My Food Job Rocks!

Welcome to the 200th episode [part 1] I’m your host and food scientist, Adam Yee and you are listening to episode 200, where I interview a couple of dozen people about their food jobs. The party was super fun, a lot of my friends showed up and I loved interviewing them. You’ll get a variety of different guests. From young entrepreneurs to seasoned veterans, to people not even in the food industry. You’ll hear from some guests from past episodes as well, to see an update in their life. I’m so amazed that this little project could garner so much support, I don’t need to tell you this, you know. But thank you for supporting My Food Job Rocks. We have so many interviews that I have to split it up into two parts. Because I’m moving to Austin Texas and have a bunch of traveling to do before getting started at my new job at WeWork’s Food Labs, I’ll be launching the second part, next week. You can find timestamps on who’s on this section at our show notes: http://myfoodjobrocks.com/200Wow So enjoy this live recording of the 200th episode at My Food Job Rocks. Thank you Alyssa Pizzaro from the San Francisco WeWork Food Labs for the space. If there are any audio quality hiccups, let me know but keep in mind, that some things are out of my control. Let’s first start with a small message from Nicole Gallace from episode one and one-oh-one, who couldn’t make it. [Timestamp: 2:00] David Sheu CEO and Co-founder at Bear’s Nutrition [Timestamp: 2:30] A milk-based nutrition shake for kids. It’s been formulated by a certified child nutritionist and has funding from the American Milk Board. Thanks Brian Chau for inviting him. [Timestamp: 2:30] My Food Job Rocks -  I get to see the happy look on people’s faces when they try my product Geof Lambert from Sierra Nevada Farms [Timestamp: 9:18] Geof messaged me on facebook to see if he could use Better Meat Co products to enhance his pork products. He happened to be at the Salesforce event down the street so thanks Salesforce for bringing Geof to the event.  I mention a previous guest’s business, Crowd Cow that got Geof interested. My Food Job Rocks – I can meet with people who are passionate Jenise Vu  Founder of Side Hustle Wednesdays - Not a Food Company, but a friend in Sacramento [Timestamp: 15:15] Jenise drove all the way from Sacramento for this event and she’s not even in the food industry. Though she isn’t in the food industry, we’ve been kindred entrepreneurial spirits in Sacramento. She’s been a great person to bounce ideas and make tough decisions. We talk about the decision to move to Austin and what’s going through my head by doing this. Jenise has done some amazing things in Sacramento and I’m very proud of her growing into the mature entrepreneur she is today. We also talk about David Chan. I’ve interviewed David for a future episode, but you can check out his Instagram @Nichijou.ramen Michelle Flood Del Monte Manager [Timestamp: 26:00] I met Michelle at NCIFT as she and Erin were spearheading the NCIFT New Professionals Organization. I’d say it’s one of the most active groups in the IFT section. Meeting people who are around your age is super important especially professionally and I’m so glad to have been a part of helping them grow and I hope the people listening to this portion is that you can be like Michelle and start a young professionals organization. It just takes a small group of passionate individuals. My Food Job Rocks – The people, the company. I get to travel and I love the people. Relaxed atmosphere and Brian Chau CEO of Mycokind [Timestamp: 32:28] Brian Chau has been one of the most vital connection I’ve made in California and it started off with a mutual friend/roommate, Cory Yee. Thanks Cory! Brian and I have had super interesting career journies with different pathways and different perspectives so we always share the challenges of food entrepreneurship. Without Brian, I don’t think I could have survived as a food consultant. Anyways, Brian explains my new job at WeWork quite well, probably better than I would talk about it. Brain recently started Mycokind, his dream company. Can you guess what he sells? Innovative mushroom products! Brian will also be persuing a Phd soon so though our paths diverge, well, your paths never really diverge if you’re in food. Like me I guess, Brian’s journey is super diverse and you’ll be amazed in what he’s accomplished. Hear also, a rant about communicating food science to food businesses. My Food Job Rocks – Going back and humanizing the food component – It’s not just sterotypes, food humanizes Gesina Beckert  Partner Development at Fairtrade USA [Timestamp: 45:50] I met Gesina at Naturally Bay Area about two months ago and have been seeing her a lot over a short period of time. I love this because Naturally Bay Area has been a huge supporter in what I do and I really enjoyed supporting them. I’ve gotten a  ton of legitimate and powerful connections through the Naturally network, and from what I hear, Austin has a very big one. We talk a bit about Fair Trade and the fun Naturally Bay Area. My Food Job Rocks – I can connect people in distant countries and get them into the discussion Andrea Zeng Chocolate Technologist in Ghirardelli [Timestamp 54:31] Next guest is Andrea Zeng, a friend I knew since high school, someone I