The Modern Acre 304: Building Carbon Neutral Dairy Products with Marcus Lovell Smith, CEO of Neutral Foods
Marcus Lovell Smith is the CEO of Neutral Foods, the first carbon neutral food company in the United States that debuted nationally in 2021 with organic whole and 2% milk products available in more than 2,000 grocery stores from coast to coast. An accomplished leader in sustainable agriculture, technology, and entrepreneurship, Marcus has a personal connection to the agricultural world and a passion for the urgent need to reshape its impact on the planet. Steadfast to make a difference in climate change, Marcus and his team at Neutral are partnering with farmers and ranchers to apply the latest in agricultural science, reduce their carbon footprints and boost the supply side of more sustainable dairy and beef products to meet growing demand from consumers looking to improve their carbon footprints. Marcus lives on a family farm in New Hampshire, Boggy Meadow, that produces artisanal cheese. He moved to the family farm 20 years ago and spent the first four years as a full-time dairy farmer and small business owner. Marcus has a personal understanding of farmers' challenges and an unwavering commitment to forging sustainable practices that protect the environment. Marcus remains a Special Advisor at Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Previously, he was the CTO of Google Fiber, a role that helped revolutionize fiber-optic internet and television services. He also served as the CEO of Diagnostics for All, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives in the developing world. Marcus has navigated Neutral Foods through its initial funding rounds. Under his guidance, the company closed a Series A funding round, securing $12 million, with Breakthrough Energy Ventures leading the investment. Notably, investors such as LeBron James, John Legend, and Questlove recognized the transformative potential of Neutral Foods, contributing, among other investors, to earlier seed rounds totaling approximately $8 million. Marcus is currently an Entrepreneur in Residence at Harvard University. He has been featured in The New York Times, CNBC.com, and on multiple live broadcasts of Cheddar News and local news stations nationwide.
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