Margaret is a graduate of the University of British Columbia Food Science department. She has worked in the food industry for the past 25 years, serving as Director of Technical Services for a variety of small, medium and large scale food processors.

Her background includes product development, quality control, quality assurance and process improvement in: snack foods, ready-to-eat retorted meals, poultry processing, salad dressings, ingredient processing and condiments, specialty grain processing, packaging and transportation systems, gel-ice production, ISO / HACCP / QMP / GMP implementation and auditing.

Connie obtained her Bachelor of Science degree with a Food Science major from the University of British Columbia. She has worked in the food industry in the areas of product and process development, food regulations and labeling, nutrition, quality assurance and microbiology for the past 18 years, in areas including; snack foods, dressings, ready-to-eat vegetarian foods, and sports nutrition. Connie joined Fresh Ideas & Solutions in 1998 as a Food Technologist.

Connie has developed a wide range of food products including snack foods and snack food seasonings, meat and seafood seasonings, jams and jellies, mayonnaise and salad dressings, condiments, dessert sauces, savory sauces, bakery products and bakery mixes, nutritional bars and beverages, vegetarian meat analogue products, ready-to-drink beverages and beverage mixes, pickled products, soups and soup mixes, and dehydrated entrees. She has also worked at Nalleys Canada Ltd. and Yves Veggie Cuisine in the areas of research & development and quality assurance.

Crystal is a graduate from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor degree in Food Science. In addition, Crystal obtained a Master of Science degree in Food Science from the University of British Columbia. Crystal has developed an array of food products, including; nutritional bars, beverages, seasonings, condiments, natural and organic foods and pet foods. Crystal joined Fresh Ideas & Solutions in 2007 and provides expertise in project design, technical objectives development and quantifications as well as funding proposal preparation (IRAP).

Crystal has worked as a Quality Assurance Technician for Saputo Inc. She has published several peer-reviewed studies in the areas of Food Processing and Food Protein Chemistry and worked as an Instructional Skills Workshop Facilitator and Peer Coach at the University of British Columbia’s Teaching and Academic Growth Centre. Crystal has also taught Food Science Laboratory courses within the Food, Nutrition and Health Program at UBC. Crystal is actively serving as Membership Chair of the BC Food Technologists (BCFT). She provides technical support for the scale-up production of several new products, including; process procedure development and documentation, shelf-life testing protocols, and organoleptic assessment.

Walter is a graduate from UBC's microbiology department and has worked in the food industry for 16 years. He has served as Director of Technical Services, as well as Director of Technical Sales.

Walter's application background includes Research & Product Development, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Process Development and Process Improvement in areas that include ingredients processing, meat, poultry and seafood processing, surimi processing, sports nutrition products, natural health products, beverage products, ice cream and frozen confections, salad dressings, condiments, bakery products, prepared foods and ready-to-eat retorted salmon products, and a variety of others in manufacturing facilities in North America and South-East Asia.

Harald is a graduate of the Kolnbach Institute of Meat Processing. He has served as Production & Operations Manager and Research & Development Manager for several medium and large scale Meat (Beef, Pork) and Poultry (Chicken, Turkey) further processing facilities in North America, with additional experience in a variety of facilities in Europe and the Far East, HACCP Implementation and GMP implementation.

Jessica is a graduate of the British Columbia Institute of Technology's Food Technology Program, as well as a graduate of Vancouver Community College's Culinary Arts Program. Jessica has experience in a wide variety of prepared meals, desserts and bakery products, snack food seasonings and protein extraction methodology.

Hartley Berg is a graduate in the fields of Marketing and Food & Beverage. He brings over 20 years professional experience in the areas of business development and sales and has specialized in naturally-based premium food products. Hartley is directly responsible for the creation, development and successful launches of many new and existing products and brands across North America and is directly responsible for multi-million dollar sales. Hartley has been associated with Fresh Ideas & Solutions since 2002.

Hartley’s professional experience includes; Senior Marketing Director for Canadian Health Reform Products and Common Ground Publications. He held the position of V.P. Marketing for food developers, National Sales Manager for SJS Group, General Manager for several large-scale companies and was the owner of several innovative and successful businesses in Ontario and British Columbia. He has serviced the needs of retailers, brokers, distributors and manufactures. Hartley has developed a solid reputation as an ethical and effective Marketing, Sales and Business Development professional.