Candace Koller Email & Phone Number

Lansing, MI

COBOL, REXX, JCL, SQL, Python

Lansing, MI

• Designed market research studies to determine the business case of new product viability in current market conditions, utilizing customer feedback surveys and existing primary and secondary market research
• Optimized current Microsoft CRM environment to better report KPIs, including campaign effectiveness, advertising ROI, and customer engagement
• Created split tests for advertising campaigns and determined statistical preference using various analyses
• Generated new leads for the Top 100 food companies using Broadlook and coordinated the improvement of the current lead qualification system as well as customer conversion metrics
• Independently conducted a preliminary microbial laboratory evaluation of a new microbiological detection product

Holt, MI

• Founded and started own company; For Sale: Fudge under Michigan Cottage Food Law
• Created business plan, managed costs, designed labels and packaging, created marketing materials, developed over 12 formulations of fudge flavors, and drove sales to retail customers at Farmers’ Markets and Craft Shows
• Acquired approximately 40 new customers solely using word-of-mouth advertising, and was able to generate over $1300 in sales with minimal startup costs over a five-month period

Salina, KS

• Developed new products from ideation to commercialization utilizing the Stage Gate process for the frozen food industry
• Worked with cross-functional teams in the development of new products, product improvements, process improvements, and supplier optimization
• Developed optimal ingredient specifications utilizing resources in the Product Development Lab and the Research and Development Pilot Plant, and on the Production Plant Level
• Met and reviewed both with ingredient and equipment suppliers to drive business decisions relating to product offerings
• Utilized SAP to build and maintain specifications for both finished goods and ingredients
• Collaborated with Processing Engineering to develop Design of Experiments (DOEs) for in-depth analysis of ingredient conformance to specification, with a focus on dairy ingredients

• Developed and tested new Raw and RTE poultry products, including formulation, packaging, QA, costing, and production
• Collected data on production throughput and finished product quality to develop product specifications and efficiency standards
• Measured incoming ingredients against specification to maintain outgoing-product consistency
• Oversaw changes to production methods as a response to customer concerns
• Collaborated with QA to offer support, with concentration on implementing the adoption of the SQF Auditing Scheme

• Developed new premium frozen condensed soups with considerations regarding flavor, cost, and plant feasibility
• Independently produced and improved product formulas based off of developers’ existing formulas
• Conducted research and presented to executive leadership on starch behavior in natural products

• Entered and maintained nutrition data into the SAP ingredient management system
• Assisted in the generation of nutrition labeling information
• Organized and consolidated nutrition label information forms