165. Biology Behind the Brands: Inside P&G’s Two-Century Story

Jan 23, 2026

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Karl and Erum sit down with Amy Trejo and Jose Carlos Garcia Garcia from Procter & Gamble to uncover how one of the world's largest consumer goods companies is leveraging biotechnology to innovate at unprecedented scale. Founded 189 years ago as a bio-waste upcycling partnership between a candle maker and a soap maker, P&G has always been rooted in biomaterials innovation—from pioneering laundry enzymes in the 1960s to developing cold water enzyme technologies that have saved billions in energy costs. Amy and JC reveal what makes biotech innovations stick in the marketplace (hint: it's all about performance), share candid advice for startups hoping to partner with P&G, and explain why the company views biotech as a critical enabler of both sustainability and superior consumer experiences. They discuss common misconceptions about working with large CPG companies, the importance of reducing ideas to practice, and how P&G's connect-and-develop model creates win-win partnerships that can impact billions of consumers worldwide. Whether you're a biotech founder, investor, or enthusiast curious about how innovative materials make it from lab to everyday products, this conversation offers rare insights into the intersection of consumer goods, biotechnology, and global scale manufacturing.

Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters:

(00:00:00) - Introduction and Opening Remarks
(00:01:00) - Erum's Article on Industrial Biomanufacturing for Lichen Ventures
(00:04:00) - The Vision of Boom Towns and Interplanetary Innovation
(00:07:00) - Introduction to Amy Trejo and JC Garcia Garcia from P&G
(00:11:00) - Amy and JC's Backgrounds and Roles at P&G
(00:13:00) - Biotech Innovations Throughout P&G's 189-Year History
(00:19:00) - What Makes Biotech Innovations Stick: Performance Over Everything
(00:22:00) - Biggest Misconceptions About Partnering with Large CPG Companies
(00:29:00) - How to Approach P&G: Show Product, Generate Data, Demonstrate Performance
(00:31:00) - The Power of Reapplication Across Product Categories
(00:35:00) - Successful Biotech Partnerships: SK-II, Align, New Chapter, Base Camp Research
(00:39:00) - What Catches P&G's Attention at Conferences and Trade Shows
(00:42:00) - The Role of Storytelling in Biotech Innovation and Consumer Engagement
(00:47:00) - Five-Year Vision: The Future of CPG and Biotech Partnerships
(00:49:00) - One Piece of Advice for Biotech Innovators: Reduce Ideas to Practice
(00:52:00) - Quickfire Questions with Amy and JC
(00:53:00) - Closing Thoughts: Impacting Billions of Lives Through Partnership
(00:54:00) - Karl and Erum's Recap and Key Takeaways

Links and Resources:

Topics Covered:

biotech, industry, biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, agriculture, agritech, strain engineering, biotech R&D, feedstocks, chemical engineering, bioengineering

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Music by: Nihilore

Production by: Amplafy Media