In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm talks with Kasper Hulthin, co-founder of Kost Capital and Future Five, to unpack what it takes to build food startups that change the system. Kasper argues that creating better food is not about crafting the perfect health product for the elite, but about designing for impact, scale, and real-world distribution.They explore why traditional VC models often fail food startups, how founders can balance purpose with platform thinking, and what it means to move beyond “more alternatives” into a world of more and better.
Here’s what’s covered:
- 00:45 – Why “more” food options doesn’t always mean “better”
- 03:30 – Why optimizing for Whole Foods isn’t a scalable strategy
- 06:20 – The ketchup analogy: exclusive vs. inclusive innovation
- 10:15 – Scaling challenges: distribution, regulation, perception
- 14:05 – What founders miss about consumer routines
- 17:50 – Building platforms, not just products
- 21:10 – The role of storytelling in transforming food narratives
- 25:00 – What “better” really means: nutrition, access, equity