Federica is a senior commercial leader with global responsibility for shaping and executing BRCGS’ international growth strategy. She leads high-performing business development teams, builds strategic partnerships, and drives market expansion across key regions. With abour 2 decades of experience and deep expertise in commercial transformation, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional leadership, Federica aligns enterprise priorities with evolving customer and market needs. She brings a strategic, customer-centric mindset and a proven track record of delivering sustainable growth, scalable business models, and long-term value for customers, partners, and the organisation.

Gopi Byluppala is a food systems architect and cultural entrepreneur transforming how nations, regions and communities leverage culinary heritage as an engine for sustainable tourism, rural employment and soft power. As founder of The Culinary Lounge , India's pioneering experiential culinary studio and architect of Telangana Culinary Experiential Tourism Accelerator (TCETA), India's first government-backed culinary tourism accelerator, Gopi has positioned food as a strategic lever for economic development, cultural identity and global competitiveness.

His work sits at the intersection of heritage preservation, entrepreneurship and international diplomacy, with live partnerships spanning the Government of Telangana, Government of Andhra Pradesh, the Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce & Trade (NICCT).

Culinary Lounge also works with schools and communities to educate kids in the kitchen. So far 6,500 kids have been officially trained by the Culinary Lounge team , including Dyslexic kids.

For his on-field culinary research project , he has travelled nearly 40,000 Kilometers across 2 telugu states - Andhra Pradesh & Telangana to document local culinary heritage , culture and lost recipes.

VISION & PHILOSOPHY

Core Mantra: #NeverEatAlone

Gopi's philosophy rests on a simple belief: Humans are wired for real connection. In an increasingly fragmented world, food and shared meals remain the most powerful tools for building trust, understanding, and community. This principle underpins every initiative he leads.

EXPERTISE & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

1. Culinary Tourism as Economic Infrastructure

Gopi has pioneered the framing of culinary heritage as living infrastructure for rural employment, women's entrepreneurship and measurable tourism GDP. His work proves that food systems can generate ₹100+ crore economies at regional scale while preserving heritage and supporting 5,000+ women entrepreneurs.

2. Heritage as Soft Power & Diplomatic Tool

Through TCETA and regional partnerships, Gopi demonstrates how culinary heritage becomes a strategic asset for nations and regions seeking global cultural recognition, diaspora engagement, and international partnerships

3. Food Systems Design & Scaling

Gopi builds integrated ecosystems, not standalone projects:

• Training → Certification → Market Access → Global Recognition
• Home cooks → SHG enterprises → Tourism platforms → Investment networks
• Local stories → Regional circuits → National identity → Global brand

4. Telugu Culinary Heritage Documentation as IP

Gopi leads systematic documentation of 1,000+ lost Telugu recipes, organizing them by region, season, ritual, and function , creating a reference architecture that serves as:

• Research foundation for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage applications
• Menu innovation source for premium chefs and restaurants
• Tourism narrative spine for regional circuits
• Economic asset for SHG women and communities

5. Women-Led Entrepreneurship Through Food

All TCETA and regional circuit initiatives are anchored in SHG women, homemakers and tribal food artisans as primary beneficiaries and wealth creators. Gopi's model ensures:

• 100% of jobs are women-led or family-owned
• UPI-tracked income transparency
• Skill-to-capital pathways (training → certification → market → investment)

Kamalnayan Tibrewal is the Founder and CEO of Biokraft Foods. A young mind with a vision to change how people perceive meat by bringing a sustainable and ethical alternative. He is an alumnus of the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) Mumbai, India and has pursued M.Tech in Green Technology with his research work focused on cultivated meat and 3D Bioprinting. He is a protein-enthusiast and bullish on smart protein adoption. He is also working closely with organizations like GFI to promote research and awareness in the field of alternative proteins among young researchers.

Rohit Bhagat, a trailblazer in the FMCG, retail trade, and banking sectors, has carved a legacy over 25 years of transformative leadership. As the General Manager and Business Head of Life Health Foods (India) Pvt. Ltd., Rohit’s journey is a compelling tale of vision, resilience, and a relentless drive to redefine consumer-centric innovation, embodying the very essence of a true business leader.

