Assoc Prof Remco Kornet

Assoc Prof Remco Kornet is the Fonterra-Massey Chair in Dairy Materials Science & Technology at Massey University. He holds a PhD in Food Physics, along with a BASc and MSc in Food Technology. His research draws on food chemistry, physical chemistry, and materials science to understand how molecular properties and interactions influence functionality and structure across length scales, ultimately determining how foods perform at the macroscopic level. His work spans plant proteins, conventional dairy proteins, and precision fermentation-derived dairy proteins, as well as hybrid matrices that combine ingredients from these sources. He is passionate about the translation of this fundamental, multiscale understanding of ingredients and food materials into commercially viable solutions and innovative food products.

In his current role, his research focuses on three interconnected areas: (1) developing a multiscale understanding of dairy ingredients; (2) translating ingredient-level insights into the performance of multicomponent food materials; and (3) developing high-throughput experimental approaches to generate standardised datasets and enable AI-driven prediction of food material performance.

Prior to joining Massey University, Assoc Prof Kornet held senior research and scientific leadership positions in the food industry. Most recently, at Vivici, he led research and innovation efforts on the characterisation, functionality, and application of precision fermentation-derived dairy proteins. He has also worked in the alternative protein sector at Beyond Meat. Earlier in his career, his PhD research focused on plant protein fractionation and the functionality of these fractions in admixture with dairy proteins. His work has involved broad collaboration across academia and industry, spanning fundamental food science, ingredient development, and industrial innovation.