From personal chef to culinary innovator: How Mars Food & Nutrition Associate Janet Armstrong is shaping the future of food
Watch this space for more stories celebrating the Associates behind our Food & Nutrition brands.
Food connects us – around weeknight dinners, family holiday tables, lunches with coworkers, picnics with friends. It fuels our bodies, giving us the nutrients we need. It nourishes our souls, bringing enjoyment, comfort and even excitement. It brings us together and helps us explore different cultures.
But as life moves faster and people become more mindful about what they eat, expectations and meal behaviors are changing. Today’s meals need to do more. They need to be tasty, easy to prepare and healthy.
Our Food & Nutrition Purpose – “Better Food Today. A Better World Tomorrow” – has shaped the work behind our brands for more than a decade. It’s why we’ve set bold health & wellbeing commitments, adding millions of servings of vegetables and fiber, and reducing sodium across our brand portfolio – all while making sure our food, tastes great, fits conveniently into everyday life and plays its part in supporting the Mars, Incorporated, sustainability goals.
One person helping make that vision a reality is Janet Armstrong, Culinary Insights Senior Manager in Mars Food & Nutrition. With a career rooted at the intersection of flavor, innovation and human connection, Janet is helping reimagine what today’s meals can be. Here, Janet shares her career journey, her passion for culinary innovation and her take on where food is headed next.
Q: Tell us about your career journey into the world of food and nutrition!
Janet: My passion for food started early. We always had a vegetable garden and mom loved cooking creative meals. Dad was an amateur athlete and a bit of a health nut. From them, I learned to love fresh vegetables, to be curious in the kitchen and to appreciate how nutrition shapes how we feel.
My second big influence was a high school food science class. My teacher brought science to life in such a practical way … that’s when I saw how exciting science could be when connected to something as relatable and enjoyable as food.
I started my career as a personal chef, which taught me the value of building strong, trust-based relationships and taking a consumer-first approach. I later joined Mars Food & Nutrition, running the sensory lab and managing development projects. Thanks to our agile team, we could go from a new product concept to approved samples in just a few weeks, which I loved!
Later, I became a full-time Mars Associate, working between R&D and Sales teams, which reminded me of my chef days. I love understanding each consumer’s needs and using food to tell a story that solves a real problem.
Q: What’s your current role and what do you love most about it?
Janet: I’m a Culinary Insights Senior Manager in Marketing for Mars Food & Nutrition, but I always joke that my dream title would be Chief Foodie Officer! I work with Associates across our business, across different regions and functions, on the full product lifecycle, from idea to product design to customer presentation.
For example, at a recent industry conference, I demonstrated how to make breakfast, lunch and dinner in just 15 minutes using our products. It was such a fun way to showcase just how tasty, accessible and healthy our food products really are.
Q: How does Mars Food & Nutrition approach health and wellbeing in product development?
Janet: We address both the ingredients we want to reduce, like sodium, and the ones we want to ensure inclusion of, such as fiber, protein and vegetables. For example, we’ve recently launched Ben’s Original™ Street Food, which features bold, satisfying flavors like Honey BBQ Beans & Rice with Chicken(Opens a new window), and Teriyaki with Chicken and Pineapple(Opens a new window), all made with whole grain brown rice. These meals not only deliver on taste but can be prepared in just a few minutes!
Q: What does a typical workday look like?
Janet: No two days are the same. When I’m not traveling to meet with customers or suppliers, I spend time in our test kitchen experimenting with recipes for social media, retailer activations or customer meetings. Sometimes I’m collaborating on briefs for new products or even whipping up lunch for our team or special guests. Other days, I’m researching consumer trends, or prepping for upcoming meetings and events. It’s a great mix of creativity, strategy and hands-on cooking.
Q: How do you see the future of food and nutrition evolving?
Janet: Consumers want food that’s convenient and easy to prepare, without compromising taste or nutrition. That’s where our Food & Nutrition team comes in. We’re making products that not only taste great, but also support healthier lifestyles. That’s a future I’m proud to help build.
