Squawk Pod Ivanka Trump, Chobani, & Savannah Bananas 9/12/25
Sep 12, 2025
Ivanka Trump, co-founder of Planet Harvest, discusses her partnership with Chobani's Hamdi Ulukaya to tackle food waste. They dive into the challenges of the food supply chain and innovative solutions for repurposing produce. Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas, shares how his team combines baseball and entertainment, captivating fans with their unique performances. Together, they explore sustainability in business and the importance of fan engagement, creating memorable experiences both on and off the field.
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Massive Field-Level Produce Waste
- Around 40% of some harvests are left in fields due to cosmetic specs, creating massive waste and lost farmer revenue.
- Planet Harvest aims to capture that value by buying whole harvests and rerouting produce into supply chains and products.
Scale Impact By Selling To Big Buyers
- Partner with large buyers to create demand and scale solutions for agricultural surplus quickly.
- Focus on big companies to drive volume, support farmers, and reshape supply chains for impact.
Profit Model Enables Structural Change
- A for-profit model can catalyze structural change faster than pure charity by creating sustainable demand for imperfect produce.
- Philanthropy remains part of the effort, but commercial scale unlocks systemic value for farmers and land.