SXSW Agenda (updated in real time)

Agenda (Updated In Real Time)

Food Tank, SXSW, Huston-Tillotson University, and Driscoll's present…

“All Things Food at SXSW 2025” 

Hosted by Barr Mansion (10463 Sprinkle Rd, Austin, TX 78754)

Official SXSW 2025 Programming

March 13th and 14th, 2025

80+ Luminary Speakers

Music. Art. Performance. Film.

All Day Delicious Dining and Drinks Curated by Celebrity Chefs. 

Both days are also available via livestream!

Watch on YouTube Day 1: "All Things Food" Summit at SXSW 2025, DAY ONE

Watch on YouTube Day 2: 

"All Things Food" Summit at SXSW 2025, DAY TWO

Questions? Email Kenzie at Kenzie@FoodTank.com

Thanks to the following brands for making the Summit inspiring and delicious: Ahold Delhaize USA, Applegate, Arva, Atlantic Sea Farms, Aquanaria, Bel, Best Day Brewery, Better Sour, Blk & Bold, Bonipak, Bonterra Organic Estates, Brass Roots, Burlap & Barrel, ButcherBox, Certified Origins, Chicken of the Sea, Daily Crunch Snacks, Daily Harvest, Dr. Bronner's, Driscoll's, Fairhaven Orchards, Farmer's Fridge, Floofy’s Fluff, Grace Family Farms Tea Lounge, Guayakí, Hasta la Luna, La Belle Patrimoine, La Colombe, Little Sesame, Maker’s Mark, Meati, The Mendrin Group, MyMochi, Nature's Fynd, Nature's Path, Niman Ranch, Oddbird, Organic Valley, Parlor Coffee, Quinn, Riverence, Saffron Road, Seremoni, Shake Shack, SIMPLi, SPIRIT Almond, Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, Strong Roots, Swig Cheese Haus, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, Tindle, Tony's Chocolonely, Traditional Medicinals, Vista Brewing, and Yolele.

Day 1. Thursday, March 13, 2025 

9:30AM. Doors & Delicious Breakfast. 

Featuring Organic Valley Cafe with Creature Coffee and assorted humanely sourced Organic Valley milks and creamers; A fresh medley of Driscoll's fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries; Nature's Path Organic Coconut Chia Granola and Mesa Sunrise Cereal; Nature's Fynd Dairy-Free Fy Yogurt and Meatless Fy™ Breakfast Patty Pancake Sammies with Maple Aioli; Organic Valley Cottage Cheese made with pasture-raised dairy; SIMPLi Chia Seed Pudding with Driscoll's Berries; Organic Valley Spicy Cheddar and Italian Mozzarella Egg Bites; Strong Roots Veggie Hash Brown Toasts with whipped goat cheese and red pepper spread; Mendrin's Roasted Pee Wee Potatoes with Burlap and Barrel spices; La Colombe cold brew; Antioxidant-rich Yerba Mate from Guayaki; Driscoll’s mixed berry and Mint Water; Grace Family Farms Iced Tea and more.

9:30AM. Musical Performance by Singer-Songwriter Kelsi Creek.

10:30AM-10:45AM. Welcome Remarks. (15min)

• Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank

• Dr. Melva K. Wallace, President, Huston-Tillotson University

Creating Solutions for Food and Agriculture Systems and Communities 

10:45AM-11:10AM. Panel Discussion: The Real Impact of Healthy Food Access on Communities. (25min)

• Selena Ahmed, Global Director, Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) and Dean, Food EDU, American Heart Association Confirmed
• Rachel Ferencik, Senior Director, Hunger, Nutrition and Health Action Collaborative, CDC Foundation Confirmed
• Maj. Emily Diemer, Research Director, US Army, Baylor Master’s Program of Nutrition Confirmed
• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

11:10AM-11:30AM.  Panel Discussion: Building Trust in Food Systems: The Impact of Traceability Solutions on Food Safety. (20min)

• Jayson Berryhill, CEO, Wholechain Confirmed

• Blake Stok, Director of Sustainability, Chicken of the Sea / Thai Union North America Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

Passed tasting experience featuring Chicken of the Sea decarbonized shrimp with HER signature passion fruit habanero cocktail sauce.