begged to interview at Lundberg Farms and we once in a while, keep in touch. Currently, she’s a chocolate technologist in Ghirardelli in the Bay Area. Andrea has always had a goal to work at a well-known chocolate company making new flavors and she did it. I too, had a goal and did it, but then I didn’t do it. So I talk a bit to Andrea about how it felt to achieve your dream, and to try and find something new. I ask Andrea how to become a product developer in something you love, and we both give some awesome advice. My Food Job Rocks – I get to work in a chocolate factory every day Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jane Miller is a food industry executive with experience ranging from high growth start-ups to Fortune 500 companies which includes companies like PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, Bimbo Bakeries, Heinz, Rudi’s Organic Bakery, and now Lily’s Sweets. What I love about Jane is her transparency and clear explanations on the complex questions I ask such as how to build a network, how to climb the corporate ladder, and how to not quit a job I think it’s because she also has an awesome career advice blog. We get into an interesting discussion about writing, and how it might improve your career and your life. And writing doesn’t have to be a blog, perhaps just a notebook will do. About Jane Miller Jane Miller has 30-years of executive experience in the food industry. She has worked with both start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. She is also the founder of Janeknows.com, a career advice website geared towards young leaders starting their careers. Jane is the author of Sleep your Way to the Top (and other myths about business success), a sassy business book targeted at Millennials. Jane is currently the CEO of Lily’s Sweets and has held several other CEO roles in the natural and organic industry, including Rudi’s Bakery, ProYo High Protein Ice Cream, and HannahMax Cookie Chips. Over the course of her career Jane was part of an executive team that brought Hostess out of bankruptcy, worked for HJ Heinz as the Chief Growth Officer and then the President of the UK & Ireland Division. She also ran the Western division of Bestfoods Baking. Jane spent the first fourteen years of her career at PepsiCo, where she rose to be the President of the Central division of Frito-Lay. Jane currently serves as a board member at the University of Colorado Leeds Business School and Eldorado Springs Artesian Water. In 2013 the Denver Business Journal named Jane the Lifetime Achievement Award Winner for her work mentoring young professionals and start-ups. Her other honors include the Boulder Chamber of Commerce’s Women Who Light the Community Award in 2015 and the Naturally Boulder Industry Leader Award in 2016. In 2015, Jane established the Jane Knows Scholarship Fund at Leeds supporting students who are the first in their family to go to college. In 2018, Leeds recognized Jane with a non-alumni service award. Jane has a degree in Russian Studies from Knox College in Galesburg, IL, where she received a 2017 Alumni Achievement Award. She earned her MBA degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Sponsor People have been saying My Food Job Rocks is a great food business podcast. If you’re a food entrepreneur or want to become one, I highly suggest doing your research. Luckily, my friend Rachel Zemser has the perfect resource for you. She has a book called the Food Business Toolkit that will help you understand everything about starting a food business from formulation to regulation. Use the code MYFOODJOBROCKS at the checkout for 10% off not only the book, but it also applies to an hour of consulting. As someone who’s started their own food business, acquiring knowledge is super important. You can find the book here: https://alacarteconnections.com/shop/ Money will come and go, but you’ll always run out of time so it’s very important to get the knowledge necessary to move forward. Show Notes When someone asks what you do for a living, what do you say?: I run a no-sugar added confections company What’s Lily’s:  we sell delicious tasting no-sugar chocolate Cynthia Tice – Founder of Lily’s We are going through a rebrand and are launching new SKUs like chocolate peanut butter cups What’s the history of Lily’s?: They got an account at Whole Foods in 2012 and grew a lot thanks to keto. We’re very popular with keto. When does a company need a CEO?: To fix something or to fulfill a skillset Who was your first hire?: I had a team consisting of head of Ops, head of Sales, head of marketing, and other things It’s very important to create a backbone to deliver a lot of value. You need processes in place if you’re hypergrowing How do you find A-players and how do you hire them to run a small company?: I knew my A-players very well. Reputation matters too. Always be out there and network. Since food is a collaborative effort, it’s not as hard as you think What’s your favorite networking tool?: Naturally Boulder and a lot of Naturally events Naturally: Bay Area, Chicago, Boulder How to get comfortable with networking: Everybody is interesting. Be confident and not be shy Did you ever think you’d be in the food industry?: I have a Russian major and I wanted to be a lawyer Though I got rejected from