On this episode, Ragnar speaks with Worldchefs Certified Master Chef and Senior Culinary Product Developer with Aviko, Stephen Losee. Chef Stephen Losee brings 30 years of experience to the table, from his roots in Omaha, Nebraska to his impressive journey through kitchens in the USA, UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. His professional journey began washing dishes in a Greek family restaurant and has evolved into leading regional and global culinary teams. Tune in to learn about concept innovation and discover how food manufacturing companies respond to industry trends to meet consumer demands and stay competitive on Episode 132: Culinary Innovation in Manufacturing with Worldchefs Certified Master Chef Stephen Losee.
Tune in and LEARN:
- Market research and the innovation funnel: Learn about the different market research possibilities, and gain insights on the process of the innovation funnel.
- Development and testing: Gain knowledge on the development and testing processes in manufacturing and how it compares to professional kitchens.
- Marketing, branding, and sustainability: Explore the importance of marketing, branding positioning, and Aviko’s sustainability initiatives.
- Collaborations and partnerships: Understand the importance of collaborations and partnerships in the industry and how it contributes to future goals.
- Concept innovation insights: Learn Chef Stephen’s guide to creating concept innovation and how it can help you with your menus.
Resources
“When it comes to branding and marketing if you think of Apple or Coke, for example, their consistent brand positioning around innovation, simplicity and design, it allows them to command loyalty, premium pricing… even when there’s so much other competition in the market. At Aviko, our positioning ensures that each product is not just innovative, but its meaningful and has a story and it’s different and relevant to what our customers need in their lives.”
Innovation at Aviko is strongly supported and accelerated through a range of collaborations and partnerships. These partnerships span the value chain, from agricultural producers and IT providers to chefs, logistic experts, digital service platforms, etc. One of these valuable partnerships for Aviko is with their Global Chef Council. This council includes 50 chefs who provide invaluable insights throughout each step of Aviko’s product development. Working with them, Aviko is able to better understand chefs needs, be more creative, and deliver products that are both relevant and appealing.
Here’s the upcoming food trends Chef Stephen is watching:
- Street Food: Anywhere you go in the world, check out the street food places. According to Chef Stephen, “It’s some of the best stuff you can get.”
- Culinary Heritage with a Modern Twist: Today, Chef Stephen sees more and more people taking something that’s nostalgic for a certain culture or country, like fish and chips in the UK, tacos in the US, etc. and twisting it around. Chefs are focusing on cultural dishes but reimagining them with modern twists.
- Functional and Health-Driven Food Concepts: Chef Stephen explains the increasing trend of food that supports health and wellness.
About Aviko
Aviko is the worldwide market leader in potato products and one of the four largest potato processing companies in the world. Aviko is the complete supplier of chilled and frozen potato products within Foodservice. To learn more, click here.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Chef Stephen Losee for joining us.
Follow Stephen on LinkedIn to connect and visit https://www.avikofoodservice.com/ to learn more.
World on a Plate is supported by Nestlé Professional and our podcast sponsors.