11:30AM-11:55AM. Panel Discussion: Scrapping Excess: A Food Waste Experiment. (25min)

• Caitlin Leibert, Vice President of Sustainability, Whole Foods Market Confirmed 

• Dana Gunders, President, ReFED Confirmed

• Amanda Rohlich, Food Policy Advisor, City of Austin Confirmed
• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

11:55AM-12:20PM. Panel Discussion: Doing Good with Good Food: The Next Gen Leaders of Family-Owned Food Shaping a Sustainable Tomorrow (25min)

• Garland Reiter Jr., Chief Commercial Officer, Driscoll’s Confirmed

• Stefanie Katzman, CEO, Katzman Confirmed

• Emmanuel Gonzalez, Chief Experience Officer, Vallarta Supermarkets Confirmed

• Brita Lundberg, Fourth-Generation Farmer & Chief Storyteller, Lundberg Family Farms Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

Passed tasting experience featuring a medley of Driscoll’s blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries served in a Verterra bamboo cone. 

12:20PM-1:00PM. Film Screening: “Wild Hope: Mission Impossible” (40 min) 

1:00PM-1:30PM. Fireside Chat with Pat Brown and Jared Lipworth. (30 min) 

in partnership with HHMI Tangled Bank Studios

• Pat Brown, Founder, Impossible Foods and Professor, Stanford University Confirmed

• Jared Lipworth, Head of Studio, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios Confirmed
• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

Passed tasting experience featuring HHMI Tangled Bank Studios cookies specially designed and baked for the occasion. 

1:30PM-2:15PM. Lunch and Live Music Performance by Singer-Songwriter Kelsi Creek.

Delicious lunch including: Impossible burgers with Mendrin’s Green Leaf Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Onions; selection of Farmer’s Fridge favorite salads and bowls; Driscoll’s mixed berry and herb salad, SIMPLi quinoa, Certified Origins olive oil and vinegar; Melon and Atlantic Sea Farms seaweed salad, sesame seeds, ponzu, honey; Little Sesame Hummus with Yolele Fonio Chips; Sprouts Market Crudites; Mendrin’s Grilled romaine and flower petal salad with Seggiano white balsamic; Mendrin’s Spinach, Honey Crisp Apple, SPIRIT Almond; Chef Grace Aguilar on the Lawn with Honduran Baleadas, SIMPLi black beans, Hasta La Luna tortillas, crema, crumbled salty cheese, Mendrin’s cabbage slaw; La Belle Patrimoine Chicken and Sausage Gumbo and Yolele grain and scallions; Inland Seafood Striped bass ceviche using Yolele Fonio chips.

2:15PM-2:40PM. Fireside Chat: “For All, For Good: On the Road to Closing the Nutrition Gap.” (25 min)

• Cécile Béliot, Global CEO, Group Bel Confirmed

• Ivan Giraud, North America CEO, Group Bel Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

Passed tasting experience featuring a bento box of Babybel Plant-Based Cheeses, organic peppers, and fruits.

Conversations about Food is Medicine and School Gardens

2:40PM-2:55PM. Framing Conversation (15 min)

in partnership with The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation 

• Lyndsey Waugh, Executive Director, Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

2:55PM-3:20PM. Panel Discussion: Nutrition Across Adolescence. (25 min)

in partnership with The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation 

• Ashley Rouse, Executive Director, Edible Schoolyard Project Confirmed
• Chef Adrian Lipscombe, Founder, 40 Acres Project Confirmed

• Jessica Gudmundson, Executive Director, National Farm to School Network Confirmed

• Linda Novick O’Keefe, Co-Founder and CEO, Common Threads Confirmed
• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

3:20PM-3:45PM. Fireside Chat with Mark Hyman. (25min)

in partnership with The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation 

• Dr. Mark Hyman, Physician, Author, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Function Health Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

Passed tasting experience featuring Sprouts and Blue Watermelon Project Charred Tomato and Roasted Vegetable Crostini and Fruit Bowl.

