iTi Tropicals, Inc. adds power to its Innovation team

Post Date: 09/15/2013

iTi announces the recent addition of two experienced professionals to enhance its capabilities in innovation, quality, research and development.  Richard Aust is Director, Technical  Services and Monica Mitteness is Manager, Supply Chain Quality.  Rich will be located in NJ and be focused on the customer side.  Monica will be based from her home in Chicago, and will travel the world assisting our processors and evaluating new sources.  Both Monica and Rich report to Don Giampetro VP, Innovation.

Rich brings extensive experience in pasteurization, membrane clarification, evaporation and aroma recovery.  He has been instrumental in developing membrane clarification of fruit juice, citrus debittering and aroma recovery technologies.  Rich has held senior level technical positions at Bolthouse Farms (now part of Campbell Soup) and Sambazon.   He is well-positioned for his role supporting regulatory and technical functions and working with iTi customers on technical aspects of its products.  Rich holds a BS in Physics from Seton Hall University.

Monica brings to iTi a wealth of product development and commercialization experience in the food industry.  She has a very diverse product background including frozen foods, dry mixes, bakery and beverage.  She started her career in the retail sector with Pillsbury and Lloyd’s BBQ, but moved into Foodservice and has worked internationally for companies such as Dairy Queen, McDonalds and Starbucks.  She has visited more than 250 factories, in 36 different countries, commercializing a variety of food products.  Monica holds BS in Consumer Food Science from the University of Minnesota.