The live one-day event called Drinks Ingredients 2010 Virtual Conference and Expo will be taking place on Thursday 27 May.

Organised in association with FoodNavigator.com and BeverageDaily.com, the virtual trade show is an online event that allows visitors to network, attend conferences, and visit suppliers without having to book flights or hotels.

Virtual versions of trade shows and conferences are becoming increasingly popular as marketing budgets come under pressure in the recession and IT companies develop new and improved platforms for online events.

Networking

Cost saving is not the only attraction of the virtual format. Visitors to Drinks Ingredients 2010 can easily navigate their way around the virtual floor and can network simply with both visitors and suppliers through forums at stands, and using a chat facility.

In addition to networking, attendees of the beverage show can come to stands in the virtual exhibition hall to pick up product brochures, technical papers and case studies, and tune in to videos.

One of the highlights of Drinks Ingredients 2010 is an all-day conference programme in the auditorium covering big trends and challenges in the beverage sector.

Conference line-up

Talks will cover subjects like health claims regulation, natural beverage formulation, and adult taste buds, with a speaker line-up that includes Nutraveris general manager Cedric Bourges, Mintel analyst David Jago, and Rianne Ruijschop from NIZO food research.

There will also be an overview of the beverage market from Leatherhead analyst Chris Brockman and a round-table discussion on how the beverage business should respond to obesity.

Debating the obesity question will be Salvatore Gabola, director of PR at Coca-Cola Europe, Jill Ardagh, the director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, and Tam Fry, the chairman of the Child Growth Foundation.

There are a total of 10 talks scheduled for Drinks Ingredients 2010 kicking off as the event opens at 11AM Central European Time.