Leading Danish gastronomic entrepreneur and renowned food expert Claus Meyer will deliver the keynote talk at this year's FRESH Nordic conference in Copenhagen, it has been confirmed.
Meyer, who is most famous internationally for co-founding the restaurant Noma and for creating the New Nordic Cuisine movement with Noma partner and head chef Rene Redzepi, will open the annual European fresh produce industry event by delivering a presentation about how his approach to food has helped raise interest in healthy eating among consumers.
The event's keynote session, sponsored by STC Greenfood, will also include a panel discussion on consumption trends, with Meyer set to be joined by Rune Flaen of Norwegian importer Bama, Mette Helbæk of Danish grocery chain Din Baghave and Professor Lars Ove Dragsted of the University of Copenhagen.
Noma currently has two Michelin stars and, for the past two years, has been named the world's best restaurant by the magazine Restaurant, drawing praise and attention for its reinvention of Nordic cooking.
"We are delighted that Claus is joining us to share some of his insight into what has made the New Nordic Cuisine movement so successful since it was first conceived eight years ago," commented Mike Knowles, editor of Eurofruit and programme manager for FRESH Nordic.
"I'm sure he will be able to teach those attending the conference a great deal about how to engage with consumers and generate more excitement around fresh produce."
Copenhagen has emerged in recent years to claim the title of northern Europe's gastronomic capital and, with more Michelin-starred restaurants than Rome, is also giving established food centres in the Mediterranean a run for their money.
The 2012 edition of the Michelin Guide, published today, has awarded the Danish city's restaurants a total of 14 stars - more than any other Scandinavian city and more than other European cities such as Amsterdam, Hamburg and Vienna.
Meyer's connections with the fruit and vegetable trade, meanwhile, are deep-rooted and spread across the production, marketing, foodservice and grocery retail sectors. In 2003, he purchased an orchard on the Danish island of Lille, where he produces apples, pears and plums, some of which are sold through KC Frugt at Copenhagen Wholesale Market.
A year later, he was named Danish Fruit Grower of the Year for his work in establishing the Frugt fra Lilleø (Fruit from Lilleø) brand and, in doing so, developing new commercial opportunities for Danish fruit producers.
FRESH Nordic takes place at the Copenhagen Marriott hotel on 23-24 May 2012. The conference and networking event is organised by Eurofruit, the leading magazine for fresh produce buyers in Europe, and Freshfel Europe, the European fresh produce industry association.
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