Essential Ingredients Podcast

“The vast majority of animals who are raised in cages can barely move at the end of their life. They're in constant pain and constant suffering… Make an impact in the lives of so many animals to make their lives better!” 

- Josh Balk

Episode Description: 

Billions of factory farm animals suffer beyond the imaginable degree. Genetic modification, inhumane treatments, confinement, and other cruel ways are utilized to ensure high production at the lowest cost. Because of the high demand, these animals are often killed in large numbers in a very short time. A few months after they're born, they are already on their way to the slaughter house while their meat is tender. They are forced to forget their animal instincts as they only learned how painful it is to be born. They never see the sun nor how beautiful the world is. 

This is the reality of our world today. Profit comes before welfare. Animals are treated as commodities, as objects exploited by a greedy system. In this episode, we will uncover how grim this practice is for the animals, humans, and the environment.  Josh Balk, co-founder of Eat JUST, Inc., relates his undercover assignments inside farm factories and how the industry contributes to the disturbing state we are in. As a passionate advocate for animal welfare, Josh also talks about what’s currently being done to address this problem. Our goal should be to have tangible progress for the animals. Like us, they deserve to enjoy their lives.  As stewards of the earth, we hold the biggest responsibility to make this world a better place for the animals under our care. Tune in to learn how you can be a part of moving towards a more humane food system. 

Connect with Josh:

Josh Balk is the Vice President of Animal Welfare at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Farm Animals Division. He has led efforts to enact animal welfare policies with many of the world’s largest companies, including Walmart, Wendy’s, Kroger, Denny’s and dozens more. These policies have helped shift the food industry’s reliance on veal crates, gestation crates, battery cages and cruel methods of raising chickens in the meat industry. He's also been a leader in creating and supporting start-up animal-friendly companies, including co-founding JUST, and guiding investment firms and high net worth individuals to invest in this space. Balk also led discussions with the largest food service companies in creating the world’s first partnerships on shifting their focus to plant-based foods. On legislative priorities, he was a leader on successful campaigns passing laws for farm animals, including in California, Massachusetts, and Maine.

Prior to coming to The HSUS, Balk worked at Compassion Over Killing (COK) where he conducted investigations into factory farms and slaughterhouses, and launched one of our nation’s first advertising campaigns on farm animals. Balk’s work has been covered by the Associated Press, Fortune, CNN, New York Times, Washington Post and dozens of other outlets. He was inducted into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame in 2015.

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Episode Highlights:

01:06 Humane Society United States Role, Making A Difference To  Animal’s Lives

08:44 Transformational Campaign That Can Change The World

11:55 Companies Mandating Better Welfare For Animals

15:05 How We Can Better Help Animal’s Condition

21:56 How to Make an Impact

"It's necessary that we create a future-proof chocolate brand to de-risk the core supply chain."  -Max Marquart 

 “A lot of people are aware that meat is bad for the planet, that cheese is bad for the planet. But most people don't know about the devastating effects of our enormous production of global cocoa harvesting. It’s important for consumers to get educated about the problems.” -Sara Marquart

Episode Description: 

Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, ruby chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, sweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate -- How much do we love chocolates! 

Globally, the number of chocolates consumed each year is estimated to be at least 7.2 metric tons. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the chocolate industry is now a billion-dollar empire. 

Yet, this sweet treat has a bitter, darker secret. The cacao plant, the main component used in chocolate making, is a very controversial ingredient. It is strongly linked with deforestation and loss of biodiversity. With the high production demand, farmers are forced to clear forest lands and over use chemical fertilizers. These practices pollute the environment, affect human health, contribute to climate change, and displace animals that naturally inhabit the land. Moreover, history reveals that cacao farming is directly associated with increased poverty and child labor. In Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, the world's top producers of cocoa, there are 2.1 million children who still work in cacao fields. Sadly, even big chocolate companies have no way of telling whether there is no child labor involved in the cacaos they use in manufacturing. 

Fortunately, startups and innovators are making noble attempts to create more sustainable chocolate alternatives. Max and Sara Marquart are one with this endeavor. This sibling duo has recently launched QOA, the world's first 100% cocoa-free, gluten-free, allergen-free, lactose-free chocolate. As their chocolate is made from by-products, the whole process does not come with significant human and environmental consequences. 

