Dr. Bernhard van Lengerich

Former Chief Scientific Officer, VP Technology Strategy

General Mills Inc.

Bernhard started his career with apprenticeships at the Van Lengerich Bakery as Baker and Pastry Chef in Germany. He completed his PhD in Food/Biotechnology at the Technical University of Berlin, Germany.  His work experience includes Unilever Germany, RJR Nabisco, New Jersey and the Buehler Group in Switzerland as VP Global R&D Food.  In 1994 Bernhard joined General Mills, Inc. in Minneapolis and was Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President for Technology Strategy.  He led Strategic Technology Development resulting in major productivity gains and product innovations, he led the GMI Game Changer Program and created a ‘Technology Venturing’ initiative, enabling faster and high impact innovations and expanding GMI’s innovation pipeline. Bernhard has authored/co-author over 150 patents, he is Honorarium Professor at the Technical University of Berlin, Germany, Adjunct Professor at the University of Minnesota and a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists, Chicago. Bernhard has been an invited participant in round table discussions at the White House Office for Science and Technology Policy on global protein security under the Obama administration.

Bernhard retired from General Mills in April 2015 and subsequently founded ‘Seeding the Future Foundation’, a 501(c)(3) organization focusing on food/protein security, as well as ‘Food System Strategies LLC’, a strategic advisory firm.  

Since October 2015 Bernhard is advising Beyond Meat and served as interim Head of R&D / acting CTO during the development and launch of the Beyond Burger. He now serves on the Board of Directors of Beyond Meat. In addition, Bernhard is a member of S2G’s Advisory Board, Board member of the German Institute of Food Technology (DIL), the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Chicago and its non-for-profit-organization, Feeding Tomorrow as well as Compatible Technology International (CTI) in St.Paul, Minnesota.

Bernhard’s focus remains on supporting innovative solutions targeted towards a sustainable food system and protein supply.