Frito-Lay at first, I got accepted a year later How do you progress?: You want to grow as a person and you have to do risky things and you have to be comfortable with change and growth Lily’s career: Frito Lay Kraft-Heinz Bimbo Bakery Rudi’s Hain’s Celestial Proyo HannahMax Cookie Chips Lilys Chocolate Jane Knows Blog – my second passion is to mentor the next generation of leaders. It’s not scaleable on a one-to-one basis Writing things down helps a ton and helps refine what you do and how you think My Food Job Rocks: I can’t wait to start work every single day Food Trends and Technology: The plant-based movement and how it’s affecting our food system Also how do we make natural and organic foods accessible to everyone? What is the biggest challenge in the industry?: Making great food affordable in the business perspective. Big companies require big changes and it can be slow What is one thing in the food industry you’d like to know more about?: Sustainability and innovative packaging PAC Expo – no sustainable packaging Book recommendations: Sleep your Way to the Top: And other Myths on Business Success Book about Mt. Everest – Into Thin Air Wild by Cheryl Strayed Tiny Beautiful Things Any advice going into the food industry?: Pick a company that’s lied up with your values, work hard, be adaptable, flexible, and have some fun. Where can we find you for advice?: Janeknows.com LinkedIn: I post more about Lily’s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Lerner started his career in the military, then jumped into an MBA, then in toilet paper, then food companies, then founded his own sparkling beverage company. And has been a CEO for multiple high growth startups and with that, tons of unique experiences to help you think differently and grow better. Since this episode is a long one, I’ll keep it short, you’ll get tons of advice about growing a world-class network and how to navigate the crazy waters when it comes to growing food businesses. I ask Scott some really challenging questions when it comes to finding good people and making tough decisions so I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do Sponsor People have been saying My Food Job Rocks is a great food business podcast. If you’re a food entrepreneur or want to become one, I highly suggest doing your research. Luckily, my friend Rachel Zemser has the perfect resource for you. She has a book called the Food Business Toolkit that will help you understand everything about starting a food business from formulation to regulation. Use the code MYFOODJOBROCKS at the checkout for 10% off not only the book, but it also applies to an hour of consulting. As someone who’s started their own food business, acquiring knowledge is super important. You can find the book here: https://alacarteconnections.com/shop/ Money will come and go, but you’ll always run out of time so it’s very important to get the knowledge necessary to move forward. Show Notes When someone asks what you do, what do you tell people?: I’m the CEO of farmhouse culture. I’m paid to run this company You’ve had multiple CEO roles. What does CEO mean to you?: The responsibility to have the final say on any decision. The CEO’s role is to first recruit the best talent and be the quality control person How do you hire the best people?: Later in my career, I’ve created a great network. When I work with great people, I hire them. I also like to “date” prospects. If I could spend some time over the course of weeks with them, I get to learn more about them. How do you meet people?: Trade shows work. I’ve also taught Entrepreneurship in Northwestern and I tell people to talk to people when you’re on the plane or even at tasting booths. I have a  goal to meet people in the industry. LinkedIn helps a ton too. Pepsi ConAgra Did you ever think that you’d get into food?: Not really but after my MBA, I was interested in CPG Kimberley Clark: Toilet paper company Marine Corps ConAgra Foods. Managing the Parque Brands – Margarine Why did you jump into your own company?: I worked on Naked Juice and then I had an opportunity to start a company. Solixer, a sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice wand botanicals. It was in 2008 but it was hard because the Beverage is super competitive. What was the most shocking thing about starting your own company?: You have to do everything. In the corporate world, you don’t even know how the product is shipped. Then after your job, you kept on jumping into CEO roles Tell me more about Farmhouse Culture?: Brand was started in 2008 by Kathrine Lurker. She was doing it on her own for a while and then brought on more investment. I came in when the company was plateauing, which is usually the case with new leadership. I like fixing things and I like having a gun to my head We’re now pruning the bush with getting rid of old products. We’re also rebranding and launching things like chips. I joined the company because the brand is super strong. Gut Shot Hard Things About Hard Things How do you transition in certain stages?: If your team is comfortable, then they’re losing and you have to make them uncomfortable to get them to grow How did you go into the Marine Corps?: I was recruited during college. However, I knew that it would be beneficial no matter what. My Food job Rocks: I love doing 100 different things because all of the things are interesting. For food, it not only gives you instant gratification but also to help the planet. With this company, we provide healthy food too, which is a plus. What type of trends are you noticing?: There’s a ton of new, healthy products but it’s hard to communicate to the consumers Most advocates are becoming food producers Plant-based meat is getting huge but is it healthy? Do you have a  favorite book?: I don’t read much, but I get a lot of my information from posts and conversations. I’ve read my share of books. I can get information from everywhere, even Shark Tank Any advice for anyone who wants to go into the food industry?: dabble in it. Go to a company and ask “hey can I help you out?”