The Genuinely Interested Podcast Ep 117 Arturo Elizondo - A New Vision Of Food
Arturo Elizondo is the co-founder & CEO of the biotech food company, The Every Company (formerly Clara Foods), and has also been featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Almost a decade ago Arturo decided to take a look at our broken food system and see what he could do to improve it. What he developed was a fermentation technology that uses yeast to convert sugar directly into egg proteins. The animal-free proteins are a cheaper and greener replacement for the vast quantities of eggs that go into everything from instant cakes, mayonnaise to dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals. Unlike most other alternative protein companies, The Every Company is (currently) strictly a B2B company - and with a recent $175 Million Series C round financing - they are well on their way to changing how we eat.
Arturo and I discussed:
- Why animals are incredibly inefficient protein machines
- His reason for starting the company
- Why Arturo decided to change the company name
- Why The Every Company decided to focus on B2B instead of B2C
- Being an "overnight success"
- Overcoming Self-doubt
- How our food choices affect the climate
- Their collaboration with Pressed Juicery
- What it's like being a first-time founder
- Pausing to appreciate your personal achievements
And much more...
My Take: Our food system is inefficient at best and completely unsustainable at worst. We need to figure out ways to feed the world that are less water-intensive, less carbon-intensive, and most importantly, are less meat-heavy. We can make small choices every day to support companies that align with our vision for a better, more environmentally conscious world.