Colorado Center for Food Innovation
Mission
The Colorado Center for Food Innovation (CCFI) is a new multidisciplinary consortium working to remove barriers that prevent next-generation food products from reaching the market.
We integrate data-driven research, targeted policy advocacy, and high-impact industry partnerships to ensure innovations translate directly from the lab to commercial and widespread home adoption.
Vision
To build a resilient food system that links farmers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to scale sustainable innovation benefiting both producers and consumers.
Who We Are
We are a multidisciplinary research consortium combining expertise in food science, engineering, and consumer economics.
Our work advances research and application to address supply chain challenges and develop scalable, evidence-based food system solutions.
The Problem
Despite rapid innovation, many next-generation sustainable foods—particularly plant-based and hybrid meat alternatives—fail to achieve wide consumer adoption.
The barriers extend beyond technology to include:
- Poor culinary performance in common home appliances
- Psychological resistance to new foods and technologies
- Gaps between policy support and market incentives
- Limited technical workforce to sustain growth
Strategic Goals
Solve for Consumer Compliance
Develop formulations and processing methods that ensure new foods perform flawlessly in home appliances (microwaves, air fryers) to drive repeat purchases.Bridge the Policy-to-Market Gap
Generate actionable, data-driven policy and economic insights to unlock state funding, expand market access, and remove legislative and financial barriers that limit food innovation.Accelerate High-Growth Markets
Focus research and industry partnerships on urgent, high-value opportunities, such as high-protein foods for the GLP-1 consumer segment.Build a Skilled Workforce
Create specialized training programs that address the technical and analytical needs of rapidly scaling next-generation food companies.
The Solution
Integrated, Cross-Disciplinary Research
By combining methods and perspectives from food science, engineering, and consumer economics, we develop comprehensive solutions that are both innovative and immediately applicable.
Our work translates innovations from the lab to commercial production and widespread home adoption.
The Impact
Our interdisciplinary research drives workforce development, fosters economic growth, and strengthens the food system through measurable consumer compliance (repeat purchases) and evidence-based solutions.
Why Us
Our track record of collaboration, interdisciplinary expertise, and focus on practical outcomes make us a trusted partner in advancing a more resilient and innovative food system.
Why You
Your partnership helps translate research into real-world impact.
Through funding, collaboration, and community engagement, you help advance workforce development, foster economic innovation, and strengthen the resilience of the food system.
Affiliates
Team Bios
| Name | Title / Role | Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Lauren Chenarides | Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics | Food economics, market analysis, data infrastructures, policy modeling |
| Dr. Christie Peebles | Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering | Synthetic biology of plants and microorganisms for protein production |
| Dr. Charlene Van Buiten | Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition | Food chemistry, nutritional and functional properties of plant-based foods |
Contact
📍 Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
📧 Lauren.Chenarides@colostate.edu