Bluegrass Ingredients, Inc., a R&D-based specialty food ingredients supplier, announced Innovation Chef Grant Petersen has joined the company’s Agile Kitchen culinary team. The hire adds another chef with deep culinary and product development expertise to the Agile Kitchen at Bluegrass, a product development center and resource hub for acting on ever-evolving consumer food trends in close collaboration with food manufacturers.

Chef Grant brings more than 25 years of culinary and food service experience to Bluegrass Ingredients, most recently serving as the senior culinary specialist at The Mushroom Company. He has also held roles at Impossible Foods, Inc. and Meatless Farm. His expertise in vegetarian and vegan food options will support continued growth of Bluegrass’ plant-based ingredients portfolio, which includes a first-of-its-kind vegan-friendly cheez concentrate product.

The Agile Kitchen at Bluegrass is a creative space that blends innovation and insights to deliver formulations and products that align with pressing consumer trends. The company’s incubator for advancing flavor, form, and function, the Agile Kitchen is staffed with food scientists and culinary experts who work directly with customers to craft tailored formulations. This commitment to innovation and market analysis is a cornerstone of the company’s Agile Ingredient Innovation service model.