For more than 55 years, OSI Group has been a leading global processor and supplier of value-added protein items and other food products to top foodservice and retail operators. It is a privately held corporation with more than 50 facilities in 17 countries. The company’s global headquarters is located outside of Chicago in Aurora, Ill.

In this edition, “Food for Thought” talks with Lynn Waldman, Little Lady Foods’ director of research and development. Little Lady Foods, Elk Grove Village, Ill., is a national supplier of frozen premium pizzas, sandwiches and hand-held items for private label, foodservice and contract customers.

In this fifth edition, Food for Thought talks with Dr. Marianne O’Shea, senior director, R&D, Nutrition at PepsiCo and the director of the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence. This June saw PepsiCo create the Center as “a cross-functional entity focused on elevating the relevance and benefits of oats through science, agriculture and innovation.”

In this fourth edition, Food for Thought talks with Rich Nohner, director of research and development for Kemps. Now part of the Dairy Farmers of America, Kemps, St. Paul, Minn., produces and markets fresh milk, premium ice cream and frozen yogurt, frozen novelties, sour cream and cottage cheese through retail supermarkets and foodservice channels.

Prepared Foods’ “Food for Thought” feature interview series involves food company R&D professionals, nutritionists, research chefs and other industry executives.
In this third edition, PF Chief Editor Bob Garrison talks with Bob Eckert, the chairman at Mattel Inc.

In this second edition, “Food for Thought” talks with Dr. Jennifer Garrett, global nutrition director for McCain Foods Limited, a global frozen food leader that employs more than 20,000 people at 57 production facilities on six continents.

In this first edition, “Food for Thought” talks with Kettle Cuisine Corporate Executive Chef Joseph Ascoli. Kettle Cuisine, Chelsea, Mass., is a national supplier of frozen and refrigerated soups, chili’s, chowders and stews for private label retail, restaurant and in-store deli sales. The company promoted Ascoli in February to succeed Volker Frick, who retired but remains as the company’s executive chef emeritus.