GourmetPro - Our Collective of F&B Experts

Rob Hall

Commercial

Branding

Markets:

Rob is an Australian with over 25 years brand and marketing experience across Asian markets– working in cities including Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore & Bangkok. A key focus has been working with F&B brands to localize their brand, marketing and sales experiences throughout the region. Rob combines a solid strategic brand/marketing background from working on the F&B brand side, with the practical marketing implementation experience from working with agencies across Asia. Rob is currently the Founder and CEO of Brand4Humans, a Sales & Marketing Consultancy that helps Ethical & Sustainable Brands expand across Asia Pacific Markets. The business helps brands make the significant transition to managing regional and global sales growth. Brand4Humans works with many Healthy & Sustainable F&B Brands to provide everything they need to launch their products and drive sales success throughout Asia. They do this by focusing first on establishing detailed market entry planning – and then providing clients with ongoing support to create local distribution partners that drive successful local market growth.

Previously at:

Suntory, DDB, Leo Burnett, Mullen Lowe

Jerome Dupont

Product Development

Markets:

Jerome is a Senior Manager in the realm of Food & Flavors, boasting a wealth of expertise in spearheading new business ventures and projects, from the initial market insights all the way to the triumphant product launch. His career journey has spanned multinational corporations and entrepreneurial endeavors, underscoring his versatile and cross-functional skill set. With a global outlook, Jerome has masterfully managed flavor ranges, orchestrating their entire lifecycle from discovery to market. His strategic acumen has enabled him to navigate the intricacies of the industry, fostering innovation, and fostering impactful partnerships. Jerome's professional profile is further distinguished by his innate organizational prowess, coupled with creative communication and impeccable interpersonal skills. He thrives on out-of-the-box thinking, driven by curiosity and adaptability, traits that have propelled his career to new heights. Jerome founded XSAMPLY, a project accelerator, where he specializes in tailored market analysis, trend analysis, and crafting demonstration tasting samples for fairs and sales campaigns. His extensive network of artisan and mid-sized industrial subcontractors reflects his influential presence in the industry. With a career that includes leadership roles at prominent organizations like Corman, Quality Partner, and Puratos, Jerome's contributions have left an indelible mark on the food and flavors landscape. His passion for innovation and dedication to excellence continue to drive his success in this dynamic field.

Previously at:

XSAMPLY, Corman, Biotech Coaching, Galler Chocolatiers, Puratos

Melody Madhavan

Business Development

Markets:

Melody is an accomplished professional with a proven track record in brand management and marketing strategy across diverse industries. Currently serving as a Commercial & Marketing MBA Intern/Japan Commercial Manager at UMAMI BIOWORKS in Singapore, Melody has been instrumental in driving the company's growth and success. In this role, Melody has taken charge of UMAMI BIOWORKS' Japan commercial activities, playing a pivotal role in securing crucial investment and research and development collaborations with Japan's leading fishing company. Melody's dynamic leadership has also led to an impressive rebranding and PR campaign that gained substantial media coverage in outlets like Nikkei Japan. Prior to joining UMAMI BIOWORKS, Melody held significant roles at renowned companies. As a Brand Manager at BURGER KING JAPAN HOLDINGS, Melody orchestrated data-driven strategies that fueled sales growth and profitability even in the face of challenging pandemic conditions. This included successful product activations and menu renewals that not only increased revenue and profit but also garnered widespread media attention. Melody's tenure at REMY COINTREAU JAPAN further solidified her reputation as an innovative marketer. Her strategic prowess and creative thinking were evident in the management of key portfolio brands, where she orchestrated groundbreaking activations and initiatives. Notably, Melody's leadership during the pandemic, such as the open-air whisky bar pop-up, showcased her ability to adapt and thrive in dynamic environments.

