{"podcast":{"title":"That's A Food Job!","slug":"that-s-a-food-job-7044046","podcast_index_feed_id":7044046,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/294296/rss","website_url":"https://foodgrads.com/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/3/8/0/b/380bfb3f3bc109c3e55e3c100dce7605/FG_Podcast_Logo.png","author":"FoodGrads","episode_count":129,"summary":"No matter what your passion is, there's a career for everyone in food—and we're here to help you find it! On this podcast, we interview professionals across the food processing sector to uncover the stories behind their unique roles Discover what they do, why they do it and how they are shaping the world of food. Whether you're a student figuring out your next steps, a young professional seeking career guidance, or an industry veteran exploring new opportunities, this podcast offers valuable insights to help you navigate your career journey. Join host Veronica Hislop as she speaks with experts from all corners of the food industry. From food scientists to farmers, plant managers to programmers, food safety technicians to skilled trades, supply chain managers to sales, we'll explore a wide range of exciting careers. We're here to celebrate food industry professionals and proudly say—That's a Food Job!","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/that-s-a-food-job-7044046"},"episode":{"title":"Leslie Herbas, Product Development Specialist at Ascona Foods (#119)","slug":"leslie-herbas-product-development-specialist-at-ascona-foods-119","published_at":"2026-01-18T17:16:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/that-s-a-food-job-7044046/leslie-herbas-product-development-specialist-at-ascona-foods-119","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/that-s-a-food-job-7044046","url":"https://foodgradspodcast.libsyn.com/balancing-function-regulation-and-scale-in-meat-product-development-with-leslie-herbas-at-ascona-foods-119","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/foodgradspodcast/Leslie_Herbas_Full_Interview.mp3?dest-id=2312504","summary":"What does a Product Development Specialist actually do in meat manufacturing? Leslie Herbas Marañon is a Product Development Specialist at Ascona Food Group, a global supplier of customized dry blends, edible films, and casings for the meat industry. With over 10 years across production, quality management, and R&D in Bolivia and Canada, she brings a hands-on, formulation-first approach to every project. --- Shownotes: https://foodgrads.com/podcast/Leslie-Herbas --- Explore food industry careers with CareersNOW!: https://careersnow.ca/ --- CareersNOW! is Food and Beverage Ontario's multi-year workforce development initiative that is connecting students and job seekers with employers in Ontario's food and beverage processing industry for exciting career opportunities. Check out CareersNOW.ca for more information on exciting jobs, career information, industry mentors and training opportunities for professional development. --- TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Introduction to Food Product Development and Problem-Solving (01:05) What a Product Development Specialist Does at Ascona (03:10) Customizing Dry Blends, Edible Films, and Casings (05:13) From Bench-Top Formulation to Plant Trials (07:07) What Documentation Means in Product Development (10:34) Regulatory and Administrative Work in the Meat Industry (15:57) Building Confidence Through Experience and Failure (18:09) Managing Multiple Projects and Scaling Up (23:07) Practicing Product Development Skills at Home (29:56) Career Path from Production to Product Development (37:38) Why Problem-Solving Starts with Planning (43:27) Learning from Production Teams and Operators --- CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📙 Career Guides: https://foodgrads.com/career-paths-food-and-beverage/ 💭 Career Advice: https://foodgrads.com/blog/ --- CONNECT WITH OU…","meta_description":"What does a Product Development Specialist actually do in meat manufacturing? Leslie Herbas Marañon is a Product Development Specialist at Ascona Food Gro…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2689,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/that-s-a-food-job-7044046/episodes/leslie-herbas-product-development-specialist-at-ascona-foods-119/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/that-s-a-food-job-7044046/leslie-herbas-product-development-specialist-at-ascona-foods-119.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}