Join us this week as Max and Sara share the processes that go with turning by-products into a future-proof chocolate brand, removing the risks in our supply chain, educating consumers to make more informed choices, and satisfying the world's needs without sacrificing sustainability. Tune in and learn how you can be part of the QOA mission!

Connect with Max and Sara Marquart: 

Max and Sara are both scientists who love food, science, and sustainability. And in their quest to weave together their passions, QOA was born. QOA manufactures the world’s first-ever 100% cocoa-free chocolate alternative. With Sara’s expertise in food chemistry and Max’s ability to build and grow a business, this venture is now getting recognition in many parts of the world for its contribution especially in promoting sustainable practices and creating healthy food alternatives. 

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Episode Highlights:

01:43 Cocoa vs Cacao

05:09 Sibling Entrepreneurs

07:05 A Much Bigger Problem

11:16 Cocoa and Its Global Effect

13:56 A Chocolate for You and the Planet

18:49 Join the QOA Mission

“A lot of intellectual curiosity we now have can influence the future of food because we develop something that has never been there before. And, while doing so, we also have a very positive impact on the planet because we can restructure how the value chain works.”  -Maximilian Bade 

Episode Description: 

Technological advancements and modern innovations have truly revolutionized the food industry. And many more founders, innovators, and entrepreneurs are stepping up to the plate as we continue our quest for practical long-term solutions. However, as much as they want to continue on this path, sometimes they lack adequate support. Thankfully, there are venture capitalists who are willing to invest in this arena. 

Maximilian Bade, founding partner at Nucleus Capital, is one who helps these purpose-driven entrepreneurs reach their goals. Nucleus Capital partners with founders and start-ups in the field of synthetic biology and climate and food technology. 

In this episode, Justine and Max will bring you into the world of investing and food tech. They discuss what makes food tech different from other investment opportunities and the countless possibilities that come with it in terms of creating a healthier, more sustainable food system for humans and the environment. Max also talks about the biggest problem we have in the industry today, how to drive our intellectual curiosity towards the right direction, and the benefits of being an expert of one rather than a generalist.     

The food industry can be divided into three: companies, regulatory boards, and consumers. If these components work together, we can restructure how the value chain works. Tune in and understand the different layers of what drives innovation. 

Connect with Maximilian Bade: 

Maximilian is the founding partner at Nucleus Capital, a new venture capital firm supporting purpose-driven entrepreneurs solving systemic challenges to planetary health. Their primary focus is on synthetic biology, climate and food technology. They partner with entrepreneurs at the nucleus of their journey, investing at the pre-seed stage, and supporting them to achieve their goals.  

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Episode Highlights:

01:09 Venturing Into Whole Food Tech 

05:45 What Makes Food Tech Different 

09:49 Meeting the Challenges

14:37 A Help for Founders

17:54 The Unending Possibilities in Food Tech Investment

21:02 Expert vs Generalists

“If we are going to fuel people with the types of foods that they should be eating, someone needs to shake things up.” - Kathryn Bernell

Episode Description:

reBLEND is primarily known for its tagline: "A Whole Lot of Impact in a Small Little Pop!" reBLEND produces healthy smoothie shot pops made from whole fruits, vegetables, and superfoods. It comes in a variety of flavors, kids and adults alike will surely love at any time of day!  

reBLEND’s CEO & Founder, Kathryn Bernell, learned about the staggering statistics of the food waste epidemic during her time at university.  With her passion ignited, Kathryn slowly began to create a meaningful way to seamlessly get fruits and veggies into people's diets. Currently, reBLEND is working with farmers and manufacturers to source imperfect produce and turn it into better-for-you food products. With this innovation, reBLEND strives to bridge the gap between food waste management and healthy food choices. 

In this episode, Justine and Kathryn show you a different way of thinking about convenience without compromise. They also talk about the vast opportunities available by revolutionizing food waste and ways we can fuel people with healthier food choices. There will be challenges along this path- and many will show a lack of interest. It takes patience and effort to transform into a new food system. Tune in as Kathryn shares how she was able to push through despite all the disappointments she faced. 

