Roberto Salas - Plan the Plan
AigoraCast
In this episode, I’m speaking with Roberto Salas, a Global Consumer and Sensory Insights Executive based out of Princeton, New Jersey. With over two decades in the FMCG industry, his career has spanned the globe, starting in Mexico and taking him through South Africa, the UK, Latin America, and eventually to his current work at IFF. We had a fantastic conversation about bridging technical sensory science with deep consumer understanding, and how he translates complex human behavior into actionable commercial growth strategies. Please join me in welcoming Roberto Salas. Roberto Salas is a...
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Paula Varela Tomasco - Don't Forget to Think
AigoraCast
Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I enjoy speaking with Dr. Paula Varela. Paula and I shared a fascinating conversation regarding the role and risks of AI in consumer research, before discussing how sensory science can help drive healthier and more sustainable food choices. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future. Social Links & Resources LinkedIn: Organizations: Nofima & Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) Expertise Areas: Sensory &...
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Michael Nestrud - Taming the Dragon
AigoraCast
"In this episode, I’m speaking with Michael Nestrud, a dedicated researcher of the human experience who uniquely bridges the gap between rigorous sensory science and the culinary arts. Based in Chicago, Michael is currently with First Position Training and Consulting, where his driving mission is to make 'product evaluation and sensory science for everyone.' We had a fantastic conversation about how his culinary background informs his research, and why democratizing product evaluation is so critical for modern food innovation. LinkedIn: Company: First Position Training and Consulting...
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Greg Fodor - Opening Portals
AigoraCast
Hi, I’m Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I enjoyed speaking with Greg Fodor, an innovator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Greg and I had a fascinating conversation about the future of immersive experiences, the limitations of current VR hardware, and how headset-free technology could completely transform the way consumers interact with digital environments and products. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Social Links & Resources LinkedIn: ...
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Nicolas Pineau - Making Sense of AI
AigoraCast
Hi, I’m Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I enjoyed speaking with Nicolas Pineau of Data Insights. Nicolas shared a lot about his experiences both applying and teaching AI within sensory and consumer science, and I heartily agreed with his perspective that we are just at the beginning of an exciting change in our field. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Social Links & Resources LinkedIn: Company: Data Insight (Founder) Expertise Areas: *...
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Josh Cook - Agents Do Work
AigoraCast
Hi, I’m Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Josh Cook of FlowAltDelete, a Microsoft MVP and true master of M365 Copilot. Many of our clients and students use copilot as their daily driver, so it was great to have an expert on Copilot on the show to share his excitement about the powerful new way of working it enables. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Josh Cook is a Microsoft MVP in Business Applications and a...
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Decio Cataldi and Matteo Bonfini - What a Time to Be Alive
AigoraCast
welcome back everyone to another episode of AigoraCast. Today, I'm very happy to have Decio Cataldi and Matteo Bonfini from Adacta International on the show. Decio Cataldi is the executive director at Adacta International, a leader in consumer and sensory research. In his role, Decio oversees the company's strategic and financial direction with a specific focus on driving growth through technological innovation. With a background in strategy consulting, M&A, and restructuring, he brings analytic rigor to the field, spearheading Adacta's efforts to integrate AI into sensory and consumer...
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Damir Torrico - Always Ask
AigoraCast
Hi, I’m Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I had a wonderful conversation with Dr. Damir Torrico, an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I particularly enjoyed our discussion on why curiosity is so vital, and specifically how "always asking" and pushing back on AI outputs is the key to achieving real fluency with these new tools. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Short Bio Dr. Damir Torrico is an Assistant Professor at the University...
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Wei Qin, PhD - Stretch your Limits
AigoraCast
Hi, I’m Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I caught up with my longtime friend, Dr. Wei Qin, Global Director of the Insights Center of Excellence at Ingredion. I particularly enjoyed her story about a flavorist using AI to find a molecule they hadn't considered. It is a great example of her view of AI as a "stretcher" for human limits. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Social Links & Resources LinkedIn: Company: Latest Book: Gen X Asian Americans: From...
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The Human Dimension
AigoraCast
Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of Aigoracast. Our guest today is Dr. Riccardo Accolla. Dr. Riccardo Accolla is a neuroscientist and food innovation leader dedicated to creating more resilient food systems through technology and human-centric insights. As the Director of Innovation at Thimus, he applies his expertise in multisensory perception, reward, and emotion to develop product strategies that resonate with consumers on a cognitive level. With over 20 years of experience, Riccardo’s career spans leadership roles at global flavor houses and food-tech startups. He previously...
info_outlineLiesbeth Zandstra is Science Leader Consumer Science at Unilever Foods Innovation Centre Wageningen and professor of Food Reward and Behaviour at Wageningen University and Research (The Netherlands). Her main research focuses on scientific challenges to find new ways to make the healthy and sustainable choice the easy and preferred choice. She is particularly interested in psychophysiological and behavioral effects of foods as well as new methodologies for better understanding sensory perception and consumer behaviour.
The consumer voice is at the heart of all the work she does. Her focus is on technology and product innovations in relation to consumer behaviour that contribute to a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle and increase overall well-being. Examples include the acceptance of salt-reduced products in South Africa and plant-based meat products in Europe and making plant-based cooking accessible and cookable in the Netherlands.
Liesbeth gained extensive experience in establishing and leading teams: skill-base, projects, community of practice, and other teams. She also managed complex international projects across different international Unilever locations. She has a strong national and international network and as part of the Ecosystem Innovation paradigm she has collaborated with leading universities and research institutes all over the world - including for example the UK, South Korea, India, and South Africa. She is chairing the foundation ‘Feed Your Mind’ that works on a sustainable food transition by combining breakthrough research with innovative food design for all.
Her passion is to develop new insights and innovations and drive these to have a real impact on the health and well-being of citizens worldwide.
Liesbeth Zandstra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liesbeth-zandstra-4b14205/
To learn more about Aigora, please visit www.aigora.com