What do you need to know about new product development?

If you're looking to improve your business's product development process or ramp up the new product pipeline -- or you'd simply like to learn more about the topic -- consider attending Petfood Workshop: New Product Development April 4-5 at the Renaissance Schaumburg near Chicago, Illinois, USA.

You'll learn from innovation experts such as Vicki Gardner, senior VP of product innovation for Nielsen North America, and new product development champs such as Greg Aldrich, PhD, president of Pet Food & Ingredients Technology; John Adams, president of Adams Development; David Dzanis, DVM, PhD, CEO of Regulatory Discretion Inc.; and Angele Thompson, PhD, president of Thompson Pet Tech.

In addition, an "ask the experts" session allows you to ask any question about new product development that might help you improve your company's process or product pipeline. Experts on the panel include:

• Serge Boutet, agronomist/manager of petfood and nutrition for Mondou Ltd., a pet retailer in Canada with its own petfood products
• George Collings, PhD, general manager of Nutrition Solutions; Dr. Collings has over 30 years' experience developing petfood products and advising manufacturers on the same
• Micah Kohles, DVM, director of technical services for Oxbow Animal Health, a manufacturer of foods and treats for small mammals
• Leigh Ann Sayen, president of the Peterson Co., an ingredients supplier that often advises its petfood clients on new product formulations
• Robert Stuckey, president of FoodSciProcessing, with over 25 years' experience in petfood product and process design.

If you can't attend Petfood Workshop, you can still submit your new product development questions in the "Reply" box below. We'll pose them to the panel on April 5 and post their responses on this site after the event.

Online registration is still available for Petfood Workshop as well as Petfood Forum 2012. (If you register for both you'll receive a discount off your Petfood Workshop fee.)