OUR TEAM
Led by Esther Luongo Psarakis, a subject matter expert in the field to provide you with a comprehensive educational “Foodpreneurial” experience.
Esther Luongo Psarakis- Managing Partner- Foodpreneur®
Esther Luongo Psarakis brings business experience of over 30 years. Creator of Foodpreneur®, a strategic sales/marketing and educational consultancy, she saw a need to better address the educational needs of entrepreneurial food companies, creating a comprehensive curriculum for launching a specialty foods company. She also works with established international companies seeking to launch products in the US.
As an advisor with the NJ Small Business Development Centers and with the Rutgers Food Innovation Center, and as a Business Coach with Rising Tide Capital, she primarily focuses on food and beverage-centric companies. Her strong skill set on mentoring, concept development, business plan and sales strategies has been applied to a wide range of companies. Examples include; extra virgin olive oil, olive products, bakery products, healthy frozen meals, baby food, ethnic foods, healthy beverages, popcorn, jams, dips, and vegan foods. One of her business plans was selected for publication in the latest edition of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Business Plans”.
With international companies, ranging from Tunisia, El Salvador, Ecuador, Brazil, Canada, Greece and other countries, she has crafted effective sales and marketing strategies for US launch. This has included trade show management, sourcing and on-boarding of personnel and resources, developing branding and sales distribution for entry into the US ethnic, specialty and food service channels.
As an entrepreneur, Esther launched Taste of Crete, a gourmet food company which imported a variety of artisan Greek food products and created a line of Greek cookies and fresh prepared meals which sold at King’s, Whole Foods, and Shoprite. Its products had been featured in The New York Times, New Jersey Monthly, Star Ledger, Food & Wine, Saveur, Better Homes & Gardens, USA Today, Huffington Report, and Philadelphia Inquirer.
Esther has been a speaker and educator for a variety of organizations, including the Specialty Food Association, Raritan Valley Community College, Bergen Community College, Fairleigh Dickenson University, St. Joseph’s University, Rutgers University Food Innovation Center and Jalima & Associates. She has been featured in The New York Times, New Jersey Monthly, USA Today and Huffington Report, appeared on FOX News, ABC, Channel 12, Ebru TV, WSOU 89.5 and Martha Stewart Radio. Some awards include, NJSBDC Success Award, Somerset County Business Partnership Small Business Economic Vitality Award, BPeace VERA Award, and Sam’s Club Emerging Women Entrepreneur.
Denise Caracappa-Marketing Manager, Foodpreneur®
Denise is the founder of Caracappa Culinary Consulting. She has fifteen plus years of field sales, marketing communications, promotion/public relations, brand development, trade show/event-publicity experience all geared for meeting sales/marketing goals for gourmet international and American specialty food products. Held title of National Sales Manager for New Jersey based European food importer. Traveled to Europe to attend prestigious Food Trade Shows and tour facilities of gourmet food and beverage producers in Austria, Germany, Italy and Croatia.
At the summer 2017 Specialty Food Show in New York City, in conjunction with a USAID initiative, Denise partnered with Esther Luongo Psarakis of Foodpreneur assisting with “missionary sales efforts” at the ‘Taste of Tunisia’ Pavilion.
Presently, she is USA Contact for ZENA EXOTICFRUITS, with a line of drinks/jams/syrups/ condiments, based in Dakar, Senegal, managing their USA sales operations. In 2020 and 2021, along with Esther Luongo Psarakis, was part of West Africa Investment Trade HUB/USAID team promoting a portfolio of food products seeking USA market entry.
Holds a Master’s Degree in Food Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the only such program in the world.
Christine Bagares - Marketing Assistant, Foodpreneur
Christine Bagares is a driven professional with a degree in Business Administration Major in Entrepreneurial Marketing from Mindanao State University in the Philippines. She has built a strong foundation in business and marketing, which she has applied successfully in her career as a Virtual and Marketing Assistant.
Since 2022, Christine has been a part of Foodpreneur, where she specializes in preparing essential documents for African companies and coordinating materials for trade shows. In her role, she demonstrates exceptional organizational skills by managing business cards and creating detailed reports in spreadsheets. She excels in designing visually compelling presentations using Canva and Google Slides and ensures efficient appointment scheduling through Calendly.
Christine's creativity and technical proficiency are evident in her ability to edit photos for social media and other marketing purposes. She is also adept at crafting email campaigns to promote upcoming events and trade shows, as well as enhancing and maintaining the company website. Her work includes reaching out to potential clients through email outreach and conducting thorough research to generate targeted leads lists.
Francine Hezrony - Project Manager and Administrative Assistant, Foodpreneur
Francine Hezrony is a seasoned project management professional with a strong foundation in customer service and diverse experience spanning non-profits, customer-facing roles, and business management. Known for her organizational skills, creativity, and dedication, she excels in problem-solving and multitasking.
Francine’s career highlights include her current role at Foodpreneur as a Project Manager and Administrative Assistant, where she supports clients, coordinates team efforts, and manages documentation. Previously, she served at the Princeton-Blairstown Center, where she digitized over a century of historical records, prepared archives for Princeton University, and contributed to fundraising initiatives and communications. As the co-owner and manager of Custom Contracting, Inc., she ran a successful family business for over two decades, overseeing operations, compliance, and client relations.
A graduate of Lesley University with a B.S. in Psychology and Art (specializing in Arts Therapy), Francine also holds a diploma from the Peddie School, both earned with honors. She is proficient in a range of technical tools, including Excel, Microsoft Suite, and Donor Perfect.
In addition to her professional achievements, Francine has demonstrated leadership through initiatives like establishing a $25,000+ scholarship endowment for underprivileged students at the Peddie School, showcasing her commitment to making a lasting impact.
David M. Meron
David M. Meron is an accomplished diplomat with nearly three decades of leadership and management experience in the U.S. government and private sector. His career spans diverse regions, including the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Renowned for his strategic communications expertise and multilingual fluency in five languages, David excels in public relations, operations management, course development, and high-level event planning.
David’s achievements in strategic communications include designing innovative public information programs, such as introducing the U.S. ambassador to Togo via digital and traditional media and establishing an editorial board to counter Somali-based maritime piracy. His impactful branding and messaging initiatives have bolstered U.S. diplomatic influence worldwide.
A seasoned planner, David has organized international conferences across five continents and coordinated comprehensive agendas for VIP delegations in countries like Portugal, Brazil, and Togo. His leadership in operations management includes streamlining visa processes at the U.S. Consulate General in São Paulo and implementing security systems in collaboration with Avianca Airlines to enhance border security.
David also has extensive experience in course design, having developed enduring training programs for the Department of State. His initiatives include a global crisis communications course and a U.S. travel document authentication program, significantly improving operational effectiveness and border security.
During his tenure with the U.S. Department of State (1999-2019), David held various influential roles, such as Public Diplomacy Officer in Togo, Chief of the Consular Section in Brazil, and Fraud Prevention Manager in Colombia. Before his government service, he worked in international corporate training at United Airlines and Berlitz International.
A graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, David also serves as an Associate Advisor at Pennsylvania Global Business Advisors and on the Board of Directors for American Friends of ALYN Hospital in Jerusalem. His numerous accolades include the Glen Munro Award for leadership, a Superior Honor Award for strategic communications, and recognition from the Brazilian travel industry.
David’s linguistic expertise includes professional fluency in French, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish, as well as conversational proficiency in Chinese and German, further enhancing his ability to navigate complex international environments.