Dr. Sonja Floto-Stammen

Senior Researcher – Value-Driven Food Innovation & Consumer Behaviour | Advisor on Market Adoption of Sustainable Food Innovations

Kerken, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

About

My work focuses on translating consumer behaviour into successful innovation and market adoption. I operate at the intersection of business innovation, data-driven decision-making, and sustainable food systems. While many innovation efforts focus on technology, I address the critical question of why innovations succeed or fail in the market. My research uncovers how consumer values, habits, and situational contexts shape decision-making, and how these insights can be systematically integrated into business models, product development, and communication strategies. By combining values assessment, behavioural science, and data-driven methods, I develop actionable frameworks that enable organisations to design innovations that are not only technically feasible, but also desirable, adoptable, and scalable. I am particularly interested in value-based design of food environments that support sustainable and healthy consumption at scale, bridging the gap between technological innovation and real-world implementation.

Experience

  • Fontys Venlo University of Applied Sciences (16 yrs)
    • Sr. Researcher
      Aug 2014 - Present · 12 yrs

      Building the research line Food Business Innovation, Values-driven decision making, Values-Assessment, building a qualitative data pool for values as key drivers for eating behaviour, developing tools and methodologies for data collection and analysis, working in numerous student/company projects to implement results in Marketing communications and strategy.

    • University Lecturer
      Aug 2010 - Present · 16 yrs

    • Project lead Integration of applied research and education
      May 2022 - Jun 2024 · 2 yrs 2 mos

  • Centre of Expertise Sustainable and Circular Transitions at Fontys University of Applied Sciences
    Jan 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 7 mos

    Leads the strategic development of research in the food transition, focusing on consortium building and acquisition of national and European funding (including Future Foods Europe). Aligns research priorities across partners and disciplines, translating emerging challenges in sustainable food systems into competitive research programmes.

  • Lecturer at Maastricht University Campus Venlo
    Feb 2018 - Jun 2022 · 4 yrs 5 mos

    PBL course sustainable food production. Coach/supervisor capstones. Advise for Master Course sustainable production.

  • Science Editor| Contributor to German National Allergy Guidelines (Ministry of Food and Agriculture) at Bundesministerium für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Heimat
    Jan 2000 - Dec 2019 · 20 yrs

    Projects and activities: Worked as a science editor and journalist with a focus on food, nutrition, and public health Contributed to national nutrition guidelines, including allergy prevention, in collaboration with the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture Wrote non-fiction books, educational materials, and children’s books on food, nutrition, and sustainable food systems Translated complex scientific topics into accessible, clear, and evidence-based content for diverse audiences Contributed to the Junge Familie network (funded by the German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food – BLE) by developing content and media for multipliers and parents Produced short educational videos on food-related topics, combining societal relevance with engaging storytelling Developed and tested creative learning approaches and educational methods

  • Marketingleiterin at eismann Tiefkühl-Heimservice GmbH
    May 1994 - Dec 1999 · 5 yrs 8 mos

    Marketingleiterin Eismann City/Berlin