Dr. Liz Sloan, who has kept a close eye on functional food and beverage trends for decades, shares her take on what’s ahead for this market in the year ahead. Dr. Lara Ramdin, widely known as the Upcycling Queen, talks to Omnivore about how upcycling not only reduces food waste but also offers a chance to enhance nutrition accessibility, support circular economies, and provide sustainable solutions to food insecurity. Huy Nguyen, chief education and career development advisor at Intelligent.com, discusses what Generation Z brings to the workforce and how mentorship can help build strong bridges between the generations.
This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT FIRST--Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology. Join food system professionals at McCormick Place in Chicago, July 13-16, 2025, for the industry's premier event connecting innovation, science, and business. Learn more at iftevent.org.
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GUESTS
A. Elizabeth Sloan, PhD, is CEO and president of consumer trends consultancy Sloan Trends Inc. and a longtime contributing editor of Food Technology magazine. A veteran of work in industry, media, and public relations, Sloan received a PhD in food science and technology from the University of Minnesota.
Lara Ramdin, PhD, is the chief scientist and LA ambassador of FoodxClimate, where she champions initiatives to revolutionize food systems by integrating circular approaches and advocates for food sovereignty.
Huy Nguyen, chief education and career development advisor at Intelligent.com, is an entrepreneur and educational innovator with an extensive background in executive management serving in lead roles with technology startups and Fortune 100 companies. His non-profit platform, Solve Community Challenges (SolveCC), has pioneered a transformative approach to higher education, enabling colleges and universities to deeply engage students with their communities through collaborative experiential learning.
Omnivore Podcast
Join the award-winning editors of Food Technology magazine every other Monday for Omnivore, the podcast that intersects the business of food and the science of food, through lively discussion and interviews with product innovators, leading researchers, policy makers, and thought leaders from across the world of food.
