Ondina Afonso is a food engineer and has over 20 years of work experience in academia and the agri-food sector. Currently she is Head of Quality & Research at SONAE MC - the market leader in food retail in Portugal. She also chairs the Producers Club of SONAE MC, via which the company strengthens the competitiveness, innovation and sustainability of national fresh production and producers.

She’s the Chair of the Food Committee at EuroCommerce. Since 2002 she has been working as an Independent Expert at European Commission, assisting with research and innovation assignments including the evaluation of proposals.