Matthew Lorence Email & Phone Number

Minneapolis, Mn

Strategic team builder, innovator, and leader of corporate-wide projects and programs. Successful in directing teams that create new products and develop innovative solutions to problems, especially in packaging formats and materials development areas. Experience in identifying, developing, and commercializing convenient Total Product Offerings leveraging packaging and product technologies to pre-empt and leapfrog the competition.

Plymouth, Mn

Consults, develops and implements packaging and product solutions for manufacturers, brand design firms and packaging converters across a wide variety of product forms both for food, medical device and hard goods. Experienced in materials, formats, features, equipment, test methodologies, consumer interaction and immersion techniques. Can help in establishing an Open Innovation network and subsequent technology exploration tools. Can analyze ways to leverage Intellectual Property by licensing or sale. Clients are Bellisio Foods, Boston Scientific, Double H Plastics, Gold 'n' Plump, Idea Greenhouse, Kemps Dairy & YourEncore clients.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Leds initiatives and IP creation for complex, long term packaging development for multiple businesses. Member of the Connected Innovation team representing Packaging Development for the Meals platform; building a global network that connects technologies with consumer and retailer needs.  Appointed to the Meals platform New Product Pipeline team, creating strategies for new solutions by mapping market trends, competitive landscaping, and early consumer learning techniques.  Drove packaging transformation on cross-functional teams to relaunch and increase the relevancy of multiple brands and product lines with a Consumer first mindset. This included creating new manufacturing strategies, new packaging formats and features. These holistic solutions resulted in significant margin improvements and better shelf productivity for retailers. Invented, developed and influenced businesses to create and launch a new convenience category of “Meals from your Keurig”.  Invented and developed new packaging formats for refrigerated dough products and thermally processed soup that have over $40MM in potential savings. Led programs that evaluated, discovered and developed significant paperboard basis weight reductions via global papermaking technologies and furnish input innovations totaling over $50MM in potential savings. Invented, developed and sold in several new package enabling technologies to create new business platforms which are being considered for launch. Served on leadership team for Partners in Food Solutions – a business consulting model for improving the ability for small enterprises to produce high-quality, nutritious and safe food at affordable prices, strengthening local African markets.

Plymouth,Mn

Consulted, developed and implemented packaging for major manufacturers, graphic design firms and packaging converters like 3M, Adalis, Appleton Paper, Baker Associates, Best Brands, Biosphere, Cargill, Caribou Coffee, Capsule, CH Robinson, Clif Bar, ConAgra, DAI/USAID, Disney, General Mills, Gerber, Heinz, Honeywell, Kemin Industries, Kemps Dairy, Malt-O-Meal, Merlin Development, Michael Foods, Nestle, Otis Spunkmeyer, PTIS, Robinette, Stoney Wolf, Thompson-West Publishing and Weaver Popcorn. Conducted “Microwave Oven Product Development” seminars.

Minnetonka, Mn

Created the R&D Packaging Development Group to establish a Packaging Development function. Defined and implemented the vision, roles and responsibilities with key players in three different divisions and shared services (product development, engineering, operations, sourcing, distribution). Established breadth and depth of divisional project work, assessed divisional needs and created a matrixed plan (budget and personnel) to defend the project plan, and influenced management for deployment of plan. Built and directed a team of Engineers to develop and commercialize packaging for all North American business units – US Consumer Foods, US Foodservice, and Canadian Retail and Commercial divisions. -Led Packaging team and projects that implemented over $2M in packaging-related cost savings in the first year. Developed packaging for several new products platforms and line extensions being launched in 2004. Won IoPP 2004 AmeriStar award for Pillsbury Treat Toppers.

Minneapolis, Mn

Played a key leadership role in combining the overall Pillsbury and General Mills Packaging Groups into one business unit. Personally led and managed the R&D Packaging team for Pillsbury’s Bakery and Foodservice division ($1.9B sales with General Mills Foodservices). Managed the packaging function through four company integrations. Handled all hiring, career development, and direction of team members (Packaging Scientists and Technicians). -Drove Packaging team that participated in launching hundreds of SKU’s consisting of both custom made products and repackaging existing products for a variety of distribution channels. -Influenced management and was a key advocate in creating a centralized function within the group. Successful prototype was implemented throughout the Pillsbury R&D function.-Delivered over $1M annually in cost savings each of the last four years for the division.

Minneapolis, Mn

Played a key leadership role in combining the overall Pillsbury and General Mills Packaging Groups into one business unit. Personally led and managed the R&D Packaging team for Pillsbury’s Bakery and Foodservice division ($1.9B sales with General Mills Foodservices). Managed the packaging function through four company integrations. Handled all hiring, career development, and direction of team members (Packaging Scientists and Technicians). -Drove Packaging team that participated in launching hundreds of SKU’s consisting of both custom made products and repackaging existing products for a variety of distribution channels. -Influenced management and was a key advocate in creating a centralized function within the group. Successful prototype was implemented throughout the Pillsbury R&D function.-Delivered over $1M annually in cost savings each of the last four years for the division.

Omaha, Ne

Managed Packaging Engineers in R&D that supported initiatives for all brands and channels.-Invented, developed and coordinated cross-functional team for both package and product revisions for adding microwavability to Marie Callender's pot pies.-Led project team to convert Banquet's specialty chicken lines from poly-coated cartons to polybags. Test market recognized a $3M margin improvement opportunity.-Developed new packaging for re-launch of Healthy Choice meals and entrees by using various consumers testing tools (i.e. conjoint analysis, CLT, and home use test)-Invented two patents in microwave susceptor and shielding technology and two patents in unitized packaging and dual-ovenable paperboard coating technology.-Originated, developed, and patented unitized dual ovenable package with unique features enabling it to function on specific production lines. $2M margin improvement opportunity. -Invented and developed microwaveable frozen, raw dough pizza and packaging system.

Minneapolis, Mn

Participated in the development and implementation of products and packages within the following divisions: Refrigerated Dough, Bakery Mixes, Pizza and Snacks and Green Giant. Member of microwave research team for 3 years.-Inventor on four patents in the field of microwave technology dealing with alternate types of susceptors, field modifying devices and raw dough baking.-Refined test methodology in microwave oven tolerance and product development. Developed theory and testing protocol for elevated temperature properties, substrate plastic deformation and susceptor crack formation and propagation. Helped develop a microwave modeling program for food layers with active and reflective devices.-Designed plastic pressurized vessel for a spray-on microwave browning solution-using FEA (Finite Element Analysis) and the effects of visco-elastic deformation.-Developed and implemented alternate materials for sauce, flake, and granule pouches and bags. Margin improvement was $500K.