Previously at:

UMAMI BIOWORKS, BURGER KING JAPAN HOLDINGS, REMY COINTREAU JAPAN

Kara Landau

Product Development

Markets:

Kara Landau is a passionate and progressive entrepreneur, registered dietitian, product innovation consultant, and media spokesperson. With expertise in prebiotics, unique brand positioning offerings, media communications, and relationship development, Kara creates win-win opportunities in the industry. Currently, Kara is the Founding Dietitian at Gut Feeling Consultancy with a personal brand as “The Prebiotic Dietitian”. In this role, she partners with multi-national and venture backed food industry brands, retailers, and distributors across the globe to guide the development and lead the promotion of innovative branded and private label gut health-focused food, beverage and supplement products to strategically have a competitive advantage. Clients span from North America, to the EU/UK as well as APAC. Kara has extensive experience in the media and can be found weekly as a featured gut health expert in Forbes, Eat This Not That, US News, FoodNavigator-USA/Europe, Men's Health and more. As the Media Representative Nutrition Advisor for the Global Prebiotic Association, Kara volunteers her expertise in prebiotic nutrition to the leading trade group, and is an invited speaker at numerous leading industry events worldwide. As a member of the Council of Directors at True Health Initiative, she is part of a growing coalition of over 250 world-renowned health experts committed to promoting lifestyle as medicine. In her role, she contributes to cutting through the noise and educating on time-honored, proven principles of health and wellness. Previously, Kara served as the CEO and Head Dietitian at Uplift Food where she founded the world's first dietitian-created functional snacking brand, focusing on the mood-supportive benefits of gut-healthy prebiotics. Uplift Food offered a range of truly functional snacks, incorporating diverse prebiotics supported by science. Despite the challenges faced during the pandemic, Uplift Food gained attention from the industry and media, receiving ongoing minority investments from Mondelez International SnackFutures, was featured countless times in prominent publications, and receiving a patent to her name developing the first to market prebiotic + probiotic sandwich creme cookie that was truly supportive to good gut health. Kara lives across continents, and brings this wealth of relevant understanding to help clients position products and brands strategically based on their specific market readiness. Kara has worked as a Consultant Communications Dietitian, Media Spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia, and held various roles in nutrition consulting, corporate wellness, and public health nutrition.

Previously at:

Gut Feeling Consultancy, Global Prebiotic Association, The Prebiotic Dietitian, True Health Initiative, Uplift Food, Fleishman-Hillard, Dietitians Australia, Nutrition Australia

Giang Duong

Business Development

Markets:

Giang is a highly experienced Sales & Trade Marketing professional with over 10 years of hands-on experience in diverse channels such as Traditional trade, Modern On & Off trade. With a proven track record, Giang has established herself as an innovative, solution-oriented, and quick-learner with a client-centric attitude. She excels in fast-paced and dynamic working environments, thriving on challenges and driving operational turnarounds for growth and profitability. In her current role as the Chief Growth Officer - Marketing, Community, and Partnership at Ambros Technology, Giang is responsible for establishing and tracking growth strategies to acquire top-tier global users. Through her expertise in performance marketing, influencers, PR, and partnership efforts, Giang successfully increased site traffic by 132% and user acquisition by 243% within six months. She actively engages and educates users on product updates and market knowledge, and also provides coaching and guidance to their direct reports, fostering a strong and capable team. Prior to her current role, Giang held senior positions in renowned companies such as Nestle Vietnam Co. Ltd, Mars Incorporated, Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam, and Masan Consumer Corporation. In each of these roles, Giang demonstrated exceptional leadership, business development, and account management skills. She consistently exceeded sales goals, implemented effective marketing campaigns, and built successful partnerships with key accounts, resulting in significant revenue growth and market recognition.

Previously at:

Ambros Technology Pte Ltd, Mars, Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam, Masan Consumer Corporation, FrieslandCampina, AIESEC Vietnam

Dan Follese

Product Development

Business Development

Markets:

