My Food Job Rocks!

Adam Yee
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May 7, 2018 • 52min

Ep. 120 – How to Build a Food Communication Platform

Today I help Debomitra Dey and Soniya Katekar design their website through a conference call. I’ve done this before, but I wanted to post this up so eventually, if you would like to create a blog, or Instagram account, or podcast, you can use this as a way to motivate you, or at least see how I get motivated to do things. In this episode, I drill down on the purpose on how I structure my website, and then talk about how committed you want this to be. More importantly, what are the steps and processes you need to focus on to go all out? I hope this episode will inspire you to create your own platform! Like Debomitra and Soniya, I’m always happy to chat with people who are trying out ways to educate people on science. After all, we are all in this together. Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. Nicole is offering free job postings in the next two months and I highly suggest taking this offer. Email nicole@foodgrads.com and she'll give you instructions. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Show Notes The Food Tech Club Soniya Katekar - Pretzel Baron Food Safety Manager Debomitra Dey - Equinox Lab Sensory Analyst Did you know: In India, if you tell anyone in Food Science, people think it’s cookingMindset: Treat this like a job, the only way you will make an impact is to post every day Website: You should focus on a way to have your reader “binge watch” your content Use bought wordpress themes for a template to get things up and running Spending money on things because it’s an investment SEO is ok, but consistent content is better Example of a good website: Mr. Money Mustache Website Tips Home Tab About Section Articles or other media Contact Tab Social Media Tab Right side of the column is to have: recent or best posts. Category list, banners to buy products Should you tag your posts on your website? I do tags on profession or category Gather people’s emails because it’s much better in the long run to collect emails How to get social media tracking:  Yea just post anything, often Books on Social media (Gary Vaynerchuk) Crush It Crushing It Jab Jab Jab Right Hook You should think about money when you make an online platform because you will be striving for value. This is a very hard thing to grasp. On guest blogging You should invite guest bloggers after you have a bunch of articles under your belt. Guest articles will help bring their audience over to your area On Linkedin posting Just test things out on social media until you find something that ticks On communicating to people about food scientist Talk big about food scientists. Don’t talk daily life. It’s too boring. Talk about how to feed the world through food. You have to take three steps back. Anyone can read a term paper, nobody reads textbooks, but people read stories On getting traction Post every single day Notable food influencers mentioned Meg and Cat Katie Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 30, 2018 • 1h 17min

Ep. 119 - Using Emerging Technology to Reinvent Tyson with Tom Mastrobuoni, CFO at Tyson Ventures

