IFT FIRST Registration

IFT FIRST (Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology) brings together the entire food ecosystem—from farm to fork, research lab to retail shelf. As the leading food science and innovation expo, IFT FIRST offers solutions across every challenge: sustainability, food safety, ingredient innovation, supply chain optimization, and more. 

 

This is one event you can't afford to miss.  

 

Reminder: IFT members save on IFT FIRST registration. 

Get Approval to Attend IFT FIRST in 2027

Need to make the case for attending IFT FIRST?

Choose the 2027 IFT FIRST Justification Letter that best reflects what you want to accomplish. Each ready-to-customize template helps connect your registration and travel investment to specific professional, scientific, academic, or organizational outcomes.

Find the letter that fits your goals, personalize it with your priorities and expected outcomes, and make a stronger case for approval.

Find Your Justification Letter

Strategic Decision Maker

Making decisions that shape your organization?

Demonstrate the value of emerging science and technology, competitive intelligence, strategic relationships, and insights that support better decisions.

Decision Maker Letter

Confidence Seeker

Attending IFT FIRST for the first time?

Build a focused case around the sessions, experts, exhibitors, solutions, and connections most relevant to your priorities.

First-Timer Letter

Community Champion

Returning to IFT FIRST?

Show how attending again can create new value through professional relationships, fresh perspectives, knowledge sharing, and stronger food science community connections.

Community Champion Letter

Career Builder

Launching or preparing for your career?

Show the value of career exploration, mentorship, industry connections, and applying your education in the real world.

Career Builder Letter

Emerging Leader

Ready to take the next step professionally?

Connect IFT FIRST to stronger technical expertise, professional development, valuable relationships, and greater impact within your organization.

Emerging Leader Letter

Growth Seeker

Looking for practical solutions and new approaches?

Make the case for discovering technologies, best practices, expertise, and solutions you can apply to current business or technical challenges.

Growth Seeker Letter

Research Leader

Advancing research, education, or scientific discovery?

Show how IFT FIRST can support scientific exchange, research visibility, collaboration, and connections between research and real-world applications.

Research Leader Letter

Public Sector Scientist

Working in government or public service?

Connect attendance to emerging science, stakeholder perspectives, industry practices, and insights that support evidence-based work.

Public Sector Letter

IFT Volunteer Leader

Leading or contributing to an IFT community?

Highlight the value of leadership, mentorship, IFT Section or Division participation, collaboration, and strengthening the food science community.

Volunteer Leader Letter

Build Your Own Justification Letter

Don’t see yourself reflected above?

Create a justification letter around your unique role and goals or combine relevant elements from multiple templates using our ready-to-use AI prompt.

Copy the prompt, add your information, and paste it into your preferred AI assistant.

Build My Own Letter

Customize your letter to demonstrate how IFT FIRST can help you:

  • Address professional or organizational priorities
  • Gain practical scientific and technical knowledge
  • Discover solutions to real business challenges
  • Build useful relationships with peers, experts, researchers, and industry leaders
  • Evaluate emerging technologies and approaches
  • Advance career, research, or leadership goals
  • Bring actionable knowledge, connections, and recommendations back to your organization

Choose your letter. Make it yours. Get the greenlight to join us at IFT FIRST in 2027.

Learn More About Justification Letters

Not sure which one fits? Choose the letter based on your primary reason for attending, not simply your job title.

Experience IFT FIRST in Action

See why thousands of professionals across food science, product development, R&D, innovation, quality, and manufacturing come to IFT FIRST each year. Watch highlights from IFT FIRST in 2026 and discover the connections, insights, technologies, and business opportunities that make this the food industry's premier innovation event.

Additional Registration Information

  • Sales and marketing professionals of non-exhibiting companies are only allowed to attend IFT FIRST by registering as a non-participating supplier. This registration type has limited access to the event and can only be used for a maximum of two years.
  • To maintain the integrity of the expo hall floor and support the paid exhibitors of IFT FIRST, sales and marketing individuals are prohibited from utilizing an exhibiting company’s customer invite pass at IFT FIRST. Exhibitor invitees are limited to those attendees who have buying influence and authority relevant to IFT FIRST. IFT reserves the right to determine the appropriate attendee type and level of buying authority. Individuals who do not meet qualifications for an exhibitor invitee will not be able to participate at that registration type. Other registration options for IFT FIRST can be found above.
  • For questions about registration or housing, please contact the customer service team:
    • Email: iftevent@conferencedirect.com
    • Phone: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. EST
    • Toll-Free: 1-877-305-5195
    • International: +1-980-819-4638

IFT FIRST Suitcasing Policy

Suitcasing is an unethical business practice in which companies gain access to an event by obtaining credentials (attendee or exhibitor badges, etc.) and then solicit for business within the expo hall or other event spaces.  

Solicitation at IFT FIRST by any company that is not an official exhibitor is strictly prohibited. Violators will be removed from the event.  

Policies are subject to change without notice. 

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