meet our team
Our innovation team is a dedicated group of food scientists, packaging experts, product developers, and potato breeders. They focus on researching, designing, and developing new potato-based products that align with current food trends and consumer needs. Their mission is to enhance the versatility of potatoes by creating convenient, flavorful, and sustainable solutions that save time in the kitchen while delivering exceptional quality and taste.
Jessica Anderson, Director of Innovation
Since joining EarthFresh in 2011, Jessica has held various roles, gaining broad expertise in the potato industry. As former Director of Logistics, she oversaw contracts, customs, inspections, inventory, dispatching, and customer deliveries—key pillars of EarthFresh’s operations. Eventually, she took on a role as a National Account Manager with focus on product development and customer growth for some of the Company’s largest accounts. In 2019, Jessica established a new department within EarthFresh; Innovation. As Director of Innovation, she drives new product development with a focus on sustainability, creativity, and shelf life extension. Her team recently introduced the patent-pending Fast. Fresh. Gourmet. line of value-added vegetables. Jessica also collaborates with the President on the Exclusive Variety Program, gaining insights into breeding, intellectual property rights, and seed farming. She contributes to strategic planning for the business and serves on the EarthFresh Advisory Board.
andrew lorimer, Director of Exclusive Varietal Programs
Andrew has vast potato experience, gaining respect with global trading connections, as customers and partners. He started his early career learning farming, working up the ladder to potato pathologist at the famous James Hutton Research Institute in Scotland. Following 7 years in science R&D, he made the move to join the commercial potato world adventure, combining work with further education. He gained strategic career developing qualifications in agronomy, biotechnology, and farm management, graduating as a Scottish Rural leader in 2018. Coming from Scotland his focus of expertise is seed production, directing large scale potato growing operations, coordinating and planning variety contracts, logistics and sales and marketing across the world, with seed licensee producers in Asia, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and North America. Since joining the business, Andrew leads two integrated plant breeding programmes in North America, with targeted exclusive variety selections and production, delivering only the best varieties within an ever-changing market for EarthFresh.
Winnie Chiu, Project Manager
Winnie obtained her M.Sc. in Food and Management Science from the University of London, England. She specializes in food product development from design briefs to commercialization, manages cross functional team deliverables and intellectual property initiatives. Winnie helped set up the EarthFresh Innovation Lab to commercialize Fast.Fresh.Gourmet.. Prior to EarthFresh, Winnie pioneered post-secondary food applied research at George Brown College. She also led the North American R&D development of value-added side dish products at MARS Canada by revitalizing continuous improvements and brand health initiatives through cost optimization, packaging innovation, and regulatory compliance.
Caihua Shi, Food Scientist
Caihua Shi joined EarthFresh in 2019 as a Food Scientist, with the focus on the development of value-added products, the design of innovative packaging, and the commercialization of prototypes. Prior to joining EarthFresh, Caihua received his M.Sc. (2016-2018) and B.Sc. (2013-2015) Degrees in Food Science from the University of Guelph. He is also pursuing a Doctoral degree with research objectives to extend the shelf-life of fresh potatoes by developing innovative packaging techniques. His industrial R&D work and academic research have contributed to a one-of-a-kind product line and multiple pending patents.
Derek Pearson, Potato Breeder
Derek began his career in agriculture by working on a research farm in his youth. During his studies he was granted the opportunity to work with Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada, where he learned traditional plant breeding methods and his passion for plant breeding blossomed. Upon graduating he began his professional plant breeding career on developing new tomato and sweet potato varieties. Derek joined EarthFresh in 2024 as a Potato Breeder and is focused on combating the potato wart crisis in Canada with the development of potato wart resistant varieties.
Scott McIntyre, Buyer, Packaging
Beginning his role at EarthFresh in 2019, Scott leads the sourcing, purchasing, and inventory management for all packaging products at EarthFresh. Collaborating with team members across sales, procurement, innovation, production, and marketing, Scott focuses on developing sustainable, market-leading packaging programs tailored to customer needs.
