"If you have a foundation of good products and good people, more of the world needs to hear about it." -Mike Fata

Hemp is now considered a superfood! Hemp has a very high nutritional profile and offers plenty of health benefits, including being high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber content.

A lot of the misconceptions around hemp is associated with it being closely related to marijuana. However, unlike its counterpart, hemp doesn’t contain enough THC (0.3%), the chemical compound responsible for getting high. Rather, it is high in Cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid that helps in easing symptoms of many health issues including pain, inflammation, and a wide range of neurological disorders. 

Inspired by his own personal health transformation, Mike Fata co-founded Manitoba Harvest, one of today's global leading manufacturers and brands of high-quality hemp food products. Weighing over 300 pounds, Mike took decisive action to change. He focused his diet on fiber, protein, and healthy fats— all components of hemp. Amazed by his results, Mike made it his mission to spread the word about the power of hemp to as many people as possible. 

In this episode, Justine and Mike talk about the health benefits of hemp, where to get trusted resources, the foundation of a successful business, what it's like to sell your business, and how the shift in narrative is gradually changing our current food system for the better.

Meet Mike:

Co-founding Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods in 1998, and serving as Chairman of the Board and CEO until 2016, Mike helped guide the strategic sale of the company to Tilray for $419 million dollars in 2019. Since then, Mike has celebrated and supported other business ventures as an entrepreneur, board member, investor, and advisor. 

Mike is an award-winning author and keynote speaker. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Fata & Associates and host of the Founder to Mentor podcast. Mike is an investor/advisor to a portfolio of world-class companies, a Lifetime Member (Past Chairman) of the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), and a Lifetime Member (Past Chairman) of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). 

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Episode Highlights:

00:45 Discovering the Health Benefits of Hemp

04:49 What It's Like to Sell Your Business

07:40 Fats That Heal

09:17 The Right Foundation for Entrepreneurship

13:03 We Need More Good Products & Good People

16:19 The Shift of the Narrative

There's no light switch here, but we do have to make changes." -David Israel

From the way it tastes, to the way it smells, to the way it melts over a perfectly cooked Asiago chicken breast (or pasta, or pizza, or a cracker, you name it)— so yes, we do love cheese! It's one of life's great pleasures.

However, cheese is also one of the biggest contributors to climate change and injustice towards animals. As the world population climbs and livestock-dependent farming practices remain, it has become necessary to develop more sustainable production methods. Our planet needs every business and individual to take ownership and save it. 

In order to help mitigate the harmful effects of the dairy industry, GoodPLANeT Foods set out to create a premium plant-based cheese that is better for the planet and also better for humans. 

The company's founder, David Israel, challenged the idea that good food has to be complicated, especially when it comes to its environmental footprint. That's why he sold the snack company he founded in 2011 (POP! Gourmet Foods) and shifted to creating something that brings all the flavor with none of the guilt.

In this episode, David shares the challenges he faced and the blessings he received from creating a joyful cheese experience for their consumers. Justine and David also discuss how we can create balance and inclusion in our products, the good and bad side of competition, and how we can help our consumers to be willing to give plant-based alternatives a place in their choices.

Meet David: 

David Israel is the Founder of Good PLANeT Foods, the maker of premium plant-based allergen-free cheese products. He has years of expertise in the food and beverages industry and is a professional in business development. He is a proud graduate of the School of Hard Knocks, where he learned most of his knowledge and wisdom. 

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Episode Highlights:

01:15 Why Organic? 

04:14 The Rise of Plant-Based

10:59 Balance and Inclusion 

13:40 The Good and Bad Side of Competition

16:58 How to Get Into Consumers' Mouths 

19:19 What to Look Forward To

23:53 Together, We Can Make a Greater Impact

 "We've seen a lot of progress in the last few years. We are on a significant upward trajectory that will continue. But plugging into these endeavors is how we can make a difference." -Bruce Friedrich

Since the turn of the 21st Century, global meat consumption has increased significantly around the world. This growing demand is unsustainable and highly detrimental to our climate, our health, and our security. 

