In this episode of R&D Radio, hosted by Adam Yee, Adam sits down with Brian Chau, founder of Chau Time — an R&D operations consulting firm lowering the barrier to entry in the food industry. With a team of 12 spanning every U.S. time zone and experience across 20+ countries, Brian walks through the full concept-to-commercialization process and shares why setting clear parameters — with ranges — is the single most important thing an entrepreneur can do before working with a food scientist.
Brian breaks down his four-phase R&D process, explains the trade-offs between cost, flavor, nutrition, and shelf life that every founder inevitably faces, and makes a bold prediction: fiber will eventually surpass protein as the dominant functional ingredient trend.
He also shares two standout case studies in better-for-you chocolate: Dirty Gut (prebiotic/probiotic chocolate using fiber stacking from upcycled cocoa husks, acacia fiber, and chicory inulin) and Femme Health (a women's health chocolate using lactoferrin for improved iron absorption) — both developed during the global cacao supply crisis.
Listen in as they discuss:
Episode Links:
Brian Chau – Founder & Principal, Chau Time
🌐 Website: www.chau-time.com
🍄Webiste Linked: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chau-time/
🔗 LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chautime/
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Show Links:
If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,
Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.