3:45PM-4:15PM. Panel Discussion: Food is Medicine and Eating for Health Part 1. (25 min)

in partnership with The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation 

• Brandon Lombardi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Sprouts Farmers Market Confirmed
• Joi Chevalier, Chair, Austin Travis County Food Policy Board, Founder and CEO, The Cook’s Nook Confirmed

• Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President for the Food Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

4:15PM-4:40PM. Panel Discussion: Celebrating Chefs. (25 min)

• Chef Olivia Hernandez, Owner, HER Hospitality Confirmed

• Chef Dave White, 2025 Chopped Grand Champion, Bravo’s Below Deck Mediterranean, Author of “Salted” Confirmed

• Chef Jay Huang, Executive Chef, Lucky Robot and Nomade Confirmed

• Chef Iliana De La Vega, El Naranjo, James Beard-Awarded “Best Chef in Texas” Confirmed

• Moderated by Dr. Sweta Chakraborty, CEO, We Don’t Have Time North America Confirmed

4:40PM-5:15PM. Fireside Chat with Clips from “Generation Growth” (20 min)

• Stephen Ritz, Educator, Urban Farmer and Founder, Green Bronx Machine Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

5:15PM-5:40PM. Panel Discussion: Mission Driven Brands and Tasting Experience Part 1 (25 min)

• Joe O'Connor, President, Applegate (short video to play) Confirmed

• Dusan Vujovic, Head of North America, Tony’s Chocolonely Confirmed
• Karuna Rawal, Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer, Nature's Fynd Confirmed

• Sarela Herrada, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, SIMPLi Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

Passed tasting experience featuring Applegate’s Texas Hot Dog with Diablo Huma BBQ and onions; Tony’s Chocolonely custom bars made specially for the occasion; Nature's Fynd - Fy Bites with mango chutney; SIMPLi rosewater quinoa con leche with crushed rose petals.

5:40PM-7:30PM. Live D.J. Performance and Delicious Reception 

in partnership with HER Hospitality and Barr Mansion. 

Reception featuring Meati Burnt Ends and Nashville Hot Sliders on Lil Mama's Bakery Slider Buns; Seremoni Black Cod Tempura with Apricot Miso Glaze; Nature's Fynd Bites with Spicy Mango Chutney; La Belle Patrimoine Chicken Wings with Honey Sriracha Lime Sauce; Butcher Box Grilled Tri-tip Steak with Zesty Chimichurri; Butcher Box Swedish meatballs served with gravy and Driscoll’s Raspberry Jam; Atlantic Sea Farms seaweed salad and melon poke; Driscoll's mixed berry tartlets; Riverence trout mousse; Mexican Pozole featuring Tindle; Makers Mark specialty cocktails; Vista Brewing beer truck with local beer, Bonterra Organic Estates wines, and more. 

7:00PM. Evening Sky Tour: Connecting the Earth and Universe. Join Dr. Gary Blackwood, ret. Former Leader of NASA Exoplanet Exploration, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, for an entertaining and informative laser and sky app-guided tour of the constellations and planets.

7:30PM. Event Ends. 

Day 2. Friday, March 14, 2025

in partnership with Organic Valley. 

9:30AM. Doors & Delicious Breakfast.

Including Organic Valley Cafe with Creature Coffee and assorted humanely sourced Organic Valley milks and creamers; A fresh medley of Driscoll’s Fresh Strawberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries; Nature’s Path Organic Coconut Chia Granola and Mesa Sunrise Cereal; Nature's Fynd Dairy-Free Fy Yogurt and Meatless Fy™ Breakfast Patty Pancake Sammies with Maple Aioli; Organic Valley Cottage Cheese made with pasture-raised dairy; SiMPLI Chia Seed Pudding with Driscoll’s Berries; Organic Valley Spicy Cheddar Egg Bites and Italian Mozzarella Egg Bites; Fresh Brewed Parlor Coffee and Cold Brew; Strong Roots Veggie Hash Brown Toasts with Whipped Goat cheese and red pepper spread; La Colombe cold brew; Antioxidant-rich Yerba Mate from Guayaki; Driscoll’s mixed berry and Mint Water; Grace Family Farms Iced Tea, and more.

