The Feed

Gunpil Hwang is the co-founder & CEO of Aniai, a hamburger automation startup based in Seoul, Korea. I was also joined by Head of North American Sales Eric Hansen. In this episode, we’ll talk about Aniai’s first-principles approach to kitchen automation, how it’s different from competitors, and the current and future foodservice robotics landscape.

Anne Palermo is the Co-Founder & CEO of Aqua Cultured Foods, a startup developing whole-muscle cut alternatives to seafood using biomass fermentation. In this episode we’ll talk about the health and sustainability challenges facing traditional aquaculture, how AQUA is partnering with high-end restaurants, and the market opportunity to offer a high-fiber, lower-cost seafood alternative.

Cole Jones is the Founder & CEO of Local Line, an e-commerce network connecting local farmers with restaurants and grocers. In this episode, we’ll talk about the importance of keeping food dollars within local economies, how large QSRs like Chipotle are using the platform to purchase tens of millions of pounds of local produce, and how farmers can tap into a marketplace of buyers looking for new suppliers. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the HNGRY Newsletter

Ellen Brune is the VP of Product Management at AutoStore, a warehouse automation system for online grocery and e-commerce fulfillment for brands like Best Buy, Puma, HEB, and Giant. In this episode, we’ll discuss the tradeoffs between manual and automated grocery fulfillment, how automation can deliver groceries faster and more accurately, and how it might transform the physical shopping experience of the future. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the HNGRY Newsletter

Sai Alluri is the Co-Founder & CEO of Momos, an all-in-one customer engagement platform that helps restaurants grow and retain their guests. In this episode, we’ll talk about how Momos is consolidating email marketing and feedback management, leveraging AI, and how restaurants are using it to identify key areas to delight their customers. Subscribe to the HNGRY Newsletter

Micahel Robinov is the co-founder and CEO of Farm To People, a New York City-based grocery delivery service that procures fresh produce, meat, dairy, and more directly from local farmers. In this episode, we’ll talk about sourcing products from sustainably-grown purveyors, the unit economics powering its delivery service, and the future of hyperlocal, decentralized food production and distribution. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter

Derek G. Taylor is the founder of Menotti’s Coffee Shop and The Park, a on-chain DAO powering food, beverage, and music projects like Happy Friday Coffee. In this episode, we’ll chat about the potential to move offline communities on-chain, how blockchain can create more equity within hospitality, and the pure espresso technology behind Happy Friday Coffee that enables espresso to be served without any machines. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter

Nick Kenner is the Founder & CEO of Just Salad, a fast casual salad chain on a mission to unlock everyday health and sustainability. In this episode, we’ll chat about technology’s role when it comes to nutrition, automation, and retention, its reusable bowl program, and the whitespace opportunity for salad to steal share away from fast food. Sign up for the HNGRY newsletter

Marcus Antebi is the founder & CEO of goodsugar, a NYC-based quick service concept serving unpasteurized organic smoothies and juices as well as plant-based prepared foods and baked goods. In this episode, we’ll explore Marcus’ entrepreneurial journey including the founding story of Juice Press, his unique approach to culinary and retail, and his plans to expand into CPG. Full disclosure that unlike prior episodes, there is a lot of raw profanity in this conversation.

Kevin Brown is the Co-Founder & CEO of Innit, an AI platform purpose-built for large CPGs, grocers, and healthcare companies. In this episode, we’ll talk about the problems with off-the-shelf large language models in food, the future of personalized nutrition, and the promise of smart kitchens. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter