Kitchen Confidential: R&D to ROI. Influencing with today's food trends.

In this episode, meet Tonja Engen. She’s a Culinary Retail Product and Content Manager at Land O’Lakes and, works closely with our Culinary Center. Hear how our team of culinary experts work together to identify food trends, develop and test new recipes featuring our dairy products, and create social media content that gets consumers excited to cook at home. 

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Transcript

 To me, you know, our butter and cheese are the stars of the show. I'm like, okay, if we develop this recipe that can inspire our consumers to purchase just one more of our products, that means more member milk is being used. Like I really make that tie in for myself every day and. And that's the impact that we can help with for our farmer member owners.

Yeah, it adds meaning for sure. It's not just developing content. I feel like we're supporting our farmer members and our rural communities.

Tomorrow. It's never a guarantee unless we take care of today. We are a cooperative, grounded in 100 years of forward thinking ever since our beginning in 1921. It's the pursuit of a reliable food supply, a sustainable future, and vibrant communities for all of us. Rooted in the promise of a brighter future.

This is rooted in Tomorrow, the podcast by Land O'Lakes Inc. I'm your host, Kim Olson. Join us for stories of innovative. Change makers and the modern entrepreneurs who work the land.

With more than 2,500 member owners, land O'Lakes has a responsibility to make sure that there is continued access to markets for member milk. A large part of ensuring that market access in today's world comes from having a strong presence on social media, which can help build a loyal and passionate customer.

But following trends online doesn't always translate into sustainable business. That's where our culinary center comes in. Their primary objective is to use member milk to create recipes that will stay on top of current trends, capture customer's attention, and to create a love for our brands, which will keep them coming back to Land O'Lakes products.

Okay. So, um, Tonja, I have to start with a confession. And this is, this is hard to get out there, but I can't cook. I am terrible. Terrible. So, um, as we're having the conversation, you are literally playing to the lowest common denominator from a, from a skill perspective. We're gonna get you cooking by the end of this.

We're gonna be, we're gonna be inspiring you. Goal. Oh, I'd be so excited. Excited. My kids would be excited. My family would be excited. My boss would be excited. Well, let's, let's start, um, let's start with you. So you have a master's in international management and later became a stay at home mom. Um. Your appreciation for food kind of came out of necessity, is what I understand from, from the team.

Is that right? Yeah. Yeah. It's not a very linear story, but, um, I do, I have a master's. We got nothing but time. Exactly. We can go all over the place. I, um, I, yeah, my master's is in international management and, um, my background undergrad's actually in marketing. Um, after I studied abroad, I just fell in love with cultures people.

Where did you study? I studied, um, at St. Thomas for my master's, Uhhuh and University of Minnesota in Duluth, actually for my undergrad. Oh, go dogs. Yeah, go dogs. And um, and I. I loved, um, just exploring all those cultures. So, went back, got my, my master's and was actually a cross-cultural training consultant for a while.

Oh, interesting. So those were in my earlier years, but I just, um, that, that was sort of how I started. And during that time, my husband and I, our favorite thing to do on the weekends for our date nights was to go explore new restaurants in the Twin Cities. So we f we went to tons, so that was really fun.

Um. Then if I fast forward a couple years, we had kids, family wasn't in town, and I'm like, if we're gonna keep these date nights alive, I gotta learn how to cook. So literally, mm-hmm. Just got a cookbook and tried to start cooking and like you said, I was not. Cook before, I mean my, my grand cooking with my mom and things like that.

But that's where I really didn't have any creativity I thought until I started cooking. So, ah, interesting. That's where it all started. Oh, okay. Now I, um, I've had people tell me now, cooking is so easy, if you could. Can read a cookbook, you can cook. And so I, I'll be interested to see what you think, because my opinion was always like, oh no, it takes such talent and you know, it's like seeing if you can read music, you can play piano.

It, it's, um, it's so inspiring to me, just people that can do it and that can do it well. So I'm anxious to see. What you, you know, how, how you brought that together, right? Food is this, um, broad, universal thing that touches it, touches it us all, and we've got cooking shows and cookbooks and food blogs. It's just everywhere.

