R&D Director Webb Girard Shares His Wisdom
Webb Girard has dedicated nearly a decade to leading the research and development team at CuliNEX. As he embarks on new opportunities, he reflects on the valuable insights and knowledge he’s gained throughout his tenure. The entire CuliNEX team appreciates Webb's many contributions as Senior Director of Research & Development.
Q: As you reflect on your time here, what are the things you’ve appreciated most about the company culture and the people you’ve worked with?
At CuliNEX, the secret to success is more about the development team than any one specific person or project. The team is built to be adaptable and flexible. To be curious and always exploring. We’re dedicated to what our clients are engaging us for, but we also have a deep understanding of those newer trends and ingredients. We're problem solvers. Even if we’re working on a project that we haven't seen before, we figure it out.
Our development team is unique. There hasn't been a challenge that's been put in front of them that they haven't been able to accomplish. They’re constantly learning and exploring. They’re always discovering and researching. They're able to take their knowledge from one product category to the next and bring their knowledge to new applications. So their ability to stay curious and their ability to really dive into a wide variety of things is what makes the company successful overall.
Q: Looking back over your 10 years with the company, what are some of the most significant transformations you’ve seen, and how did those shifts impact your work?
One of the things I appreciate is how we intentionally moved into a team environment. Nine or ten years ago, CEO Mark Crowell made the conscious choice to determine our core values. It was a small team of five. We sat down and figured out what our core values were at that time. That really shaped how our team runs, even today.
Our team is very collaborative, very connected. It's not an individual effort. We fail together or we succeed together. People are assigned projects, but they also share their projects. They say, “Can you take a look at this and give me some input?” That's really unusual and it’s a key to our success.
Q: What changes have you seen during your decade with CuliNEX?
10 years ago, we were a scrappy little team of three or four people. We worked in a 2,000 square foot office and kitchen space. We were converting from a sole proprietorship to a consultancy group ready to execute projects for national brands.
In the past 10 years, the availability of ingredients has risen along with consumer awareness. The toolbox we use to create Clean Label products has gotten a lot bigger. Gluten free was a thing 8 to 12 years ago, but now the toolbox to create gluten free products is a lot broader and bigger, and the products are of a higher quality and are a lot more tasty.
Natural preservative systems are more commonplace now than before. Working with antimicrobials is more refined. Natural preservative systems are still a bit uneven in application, but they’re now more available or have a better chance of success.
Q: What makes CuliNEX unique?
The team at CuliNEX is not restricted by a single brand or a single product category or a single ingredient. This team has the chance to see the breadth of projects. In a year, our team might also see everything from seasoned fruit pieces to ice cream to bites to bars. We don’t just work with crackers… we work with crackers and cakes and flatbreads and tortilla chips. They see it all.
Our team takes that breadth of experience and approaches each project with a creative vision. This allows us to take a technology that is known in one application and make the intuitive leap to use it in another application.
Clients come to CuliNEX looking for a team that can make contributions based on experience outside of what they usually do. Even if those companies have their own R&D teams, there’s value in approaching a problem the way we do and applying our broad experience to achieve innovation and to solve challenges.
Appreciation for Webb’s Wisdom and Leadership
The CuliNEX community has benefitted greatly from the experience and knowledge that Webb has shared during his decade with the company. As he moves on to new ventures, we wish him the best and appreciate his vision while leading the research and development team.
Are you ready to take your food product to the next level? Contact us today to collaborate with a team that brings creativity, innovation, and unparalleled experience to every project.