I’m sure you've heard a lot about Tyson Foods investing in a lot of cutting edge companies. Beyond Meat, Memphis Meats, and Tovala to name a few. I wanted to get to the bottom of this, so I asked Tom Mastrobuoni to talk about the reasons why Tyson is putting a stake into these companies. His answer surprised me. To get ahead and be truly innovative, Tyson knows that it has to be invested in these up and coming companies. I learned the complexities of why it’s a win-win situation for companies to partner with Tyson. For one, Tyson has a vast array of resources to help any food company out. The new food companies just have to innovative. One of the most valuable things in the interview is talking with Tom about the newest trends. Because Tom is at the cutting edge of the industry, I asked for his opinion on plant-based foods, clean meat, artificial intelligence, and blockchain, among others. If you want to know the hottest and most game changing food technologies, this is the episode you should listen to. I hope it inspires you to think big! Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. Nicole is offering free job postings in the next two months and I highly suggest taking this offer. Email nicole@foodgrads.com and she'll give you instructions. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Show Notes Michael Wolfe, The Spoon Fancy Food Show Do you have any airplane tips?: Nope! The aisle seat is better than middle sitting When someone asks what you do for a living, what do you do?: We run the venture arm of Tyson foods and we’re reinventing Tyson Foods What caused this?: We saw a shift in consumer demands and we needed to keep up. Tyson is 80 years old We’re a 2500 team with 100 location We not only do meat, but preprared foods 2nd largest producer of tortillas Tyson Ventures, a subsidiary: Focus on two things, sustainability and the internet of food Reese Schroder: Expert at Corporate Venturing Justin Whitmore: Executive VP of corporate strategy Chief Financial Officer: What does that mean? Well, technically, I’ve extended the role. I’m CFO+ now. Even though I still have to do financials, I love to work closely and source new ideas. Was being a CFO+ a requirement or a passion?: A passion. You have to work with people and connect with people, and understand their story. What is the misconception you like to dispel about Tyson?: If we invest in a company, that doesn’t mean we’re shifting completely to this. Tyson is big, we need to think how to handle disruption, so we look down the road in 5 to 10 years. We’re not shifting, we’re exploring In a theory point of view, investing in “competitors” is easy, executing it is super hard. The top leadership must be on board. Corporate Venture can be a force multiplier Tyson petfood Tyson tannery business (leather) When we approach a company, we don’t want to acquire it, but we want to be around it Describe the Steps to get to where you are today: Villanova University in Public Accounting Worked in New York around the big accounting firms, ended up creating own firm Opportunity for Tyson came up, everyone eats and I’m having a lot of fun. Tyson isn’t about making a profit or sucking up IP, we want to add value to companies and we have the resources How do you get to Tom’s level?: Do deals. Get a degree in accounting or financing. If you audit them, you can do it How did you apply for the job?: I applied for this job at an online job board Advanced Venture Partners Augusta Columbia Capital Good reputations are hard earned, they give the bad ones for free How do you find your deals?: Mainly our two pillars. Sustainability: Either alternative proteins or food waste fits in these pillars. Internet of Food: Disruptive marketing techniques, factory monitoring, enhancement of sustainability Perfect Day Tovalo Foodbytes How do you pitch an idea?: We find them, and they find us. But, we also look for competitors in that space and see who disrupts them. How to find competitors: Pitchbook, google, etc. We find competitors who are doing things more quietly, more thoughtfully, etc. How does interacting a deal work?: We usually email you with info about Tyson Ventures. 