The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light many realities that surround our existence and survival, including the importance of food. During the onslaught of the disease, restrictions on the movement of people and goods have resulted in the shortage of many basic commodities, and we realized that we can give up other supplies but not food. It was proven that whatever the circumstances, the demand for food across geographic locations and economic conditions will always remain relatively constant. The pandemic has also exposed the fragility of our food system and emphasized the need to accelerate innovation in order to
What is a Food Accelerator? Some enterprises use business accelerators and incubators interchangeably. But are they one and the same? Consider a business accelerator as hitting the gas or brakes, turning the steering wheel, and achieving velocity. Meanwhile, a business incubator is as simple as revving the engine. Both intend to reach a destination. In the business sense, accelerators speed up the growth—the “velocity”—of an existing or even already well-established company. Incubators, on the other hand, make business ideas “safe and warm” in order for these to grow. Although both provide
Entrepreneurs often have great business ideas but they are unsure how to execute these. Some have actual plans, but lack the resources, such as physical facilities and financing, to get the business up and running. Other entrepreneurs may lack the confidence to face perceived challenges, particularly if they are new to the industry in which they wish to carve a niche. This is where business incubator programs come in. An incubator program refers to a wide range of resources and services provided to help newly established businesses become viable and self-sustaining enterprises. Incubators generally groom a
Wonder Weed If a weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered, then seaweed is ready for rebranding. This food source, underutilized in the Western world, is rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron and iodine. To cultivate, seaweed requires no fresh water, no land, no chemical inputs, and no fertilizers, and it creates no nitrogen runoff. Furthermore, sea vegetables sequester carbon as they grow, helping to combat the effects of global warming and mitigate ocean acidification. When it comes to feeding a global population of 9.7 billion people in 2050, seaweed could play a large role in finding
Marketing guru, entrepreneur, and investor Stewart Owen has worked with Fortune 100 giants and startups alike. He shared insights from his vast experience working across industries as well as with sustainable, local, and mission-driven food brands with the founders of FoodFutureCo’s cohort companies, and now we want to share his wisdom with you. Here are Stewart’s ten time-tested ways to give your new business the best shot at success: 1. Be Ruthlessly Honest with Yourself Make sure your actions align with what your goals are. People sometimes say they want to change the world but then make decisions solely based on
It is no secret that food tech plays an important role in the future of our food system. From agricultural technology to patents, utilizing advancements in technology can be vital in the continuous evolution of our food system. Among these advancements, the increased use of AI or artificial intelligence in the food system is proving to be a powerful and useful tool. Sarah Lynch is the founder and CEO of Mama Gaia, a company building AI-powered, self-service Smart Fridges that are stocked daily with the freshest locally sourced grab-and-go food. Sarah and Mama Gaia were part of Cohort 6 of our accelerator, where Sarah
Nobody panic, but honey bees are lousy pollinators. They get a lot of credit for keeping our crops afloat, and an entire industry has evolved around trucking hives across the country to pollinate plums and almonds in California and tangerines in Florida, but it’s the 4,000 species of native bees who are the heroes of our produce aisles. From teddy bear bees and tickle bees to mud bees and squash bees, the diverse world of wild pollinators is critically important to our farms. In many cases, native pollinators do the heavy lifting while the honey bees get the glory. A 2014 study that evaluated 41 crop systems around
$636,000. This was the winning bid for a 467-pound bluefin tuna sold at auction this past January. In 2013, Kiyoshi Kimura—the victorious bidder and owner of the Sushizanmai chain—paid a landmark $1.76 million for a bluefin tuna. The output from the world’s fisheries seafood was valued at $246 billion worldwide in 2010. Needless to say, there is money in fish meat. But the profit comes at a cost. Bluefin tuna stocks are calculated to have fallen below three percent of their historic levels, and this story of depletion is echoed throughout the ocean. Overfishing and global warming have thrown fish stocks into
By now, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the world is facing a global water crisis. What is less apparent is how this crisis is intimately tied food—how we source, produce, and consume what we eat. In the face of drastic warnings of reduced freshwater around the world in coming decades (UNESCO has explicitly warned that climate change will alter the availability of water and threaten water security), it is important to identify what, exactly, a lack of freshwater means. What are the most urgent risks, and where will it take its highest toll? What are our best areas for innovation? Freshwater
Marketing is crucial for anyone looking to attract new customers and fend off competition in the highly competitive, multi-billion industry of food production and services. With countless food businesses out there, how can you create the best food business marketing plan? As with most industries, marketing campaigns for food businesses are not a simple or one step process. The key marketing strategy for food businesses is to first identify a target niche or customer segment. Based upon that target audience, the business must determine what message or unique selling proposition they are trying to communicate. Finally,