Study Science, work in Foods: Interview with David Lloyd from Huel

Abstract

DL: Absolutely! My career journey to date has been somewhat unconventional and quite varied. It started with studying for a degree in Chemical Engineering at Loughborough University, but my love of food and cooking took me away from the world of petrochemicals and pharma. After graduating, I remained in academia studying an Engineering Doctorate in Formulation Engineering at University of Birmingham, specialising in emulsions and colloidal science which plays a significant role in many food products. This was my first introduction to the world of science behind many FMCG products seeing ongoing projects with Unilever, Cargill, Nestle and Mondelez.

Upon completion, I joined Unilever as a Research & Development Manager working primarily on ice cream science and innovation (the coolest job ever!). These were a great 5 years leading projects studying the potential of new processing technologies and approaches to produce novel frozen desserts. Working alongside many world class scientists in the context of business delivery was highly beneficial – taking a great scientific idea all the way from conception to launch is what is needed to deliver impact. I may have eaten too many white chocolate Magnums though!

Looking for a new challenge, I joined the very fast-growing complete nutrition brand Huel initially as a Technical Manager for their Ready to Drink category but eventually switching to a more general, cross-category R&D role. It was a big culture shock being in a significantly smaller, highly entrepreneurial, young and extremely fast paced business. I would definitely recommend taking an experience like this. You learn the most when out of your comfort zone and it is also a great opportunity to work more cross functionally with marketing, procurement, finance which can marry science with business acumen. I have worked at Huel since 2019 and been part of the growth to where we are now with £184.5M annual revenue, launching many new products and in the process of building a brand-new factory in Milton Keynes. Very exciting!

There have been two key themes throughout my career – a love of science and a love for learning (coincidently I married a teacher). These are however connected since science is about exploring the unknown to make discoveries and push boundaries. Humans are naturally curious and generally love food. The understanding and application of science and technology is vital for making great tasting, nutritious, safe, and sustainable food. It spans many scientific disciplines and particularly now, there is a lot of really cool innovation happening across the industry.

DL: It's important to build awareness of how the food sector is shifting with new technologies and trends – ‘stay current but think future’. By doing this, it’ll help to identify how your scientific skills can contribute further or maybe even spot innovation opportunities to invent something new. The food industry is starting to gather pace with deployment of biotechnology, application of robotics and AI, more sustainable agricultural practices just to name a few, which will play key roles in the future of food.

Another matter to highlight is that technical expertise is typically only one aspect of a role within industry. The importance of soft skills shouldn’t be underestimated. Knowing how to explain your science in terms people will understand and see the importance and value is crucial. Know your audience and pitch the detail accordingly, as people will also appreciate the effort instead of confusing with overly complex scientific terms. Be willing to take ownership, be enthusiastic about science and work collaboratively as a team. I have made this mistake myself of believing pure scientific brilliance can deliver impact, but nobody can single handedly drive innovation no matter how compelling it may be.

Finally, the food industry is working more collaboratively than ever between business and academia. Your networks are very important for knowing who to speak to or work with to solve challenges at pace and with magnitude. It can also open up career opportunities. Actively participate in network events, join a professional membership body like IFST, and engage across social media to build relationships and share knowledge. It will be worth it!

I prefer to reflect on the positives overall, and certainly the start of my time at Huel before Covid 19 hit was the most exciting phase of my career. It was organised chaos (maybe semi-) but it allowed me to travel the world and work with a highly energised, enthusiastic team across all levels of the business. We made some big, bold decisions that helped lay foundations to take Huel's Ready to Drink product to where it is today and I’m extremely proud of this involvement.

Working in R&D specifically, in my opinion, is one of the most interesting and rewarding roles in the food industry and being able to do that with two great companies like Unilever and Huel, working as well on scientifically interesting products, has been hugely enjoyable.

DL: Working in the food industry at this point in time is a huge opportunity to help tackle some of the global challenges humanity faces, particularly in the areas of health and nutrition (fighting against obesity and nutritional deficiencies) and environmental challenges (global warming, ocean pollution). It is vital more young and talented scientists help address these challenges as we need the best and brightest minds to channel their efforts. There is more momentum behind this than ever as demonstrated by the wide range of innovative ideas previously mentioned.

There is no greater sense of accomplishment than to look at a food product on the shelves or in the hands of a consumer and be able to say ‘I helped to make that happen’. Multiply that further if you know the product can contribute to a healthy and fully nutritious diet whilst also minimising impact on the environment which is a key part of Huel's mission. It is a win-win. Working closely with many departments, we expanded and improved the Ready-to-Drink range to 8 flavours with New Product Development (NPD)/ Existing Product Development (EPD) projects and operational delivery. Products with better flavour, smoother texture, and more intelligent ways of manufacturing with tens of millions of bottles made. I highly recommend the Banana flavour found in most retailers and online, but I may be biased and evidently not a salesperson.