98% of the time, the company is super excited. We then have a 60-90 minute interview with a Subject Matter Expert at Tyson to grill the company. The results can range from pilot to non-investment collaborations. We want to add value to day one. Tyson is doing this so intimately because Tyson is a people business. We invest in the network. We make those warm introductions for them and it builds the network. Why Does Your Food job Rock?: Global Corporate Summit in California, my boss said I have a really cool job. I have the opportunity to change Tyson and I’m empowered to do so What is the most prominent or popular place for food companies? There are so many emerging ecosystems 1871 Plug and Play Chicagoland Food and Beverage The Hatchery, Chicago There’s so many and we don’t have the time to go to them Tyson Innovation Lab Let’s talk trends and technologies Plant Based Meat: On the board for Beyond Meat. Because they are targeting a bigger target market, and they have crisp distributions, this made sense. This is proof that this is not going away any time soon Clean Meat: Commercilization is up for grabs, I predict that once someone gets ahead, they will buy up their competitors. Really interesting space, we’d love to talk to people and give them resources. Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas. Though a long way away, we still need to know how to market it. We think food deserts and emerging nations would be the best avenue Complex=Expensive Internet of Things (for Food): Tovala, for example. Direct to Consumer is not a familiar angle for us. In Michael Wolfe’s podcast, you mentioned that you can get data from consumers really fast. Data is king for a consumer product. It’s changed so fast. Before, I had to write a letter to an airline. Now I can send an email and get my rewards points 30 seconds later. By investing in Tovala, we can get so much data on what they like and what didn’t they like. Uber is like hitchhiking on your phone. Tovala has their own forum where they can troubleshoot and innovate. We brought Tovala and Beyond Meat to our R+D Lab and asked how we can partner up. Blockchain: We have had meetings on blockchain to have more meetings about blockchain. We’ve announced IBM and Walmart partnerships. Most blockchain companies are hyper-focused SOX Compliance Someone has to be the certifying body for blockchain Artificial Intelligence, AR, VR: Safety AR VR might help with making the factory more safer We are looking into robotics and exoskeletons. Also market research is important. Upward Academy In all aspects, AI, AR, VR best in safety for the workers. Food Desserts: We’re working on making food cheaper and more affordable. The challenge is that doing this is a triple bottom line issue with profits. We want more community leaders to tell us how we can help. This is important. Do you have any advice for anyone to tackle something big?: Have the passion for it. Any time you do something big, it’ll be hard. Understand their perspective, why they’ll say no, and get them to yes. Books: Good to Great Where can we find you?: LinkedIn. Please make your profile open. I’m on twitter. Google Tyson Ventures that you can submit a form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 23, 2018 • 1h 6min

