February 24, 2023
BATTLE CREEK, MICH. – Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) is excited to announce the addition of Gabriela Perez-Hernandez to its team as the Director of the Food Reimagined program. Food Reimagined is a new community-led initiative to foster emerging food & beverage companies in Battle Creek.
As Director of Food Reimagined, Gabriela will create a multi-year strategy to launch and scale the program. She will lead in the marketing of the initiative and recruitment of companies to Battle Creek and provide technical support to companies as they scale their business. The program is being funded in part by the U.S. Economic Development Agency (EDA), which awarded BCU two grants totaling $522,000 in 2022. The grants were part of the EDA’s Build to Scale program, designed accelerate technology entrepreneurship by increasing inclusive access to entrepreneurial support and startup capital. Other financial and in-kind support was provided by the MED’s Gateway Grant, the City of Battle Creek, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, JPG Resources, the Kellogg Company, the Battle Creek Community Foundation, and BCU.
Gabriela has nearly 20 years of experience in the food science sector, including more than 17 years at the Kellogg Company where she most recently worked on developing external partnerships. She has worked on the development of plant protein products, as well as crackers and snack foods such as Cheez-it, Club, Town House, Pringles, and Special K. Gabriela completed her PhD and MS in Food Science from Texas A&M University and earned her undergraduate degree in Food Engineering from The University of Guanajuato in Mexico.
BCU President & CEO Joe Sobieralski said, “Gabriela has a great depth of experience in food innovation and product development. The Food Reimagined initiative is a great opportunity for us to develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the food & beverage sector and leverage Battle Creek’s food assets to grow our economy and create jobs in Cereal City. She is an awesome addition to the BCU team, and we are excited for her to get to work.”
Gabriela Perez-Hernandez joins BCU as the Director of Food Reimagined.
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ABOUT BATTLE CREEK UNLIMITED
Established in 1972, Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) is a private, non-profit corporation which serves as the economic development arm for the City of Battle Creek and manages the Fort Custer Industrial Park. The Fort Custer Industrial Park is home to over 80 businesses, including 25 international companies, and employs over 13,000 people. BCU’s mission is to build a strong community by driving strategic investment and job creation. Visit BCUnlimited.org for more info.
MEDIA CONTACT
Joe Sobieralski
President & CEO
Battle Creek Unlimited
269-962-7526
