Austin is gearing up for the South by Southwest Conference and Festival, which will overtake Texas’s Capitol City from Friday, March 7 through Saturday, March 15. And while this 10-day event features a conference that focuses on big industries like tech, education, music, energy, fashion and beauty, and design, food will fortunately also be a focus, with various panels focused on sustainability, waste, agriculture, and modern technology in the food industry through Monday, March 10. (A featured speaker this year is viral TikTok food critic Keith Lee.) Here are some of SXSW’s most important food this year.
Friday, March 7
Mastering the Art of Influencer Entrepreneurship
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Austin Convention Center
Though not on SXSW’s Food track, Dallas-based food critic and viral TikTok star Keith Lee will discuss how content creators can better strategize and grow their businesses and platforms by using modern marketing, AI technology, and insight from their audiences.
Saturday, March 8
‘Spaceproofing’ Food: Are We Ready to Dine on Mars?
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 1-2
Considering space exploration is soaring, with tons of celebrities like Katy Perry and Gayle King taking trips, this panel will ask the essential question: What will we be eating in space or from space in the years to come? Experts including Hazzaa Al Mansoori of Mohamed Bin Rashid Space Center, Christine Gould of GIGA, and Artuu Luukanen of Solar Foods will discuss how Earth is truly getting ready for space by assessing ways to produce food in space, which could meet astronauts’ nutritional needs and relieve the pressure on the world to produce food for an ever-growing population.
The Future of Plant-Based: Inclusive, Delicious, Sustainable
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 3-4
In this fireside chat, Peter McGuinness, the president of Impossible Foods, zeroes in on the far-spanning effects of implementing more plant-based foods into the American diet.
#TrashQueens: The Women Reimagining Food from the Waste Up
11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 3-4
In this panel, female leaders will spend an hour talking trash — but not the kind you think. Nearly 40 percent of food goes unsold and uneaten in the U.S., and a chef, a scientist, a CEO and a retailer will convene to discuss how society views and handles waste, how it can be not only be transformed into nutritious products, but also create a more sustainable food system.
Accelerating Growth in Women-Owned CPG
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 1-2
Poppi founder Allison Ellsworth joins leading women in the beverage industry to discuss their journey working in the male-dominated world of specialty drinks, as well as how they challenge the norms in the beverage space.
Ken-Ya Dig It? A Sexy & Gender Responsive African Ag Revival
4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 1-2
There’s a new wave of Kenyan women who are making farming “sexy” by adding a dash of glamor to their approach. Hear from two female farmers who are using groundbreaking traditions and modern practices to lead a food revolution while also bringing style to farming, climate resilience, equity, and inclusion.
Sunday, March 9
Seeding Change: The Future of Organic Food and Agriculture
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 1-2
Jason Buechel, the CEO of Whole Foods Market, joins other food industry leaders, including Andrea Abel of Farmshare Austin, to discuss what truly defines organic, and how organic culture, with all its intricacies, can impact the climate and the health of the communities growing our food.
NASA Uses Space Tech To Tackle Earth’s Food & Water Issues
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 3-4
Learn how NASA uses satellite technology and collaborates with agencies, organizations, farmers, ranchers, and fishermen to improve Earth’s food system and address the challenges related to its food and water sources.
Food From the Dunes: What Can the Desert Bring to the Table?
4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Museum of the Future, 3rd Street and Congress
Explore how deserts, their resilient communities, and new technologies that transform energy into food can help us prepare for a future of varying climates.
Monday, March 10
Automation & The Future Of Hospitality
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 3-4
Nicholas Jammet, the co-founder and COO of fast-casual salad restaurant Sweetgreen, joins Andrea Hernandez, founder of Snaxshot, and Will Guidara, founder of consulting company Thank You (and co-producer of The Bear), to discuss how automation is changing and in many ways, leveling up service and operations in the hospitality industry.
Farming as Advocacy: How Black Ranchers are Making History
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 1-2
Black Oklahoma ranchers and farmers from a 500-acre farm in Georgia co-owned by 19 discuss how they’re helping shape agriculture while building their own generational wealth.
Does Your Delivery Person Know You Better Than Your SO?
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 3-4
It’s likely that your online buying patterns, including what you order from food delivery services, are giving away more about you than you think. Learn how various brands around the country are using people’s shopping behavior to improve technology and create a better buying experience with more benefits.
Sinoloa Stories: Mexico’s AgTech Revolution
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 1-2
Texas’s neighbor, Mexico, is not only influential on the culinary scene, it’s also the world’s fourth-largest exporter of fruits and vegetables. Panelists will discuss how Sinaloa, one of Mexico’s most important agricultural regions, is using modern greenhouse technology, automated irrigation systems, and precision farming to maintain its important reputation as a leader in the agriculture technology revolution.
Indigenous & Farmer Insight on Climate, Agroecology Food Security
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 1-2
Walk away from this panel with Indigenous practices and wisdom on ways to invest in helpful food systems that can help build a lasting, more sustainable future.
Natural Fermentation: Ancient Wisdom and The Future of Food
4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 3-4
What do kimchi, kombucha, and sourdough have in common? The ancient process of fermentation. A scientist who studies food microbiology, a sourdough expert, the CEO of a leading baking company, and a journalist covering mental health will discuss natural fermentation and its role in the future of food, nutrition, and health.
The Potential of AI to Tackle Food Waste
4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
JW Marriott, Salon 1-2
Hear from innovators and industry experts on how AI is being used in the supply chain to make our food system more sustainable and cut down on harmful waste.
