In April, I had the privilege of representing the Nutrition Communication Department of BENEO-Institute at BENEO’s European Regional Workshop for the first time, alongside my colleague Silke Ullmann. This event was not just another tick on the calendar but the result of weeks of preparation, collaboration, and learning. The highlight for me was the active role I played in preparing and presenting a workshop about our functional fibres, together with some great colleagues from BENEO.
As BENEO is a globally acting company we want to ensure that we are always close to our customers. We have local offices across the globe, but we also rely on a worldwide network of sales partners. We meet and exchange regularly for example at this year’s European Regional Workshop. Hence the workshop is an important event for BENEO. It offers numerous opportunities for growth and collaboration with our sales colleagues. Additionally, it provides a platform for updates, a space for strategic discussions and interactive workshops and networking events to strengthen relationships and foster collaboration among attendees.
Here’s a glimpse of the enriching experience of my very first European Regional Workshop.
The Early Stages of Preparation
During the two-day workshop I was part of a team responsible for a session about BENEO’s chicory root fibres. The groundwork for our fibres workshop began several weeks before the actual event. Our team, a dynamic mix of product managers, technical experts and me (for the scientific view), met several times to brainstorm and develop the workshop’s framework. Our objective was clear: to provide participants with a thorough understanding of our dietary fibres, their properties, applications, and emerging trends in science and industry.
The Big Day
As the day of the workshop approached, a mix of excitement and nervousness set in. The first day kicked off with presentations on market trends as well as highlights and success stories from our sales network partners and salespeople, setting the stage for a productive event. And after that it was showtime for Silke and me. We began by setting up our materials and soon the workshop room filled with participants, including familiar faces from BENEO and many new ones – sales colleagues and sales network partners from different regions in Europe. Three parallel sessions were organised, focusing on chicory root fibres (my part), functional carbohydrates (with my Nutrition Communication colleague Silke Ullmann) and beta-glucans. Each session was repeated three times throughout the event, ensuring that all participants had the opportunity to attend and benefit from each of the workshops.
We kicked off our fibre session with a delicious “hibiscus rose prebiotic mocktail” for everyone. After raising our glasses to our functional fibres each team member took turns presenting, ensuring a smooth flow of nicely prepared and interesting information. The workshop was filled with commercial updates, technical properties of BENEO’s fibres and everything that’s important from a scientific point of few. I presented information on the prebiotic properties of our chicory root fibres and the related scientifically established health benefits, including insights from emerging science. We also prepared a blind-tasting where attendees could try cereal bars and some fibre gummies with our ingredients and ingredients from competition. Of course, BENEO ingredients were the nicest 😉.
The visual aids and interactive activities we had prepared were great fun, sparking lively discussions and engagement among the participants. Overall, it was a successful workshop and a great first experience for me.
BENEO’s Regional Workshop Comes to an End
On the next and already last day of the event it was time to swap roles. Now I was a participant in several workshops covering sessions like innovative approaches to plant-based meat alternatives with products from our Meatless® range, future proof solutions with faba bean protein and insights on our starches. Each of these workshops was both informative and inspiring. I learned a lot and got lots of new ideas to share with my team. Being a participant allowed me to see the depth of expertise and innovation at BENEO, highlighting the importance of the different departments of BENEO.
After these sessions the event already came to an end. As we wrapped up BENEO’s European Regional Workshop, the concluding remarks captured the essence of our shared accomplishments and future goals. We celebrated the lively discussions and teamwork that characterised the event, from insightful talks on market trends and sales insights to hands-on workshops showcasing BENEO’s innovative ingredients. The enthusiasm and active participation from everyone highlighted our dedication to excellence and collaboration, strengthening the bonds within our global network of sales partners and colleagues. Looking ahead, we are excited to build on the insights gained and relationships formed during this workshop, aiming to innovate further and bring even more value to our customers worldwide.
Reflecting on the Experience
Looking back, the regional workshop stands out as another great experience in my professional journey at BENEO. The process of preparing and presenting the prebiotic chicory root fibre workshop highlighted again the importance of teamwork and the value of diverse perspectives.
The connections I made with colleagues from BENEO and our sales network partners as well as the knowledge I gained during this workshop are invaluable. This experience highlighted the joy of coming together with like-minded professionals to share and expand our collective understanding.
A big thanks to all the colleagues, who supported me before and throughout BENEO’s European Regional Workshop!
