Females in Food Hosts 4th Annual Expo West Mix & Mingle

Females in Food Announces 4th Annual Expo West Mix & Mingle, Presented by Premier Sponsor Umami

Minneapolis, MN — December 22nd, 2025

Females in Food (FIF), the leading professional community advancing women across the food and beverage value chain, today announced the return of its highly anticipated 4th Annual Expo West Mix & Mingle, taking place during Natural Products Expo West 2026 on March 4, 2026.

Presented by Premier Sponsor Umami, the event brings together industry leaders, innovators, founders, and executives for an energizing evening of connection, insight, and high-value conversation.

In addition to Umami as Premier Sponsor, the evening will feature five supporting sponsors, each hosting unique activations designed to spark conversation and discovery. The full sponsor lineup will be announced in January.

A Signature Expo West Experience

The Females in Food Mix & Mingle has become one of the most anticipated networking events at Expo West, offering a refreshing departure from the busy expo floor. The 2026 experience blends bold, high-energy design with coastal, Amalfi-inspired elements, creating a vibrant environment where authentic conversation and meaningful business connections can flourish.

“At FIF, our events aren’t just networking moments — they’re where conversations turn into business, partnerships, and long-term growth,” said Angela Dodd, Founder & CEO of Females in Food. “This goes far beyond a single event; we create year-round impact through our community and programs, grounded in meaningful dialogue, strategic connection, and reciprocal support that moves the industry forward.”

Premier Sponsor Spotlight: Umami

This year’s event is proudly presented by Umami, a SaaS and AI-enabled insights platform defining the future of CPG innovation. Umami’s philosophy is simple: Innovation should be productive and exciting — not exhausting and expensive.

Umami unburdens brands weighed down by lack of consumer clarity, siloed information, big-data expenses, and administrative lift. With its novel AI-enabled approach to opportunity reporting, Umami creates the “AH HA!” product development moments teams need to identify true market gaps with confidence.

“I know the challenges R&D, brand, and innovation teams face when trying to identify the next winning product,” said Danyel O’Connor, CEO of Umami. “Umami makes that process smarter and faster, providing real-time, actionable insights that reduce risk, accelerate development, and fuel growth.”

Special Attendee Offer
As a benefit to Females in Food Community, Umami is offering a complimentary Brand Health Report ($1,500 value). This exclusive offer is valid through December 31st, 2025 and can be claimed here.

Fireside Chat

The evening will feature a fireside conversation with Danyel O’Connor, CEO of Umami, focused on how AI is influencing innovation across the food and beverage industry.

Event Highlights

Alongside the fireside chat, attendees will experience:

Sponsor Activations

Engaging touchpoints hosted by five supporting sponsors, designed to spark discovery, showcase innovation, and create natural moments of connection.

High-Impact Speed Networking

A structured networking format that achieved a 100% impact rating from attendees at last year’s event.

Community-Centered Connection

A curated environment bringing together women across the F&B value chain — from emerging leaders to senior executives.

Who Can Attend

The Females in Food Mix & Mingle is open to:

Females in Food members
Corporate partners
Sponsor-invited guests
With a very limited number of tickets available to the public

For non-members, Females in Food will offer a special Ticket + 3-Month Complimentary Membership package. Only 75 public tickets will be available.

A sneak preview and waitlist open in December, with full registration launching the second week of January.

About Females in Food

Females in Food (FIF) is the first and only industry-wide community designed to accelerate the advancement, visibility, and leadership of women across the food and beverage value chain. Through year-round programming, leadership development, curated events, and corporate partnerships, FIF empowers women at every stage of their career to connect, grow, and lead.

Media Contact

Angela Dodd

Founder & CEO, Females in Food

contact@femalesinfood.community

www.femalesinfood.community

For more career resources, networking, and job opportunities, check out our membership community.

Our mission is simple – to advance women into senior leadership positions across every segment of the F&B industry and close the gender gap.