How NatureSweet Is Investing in the Science Behind the Crop
May 11, 2022 NatureSweet Tomatoes has named consumer R&D and product strategy executive Martin C. Ruebelt, Ph.D. as its new Chief Scientific Officer.
NatureSweet is known for its commitment to transforming the lives of agricultural workers and its ability to sustain market leadership. The newly created position of Chief Scientific Officer demonstrates NatureSweet’s commitment to step up both investments and partnerships in leading science fields.
“Dramatically increasing the focus on science, at a time where innovation is speeding up in areas well beyond what has been our historical strength, is not only about a commitment to continue leading in flavor, but also about leading the industry on how to get the superior flavor in a way that furthers our ESG platform,” says NatureSweet President and CEO Rodolfo Spielmann.
The new Chief Scientific Officer role will act as an advisor to both the CEO and the Head of R&D/Quality, on top of leading the development of the Innovation Center NatureSweet committed to create in the U.S.
“Martin brings not only an incredible depth of technical experience to his role, but also a vision on how science can serve the consumer and leadership abilities seldom seen in the industry,” Spielmann says. “He is extremely well-suited to help guide NatureSweet through all the technological innovation available to us, focusing on proactively connecting with academia, seed breeders, start-ups, and ag-tech companies as a way to bridge NatureSweet’s purpose of transforming the lives of agricultural workers with transformative innovation.”
An accomplished scientific leader with a PhD in Food&Biochemistry from the Technical University of Munich, Dr. Ruebelt brings more than 20 years of industry experience. He has an outstanding technical and leadership track record with companies such as Sensei Ag where he was the Senior Vice President & Consumer Traits & Product Strategy Lead, as well as Bayer CropScience as its previous head of global consumer R&D for Vegetables and a Bayer Science Fellow, where he led a team that provided product and consumer insights, sensory, and phenotyping support to improve and launch fruits and vegetables the consumer craves. Prior to that, Dr. Ruebelt had an 18-year career at Monsanto, spanning multiple roles.
“I can’t imagine a more exciting time to join NatureSweet,” Ruebelt says. “I believe the potential for growth is tremendous, given the smart and passionate people at NatureSweet, who are committed to make a difference in the world, along with the strong product portfolio and openness for innovation. I am confident that we can develop and execute plans to innovate as a greenhouse vegetable solution to retailers for many years.”
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