Dr. Carmen Licon, director at Cal Poly’s Dairy Products Technology Center, joins Dairy Foods for Episode 48 of the “Let’s Talk Dairy Podcast.”

Prior to her current role, Dr. Licon’s academic career began in October 2017 as an assistant professor for Food Processing and Engineering at Fresno State’s Department of Food Science and Nutrition. She holds a M.S. and Ph.D. in Agricultural Science and Engineering from the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Food Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico. She is also a Certified Cheese Professional by the American Cheese Society. 

Todd Hutson, commercial manager at Tetra Pak, with 36 years of experience in the dairy industry, joins Dairy Foods for a special edition of the “Let’s Talk Dairy” podcast. He specializes in dairy filtration technology, focusing on high-value proteins and sustainable solutions to reduce energy and water consumption.

Todd began his career at Filtration Engineering in 1989, which was later acquired by Tetra Pak in 2012. He has been with Tetra Pak since 2013 and took on his current role in 2022. Todd holds an accounting degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and actively volunteers as Treasurer and past President of the Champlin Crime Prevention Fund.

Kwee Choo Ng, regional product manager, Rice Ingredients and Functional Proteins, North America, at BENEO, joins Dairy Foods for Episode 47 of the “Let’s Talk Dairy” podcast, where she addresses ingredient reduction and “free from.”

In her role as product manager, Ng is driving the ongoing development of BENEO’s range of rice ingredients and functional proteins from faba bean and rice by identifying opportunities and developing market-oriented solutions and new innovations. Given the portfolio, her main focuses are gluten-free bakery, clean-label solutions, and plant-based proteins for alternative products in the dairy and meat industries.

Dairy Foods Multimedia Specialist Brett Parker sits down with Ashley Waldman, Founder of Jubilee's, a company that specializes in flavored milk with reduced sugar to allow kids to enjoy a flavorful milk product while enjoying more health benefits.

In this interview, Waldman discusses how to make a healthy milk product without sacrificing taste, how most dairy products can benefit from less sugar, and all the health benefits children can receive with more milk intake in their lives.

Dairy Foods Multimedia Specialist Brett Parker sits down with Adam Seybolt, Director of Manufacturing at Stewart's Shops, and Matt St. Onge, Dairy Manager at Stewart's Shops as they discuss the brand's big wins at the 2024 World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin, taking the top prizes in Best Strawberry Milk, Best Mint Ice Cream, and Best Sherbert Ice Cream.

In this interview, Seybolt and St. Onge highlight the challenges of crafting flavored milk, their personal principles in creating exceptional ice cream, and the importance of building strong relationships with dairy farmers.

Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters LLC, joins Dairy Foods for Episode 46 of the “Let’s Talk Dairy” podcast, where she discusses food service trends. Webster is a consultant and thought leader for the food and beverage industry with nearly 25 years of experience. She founded the Arlington, Vt.-based Menu Matters in 2015 with the mission of supporting clients with exceptional one-on-one expertise that puts their strategies and objectives first.

Dairy Foods Magazine Multimedia Specialist Brett Parker sits down with Amanda Baran, Senior Product Manager at F'Real Beverages, as she discusses the blend-it-yourself milkshake companies latest flavor, Choco Choco Oat Shake.

In this interview, Baran explains what makes the ingredients to the shake so healthy compared to similar products on the market, what specific consumer needs F'Real's products respond to, and the most significant innovations the company has contributed to the frozen novelty realm.