. Find out what you’re passionate about. Where can we find you for advice?: Hit me up through LinkedIn or Farmhouse Culture’s website. TERP1302 instagram The world doesn’t need another granola but you need to be different There’s not any more rocketships to land on, it’s competitive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evan Holod is the CEO of Michel Et Augustin, a cookie company located in France, but Evan is bringing it to the states with a colorful brand and personality Evan is a funny guy with a candid sense of humor but has a lot of wisdom to share about marketing brands like Bazooka Joe, Ring Pop, and Coca-Cola. Michel et Augustine is recently pushing into retail launching in many different grocery stores around the United States. We talk about how to reset your career trajectory, as Evan worked in finance for 7 years before getting a degree in marketing and starting as a marketing assistant for food, then worked his way up to CEO for food. We also talk about marketing tactics. From packaging to convincing people to go with your crazy ideas. About Evan Evan Holod is the CEO (and Chief Troublemaker) at Michel et Augustin, a leading French manufacturer founded in 2004 and known in Europe for their unique approach to everything. A lifelong eater, Evan spends his days with the unenviable task of introducing French pastry know-how to unsuspecting Americans. Whether ideating the next great Franco-American food innovation, securing a distribution deal, or participating in another grueling cookie taste test, Evan and his team of trublions (French for ‘troublemaker’) will stop at nothing to make sure that Americans of all ages have access to delicious, honestly indulgent cookies like their bestselling Cookie Squares (buttery shortbread cookie squares filled with a variety of different chocolate ganache recipes). Prior to his current adventure, Evan was the Brand Director for Coca-Cola in the U.S., responsible for developing and implementing the U.S. brand strategy, targeted marketing communications and advertising, and creating and executing programs like the “Share a Coke” campaign. Evan spent his early years in marketing at glacéau, working on the team that helped drive the growth of smartwater. Evan holds multiple degrees in unrelated and peculiar subjects, with a B.A. from Duke University in History and a Masters in Sports Marketing from NYU. Married for over 10 years and with 2 often lovable children, Evan and his family moved back to NY in 2018 and now reside in Brooklyn, NY. Sponsor The Cultured Meat Symposium is taking place in San Francisco on November 14-15th. Join experts from science, food, and tech industries to discuss the future of food. Join speakers from Aleph Farms, Finless Foods, Memphis Meats, Wild Type, IntegriCulture, VOW, the American Meat Science Association and more. Use coupon code MYFOODJOBROCKS20 for 20% off General Admission tickets. Or use this link here I’ll be there with a mobile podcast studio. See you there! Show Notes First sentences: I’m the chief troublemaker. We’re a cookie company that helps people brighten their day. Michel En Augustin – people who traded their suits for pastry hats. Our employees have to pass the French pastry exam We have one card for everyone. We have 11 of us in the United States so we all have it on the card. Michele and Augustin have been around for 15 years in France, but it’s so different in the United States Danone buyout Coca Cola Who was a mutual friend who introduced you to Augustine?: A French friend in Coca Cola How did you get to where you are today?: I used to work in investing but hated it after 7 years. I wanted to work in sports but my investor friend said to work in consumer goods. I got my degree in marketing and then got a job as a marketing assistant and rose to Coca-Cola and ended up having sports as my portfolio because Coca-Cola is the best brand in the world My role in coca-cola: my job is to recruit a new generation of coke drinkers There are tons of marketing divisions in coca-cola from stores Mexican Coke How do you convince people?: People need to trust you, but you have to bring people along in the beginning. People like to be involved Where do you manufacture?: In Europe, sometimes we have to ship by air to the US Where are you available?: Some SF stores, available at Safeway, Target, Shoprite, Fairway, 20% Coupon if you message Evan on LinkedIn We were slow on retail. We mostly focused on food service and front-end We decided to focus on multipacks. We had to do a lot of different