Dulce Paredes is Vice President of Consumer Insights and Market Research at Takasago International Corporation (U.S.A.) where she leads global strategic consumer insights and market research for the Flavor Division. She has thirty years  of R&D experience in consumer packaged goods companies with specific emphasis on food and beverage. She calls herself a “Consumer Navigator” or one who is an insight leader and strategic innovator who brings consumer focus into the different goals and activities of the organization. She loves connecting the dots across various forms of consumer and product research, new technology, market trends and syndicated information to identify global pulse and emerging trends in food and beverage innovations.

Previously, she led Avon’s Global R&D Consumer Sciences Group where she championed innovative consumer guidance research and perception claims testing.  Dulce also managed the Consumer and Sensory Sciences Group for Kraft’s east coast based businesses (beverages, cereals, desserts).  She also worked at Pepsi Cola Company as a product developer for international Pepsi brands and as a principal research specialist where she conducted extensive research on mouthfeel, sweeteners, taste and consumer understanding.   

She holds Ph.D. and  M.P.S degrees in Food Science from Cornell University and a B.S. in Food Technology from the University of the Philippines. She has co-edited two books: Product Innovation Toolbox (2012) and Chemistry of Taste (2000).