A Journey from Food Scientist to Senior Marketing Manager: A Unique Perspective
Shriram Paranjpe joined McCormick 10 years ago as a food scientist for the Flavor Solutions team, helping our customers to create exclusive flavors that intersect with an unforgettable consumer eating experience. In his role, Shriram worked on a proprietary groundbreaking encapsulation technology called FlavorCellTM, which helps Flavor Solutions customers to preserve flavor integrity through the rigors of manufacturing and deliver flavor where, when, and how it's needed.
Today, as Senior Marketing Manager, he drives the growth and profitability of the herb and spice business in partnership with cross-functional colleagues. He credits his non-traditional career path from science into marketing to two defining moments.
The first moment occurred back in high school in his native India and provides purpose to Shriram's career. He read a McKinsey report entitled, "Food Security for India" which stated that 60 percent of fruit and vegetables and 40 percent of grains grown in India was wasted due to lack of post-harvest processing. The hot and humid weather makes transportation difficult and, with few processing plants close to farms, much of the food goes to waste. "That report made a lasting impression on me and ultimately motivated me to find new ways to reduce food waste. In the country with the world’s second-highest population, those statistics were alarming. Finding solutions has since become my passion," Shriram said.
The other compelling moment happened a few years ago while grocery shopping and brought Shriram into marketing. He saw a product that used jackfruit as a meat substitute. Shriram recalled the many times he saw an abundance of jackfruit just rotting away in India and wondering why they were not canned or frozen. Jackfruit has a meaty texture and slightly sweet flavor making it a great meat substitute in BBQ products. A product marketer had figured this out and solved a waste challenge by solving a consumer pain point. "That's when I realized how good, perceptive marketing can make all the difference," Shriram said.
With a diverse cultural and professional background, Shriram understands consumers and customers. Although he finds they differ in some ways, he believes they are motivated by the same things. "People eat seven days a week and enjoy meals with friends and family. Figuring out what jobs McCormick products need to do for them from a functional and emotional perspective is where my expertise comes in. Our products have the power to bring back childhood memories, offer comfort, and provide satisfaction. Delivering those products while keeping true to our business goals and values is top priority," Shriram said.
Since the start of the pandemic, he has seen demand for spices and herbs increase, driven by consumers cooking more at home instead of dining out. And the data shows that consumers seem to be enjoying eating at home, with many experimenting more and going outside of their cooking comfort zones. With the pandemic forcing us to re-think our priorities and how we spend our time, many are discovering that food can empower us to do something healthy and good – like sharing time around the table which, in normal times, we may not do.
Shriram's personal goal is to achieve harmony – with food and with people. "We grow enough food for everyone on the planet – we just don't get it to everyone who needs it. When we can better balance that, we reduce hunger and suffering and create harmony and upward mobility. Imagine the possibilities when people no longer have to worry about food on a daily basis," he said.
Today, Shriram is the Chair Emeritus in McCormick’s Asian Diversity Group (ADG), after serving as its co-chair for two years. He continues to help build the foundation for professionally developing Asian American employees while making sure biases do not limit their opportunities. In addition to professional development, the ADG gives members a place to share their cultural, leverage their background to drive company success and support organizations important to the Asian communities. Shriram is also proud of the ADG's partnership with ASHA for Education (ASHA), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping underprivileged children in India who are unable to attend school. Unlike in the US where education is a right, in India, geographic location and lack of financial resources too often keep young people from receiving an education. A donation of just $2,500 to ASHA pays for the education of seven children for an entire school year. McCormick and the ADG made the long-term commitment to financially support 7 students until they graduate from high school – a testament to standing for the future of communities where we live, work, and source.
In his local community, Shriram serves as the Chief Marketing Officer of the Greater Baltimore Temple Bal Vihar, a bi-weekly gathering of children (including his daughters) to learn traditional Indian values through fun-filled activities and to enhance their physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development. "My daughters have a sense of belonging to two cultures instead of feeling like outsiders in both communities. They are comfortable identifying as American and Indian, which is essential to passing our heritage on to the next generation," Shriram said.
Like McCormick, Shriram celebrates the power of diversity and recognizes the importance of promoting it within communities.
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