Eric Nakata
Huntersville,NC
Summary
Proactive, achievement-oriented business development expert bringing 20+ years of culinary innovation, product development/commercialization and food service leadership experience with special emphasis helping QSR/FC and Retail clientele. Effectively increases consumer reach and client traction to catapult companies forward with sustained growth. Articulate communicator, natural servant leader and organized collaborator.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Innovations
McClancy Foods And Flavors
08.2022 - Current
- Developed creative presentations, trend reports, and product data sheets.
- Mentored local personnel on best practices and protocols to maximize productivity and teamwork.
- Optimized email campaigns to increase open and click-through rates using Pardot.
- Secured long-term accounts by recommending strategies to promote brand effectiveness and highlight product benefits.
- Evaluated existing procedures and made proactive adjustments to meet changing demands.
- Supported staff development, promoting personal achievement and retention as best strategy for long-term organizational health.
- Headed solutions supporting rapid expansion and program proliferation from concept to reality.
- Presented budget and business planning proposals to senior leadership, advocating for junior personnel needs and segment-wide business goals.
- Oversaw ingredient pipeline initiative, optimizing production times by 20%, and organizational cost savings of $600k.
Chief Consultant
EN-voke, LLC
06.2020 - Current
- Business Development for Foodservice and Healthcare industry.
- Initiated Sales, and Marketing strategies & processes for upstart PPE company resulting into generating government marketplace opportunities worth $750k annually
- Generated leads for new venture company specializing in surface, air and water sanitizing equipment resulting in $1.2 million dollar co-op purchasing contracts for schools, offices, arenas, and foodservice establishments
- Conducted Product development and Project Management lifecycle of new RTD Beyond Beer beverage for new venture companies.
- Generated reports detailing findings and recommendations for strategic sales opportunities.
- Supported clients with business analysis, documentation, and data modeling.
VP of Culinary Innovations
Westrock/S&D Coffee & Tea
10.2014 - 04.2020
- Primary customer interface for beverage ideation, product, menu & development solutions for McDonalds, Dunkin, Yum Brands, Focus Brands, JAB, Roark Capital, Darden & Restaurant Brands Intl.
- Achieved go-to-market schedules with skilled handling of projects of various sizes and scopes, prioritization, and delegating assignments to maintain progress.
- Proposed strategic innovation direction, goal setting, and decision-making of Culinary Innovations department assisting in 5-year consecutive double digit positive company profit goals.
- Demonstrated proficient leadership skills to motivate employees and build competent teams.
- Analyzed industry trends and tracked competitor activities to inform decision making.
- Hired and managed employees to maximize productivity while training staff on best practices and protocols.
- Spearheaded cross-functional initiatives across departments to achieve business goals for bottom-line profits.
- Maintained P&L and shouldered corporate fiscal responsibility.
- Cultivated company-wide culture of innovation and collaboration.
- Collaborated with senior management to develop strategic initiatives and long term goals.
- Used market insights to capitalize on key business opportunities for new advantageous partnerships.
Business Development Chef
Newly Weds Foods
09.2012 - 09.2014
- Embedded Technical Sales/Business Development to McDonald's USA.
- Trusted technical culinary lead influenced strategic McDonald's opportunities with Newly Weds Foods leading to 35% increase in account performance.
- Overhauled Global Culinary Team annual trend report through tracking and translating food and flavor trends using global views and insight metrics.
- Cultivated relationships/partnerships with over 20 McDonald's vendors, media partners & venues.
- Formulated and executed strategic initiatives to improve product offerings for strategic vendors and markets.
- Monitored key business risks and established risk management procedures.
Director of Research & Development
Mont Blanc Gourmet
07.2010 - 07.2012
- Private Label Manufacturer of Beverage solutions.
- Managed and coordinated integration of technical projects for team of four scientists optimizing competency and output by 40%.
- Initiated and executed new product development, cost reductions & plant troubleshooting.
- Conducted HFCS removal, artificial flavor to natural flavor conversion, and coffee pod development resulting 90% customer approval and purchase interest.
- Lead interface with Panda Express, Sweet Greens, Garbanzo's, Tokyo Joe's, Chipotle.
- Conferred with scientists, engineers and regulators to plan or review projects or offer technical assistance.
Sr. Culinary Specialist
Nestle Prepared Foods, USA
12.2005 - 05.2010
- Global Food, Beverage, Pet Food, Nutriceuticals & Cosmetics Company.
- Built & operated state of art Denver Culinary Center from Sept 2008 until May 2010.
- Developed culinary inspired concepts for frozen, refrigerated and shelf stable categories of Nestle Umbrella.
- Designed and executed cross-functional teams on multi-city restaurant trend, concept immersion & platform initiatives resulting in 80% top box scores for successful product launches.
- Facilitated Innovation/Renovation ideation sessions with follow-up rapid prototyping presentations resulting in 50% efficiency to launch rating.
- Commercialized and launched over $200MM in new retail products for Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, Hot Pockets brand, Toll-house, Buitoni, and Digiornio.
- Spearheaded internal sensory analysis and coordinated full-scale production and commercialization for several new retail product lines.
Education
Google UX Certification UX Design, Process, Foundation, Wireframes & Prototypes - UX Design
Google University
Charlotte11.2021
Certification Courses Research Chefs Association - Culinology, Food Processing And Food Safety
Orange Coast College/RCA
Orange, CA06.2012
Associate of Arts - Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management
Southern California School of Culinary Arts/Le Cordon Bleu
Pasadena, CA06.1999
Skills
- Innovative and Visionary
- Strategic Planning
- Effective Communicator and Public Speaker
- Industry Expertise
- Business Consulting
- Product Roadmaps
- Professional Relationships
- Industry Trends
- Product Development and Launch
- Process and Procedure Refinement
- Change Management Process
- Teamwork and Collaboration
Websites
food trekking, bourbon collecting, poker and travelling
Natural born foodie loves to travel and find food experiences and cultures. Bourbon bear who loves the thrill of the hunt and complexity of the product.
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Quote
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
George Washington Carver
Timeline
Director of Innovations
McClancy Foods And Flavors
08.2022 - Current
Chief Consultant
EN-voke, LLC
06.2020 - Current
VP of Culinary Innovations
Westrock/S&D Coffee & Tea
10.2014 - 04.2020
Business Development Chef
Newly Weds Foods
09.2012 - 09.2014
Director of Research & Development
Mont Blanc Gourmet
07.2010 - 07.2012
Sr. Culinary Specialist
Nestle Prepared Foods, USA
12.2005 - 05.2010
Google UX Certification UX Design, Process, Foundation, Wireframes & Prototypes - UX Design
Google University
Certification Courses Research Chefs Association - Culinology, Food Processing And Food Safety
Orange Coast College/RCA
Associate of Arts - Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management
Southern California School of Culinary Arts/Le Cordon Bleu
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