Luis Vargas, Ph.D Email & Phone Number

Chicago, IL, US

Chicago, Illinois, US

• Manage and execute all development and commercialization of VP Global expansion
• Build and manage R&D infrastructure for Global Innovation and renovation projects
• Work cross-functionally with business development and external partners to build business pipeline, prioritizing product improvements and commercialization needs
• Work cross-functionally with technical team on Global manufacturing expansion
• Oversee product development life cycle & commercialization
• Data analysis of marketing and scientific studies to support development

Chicago, Illinois, US

• Manage and execute all development for innovation and renovation projects
• Oversee entire product development life cycle & commercialization
• Data analysis of marketing and scientific studies to support development
• Statistical analysis of sensory & focus group data to evaluate product performance
• Manage & coordinate trials, first productions, team of scientists, and R&D lab
• Identify and source novel ingredients based on data trends and business needs

Mount Jackson, Virginia, US

• Technical development of beverages, dairy, fruit, & vegetable products for baby foods and kid snacks including ideation, scale-up, product maintenance, and functional ingredients such as flours, sweeteners, plant-based.
• Coordinate and manage plant trials, first productions, and R&D pilot scale operations
• Lead R&D process improvement projects
• Support food technologists in product development scale-up
• Work with engineering team to develop R&D pilot plant facility
• Lead, conduct and analyze sensory studies

Champaign, IL, US

• Conducted research in food and bioprocess engineering
• Designed and fabricated single & multi-channel drying platform for optimization and validation of drying processes
• Developed methods using ultrasonication to optimize drying of food materials
• Developed and optimized methodologies to evaluate moisture diffusion and microstructural changes of foods during drying processes
• Performed data analysis using mathematical models to describe drying kinetics
• Conducted industry-driven R&D projects including drying optimization and FSMA validation projects sponsored by the Center for Advanced Research in Drying

Champaign, IL, US

• Developed and evaluated technical feasibility of new cold-pressed granola bar formulations
• Evaluated physical-chemical and nutritional aspects of granola bars and ingredients for Summer Research Program PepsiCo R&D (Barrington, IL)
• Mentored High School students on food engineering research projects, developing a hypothesis, conducting a study, communicating results and improving laboratory and research skills

Baton Rouge, LA, US

• Developed and optimized a high-protein non-Greek stirred and set yogurt using plant and animal-based protein powders
• Optimized pilot plant-scale processing of high-protein yogurt mix
• Conducted physical, chemical and sensory analysis to describe characteristics of high-protein yogurts
• Analyzed the effect of protein yogurt matrix on bacterial probiotic properties

Baton Rouge, LA, US

• Conducted sensory acceptability studies of Rib-Eye steaks in Asian and Latino consumers
• Collaborated in research using salt-substitute (KCl) in emulsions to reduce metallic residual flavors
• Collaborated in study to reduce psychological biases (carry over and contrast effect) in sensory acceptance testing

• Worked under COO of Melo Group Panama (Franchise division).
• Managed regional franchise operation in Central-East area, Panama City.
• Cross-functional collaboration with teams on analysis of consumer insights, sales, LTO performance, menu-development and budget for business decisionsContinued collaboration with R&D department:
• Developed and launched fruit-beverage lines and deep-fried puff-pastry dough
• Engineered scale-up of fruit-beverages and meat-pies
• Created and launched menu items for local & international franchised-restaurants

• R&D. Development of new fruit-beverage line for restaurants
• R&D. Puff-pastry dough for deep-fried products
• R&D. Improved chimichurri sauce shelf-life
• Assisted plant manager and supervised production, inventory controls and warehouse
• R&D. Worked on product maintenance of franchise production plant (beverages, pre- mixes for soups, rice, deep-fried dough, meat pies, and sauces)

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Food Science And Human Nutrition

Master Of Science (M.Sc.), Dairy And Food Technology

Bachelor Of Science (B.Sc.), Food Science And Technology