Life Health Foods: A Decade of Transformational Leadership

In 2014, Rohit Bhagat joined Life Health Foods (India) Pvt. Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing, Australia, as General Manager. Tasked with reviving a sinking business, he took up the challenge with his characteristic tenacity and vision. Over the past decade, he has transformed the company into a market leader in plant-based beverages, achieving great growth and making it a household name in India.

With over a decade of experience in sales and business development, I currently serve as the National Sales Head at Farmton Foods Pvt. Ltd., where I focus on scaling distribution networks, driving revenue, and fostering high-performing teams. My mission is to enhance our market presence and create value for our partners and customers by aligning innovative sales strategies with the company’s commitment to delivering premium agro-products. Passionate about growth and collaboration, I aim to contribute to Farmton Foods’ vision and success.

Manish Jain

Processed Food & Agribusiness Business Leader | Scaling Brands & Global

Markets

Driven by a passion for transforming the food industry, I bring over 27 years of experience in processed food sales, strategic marketing, and high-growth business scaling along with a touch of operations and supply chain management. As an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, my expertise lies in identifying market gaps, building resilient growth engines, and leading businesses from ground zero to category dominance.

Key Highlights:

• Agro-Processing Expertise: A proven track record of scaling iconic Indian home-grown powerhouses—including Vadilal, Kohinoor, HyFun, and currently Farmton—alongside globally renowned brands like Del Monte and Fortune.
• Industry Pioneer: Spent over a decade at the forefront of India’s potato processing sector, playing an instrumental role in transitioning the country from a net importer to a global exporter of processed potato products.
• Global Perspective: Travelled across 50+ countries with deep cross-cultural insights and extensive international market distribution strategy experience.
• At present working with Farmton Foods Pvt Ltd as Director Sales and Marketing and leading the launch of Farmton in India and International markets. Farmton is a potato processing power house, owned by a Farmer family based out of humble town of Deesa in the state of Gujarat.

Dr. Hitesh Bhatt is the Director - Marketing and Communications at Retailers Association of India (RAI), the unified voice of retailers in India. He is also the Editorial Director of RAI’s magazine – STORAI, the Magazine by the Industry for the Industry.

Dr. Bhatt has more than 25 years of experience working with some of India Inc.’s top organisations across diverse sectors including Retail, OTC Pharma, FMCG, Automotive / FMCD, Petroleum Retail Marketing, Consulting, and media. He is an MBA and holds a Doctorate in Branding in Retail from University of Mumbai. He has completed Executive Retail Management Program from IIM – Calcutta.

He has a rich experience in Organisation Strategy and Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Corporate Communication and Sales.

Prior to joining RAI as a Director-Marketing and Communications, Hitesh was Head-Marketing and Communications at TCL - Times Group. He used to also head Marketing and Communication at NHBS, a Future Group company.

At RAI, he has initiated awards for retail and tech startups with the aim of creating world class retail ideas and success stories.

He is a sought-after speaker at various national and international platforms organized by private, semi- government, government bodies as well as academia. He is invited to share his thought leadership and expertise on Indian retail, E-commerce, omnichannel platforms, private labels, D2C, digital transformation, consumer insights and new-age business models.

Dr Bhatt also shares his knowledge of India’s retail ecosystem with foreign institutional investors, domestic institution investors, stockbrokers, and national and international equity firms.

He mentors startups, who seek his guidance on marketing, branding and strategies for growth.

He is passionate about branding. In his free time, he likes to share his knowledge as a guest faculty in B- Schools, and likes to do social service through BAPS, an International NGO.

Ritesh Mathur Is founder of F2F Food and Beverage Consultants and has 27 +years of experience in R & D, New Product Development, Setting of R & D Centres, Food Safety, Regulations, Sensory, Consumer Panels, Product Launches and Quality Assurance in the food industry. Have Patents and publications on his name. He Worked at leadership role and lead the R &D for reputed companies like McDonalds, Danone, General Mills, Godfrey Phillips and Raptakos Brett. He also guides research students at different Food Science and Technology colleges across India. Ritesh is alumni of ICT (formerly known as UDCT, Mumbai) and NMIMS. He is also President for AFST (Association of Food Scientist and Technologist) Mumbai Chapter.

Praveer Srivastava is the Executive Director of the Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) and a seasoned food-industry professional with over two decades of experience across FMCG, food processing, retail, private labels, business strategy, and industry development.

With a B.Tech in Dairy Technology and an MBA (Marketing), he combines technical expertise with strong business and strategic leadership capabilities.