Um, how, when you're looking at that, do you decide that's for you? And, and where is that niche for me and where do I fit? Yeah, when, and again, when I started cooking, it was kind of outta necessity. Mm-hmm. And then I just fell in love with it. So I wasn't, I wasn't trying to be this like famous food blogger or influencer or anything like that.

I really just. Wanted to make people happy when I was cooking. And then I started having people over for dinner and love dinner parties and all that stuff. So fun. And it, it was, it was all really fun. And I didn't take myself too seriously because I'm really a self-taught home cook. I don't have a professional, you know, culinary degree.

But I think that's sort of my badge of honor, um mm-hmm. In, in just sharing the inspiration with people. And I always wanna say, Hey. I'm a self-taught home cook. I just wanted to help people be successful in the kitchen. Um, and by the time I started cooking and sharing recipes with friends, people started saying, Hey, can you send me this?

Can you send me that? So, um, I started a really ugly food blog in like 2011 called Tanya's Table, and I think it was on some, I love the alliteration. Oh, it just roll off you tongue. Tanya's table. Tanya's table. And I think it was on Constant Contact or some old, like whatever method. And it was just really sending recipes out to friends.

Huh. And. One thing led to another that grew into, you know, a website mm-hmm. That grew into somebody asking me to write a cookbook. I said, no, I'm not writing a cookbook. I'm not a photographer and I'm not a food writer, I just love to cook. Ah. Ended up writing a cookbook and then ended up, um, sharing that on television.

So Twin Live is where I ended up going on. Yeah. Ended up with a catering business. Oh my goodness. And now I've like brought all that passion to Land O'Lakes. So it kind of just, it was so, it sounds like it was so organic for you. Very much so. So is there, when you're, when all this is happening and you know, your Twin Cities live is happening and you're writing the cookbook, are there, um.

People out there that you were inspired by, um, influencers or cookbook Arthurs or, you know, TV personalities back in the day? Yeah, yeah, for sure. There was. Um, so when I was learning to cook Ina Garden was writing all of her cookbooks. Oh, I love her. And I ended up, do you know ia? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. What a big personality.

Love that. Big personality. Here's why I loved her cookbooks. She, her recipes were foolproof. Like if you were learning to cook. Mm-hmm. She had tips, they worked and she doesn't skimp on flavor. And that's one thing I'm sort of big on too. Like if I'm gonna make something, I really wanted to taste good. So she was, who was really influential early on.

Then I would say, you know, lots of people come, come and go and you know, the food thing for sure. But I, for sure, I found I've really enjoyed, um, like Molly Baz. Mm-hmm. The Wishbone Kitchen, Meredith Hayden, she's, um, they're calling her the, I think they were terming her, the young Martha Stewart Uhhuh, but she just came out with a new cookbook, um, and.

But I am absolutely obsessed with Stanley Tucci. Oh, me too. So he's my favorite in the whole world. Did you watch his, um, oh, in Italy? For Italy, yes. I and I, it, for me, it's the fact that he's married to, um, Emily Blunt's sister. Yeah. I, I just have a Devil Wears promo. When every time that man comes onto the, the screen, and I, he just seems, uh, and like I said, I, I don't cook.

So when I watch those things, um, and the care he takes and the passion and how excited it gets, it does make me cook. I have to tell you. It, it is. And he just brings all that together, like food, culture, travel. He can sit around a table with anyone. Mm-hmm. He's just cool, isn't he? He is. Oh. So anyway, I just love, yeah, he's, he's one of my faves right now.

So is there, is there a food you enjoy most or a, you know, kind of a, a particular type of food? Yeah, the answer's no. I love everything. I live to eat. Um, but when I did first start, when I, um, was in grad school, I, I kind of finagled my way to niece for a, for a summer to study French. I told my professor, I'm like, I'll learn way more.

