In addition to being CFIN’s Regional Innovation Director for BC and Yukon, Lavina Gully is a food scientist and product developer with almost two decades of experience helping food and beverage companies innovate. In this series, Lavina answers questions from CFIN members on everything from product development, R&D, food industry careers, manufacturing best practices, and co-packing—just to name a few!
This month, Lavina answers your questions about greenwashing in F&B marketing and career advice for food scientists making the transition from academia to industry.
Q: I've been reading about significant provisions to the Competition Act around greenwashing. What changes do businesses need to be aware of when marketing the environmental or sustainability benefits of food and beverage products?
Recent amendments to the Competition Act have introduced stricter rules regarding greenwashing—false or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of products. If you work in F&B marketing, I recommend getting deeply familiar with these changes, and with greenwashing more broadly. While not specific to Canada, this guide to avoiding greenwashing for marketers is an excellent place to start.
The key provision I will highlight here is that it is even more imperative that brands thoroughly substantiate all claims about the environmental benefits of products, business services and business activities. Claims must be backed by adequate and proper testing demonstrating solid evidence proving the environmental benefits of their products, not just general statements, or assumptions. Brands will not be able to vaguely say that they are “eco-friendly” or “sustainable.” They need to make more specific claims and have the data to back those claims up.
These changes emphasize the importance of transparency and accuracy in marketing. Greater transparency is, of course, good for consumers, but it is also good for F&B brands invested in genuine sustainability efforts, as transparency and accuracy build brand equity and cultivate a loyal customer base.
The Competition Bureau is expected to provide further guidance on enforcement soon. In the meantime, businesses should be reviewing their marketing practices and claims to comply with these new regulations.
Q: I am currently completing a Master's in Food Science, and am hoping to hear from you or other CFIN members who have made a transition from academia to industry. What can I do to best prepare myself for industry career opportunities in research and development focused roles?
Making a mid-career move from academia to industry is quite common for food scientists. It’s one I have made myself, as have many of my colleagues. I hear versions of this question quite frequently, so I collected some of my time-tested advice, along with some insights shared by several CFIN members to help others prepare for this transition.
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Leverage Your Academic Training: Your thesis work will likely have you thinking about experimental design, lit searches, rigorous critical thinking, technical writing and stats. When you start applying for industry roles, it's essential to highlight these skills as they show your capability to handle complex problems and develop evidence-based solutions.
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Attend Industry Events: While you'll definitely want to attend scientific conferences and figure out how to fit your poster in the overhead compartment, try to also attend industry events. Industry moves at a fast pace so stay updated on regulatory changes, funding landscape and corporate news.
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Consider an Industry Post-Doc: An excellent way to transition from academia to industry. Positions like these provide opportunities to collaborate with industry and understand the commercial aspects of research. If a post-doc seems too far away, any applied research with an industry partner would be helpful!
“I think a lot of grad students get tunnel vision and forget that there is "life after school", spending long hours in the lab in isolation instead of taking the opportunity to network in and outside the ivory tower. "Industry" itself is quite a broad sector, including government, private and public corporations in the life sciences, food/agtech, pharmaceuticals, etc., so staying current in speaking with members of these areas will help to understand how things are changing and what opportunities exist.”
“The #1 thing that industry complains about when hiring former researchers is that they don't move at the pace of business, and they often lack understanding of how to apply research to solve business problems. So be sure to address those concerns in any interview answers.”
“Transitioning from academia to industry, I found that companies highly valued my competitive nature. If you choose to enter R&D and product development, participating in product development competitions is invaluable. While many of your peers will graduate with the same degree, it is your extracurricular activities that will truly distinguish you. Moreover, working for smaller food companies taught me the importance of having a sense of urgency and adaptability.”