The good news is that we already have the solution right before us— alternative proteins. With alternative proteins, we lessen the cost of production while also reducing carbon emissions from agriculture. And not only are they solving global environmental issues, but they are also ethical for the animals and healthy for humans.

The challenge is enormous, but not impossible. Many companies have begun working at the intersection of innovation, food, and sustainability. But we, too, have a significant role to play.

In this episode, we hear how the Good Food Institute is revolutionizing the field of biotechnology and food innovation from their CEO and Founder, Bruce Friedrich himself. 

Listen in as Justine and Bruce share how much the agricultural sector is contributing to climate change, how much food is wasted unnecessarily, and how we— as students, individual consumers, founders, and leaders— can help create a world where alternative proteins are no longer alternatives, but choices for everyone.

Meet Bruce:

Bruce Friedrich serves as GFI’s chief thought leader and relationship-builder, working in close partnership with GFI’s global teams and food system stakeholders around the world.

Areas of expertise: alternative proteins generally, GFI’s global programs and strategy, bicycling in heavy traffic.

Bruce oversees GFI’s global strategy, working with and across all of GFI’s international teams (Asia Pacific, Brazil, Europe, India, Israel, and United States) to ensure that GFI is maximally effective at implementing programs that deliver mission-focused results. Bruce is a TED Fellow, Y Combinator alum, 2021 “American Food Hero” (EatingWell Magazine), and popular speaker on food innovation. He has penned op-eds for the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Wired, and many other publications. He has represented GFI on the TED Radio Hour, New Yorker Radio Hour, Ezra Klein Show, Making Sense (Sam Harris), ReCode Decode, and other programs and podcasts. Bruce’s 2019 TED talk has been viewed two million times and translated into dozens of languages. He graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown Law and also holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the London School of Economics.

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Episode Highlights:

01:16 The Good Food Institute Mission

05:01 How Much Food is Wasted

13:12 Solution: Alternative Proteins 

16:51 50% Alternative Meat by 2050

18:33 What Can You Do?

 "Plant-based was born and became adopted by the industry because this is not necessarily a vegan product, but it has some of these same values." -MJ Kinney

Creating a plant-based food product is no small feat— from developing a nutritious and flavorful recipe to designing your labeling and packaging, and eventually coming up with a strategy for getting your products into the hands of potential consumers. 

It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and passion to get to your first sale. But if you have a great idea for a plant-based product, it can be extremely rewarding both personally and professionally.

In this episode, Justine sits with MJ Kinney, the founder and Principal Food Scientist at FareScience. MJ works in the advancement of plant-based food products in terms of nutrition, taste, price, and scalability. Her work in moving food science forward is not only tailored with the society's need for better alternatives but also to promote product development with values.

Listen in as Justine and MJ discuss the necessary steps in launching a plant-based food product— from concept building, to finding the right contract manufacturers, and from making sure your product follows the plant-based values to finally seeing your own products in store shelves. They also talk about the shaming around vegetarianism and veganism, how plant-based was born, and how long it takes to launch your product.

Meet MJ: 

MJ Kinney uses her specialized scientific, social, and commercial knowledge to develop exceptional food products that do well for both producers and consumers. MJ is a food scientist and the founder of FareScience, specializing in alternative proteins. Her innovative approach relies on a comprehensive understanding of how R&D, marketing, sales, and project management interact. MJ’s creative and unique strategy is born from her varied roles in and around food science, as well as her successes in business to business, business to consumer, and non-profit sectors.

MJ’s product development experience spans the natural, organic, and plant-based foods segment, where she has formulated according to a wide variety of standards including vegan, clean label, USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO, allergen-free, gluten-free, protein enhanced, and reduced sugar. She is a go-to expert for the application of plant protein ingredients into alternative meat, egg, and dairy products, as well as puffed snacks, cereals, beverages, spreads, sauces, and much more.

