A Conversation with R&D Change Leader, Danielle Dalheim

June 28, 2023

PepsiCo's Director of Regulatory Affairs for U.S. Foods, Danielle Dalheim, discusses her important work as a change leader and subject matter expert on salt reduction, gluten-free labeling, compostable packaging and more. Learn how she uses her background as a registered dietitian to navigate new regulations and work towards PepsiCo's sustainability goals.

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00:04 - 00:25

Jillian

Hi, everyone. Welcome back to our podcast Recipe for Success. I'm your host, Jillian Emens, and I'm glad you're here. This podcast features PepsiCo employees who share their unique career journeys. By the end of each episode, we hope you'll learn something new to add to your own recipe for success.

00:25 - 00:33

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00:33 - 00:52

Jillian

Today, I'm so excited to be joined by Danielle Dalheim, Director of Regulatory Affairs for all U.S. Foods at PepsiCo. Danielle began her career at PepsiCo right out of college as a registered dietitian, and she's now a leader and R&D here. So, Danielle, thank you for being here.

00:52 - 00:55

Danielle

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.

00:55 - 01:04

Jillian

So excited to be here. We are live at Plano headquarters in R&D. So we're in your world and excited to hear about your career journey.

01:04 - 01:06

Danielle

Absolutely.

01:06 - 01:14

Jillian

So I gave a little intro, but tell us more. Did I say your title, as you would say it? And how did it begin here at PepsiCo?

01:14 - 01:25

Danielle

Absolutely. So you're absolutely right. I came to PepsiCo straight out of college from the University of Oklahoma boomer sooner, but I am a dietitian.

01:25 - 01:29

Jillian

We didn't talk about that because I'm a Longhorn sitting across from you.

01:29 - 02:01

Danielle

Oh man, I didn't mean to start off on that. But no, that's okay. Well save that for later. But yeah, so my background is in nutrition science. So I'm a dietitian. And back when I started, we wore different hats. I did both kind of nutrition work and regulatory affairs. So both providing guidance to brands, what should our sodium targets should be doing a lot of nutrition communications and then also ensuring the compliance of our snack products with FDA regulations.

02:01 - 02:38

Danielle

So as the organization has evolved, I've really focused more on the regulatory affairs side. So, you know, ensuring those nutrition labels, ingredient statements, our claims, our allergen information is all correct. Both what's on the pack and in the pack. I've gotten to work on almost every brand in the foods world over many years and gotten to start more recently doing external affairs and starting to work with our trade associations and, you know, advocating on future regulations and what's coming next from FDA.

02:38 - 02:44

Jillian

2007 when you started, and was that all U.S. foods brands at that Ume?

02:45 - 03:10

Danielle

It was, so I really started on the snack side, on the Frito-Lay side and worked on different things, even like the Bayer acquisition, the Pop Corners acquisition and bringing them into the PepsiCo family. And then in 2020, I took on a broader scope with taking over US foods. So I also had Quaker responsibilities, which was a great opportunity to start to learn a new side of the business.

03:10 - 03:16

Danielle

And also from a regulatory standpoint, different products with different claims and different challenges.

03:16 - 03:27

Jillian

Absolutely. Frito-Lay and Quaker, Full Foods family. And then just to ground us in your area. So what does it mean to be a registered dietitian?

03:27 - 03:53

Danielle

So a registered dietitian really has some credentials as a nutrition professional. So not only do they have a degree in nutrition and I think even in the last couple of years, they have to have a master's in nutrition was a recent change, but they also have completed an internship working in a variety of different nutrition roles. And they've also passed an R.D. exam, which I would never want to take again.

03:53 - 04:03

Danielle

So we also have to take continuing education, right, to just stay up to date on the latest science and make sure we're equipped to do our job as dietitian.

04:03 - 04:07

Jillian

Wow. Yeah, that's a lot. So how does PepsiCo help you with that?

04:07 - 04:28

Danielle

You know, we have a lot of support from PepsiCo. We go to conferences, and not only are we there to talk about PepsiCo and share our messages, but we use those opportunities to do continuing education for ourselves as dietitian. It can also be industry conferences that PepsiCo allows me to participate in and supports me in. And I'm wearing two hats.

04:28 - 04:37

Danielle

I'm participating, but also getting to learn and continue to build my know nutrition expertise and that all counts towards me maintaining my R.D..