Dan is a veteran of Foodservice with over 30 years of experience in cooking up new ideas that delight the masses. As a classically trained chef, he leads Food Trend Translator, a food innovation marketing firm that goes beyond passion. Dan and his team work with food manufacturers and restaurant operators, offering innovation, results, and connections. They specialize in understanding the complexities of creating innovative foods that drive crave-ability and sales. With a belief in simple, unique innovations and advantages that inspire tons of flavor and expand food beyond its typical use, Dan is the go-to person if you're looking to unleash the potential of your food. He believes in delivering smart, strategic ideas that draw new customers and is adept at connecting with the right people to bring your next big idea to life. Dan's impressive experience includes being the host of Trends Translated LIVE, the only live streaming B2B food product show on LinkedIn that features the most current innovation in food trends. He encourages collaboration between food manufacturers and culinary teams, presenting actionable applications for the Food Service channel of business. Dan has also served as a Sr. Manager of Culinary at CSM Bakery Solutions and as a Corporate Chef at Schreiber Foods, where he broadened the perspective of the product line through best culinary practices and created conceptual menu items utilizing dairy products. Prior to that, Dan owned and operated Follese Culinary Consulting, where he was a culinary resource for marketing and advertising agencies nationwide. His responsibilities included menu and recipe development, recipe testing, researching and translating food and beverage trends, and performing food styling for film/photography. With Dan's wealth of experience and expertise, he is the ideal collaborator for anyone seeking to innovate and elevate their food offerings.

Previously at:

CSM Bakery Solutions, Schreiber Foods

Jan Vidal

Business Development

Product Development

Markets:

Jan is a highly accomplished Senior Innovation & Market Development Executive with an extensive background in the foodtech industry. Throughout his career, Jan has held various leadership roles in expansion, marketing, and innovation, and has consistently delivered exceptional results in his commercial, R&D, and industrial networks. As a Foodtech Consultant at Rebel Brands, Jan has been instrumental in helping foodtech companies redefine their portfolio according to consumer and customer insights. He developed brands such as Current Foods, Libre Foods, Väcka, Good Moon, Ferrer within Europe. As an Innovation & Marketing Manager at Idilia Foods, he played a crucial role in renewing the bio multi-basket products with a co-manufacturer and leading innovation teams to develop a differential plant-based portfolio and resulted in significant improvements in product fit, strengthening the company's brands and allowing for entry into new markets. Prior to this role, Jan served as Plant Based Business Manager at Nutrition & Sante S.A.S. He relaunched Gerblé as the plant-based brand, enabling the company to invest in communication and trade marketing activities in growing segments. Lastly, as a Strategic Manager in the Foodtech division at Agrolimen, he was able to streamline the company's product offerings, resulting in improved market positioning and increased brand recognition.

Previously at:

Idilia Foods, Nutrition & Sante S.A.S., Agrolimen, Unilever

Noriko Misawa

Product Development

Business Development

Markets:

Noriko is a results-driven professional with extensive experience in business incubation, product development, consumer insights, and international market development. Her strength lies in her ability to translate abstract ideas into concrete actions and work collaboratively with various stakeholders. Noriko's impressive career includes her role as the Business Incubation Manager of Kagome Co. where she identified a business opportunity in the US through a partnership with a food startup and a local manufacturing partner. She also lead a cross functional R&D and Consumer Insights Department at Kagome USA. In addition, Noriko served as the International Market Development Manager (Japan) for PGP International, Division of Associated British Foods. In this role, she coordinated trade shows and market tours in Japan for overseas suppliers and conducted market research to assist International Sales Managers in building Japanese business development strategies. Overall, Noriko is skilled at initiating and developing international relationships, creating new product development strategies, and providing valuable insights into consumer behavior.

Previously at:

Kagome Ltd., Kagome USA, Associated British Foods Japan, PGP International, Division of Associated British Foods

Matthew Smith

Market Research

Trade Marketing

Markets:

Matthew is an experienced and successful marketing leader with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation across various industries, including FMCG. In his most recent role as SVP of Marketing and eCommerce at Steuben Foods and Elmhurst 1925, he played a key role in the company's entry into the plant-based food and functional snacking space, from strategy to commercialization. He also turned around the $6MM DTC E-Commerce business for Elmhurst, a national plant-based beverage brand. Prior to that, he worked at Hero Pet Brands, where he led the company's reinvention and turnaround, including diversification of the product portfolio and channel mix. He was also retained to lead key efforts, including multi-business M&A integration, installation of new processes, portfolio renovation, and the development of a five-year innovation pipeline. As Director of Brand Marketing at Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Matthew developed and launched Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger Ale, which was awarded 2008 Product of the Year and was 97% incremental to the trademark. He also stimulated a 10% growth on Canada Dry via repositioning, new packaging graphics, and the first national TV campaign in over a decade. Overall, Matt is a strategic, inventive, and versatile marketing leader with a professional and entrepreneurial background.

