Field of Expertise
As Managing Partner of Always Cool Brands and a Nutritional Scientist with 15+ years of experience, I lead a mission-driven company redefining how safe, science-backed products come to market. Our portfolio spans food, beverages, candy, nutraceuticals, OTC, topicals, and consumer goods—with a core commitment to eliminating harmful ingredients and raising the standard for clean, better-for-you products.
My team specializes in ingredient replacement and clean-label formulation. We systematically remove legacy preservatives, artificial colors, and synthetic flavors—then engineer natural, scalable alternatives that protect quality without compromising taste, clarity, or cost. That includes botanical/fermentate preservation systems (and chelation/antioxidant strategies), natural color conversions (anthocyanins, carotenoids, betalains, spirulina extracts) tuned for pH and light stability, and flavor architectures using natural flavors, aroma recovery, and minimal masking. We pair these with process levers (hot-fill, HPP, tunnel pasteurization, cold-fill sanitation) to build robust “hurdle” solutions.
We provide end-to-end execution—bench → pilot → scale—including microbial challenge studies, stability/sensory work, HPLC/IC analytics for active markers, supplier qualification, and cost modeling to hit per-serving targets. We also develop proprietary software for label compliance and ingredient traceability so retailers and consumers know exactly where raw materials come from, reducing risk and ensuring transparency.
At Always Cool Brands, our mission is clear: take the poison out of our food system and empower retailers and consumers with products built on trust, transparency, and sustainability.
Expertise
I am a Nutritional Scientist (15+ years) and Managing Partner at Always Cool Brands with deep specialization in clean-label beverage and food development. My practice centers on the systematic removal of legacy preservatives, artificial colors, and synthetic flavors, and the implementation of natural, label-friendly alternatives that deliver equivalent or better performance on safety, stability, and sensory outcomes.
Market problem. Brands and retailers must meet accelerating clean-label expectations while preserving shelf life, maintaining clarity and flavor, meeting regulatory requirements, and achieving cost targets—trade-offs that frequently derail reformulation.
Solution approach. I design comprehensive preservation and replacement architectures using hurdle technology: pH/water-activity control; plant/spice/berry extracts and fermentates; organic acids and their salts; selective metal-ion control/antioxidant systems; and fit-for-purpose processing (hot-fill, tunnel pasteurization, HPP, cold-fill with sanitation). For flavor and color, I deploy natural flavor systems with minimal masking and pH-appropriate natural color platforms (e.g., anthocyanins, carotenoids, betalains, chlorophyll alternatives) tuned for light and oxygen stability.
Each engagement includes microbial challenge testing (yeasts, molds, acid-tolerant LAB), stability under heat/light/oxygen, HPLC/IC analytics for active markers, regulatory and label strategy (GRAS/self-GRAS, non-GMO, Kosher/Halal), supplier qualification, and cost modeling—ensuring compliant, audit-ready products that scale from bench to commercial production.