9:30AM. Musical Performance by Singer-Songwriter Ruel Thomas.

10:30AM - 10:35AM. Welcome Remarks. (5 min)

• Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank

Shaping the Future of Food: Eating with Purpose and the Next Generation of Organic in partnership with Organic Valley

10:35AM-10:45AM. Framing Fireside Chat (10 min)

• Rick Simington, CCO, Organic Valley Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank

10:45AM-11:10AM. Panel Discussion: Future of Food: Next Gen Food, Anti Ultra-Processed, and the New Food System​. (25 min)

in partnership with Organic Valley

• Sabrina Servais, Young Farmer, Organic Valley Confirmed

• June Jo Lee, Food Ethnographer Confirmed

• Cathy Strange, Ambassador of Food Culture, Whole Foods Market; Renowned Cheese Expert Confirmed
• Peter Barrett, Writer, Things on Bread Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank Confirmed

11:10AM-11:30AM. Fireside Chat with Paul Willis (20 min)

• Paul Willis, Founding Hog Farmer, Niman Ranch Confirmed 

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank Confirmed 

Passed tasting experience featuring Niman Ranch charcuterie snack packs. 

11:30AM-11:55AM. Panel Discussion: Food with Purpose: Why Choosing Good Food Matters. (25 min)

in partnership with Organic Valley 

• Luke Zahm, Owner and Chef, Driftless Cafe and Television Host, Wisconsin Foodie Confirmed

• Alyssa Vescio, Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Whole Foods Market  Confirmed

• John "Wesley" McWhorter, VP, Lifestyle Medicine at Suvida Healthcare Confirmed

• Josh Tickell, Filmmaker and Storyteller, Common Ground Film Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank Confirmed

Passed tasting experience featuring Organic Valley string cheese. 

11:55AM-12:15PM. Fireside Chat with Karen Washington (25 min)

• Karen Washington, Food Justice Advocate, Urban Farmer, and Author, Rise & Root Farm Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank 

12:20PM-12:30PM. Closing Reflections  (10 min)

• Rick Simington, CCO, Organic Valley​ Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank Confirmed

Farmer Profitability Depends on Soil Health in partnership with Arva

12:30PM-12:55PM. Panel Discussion: Digging Deeper: The Importance of Soil. (25 min) in partnership with Arva

• Annalyn Lavey, Founder & Managing Partner, Genus Land Confirmed

• Jay McEntire, CEO and Co-Founder, Arva Confirmed

• Jyoti Jankowski, Strategy & Operations Lead, North America, Conscious Planet Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

12:55PM-1:20PM. Panel Discussion: Regenerating Farms, Revitalizing Communities: The Complexities of Change (25 min)

in partnership with Arva

• Josh Tranel, Farmer-Owner, Tranel Family Farm Confirmed

• Kelsey Scott, Intertribal Agriculture Council, rancher, food systems advocate Confirmed

• Michelle Hughes, Co-Executive Director, National Young Farmers Coalition Confirmed

• Chaz Daughtry, Founder, Sweetwater Farms HTX and Soulfitgrill Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

1:20PM-1:40PM. Fireside Chat with U.S. Congressperson Pete Sessions (Republican, TX-17) (25 min)

• U.S. Congressperson Pete Sessions (Republican, TX-17) Confirmed
• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

U.S. Congressperson Chellie Pingree (Democrat, Maine).

1:40PM-1:55PM. Closing Reflections (10 min)

• Jay McEntire, CEO and Co-Founder, Arva Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

1:55PM-2:30PM. Lunch and Music Performance by Singer-Songwriter Ruel Thomas. Delicious lunch including Shake Shack burgers and fries; Delicious selection of Farmer’s Fridge favorite salads and bowls; Driscoll’s mixed berry and herb salad with SiMPLI quinoa and Certified Origins olive oil and vinegar; Cantaloupe and Atlantic Sea Farms seaweed salad, sesame seeds, and ponzu honey and Japanese flavored almonds; Little Sesame Hummus with Yolele Fonio Chips; Sprouts Market dips and veggies; Grilled romaine and flower petal salad with Seggiano white balsamic.

