Dr. Viswas Ghorpade is the Vice President of Research & Development at MGP Ingredients, where he oversees the R&D efforts for the Ingredient Solutions business. Joining MGP in July 2024, Dr. Ghorpade brings extensive expertise in ingredient functionality, product development, extrusion processing, and co-manufacturing management.
Before MGP, he served as Vice President of Commercialization at Black Sheep Foods, leading the operation and commercialization functions from 2021 to 2024. He also held a key role at Beyond Meat as Senior Director, managing a team of scientists and engineers in developing textured vegetable proteins through extrusion process engineering.
Dr. Ghorpade's career includes a 14-year tenure at Kellogg Company, where he held various Senior/Principal Product Development Scientist positions across multiple divisions. In addition, earlier in his career, he contributed significantly as a Senior Food Scientist and Senior Development Scientist at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, developing science and prescription diets.
Dr. Ghorpade earned his Ph.D. in Nutrition and Food Sciences from Utah State University and served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a Master of Science in Cereal Science and Technology from Mahatma Phule Agricultural University in India.