Ep. 118 - Breaking Down Branding with Fred Hart, Creative Director at Interact on Shelf

Fred Hart contacted me after listening to my interview with Hugh Thomas and was so inspired by it, he contacted me to be on the show. Fred’s pretty legit, he’s been a speaker for Expo West, has an awesomely inspiring team, and the dude just oozes passion. We talk a lot about the power of branding, and the nuances it really takes to make a brand stand out. We don’t only say the power of say, words, but the power of color, the power of being different, and small design tweaks to make it stand out. Other big topics are about my favorite topic, how to be more creative, why Boulder has such a powerful natural food community and the beauty of being obsessed with your work. Fred also was generous to share his expo west experience. Attached is his team's massive photo collection of the expo.  And his article about it! Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. Nicole is offering free job postings in the next two months and I highly suggest taking this offer. Email nicole@foodgrads.com and she'll give you instructions. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Show Notes How did you meet Hugh Thomas: Through BevNet. How did you meet Alex Oesterle: I’m in Boulder and he’s in Denver How did we all meet each other?: We’re obsessed When someone asks what you do for a living, what do you tell them?: I build food brands. I work at a creative agency, with 16 people, We work exclusively with the food and beverage company and work on packaging and brand consulting How do you prepare to brand?: Holy trinity: Client, Category, Consumer Client: Who’s the client? Category: For example, water is a commodity but can be branded to anything go to 14 food and beverage trade shows If it doesn’t resonate with the consumer Scenario, what’s more important, more claims or fewer claims?: If I throw you 6 tennis ball at once, you’ll probably not catch any of them. But throwing one is easy to catch. We want you to catch one. However, claims can be used abundantly People don’t read, but they recognize. Romancing the brand: Sprite: Hip hop Artists are like Sprites. Cool, icy or crisp. Bobo’s Oat Bars: Beyond being an oat bar, what makes this product unique?: The bar is named after her own daughter. Coffee shops exude this too so we sell Bobo’s at coffee shop Creativity is so subjective that there’s only variying degrees of wrong Is creativity a muscle?: I do, and I think that as kids we’re the most creative and we lose creativity though most people can build it up How do you train creativity: I break down creative pieces like documentaries and see how I can make it How Adam gets creative: I argue with different people and that’s a good thing. How do you Do people come to you or you go to them?: Clients come to us either through referrals or trade shows. Entrepreneurs who talk to us just get it and want to go forward. At the end of the day, it’s about sharing a vision. If you don’t want to have a beer with them, you shouldn’t be working with them. Did you join Interact in the beginning?: I left San Francisco 2.5 years ago to grow Interact from 3 people to 16 people. We went to their own branding Describe the steps it took to get to where you are today: In college, I didn’t party too much, but I loved the design. For design, do what you love, and the money will follow if you work hard enough. Food and Beverage Industry: Food and beverage is probably the most stimulating and captivating industry because it’s competitive design. No other industry competes with each other for the “share of stomach”. I have to interrupt a consumer’s shopping behavior. Interview with Alex Oesterle What catches your eye in grocery store?: People don’t read, they recognize. For example, Coke is red, Tiffany is teal. Color is huge. Brand identity is huge. For example, Monster Energy Monster claw. Shape too. For example, Voss water bottle. Method cleaning. The tear drop bottle. A lot of natural categories are switching to bright color. You should always challenge your catrgory, but not your consumer. We’d have to find different ways to see if the color is different, but effective Goodbelly – did not want to do white. They owned black and black is the color of efficacy. Color Psychology: We don’t adhere to it a lot because if everyone did it, everything would be red. You have to keep in mind the context of the brand How do you become more innovative?: It takes a willingness and a confidentness to take a leap of faith. Tension leads to attention. If I describe a cookie, it can’t be just any cookie. It has to be unique. Do you guys use small tests to show tension?: Depends. Small brands trust their gut. Big brands is a bit harder. For big brands, you have to maintain equity and give a breathe of fresh air. On buyouts: You have the chobani’s and KINDs of the word where they maintain their independence. The small companies can innovate, the big food has the power of scale. As long as big food leaves their acquisition alone, then it becomes beneficial. Annie’s Foods RX Bar Justin’s Nut Butter Independence is something that big food recognizes is really important. What kind of food trends and tech is really exciting you right now?: Cannabinoids. We’re in the heart of it in Colorado. Adaptogens are popping up too. Rebel Coffee is doing something. Ashwagandha Holy Basil About Cannabis and CBD: No market leader just yet. No one has necessarily been adding it directly to food. Is it legal?: It’s in this weird gray space. The biggest challenge the food industry has to face?: Better defining sustainability. It could be privatized, not heavily regulated, but it can be. Rotten documentary: It exposes the darker side. Boulder Colorado: Has a history of natural food. For example, White Wave Foods. Celestial Seasonings was founded here, a lot of outdoors Naturally Boulder Naturally San Francisco/Naturally Bay Area What is the one thing in the food industry you’d like to know more about?: The supply chain. How does it all work. Saffron Brands Chobani Was there a brand that inspired you to get into food?: Monster Energy Drinks. You can add so much to improve a food brand. Most people think that logos are word-based, but they are actually pictoral. Alex Oesterle’s interview with Brandon Roten and Wendy’s Some brands don’t want to be the best and use it as their advantage CEO of Taco Bell moves to Chipotle Even though Chipotle is taking a beating, it still has a strong brand integrity. If this CEO can activate that, it will work Missy Schaaphok Episode Kardashians tweet about Snapchat Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to go into your industry?: The creative industry is very blue collar. You need to let your obsession drive what you do. What’s your favorite interview question to ask?: If they were a crayon what would you be? Adam’s answer: Dark Blue Describe it to a blind person: Right before the sunset, that is dark blue. What do you think colleges should teach more of?: Soft skills Do you have any advice for speaking gigs?: Having something to say. Don’t talk about yourself but just share knowledge Keep doing some work. Post and talk on forums and blogposts. That’s how you build rapport John Kraven Where can we find you for advice?: Interact boulder Instagram. Fred@interactboulder.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 16, 2018 • 54min