2:30PM-2:50PM. Fireside Chat with Sam Acho. (25 min)

• Sam Acho, Founder & President, Athletes for Justice; Director of Human Capital, AWM Capital; Author, Humanitarian and 9 year NFL Veteran Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

2:50PM-3:20PM. Panel Discussion: Food is Medicine and Eating for Health Part 2. (35 min) 

in partnership with The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation 

• Nira Goren, Head of Health Information Quality and Food is Medicine, Google Confirmed

• Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO, Feeding America Confirmed

• Dariush Mozaffarian, Director, Food is Medicine Institute Confirmed

• Brandon Lombardi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Sprouts Farmers Market Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

3:20PM-3:45PM. Panel Discussion: Healthy Food For All: Building Intersectional Partnerships. (30min)

in partnership with Huston-Tillotson University

• Antony Jackson, Founder, We Can Now Confirmed

• Jenna Jasso, Co-Founder, Festival Beach Food Forest Confirmed
• Larry Franklin, Founder, Black Lives Veggies Confirmed
• Brendan Gemmell, Manager, Neighborhood Program, Austin Animal Center Confirmed

• Moderated by Amanda Masino, Professor of Biology and Chair of Natural Science, Huston-Tillotson University Confirmed

3:45PM-4:05PM. Fireside Chat with Steven Jennings (20min)

• Steven Jennings, Stakeholder Relations and Brand Lead, Health & Sustainability at Ahold Delhaize USA Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

4:05PM-4:25PM. Panel Discussion: Transforming Texas Food Systems through a New Community Empowerment Model (25min)

in partnership with Barr Mansion

• Karin Ascot, Co-Founder, Holocia; Bioregional Leader Confirmed

• Sara Faivre, National Board Member of Farmer Mac; Regenerative Farmer Confirmed

• Jeff Travillion, Travis County Commissioner Confirmed

• Chris Miller, Chair, National Coalition for Community Capital (NC3) Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

4:25PM-4:45PM. Panel Discussion: Mission Driven Brands and Tasting Experience Part 2 (25min)

• Joseph Brinkley, Senior Director of Regenerative and Organic Development, Bonterra Organic Estates Confirmed

• Samantha Sackin, VP of Integrated Marketing, Organic Valley Confirmed

• Giovanni Quaratesi, Head of Corporate Global Affairs, Certified Origins Confirmed 

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

Passed tasting experience featuring Bonterra Organic Estates Red Blend; Organic Valley Cheddar Cubes; Certified Origins Toscano Pgi EVOO, Bellucci Brand olive oil served with vanilla ice cream.

4:50PM-5:05PM. Fireside Chat: Connecting the Earth and Universe (15min)

• Dr. Gary Blackwood, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (ret.), Former Leader of the NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program Confirmed

• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed

5:05-5:20PM. Fireside Chat with Jerome Foster II

• Jerome Foster II, Environmental Justice Activist and Social Entrepreneur
• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank

5:20PM-5:45PM.. Closing Keynote Fireside Chat with Raj Patel (25min)

• Raj Patel, Author and Research Professor, Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin Confirmed 
• Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Confirmed 

5:45PM-7:30PM. Live D.J. Performance and Delicious Reception 

in partnership with HER Hospitality and Barr Mansion. Delicious reception featuring Meati Burnt Ends; Seremoni Cod; Nature's Fynd Bites; La Belle Patrimoine Chicken Wings with honey sriracha lime sauce; Butcher Box Skirt Steak; Butcher Box Meatballs; Atlantic Sea Farms seaweed salad and melon Poke; Driscoll's berry tartlets; Riverence Trout bites; Tindle Pozole; Makers Mark Cocktails; Vista Brewing Local beer; Bonterra Organic Estates wines.

7:00PM. Evening Sky Tour: Connecting the Earth and Universe. Join Dr. Gary Blackwood, ret. Former Leader of NASA Exoplanet Exploration, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, for an entertaining and informative laser and sky app-guided tour of the constellations and planets.

7:30PM. Event Ends.