Chris,

I already know what you do, but explain your title and job to the readers.

Chris Jenkins, I am the Senior Innovation Manager for Essex, based out of Salem, OR. I manage the breeding program and mint innovation and have been doing so since 2018.  Innovation for me is the discovery of mint genetics, and the development and improvement of mint varieties. This year’s focus will be to better understand how distillation conditions impact oil quality across our suppliers.

What do you love most about your job at Essex? 

I come from an agricultural background, having worked with vegetables and crops in prior jobs. Being in innovation gives me a chance to develop areas that I have not explored before. I love having a deeper understanding of natural systems, looking at the bigger picture, and focusing on plants. Seeing how all these parts connect creates a deeper understanding of the whole system.

What’s your favorite memory from working at the company?

My favorite memories are not just one moment in time. I have seen the growth of the company, the people, and the plants themselves over time. There have been many phases of Essex that I have bore witness to—I started out as a contractor working with the company founders and the original breeding director, and now have the opportunity to work with incredibly talented colleagues at dsm-firmenich.  Witnessing and driving the evolution of the breeding program is a special memory for me when I take a step back and look at how far we’ve come.

Can you describe some of the challenges you encountered?

Because Chris is innovative and much of the science is not something I understand, I asked him to explain it to me like I wasn’t sure what was going on and he explained it at a high level. So here is MY flow chart of what I interpreted him saying…

Seed (choosing parents) – Plant – Choose from population (selection, test, validation) – Harvest – Expand planting – Harvest (business need) – Production (commercial)

Will you do it again?

Take this position? Yes, I would.

Why?

It allows me to do what I love. The job challenges me with its complexity, but is incredibly rewarding in the end, especially when I see my work manifest in the form of a new mint variety.

Describe an exciting hobby or pastime that you have that increases your abilities at work.

I enjoy working with plants in my own garden and understanding individual species’ particular quirks.

I also greatly enjoy listening to and playing music—it helps to simultaneously ground me and to expand my creative impulses.

What’s your secret talent that no one knows about, but you are willing to share here?

Catching things with my feet. My first instinct when I drop things is to catch them with my feet.

 

Well, on that last interesting note…

I want to thank Chris and the farm again for answering my nosy questions and showing me around the site!

~Lena B 2025