Ep. 117 – Through the Lens of an Artist with Sebastien Dubois-Didcock, Freelance Food Photographer

Sebastien messaged me on linkedin and said he was impressed by his work. Being the snoop that I am, I checked out his profile and found he was a food photographer! Hmmmm I never had a food photographer on the show…. I decided to interview Sebastien to understand the art of photography and what I got out of it was an interview about the amazing feeling interviewing creative people. Sebastien isn’t just a photographer, I would say he is a sort of historian. He not only takes food photos, but also interviews and documents the works of chefs, hunters, anyone in the food industry really. If you like photography as a hobby, Sebastien gives some great tips not only in a  professional sense like what equipment to use, but also how to up your Instagram game. He also talks about the struggles of being a photography student in college and described the experience of making his family’s lobster bisque. About Sébastien Born into a culinary household and raised in some of the finest kitchens, Sébastien’s passion for food and hospitality runs throughout his veins. Somehow, convinced by his mother to never become a chef, Sébastien’s curiosity and creativity lead him to pursue another artistic discipline – Photography. Later marrying his love for the photographic medium with gastronomy, he quickly found his way back into the kitchen. Today, he utilizes his industry knowledge, kitchen mentality and artistic talent to create stories and visual content for clients around the world. Food | Place | Identity – a compilation of Sébastien’s photo essays, brings awareness to the significant rolls food & cooking have in societies and cultures. From small-town chefs and local farmers, to Three Star Michelin establishments, Sébastien travels the world to capture and tell the stories of the people who feed us. Photo essays from the Food | Place | Identity platform have been published by international publications since its debut in 2014. Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. Nicole is offering free job postings in the next two months and I highly suggest taking this offer. Email nicole@foodgrads.com and she'll give you instructions. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Show Notes   What do you tell people you do?: I’m a culinary photographer Anyone can be a food photographer, right?: I get this a lot I just make food look pretty. Through a lense and through the light. Other people make the food look pretty. Do you have a studio?: I freelance and I have an agent Can you give me your thought process when taking a picture?: I do both studio and documentary work. I do an interview process, I spend the day with them and capture what comes and find vantage points. What equipment do you use?: Cameras and lights. I use a 5D Mark 2 Canon and I have a  variety of Lenses. Gloss is what sets an image apart. For light, I use Speedatrons. Old but does the job. I shoot off of capture one when I take a photo and I use photoshop to edit them How to take better Instagram photos: Use natural lighting, find a window, play with composition Can you describe the steps to get to where you are today?: I went to university to study photography. My friend told me to shoot food because my family was so into food anyways. The classes I took reflected that I’m good with taking pictures of food. I started look at food from a philosophical and cultural perspective which gave my work depth. A lot of us underestimated get a job. I got an assistantship 4 months out of college. Even though he was a fashion photographer, there were similar principles. My rep officially took me on after that as an artist. How did people notice you?: I assisted the photographer on volunteer shoots in the past. The first shoot is for volunteering to see if it was even worth the work. I just kept in touch with him and developed a relationship. Be a really good assistant and keep hustling a portfolio and small gigs. What do you think is the most important skill you need for a Photographer?: Work on your concept and how you develop concepts. Try to be inspired and keep on being creative. How do you get inspired and creative?: Keep on researching and being aware of what you do. Talk to chefs, read everything. Food philosophy, food science, anything. Being involved in your industry and being passionate about it. There’s a great community in the food industry and we can push our industry forward. Why does your food job rock?: Other than playing with food, I get to meet some awesome people. Being able to talk to so many like-minded people is just an amazing experience. How do you develop your documentary work?: It was an offshoot to understand food and identity. It wasn’t just about food, but also the people and how food shapes their identity I recently documented a hunt What have you noticed to be the most interesting thing about people working for food: They’re all the same yet different. Chefs are crazy in the way. It takes a certain kind of people and it takes over their lives which is a good thing. At the end of the day, food is an act of love and it’s the central point of Creatives talk the same language and from a creative standpoint What would be a dream project?: If I could travel the world and document everything about it, I would love that. What is something in the food industry you’d like to know more about?: Food sciences, food history and how it shapes cultures. You can’t learn enough about it. Do you have any book recommendations for food people?: Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma. The Raw and the Cooked by Claude Lévi-Strauss One of the important books to read as a foodie. He kind of breaks down recipe writing and when to cook. It’s still very relevant to what food is. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harris Clean Meat by Paul Shapiro Favorite Quote: Luck is a matter of Preparation Meets Opportunity Favorite Kitchen Item: Spoon, a tasting spoon. We use it all the time. It’s the litmus test of food Favorite food: Homemade Lobster Bisque. The process of making it with family and having a specific flavor to it. Every time I have it, it’s been with people I love. Is there any advice you’d tell aspiring chefs?: Assess how passionate and how much you care about food before you get into it. It’s a very tough profession. There are a lot of small industry issues that young aspiring chefs don’t pay attention to. This might apply to all creative professions. If you were to tell yourself something valuable in the beginning of what you know now, what would it be?: Really talk things through with the subject that’s involved. Get to know the person a lot better. Where can we find you?: I’m traveling quite a bit. Online is best. Instagram: @sduboisd . I’m also in Toronto. www.duboisdidcock.com What was your annoying pet peeve on Instagram?: Crazy food fads like unicorn food and weird colored grilled cheese. Social pandering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 11, 2018 • 51min

