CAMDEN, NJ — George Vindiola’s history of jumping into challenges is likely what propelled him into his current role leading R&D for the new Campbell Snacks unit after the company acquired Snyder’s-Lance in 2018.
Forming Campbell Snacks went far beyond merging Pepperidge Farm and Snyder’s-Lance, two businesses with more than a dozen brands. It also involved a complex exercise in streamlining decades of unique processes, especially for Snyder’s-Lance, which was the combination of several previous companies, including Snyder’s of Hanover and Kettle Brand, which had joined the Snyder’s family years before. Bringing two seemingly disparate businesses together required the skills that Vindiola had spent nearly three decades developing.
Leading the development of what Campbell calls its “crafted elevated snacks” program, Vindiola guides R&D through building an innovation pipeline for each brand to grow into its potential.
“My experiences have set me up really well for this role,” Vindiola said. “We’ve brought together different brands, processes and — most importantly — people. We incorporated different cultures into the Campbell culture, and that created a lot of diversity of thought.”
“My experiences have set me up really well for this role,” Vindiola said. “We’ve brought together different brands, processes and — most importantly — people. We incorporated different cultures into the Campbell culture, and that created a lot of diversity of thought.”
In an environment where innovation is only limited by its level of creativity, anything is possible. And Vindiola’s power of positivity and propensity for disruption created a spark that’s been the cornerstone of innovation at Campbell Snacks since its inception.
“It’s so exciting because now we can all challenge each other,” Vindiola said.
“It wasn’t easy because we first had to get to a baseline of understanding on how we were going to do things. But ultimately, we have integrated different points of view to innovate in all new —and even better — ways.”
Vindiola brings enthusiasm that comes from a lesson he learned during a challenging project early in his career. Product development can be hard, and work demanding, but at the end of the day, the industry is making products that not only feed people but also bring them joy.
Maintaining that perspective, Vindiola said, is the key to authentic innovation.
“The truth is, no one has to buy the things we make,” he said. “People spend their hard-earned money on our products because it brings them joy. That makes me happy.”
For Vindiola, that’s what makes the hard work — months of R&D and long hours in the lab — worth it in the end. And it perpetuates his positivity.
After nearly three decades in the industry, Vindiola’s optimism remains unfettered. Even with the most challenging projects, seeing a team’s hard work come to fruition on store shelves gives him the energy to dive back into the lab.
“That’s the best part,” he said. “Getting to go back and do it all again is like a virtuous cycle, and that’s what makes this work so fun.”
This story has been adapted from the 2023 New Products Annual issue of Commercial Baking. Read the full story in the digital edition here.
