Bell Flavors & Fragrances Announces Promotions
Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. announced strategic promotions within the company’s Flavor and Fragrance divisions as well as Consumer & Sensory Science and Customer Service departments at its global headquarters in Northbrook, Ill.
“Bell Flavors & Fragrances continues to grow thanks to the strategic leadership of these individuals and the impact their teams are having on employee engagement and the customer experience,” said Ron Stark, president & CEO.
Benjamin Stanley, CRC has been promoted to director of sweet applications at Northbrook. In his new role, Stanley will continue to grow Bell’s sweet dairy business and serve as lead technical support. He will also co-lead a cross-functional team leveraging Bell’s more than 110-year-long intellectual property legacy by curating internal technology capabilities and expanding them to new applications.
Stanley holds a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts from Kendall College and a master’s degree in Innovation through Northeastern University’s D’Amore McKim School of Business. He is certified as a research chef by the Research Chef’s Association.
Vuk Levakov has been promoted to senior director of beverage applications at Northbrook.
Levakov will continue to manage Bell’s beverage applications team and collaborate with cross-functional partners to develop and execute strategic plans. His additional responsibilities involve creating efficient processes and procedures for the team and improving the customer experience for Bell’s beverage clients.
Vuk holds a master of science degree in food science and human nutrition from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Andrew Petrouhas been promoted to flavorist, Savory Lab manager at Northbrook.
Petrouhas will lead day-to-day operations of Bell Flavors & Fragrances’s Savory Lab and spearhead the development of savory innovations and commercial projects to deliver best-in-class results to Bell’s customers. He will also continue training and educating a new generation of future flavorists.
Petrouhas holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and in 2023 became certified member of the American Society of Flavor Chemists.
Melissa Scharoff has been promoted to junior perfumer and fragrance evaluation manager at Northbrook.
In her new role, Scharoff will begin working as a Junior Perfumer, creating fragrances under the guidance of the Perfumery Team while continuing to work as a Fragrance Evaluator within the Fragrance Development Team.
Scharoff holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester and was recently accepted as a member of the American Society of Perfumers.
Karen Graves has been promoted to vice president of shared technical services at Northbrook.
Graves will lead the development and execution of the strategic vision and best-in-class service levels for Bell’s Technical teams. Graves will also co-lead a cross-functional team leveraging Bell’s over 110-year-long intellectual property legacy by curating internal technology capabilities and expanding them to new applications.
Graves earned her bachelor’s degree in food industry and business and master’s degree in food science, specializing in sensory science, from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I). She also holds a certificate in business administration from U of I.
Susan Payton has been promoted to vice president of customer service at Northbrook.
Payton will be at the forefront of elevating customer satisfaction in her new role, overseeing and guiding Bell’s customer service operations. Her responsibilities include devising and executing strategies to enrich the customer experience, efficiently addressing challenges and fostering ongoing enhancements in Bell’s customer service processes.
Payton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
For more news of interest to the food ingredients industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
IFT to Hold Webinars on Food Additives, GRAS Status
The Institute of Food Technologists, a nonprofit scientific organization with global members spanning academia, government and industry, is hosting a webinar on “Additives: State-Level Actions, National-Level Impacts” that will be held on Friday, Feb.16 from noon to 1 p.m. CT. The webinar will address the complex and confusing environment food scientists are currently facing as stakeholders increasingly focus on food additives safety.
Specifically, the webinar will focus on the recently passed California Food Safety Act and related legislation in Illinois (SB2637) and New York (S6055) banning brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and red dye #3. Illinois is also expected to pursue banning titanium dioxide as part of the Illinois Food Safety Act.
Recently, IFT weighed in on the potential impact of the proposed Illinois Food Safety Act in public comments that can be found here.
“In a complex world where consumer groups, state-level legislations, and the FDA all seek to identify, review and prioritize food additive safety, it is essential for food scientists to understand the concerns, science and implications of the resulting actions,” said IFT Chief Science and Technology Officer Bryan Hitchcock. “This webinar will help attendees gain clarity on what they should be thinking about related to these proposed and active bills, which could have far-reaching impacts that will create a variety of challenges.”
Food toxicology experts Craig Llewellyn, PhD, and James R. Coughlin, PhD, will offer their perspectives on the history and widespread implications of the state-level actions on food products, supply chains, and businesses, as well as the significant challenges and opportunities for U.S. food scientists related to the state-level legislation.
To register for “Additives: State-Level Actions, National-Level Impacts,” go to https://info.ift.org/additives-lunch-and-learn.
The webinar is presented by IFT’s Concierge Service, which helps companies address the implications of the California Food Safety Act and similar bills, provides regulatory assistance with new and imported products, supports conquering product development hurdles, identifies and consolidates existing research, and assists with other time-sensitive tasks. IFT’s Concierge Service provides teams on-demand access to trained food scientists and other experts. To learn more, go to www.ift.org/concierge-service. To learn how IFT’s Concierge Service helped Eagle Foods and Daily Harvest save time and speed innovation, check out this Brain Food Blog.