Connect with Kathryn:

Kathryn Bernell is the CEO and founder of reBLEND, a line of frozen smoothie pops packed with fruits, veggies, and superfoods, with a bold mission to radically tackle food waste. Kathryn previously spent 14 years in the food industry and took this experience to create these high impact smoothie shortcuts. reBLEND is built on a sourcing platform to reHARVEST + rePURPOSE fruits and vegetables that are not to cosmetic standards and would otherwise go to waste.

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Episode Highlights:

01:07 How ReBlend Started

08:05 Overcoming Challenges In Scaling Production

11:27 Know Your Why And Face Rejections with Grace

13:53 Building Supply Chain While Delivering Convenience

17:24 Never Give Up! 

“It makes you much more aware and [you] value each of those items as you build them back into your pantry and your repertoire.”-Maisie Ganzler

Episode Description:

Bon Appétit Management Company / BAM Co is a restaurant company that offers full food-service management in more than 1000 cafés in 33 states. Its mission is to weave in  "culinary expertise and commitment to socially responsible practices."  The chefs of BAM Co. create heavenly menus from scratch and follow strict kitchen standards to ensure health and sustainability. Maisie Ganzler is the Chief Strategy and Brand Officer of BAM Co. The company has successfully ramped up its tech development. In this episode, Maisie shares how they were able to utilize technology to provide their customers ease of access as they scan the menu, optimize menuing standards and balance, reduce food loss while multiplying impact, and empower their chefs to make better decisions. 

Connect with Maisie Ganzler:

Maisie Ganzler is the chief strategy and brand officer at Bon Appétit Management Company (BAM Co), where she oversees the company’s strategic initiatives, purchasing policies, culinary development, marketing, and communications. 

For more than 20 years with Bon Appétit, Maisie has been instrumental in the company’s efforts to deliver “food service for a sustainable future” in the areas of local purchasing, sustainable seafood, animal welfare, responsible antibiotics use, climate change, farmworkers’ rights, and waste reduction in accordance with the company’s mission to educate people about how their food choices affect the global environment and local economies.

She is an adviser to the Equitable Food Initiative, Fair Trade Colleges & Universities, the Resnick Program for Food Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law, Food System 6 Accelerator, Food What?, and Juma Ventures.

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Episode Highlights:

00:53 Figuring How To Serve Food In This New World

05:12 The Curated App

07:28 The Impact Of Food Standards Dashboard

11:28 Menu Engineering

14:28 The Impact Of Food To The Planet

17:43 To the Next Level

“Try to evolve into innovative ideas. Farmers are very important, but you should try to turn their mindsets into business people...that's definitely what will change the landscape of the food industry and will bring it more innovation and more sustainability.” 

- Joaquim Macedo de Sousa

Episode Description:

The Habitat for Business Innovation in Strategic Sectors (HIESE) serves as an innovation space that promotes entrepreneurship in rural areas. Launched in 2016, this business incubation facility in Quinta Vale do Espinhal, Penela, Portugal has 15 offices that accommodate companies in the critical early stages of their business. HIESE offers various services including physical and virtual incubation and acceleration programs, internationalization, training, and business planning.  

Business incubation is a process employed to help start-ups innovate and accelerate their growth. Learn more about this and other business development programs on this episode as Justine talks with Joaquim Macedo de Sousa, Executive Director of Rural Smart HIESE.  Joaquim shares the idea behind incubation and why it is especially needed in rural areas.  Justine and Joaquim also discuss how HIESE can help you turn your ideas into a successful business, how much it costs, how to apply (and get accepted) and more!  Entrepreneurs have a unique “DNA” that makes them distinct, and also capable of creating impact in a shorter period of time. The key is to continuously develop and make that impact sustainable. Failing is an expensive lesson, so before you launch, tune in and learn how you can turn hurdles into golden opportunities! 

Connect with Joaquim Macedo de Sousa: 

Born in 1978 in Braga, Joaquim lives in Coimbra, is married and has four children.

He  is  currently  the Executive  Director  of  HIESE  Habitat  for  Business  Innovation  in  the Strategic Sectors, a business incubator focused on entrepreneurship and innovation in rural  areas,  resulting  from  a  partnership  between  IPN Incubator

and  the  Municipality of Penela.  He  is  also a Professor  of  Entrepreneurship  and  Management  at  the  Coimbra Institute  of  Engineering.  As  an  entrepreneur, Joaquim  was the co-founder  of  several companies related to the food sector (technologies, agriculture and aquaculture).