Nice in the Mediterranean learning French than I will in the classroom. So when I went there, I think I had muscles for the first time. Uh, somebody put an egg on my pizza. I thought that was just crazy. But I think so then because I was there, came back and bought a bunch of French cookbooks and wanted to do that whole thing and we all loved Juliet child, so Oh, that adds to it too.

But I think that's probably where my favorite kind of food started. Yeah. Is it so. I part of that, um, part of the world is bringing people together, um, and food's kind of role in connecting people. Um, do you think food has a particular role? Can you talk a little bit about that? Yeah. I mean, it's so intertwined for me, you know?

Mm-hmm. Like, I love creating food as much as I enjoy sharing it. Like I said, I love hosting, I love serving people with food. Um, meals are just meant to be shared. Um, mm-hmm. So they're just those shared experiences I love. Yeah. Oh, I love that. I, I was, uh, I have a friend who was doing a grad party recently, and, um.

She, I sent her note, I said, Hey, I would really, really like to help and is there anything I can do? And she sent back, you can bring a fruit salad. And I said, you know, thank you for respectfully acknowledging my skill level. And I, but I was so, um, I was so, uh, happy and honored to bring something, anything that, that I had, that I had made.

And it really. Makes you feel more connected to, to the party, to your friends, to what's happening. I, I just think that's, uh, that's such a universal feeling. Yeah. And it makes you feel good. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, for sure. So tell me about, uh, tell me about this. So our, our listeners may or may not know, um. Or think about much, uh, how food and recipe research is, uh, happening here at Land O'Lakes, and I know that you and your team spend months developing and testing recipes and, um, how, how do you kind of come up with that stuff?

Where do you start? Where do you start? Um, that's a great question. Um, when we're always researching mm-hmm. And again, obviously social media is a, is a big place. Everybody's on it. I think the, the latest stat I read was like 93% of us scroll past food posts every day. I mean, that's like a Yeah, for sure.

Several times a. Several times a day and, um, people are going there, even the boomer generation to look for recipe in spo. So obviously that's super important. But the biggest thing at Land O'Lakes is we've, we consider our brand, our consumers, and our products first as we start deciding what. We wanna make.

So, okay. We go through a lot of that. On top of trends research, we'll research macro consumer trends, cooking trends, flavor trends. We'll, we'll even look at appliance trends. Mm-hmm. So I feel like my job, or. Expertise is in triangulating all of that. Yeah. And also all I think about is our consumer every day.

Yeah. Like everyone's got their expertise in our company, right? Mm-hmm. I literally go to work every day to try to figure out what our consumer needs, and we have different customers and consumers, and I'm primarily, primarily worked in retail on that side of it. So we go through a lot of different stages before we actually go in the kitchens and.

Make stuff. Yeah, there's, so I would think there's so many choices and you're weighing everything to, to bring that together. Is there, can you give me an example, maybe a recent one that you like? Yeah, so we do work, um, we work ahead just because takes some, it takes a while to develop recipes and I can go into the those things too.

But, um, here's an easy example. Um, so flavor trends mm-hmm. Pistachios. Trending Dubai chocolate. Yes. The whole thing. So like two years ago, I think it was on our radar that pistachios were starting to trend. Well, now they're like. They're scarce because so many people are making things with pistachios. So our Land O'Lakes holiday cookie collection is so popular.

Like people hand those cookie recipes down to generations. Yeah. So there's that nostalgic piece to Land O'Lakes, I think in our holiday cookies. Yeah. So we're gonna be doing some social posts on that. So we just developed a new pistachio, um, cookie recipe. So that's one example of how we're gonna bring that to life on.

So social and it is delicious. Um, but yeah, that's. That's an example. Um, another example I could give you is that, um, consumers, they're cooking at home a lot, but they really want that restaurant quality feel that, that they get when they go out to eat. So we have a new series called Let's Eat In, and it's how you can elevate your recipes at home and, um, just with our products and just.