GRAS Webinar
IFT will also host “Decoding GRAS: Regulatory Understanding in the New Product Development Process,” a free webinar that will explore the intricacies of GRAS determinations during the product development process. The webinar, which is open to the public, will be held Friday, March 1, from noon to 1 p.m. CT. GRAS, which stands for “Generally Recognized as Safe,” is a designation applied to ingredients that have been recognized as safe by qualified experts. The upcoming webinar will provide key insight to the regulatory journey of determining an ingredient as GRAS and will equip food and beverage professionals with the skills needed to efficiently navigate the process.
The webinar will feature former FDA official Stephen Gendel, PhD. An internationally recognized expert on food safety, assessing new food products, and food policy and regulation, Gendel brings with him over two decades of experience advancing science and policy in the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. As the first FDA Food Allergen Coordinator, he contributed to the creation of agency policies, guidance documents, and regulations.
“Understanding the complexities around GRAS ingredients is essential in the product development process,” added Hitchcock. “The GRAS webinar will provide indispensable knowledge that food and beverage professionals can use to strategically tackle this consequential step in the product development journey.”
To register for the “Decoding GRAS” webinar, go to https://www6.ift.org/Ecommerce/Meetings/MeetingDetail?productId=63618777.
The Institute of Food Technologists is a global organization of over 11,000 individual members from more than 100 countries committed to advancing the science of food. Since 1939, IFT has brought together the brightest minds in food science, technology and related professions from academia, government, and industry to solve the world’s greatest food challenges.
IFT works to ensure that its members have the resources they need to learn, grow, and innovate to advance the science of food as the population and the world evolve. IFT believes that science and innovation is essential to ensuring a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. For more information, visit ift.org.
For more news of interest to the food technology industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
Whipnotic Expands Into Hundreds More Kroger Stores
Whipnotic, the innovative whipped cream brand putting a sweet spin on a classic indulgence, celebrates Valentines Day, proudly announcing expanded distribution into more than 300 Kroger stores. On its way to creaming the competition, this major retail expansion marks a significant scale-up across 28 states for the sister-owned brand, continuing to transform a timeless category. Whipnotic’s four whipped cream flavors are already available in stores nationwide and online at Whipnotic.com.
“Kroger shoppers are food trend setters, who love quality, superior ingredients and heightened flavor; we can’t wait to see what they whip up with Whipnotic!” said Whipnotic co-founder and President Tracy Luckow, who holds a PhD in Sensory Science and Nutrition. “A swirl of colorful whipped cream pairs perfectly with so many Kroger fan favorites throughout the store, from ice cream and cake to coffee, hot cocoa and bowls brimming with berries.”
Whipnotic, which recently won a SATA Innovation award, is the only whipped cream brand to put a colorful swirl of flavor at your fingertips, thanks to patented technology. A simple press of the Whipnotic nozzle releases a dazzling blend of all-natural, fruit-infused color and flavor into a delicious, decadent cream for an aesthetic at-home delight right from the fridge. This mouth-watering treat is deliciously KETO-friendly, gluten-free, artificial flavor-free and has only 15 calories and 1 gram of sugar per decadent serving.
“Consumers are reimagining the role of whipped cream in their lives with Whipnotic,” said Whipnotic co-founder and CEO Lori Gitomer. “Unlike traditional whipped cream, typically reserved for special occasions, Whipnotic has proven to be incremental to the category, embraced as a daily delight, which is why our brand is selling twice as many units, per store, per week than the category average. We’re thrilled Kroger sees the potential too. We know the sky is the limit.”
Whipnotic launched last summer and has seen exponential growth, rapidly outpacing competitors, both traditional and newcomers. This expansion more than doubles Whipnotic’s retail reach, adding availability of Whipnotic Vanilla Salted Caramel and Strawberry Swirl flavors at Kroger stores throughout Atlanta, Cincinnati, Columbus, Michigan, Louisville, Mississippi, Nashville and the MidAtlantic region. Whipnotic’s bright and colorful packaging stands out on shelf and its four mouth-watering flavors (including Brownie Batter and Peach Mango) have become fast favorites with fans who keep coming back for more.
Whipnotic adds a creamy layer to the already frothy whipped cream category, which is estimated at $1.3 billion in retail and another $1 billion in food service growing double digits in the past year according to Nielsen. Flavored whipped cream is leading that growth as consumers turn to the KETO-friendly, low carb, low sugar, sweet treats for daily delight.
Whipnotic’s mouth-watering magic comes courtesy of a patented nozzle designed by the two sisters and co-founders Luckow and Gitomer, determined to add more flavor and fun to a beloved indulgence that has seen little innovation in nearly 100 years. The company holds a global patent with more than 30 claims for the breakthrough packaging innovation which enables a user to control the combination of two different flavors, colors, textures, or ingredients for an elevated, on-demand experience.
Whipnotic is flipping the industry on its can, taking the dessert and beverage world by storm with its revolutionary approach to whipped cream. A simple press of Whipnotic’s innovative patented nozzle technology unfurls a swirl of all-natural fruit juices and flavor essences infused into rich whipped cream.
Whipnotic whipped creams are Keto-friendly, gluten-free, made with real cream and all natural color and flavor and are available at more than 1,000 stores including retailers like Central Market, The Fresh Market, Citarella, Harmons, Kroger, Fairway, Market District and Balducci’s, and now online at Whipnotic.com. Whipnotic is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise.
Follow Whipnotic on Instagram and TikTok.
For more news of interest to the dessert foods industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
