Food Valley Ambassador from India
Name: Abishek Gupta (male)
Nationality: Indian
Year of birth: 1981
Education and work experience:
• PhD at Food chemistry, Wageningen UR (Current)
• MSc in Food Technology/Dairy Science & Technology, Wageningen UR
• B.Tech Dairy Technology, Anand Agricultural University, (formerly Gujarat Agricultural University), India
Work experience:
• Product developer, FrieslandCampina, Netherlands (Current)
• Technical officer (production), Dudhsagar dairy, India
'I like pioneering’
“Wageningen University is one of the global leaders in food technology. Who doesn’t want to be part of that? So when I finished my bachelor’s back home in India, I decided to broaden my horizon. I like pioneering. That’s why I was so eager to join the Food Valley Ambassador Network.
Personal development
It has given me numerous opportunities to develop myself as a professional and as a person. In 2007, I finished my master thesis at DMV International and graduated on dairy science and technology. The additional personal development program has taught me a lot on how to give presentations, prepare business meetings and extend my network.
Network and knowledge
In November 2008 I arranged a business trip to the state of Gujarat, the Milk Capital of India. My network and knowledge of the industry and culture - both in India and in the Netherlands - have proven to be quite useful. It’s necessary to fully understand the different business perspectives of the developing and the developed world. Statistically, India is the world’s largest milk producer in terms of quantities. But there’s still a tremendous amount of work to be done to improve the efficiency of the process, the quality of the dairy products and, along with that, the export opportunities. With the help of Food Valley experts, we may be able to bridge the gap.
Ambition
Right now, I’m fully employed as a researcher. At the DMV Innovium, the Innovation Centre for Food and Nutrition, I’m engaged in projects that investigate the use of plant and animal proteins in the biopharmaceutical industry. My ambition is to become a famous scientist and reach the pinnacles of dairy and food science. If a suitable opportunity arises, I’m determined to do a PhD. The Food Valley Ambassador Program has definitely been a useful stepping stone to pursue my international career.”