Ep. 116 - [Northeastern Lecture Series] Ethics and Entrepreneurship with Keenan Davis, Serial Entrepreneur

This is my take on an entrepreneur interview. Most if not all of the questions are free form in some way so this was an…interesting episode. It takes a while for Keenan and I to warm up, to get on each other’s wavelength, but you’ll get some amazing dialog at the end of the episode. Originally supposed to be an episode about ethics, this became an episode about people. How do you find good people, what makes people tick, what makes them do good things, or bad things. Perhaps that’s the most important thing in entrepreneurship. Keenan does not hold back in this interviews and is a fiery and loud guest. He will bring some very controversial views. I ask you just listen. This is the end of our Northeastern Lecture Series. Next week we’ll be going back to our 1 episode a week format every Monday. See you next week! Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. Nicole is offering free job postings in the next two months and I highly suggest taking this offer. Email nicole@foodgrads.com and she'll give you instructions. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. What is your definition of a startup?: A project with zero funding and zero operations. It grows from zero to something. What industries have you been in?: Sports, education, men’s grooming What are the common theme for starting buisnesses?: An MBA will give you a perfect process using imperfect people. However, in my opinion, perfect people make an imperfect process work. If I have good people, it will work and be successful How do you hire people?: Talk to people you want to promote. Do you have an interview question that you find useful to vet people?: Not really. Find what people are passionate of. What do you think makes a person Ethical?: Clarity, Accountability, Vulnerable, we’ve all been let down, so we know what it looks like. Have you been in an unethical situation?: I’ve worked for some major brands, the whole system is unethical. What drives someone to be unethical?: Risk is based off of unpredictability, threat and fear. You have a decision to make not based on chance or likelihood based on threat or fear. How do you mitigate risk?: I’m more of a gambler. But still there’s a way I can migitate in the large term Why I started entrepreneurship: The risk aspect of entrepenuership because I defined what the risk was. Can you describe a favorite failure?: I started a sports agency. I saved $100k and gotten another $60k injection. Once it started losing money, I invested my 401k. When you’re an entrepreneur, you’ll risk a lot to achieve success. When did you have to let the project go?: I had near $168 dollars left to my name. I was at a dead end. No where left to go. How did you bounce back?: I applied for a craigslist job at an education startup. They’re looking for a college admissions startup. I didn’t have the street creds but I got the job. I worked my way up through contracts and I eventually took over the company. A friend of mine wants an R+D job but has quality experience. How can he get the R+D job?: I want to see work ethic. Were you promoted? Do you have experience in other sectors? You need to be well-rounded. Generally, that breeds self-confidence Should you work harder or work smarter?: People want to see you sweat. But you eventually find techniques that limit wasted motion. You’ve perfected the technique. People say practice makes perfect but if you practice mistakes, you’ll only make mistakes Books, Quotes, or Heroes: Humility is not about thinking less about yourself, but thinking about yourself less. I’m my biggest fan. I had to become my biggest fan. You’ll never have a more fair fight than the person in the mirror Dying a second time: How to not be forgotten How can we find out more about you?: Find him here How did you find Darin?: We were classmates but I found him different yet cool with.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 9, 2018 • 55min

Ep. 115 - [Northeastern Lecture Series] Mastering Analytics with Uwe Hohgrawe, Lead Faculty in Analytics, MPS at Northeastern University

