Rising Stars Spring 2026 Meeting

April 15-16, 2026 | Mars Ice Cream Facility | Burr Ridge, IL

Hotel Information:

We do not have a room block at a specific hotel. Suggested hotel - Chicago Marriott Southwest at Burr Ridge

Travel Information:

Distance from Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) to Mars facility: 14 miles. View Directions
Distance from Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD) to Mars facility: 22 miles. View Directions

All times are listed in Central Standard Time (CST). Events take place at the Mars Ice Cream facility unless otherwise noted.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Kick-Off Presentation
9:00 am - 10:00 am	Group Session: Retailer Presentation on BIC DSD Partnerships
10:00 am - 11:00 am	Group Session: R&D Ice Cream 101 / Packaging Safety/NDA/Pre Tour PPE (15 min)
11:00 am - 12:30 pm	Plant Tours
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm	Lunch
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm	Group Session: Ice Cream Industry Consumer / Market Insights
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm	Break
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm	Group Session: Ice Cream Flavor Trends / Tasting
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Group Session: Mars Innovation Program
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm	Group Reflection / Closing
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm	Free Time
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm	Group Dinner
Thursday, April 16, 2026
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Day 2 Kick-Off
9:00 am - 10:00 am	Group Session: The Future of Dcomm
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Break
10:30 am - 12:30 pm	Local Retail Tours - See differences across Grocery/Mass/C-Store/etc. in the Chicago market.
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm	Lunch & Open Discussion - Attendees share key takeaways and insights.
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm	Closing Remarks & Action Plan Summary of discussions and actionable next steps Feedback session for future events