A woman working on a laptop at a cafe table near a window, with notebooks, magazines, and earbuds.

Hi, I'm Julia Varela Tarancón Co-Founder of Kraut Food Studio

I'm a Registered Nutritionist specialised in trends, strategy and Innovation who is passionate about the future of foods and health. When I'm not at my desk exploring the latest in food and nutrition — from cutting-edge wellness trends to functional product launches — you’ll likely find me visiting stores or food shows around the globe, observing how consumer behaviours change daily and how market dynamics evolve.

A woman standing between two display boards at an event. The left board features information about a product called 'slouw me up' with images of chocolate balls, a box, and a mug. The right board displays information about Kraut food design, including images of creative food packaging and design projects.
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The Story behind Kraut

After living and working across the UK, Mexico and Spain, we noticed the same pattern everywhere: the food and beverage world was changing fast — but most brands weren’t.

Science was evolving. Consumers were shifting. New behaviours and expectations were emerging in every category. Yet the innovation tools available to brands still felt generic, disconnected from consumer needs and nutrition science, and far from what the future of food demanded.

In 2020, we founded Kraut Food Studio, together with Nataly Restrepo, a food designer with a sharp vision for future foods and sustainability. Our mission was clear: to help food and beverage brands innovate with real purpose — creating products that are better for people and better for the planet.

After years navigating startups, retail and global food corporations, we realised something essential was missing in Europe:

There were plenty of innovation and branding agencies, but very few specialised in the intersection between health, nutrition and food — combining scientific understanding with market foresight.

That’s exactly where Kraut comes in.

We work at the crossroads of nutrition intelligence, health-led insight and innovation strategy, helping brands understand what’s next, why it matters, and how to translate it into meaningful products, positioning and growth.

Whether a team is ready to innovate or simply wants clarity on the signals shaping the market, Kraut offers a unique blend of expertise that turns complexity into direction — and trends into opportunities..

A woman giving a presentation in a room with a large screen displaying four scenarios about socio-environmental forces. The scenarios are titled 'Evolución técnica,' 'Nueva normalidad,' 'Fusión democrática,' and 'Impacto responsable,' each with different colors. There are large white #V2B letters on the stage in front of her, and the room has wooden beams, plants, and two small windows.
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Functional Beverages in supermarket
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What We’ve Achieved So Far

Today, Kraut is a collective of nutritionists, branding experts, and strategic food designers around the globe. During these years we’ve:

Worked with 40+ food & beverage 🧃 brands

Attended 30+ 🌎 global food fairs and expos

Developed 100+ product concept ideas 🥫

Led 10+ strategy and innovation 💡 workshops

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Two women smiling for a selfie at a trade show or exhibition, with lanyards around their necks and a display with colorful posters and large hashtag sign in the background.
Two women taking a selfie at a science or educational project about kraut; one woman with dark hair in a bun, wearing a white eyelet blouse, and the other with light brown hair, wearing a blue plaid shirt, both smiling.
A woman standing in front of a bright yellow wall with lemon slices and a logo that says 'SHALE Y EARS.' The wall has the phrases 'INSPIRE FOOD BUSINESS' and 'PARIS 19-23.10.2022' written on it. The woman is wearing a beige blazer, a brown top, white pants, and has a lanyard around her neck.
Contact Us

A global healthy innovation crew

  • JULIA VARELA TARANCÓN

    Co-Founder
    Food & health innovation
    & Trends expert

  • MARIT VEENSTRA

    Nutrition-Driven Brand
    & Innovation Strategist 

  • GUADALUPE BENEVIDEZ

    Nutritionist expert in gut health,
    author & speaker

  • CARLA ROTENBERG

    Designer for the food industry

  • JUAN JOSÉ MATEO

    Copywriter & SEO expert

  • MARIA J. HERRERO SALAS

    Food Technologist &
    Upcycled foods expert

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By Julia Varela Tarancón

TRENDS WITH BENEFITS

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