Easy techniques and things like that. Mm-hmm. So, um, we've started that too. That's just a couple. Um, yeah, those are, those are great. I, and I would think, you know, I've been, I, I will confess, I've walked down, uh, by the kitchens when I heard there might be extra cookies around a couple of times. Um, but they, our kitchens here, um, are not your kitchen at home.

And do you have to kind of think about that as you're following trends and developing recipes? Yeah. So when you, when you say kitchen, so we actually have two, two separate kitchens. We have a commercial kitchen for our mm-hmm. Food service group. And then we have retail kitchens mm-hmm. That simulate the home cook.

So we have four different kitchens down there. Um, they'll have different. Different stoves, ovens, um, things like that just because everybody is cooking with a different type of, you know, oven at home, things like that. So we do a lot of research in that area and when we test our recipes, we test them differently the second time in something else, like we'll use a different oven, um, different stove top just so we can make sure our recipes are working.

Sure. And obviously we can give a range for. Cookies and things like that. But yeah, that's how we simulate that in our, in our, uh, kitchens in the culinary center. So smart. Now tell me, so we're a cooperative, um, is there farmer member owned cooperative influence in the way you kind of approach your work that might be different than a typical consumer goods company?

Yeah. Um, absolutely. I mean, to me, you know, our butter and cheese are the stars of the show, and I, this is kind of how I think about it. Um, I'm like, okay, if we develop this recipe that can inspire our consumers to purchase just one more of our products, that means more member milk is being used. Like I really make that tie in for myself every day.

Yeah. And, and that's the impact that we can help with for our former member owners. So, um. Yeah, it adds meaning for sure. It's not just developing content. I feel like we're supporting our former members and our rural communities and things like that. Um, so let's, let's go back to trends a little bit because I, I really think that, um, what people actually do and what they say or think they would do can often be different.

Um. A lot of, uh, food trends are based on consumer behavior rather than what they think they'll do. Um, have you seen shifts in recent years in what people are eating or how they're eating? Yeah, absolutely. And I think since COVID there's been a lot of of change in that too, I think. Um, and again, this is some of the trend stuff that, that we've been doing this year.

I think the biggest change is, um. Just when we eat, um, and how we eat. So how so forever and ever. It's breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You might have a snack, you might not. Um, yeah. With, with the changes, again, with our younger generations too. And since COVID, there's been this day part of snacking, it's called Snackification, where you've heard of girl dinner, right?

Yeah. Yeah. So you're, and the charcuterie boards and things like that. So yeah, it's basically making a meal. Out of snacks. Mm-hmm. That used to be a trend that, that we were following the last couple years. Now I just think it's actually a meal part. Like snacking is the new meal. Yeah. So that is one of the biggest things that I've seen.

And I mean our products, like our dairy case, cheese cubes and cracker cuts, and even our butter and what we can make for snacks. Like we, um, are leaning into that. Um, that's a big change I've seen. So, so people are just eating at, people are eating in late, like late morning snacks. I mean, it's just, it's kind of ever present now.

So there's a lot of snacking talk and girl dinner talk and that kind of thing. Yeah, I, I think it's great. Is it, so when you take that trend, that snacking or girl dinner trend and you wanna translate it into an innovation for something that you're working on, um, how does that work? Yeah. So, um, well for this example, we, um, again, we, the charcuterie boards are, you know, everywhere.

Yeah. So we come up with different innovations there. We're doing a KU tree for the holidays. Ah, nice. That was really fun and really fun to photo. So look for that. But, um, like our snack mix, our, um, recipes for snack mix, so popular. Mm-hmm. We're using global flavors to make new variations of those, um, and that kind of thing.

But just looking at how we can take our products and make easy snacks and meals for them. Um. Yeah. So that's a trend that we would take, you know, into the kitchen and explore. Um, and, and that's sort of what we came out with, with those, thinking about the consumer every day. That's so cool. I, another thing consumers I'm sure are seeing to you, um, you mentioned that they want restaurant quality food at home, but also affordability and convenience are, are big on, um, consumer's mind these days.

