Chapman University’s Leatherby Center Hosts Future of Food Event: Exploring the Innovations Shaping Tomorrow’s Table

Discover Cutting-Edge Food Tech Trends, Network with Industry Experts, and Gain Insights from Forward-Thinking Entrepreneurs

ORANGE, CA, UNITED STATES, April 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics at Chapman University invites students, alumni, faculty, and community members to attend Future of Food on Thursday, April 17, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This interactive event will explore how groundbreaking technologies and innovations are transforming the food industry—from vertical farming and plant-based proteins to smart kitchen tech and food traceability powered by blockchain.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from industry leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving this food revolution. The event will feature insightful panel discussions, networking opportunities, and live demonstrations of emerging food technologies.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Plant-Based Food & Alternative Proteins: Learn how companies like Thallus Foods are redefining sustainable agriculture with protein-rich, chicken-like mushrooms.
2. Smart Kitchen Appliances: Discover how Next Robot’s $36k automated stir-fryer is revolutionizing restaurant efficiency.
3. Vertical Farming & Food Traceability: Explore innovations that reduce land and water usage while enhancing food safety through blockchain technology.

Featured Speakers:

Moderator:
Joe Baird, CEO of Rumiano Cheese, a forward-thinking leader in sustainable food practices.

Panelists:
- Jane Lim, Founder of Thallus Foods, the first commercial indoor cultivator of nutrient-dense, high-protein mushrooms that taste like chicken.
- Dave Huang, representing Next Robot, a manufacturer of smart kitchen appliances streamlining food service operations.
- Duc Huy Tran, Co-CEO of a startup redefining restaurant recommendations by leveraging data-driven insights.
- Angus McCrabb, Head of Global Operations at Stealth Startup, specializing in ghost kitchens that reshape food delivery logistics.
- Brad Ledford or Austin Fisher of Vital Bev, offering insights into the future of functional beverages and sustainable drink innovations.

“The future of food will be increasingly shaped by sustainable practices considering dwindling resources and economic challenges on a global scale.  Resiliency and adaptation will be driven by innovation and technological advances,” stated Dr. Anuradha Prakash, Professor, Food Science Program, Chapman University.

Event Details:

📅 Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
🕠 Time: 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Chapman University, Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics, 549 W Palm Ave, Orange, CA 92868

RSVP today to secure your spot


About The Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics 
The vision of the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics is to inspire, educate, and empower the next generation of talent to have an entrepreneurial mindset. To teach students how to innovate and take risks, whether they are starting their own venture, or working inside a corporation. Through our curriculum and our incubator, we provide hands-on experience to the next generation of talent, teaching them how to develop, scale, and launch their own ventures as future global citizens in the world economy. Ralph W. Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics | Chapman University

About Chapman University
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university in Orange, California, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Chapman serves nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can choose from over 100 areas of study within 11 colleges for a personalized education. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution. Students at Chapman learn directly from distinguished world-class faculty including Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur fellows, published authors and Academy Award winners. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. The university features the No. 4 film school and No. 66 business school in the U.S. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.

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