are temporary—and which ones will set the course for years to come?

Louise Byg Kongsholm, Director of pej gruppen, provides an overview of the current zeitgeist and the most significant trends in consumer behaviour, retail, and lifestyle. Drawing on international trend research and specific case studies, she analyzes how values such as security, quality, community, and responsibility influence purchasing decisions and expectations of brands.

The presentation focuses on how companies can work strategically with trends—and turn the spirit of the times into long-term business opportunities.

How do you create stores that customers remember—and actively seek out?

Retail futurist Matthew Brown, founder of Echochamber in London, takes the audience on a visual journey through some of the world’s most innovative retail concepts. Using examples from stores and cities around the world, he demonstrates how design, sensory experiences, and storytelling can transform physical retail into a destination rather than just a transaction.

This presentation offers insights into how changing consumer expectations are shaping the shopping experiences of the future—and how retail companies can create value that goes beyond price and products.

Inge Hofstad Kjeilen of Dentsu has extensive expertise in measuring the effectiveness of advertising in the food and beverage industry, among others. With deep insight into which advertising channels drive sales and how brand awareness and brand strength translate into concrete sales results, he helps brands make smarter media decisions that ensure the best possible return on marketing investment.

Every year, dentsu Denmark conducts the PULSE trend study, in which 4,000 consumers selected from a representative sample in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland are asked about their attitudes, habits, and priorities. Combined with over 600 international case studies and analyses of digital behavior, this provides one of the Nordic region’s most comprehensive snapshots of what is entering consumers’ consciousness long before it hits the mainstream.

Julie Daugaard is a co-author at PULSE and has led the research team since its inception. In this presentation, she focuses on food-related case studies and demonstrates how several of this year’s consumer trends collide at the grocery counter: Consumers are hunting for low prices, yet at the same time they’re willing to spend money on what feels right. They filter all choices through the lens of health, yet constantly compromise their own values. And they crave surprises in a daily life that feels too predictable.

Drawing on specific food industry case studies from Denmark and abroad, Julie provides a data-driven overview of the challenges the food industry will face in the coming years, and demonstrates how brands can use the tension between consumers’ intentions and their actual behavior as a strategic springboard.

Today, both institutional kitchens and the retail sector are in the midst of a shared shift: they must provide meals and products that not only taste fantastic and are reliable—but also move toward a greener future. The balance between animal-based and plant-based foods has therefore become a key focus, both in the development of new meals in commercial kitchens and on retail shelves. Knowledge and insights into the specific balance between animal-based and plant-based foods are central to Puk Maia Holm-Søndergaard’s work as a senior consultant in nutrition, health, and meals at the Danish Agriculture & Food Council.

The goal is to provide you with practical tools and new perspectives that will deepen your understanding of nutritional factors, the customer experience, and your position in a market where finding the right balance is more important than ever.

Both institutional kitchens and the grocery industry are undergoing a shared transition in which they must provide food that tastes good, is healthy, sustainable, and offers good value for money. Striking a balance between animal-based and plant-based ingredients is key, because this is where taste, health, and sustainability converge.

At MatPrat, Anne Zondag and Trine Thorkildsen focus on consumer insights and nutrition, respectively. They combine their knowledge of what consumers want and need with an understanding of what is sustainable.

Consumers prioritize price, taste, safety, and naturalness above all else. At the same time, nutritional research shows that a combination of animal- and plant-based ingredients can lead to better nutrient absorption, higher-quality protein, and a great taste experience—something that is often not communicated clearly enough.

The industry that succeeds in communicating this information can gain greater support, because consumers want food that both tastes good and is good for them.

The food market is in the midst of a sweeping shift in consumer behavior, with food and beverages evolving rapidly—and so are consumers’ attitudes toward health, body image, technology, and lifestyle. Technology is accelerating this evolution, and trends can drive significant growth in a short period of time. At the same time, different consumers lead very different lives, ranging from health optimization to everyday meals.

For 25 years, Eva Steensig has been mapping hidden behavioral patterns with 93% accuracy, providing a clear picture of what shapes Danes’ approach to food and drink—and what that means for your business.

The Norrlyst Group has become a prime example of how culinary experiences can be developed into a growing and cohesive business.

Nicklas Selmer Rathje explains how Norrlyst takes a strategic approach to digital visibility, reservations, and guest experiences to ensure full restaurants and strong relationships with guests. In partnership with the booking platform FreeTable, they have developed a solution that provides a better overview of available tables and makes it easier for guests to choose dining experiences over takeout.

This presentation provides insights into how data, digital tools, and a focus on quality can drive growth in the restaurant industry.

Philip Kløvborg Grønkjær is the head of the Food Lab at Oluf Brønnum & Co., where he develops kitchens, gastronomic concepts, and the meals of the future. He runs an innovation hub where technology, expertise, and practice converge through education, product development, and client projects.

Trained at Kong Hans Kælder and with experience from, among others, Kadeau, Restaurant Herman, and as Executive Chef at the Nimb Hotel. He has also held key roles at Simple Feast, Madklubben and Pantrii.

With experience in top-tier restaurants, product development, and commercial kitchen operations, he works at the intersection of gastronomy, technology, and business—focusing on solutions that enhance flavor, efficiency, and quality.

How do you take a new food product from a niche market to widespread distribution in retail and convenience stores?

Cecilie Engvang Lund from Tempty Foods offers insight into the work behind product launches and partnerships with chains such as 7-Eleven and Coop. Using concrete examples, she demonstrates how consumer-driven innovation can be used to minimize risk and create products that not only make it onto the shelves—but also into shoppers’ carts.

This presentation offers insights into how market insights, product development, and strong retail partnerships can be translated into commercial growth in a competitive market.