Um. How do you help achieve affordability and convenience when you're developing recipes? Yeah, um, that's a great question too. So, um, with our products. Like they lend themselves to, to certain like pantry style ingredients too, that you can really elevate again with just a flavor and a technique. Um, so, you know, we have like a noodle night sort of series that we, that we are doing and we'll take a trend.

So back to Stanley Tucci in Italy. So everything's equilibrium peppers and lemons and things like that. We just, we took our butter, we took our equilibrium peppers, and we made. Just a butter pasta that's delicious and elevated, um, but super easy and can also be affordable because it's pasta. Yeah. So, um, so it's just taking ingredient, the right ingredients and putting 'em together.

Um, so that's like one easy example. Um, yeah, that sounds delicious. Um, I think we can make that. You think so? I think that might, yeah. I'm gonna send you a couple recipes to try. I'm, they're easy and delicious. I, I would love that so much. I, and you know, that's probably a good place to start. One, one place that is not good is, um, pie.

My, um, I, and I'm, I'm thinking of what I've been reading is that consumers are now much more, um. Much more able to, interested and willing to, um, make, uh, things not entirely from scratch. And I, I bring up pie because my mother-in-law's the best pie maker on earth, and she comes to Thanksgiving and I'm like.

Could I make that? And she starts with the, well, first you have to make the cross. And I'm like, oh, I'm out. Sorry. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry, friends. Um, so are you seeing that people are, um, more willing to use kind of some ready made shortcuts and does that play into what you guys do? Yeah, absolutely. Um, so everything, you know, years and years ago in our, in our kitchens was scratch cooking.

Everything was made from scratch. Bread dough, pizza dough, pie, you know, pie d, things like that. Just everything we'd use. And now. Our consumer is just happy to get dinner on the table. That's how we can make them feel successful. Yeah. Yeah. So, so we, we also study like, you know, what are people buying? And a lot of people are buying the pre-made bread dough and pizza dough and pie dough, so.

We have a new, you know, chicken pop pie recipe, right? Yeah. You can make it from scratch if you want, if you're, you know, or you can go buy your dough and follow the same recipe. So we just wanna give our consumer choices and, um, I think everyone's just eased up on the perfection piece of it too. So it's, um, it's really fun to be able to have shortcuts and have still really delicious food and just again, feel like successful in the kitchen.

Yeah, I, I, and you know, that goes right to your convenience and, um, and I don't know, does it affect affordability when you do it that way as well? Um, I think so. I mean, depends on what, I guess you're, you're buying, but, um, you can buy all the ingredients for something and it could cost the same as the shortcut.

Um, but that's just ways that we try to, yeah. Let things, um, let people sort of pick and choose to how they wanna cook with a shortcut or not. And, and you know, time and time and money. It depends, uh, on where trade off. You wanna spend both, so, right? Yep. Yeah. Um, so you spend months, we talked about the, uh, pistachio trend a couple of, uh, a couple of years ago.

You're out ahead of things. Um. You test, you develop, but then you've gotta kinda share it. And you talked about the, when you're scrolling, you get all of the, uh, all the social media, um, food posts. Um, so some of those are ours. Uh, how does that happen and, and how does, what's that process look like? Yeah, well, it's a, it's a big team effort.

Um, we have a small, but I say small but mighty team that, um, works really hard together. So after we've developed the recipe, um, then, then again we'll take that and we'll do internal photo shoots and video shoots. So we will decide which of the recipes we develop. And for, for this, um, this fall season, T three we're calling it always, um, it's.

Um, the holidays and things like that. We'll probably develop 20 recipes and all of those we'll say, okay, what do we think is really gonna resonate on social media? We've got our props, we've got our, our studio in the culinary center that is new as of just a couple years ago. And, um, amazing. I love how our team bootstraps things because it's so fun.

Um, but, but super meaningful because we wanna get out there on social media more. So that's really the process. Um. Taking those recipes and bringing 'em to life. Okay. I, it's, it's so fun to see that stuff and, you know, that inspires me to wanna cook as well. Um, now you, you guys also host customer visits and, um, you know, from, for sales and marketing teams and that kind of thing, what are the most common misconceptions people have about recipe development?