ways to repackage. We had to do some of our manufacturing in the US such as packing products What is one thing in the food industry you’d like to know more about?: The science and the technical side. It’s a language I don’t speak or understand. I don’t like having to tap out of the conversation How do you learn?: I don’t read anymore. I’ve reached to a point where it’s more curated. Tom Goodwin, Mark Rittztons Where can we find you?: First Thrusday at 98 4th Street Open House 7-8pm at Brooklyn Facebook Page: Michel et Augustin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Heitzeberg is the CEO and Co-Founder of Crowd Cow, an e-commerce site that sells premium meat. And when I say premium, I mean meat straight from the farm, or Japan! We all hear about the innovations of alternative meat, plant-based or cell-based meat all over this podcast so I was delighted to interview a new perspective in the way we view protein, the fact that you can not only find out where your steak comes from, but how it was raised, what breed it is, and it’s delivered straight to your door. As long as it reduces the system in how we farm animals now, I’m all for it. Learn about how Joe pivoted the business from actually crowdfunding a cow, to building out a way to sell Wagyu beef to his customers. And most importantly, learn how innovation doesn’t have to be a new method of making meat, but maybe just showcasing old methods using modern technology. Sponsor The Cultured Meat Symposium is taking place in San Francisco on November 14-15th. Join experts from science, food, and tech industries to discuss the future of food. Join speakers from Aleph Farms, Finless Foods, Memphis Meats, Wild Type, IntegriCulture, VOW, the American Meat Science Association and more. Use coupon code MYFOODJOBROCKS20 for 20% off General Admission tickets. Or use this link here I’ll be there with a mobile podcast studio. See you there! Show Notes In a sentence or less: We help consumers know the source of their meat Why online? We can bring a richer experience than in the grocery store Why is the meat better?: The type of meat and what they eat is much higher quality. They’re well-taken care of Why did you start Crowd Cow?: When an Entrepreneur in Residence, one of my friends was bragging about getting a cow. I went to the farm with him and saw just how different it is to get a cow We first started with crowdfunding one cow, it was fun and engaging but in reality, it didn’t work Wagyu/Kobe Beef – called Koroge Washu, genetically, the marbling is different. We had to get it. We called the slaughterhouse in Japanese and asked them to sell us meat. I had to visit them to get their business. Why Does Your Food Job Rock?: I love learning the process and the consumer feedback What do you think about plant-based and cell-based?: Imitation is flattery. However, I agree that the industrialization of meat is an issue that they are trying to solve. We also have a way to fix it. People want an alternative to factory farming What’s the biggest challenge right now?: Reach and brand recognition Favorite resource: Badass: Making Users Awesome Any advice for entrepreneurs?: Keep one foot in front of the other, you’re farther than you think Also, be around people with founder empathy Until you’ve convinced someone to do things for free with no resources or brand, you’re not an entrepreneur Where can we find you for advice?: joe@crowdcow.com What’s your favorite beef right now?: We just launched an Iwate Wagyu beef. Even the less-marbled cuts taste amazing Are you sharing the efficiencies of your model verses factory farming?: Yes How can you get away from the commodity system?: The people who sell commodity meat don’t know or care about how special the beef is, we do   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat Fernandez, President of the Food Tech Club, interviews me at their UC Davis student meeting. Had a blast recording this live and great to give advice that I hope students find useful. Show Notes Mandy Jain Episode Kat Fernandez What Would You Want to Know as Freshman?: What food science actually is. Food scientists make food and feed the world What would you do if you were back as a freshman in college?: Do less. Instead of doing a dozen things, I would have focused on a few things Product Development Competition: Be aware of what’s trending such as probiotics, plant proteins, upcycled products, sustainable packaging. Ask for help whenever possible, especially ingredient-wise I’m taking a marketing class, how do I be different?: Blue Ocean Strategy Advice: You need a little red in the blue. Make a great product, and target a group with a lot of money. People can brag about the car Boca burger vs Beyond Meat Make a product that’s really good and market it in a very specific way The 10x rule Magic Spoon sells out What would you wish you’d learn in college?: Humility. School inherently teaches you not to fail. You can’t change it, but you can be a part of implementing cool things. After college, you might Why Does Your Food Job Rock?: I love being creative, but you might not be like me. What do you say to the haters?: I have no haters online. But it’s very hard to have everyone like you at work. How do you navigate workplace tribes? Be friends with people diagonally. That's