Previously at:

Steuben Foods and Elmhurst 1925, Hero Pet Brands, Publicis Hawkeye, Dr Pepper Snapple Group

Jay Mota

Business Development

Product Development

Markets:

Jay is an experienced F&B industry professional with experience across product development, marketing, branding & strategy which enables his firm to provide holistic advisory to his clients. Jay has a deep understanding of food science and nutrition and a passion for developing new product ideas and bringing them to life. While working as the Head of Innovation at Urban Platter, he was responsible for the product life cycle from ideation to launch across various product categories. Having released over a 100 products in the Indian market, the team at Atom Consultancy is capable of advising clients of different scale, with different target audiences across various markets. As the Founder of Atom Consultancy, Jay advises brands with unique goals & customers in a variety of practice areas, including but not limited to market analysis, strategic planning, product development, product positioning, pricing, distribution, and advertising. Jay also has working knowledge of the legal and regulatory regime pertaining to the FMCG industry, making his advisory full-service & well rounded.

Previously at:

Urban Platter, Plant Power, Abbott

Phaedra Ruffalo

Market Research

Adviser

Markets:

A food futurist building concepts to scale, Phaedra is an influential, inspirational executive leader in global food innovation marketing with 20+ years of experience driving successful organizational strategies as a creative and insightful problem solver in the food service and retail channels. She is a brand builder that leverages qualitative and quantitative research and facilitates ideations with cross-functional teams that brings ideas together for a collective win for the organization. Phaedra has built and coached high-performing teams that have created or re-energized over 800 products or menu items via facilitating innovation sessions, managing product life cycles from inception to launch, and consistently driving advancements that generate significant revenue growth for the organization and customers. Previously, as Senior Director of Market Development at the American Egg Board, she established global strategic plans and developed new markets in the B2B channels. She created the Made with REAL EggTM seal, to help increase purchase intent in retail and menus in which customers on average saw an increase by 35% in sales. At MARS Foodservices, she championed and led a health and nutrition platform for the food service portfolio resulting in $2.5M increase for the core rice business within 2 years. Food companies she has worked for previously, both domestically and abroad, include Taylor Farms, Trader Joe's, Heinz North America Foodservice, Schwan's Foodservice, Grupo Bimbo Frozen Retail, and Newly Weds Foods Ingredients.

Previously at:

Trader Joe's, Heinz North America Foodservice, MARS Foodservice, Schwan's Foodservice

Raphaelle O'Connor, Ph.D.

Adviser

Product Development

Markets:

Raphaelle is highly experienced in the ideation, development and commercialization of food chemistry, food science and food technology using strategic partnership, collaboration and systematic governance processes in the functional foods and beverages, health and wellness categories. Acting as an innovation catalyst and ambassador for the product portfolio, leading and supporting the regions through sharing knowledge, technical support and collaboration within converging product categories. Currently, Raphaelle is supporting Amgen, a worldwide pioneer in biotechnology. She leads cross-functional technology transfers projects to Contract Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs) and ensures adherence to client business processes and a robust transfer of clinical and commercial products, technologies and services. Raphaelle has led numerous international and regional inter-disciplinary teams, supporting the implementation of product development projects with Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Wyeth Nutritionals, Nestlé, Pfizer, and Amgen. Her range of experience also includes the introduction of several infant formula brands and maternal nutrition food and beverage dietary supplements, including functional powders, nutriceuticals, bioactives including probiotics, in numerous international markets, with a specific focus on China.

Previously at:

Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Pfizer, Amgen, Kerry, Innov'IA, Ingredia and CyberColloids

150+

A diverse network

Core Categories

The GourmetPro Screening Process

Rob Hall

Jerome Dupont

Melody Madhavan

Kara Landau

Giang Duong

Dan Follese

Jan Vidal

Noriko Misawa

Matthew Smith

Jay Mota

Phaedra Ruffalo

Raphaelle O'Connor, Ph.D.

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