Ren-Hau Lai
Los Angeles,CA
Summary
Accomplished product development leader with over 15 years of expertise in dietary supplements, functional foods, and consumer health. Proven track record of designing and executing innovative strategies that enhance consumer engagement and propel brand growth. Skilled in cross-functional leadership, product commercialization, and global pipeline establishment, with a strong ability to identify market trends and transform them into competitive innovations. Committed to driving future advancements in consumer health through strategic product development.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Innovation & Product Development
AG1
05.2023 - Current
- Owned and executed the innovation strategy, identifying unmet consumer needs and conceptualizing new product platforms to drive brand expansion
- Led a cross-functional team, overseeing end-to-end product development from ideation through commercialization, integrating scientific rigor and market insights
- Built and launched an internal product development lab, reducing reliance on external resources and accelerating innovation timelines
- Developed and implemented a 3-5 years product pipeline roadmap, collaborating with the CEO and CSO to align with business objectives
- Championed the stage gate process, ensuring regulatory compliance, profitability, and technical feasibility of new product launches
Head of R&D
Supergut
Los Angeles, CA
04.2019 - 05.2023
- Spearheaded the development of a high-growth innovation pipeline, launching 9 new SKUs that contributed to $120M in revenue in 2023
- Led cross-functional collaboration between marketing, sales, regulatory, and scientific advisory teams to create compelling product propositions
- Partnered with Consumer Insights to validate product concepts, conduct rapid iterations, and ensure consumer-centric development
- Secured leadership buy-in through data-driven business cases, supporting resource prioritization for high-potential projects
- Developed and led an internal lab and R&D team, strengthening internal capabilities and reducing time-to-market for innovations
Director of Product Development
Goop, Inc.
Santa Monica, CA
02.2018 - 04.2019
- Developed and executed Goop’s functional food and supplement strategy, launching multi-vitamins, soft chews, and plant protein powders with a $6.5M revenue impact in year one
- Defined brand-aligned innovation spaces, bridging holistic wellness, herbal concepts, and modern nutrition science to create compelling products
- Partnered with Consumer Market Insights to identify and validate whitespace opportunities, ensuring differentiation in a crowded market
Senior Manager (R&D)
Beachbody LLC
El Segundo, CA
08.2016 - 01.2018
- Led innovation efforts for Shakeology, a $600M brand, identifying product enhancements that improved nutrition, sensory experience, and manufacturing efficiency
- Delivered a 35% margin increase by optimizing ingredient sourcing and formulation processes
- Managed cross-functional projects, ensuring alignment between R&D, regulatory, and commercialization teams
Senior Scientist (Global Regulatory & Nutrition Sciences)
Mead Johnson Nutrition
Evansville, IN
07.2014 - 08.2016
- Developed and optimized product formulations for global infant nutrition markets, ensuring scientific integrity and regulatory compliance across North America, EU, APAC, and LATAM
- Led cross-functional teams in product innovation and commercialization, integrating clinical research insights into new infant formula solutions
- Created nutrient profiles and ingredient standards to enhance product efficacy and safety, supporting key claims substantiation and regulatory approvals
- Spearheaded clinical study designs and market validation processes, ensuring new product launches met consumer needs and industry benchmarks
Senior Scientist (R&D)
General Mills
Minneapolis, MN
12.2012 - 06.2014
- Led innovation initiatives in the billion-dollar snack platform, developing new product formulations and reformulations that enhanced sensory appeal and nutritional value
- Designed and executed stability studies to optimize ingredient performance and improve product shelf-life
- Collaborated with marketing and consumer insights teams to align product concepts with market trends and consumer demand
- Provided technical leadership in ingredient solutions and product reformulation, driving a 20% increase in revenue through product innovations
- Integrated computational modeling and sensory evaluation techniques to enhance product quality and optimize manufacturing processes
Senior Analytical Scientist
Davisco Foods International
Le Sueur, MN
04.2009 - 11.2012
Medical Intern Doctor
Xiyuan Hospital
Beijing, China
01.2004 - 06.2005
Education
Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) - Nutritional Sciences
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL01.2009
Medical Doctor (MD) - Chinese Medicine
Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Beijing, China06.2005
Master of Engineering (M.E.) - Engineering Management
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI06.2002
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Engineering
National Central University
Taoyuan, Taiwan06.1999
Skills
- Innovation Strategy
- Pipeline Development
- Stage-Gate Process
- Go-To-Market Execution
- Brand & Category Strategy
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- Team and System Building
- Product Lifecycle Management
- Scientific & regulatory expertise
- COGS Analysis & Optimization
- Business Case Development
- Consumer Insights Analysis
Affiliations
- American Society of Nutrition
- Society of Toxicology
- Institute of Food Technologies
Websites
Patents And Publications
- US. Patent No. 11318159
- US. Patent No. 12023350
- Published research in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Food Chemistry & Toxicology, and Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Timeline
Director of Innovation & Product Development
AG1
05.2023 - Current
Head of R&D
Supergut
04.2019 - 05.2023
Director of Product Development
Goop, Inc.
02.2018 - 04.2019
Senior Manager (R&D)
Beachbody LLC
08.2016 - 01.2018
Senior Scientist (Global Regulatory & Nutrition Sciences)
Mead Johnson Nutrition
07.2014 - 08.2016
Senior Scientist (R&D)
General Mills
12.2012 - 06.2014
Senior Analytical Scientist
Davisco Foods International
04.2009 - 11.2012
Medical Intern Doctor
Xiyuan Hospital
01.2004 - 06.2005
Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) - Nutritional Sciences
University of Illinois
Medical Doctor (MD) - Chinese Medicine
Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Master of Engineering (M.E.) - Engineering Management
University of Michigan
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Engineering
National Central University
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