Session Details Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Time: 12:00 PM Eastern Time Duration: 90 minutes Format: ZoomSession Type: Expert-Led Workshop + Applied Learning
Selling into the food industry requires an understanding of complex operational challenges, shifting customer expectations, and the realities of thin-margin environments. This session will provide participants with insights into both the food service and food processing sectors, drawing on recent survey data, industry experience, and practical case studies.
Chris Elliott, Chief Economist at Restaurants Canada, will share perspectives from the foodservice sector, including insights from national operator surveys that highlight the most pressing challenges: labour shortages, productivity pressures, and generational differences in technology adoption. His presentation will show how these bottlenecks shape opportunities for startups and where new solutions can add real value.
Mike Hutson, Industry Solutions Specialist, SYSPRO, will bring a food processing perspective, sharing lessons learned from decades of experience selling ERP and software solutions into food and beverage companies. He will highlight how processors evaluate and adopt technology, and how startups can best position their solutions in terms of cost reduction, operational efficiency, risk management, traceability, and recall preparedness.
Participants will also benefit from a panel discussion moderated by Cohort Mentor Dr. Jody Dexter, designed to connect insights from both sectors and encourage candid, applied dialogue. The session will equip founders with actionable strategies to navigate customer expectations, avoid common adoption pitfalls, and build lasting credibility with industry buyers.