higher-ups in different departments Alton Brown 5:3 ratio flour to water Sourdough Bread Clean Meat If you want to be an entrepreneur, be in companies that you have to know everything Claire Saffitz Oat Milk Yogurt Nugget How much money will you get as a food scientist?: 50-70k starting out. In 5 years, you can make $100k in California   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is with Akshita Iyers, CEO and Founder of Inirv, a smart kitchen tech company whose first product is a kitchen knob that you can control on your phone! Akshita Iyer started this company with her husband when her mother forgot to turn off the stovetop, and burnt down her house. At the time, Akshita and her husband were in the medical industry and dropped everything to build a company that would have more impact. I had a fun time with this live interview as we chat about building a smart kitchen device. From going on Shark Tank to asking amazing people for advice, we dive in on how to accelerate this process and you will be surprised how the process is very similar to a food business. This is one of two interviews I did live at SKS in Seattle last month. It was a super fun event, and I’ll go a little bit into it at the beginning of the episode. Learn the building blocks of building something as complex as a smart kitchen device. About Akshita Akshita is the co-founder and CEO of Inirv, an IoT company using connected devices to bring safety and simplicity to the kitchen. Akshita graduated from Duke University with a neuroscience degree and worked in the Duke Health System before becoming an entrepreneur. After her mom accidentally left the stove on and started a fire, Akshita founded Inirv to bring connectivity to the kitchen in the fastest, most affordable way. Inirv is reimagining the kitchen and transforming the way we cook at home. Sponsor The Cultured Meat Symposium is taking place in San Francisco on November 14-15th. Join experts from science, food, and tech industries to discuss the future of food. Join speakers from Aleph Farms, Finless Foods, Memphis Meats, Wild Type, IntegriCulture, VOW, the American Meat Science Association and more. Use coupon code MYFOODJOBROCKS20 for 20% off General Admission tickets. Or use this link here I’ll be there with a mobile podcast studio. See you there! Show Notes Adam Monologue Smart Kitchen Summit SKS Rakuten Optimism 2019 Cal Fussman's podcast Big Question Tim Ferriss Show Cal Fussman James Altucher Cal Fussman Marie Kondo Daymond John Faux Fried Chicken on Shark Tank Wild Earth on Shark Tank Intrapreneur  The Power Of Broke Paul Shapiro Smart Kitchen Summit I make products that help you cook safely at home At Inirv, we build connective devices to make things simple What’s your background?: I graduated in Duke and focused more on neuroscience. I always wanted to be an entrepreneur but after the accident, we thought this would be great to help a lot of people How did you think of this idea?: How do we control the appliance instead of solving the reaction? The threshold for a kitchen knob is very low and we’ve tested 100s of stoves to make sure we are compatible. We shipped product, 7000 people on the waitlist How can we get on your waitlist?: Just our website Inirv.com Shark Tank -How can you get on the show?: You can audition but we had someone reach out to us to be on the show. It took 9 months of diligence before we went to LA. You can be cut any time. 30000 people pitch, 150 pitch, 50 get on air. The first 30 seconds are scripted, once that’s over, it’s a complete free for all. There’s a 2 hour pitch. What have you found cool about SKS?: Great way to network Chefling What are your thoughts on kitchen devices?: We’re on the cusp of it. The tip of the iceberg Why do you love what you do?: I love building things. I didn’t have access to any resources but the passion helped built it up What are some challenges and solutions?: We were able to talk to the founders of other smart kitchen companies and it helped us a ton. How do you get through the noise?: Make your note personal. Do your research What’s your favorite resources?: How I built this by Guy Raz A book: Predictably Irrational. I actually took his class What is one piece of advice to start a tech company?: Surround yourself with amazing people. My family helped me a lot. We almost ran out money to manufacture it but we did it. Number one reason startups fail because founders get up We interviewed 100+ hardware founders about manufacturing akshita@inirv.com reach out on my website and linkedin What’s next?: Scaling production. Work with other players and appliance manufacturers. We’re exploring a lot of options Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn about how Renee Dunn from Amazi Foods fell in love with Uganda and how she found the company, pretty much by accident. But the real gem in this episode is getting into the thick of importing products from a different country. Renee established and built up a relationship with a person producing products in Uganda, but after some difficulties in communication and product delays switched to manufacturing their own facility. What are the pros and cons of having another company create your product? Especially if it’s in another country? You’ll find out in this episode. Sponsor People have been saying