Tejas Bhatt

Serving in the interim as the Vice President of Food Safety and Health at Walmart in a strategic leadership role and as a key partner to many of Walmart’s internal and external stakeholders. Serving as a thought leader on food safety, food policy, and compliance matters for our merchandise, operation, logistics, sustainability, and government relation business partners, among others; with a deep understanding of existing and emerging foodborne disease risks; start-of-the-art intervention and mitigation strategies; local, federal, and international food safety regulations; emerging food safety issues and trends; and matters related to, in general, crisis management, public health, and communicable disease control.

Concurrently, as Senior Director of Food Safety Innovations, he is responsible for the Blockchain initiative, as well as other advancements in food safety for Walmart. Tejas’ scope of responsibilities includes food safety innovations across Walmart’s stores, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Clubs and their food supply webs. Accelerating the development, adoption and implementation of enhanced food safety innovations such as blockchain with Associates, food suppliers, industry partners, technology service providers and regulatory agencies also come under his purview.

Prior to joining Walmart in 2018, Tejas was the Vice President of Science and Policy Initiatives at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the Director of IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center. In 2011, he was also one of the IFT leads to conduct the groundbreaking food traceability pilots with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the Food Safety Modernization Act. In 2012, Tejas received the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) Leveraging Collaboration Award by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Tejas earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Master of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Food Science, both from Purdue University. He has also earned a Certified Food Scientist credential from the International Food Science Certification Commission. He has authored or co-authored several peer reviewed publications, book chapters, and has presented at numerous national and international conferences.