As ED of PBFIA, Praveer leads industry advocacy and ecosystem development for India’s rapidly emerging plant-based foods and alternative proteins sector. He works closely with Government ministries, regulators, investors, global organisations, researchers, and industry stakeholders on policy reforms, investment promotion, innovation, market development, and consumer awareness.

He is actively contributing to positioning India as a global manufacturing, innovation, and investment hub for plant-based foods and proteins, while promoting sustainable, nutritious, affordable, and technology-driven food systems.

Gopal Chakarapani – Gopal is the Country Manager– India at Innova Market Insights , a leading global market intelligence and consumer insights company headquartered in the Netherlands, specializing in the food and beverage industry.

With two decades of extensive experience across global food and beverage markets, Gopal specializes in decoding consumer trends, identifying emerging market opportunities, and translating market intelligence into actionable innovation and business strategies.

His expertise spans consumer and market insights, food and beverage innovation, ingredient trends, product development, and strategic business growth. Through his work with leading organizations across markets, he brings a global perspective on evolving consumer preferences, emerging categories, ingredient-led opportunities, and the future of food, nutrition, and innovation.

As a regular industry speaker and moderator, Gopal brings together data, consumer intelligence, and industry perspectives to help businesses anticipate change, identify growth opportunities, and make more informed innovation decisions.

Amit Kher brings over 23 years of expertise in the food processing industry. Since joining Bühler India, he has gained extensive experience across the rice milling, flour milling, extrusion, pasta, chocolate, and grinding & dispersion divisions, developing comprehensive knowledge of a wide range of equipment and process technologies.

Throughout his career, Amit has held various roles spanning technology, customer service, and sales, enabling him to deeply understand customer needs and operational challenges at the grassroots level.

Currently, Amit leads the sales and technology team for the Foods Business at Bühler South Asia. He is responsible for delivering technical solutions to customers and spearheading the development of innovative solutions.

Amit holds an MBA in International Marketing as well as a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering. He has further enhanced his expertise by completing the Leading Product Innovations course at Harvard Business School – Executive Education and the Advanced Leadership Program at Hult Ashridge.

Experienced National Head with a demonstrated history of working in the retail industry. Skilled in Retail, E-commerce, General Management , Buying , Merchandising and Category Management . Strong Retail professional graduated from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

• Dr. Shashank Bhalkar is presently the Executive Director at PFNDAI.
• After doing a Doctorate in Food Technology from UDCT, Mumbai University, he did his Post-Doctoral Research in Biochemistry from Ehime University, Japan.
• He has over 27 years of rich experience working in (R&D, QA, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Procurement), in the Nutritional Food / Nutraceuticals Industry.
• He worked in various Indian and Multinational industries which are in the business of manufacturing Nutritional and Nutraceutical products. The organizations include reputed manufacturers like FDC Ltd, Raptakos Brett & Co. Ltd., Herbalife International, and Abbott Nutrition.

Vetri Selvan is a South Indian culinary consultant and hospitality operations specialist with over 22 years of experience across India, Canada, and the United States. As Principal Consultant at Brand Mantra LLC, he advises restaurant groups, hotels, and food service operators on menu innovation, operational efficiency, and regionally-rooted culinary authenticity.

He has worked closely with leading names in the hospitality and food service industry, including Wrapafella (Roadster Hospitality), Sodexo India, Mexicali Rosa's (Canada) in critical advisory and operational capacities. His original contributions to menu development and operational systems date back to 2017.

Vetri is the author of Healing Thindi: Traditional South Indian Cuisine , and has spoken at industry platforms including FCIC West India Edition, where he addressed culinary creativity and menu innovation. He has also been featured in Incredible World of Hospitality News as a recognized voice in the HoReCa space.

Vetri brings a rare blend of hands-on culinary expertise and business consulting perspective, bridging regional authenticity with the operational demands of modern hospitality.

Arjunraj Kohli is the Business Head at Taurus Foods, with over 14 years of experience in the frozen food industry. He leads the company’s business operations and growth across its two manufacturing units in North India, specialising in non-vegetarian frozen food products. Under his leadership, Taurus Foods serves leading QSR chains, flight kitchens, cloud kitchens and hotels across India and international markets. His expertise spans food manufacturing, B2B partnerships, product development and building scalable solutions for the foodservice industry.