NaturPak adds senior pet nutritionist to R&D team

NaturPak said Sept. 14, 2026, that Dr. Emma Wils-Plotz has joined its research and development team as senior pet nutritionist in Janesville, Wisconsin. The hire is meant to strengthen the pet food maker’s formulation, commercialization and innovation work for partner brands.

Why it matters: - NaturPak is adding technical depth to its R&D bench as pet food brands look for faster product development and more specialized nutrition support. - Dr. Emma Wils-Plotz brings experience in formulation, veterinary insight and consumer insight, which NaturPak says will help move products from concept to commercialization. - The hire supports NaturPak’s push to expand its nutrition and packaging options for partner brands.

What happened: - NaturPak announced on Sept. 14, 2026, that Dr. Emma Wils-Plotz, PhD, has joined the company as senior pet nutritionist. - The role sits on NaturPak’s research and development team in Janesville, Wisconsin. - NaturPak framed the addition as part of its effort to strengthen a “dynamic” R&D operation.

The details: - NaturPak positions itself as North America’s leading innovation platform in shelf-stable pet nutrition. - The company says its core focus is delivering food with human-grade ingredients in advanced packaging. - NaturPak says it gives partner brands access to nutrition and processing options along with high-level specialists. - Dr. Wils-Plotz said formulation appeals to her because “it’s like solving a puzzle.” - Dr. Wils-Plotz said her work centers on helping brands develop products that exceed client expectations and move cleanly from concept to commercialization. - NaturPak says she brings technical knowledge, scientific expertise and veterinary and consumer insights to the team. - Dr. Wils-Plotz said part of the job is translating research into product claims and nutritional science into formulations. - Dr. Wils-Plotz said the other part is strong communication and presentation skills so partner brands can benefit from her nutrition expertise. - NaturPak says its team can support an idea from concept to creation and provide rapid prototypes on-site. - NaturPak Research and Development Director Nick Kropiwka said he expects Dr. Wils-Plotz to support the company’s menu of offerings and packaging options.

Between the lines: - NaturPak is signaling that R&D talent is a competitive advantage, not just a back-office function. - The company is tying the hire to a broader pitch around speed, customization and commercialization support for brand partners. - Dr. Wils-Plotz’s emphasis on communication suggests NaturPak wants its technical staff to help shape customer-facing product narratives, not just formulations.

What's next: - NaturPak is likely to use the new hire to deepen its formulation pipeline and widen its product development services. - The company said it will keep pushing innovation for brand partners as it expands offerings and packaging options. - NaturPak directs readers to more information on its website and its LinkedIn page.