FIS Team
Jon Stephens 
Director of Food Innovation Service
Jon has more than 20 years experience in the food and drink industry at senior level. Jon has worked with a number of blue chip global companies including Golden Wonder, Dalgety PLC, Best Foods, General Mills, United Biscuits, Heinz and Johnson and Johnson. Jon has been involved in and managed projects as diverse as NPD for crisps and extruded snacks, development of ranges of dehydrated and ready prepared desserts for international markets, product and process development for dairy products and yellow fat spreads, commercialisation of the Splenda range of sweetener products in Europe and was instrumental in the development and growth of the full range of Benecol cholesterol management products.
Dr Helen Osborn
Senior Food Innovation Specialist
A food chemist by profession, Helen has over 10 years experience in technical and manufacturing roles within the food sector spanning bakery, dairy, yellow fat spreads, cheese and functional foods. Helen has worked with amongst others, RHM, Mars Group, Johnson and Johnson, Unilever, Samworth Brothers and Glanbia Dairies. Helen has worked on a number of high-profile projects including snack products for targeted health benefits, health associated sports drinks products, gluten free bakery products, technical solutions to increase product yield, improved product quality for a range of cheeses using microbiology and chemistry and played a key role from start to finish in the development and commercialisation of a range of flavoured and fortified milk drinks.
Geoff Waters
Food Processing and Compliance Technologist
Geoff has 14 years food industry experience, in technical food safety roles, from QA through to Technical Manager. Prior to joining the Food Innovation Service Geoff previously worked for Duchy Originals, as Technical Manager for the bakery in Launceston. Joining before the factory was completed he was responsible for the design and implementation of the Quality Management system and was instrumental in achieving three consecutive grade A’s at ‘BRC issue 4’ and ‘The global standard for food safety issue 5.’ Geoff has experience of working closely with major retailers, certification bodies, local EHO’s as well as food processors acting as suppliers. His role within the Food Innovation Service team is to manage the food processing unit, specifically the design and implementation of food safety policies and procedures and to work with clients using the facilities to ensure that they are supported and aware of technical issues.