04:37 - 04:52

Jillian

So started as a registered dietitian and that's something that you maintain. And now like fast forwarding to Director of Regulatory Affairs, what does that mean for where you are now? What does regulatory affairs mean?

04:52 - 05:25

Danielle

So regulatory affairs we're really responsible for the compliance of our products with FDA, USDA, even some EPA regulations. It's really about what's communicated on the package in that labeling and claims space, but then also compliance of the product and the package itself. So are there limits on certain ingredients and how much we can add? Are there, you know, certain types of packaging materials that are allowed to be in contact with food?

05:25 - 05:44

Danielle

Right? So we are a team that is really highly specialized in those regulations and help to guide the organization of, "Oh, well, maybe we can't make this claim, but let's think about this one instead." Right? And helping to provide solutions for the business, but still comply with all the regulations that apply to us.

05:44 - 05:52

Jillian

Yes, very important. And not everyone thinks about those details, but that's how we put our food on shelves.

05:52 - 05:53

Danielle

Absolutely.

05:53 - 06:06

Jillian

So how would you say your unique career journey has put you in position to grow at PepsiCo and now be director of regulatory affairs for U.S. Foods?

06:06 - 06:40

Danielle

I've gotten to work on so many different things, including, you know, now that I've been here almost 16 years, I've seen a lot of changes in relations over the years. And those have really always created unique opportunities to learn and to grow and to be exposed to different things, working with, you know, everyone from legal to supply chain to marketing, helping to make sure they understand what's coming and also are engaged in whatever the next regulation change is whether it's, you know, nutrition label reform.

06:40 - 06:59

Danielle

We had to change every nutrition facts panel on every PepsiCo product, right? So I think there's just been a lot of regulatory change over the years that has led to a lot of great opportunities and then, like we said, kind of getting to grow that scope and say, well, let's apply what we've learned now to a different part of the business.

06:59 - 07:02

Jillian

So what specific trends have you seen?

07:02 - 07:28

Danielle

So I think, you know, a big one that really stands out and is something I've been really involved in is just overall digitization. And I know that that transformation is happening in all parts of PepsiCo, but it's happening in the regulatory space and in R&D as well. So not only have we been, you know, regulatory has been a really big part of designing and enhancing our specification systems.

07:28 - 07:58

Danielle

But the first ever digital disclosure regulation was released in the US around bioengineered in 2008. So it actually allows the consumer to scan a QR code on the package and get more information about the bioengineered or GMO status of their product. So getting to be involved in standing up a regulation like that for the first Ume and working with our digital commercialization partners was just absolutely fascinating.

07:58 - 08:25

Danielle

And being able to now unlock this ability to disclose so much more information to consumers because I think another trend is consumers want to know more about their products, right? They want more transparency, but there's only so much space on that package. So it's really, really cool to see how are we going to leverage that QR code and that digital labeling in the future to comply with regulations and also communicate more broadly with consumers.

08:25 - 08:33

Jillian

So for our listeners who may not ever notice that, so those QR codes started in 2018 is that there on certain bags or how does that work today.

08:33 - 08:52

Danielle

You see it on just about all of your food products in the U.S. and so if you look on the back, it's the smart label. Some smaller packages, if it doesn't fit, then we have a little statement that we put on there, but test it out and scan it. And there's a whole process for how all of that gets maintained every Ume a package changes, a product changes.

08:52 - 08:55

Danielle

So, you know, setting that up was a huge initiative.

08:55 - 09:05

Jillian

And then this is just making me curious. So how was your team built up? Like how many people within your team? Like what is the team structure that supports all this work?

09:05 - 09:33

Danielle

Absolutely. So we've got ten folks on my team in Plano and three in the Chicago office. And we really divide things by mostly category and brand. So all 40 something Frito-Lay brands have a specific regulatory contact as well as all the different Quaker categories. And then we also have kind of areas of expertise where we are the subject matter experts and can really get deep on those regulations.

09:33 - 09:52

Danielle

Maybe it's gluten free, maybe it's organic claims. And we have that go to person of, oh, this brand wants to do you know, something organic. Let me bring in this person who can really help me to achieve that claim and guide the business. And it helps us to build our technical expertise internally as well.