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Episode Highlights:

03:32 Meet MJ and Fare Science

06:07 The Shame and Guilt Around Vegetarianism

10:11 How Plant-Based Was Born

16:54 What Goes Into Contract Manufacturing

19:42 Working with Contract Manufacturers

24:19 When Your Labor Bears Fruit

"We, as food brands, can do better. We can deliver higher quality products. We can work with fresher ingredients that are better sourced." -Ryan Johnston

The trend of going plant-based is powerful for many reasons. For one, it promotes gut health. Our gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria that play a crucial role in digestion, immunity, and overall health. 

Diet is a major modifiable factor that influences the composition of the gut microbiota. Unfortunately, the modern diet and lifestyle are major contributing factors to an imbalanced gut microbiome. On the other hand, a plant-based diet is rich in fiber and phytonutrients, which promote a healthy gut microbiome. 

Biotic Ferments is a company that was built for this reason. Being a social purpose company, Biotic Ferments have taken their game to the next level by using USDA Certified Organic ingredients that are regeneratively sourced. They also use renewable sources in their production, practice zero food waste, use 70% recycled glass with BPA-free lids, and avoid using refined sugar in their products. Most importantly, they do not sacrifice taste as they believe that food should be a source of joy and satisfaction. 

In this episode, Justine sits with Biotic Ferments co-founder and CEO, Ryan Johnston. Justine and Ryan discuss how to weave tradition into innovation, what regenerative agriculture means and how to practice it at home and in business, how to run a food brand that touches people, what it takes to run a family business,  and the secret to creating products with better flavor and higher quality.

Meet Ryan:

Ryan is the co-founder and CEO of Biotic Brands, a family-owned social purpose beverage company. He grew up in west Sonoma County where his love for living systems had grown over the years. 

Ryan also serves as the Strategic Advisor at Landscape Carbon Calculator, Orchard Manager and Cidemaker at Ethic Ciders, and the Chair of the Board of Directors at Daily Acts Organization, where he also met his lovely wife, Kellen. 

When he's not working, Ryan spends his time fly fishing, backpacking, foraging, gardening, and cooking. Ryan and Kellen now live in Sebastopol. 

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Episode Highlights:

01:20 Expanding KVASS

05:29 Building Relationships Around Food

09:14 What is Regenerative Agriculture

13:35 The Role of Food Brands

18:49 Passion for Flavor and Quality

25:12 Catering to People's Tastes

"The soul of everything is knowledge." -José Guerrero

If science is the engine that drives innovation, then research and development (R&D) is the lifeblood behind it. In the past couple of years, food science has made incredible strides. However, there is still so much to understand about our favorite foods. 

R&D can help create the foundation for creativity, new innovations, and change. From bringing ideas to life to providing new insights into our daily lives, R&D helps motivate, inspire and transform the food industry. 

Founded by José Guerrero, Anima Project is a research and development project that aims to create an impact in Gastronomy. They focus on improving human lives by "changing the industry from the inside with ethical and sustainable products." 

In this episode, Justine and José help us rethink the potential of food as something more than a plate on the table. Listen in as they discuss what "anima" means and how it relates to food experience, how to revolutionize the kitchen and eradicate the hostility in the workplace, what drives creativity, how to make knowledge accessible to everybody, and why we should always weave in joy in the food experience. 

Meet José:

An experienced chef, José Guerrero wanted to create a deeper impact in the food industry so he studied Gastronomy at Basque Culinary Center. José did not only get educated about food, but he was also trained in the research and development side of culinary. 

When the pandemic hit, José and his girlfriend, Fanni moved to Budapest. They founded Anima Project where they are creating a revolution in the research and development of food products. Recently, they have partnered with Thimus in an effort to create a plant-based protein alternative. They are also working with experts and interested individuals in their test kitchen and pilot lab projects to create a more holistic and sustainable approach to our food experience.

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Episode Highlights:

00:53 A Big Dream Came True

05:33 Creativity is Not Magic

10:08 Making Knowledge Accessible to All 

16:57 What Anima Means

21:06 Revolutionizing Human Experience with Food

27:12 Research and Development Toward Improvement

"What was missing was the connection between the farmers to the customers." -Ori Zohar

The centralized food system is broken and it needs to be fixed. In order to bridge the gap between farmers and customers, we need to create an enterprise model that allows the customer to buy produce directly from farmers. This is the only way to create a sustainable agricultural economy.