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Episode Highlights:

01:14 Rural Incubation

05:02 What Makes Entrepreneurs Unique 

11:20 From Problem to Opportunity 

15:03 What is a Business Incubator? 

22:40 Geared Towards Sustainable Innovation 

“Everyone's energy levels shift and change. It's important to not put that pressure on ourselves.” 

- Katie Bressack

Hormones are our body's chemical messengers. They affect every bit of physiological function you can think of: growth, sleep, stress levels, blood sugar, childbirth, nursing, masculinity, femininity and even the period drama that women dread every month. It seems like the roles hormones play in our lives are impossible to count, so we need to take care of our hormonal health the best we can. One way we can do that is by keeping a strict watch on what we eat, how we eat, when we eat, and why we eat. 

In this episode, Justine and award-winning Holistic Health Coach Katie Bressack help you gain broader insight into how the foods we eat impact our hormonal health. They discuss how your eating habits affect your sleep, energy, mood, stress levels, menstruation, menopausal stages, and more. If you're hankering for carbs, sweets, or a caffeine fix, take a quick pause and hit play because Katie’s about to let you in on some secrets about those cravings and why they’re telling you about your body/health..  as Katie lets you in on some craving secrets!  

Connect with Katie Bressack:

Katie is an award-winning holistic health coach who specializes in women’s hormonal health. As a holistic nutritionist, she helps women prepare their bodies for pregnancy, increase energy levels, get their periods back on track, lose weight, eat healthier and maintain a balanced mood with 1-on-1 personalized nutrition and group programs.  She attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is Board Certified by the American Association for Drugless Practitioners (AADP). Katie has furthered her education through the Institute of The Psychology of Eating, Dr. Sara Gottfried and Nicole Jardim. She’s also a registered yoga instructor.

For ten years, Katie supported companies through corporate wellness programs in New York City and Los Angeles. She has partnered with Fortune 500 Companies including Mattel, Vice Media, Digitas, Karl Storz, Publicis Modem and Prodege. She previously worked in digital advertising and print journalism before pursuing a career in nutrition and wellness.

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Episode Highlights:

01:04 Understanding Hormonal Health

04:15 Food Impact On Our Body and Sleep Pattern

10:19 Hormonal Change and Aging

12:41 The Role Of Different Hormones

14:28 What To Eat And Do During Your Menstrual Cycle

19:30 Men and Hormones

 “If you recruit a thousand of your earliest supporters and champions and customers, as investors and owners of the business, they're going to be more loyal customers and more passionate brand ambassadors. And that is going to do good things for your revenue and help you win as a company and thrive over the coming years.” 

-Jonny Price

Episode Description:

Most people believe that investmenting is only for the rich and famous. That used to be the case; however, today doors have opened for fundraising and investment opportunities for the average investor.  Wefunder is a Public Benefit Corporation that focuses on small businesses, startups, and the public. Their mission is to fix capitalism and help founders take their shot. With as little as $100 dollars, a person can invest in a company he or she believes in and contribute to a greater good. To date, Wefunder has 1,367,945 angel investors and over $5 billion raised in venture capital. 

This episode is aimed at under-represented founders and entrepreneurs, who face prejudice in the industry because of status, ethnicity, gender, and a myriad of other reasons. Join Justine and Jonny Price, the VP of Fundraising at Wefunder as they walk you through the mission of the company, who can raise money through it, the restrictions and limitations that are present- and how you can benefit from it. Investing and fundraising is hard work- and often risky- but for an entrepreneur with a burning passion and a noble cause everything can be conquered. Tune in as Jonny shares THREE THINGS THAT CAN DETERMINE YOUR SUCCESS!

Connect with Jonny: 

Prior to becoming the VP of Fundraising at WeFunder, Jonny Price led the growth of Kiva US, where he served as Director until 2017. This trained him in many aspects of crowdfunding and fundraising. Jonny was also appointed by the Central Bank of the United States, Federal Reserve System Board of Governors as a member of the Community Advisory Council. 

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Episode Highlights:

01:45 What is Wefunder

04:24 Investments Made Easy! 

