In this special solo episode, Veronica breaks down something that often gets overlooked — what the food and beverage processing industry actually is, and just how many career paths exist within it.

If you've ever stood in a grocery store aisle and wondered how all those products got there, this one's for you!

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CareersNOW! is Food and Beverage Ontario's multi‑year workforce development initiative that is connecting students and job seekers with employers in Ontario's food and beverage processing industry for exciting career opportunities. Check out CareersNOW.ca for more information on jobs, career pathways, industry mentors, and professional development opportunities.

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Timestamps

• 00:00 — What is the food and beverage processing industry? (Hint: it's everything between farm and fork!)
• 02:22 — The 11 subsectors broken down: dairy, meat, confectionery, seafood, beverages, bakery, and more
• 07:08 — Operations deep-dive: production operators, maintenance technicians, and plant supervisors
• 09:27 — Skilled trades and continuous improvement roles
• 11:45 — How automation and robotics are changing operations
• 14:09 — Food safety: quality assurance vs. quality control, and why it matters
• 16:31 — Health and safety managers and systems thinking in food safety
• 18:50 — Sales and marketing: account managers, brand managers, and marketers
• 21:19 — How sales and marketing connect to every other part of the business
• 23:44 — Sponsor spotlight: Careers Now
• 26:10 — Supply chain and logistics: procurement, inventory planning, and logistics coordinators
• 28:35 — Warehouse supervisors and the rise of automation in supply chain
• 31:00 — Food science and R&D: product developers and flavorists
• 33:24 — Behind the scenes: finance, accounting, and human resources
• 35:27 — How HR shapes workplace culture
• 37:42 — Wrapping up: career mobility, job stability, and why the food and beverage industry is a great place to grow

Enea Lelaj is a Confectionery Specialist at Tilray Brands, working at the intersection of food science, product development, and one of Canada's fastest‑changing industries.

In this episode of That's a Food Job!, Enea shares how his path into food science was anything but planned. Starting in chemistry at Toronto Metropolitan University, he followed curiosity into a food research lab and discovered a field that combined science, creativity, and real‑world impact.

Today, Enea develops gummies, chocolates, and tablets infused with active cannabinoids. He talks candidly about what real R&D looks like beyond textbooks — balancing regulation, rapid iteration, and problem‑solving in a fast‑moving, highly regulated space. The conversation explores why creativity matters just as much as technical skill, how graduate school prepared him to tackle unsolved problems, and why staying open to unexpected opportunities can lead to surprisingly cool careers.

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ShowNotes

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CareersNOW! is Food and Beverage Ontario's multi‑year workforce development initiative that is connecting students and job seekers with employers in Ontario's food and beverage processing industry for exciting career opportunities. Check out CareersNOW.ca for more information on jobs, career pathways, industry mentors, and professional development opportunities.

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📙 Career Guides
💭 Career Advice

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CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST

💼 Enea Lelaj LinkedIn

🌐 Tilray Brands

CONNECT WITH US
📸 Instagram
🎵 TikTok
💼 LinkedIn

Domenique Mastronardi is President of Beck's Bone Broth, a Canadian food startup bringing bone broth-based lattes to market — blending comfort, wellness, and innovation for retailers across Canada.

In this episode of That's a Food Job!, Domenique shares her journey from engineering student to co-leading one of Canada's most creative emerging food startups. She opens up about what entrepreneurship really looks like behind the scenes — navigating uncertainty, balancing structure with creativity, and learning to trust your intuition.

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Shownotes

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CareersNOW! is Food and Beverage Ontario's multi-year workforce development initiative that is connecting students and job seekers with employers in Ontario's food and beverage processing industry for exciting career opportunities. Check out CareersNOW.ca for more information on exciting jobs, career information, industry mentors and training opportunities for professional development.

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TIMESTAMPS

• 00:00 – Introduction to Startup Life and Entrepreneurship in Food
• 01:27 – A Week in the Life of a Startup President: Strategy, Travel, and Flexibility
• 03:00 – Canadian vs. U.S. Trade Shows: Brand Awareness vs. Direct Selling
• 05:04 – How a Startup President's Role Evolves: Fundraising, Finance, and Networking
• 06:34 – Getting Into Retail: Why Relationships Come Before Strategy
• 09:04 – Navigating Uncertainty: Mindset Tools for Startup Life
• 10:51 – What University Actually Teaches You: Resilience, Teamwork, and Problem Solving
• 12:02 – From Engineering to Entrepreneurship: Transferable Skills That Surprised Her
• 14:14 – [Sponsor: CareersNOW!]
• 15:26 – Finding Your Spark: How Food Product Development Changed Everything
• 18:20 – Listening to Your Intuition: Why Your Hobbies Are Telling You Something
• 21:17 – Book Rec: EOS Traction by Gino Wickman
• 21:53 – Unconventional Marketing: Spice Girls, Karaoke, and Authentic Branding Online
• 26:06 – Vulnerability as a Strength: Building Confidence to Share Your Story
• 27:55 – Career Advice That Doesn't Always Land — and What Actually Works
• 30:30 – Skills and Habits to Build Now If You're Curious About Startups
• 33:39 – How to Test If Entrepreneurship Is Right for You: Incubators, Side Projects, and Startup Jobs
• 35:17 – Getting Co-op Positions at Startups: What You Need to Know
• 36:03 – How to Network Without It Feeling Forced: LinkedIn, Events, and Cold Outreach
• 40:07 – What's Next for Beck's Bone Broth
• 40:53 – Where to Find Beck's Bone Broth

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📙 Career Guides
💭 Career Advice

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CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST

💼 Domenique Mastronardi LinkedIn

💼 Beck's Bone Broth LinkedIn

🌐 Beck's Broth Website

📸 Beck's Bone Broth Instagram

CONNECT WITH US
📸 Instagram
🎵 TikTok
💼 LinkedIn