Chew, a food innovation lab committed to democratizing good food and beverage, announced the appointment of Neil A. Willcocks as its Chief Technology Officer. In this role, Willcocks will oversee the company’s Research & Development team and identify new opportunities for investment and product development.

“Neil’s impressive experience coupled with his passion for food science make him a perfect addition to the Chew team,” says Adam Melonas, CEO and Founder of Chew. “With Neil at the helm of our R&D department, we look forward to deepening our partnerships, and creating and scaling food products better for our health and for our planet .”

Willcocks, a thought-leader in the food science, innovation and technology sectors, joins Chew with over 30 years of experience at Mars. Most recently serving as Vice President of Global Research & Development, Willcocks was responsible for creating the combined R&D department of the world-class Mars Wrigley organization. During his tenure with Mars, Willcocks also served as Head of R&D and Innovation at Wrigley and the U.S. R&D Head for Mars Petcare. Willcocks began his career in 1990 as a research technologist for Mars’ Confectionery business after graduating from Loughborough University in Great Britain.

“I am thrilled to be joining a company whose commitment to quality, ingenuity and food security so closely aligns with my own passions and I look forward to working with the Chew team to continue to push boundaries and design products that create a lasting impact on the food industry,” says Neil Willcocks, Chief Technology Officer at Chew.