The Feed

Dane Atkinson is the Founder & CEO of Odeko, an online wholesale and technology platform powering a third of independent coffee shops across the US. In this episode we’ll talk about how Odeko’s reverse franchise model arms mom and pops against Starbucks, what the future of loyalty looks like for small businesses, and the myriad of ways technology can build sustainable local economies around the café ecosystem. Read the full HNGRY Trends article here

Zack Abbott is the founder & CEO of ZBiotics, a manufacturer of the world’s first genetically engineered probiotics. In this episode we’ll chat about how ZBiotics started with a product that aims to reduce the negative effects of hangovers, the current state of the sober-curious movement, and the implications of GMO labeling. Show notes: Get 15% off ZBiotics Read the full HNGRY Trends deep dive

Josh Hix is the Co-Founder and CEO of Season, a food-as-medicine platform that enables people with chronic conditions like diabetes to access healthy food through delivery services in partnership with their insurance provider. In this episode we’ll talk about the incentives of the healthcare system to support healthy eating, how Season was born out of meal kit startup Plated, and the role of data when it comes to at-home testing and nutrition.

Tim Luckow is the founder & CEO of Farm, a platform for investing in farmland to be used in various environmental projects such as regenerative agriculture and wind energy. In this episode we’ll talk about the challenges of quantifying natural capital, how Farm is building technology to identify investment opportunities, and how it’s championing collective land ownership to better align incentives between land owners, farmers, and ranchers.

Baris Karadogan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Jingle, a new hyperlocal marketplace enabling mobile commerce of artisanal foods like ice cream, prepared meals, pastas, and more. In this episode we’ll talk about the difficulty in scaling food truck-centered businesses like Wonder, the push vs. pull model of delivery, and how five-minute impulse deliveries from a van could be more sustainable than 15 or 30 minutes.

Yonatan Golan is the Co-Founder & CEO of Brevel, a startup growing microalgae indoors to be used as protein in dairy and meat alternatives. In this episode, we’ll chat about the difference between seaweed and microalgae, what its advantages are over conventional soy and pea-based proteins, and Brevel’s unique cultivation process that is able to help bring down its unit cost.

Len Sherman is an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School and author who has contributed to business publications such as Forbes, Wired, Financial Times, and The Economist. In this episode, we’ll chat about the macro backdrop that gave rise to on-demand restaurant and grocery delivery, breakdown various holes in current models, and discuss frameworks for success when it comes to delivering food profitably. Notes: "Why Uber Can't Make Money" "Why DoorDash Will Fail To Deliver Investor Returns" Follow Len on Twitter @lenshermanCBS

Jerry Weiner is a foodservice veteran responsible for building out fresh food programs at convenience chains like Rutter’s, MAPCO, and Crown. In this episode, we’ll chat about the history of kitchen automation like TurboChef convection ovens, how delivery services like Wonder are leveraging such technology, and the evolving roles of convenience stores when it comes to serving quality meals at breakfast, lunch, and dinner dayparts.

John Nelson is the Founder & CEO of Vroom Delivery, the first white-label online ordering platform designed exclusively for convenience stores. In this episode, we’ll chat about why the c-store industry is unique from grocery and restaurant categories, the technology stack powering these retailers, and how Vroom is helping smaller chains compete against players like Gopuff and DoorDash’s DashMart.

Stefan Kalb is the Co-Founder & CEO of Shelf Engine, an automated ordering and intelligent forecasting system that helps regional and national grocers like Target and Kroger improve their gross margins by an average of 30%. In this episode, we’ll chat about Shelf Engine’s unique pricing model that guarantees gross margin improvements, how it forecasts store-level inventory, and how its auto-replenishment modules create a better customer experience online and offline.