09:52 - 10:17

Jillian

And then I want to make sure to touch on. So in your current role and your previous roles, you've had a chance to collaborate across teams. So supply chain, like you mentioned, marketing, several partner teams, but also what's unique at PepsiCo is our large group of what we call Employee Resource Groups. So have you been involved in those?

10:17 - 10:18

Jillian

And can you tell me how?

10:19 - 10:56

Danielle

Absolutely. I'm a big supporter of the ERGs and what they bring to PepsiCo. So early in my career I was very involved in WIN the women's organization, which was just a fantastic experience, especially as a newer person, to help develop some of those leadership skills by being involved. So I think it was a great opportunity not only to grow my network and I still run into people that I worked with in WIN, and then all of a sudden we're on a project together ten years later and it's like, okay, wow, we already know each other and you are just there to help each other and be supportive.

10:56 - 11:23

Danielle

But it's also, you know, it was a chance to start to lead teams before I was a people leader myself, learning to delegate, learning to gauge, you know, capacity and bandwidth and who should do what in a really small safe space in WIN of organizing a leadership event or whatnot. So I've pulled from those skills that I learned and WIN you know countless times across my career.

11:23 - 11:36

Jillian

And it's definitely a way to make the large PepsiCo environment small because you meet people, you run into them later and you're like, oh, we know each other.

11:36 - 11:36

Danielle

Exactly.

11:36 - 11:48

Jillian

And being also a woman at PepsiCo, I've also had a chance to be part of WIN's mentorship group. So getting that mentorship, events that happen all across the company.

11:48 - 11:50

Danielle

So that's awesome to hear.

11:50 - 11:53

Jillian

What has been most challenging in your career and how did you overcome that?

11:54 - 12:29

Danielle

One of our customers set a new standard that everything sold in their store had to be non- GMO, project verified, and we had never done that before. We had a large business with this customer we wanted to preserve and we had barely a year to do it and figure it all out. And so it was really, really challenging going from that just grey space to defining how do we get from A to B to C, But we got there and we got, you know, PepsiCo's very first non-GMO project claim and now it's something that we use across foods, across beverages.

12:29 - 12:41

Danielle

I see that stamp and that claim on our packages all across, you know, across the portfolio. And it's so rewarding to see. But that was certainly one of the biggest challenges of my career that really stands out.

12:41 - 12:44

Jillian

Wow. And what's a moment you're most proud of?

12:44 - 13:06

Danielle

You know, there was a challenge from Al Carey back in the day to get to gluten free claims on our portfolio, which we had never done. And so that was another one where we really, you know, again, we started from scratch and understood the regulations and started to talk to some experts. And we now have a third of our portfolio that makes gluten free claims on the snack side.

13:06 - 13:26

Danielle

And the Frito-Lay protocol that we put together was then adopted by Quaker, and then it was adapted to become the global protocol. So that's one that when you when you start, you know, start with the smaller scope and then really getting to see it all the way through fruition, all the way to, you know, now we're updating the global protocol every five years.

13:26 - 13:33

Danielle

It's one of those projects I've had for so long. And seeing it evolve is just really, you know, it's wonderful.

13:33 - 13:37

Jillian

Certainly a testament to it when it goes global, you know.

13:37 - 13:38

Danielle

Exactly.

13:38 - 13:39

Jillian

You did a good job.

13:39 - 13:40

Danielle

Yes.

13:40 - 14:07

Jillian

One of our large initiatives or main initiatives here at PepsiCo that we're familiar with, for our listeners, it's what we call PepsiCo Positive. So our sustainability goals, how we're creating better for you products. And Danielle, just want to ask you, how does your area of work and how does regulatory affairs fit in to how we're becoming more PepsiCo Positive?

14:07 - 14:35

Danielle

Yes, I think, you know, I'm really excited about PepsiCo positive and just seeing all the great work that we're doing as a dietitian and seeing all the positive changes we're making to our portfolio. But, you know, I think we really play a key role in, you know, taking the global commitments and adapting them and applying them at the local level, because we really also have to layer in those local regulations.

14:35 - 15:03

Danielle

So, for example, you know, the FDA came out with voluntary sodium targets for the food supply in 2021. So we did a really big piece of work of kind of resetting our sodium reduction strategy to layer in not only what we've committed to, you know, as a company and globally, but also how do we you know, maybe you get ten more milligrams, you know, out on a potato chip product and all of a sudden, we've also met the FDA target.

15:03 - 15:28

Danielle

Right? So how did we, you know, build out that roadmap that helps us achieve, you know, multiple goals and, you know, be seen as leaders in the regulators eyes as well. So sodium is certainly one that we're very, very close to the project and extremely involved. And I think the next one where we're really starting to get more ingrained is regulatory is on the packaging and sustainability side.

15:28 - 15:42

Danielle

You know, can we claim compostable under US regulations or even some states have their own regulations, right, of what's compostable, what's recyclable. And then as we develop all these new packaging materials, we have to make sure they're compliant with the regulations too.

15:43 - 15:48

Jillian

So that challenge of keeping the quality, doing new things and betterer ways to do it, but keeping the quality.

15:48 - 15:49

Danielle

Exactly.

15:49 - 16:02

Jillian

And for sodium reduction, as an outsider, I know that's a hot topic largely from how I see it, consumers driving that, like what have you seen over the years with sodium reduction and where are we at now?

16:02 - 16:36

Danielle

I think there's certain consumers that are really looking for that. I think there's also, you know, that's where the science is. We know that, you know, the average American consumes more sodium than the recommendations are. So there's you know, I think that's where we're starting to see the regulators continue to put more pressure of, you know, how can we, you know, drive industry and drive public health through, you know, these voluntary commitments and also enabling innovation, like allowing, you know, salt substitutes to be used where today only salt can be added to certain foods like cheese.

16:36 - 16:58

Danielle

Right? So I think it's that partnership and that's where getting to work in the external affairs and talk with our trade associations and with our industry partners to say, hey, these are some things that would help the industry to go faster on sodium reduction, right? So, you know, there's lots of different factors that are driving, you know, what we've ultimately decided to do.

16:58 - 17:08

Jillian

Interesting. So you're saying things as an example, sodium reduction, but really driven by science. So science is informing this and consumers are really just catching up.

17:08 - 17:21

Danielle

Exactly. Exactly. Maybe they're making those choices because they're hearing more and more that they need to reduce their sodium or that, you know, there's different ways to achieve their nutrition goals. Right. I think, you know, whole grains, I think, are getting a whole lot more...

17:21 - 17:22

Jillian

Yeah.

17:22 - 17:31

Danielle

You know, visibility as well. Right? So I think, you know, consumers, you know, ultimately it's rooted in those dietary guidelines and what science says is best for us. And that's great.

17:31 - 17:36

Jillian

What excites you most about your role in these areas as you look ahead?

17:36 - 18:14

Danielle

One of the most exciting things about my role is being able to be, you know, part of that collective industry effort to drive for that science based policy. And, you know, now having been here a few years and seeing regulations go all the way from the very beginning stages to a proposed regulation all the way to, you know, where it's fully on shelf, it's part of what, you know, the whole U.S. is complying with, you know, seeing where the government had that partnership and took a little bit of our input or we said, hey, it would make more sense if this regulation was written this way.

18:15 - 18:27

Danielle

It's extremely rewarding. And then just seeing, you know, there's so many opportunities, there's a lot of focus on health and there's lots of opportunities for us to continue to be involved, be engaged, lead the industry. It's really, really exciting to me.

18:27 - 18:33

Jillian

Wow. Super rewarding. And how would you describe your own recipe for success at PepsiCo?

18:33 - 19:01

Danielle

I would say number one ingredient in my recipe for success is just functional expertise. I think, you know, being able to really learn and have an area that, you know inside and out and people can start to come to you when they have a question and know that you're the go to for this or that. I think that's just an excellent foundation as you get new critical experiences, as you build new leadership skills.

19:01 - 19:16

Danielle

Right? Just build that functional expertise and deep, deep technical knowledge is only going to help you, help you get noticed, help you be credible and help you to continue to grow.

19:16 - 19:24

Jillian

Thank you, Danielle, for being here. That was so insightful and educational for me, and I know educational for our listeners. So thank you so much.

19:24 - 19:26

Danielle

Thank you, Jillian. I really enjoyed it.

19:26 - 19:45

Jillian

That's a wrap for today. It was great to hear Danielle's recipe for success, to build on critical experiences, to become an expert in your field. I hope you've learned something to add to your own career path. Don't forget to hit that follow button on Spotify to know when our next episode is live. Thanks for tuning in. See you next Ume.

19:45 - 19:52

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