Nataly Lopez Baron, Manager of the Guelph Food Innovation Centre (GFIC), Bridging Academia and Industry | That’s a Food Job! Podcast #114
Nataly Lopez Baron is the Manager of the Guelph Food Innovation Centre (GFIC), an applied research centre that partners with food businesses to transform challenges into practical solutions through research, product development, and pilot plant testing.
Originally from Colombia, Nataly earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees before moving to Canada to complete a PhD in Food Science and Technology at the University of Alberta. She has since worked in food research and product development across the dairy, cereals, and supplement industries, bringing that expertise and international perspective to her current role at GFIC.
In this episode, we talk about how GFIC helps companies bridge the gap between homemade recipes and commercial-scale production, the unique infrastructure the centre offers—including certified pilot plants—and the success stories that have come out of GFIC’s partnerships. Nataly also shares her own career journey, and what it’s like to lead a food innovation centre where every day brings a new challenge.
Things mentioned in this episode:
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
- University of Guelph’s Food and Agricultural Business Program: Prepare to thrive in Canada’s fast-changing food industry with U of G’s Food and Agricultural Business program. Gain agri-food expertise, business skills, and co-op experience that help you stand out — many students even land jobs before they graduate!Â
Chapters
00:00 – IntroductionÂ
00:32 – Meet Nataly Lopez Baron and the Guelph Food Innovation Centre (GFIC)
01:51 – What GFIC does and who it helps
05:22 – Supporting companies and student involvement
08:03 – Nataly’s role and GFIC team overview
10:55 – Example projects and international work
16:01 – Inside the pilot plants and technology
20:49 – Collaboration with clients and successful alumni
25:11 – Managing client expectations and challenges
27:26 – Teamwork and balancing responsibilities
31:37 – Nataly’s career journey and food innovation path
36:40 – Challenges, lessons, and career advice
43:35 – Wrap-up and closing message
Recommended next episode
 #71 – Liana Yee, Junior Product Specialist at Export Packers Company Limited
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