The person behind the systems.
I'm Alhen /ˈæ.lən/.
I build food safety systems, operational infrastructure, and the team capability to sustain
My clients are dairy processors, shared kitchens, growing manufacturers, and food tech companies who need someone who's actually done the work, not just studied it. I've managed production floors, coached first-time operators through their inspections, designed compliance programs from scratch, and built the kind of operational systems that hold up when things get real.
I started Alhen Consults because I kept seeing the same gap: businesses that needed practical, buildable systems and couldn't find a consultant who understood what it's actually like to run a food operation. That's the gap I fill.
How I got here.
The kitchen years. I started in restaurants. Multi-unit management across 7 locations, 300+ staff, the kind of environment where you learn to build systems fast or drown. Inventory, labor, food safety, facilities, all of it running simultaneously with zero margin for error.
The incubator. For five years I ran operations at a shared commercial kitchen that incubated over 100 food businesses. Every week brought a different product, a different regulatory question, a different founder trying to figure out how to go from farmer's market to retail shelf. I built the SOPs, the tenant systems, the compliance infrastructure, and the culture that made it work. I represented the organization in national food entrepreneurship working groups and helped shape how shared kitchens think about food safety at scale.
The pivot. In 2025, I went independent. First engagement: fractional operations director for a growing ice cream company, writing their Food Safety Plan and building production SOPs from the ground up. From there, the work expanded into dairy processing, BRCGS implementation, CPG regulatory frameworks, and strategic content partnerships with food safety technology companies.
Today. I serve clients nationwide across six verticals, with work ranging from single-day intensives to multi-month retainer partnerships. I'm relocating to Spain in July 2026, building a practice that works across US and EU markets.
What’s behind the work.
🛡️ Preventive Controls for Human Food Certified (FDA-Recognized)
Preventive Controls Qualified Individual. I develop and oversee food safety plans under FSMA. This is the credential that lets me write your plan and stand behind it during an FDA inspection.
📋 21 CFR Part 117 (cGMP)
Current Good Manufacturing Practices, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food. The federal framework behind every food safety plan I build.
🥛 PMO / Grade A Dairy
Pasteurized Milk Ordinance compliance. Vat pasteurization, CIP systems, NCIMS/IMS requirements. If you're processing milk, this is the regulatory world I work in.
🌐 BRCGS Issue 9
Active implementation experience with the global food safety certification standard. Gap assessments, documentation builds, and mock audits.
🔍 FSMA 204 / Traceability
Food Traceability Rule compliance, mock recalls, and supply chain verification. Built for the new era of FDA enforcement.
What the Credentials don’t tell you.
A compliance system is only as strong as the people running it. I coach production leads, design training programs, and build the kind of team capability that sustains quality long after the consultant leaves.
I build teams.
I don't drop off a binder. I design operational infrastructure: SOPs, recordkeeping, workflows, and accountability structures that integrate with how your team actually works.
I think in systems.
Retainer clients get a fractional partner, not a hit-and-run consultant. I know your facility, your team, your regulatory landscape. Every deliverable builds on the last one.
I stay in the picture.
What I believe
Burnout isn’t a badge. Food work is hard enough, your systems shouldn’t make it harder.
Structure creates freedom. The right SOP, schedule, or spreadsheet can give you room to breathe.
Compliance doesn’t have to be confusing. You shouldn’t need a translator to pass an inspection.
Clarity is kind. Whether it’s expectations, workflows, or communication, simplicity helps everyone succeed.
You can care deeply and still set boundaries. I help people build operations that leave space for a life.
Most people don’t need a guru — they need a guide. I’m here to make your work easier, not more impressive.
Where I’m based
📍 Currently based in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Relocating to Sant Quirze del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain in July 2026.
Remote consulting available nationwide (US) and internationally.
On-site visits available through June 2026 in the US, and by arrangement in the EU after relocation.