Join us for an energizing evening designed for founders who are serious about turning insight into impact. This interactive event will explore how to better understand your customer, validate real demand, and make smarter product decisions. Through expert perspective, practical strategy, and honest founder stories, we will examine what separates products that gain traction from those that stall and how to respond when things do not go as planned.
Expect candid conversations, actionable takeaways, and real-world lessons from experts and entrepreneurs who have navigated the messy middle of building and refining products. If you are testing, building, pivoting, or scaling, this is a conversation you will not want to miss.
Light snacks and refreshments provided!
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Glenn Pappalardo has over 20 years of experience in developing winning growth and innovation strategies for companies in the food and beverage industry, including internationally, in both consulting and corporate leadership roles. He has been a member of executive teams at both RXBAR (International, COO) and Kashi (Strategy, International) and led multiple consulting firms specializing in the space (JPG Resources, Integral CPG). In addition, his 15+ years of consulting experience includes time at multinational firms PwC and Deloitte, holding leadership roles in the Consumer Products industry practices of each. Glenn holds an MBA in Management, Marketing and Organizations.
Arwen Kimmell is the founder of Insomnia Insights and the Consumer Insights Lead for Integral CPG. With 20+ years of experience in the wellness industry including retail, research and client-side brand strategy and insights, Arwen brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to answering your business questions.
Melanie Bartelme is the Marketing Strategy Manager at Baldwin Richardson Foods Co., a true service business that offers customers a range of services, including flavor innovation, product development, procurement, logistics, customer service, and consumer insights. Prior to joining Baldwin Richardson Foods, Melanie was a Global Food Analyst at Mintel and reported on industry news and trends for the Institute of Food Technologists. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University and regularly shares analysis with industry audiences through publications and conference presentations. Outside of her professional work she engages with food culture through personal travel and social media, exploring cuisine and culinary trends from around the world.
Luke Saunders is the Founder and CEO of Farmer’s Fridge. Luke guides the company’s vision and strategic direction. An entrepreneur at heart, Luke started the company while working as a traveling salesman after struggling to find fresh, healthy, and accessible food options on the road. Since 2013, the rapidly expanding business has grown to 2,000+ national Fridge locations and has established a strong retail presence with partners including Target, Walmart, Hudson News, HMSHost, and more. Luke has been honored as a Forbes “30 under 30,” a Crain’s Chicago Business “40 under 40,” and one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business.” In addition, Time Magazine named Farmer’s Fridge one of the “100 Best Inventions” and Food & Wine Magazine honored the company as a 2025 Game Changer.
Regina Trillo Regina left a legal career in human rights to found Nemi Snacks after being struck by how underrepresented and stereotyped Latino food was on American grocery shelves — and how a nopal cactus chip could change that. She is now the co-founder and part of the executive team behind Tuyyo Foods, a merger of three woman-owned companies bringing bold Latin flavors rooted in heritage to the market.
