Erik is a chef on the CJ Schwan’s corporate culinary team, where he focuses on Innovation and New Product Development. Prior to this role he supported foodservice sales and product development at Land O’Lakes Inc.  He holds degrees in Culinary Arts from Saint Paul College, Culinology from Southwest MN State University, and an MBA from St. Joseph’s University. Before entering the CPG world, Erik started his career cooking in a wide diversity of professional kitchens; from local taverns to fine dining restaurants, golf resorts to 4 diamond hotels, from the Midwest United States to New Zealand. His passion for food and culture has led him to travel to 18 countries across the globe, with dreams to experience many more.