Chinova Bioworks Prioritizes Partnerships With Women as a Path to Growth

FREDERICTON, New Brunswick, Nov. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Food technology company, Chinova Bioworks, offers unique natural, clean-label preservatives extracted from mushrooms for the food and beverage industry. It also offers an unparalleled opportunity for women working in STEM fields: the opportunity to partner and lead.

Since launching in New Brunswick, Canada, in 2016, the company’s co-founder and CEO, Natasha Dhayagude has made it her mission to flip the script on who is considered the minority at Chinova Bioworks. Currently the company is made up of 90% women, all of them are practicing in STEM fields.

“Providing opportunities for women in STEM fields is important to me because I am a women minority in STEM and have been navigating this career path my whole life without any mentors, so I know what it's like for other women who are trying to get into these positions of influence,” said Dhayagude. “Because I know how challenging it can be, I’m committed to provide equal opportunities for women who look like me, and seek out collaboration opportunities with other female founders in the industry.”

Some of the collaborating, female-run companies Chinova Bioworks is working with include Miyoko’s Creamery, Chrisoda and No Evil Foods. Dhayagude says working with female founders provides her with an extraordinary opportunity to learn from their hurdles and successes while improving their mission and products.

“It is a journey to become a great leader, so for females especially, it’s important to surround yourself with women of influence who don’t underestimate your own abilities,” said Miyoko Schinner, an American chef, best-selling cookbook author, animal sanctuary founder, and owner of the vegan cheese brand Miyoko's Creamery, a food brand combining culinary traditions with food technology to revolutionize dairy by making cheese and butter with plant milk.

Christine Manning, co-founder of Chrisoda, a cold-fermented, better-for-you soda with apple cider vinegar, said, “I’m a big believer that women should join forces. When you surround yourself with other talented and supportive females, it lifts everyone up. There’s lots of room for everyone to succeed, but as female leaders we have to be conscious of this and extend the opportunity or the life raft when needed.”

Sadrah Schadel is an animal rights advocate and co-founder of No Evil Foods, a nationally distributed plant-based meat company driven to transform how people think about the social and environmental impact of the food they eat. “As a female founder you can’t be afraid of breaking the mold,” Schadel said. “We don’t need to do things the way they’ve always been done. Diverting from what’s considered to be the standard path and showing other women that they too can succeed by taking a new approach is important.”

Dhayagude stresses that intentional collaborations with female founders is a part of what has made Chinova Bioworks successful and actively seeks other partnerships with female-led and owned companies. To learn about opportunities and collaborations with Chinova Bioworks visit: www.chinovabioworks.com.

Natasha Dhayagude, CEO and co-founder, Chinova Bioworks