Robert Klima Email & Phone Number

Libertyville, IL, US

Sturtevant, Wisconsin, United States

Gurnee, Illinois, United States

Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, United States

Greater Chicago Area

Provide project management for development and commercialization of major new product/package offerings, cost reduction projects, and other supply chain initiatives. Lead cross-functional teams to ensure commercial success of new product offerings, develop and meet commercialization timelines, establish contigency plans.

Lenexa, Kansas

Developed business case, based on customer and consumer insights, for new bakery ingredient product initiatives. Responsible for commercialization of new products for national roll-outs to key customers.

Coordinated the cross-functional efforts across R&D, operations, comanufacturing, procurement, and finance to provide a recommendation on make vs. buy manufacturing for a new product launch beyond test market. Determined internal and external manufacturing options including capital, conversion, and distribution cost estimates.

Drove the analysis and recommendation of manufacturing consolidation and acquisition opportunities. Led the implementation of cross-bakery initiatives requiring coordination across the supply chain.Spearheaded the development of a 10-Year Long Range Plan for Fresh Bakery Manufacturing, covering areas of productivity, growth, quality.

Commercialized, coordinated and managed the supply chain effort for new product and process initiatives including new business ventures. Maintained timelines, held team accountable for functional responsibility, recommended capital spending, and communicated progress/status to upper management.Successfully launched 19 sku's within 9 months for the newly.

Cheese/Dairy Productivity GroupDelivered raw material and packaging productivity targets for the Process Cheese segment of the Dairy Group for US and Canada. Managed 23 product developers who worked on reformulations of existing products, linking with engineering and plant functions for implementation with budget responsibility of over $5.0MM.Delivered.

Developed and implemented strategic R&D plans for Specialty Coffee (Instant Cappuccino, Liquid Coffee) across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Position involved new product idea initiation as well as product harmonization. Managed group of 11 product developers. Managed a $1.2 MM budget.Established Worldwide R&D Specialty Coffee Center of.

Responsible for Roast and Ground and Soluble Coffee product development in the areas of new products and productivity, managing a group of 5 people.Simplified the Soluble Coffee formula and process resulting in $5.0MM in savingsInnovated, developed and launched Maxwell House Filter Pack SinglesLaunched several new products aimed at expanding Maxwell House.

Created a new position within coffee packaging R&D, managing 3 direct reports. Responsible for evaluating new package technologies for application to coffee packaging on a worldwide basis.Analyzed consumer stale complaints, resulting in revised specification for shelf life for R&D coffee in North America using existing package.Conducted evaluation on.

Process Development Responsible for process development for yield improvement projects for soluble coffee. Supervised 3 technicians. Conducted line trials on new process transferred from England to demonstrate yield improvement and quality impact.Worked on proprietary technology transfer to a Brazilian coffee supplier to improve coffee aroma processes.

Master Of Science, Food Science

Bachelor Of Science, Chemical Engineering