innovative food science consulting llc
I believe purpose-driven innovation can change the way the world eats. Whether you’re a startup forging new paths, an investor fueling bold ideas, or an R&D team navigating complexity, I bring my curiosity, insight, and strategic clarity to help turn vision into velocity.
As your trusted advisor and connector, I work alongside you to uncover what matters, untangle the hard problems, and move innovation forward – where science meets business.
Cindy Stewart PhD, CFS
Here to help your company deliver lasting impact
Founder & Principal with over 30 years authentic leadership & business focused scientific expertise in the global food industry.
About Me
Hi, I’m Cindy. I’m excited to meet you.
One of my favorite things to do, especially when traveling abroad, is wander through grocery stores. It’s not just to satisfy my curiosity — it’s also a way to connect with the tangible outcomes of science, technology, and collaboration. Every product on the shelf represents countless decisions, disciplines, and people working together to feed billions of people around the world. That moment of reflection reminds me why I do this work.
Today, I partner with venture capital firms, leadership teams, and startups to help navigate complexity, assess opportunities, and unlock innovation. Whether supporting due diligence, shaping science-backed strategy, or bridging technical and commercial perspectives, I bring a unique blend of industry depth, business acumen, and collaborative energy to every engagement.
If you’re shaping the future of food, I’d love to help you connect the dots.
My Services
Technical Due Diligence
Revitalizing & Optimizing Innovation/R&D Portfolios
Advisory & Fractional
Vision
To be the catalyst for purpose-driven innovation that tackles the toughest challenges in the global food system. With deep scientific insight and strategic business focus, we help partners push boundaries and thrive in a dynamic, ever-evolving marketplace.
Mission
To shape the future of food through science and strategy. IFSC helps companies overcome growth barriers with balanced innovation portfolios and smart investment strategies. We bring diverse thinking to the intersection of business and science — enabling partners to embrace change, manage tradeoffs, and execute with excellence in a complex world.
Bio
Dr. Cindy Stewart is the Founder & Principal of Innovative Food Science Consulting LLC, where she advises foodtech/biotech startups, venture capital firms, and food & ingredient companies through fractional leadership, technical due diligence, and innovation strategy. Her work bridges science and business to accelerate growth, optimize portfolios, and unlock scalable solutions.
With over 30 years of global experience, Cindy has held senior executive roles at Corbion, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences / IFF, and PepsiCo, leading high-impact teams and initiatives. She built and scaled innovation pipelines, led cross-functional teams across four continents, and delivered measurable results. Examples include:
- revitalizing new product portfolios by engaging business teams to make critical prioritization decisions. This resulted in reducing new product development cycle time by 40% & increasing portfolio value by 80%
- expansion of an open innovation incubator portfolio of biotechnology-based innovation programs by engaging cross-functional global business, marketing insights and technical teams. The pipeline was expanded to over 50 external partnerships and opportunities, by building relationships and negotiating agreements with shared value propositions.
Known for her ability to distill complexity into clear strategy, Cindy brings a unique lens to decision-making — combining scientific rigor with business intuition.
Cindy is a trusted connector across ecosystems, bringing together multidisciplinary science, business and marketing, to solve complex challenges. Her interdisciplinary approach and strategic clarity enable teams to move faster, think bigger, and execute with excellence and integrity.
A globally recognized food scientist, Cindy has authored & presented over 175 publications and served as the 78th President of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). She is an IFT Fellow and recipient of the University of Delaware Distinguished Alumni Award.
She serves on multiple advisory boards spanning academia, industry, and nonprofit sectors, and holds BS and MS degrees in Food Science from the University of Delaware and a PhD from Rutgers University.