Kara Nielsen, Vice President, Trends & Marketing, CCD Helmsman
Kara Nielsen is Vice President, Trends & Marketing, CCD Helmsman. She is a food and beverage trend expert with over a decade of experience translating consumer and culinary trends for strategic brand growth and innovative product development. She previously worked for CCD Innovation, a strategic food and beverage innovation agency based in the San Francisco Bay Area and where she was Trendologist for many years earlier in her career.
Kara also has experience creating and sharing consumer and culinary trend content at Innova Market Insights, Sterling-Rice Group and CEB Iconoculture Consumer Insights.
Nielsen is a frequent speaker on food trends at industry trade shows and conferences and is quoted regularly in national and industry media. Her success at placing trends in a larger societal and cultural context comes from her background in culinary arts and restaurant hospitality as well as her master’s work in Gastronomy at Boston University.
About CCD Helmsman
CCD Innovation and The Helmsman Group have joined forces, combining CCD Innovation’s world-class culinary development—driven by strategic vision, trend insights and the creativity of its Chefs’ Council®—with The Helmsman Group’s vast expertise in commercialization, scale-up and getting finished products to market quickly.
Speaker at these Global Food Forums Events
2019 Protein Trends & Technologies Seminar – Pre-conference Business Program: Protein Ingredient Strategies
Moderator of the Managing Innovation: Entrepreneurial Startups to Going Mainstream Panel
2018 Protein Trends & Technologies Seminar – Pre-conference: Business Strategies Program
Moderator of the Innovative Challenger Brands Panel
Challenger brand companies have captured the attention of the business community and loyal consumers as their boldness and creativity change the status quo. With resources less than would be expected considering their business ambitions, they have been defined by their mindset. They often defy category drivers, market leaders, operational norms, customer experiences and/or expectations. Their energy, vision and marketing activities disrupt the market to produce sustained, significant growth for their companies. The entrepreneurial panelists will speak on the visions they have for their company. Top business challenges will be explored such as product development and marketing to regulations and operations.
2017 Protein Trends & Technologies Seminar Presentation:
Body in Tune: How Consumer Demand for Healthier Food Impacts Protein Use in Foods & Beverages
This presentation looks at how recent trends in the protein market have been influenced by consumer demands to lead a healthier lifestyle. Consumer sentiment about health will be explored and how the food and beverage industry has responded to consumer demand. The presentation will analyze where protein is as a fortifying ingredient today and where this trend will go in the future. Examples of innovative and interesting new products launched into the international market as well as the U.S. will be provided.
