Meet Mother Raw Product Developer, Paula!

Even though Paula just recently joined our team, she has already made a big impact! From perfecting current recipes to creating new ones, Paula spends most of her time in the kitchen whipping up yummy dressing, dips, & condiments for Mother Raw. As a seasoned product developer, Paula has worked on hundreds of recipes for many brands you may see on shelf today. We are lucky to have her join our growing team. We want you to get to know Paula too! 

How long have you been working with food?   

I have been working with food for many years!  In my career I have worked with many different food products such as frozen pastry products, salad dressings, sauces, seasoning blends and cereals.  One of my first jobs was with Renee’s Gourmet Salad dressing company, one of the first refrigerated salad dressing companies in Canada! Coming to Mother Raw and working on salad dressings again feels a bit like coming home. 

How is Mother Raw different to other places you’ve worked? 

The products we make at Mother Raw tick off all the boxes of what a growing number of consumers are looking for today; Organic, Non GMO, Vegan, Natural, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Plant Based.  

What are your favourite parts of your job? 

My favourite part of my job is working in the R&D Kitchen coming up with new product ideas.  I have always enjoyed experimenting with food and love that it is a big part of my job. Another favourite part of my job is seeing my creations on supermarket shelves and being enjoyed by consumers. 

What’s the most challenging part of your job? 

Here at Mother Raw we use ingredients that are natural, allergen free and minimally processed, which creates the challenge for me to find ingredients to replace common dressing ingredients like egg yolks, modified starches and gums, that meet these requirements but also provide the flavor and functionality needed to produce great tasting products. 

What are some trends you’re seeing in the plant-based food world? 

Plant based meats are popping up everywhere right now, from A&W to Tim Horton’s, as well as your local grocery store.  Oat milk is another product showing growth as a dairy alternative. You also see oat milk making its way into other items, such as yogurt and ice cream. 

Where do you find inspiration for product innovation?   

I find inspiration in many places, such as walking down the grocery store aisle seeing new products or ingredients, restaurant menus, industry related articles, recipes, food shows and food blogs. 

Tell us about what you love to do outside of working at Mother Raw!  Tell us what you’re passionate about, or any hobbies you may have!  

Travel is a passion of mine.  I love visiting new places, seeing the sites, learning the history and sampling the local cuisine. Travel is a passion I share with my kids and seeing their faces as we discover new places brings me great joy. I also love getting out for a run. I am not a marathoner but do enjoy doing a nice 5K run to keep me active. 

What is your favourite Mother Raw product?   

 My favourite product is Mediterranean dressing. I love the bold rich flavours of the product. 

What Mother Raw product do you recommend to your friends & family to try first?   

For dressings I would recommend the Caesar or Mediterranean.  I also recommend Mother Raw Ketchup, it’s delicious with French Fries! 

Learn more about our ingredients on our blog.

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