An enterprise allows farmers to sell their products more easily and at a higher price point because they are able to reach customers who are willing to pay more for their products.

Moreover, business owners will be able to provide customers with more information about the food they are eating, where it came from, how it was produced, and what is in it. 

On the other hand, customers also benefit because they get fresh, local produce delivered directly from the farm. This also reduces food miles which is good for the environment. So, it's a win-win!

Burlap & Barrel partners with small, local farmers in order to support their livelihood and end inequality in the food system from its roots. This partnership has also allowed them to source out natural spices that are not available in the US as well as ensure that the products are all high-quality and taste great.

Learn more about the mission of Burlap & Barrel and how they're solving a major need in our food system as Justine interviews the company's co-founder, Ori Zohar. Justine and Ori also discuss why consumers care for good ingredients, how companies can help educate their consumers on what they're buying and how to buy them, how to create a better brand reputation, and Ori's secret spice that you might want to try. 

Meet Ori:

Ori is an experienced social entrepreneur and the co-founder of Burlap & Barrel, where he leads the company's domestic operations, eCommerce and finances.

Ori's family moved to Baltimore, Maryland from Israel when he was 5 years old. He developed a love of all things food as a kid, learning to cook Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes from his parents. He firmly believes that tahini can improve most dishes.

Ori's entrepreneurial journey started in his teens, when he started a business (poorly) DJ'ing parties. Many other entrepreneurial initiatives followed. Ori first teamed up with Ethan to start Guerrilla Ice Cream, an activist ice cream cart that received a frenzy of media attention, in 2010.

A few years later, he co-founded Sindeo, a venture-backed mortgage company that provided home loans in an open and transparent way. Sindeo raised $32m, helped its customers secure more than $500m in home loans with record-setting customer satisfaction scores. Ori took the startup from idea through acquisition.

Ori's happy to be back in the food world, where eating is an integral part of his job.

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Episode Highlights:

00:46 An Unpleasant Experience

05:24 Burlap and Barrel

12:23 Bridging the Gap Between Farmers and Customers

16:48 Being the Ultimate Source of Spices

20:44 Winning Over Great Chefs

26:07 Origin Blends

30:34 Ori's Secret Ingredient

"If we can make nutrition no brainer, we can drive adoption, we can drive sustainability." -Monica Bhatia

The food system, undoubtedly, is an industry that has a high potential in innovation, especially with the rise of technology. In fact, we are seeing endless possibilities in this arena. 

But before we go bigger, we ought to consider one area that affects us all- staple foods. We cannot live without our daily staples (or at least most of us can't). Unfortunately, most of these products are mixed with questionable ingredients that do not have a business being in there in the first place. What if there is a healthier version for each of our favorite staples?

Co-founded by Monica Bhatia, Cella Farms aims to deliver nutritionally balanced staple food products that also taste great. They use fermentation technology in order to enrich agricultural products with complete protein. Now, consumers can enjoy their bread, pasta, and other staples with confidence. 

Listen in as Justine and Monica walk us through Cella Farms and their mission in creating a more sustainable food system. They also talk about the importance of transparency and clean-labeling, choosing a co-founder, creating fun and healthy food that kids will love, methods of getting your products out into the market, and what drives Monica to continue on the path to creating a more sustainable food system despite challenges.

Meet Monica: 

Monica Bhatia is an impact-driven technopreneur with 15 years of experience in bio-manufacturing and commercialization of sustainable products, including food, fuels and chemicals. As an early employee at Geltor, she helped commercialize the world's first animal-free ingestible collagen. Previously, she was responsible for scaling-up algal DHA, algal fuels and food oils at Solazyme, to multi-ton production facilities in the USA and Brazil. 

Monica is also the co-founder of Novol Bio, a company that develops high quality prescription eyeglasses using sustainable polymers made from corn. Being a life-long vegetarian, she understands the pros and cons of a plant-based diet. At Cella Farms, her goal is to drive technology that fundamentally improves the way humanity eats, regardless of diet styles, age or cultural preferences.