My Food Job Rocks is a great food business podcast. If you’re a food entrepreneur or want to become one, I highly suggest doing your research. Luckily, my friend Rachel Zemser has the perfect resource for you. She has a book called the Food Business Toolkit that will help you understand everything about starting a food business from formulation to regulation. Use the code MYFOODJOBROCKS at the checkout for 10% off not only the book, but it also applies to an hour of consulting. As someone who’s started their own food business, acquiring knowledge is super important. You can find the book here: https://alacarteconnections.com/shop/ Money will come and go, but you’ll always run out of time so it’s very important to get the knowledge necessary to move forward. Show Notes What do you do?: I work directly with farmer’s groups in Uganda to sell their products What are your products?: A jackfruit chew, a plantain chip and papaya strips Our most popular SKU is a salted olive oil plantain chips Gonja Crisps Amazi – means water in Uganda. It was originally a different name it was busy How did you found Amazi?: I studied abroad in Uganda. I first went in middle school. After going through being a yoga school manager, I quit and went to Uganda. I was asked if I had a booth in this Agprenuer event and made a company. Connected with someone who could sell products and went from there However, we are now building our own factory Why did you decide to build your own factory?: The lack of accountability and control and timeliness built up and we’ve decided to create a facility My Food Job Rocks: The business I created is a form of self-reflection Food trends and technology: Jackfruit is trending People are buying things based on what they stand for but the product must be good What is something in the food industry you’d like to know more about?: Technical Background Global Entrepreneur Summit in the Netherlands Social Impact Accelerator SEED SPOT Do you have any books you recommend?: I don’t really read business books but I get things via podcasts. How I Built This Ben and Jerrys Episode Delighted By Hummus – McKenzie Delighted By Food Podcast 5 Minute Journal Conscious Capitalism The Compound Effect The Power Of Habit Amazi Foods   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think of Mars, you might think of chocolate or pet food but have you ever thought about the important role Mars has on Food Safety? In fact, Mars recently launched a brand new, state of the art global food safety center right in the heart of China. Within this center, Mars employs top scientists to solve the world’s pressing food safety solution innovations including research on mycotoxins, pathogens and traceability Take a look at not only the Global Food Safety Center’s amazing technology, but also their amazing scientist and learn how Guangtao Zhang got into food, by taking the skills he learned in the pharmaceutical industry and applying it to food safety innovation. Sponsor People have been saying My Food Job Rocks is a great food business podcast. If you’re a food entrepreneur or want to become one, I highly suggest doing your research. Luckily, my friend Rachel Zemser has the perfect resource for you. She has a book called the Food Business Toolkit that will help you understand everything about starting a food business from formulation to regulation. Use the code MYFOODJOBROCKS at the checkout for 10% off not only the book, but it also applies to an hour of consulting. As someone who’s started their own food business, acquiring knowledge is super important. You can find the book here: https://alacarteconnections.com/shop/ Money will come and go, but you’ll always run out of time so it’s very important to get the knowledge necessary to move forward. Show Notes Mars’ global food safety center located in China We feel that China is so central to the world, we had to put it in there Mars sells to China: M and M’s, Snickers, Pet food, Dove Chocolate (dominant chocolate) Spicy Snicker’s Bar Mint flavored snicker’s bar What is the Global Food Safety Center?: Located in Bejing, 3000 sq m facility. Ampitheater that can host trainings and conferences. 30 people analytical BSL-2+ Very powerful analytical capabilities We look into three important areas in food safety research Mycotoxins Microbial Risk Management – Salmonella, E.coli Food Integrity – relatively new, knowns and unknowns in food contamination Also: Soft Tracking and Investigation Ultimately our goal is to prevent microbial incident How to reach Mars: marsGFSC.com How did you get int food safety: I started as a chemistry major focusing on inorganic materials. My academic background gave me a huge amount of technical knowledge. Postdoc in Cornell doing pharmaceuticals How do you find drugs?: It’s a very long process. Screening, until you get a hit. Then you do medicinal chemistry by changing the molecule. It can take decades and a lot of money to create a drug. What was your first job at Mars?: I was always in the food safety center. I started out in the analytical lab and now I’m the head of research in food safety Whole Genome Sequencing IAFP conference What is the biggest food safety problem?: Pathogens What is a good piece of advice: If you’re looking for a purposeful, multi disciplined job, this is it. marsgsfc.com or mars.