Ep. 8 - Erin Zhang (Business Development Executive at Green Monday)
Jul 1, 2022
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Erin Zhang, former Business Development Executive at Green Monday, discusses her journey and work in the alternative protein industry. Topics include promoting sustainable living through a plant-based diet, building relationships in the industry, hiring and growth at Green Monday, and encouraging involvement in the alternative protein field.
Erin Zhang's interest in the alternative protein industry was ignited by her childhood experiences of pollution in Shanghai and her curiosity about vegan diets.
The alternative protein industry in Asia presents challenges in marketing and acceptance, particularly with religious considerations, but also offers significant growth and innovation opportunities, particularly in non-dairy and seafood alternatives.
Deep dives
Passion for Sustainability and Veganism
Erin Zhang's journey into the alternative protein space was inspired by her childhood experiences of witnessing high pollution levels in Shanghai. She turned vegan in high school out of curiosity and health reasons, which led her to research the environmental and ethical benefits of vegan diets. This sparked her interest in the alternative protein industry and its potential to address environmental and animal welfare concerns.
Experience at Green Monday
During her university studies, Erin worked part-time for a startup consulting group in Shanghai, focusing on expanding the plant-based industry in China. This experience helped increase her network and knowledge of the plant-based industry, coinciding with the significant growth of the industry in 2020. Due to her impactful work, Erin was recruited by Green Monday, where she worked as a Business Development Executive. Her role involved maintaining and establishing client relationships within the hotel, restaurant, and coffee chains in Shanghai, bringing new plant-based options to the market.
Green Monday and Alternative Protein Landscape in Asia
Green Monday is a startup with a multi-venture platform, aiming to encourage sustainable living through adopting a plant-based diet. Its ventures include distributing the Omni Food brand, focusing on impact investments through Green Monday Ventures, and advocating sustainability initiatives through the Green Monday Foundation. The alternative protein landscape in Asia presents both challenges and opportunities. There are marketing and acceptance challenges due to the religious component of vegetarian meats, historically targeted at the Buddhist community. However, there is ample room for growth and innovation, especially in non-dairy solutions and seafood options. Job opportunities in the alternative protein space are expanding, with Singapore and Hong Kong currently being hotspots, while countries in the APAC region offer more potential for expansion.
Erin Zhang is a former Business Development Executive at Green Monday, a key driver of the alternative protein industry in Asia. While studying Environmental Policy at Occidental College, she worked at Green Initiatives and China Alternative Protein Solutions. The advice she offers is to be confident in yourself and express your passion.
Below are links to the resources discussed in this episode: