10 heads of R&D in food manufacturing
Vice President of R&D, SVP R&D and Chief Science Officer are among the current titles held by these heads of R&D in food manufacturing. A reader can learn how heads of R&D lead research and product development teams in food manufacturing businesses.
Professionals to explore
Amanda Pederson
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Global Foods R&D · PepsiCo
Amanda Pederson has been Vice President, Global Foods R&D at PepsiCo since March 2019, based in Frisco, Texas. Amanda Pederson also held the title Sr. Director, Frito-Lay Research & Development at PepsiCo from 2013 to 2022, and was R&D Manager at PepsiCo from 2008 to 2012.
Denis Reardon
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of R&D and Innovation · Hearthside Food Solutions
Denis Reardon has been Vice President of R&D and Innovation at Hearthside Food Solutions since February 2025, based in the Greater Chicago Area, and was Director of R&D and Innovation there from 2024 to 2025. Denis Reardon was Director of R&D for Savory at Sensient Technologies Corporation from 2015 to 2024 and Associate Director Product Development at Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive) from 2011 to 2014.
Erin Damiano
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Research and Development · Tandem Foods
Erin Damiano has been Vice President of Research and Development at Tandem Foods since January 2025, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and held the same title there from 2022 to 2025. Erin Damiano was Director Of Research Development at Tandem Foods from 2013 to 2022 and Senior Food Scientist - Innovation R&D at Bay Valley Foods from 2011 to 2013.
Jared Henderson
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Research And Development · Eagle Family Foods
Jared Henderson has been Vice President Research And Development at Eagle Family Foods since July 2025, based in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Jared Henderson was Sr. Director of Research and Development at Eagle Family Foods from 2022 to 2025 and Director Of Research Development there in 2022, and was Director, Portfolio and Process Management at CJ Schwan's from 2019 to 2022.
Jonathan Merkle
LinkedInExperience: VP Research, Development, and Innovation; Chief Science Officer · Michael Foods
Jonathan Merkle has been VP Research, Development, and Innovation; Chief Science Officer at Michael Foods since April 2017, based in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area. Jonathan Merkle was VP, Science and Technology; Chief Science Officer at Michael Foods from 2013 to 2017 and VP, Research and Development there from 2004 to 2013.
Julie Simonson, Ph.D.
LinkedInExperience: Vice-President R&D Product Development · CJ Schwan's
Julie Simonson has been Vice-President R&D Product Development at CJ Schwan's since March 2022, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was Vice-President R&D Technology Development there from 2015 to 2022. Julie Simonson was Vice-President R&D, Global Science and Technology at The Campbell's Company from 2010 to 2012 and describes a background in global research and development across a range of categories.
Krista Mehren
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of R&D · Post Consumer Brands
Krista Mehren has been Vice President of R&D at Post Consumer Brands since December 2021, based in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Krista Mehren was Senior Director R&D at Post Consumer Brands from 2020 to 2021 and R&D Director there from 2015 to 2020, and was R&D Director at Post Holdings from 2012 to 2015.
Luis Martinez
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Research and Development · Mom's Meals | A Purfoods Company
Luis Martinez has been Vice President of Research and Development at Mom's Meals | A Purfoods Company since December 2025, based in Jacksonville, Florida. Luis Martinez was Senior Vice President of R&D, Innovation and Commercialization at Rubix Foods from 2023 to 2025, Vice President of Research and Innovation there from 2019 to 2023 and Director of Research and Development there from 2015 to 2019.
Roja Ergun
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of R&D · Dawn Foods Global
Roja Ergun has been Vice President of R&D at Dawn Foods Global since April 2024, based in Dexter, Michigan. Roja Ergun was Senior Director of Bakery Science & Innovation at Dawn Foods Global from 2023 to 2024 and Director of R&D Wet Ingredients there from 2021 to 2023, and was Food Technology Director at Vantage Specialty Chemicals from 2017 to 2021.
Thierry Saint-Denis
LinkedInExperience: SVP R&D · Chobani
Thierry Saint-Denis has been SVP R&D at Chobani since January 2025, based in Westfield, New Jersey, and was Vice President Research And Development at Chobani from 2023 to 2025. Thierry Saint-Denis was Sr Director Research & Innovation Danone North America at Danone from 2019 to 2020 and describes senior expertise in research and development of consumer goods in the food sector.
Choose the right perspective
Pick the person whose own role and product categories sit closest to the decision you face, whether that is a company-wide R&D role or one focused on a category or technology. Check the start and end dates of each role to see how recent the experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current R&D leadership role, and what did you learn from it?
- 02How do you decide which product development projects your team takes on and which ones you stop?
- 03How have you built and developed the research and development team that reports to you?
Reaching heads of R&D in food manufacturing
How can I contact one of these heads of R&D in food manufacturing?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 10 companies, including PepsiCo, Hearthside Food Solutions and Tandem Foods, based on profile data retrieved on October 24, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach heads of R&D in food manufacturing?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these heads of R&D in food manufacturing a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
Request a correction or removal