Well, I think. When, when we bring 'em in house and they see our kitchens, first of all, they're just amazed because not Yeah. Everyone has kitchens in their, in their organizations. Yeah. Um, I feel like it's, it's like a, a best kept secret and a competitive advantage because Yeah. I can demo for them something.

Um, butterballs was like the first product I worked on that I could bring to life. Yeah. So we made Butterball burgers and I demoed those. We, you know, we've done a lot of things, but when they're in there. They know we're not just walking in like, I feel like making chocolate chip cookies today. It's to, it's to work on our products, to understand our products.

So really being the product experts and how you apply those to recipes and food content and then to talk about innovation is super exciting. Yeah, it's, it's so much more complicated than you think and more complicated to almost make it, uh, easier in some ways. So, um, how do you see the role of cooperatives like, like Land O'Lakes, um, evolving in our food system?

Do you ever think about that? Yeah, all the time. And I mean, again, just even when I'm researching trends, our consumers care so much more about where our food comes from. Yeah. I mean, and, and again, they want, they wanna make the right choices. They can't always, but they, they think about it too. And I mean. I think that's where Land O'Lakes can really bridge that gap between farm and table in a way that can be really transparent and really sustainable and, and help our communities in just that, that way.

And I mean, I'm sure that you see that too with like the farm members that you met, but there's such an opportunity and it's such a unique one. So, um, yeah, that's, that's kind of how I think about it. Yeah. I, I, I agree. That's, uh, that's. Insightful and, and every Land O'Lakes employee has it at front of mind.

Um, okay, so one final question. If you could get every American home cook, uh, self-taught home cook, I keep going back to the way you describe yourself, um, to try one technique or approach that you've learned. What would it be and why? Oh my gosh, that's a great question. Um, it's hard to have one answer.

Mm-hmm. But I, a couple I have to start with. Okay. So I gotta start with everything really is better with butter. Yes. Um, so duh. So we all need have butter. It's so good. Um, it, and again, approach your technique. The thing that helped my cooking the most, and this is gonna sound like, really is to season and re season your food as you cook.

Oh, interesting. So by tasting it as you go. You're getting the right seasoning and you can't just put like the seasoning in or the salt at the end it to turn out. So for me, that's, that's one thing that, um, I really got better at, I guess. But it's something so simple you don't think about, but it's super important in your food.

Um, I also think when we, when. With my cookbook, I had a restaurant, um, quality meal section. Mm-hmm. And you can make a really simple pan sauce and put it on your chicken or your protein or your vegetables or whatever it is. Um, that's, it's a, it's more of a, a restaurant skill, but you do it with butter.

It's super easy to elevate your food with a simple pan sauce. So that's the other thing I like to do. Um, and then brining. Yeah, that's probably, I. Sounds so weird too, but b brining, um, food. I don't know what that is. So it's like, you know how people brine, like you can dry brine or liquid brine. Okay. And it's really taking salt and sugar and water and putting it in your protein, like your chicken, and you can brine it overnight.

And it just makes everything more tender and flavorful. And it's one of these things that, I mean, a lot of restaurants do, but um, the home cook can do it too, and Oh, interesting. And it really changes, um, makes a difference. So there are these little things, I think, versus some, you know what I mean? Big technique.

I, I don't have a soy maker at home. I'm not do anything like that. But, um, but the seasoning, the brining, simple pan sauces and always having butter and butter, baby. Alright, well thank you Tanya. I so appreciate this. This was fun and I promise you I will try at least one recipe in that book. I am excited.

I'm gonna send you a couple. Thank. Thank you so much for having me. Sounds good. Thank you. Bye-bye. Join our subscribers in following our podcast by clicking follow on Spotify and subscribe on Apple. We release monthly episodes of Rooted in Tomorrow available on all podcast apps. We are farmer owned since 1921, and for more unique stories on how we have evolved.

Head to land O'Lakes inc.com.