Today we’re talking with Tara Paster Cammarata, CEO and President, of Cenza, formerly known as Paster Training. We kick off our episode getting to know Tara, and how she turned a $500 gift 20 years ago into the multimillion dollar, privately-held training and consulting company it is today.

Tara walks us through how Cenza educates and trains processors on numerous topics relating to food safety and how her previous experiences in classrooms changed the way she approached helping the food industry make sure there were innovative approaches to food safety.

We talk about Tara’s mentors throughout her career as well as how working for bad bosses in the past shaped the kind of manager and leader she is today. We discuss other topics, such as her proactive approach to training as well as how she's helping and inspiring the women around her. We end the episode talking about the advice Tara has received throughout her career as well as advice she would give to women entering the food and beverage workforce. 

Follow along in this episode through the topics timestamped below

• Introduction And How She’s Helping The Food Industry 2:00

Learn more about Cenza Inc. 

With us today is Javon Nicholas, creator, founder, and owner of Egg Rolls Etc.  Javon was named one of Food Processing’s 2022 Influential Women in Food, and for good reason. Her Chicago-based frozen food company, which specializes in comfort-filled egg rolls, is a lesson in love.   

Javon, who has always had insatiable love affair with all things food, knew from an early age that she wanted a career that would keep her close to what she loved. In this episode, Javon walks us through how losing her mother and a trip to Taiwan became the impetus for launching a series of food products both made with – and from – love. 

Throughout this episode, you’ll definitely understand why was named one of this year’s Influential Women in Food. From the advocacy work she does to help entrepreneurs learn how to build their businesses to the community work she does helping children understand how to be better, more culturally-sensitive humans, Javon truly is an influential woman in the food industry. We talk her children-focused What's Inside That Counts program as well as the advocacy work she does with numerous women’s business groups throughout Chicago area. We end the episode talking about the advice Javon has both received and would give women just entering the food and beverage workforce. 

Follow along in this episode through the topics timestamped below

Learn more about Influential Women in Food on FoodProcessing.com

With us today is Ria Dake, Sr. Business Director, Balchem.

This self-described introvert has been described by others as a ‘Master of Connection.’ We dig in to that juxtaposition by first talking about Ria’s career evolution and how one mentor early on helped Ria with a decision that would change her career path forever. We talk about what it means to be a ‘Master of Connection’ and how Ria used her knack for networking to help build Balchem’s Women of Impact Network, a company-wide affinity program with more than 200 members spanning multiple sites and remote locations. 

Join us as Ria explains the how and the why behind the Balchem Women's Impact Network and what she’s learned about herself since co-founding the program in 2018. We talk about formal and informal mentorship, while capping things off with the advice Ria has received – and provided – throughout her career so far. 

Are you looking for a solution that can help give you a sustainable advantage in the supply chain? Then look no further than Infor. 

With us on the podcast is Mikael Bengtsson Industry Principal for Infor Food and Beverage. We’re talking about how this global leader in cloud software is helping food and beverage processors leverage data, increase profitability, and support business growth.  

Join us as we talk about how Infor can help companies utilize data to apply artificial intelligence and machine learning, thereby optimizing their operations. We talk about current trends as well as how processors can better manage their sustainability efforts.  We also address the process by which products move from farm to fork and how that relates to the supply chain and sustainability.

Learn more about Infor and all of its capabilities

This episode was sponsored by Infor

We recently sat down with Liran Akavia, Vice President of Sales for Process Health at Augury, to talk about the complex challenges manufacturers are up against and how they can use an AI-driven approach to optimize production health.  During our conversation, we talked about how food manufacturers can identify the right AI technology as well as what the most common challenges food manufacturers face when adopting AI.  We also discussed how process health can help food manufacturers overcome challenges with global instability and uncertainty as well as issues such as the workforce shortage. 

We end the episode talking about Augury’s recent acquisition of Seebo, and how that merger has made for an extremely powerful combined solution and one-stop shop for process health and machine health. 

Learn more about Augury

Enjoy the episode. Read the transcript on the Food Processing website

This episode was sponsored by Augury

Do you know what a SOYLEIC® soybean is? Here to explain what SOYLEIC® soybeans are and how they’re being used to create a healthier food system Bryan Stobaugh, Director Of Licensing And Commercialization at Missouri Soybeans.

During this episode, we talk about how SOYLEIC® soybeans were discovered and what makes them non-GMO. We talk about the process of commercialization for Soyleic soybeans as well as where they can be planted. 

Learn more about SOYLEIC®

This episode was sponsored by Soyleic

With us today is Cloeann Durham. Cloeann is the Vice President of Quality, Safety and Environmental Sustainability for Coca-Cola.

A self-branded ‘science nerd,’ Cloeann’s college experience did not include visions of a future in the food and beverage industry. As her post-college experience evolved, so too did her options and she worked at several beverage companies before coming to Coca-Cola more than 20 years ago. We talk about Cloeann’s career evolution and how it helped create a foundation for the lesson’s she’s learned throughout her career. We talk about those lessons throughout this episode. 

From the importance of collaboration, communication and transparency to finding your leadership style, we talk about all of the ways Cloeann has helped pave the way for other women in the food and beverage industry. And we conclude the episode talking about the best advice Cloeann has received – and would give – about a career in the food and beverage industry. 

Learn more about Influential Women in Food 

With us on the podcast today are Brian Barr and John Archer, both of ABB. In this episode, we’re talking about the options food and beverage processors have when it comes antimicrobial cable ties. ABB recently expanded its line of Ty-Rap® cable ties with Ty-Rap® TyGenic™ cable ties, the industry’s first two-piece antimicrobial* and detectable cable tie.

We talk about those ties on the episode, along with what products ABB is bringing to the table to help food and beverage processors. 

Read the transcript of this episode on the Food Processing website

This episode was sponsored by ABB

Ask anyone that’s been through a merger or acquisition, and they’ll tell you there are many more moving parts on the inside than what you see from the outside. The companies that are successful with M&A make the execution appear flawless. Such is the case with Motion’s recent Kaman Distribution Group (KDG) acquisition. 

In this episode of the podcast, we talked with Randy Breaux, President of Motion, to talk about the acquisition—particularly, the reasons behind acquiring their number two competitor. We also discussed the benefits of merging the automation, fluid power and hydraulics, and repair services businesses. The following is our conversation.

Read the transcript of this episode on the Food For Thought Podcast

This episode was sponsored by Motion

Joining us on today’s episode is Maggie Slowik, Global Industry Director for Manufacturing at IFS. And we’re talking all about the power of data.   

In today’s manufacturing world, there are as many uses of data as there are products. So how do companies determine what to focus on to build out their strategy? That’s what we’re talking about and more in this special bonus episode. 

According to Maggie, data is the new currency. We dive into what that means and how, as an organization, the ownership of data can give you more power than you ever imagined. 

We also address concerns that some in food and beverage have about data, including how exactly they’re going to embark on their digital transformation as well as how they’re going to find – and fill – the talent pipeline when it comes to data analysis. 

And we cap things off talking about the Metaverse and its possible implications on the food and beverage industry as a whole. 

Read the transcript on the Food Processing website.

This episode was sponsored by IFS