Adam Devito
Type of Fellow: Change Fellow
Description: Over the last three decades, Adam’s world of work has traversed a rich and diverse terrain of experiences across the food, beverage and nutrition landscape. The constant threads running through it all are innovation of new products and new experiences, brand & portfolio strategy and visionary cross-functional leadership. Adam is currently President of Big Bang Strategy, a growth strategy and development firm that partners with food and integrated wellness companies to create businesses and brands that promote human health and happiness. Adam is also Principal of big BOING, a collaborative innovation company developing and launching technology-based games that strengthen social bonds and promote physical activity.
A brief chronology from the beginning: Adam started his food career in a classical European cooking apprenticeship at the age of 14, later opening a school for elite professional chefs with the renowned Madeleine Kamman. In 1984, Adam launched and co-authored 11 books on healthy cooking for Time-Life. He also owned and operated several top restaurants, traveled extensively throughout Italy and France, and taught many classes on food and culture. Adam created and led the New Concept Development group for Kraft Foods where his group was directly responsible for opportunity identification and innovation across 4 divisions. His group’s work cumulatively generated more than $6 Billion in incremental sales. In 1995, Adam joined Sterling-Rice Group, a 100+ person integrated brand strategy and advertising firm, and served as the Managing Partner. During his 10 year tenure, Adam led large portfolio strategy, brand experience, product innovation and scenario planning assignments for clients such as Pepsi Co., Kraft Foods, Kellogg’s, Nestle, Wendy’s, Horizon Organic Dairy. Adam established such new capabilities as Sterling-Rice Group’s Brand Experience Modeling process and a Scenario Planning practice, facilitating large global “change” assignments for Fortune 100 companies. Adam serves as an advisor to several growing companies across the health and wellness space.