Action on Food Safety to be Central Focus of GFSI Global Food Safety Conference 2018

News provided by

Global Food Safety Initiative

07 Feb, 2018, 23:17 GMT

PARIS, February 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

World's biggest food companies to discuss advancing food safety and consumer trust at GFSI 2018 in Tokyo

  • The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) aims to improve food safety through industry collaboration and knowledge sharing
  • Senior representatives from Amazon, McDonald's, Costco, AEON and Danone are just some of the speakers at Tokyo conference 5th-8th March
  • Key focus this year is "implementation" and "action"

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), a worldwide project to advance food safety and improve consumer trust, is holding its annual conference in Tokyo, Japan, on 5th-8th March 2018, bringing representatives of the world's biggest food companies together to discuss industry challenges. The theme for 2018 is "safe food for consumers everywhere". The event will take a stronger implementation approach, aiming to provide practical insights for attendees.

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Speakers will include the CEOs of AEON, Costco, McDonald's Japan, DeVries Global and the UK Food Safety Agency. The event promises to offer a diverse range of perspectives on the most pressing food safety issues. Topics on the agenda include shifting food trends, millennial consumption patterns, artisan foods, supply chain management and Japanese food culture. The annual GFSI conference aims to generate awareness of food safety and encourage innovation, while enabling attendees to network with the most important figures in the FMCG sector. It is a must-attend event for anyone seeking to understand more about food safety.

Consumer trust has never been more important, which is why food safety is now top of the agenda for FMCG giants. Scandals over food quality can pose serious reputational risks to brands and result in consumers looking elsewhere for their goods. Since 2000, the GFSI has focussed on fostering industry collaboration, driving change through strategic initiatives involving representatives from across the food industry, providing expert consultancy and encouraging industry excellence through its Benchmarking Requirements.

Veronique Discours-Buhot, GFSI Director at The Consumer Goods Forum, expressed excitement about the event. "We're looking forward to holding the GFSI conference in Tokyo; a global city renowned for its booming food industry and fine cuisine. The event provides us with the opportunity to engage with business leaders about the importance of product safety and delivering safe food for consumers everywhere. We're looking forward to hearing about the most innovative initiatives and our members' perceptions of what the future holds."

Ken Theriault, CEO, Costco, stated, "We're looking forward to this year's Global Food Safety Conference and learning more about the great food safety work that's been going on over the last year across the sector. We have worked with GFSI for many years now and have found it to be a unique forum for understanding more about food safety and learning about the most innovative approaches to the relevant issues. Whether it's managing supply chains, engaging with regulators, or responding to new consumption patterns, GFSI is a critical voice for our industry."

Motoya Okada, CEO, AEON, also expressed optimism about this year's Global Food Safety Conference, commenting, "At AEON we take food safety very seriously, which is why I'm delighted to be speaking at this year's event. While we are seeing a lot of progress made on the issue, more work needs to be done. Corporate leaders have a huge role to play, which is why I'm looking forward to discussing the potential for CEOs to drive cultural change, as well as the impact of food safety culture."

In addition to its annual global conference, GFSI hosts regional events throughout the year that foster knowledge sharing and food safety capability building on a local level. GFSI's upcoming Mexico Focus Day, taking place on 3rd May, 2018, is posed to address industry hot topics against a backdrop of regulatory shifts and new challenges to international trade.

Contact: Lisa Prevert, l.prevert@theconsumergoodsforum.com