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Episode Highlights:

01:16 What is Cella Farm

06:08 Consumers Decide

09:34 Passion, Imagination, & Reputation

15:20 A Bread That Kids Love

20:12 Reaching the Buyers

22:32 Future Food Tech London

"The most important thing I can do in life is to give my children a solid foundation that changes everything." -Jason Bronstad

There's a lot of talk about the future of the food industry, and it's exciting to see how plant-based milk alternatives are making their way into the market.

So what exactly makes these plant-based options so appealing? These new products are not only good for our health—they also taste amazing! And they can be used in all kinds of recipes—from milkshakes to cream pies. In fact, plant-based milk have entered restaurants and cafes as well!

But what do we really know about the companies that make these products? How much do they care about their customers? Are their products really what they say they are?

Malk Organics started with the idea of creating something good for the family until it was able to scale and reach the masses. Their tagline: #TurnItAround. They value transparency and they want their consumers to know what ingredients were used in creating the product. They pride themselves with using only high-quality, certified organic ingredients that can be counted in just one hand. 

Malk Organics’ CEO, Jason Bronstad joins Justine for a deep conversation on how high-quality ingredients are the key for people to embrace plant-based products, why companies that claim “plant-based” are using so many ingredients, why customer engagement is critical to a company’s success, how we can create a balance between our business and family, how we can manage stress, and how failure can be a catalyst for creating.

Meet Jason: 

Jason Bronstad is the CEO of Malk Organics, a company that values high-quality ingredients, transparency, and health. This reflects in their plant-based milk alternatives that are certified organic, free of fillers, and non-GMO. Their tagline: #TurnItAround- That's how confident they are that their products will genuinely benefit their consumers.

Jason has an exceptional record of achievements in business governance and operations. He excels in creating and presiding top-performing teams, managing multi-million dollar funds, and leading top CPG brands to success. 

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Episode Highlights:

00:54 High-Quality Ingredients- The Key to Adoption

04:23 Why Companies Put So Many Ingredients

08:02 When Companies Have the Same Goals

12:53 The Importance of Consumer Engagement

16:40 The Best Thing We Can Do Everyday

19:27 Be an Entrepreneur AND an Engaged Family Man

24:35 Turn It Around! 

“The industry as a whole needs to do a better job of coming together. This competing messaging is not helping anyone." -Kishan Vasani

In this era of technological innovation, one of the most promising solutions for improving our food experience is artificial intelligence (AI).

AI is a technology that allows computers to learn from data and make decisions based on that information. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including personalization of services. For instance, AI is used to identify food trends and predict customer preferences based on moods or other factors such as age or gender which allows restaurants to customize their meals based on changes in customer behavior over time.

Co-founded by Kishan Vasani, Spoonshot aims to determine the future of food through their AI called #foodbrain. They utilize over 28k data resources that include research, articles, social conversations, menus, and more to understand consumer insights, marketing, and product development. This platform aims to help companies and restaurants make better decisions and produce desirable outcomes. Their clients include big companies such as Nestle, Unilever, Mars, Dan One, and Suntory.  

Listen in as Justine and Kishan help us better understand the nuances and everything that goes into food personalization, the factors that affect our preferences, how we can be more transparent in the food space conversation, and how companies can work together rather than destroy each other through unnecessary competition. 

Meet Kishan:

Kishan Vasani is the co-founder of Spoonshot, a tech startup that leverages food science and AI to predict food trends for CPG and FMCG companies. He is also the co-founder and chairman of One Cause, an organization investing in education solutions for poverty. He studied management at Ashton University in Birmingham. Kishan loves tech, food, and startups. He is a big sports fan and plays about any sport but football is his number one.

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Episode Highlights:

01:18 Personalizing Food

06:28 Understanding the Local View of Food

12:38 Occasions Breed Innovation

17:40 Food and the Age of Information

21:57 Get Ready for Future Food-Tech London!