Food.Tech.Design helps companies innovate by using design thinking to unlock their creative confidence and create breakthrough ideas. We collaborate closely with our clients, integrating food and beverage insights with creativity tools, and food technology and packaging expertise. We have worked with a wide range of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to cutting edge startups, across the Food & Beverage category.
Our research includes in context in-homes, shop-alongs and group sessions to uncover insights and unmet consumer needs, or to gather concept feedback.
We synthesize learnings and insights to create actionable frameworks and opportunity areas for design- all in service of creating innovative products, packaging and experiences.
We use our technical expertise in food science and packaging along with our creative design thinking skills to create innovative new concepts and platforms that are grounded in consumer needs.
All challenges are unique. For each project, we create a custom approach that uses design thinking processes to inspire and empower your team while creating brand, product and packaging innovation. Our projects range from nimble workshops to immersive, multi-week projects.
Food.Tech.Design is led by Lauren Shimek and has a close network of designers with complementary skills including industrial design, graphic design and communication design.
LAUREN SHIMEK PH.D.
FOUNDER AND CEO
As a Ph.D. food scientist with food design and innovation experience at IDEO as well as product development expertise at General Mills, Lauren uniquely combines deep technical expertise across many categories along with design thinking innovation. Lauren holds a Ph.D. degree in Food Science and a B.S. degree in Biochemistry from the University of California, Davis. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Institute of Food Technologists She has been an adjunct professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of California, Davis, and currently teaches Design Thinking for Food, a multi-discliplinary graduate course.
MIGUEL CABRA
PRINCIPAL DESIGNER
Miguel Cabra is a designer specialized in innovation for the food industry. He worked at IDEO for 12 years+ in design, strategy, and branding. His clients have included Coca-Cola, Pepsico, Conagra, Nestle, Del Monte and Kellogg’s. His current approach to innovation is a constant attempt to merge user-centered design with a deep understanding of capabilities and technical feasibility.
Miguel has a degree in Industrial Design from Elisava School of Design and Engineering in Barcelona, Spain. He holds several design awards including a packaging IDSA award and a consumer electronics IF award.
ALEX CORIANO
PRINCIPAL DESIGNER
Alex Coriano is an Industrial Designer, Project Manager, and Design Educator located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Alex has over 20 years of professional experience as a design consultant, including over 16 years at IDEO, working with a diverse range of small to large companies in multiple industries including; children toys, medical devices, soft goods, food & beverage and packaging. Alex earned his BA in industrial design at Purdue University. He is currently teaching industrial design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco sharing his knowledge and passion for design thinking and design doing.