Adrian Sepcic
Frisco
Summary
Experienced and demonstrated ability to drive and contribute to the success of consumer food and beverage products. Numerous roles at global and leading beverage brand companies. Results-oriented scientist and leader with proven success in developing innovation processes, methodology, and end products. Application of experience and creative spark to produce winning results.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Manager –Research & Development, Whitespace & Breakthrough Innovation
Keurig Dr Pepper
- Current
- Innovation: Pipeline development of mid to longer term innovation projects
- Creative Design and Strategy of Whitespace and Breakthrough ideas
- Cross functionally minded approach, both internally and externally
- Partnering with ingredient technologists on novel ingredients and technologies
- Beverage Product Development: Management and coordination of new product development for the Company’s alcohol containing beverage portfolio
- Leverage consumer insights and industry trends with a lens towards Design to Value
- Licensing and Partnerships: Represent Research & Development in new beverage business partnerships
- Provide timelines and technical considerations to Sprint teams around beverage formulation for new initiatives
Senior Manager –Research & Development, Product Development – Innovation, Teas, Enhanced Waters, Mixers, Licensing
Keurig Dr Pepper
01.2018 - 01.2023
- Innovation: Project management and product development of Liquid Beverage projects as R&D representative in Company initiatives and Innovation pipeline
- Includes utilization of timeline management, cross-functional teamwork, relationship building with Insights, Innovation, Engineering, Supply Chain, Procurement, and people management
- Includes investigation and application of novel ingredients and technologies
- Beverage Product Development: Management and coordination of new product development for the Company’s portfolio of Teas, Enhanced Waters, and Mixers
- Led team of product developers
- Licensing: Recommendation, design and evaluation of food and beverage products for our branded licensed products
- Consultation on new product concepts with third party manufacturers
Manager-Research & Development
Dr Pepper Snapple Group
03.2009 - 01.2018
- Beverages: Product development and management of carbonated soft drink beverage projects, fountain and frozen beverage products for over 50 beverage brands
- Includes utilization of timeline management, cross-functional teamwork, relationship building with other parts of the company, and people management
- Licensing: Recommendation, design and evaluation of food and beverage products for our branded licensed products
- Consultation on new product concepts with third party manufacturers
- Regular feedback on marketing on product status
- Product types include snacks, candies, bakery items, frozen desserts, precooked meat products, and alcoholic beverages
- Fountain/Foodservice: Provide technical support and new product development to Fountain and Foodservice sales
- Conceptualize and develop applications per customer needs
- Interfacing with company customers on the restaurant and convenience store side of the business
- Exploratory Innovation: Co-founded an internal exploratory innovation group to serve as an incubator for out of the box beverage ideas
- Incorporates the use of novel ingredients and technologies
Scientist
The Coca-Cola Company
01.1993 - 04.2007
- Provided leadership on the review of new ingredient submissions for accuracy and compliance with company and global regulatory requirements
- Responsible for management of the Sample Administration group
- Key contributor in developing a Global Ingredient Specifications database to preserve company’s key ingredients and regulations information
- R&D Project lead for implementing the Product Lifecycle Management) PLM database for ingredients specifications
- Provided analysis of flavors and ingredients for production in concentrate and beverage base
- Provided extensive instrumentation expertise including liquid and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry
- Responsible for monitoring the regulatory compliance of flavors and ingredients
- Implemented bar-coding of samples for analysis to improve data entry and sample tracking to increase lab proficiencies
- Initiated the use of fast gas chromatography and automated titrations to increase sample throughput
- Key Responsibilities: Ingredient approvals and specifications
- Evaluate and approve / reject existing and new ingredient request samples by due dates and communicate results to production facilities, internal customers, and suppliers
- Evaluate testing protocols and approval process for flavors and ingredients and continually improve to enhance capability and efficiency
- Evaluate samples for the extension of shelf life for ingredients to maximize profit and reduce cost
- Global Partner: Proactively engage suppliers to ensure comprehensive understanding of requirements of ingredient sample submission and to resolve issues as they may arise
- Engage in the global Research & Development product pipeline to prepare for new ingredient submissions
- Support the Flavor Creation Team with the consolidation/elimination of current ingredients, cost savings/optimization and creation of new flavors and systems
- Ingredient Issues: Develop methods for agricultural residue analysis, authenticity testing and other key measurable attributes based on leading scientific methodology and in advance of business needs
- Collaborate with key flavor and ingredient suppliers to address potential contaminant issues with ingredients on an ongoing basis, anticipating and resolving problems before they arise
Research Program Coordinator
Morehouse School of Medicine
03.1995 - 09.1996
- Researched and developed methodology for the extraction, detection, and identification of anabolic steroids using liquid and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry
- Selected for training in Los Angeles, California with US Olympic Committee drug testing experts
- Designed training program for students in performing extraction of samples for analytical drug testing
- Served as one of three lead chemists for the detection of anabolic steroids during the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games
Education
Bachelor of Science - Chemistry
University of South Carolina
Skills
- Partnership development
- Innovation management
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Troubleshooting and problem resolution
Timeline
Senior Manager –Research & Development, Product Development – Innovation, Teas, Enhanced Waters, Mixers, Licensing
Keurig Dr Pepper
01.2018 - 01.2023
Manager-Research & Development
Dr Pepper Snapple Group
03.2009 - 01.2018
Research Program Coordinator
Morehouse School of Medicine
03.1995 - 09.1996
Scientist
The Coca-Cola Company
01.1993 - 04.2007
Senior Manager –Research & Development, Whitespace & Breakthrough Innovation
Keurig Dr Pepper
- Current
Bachelor of Science - Chemistry
University of South Carolina
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