Dr. Isabelle Lesschaeve - Research Director, Consumer Insights and Product Innovation

Dr. Isabelle Lesschaeve is an engineer in agriculture by training. She earned a Ph.D. in Food Science and specialized in sensory evaluation at the University of Burgundy, France.  Dr. Lesschaeve has 20 years of experience in sensory and consumer sciences with a focus on food and beverages. She has conducted multidisciplinary research in both academic and corporate environments within Canada and abroad and is a recognized expert in her field with her own consulting firm.

Dr. Lesschaeve’s research interests focus on the understanding on consumer wine preferences, consumption and purchase behaviours, and the development of new sensory methodologies to predict wine preferences.

She joined the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute at Brock University (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada) in April 2004 and acted as its director until January 2008.

Dr. Lesschaeve is Vineland's Research Director, Consumer Insights and Product Innovation. She is buildiing a team that will lead research initiatives to add margin to horticulture product through consumer research. The outcome of her research will have a major impact on the sensory characteristics (flavour, odour, texture) of horticulture products.

Consumer Insights and Product Innovation

In order for the horticulture industry to remain competitive, it must adapt to changing consumer demands and increased global competition.  Adding value to horticultural products is a means to fulfill these demands, create more desirable products, expand market share and increase profits. This area of research is about understanding opportunities and creating innovation.

Areas such as consumer behaviour, market intelligence, health through horticulture and new products for changing markets will be explored and discovered.