Meet Our Founder

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Imran Afzal is the Founder and Managing Director of Worth The Squeeze Ltd., where he champions smart, scalable innovation across the global food and beverage industry. With more than 25 years of experience, Imran has become a trusted advisor to a diverse portfolio of clients — from pioneering Food Tech start-ups to multinational giants and forward-thinking not-for-profits — helping them unlock value, accelerate growth, and futureproof their strategies.

Known for his bold thinking and collaborative edge, Imran is a recognised leader in open innovation, forging transformative partnerships with global CPGs, academic institutions, and cutting-edge start-ups across Europe. His career spans senior roles at household names like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, PepsiCo, and Mondelez, where he led strategy, product innovation, and category development at scale.

His entrepreneurial flair came to life at a gluten-free start-up, where he served on the Board and led all R&D and technical functions — scaling the business, building a factory from the ground up, and carving out a high-growth niche in a competitive market.

A dual-qualified expert, Imran holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and a Master of Food Science from the University of Minnesota. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (FIFST) — recognition of his contribution to the industry and continued leadership in food innovation.