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I met David Benzaquen, CEO and Co-founder of Ocean Hugger Foods, and his company at multiple different events and tried some of their sushi. As someone who’s in the space, I was super impressed. I’m always impressed with David’s network and because he’s so intertwined within the plant-based industry, I wanted to ask him why he decided to go into building businesses and how can we all can get started creating something impactful. Learn step by step how David built Ocean-Hugger Foods. From building his skillset at Plant-based Solutions to meeting the chef who had this crazy idea to turn tomatoes into tuna, to scaling big enough where they produce in the United States, Europe, and Asia. It’s an incredible story and I guarantee you’ll take something valuable out of it. About David David Benzaquen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ocean Hugger Foods, a company which manufactures plant-based seafood alternatives to address the overfishing crisis. The company has received innovation awards for its flagship Ahimi product from Whole Foods Market and Sysco, and has been heralded in the New York Times, USA Today, CBS Morning News and more. David has also served as an advisor to numerous plant-based food companies, accelerators and investors. Learn more about his company Ocean Hugger Foods at www.oceanhuggerfoods.com Sponsor People have been saying My Food Job Rocks is a great food business podcast. If you’re a food entrepreneur or want to become one, I highly suggest doing your research. Luckily, my friend Rachel Zemser has the perfect resource for you. She has a book called the Food Business Toolkit that will help you understand everything about starting a food business from formulation to regulation. Use the code MYFOODJOBROCKS at the checkout for 10% off not only the book, but it also applies to an hour of consulting. As someone who’s started their own food business, acquiring knowledge is super important. You can find the book here: https://alacarteconnections.com/shop/ Money will come and go, but you’ll always run out of time so it’s very important to get the knowledge necessary to move forward. Show Notes Who are you?: I’m the CEO of a plant-based fish company, Ocean Hugger Food James Corwell - CSO Tsukiji Fish Market – The auction off 4 million pounds of tuna How did you meet James?: I read about him and he launched a Kickstarter campaign I actually reached out to James on LinkedIn. My background was launching and scaling plant-based companies so it was a great skillset We hear each other speak in the conference and went from there Certified Master Chef Ahimi – tomato tuna We sell Ahimi in food services such as restaurant chefs and college and universities Can you describe your history?: I used to be an advocate, but I felt like it wasn’t impactful. I would start measuring marketing campaigns by doing experiments that changed their behavior Bolthouse farm and the baby carrot Paul Shapiro – Advocate to Entrepreneur Why do you think people switch from Advocate to Entrepreneur?: Food is emotional because it affects our emotions (taste, price, etc). Most people don’t have the time to educate, but they can make choices when they buy How have you seen the process of animal advocacy?: I learned that taking it slowly and meet them where they’re at and enter our world slowly. Flexitarian Mintel’s definition: half their meals are vegetarian What are the components to make a plant-based company?: Team, grit, and endurance Naming matter: We tried Tomato Sushi and it didn’t work. But Ahimi – Spirit of Tuna What does CEO mean to you?: Defines the path and direction and mission We produce in North America, Europe, Asia Unami – Unagi Eel Shelf-life: We flash-freeze our product to maintain maximum freshness National Restaurant Association Show My Food Job Rocks: I get to impact the world with delicious food DOT Foods Algae products Duckweed, Water Lentil What is the biggest challenge the food industry needs to face right now?: Inefficiencies in the system. The reason why we’re selling garbage is that we still believe that the consumer wants to have everything we want right now. This is changing Cargill – Head of the protein division is focusing on plant-based Tyson Foods is doing the same How do you compete on the price of meat?: The meat industry puts a lot of band-aids. It’s cheap and scale. For plants, we will get there, and that’s about investing in the growth of the crop and products Annie Ryu Jackfruit company What are the health benefits for Ahimi?: Fish has a lot of mercury and plastic in it. Our biggest fans are pregnant women actually. We haven’t found consumers to care about protein but they are about omegas What would you like to learn more of?: Molecular gastronomy Jeremy Piven Favorite book: Mission in the Bottle (Seth Goldman, Founder of Honest Tea, chairman of Beyond Meat) Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to start their own plant-based company?: Call me. But also go for it. Why does the world care about your product? There are many channels to get the word out there Perfect Day Foods Perfect Day ice Cream Plant-based Solutions - plantbasedsolutions.com Online Masterclass   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices