Keynote: “From Idea to Value: Bridging Science and Business”

Wouter Berendsen, Global Portfolio Director Fat & Cheese at Interfood, will deliver a keynote lecture on October 29 titled “From Idea to Value: Bridging Science and Business.” In this talk, Berendsen will demonstrate how companies can truly add value for their customers. Interfood has done this, among other things, by establishing its own R&D lab. Wouter Berendsen shares a roadmap from idea to success, showing how bridging science and business creates real impact.

“We built an R&D lab from scratch. Using several examples, I’ll show how we did that. In a commercial trading company like Interfood, people often ask about value. In the case of R&D, that value can sometimes be hard to measure. While trading typically focuses on the short term, R&D is aimed at the long term. So how do you demonstrate the value of that work? During my talk, I’ll explain how we make this value visible, even when we can’t show concrete figures.”

Ingredient properties
“What do we do at Interfood? We research the properties of products such as milk powder. For instance, we look at the solubility of milk powder. Sometimes we receive a complaint from a customer that the powder doesn’t dissolve properly. We then investigate the cause, determine which type of milk powder would perform better, or how the formulation could be adjusted. We examine all kinds of ingredient properties, from the solubility of milk powder to the amount of water released from butter. With this knowledge, we can advise producers on the characteristics of dairy ingredients and how they fit into their recipes.”

Flexibility
“Through our product application expertise, we can increase flexibility for both customers and suppliers. Here’s how that works: a customer buys products from several suppliers and chooses a specific type of cheese or milk powder. We can demonstrate that another supplier also provides a product that meets their specifications. This way, the supplier gains new sales opportunities, and the customer has more sourcing options.”

Trends
“We also look at trends and developments in the market. Sometimes certain products are in short supply, and we explore whether we can develop alternatives. A third area of focus is precision fermentation. The question here is still mainly: where can we apply this technology? We’re now using our application knowledge in this field as well.”

Hurdles
And while the case may sound like a smooth success story, the reality is that challenges and pitfalls are part of the journey. “In this session, you’ll not only hear what worked, but also how to tackle the hurdles along the way, a blend of achievements and lessons learned.” Berendsen also hopes to exchange ideas with others about how they approach similar innovation journeys.

Wouter Berendsen
Global Portfolio Director Fat & Cheese at Interfood