Episode No. 7
Competitor Isn’t a Dirty Word
“It's really become more win-win, which is part of that mutual boundary setting. And I think when you look at it that way, sometimes there is magic in that because you find areas that you might not have explored had one party been more closed off, or not had the comfort and the trust. ” — Renee Flesch
In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette is joined by Renee Flesch, a 25-year food industry vet and currently the head of corporate strategy at Ingredion. Renee is a force when it comes to flavor, strategic operations, and business growth.
Also joining the conversation is Lauren Hopkins, Edlong’s business development director for the US and Canada. Lauren skillfully mixes the art and science of sales to apply a collaborative, people-first approach with technical expertise.
The conversation centers on collaboration—and particularly how collaboration between competitors and a “win-win” mentality will move the food industry forward faster. They explore many topics from cultivated meats and sustainability to how far the industry has come in the last decade and what it means to be a “food hero.”
Ultimately, Laurette asks not just, “what is your legacy”…but what is the legacy our generation of food industry leaders will leave behind? This conversation is just the start of that.
In this episode of Owning Your Legacy:
🦋 Creating an ecosystem of “competitors”
🦋 The benefits of collaboration and diversity of thought
🦋 What’s next in plant-based foods
🦋 A unique definition of servant leadership
🦋 How to take a human-centric approach to problem-solving
🦋 The need for industry leaders to be “food heroes”