07:00 Who Can Raise Money Thru Wefunder

10:08 Restrictions and Limitations

“The way that you can frame up your diet and how you make your choices can make such a huge impact.” - Meghan Adelman

The market for organic products is now a billion-dollar industry. It is therefore no surprise that many companies claim to be "organic,” despite falling short of the actual rigorous standards that must be met to carry that label. Many so-called "organics" today are, in fact, heavily loaded with chemicals that harm the environment and negatively impact the health of consumers. So how do we know if the foods we’re eating are certified organic? 

This week, Justine interviews Meghan Adelman, Co-Founder of Navitas Organics. As a Certified B-Corporation, Navitas holds powerful credibility as it is expected to balance profit and purpose. Meghan became a vegetarian when she was 15 because of a generational health problem that runs in her family. Eventually, she and her husband built Navitas, which serves as a platform that "supports people in making healthy choices."  Navitas has a wide array of super foods to choose from. Now, people can enjoy a tasty way to get back in shape and optimize their health.

In this episode, Justine and Meghan discuss how to create resilience in the food system and how upholding smallholder farmers can solve a variety of problems. They also talk about what regenerative farming and raw foods really are and their actual benefits to our health and the environment. 

Connect with Meghan:

Meghan Adelman is the co-Founder of Navitas Organics, a Certified B-Corporation committed to creating a healthier world through regenerative organic farming and plant-forward lifestyles. She is a trained nurse that focuses on public health nutrition, wellness and lifestyle medicine. As an RN, MPH and successful healthy lifestyle business owner, Meghan focuses her efforts on improving generations of population health by relentlessly promoting the lifestyle-health connection and pushing for policy and legislative change to support people in making healthy choices.

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Episode Highlights:

01:27 Launching A Plant-based Company

04:03 The Raw Food Diet

08:53 Create Resilience In The Food System

11:02 Your Health, Your Choice

15:15 Regenerative- Its Meaning and Its Benefits

 “Let's remember how valuable our food and our resources are, and put it all to best use for creating delicious food to feed people.” -Daniel Kurzrock

Episode Description:

You’re in for a yummy treat! Audience favorite Daniel Kurzrock, the Co-Founder and Chief Grain Officer/CEO of ReGrained has returned to give us an update on the new products at ReGrained and dive deeper into upcycling. Daniel, a co-Founder of the Upcycled Food Association, joined us as our guest on S2 Ep6 of Essential Ingredients, where he talked about how to build an upcycle company.  ReGrained’s story started with two college friends trying to make their own beer. The grains they used in brewing initially ended up in a dumpster until they discovered they could use them to bake bread. Little did they realize they were up to something bigger! Grains from breweries are packed with proteins, prebiotics, and micronutrients. Soon, ReGrained’s SuperGrain+ was born. From this discovery, ReGrained was able to leverage it further by making innovative and savory treats that “align the food we eat with the planet and people we love.” (ReGrained’s mission) 

In this episode, Daniel shares a guest update on all the recent happenings at ReGrained, including new and exciting partnerships and products that bring upcycled food to the next level!  Learn about the benefits of upcycling and the growing number of companies changing the future of food through this system. If you are looking for a crouton alternative, soup topper, or puffed chips you can snack on, ReGrained introduces the world’s first puff snack powered by Supergrain+. This innovation proves that there is a tasty way to reduce food loss. Tune in and discover five bold and fun flavors that will hook your tastes buds! 

Tap into the upcycled food opportunity; be an Upcyclist! Stay tuned to find out how you can be a CERTIFIED Upcycle Company.  

Connect with Daniel:

Daniel Kurzrock is the Co-founder and Chief Grain Officer/CEO of ReGrained and a founding executive board member of the Upcycled Food Association. ReGrained is an ingredient platform and packaged foods innovator that specializes in upcycling overlooked and undervalued ingredients. Dan is also an entrepreneurial systems thinker and loves tackling seemingly intractable problems through creative entrepreneurship and cross-sectoral collaboration. Through ReGrained, he has become a thought-leader about food waste business models, "edible upcycling" and the circular economy for food.

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Episode Highlights:

01:09 Regrained Updates 

07:12 Tap Into Common Sense Kitchen Wisdom

14:28 Powered by Upcycled Products

17:25 Regrained Puffs with Fun Flavor

19:34 The Upcycled Food Association