Meet Dr. Soma Gandikota: Asst. Director of Research and New Product Development
Dr. Soma Gandikota joined Kent Pet Group at the start of 2018, and since that time has quickly demonstrated his enthusiasm for innovation and creation as Assistant Director of the Research and New Product Development team.
In his ten months with Kent Pet Group, Soma has already developed a patent pending product utilizing material from our production waste stream.
As a new addition to the KPG team, Soma brings with him a new perspective on innovation honed from years of study and practice around the globe.
A Lifelong Academic
Soma’s hometown is Rajamundry, India — approximately 8,369 miles away from Muscatine, Iowa. He spent much of his adulthood in India gaining his first two degrees from Andhra University in India, followed by a third degree from JNT University in India.
His studies then brought him to the United States, to the Bluegrass state, where he earned fourth and fifth degrees from the American Institute of Baking and Kentucky State University.
An Innovator by Trade
Soma has a long history of masterminding new products and reimagining existing products with brands including Schwan’s, Sargento and McCain Foods. He has also consulted with United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Soma believes the most innovative aspect of World’s Best Cat Litter™ products is that “Kent Pet Group products are natural; pet, people and planet friendly, and safe for pets,” he said.
A true innovator, Soma is at his happiest when he “sees new Kent Pet Group R&D developed products hit the marketplace,” he said. It was the “company vision, long-term strategy, and the culture” that drew Soma to Kent Pet Group, but it’s the innovation and collaborative environment that he’s enjoyed most since coming on board.