As you’ve heard in episode 112 with Todd Barr and 114 with David Mahoney, Analytics becomes an ever powerful technology to save the world. Yet the subject is pretty dense and hard to grasp. In most cases, it requires coding. I bring Uwe Hohgrawe on the show to talk a bit more about analytics and his answers surprised me. It’s actually better to be a subject matter expert first and then dive into the analytics more than anything else. So this interview is much more about why Analytics is something you might need to invest in the future, especially if you want to make big changes in the food industry. Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. Nicole is offering free job postings in the next two months and I highly suggest taking this offer. Email nicole@foodgrads.com and she'll give you instructions. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Shownotes What do you tell people in a sentence or less?: I’m working for one of the most prestigious universities in the united states and I lead analytics The history of analytics Florence Nightengale was a Nurse/ first female statistician. Identified areas where soliders died more than other areas. It was more from diseases than wounds. Who else sues big data: Jeff Bezos. Sold books online but used Big Data to beautifully shape amazon’s philosophy “What is good for the customer is in the end, good for amazon” Different parts of analytics are outsourced: for example, you can buy data and buy visualization services. Analytics tools: Dope Sequel R Python Spark Is there anything that you’d like to dispel today?: I completely understand that people are scared of data. Even though we gather a ton of data, it’s for artificial intelligence. We use this to find new knowledge. Clean Meat – Paul Sharpiro’s book The best professionals in analytics are those who have the best knowledge about the domain. I started in the pharmaceutical business. I then became a social scientist and got into analytics, which helped me in the pharmaceutical industry. I was in charge of global analytics from Johnson and Johnson. What appealed you about North Eastern?: We incorporate real world data in NorthEastern. The students are also all around the world and I love it. Why do you love what you do?: I get feedback from students that are impactful. I love it when students get it. How can what you do, feed the world?: If we are able to have people buy stuff and control traffic, we should be able to identify hunger and find ways to feed people using analytics. How has science evolved?: When I started college, I used a dial telephone. We’re going faster and faster but the core remains the same. We have to deliver quality and answer the question What are your thoughts on Artificial Intelligence?: If it saves time and makes you more innovative, it’s worth it. Any advice for anyone in the food industry?: Know what you like to do. Talk to experts and get informed. For analytics, know math, statistics, some tools. Machine learning, predictive elements Where can we find you for advice?: Northeastern website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 4, 2018 • 48min

Ep. 114 – [Northeastern Lecture Series] Trade Secrets, Patents and Copyrights with David Mahoney, Senior Counsel at Indigo Ag, Inc.

Can you patent your grandma’s cookies? No, but it can be a trade secret. David works as a lawyer at a really cool company that you’ve probably never heard of: Indigo Ag. From what I've gathered, the company uses data and analytics to find the optimal place to grow plants all around the world. David’s path to being a lawyer was unconventional but synergizes very well with what he was passionate about. He was a scientist first, but was so good at arguing and logic, that he was recommended to be a lawyer. In the end, he was able to combine his love of science with his practice of law. A big portion of the podcast involves us talking about the difference between a trade secret, a patent and a copyright. Things that are confusing and there’s a lot of gray area, but it’s nice to know. I recall in this interview, I had a cold so I might sound a bit clogged up and congested.  Expect some loud coughs. Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. Nicole is offering free job postings in the next two months and I highly suggest taking this offer. Email nicole@foodgrads.com and she'll give you instructions. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Show Notes Dave is an expert in intellectual property who deals with patents When someone asks what you do for a living, what do you do for a sentence or less?; I’m an attorney. Or I work in a corporate setting protecting and licensing the technology. To average joes, I just say I work for technology companies. The perception on attorney’s: Like the 12am commercials on TV. Where do you work?: Indigo Ag Inc. Locations in Massachusets, Memphis, Tennesse, Brazil, Argentina Indigo Agriculture: Harness the microbiome technology for seeds and plants for the benefit of augmenting crop yields. The theory is that the microbiome in the soil will optimize growth in plants like drought tolerance, pesticide resistance, and other factors. These are all naturally occurring, non-GMO programs. We find what is out there in the environment that would benefit the growth of these plants. The hard part is finding the symbiome plant/fungi helping the plant grow. Partner’s program: will work with farmers and will guarantee paying a premium for their crops. This is due to the quality being better than what might be there otherwise. What’s the difference between intellectual property (IP) and patents? IP is the umbrella, patents include that. The IP umbrella: Patents, copyright, trademarks, and trade secrets Trademark: Partially bitten apple in the back of your laptop. It’s a well valued. Copyrights: Due to the rapid pace of technology, most software companies go this route. Doing anything is also copyrighting Trade Secrets: Recipes and formulations. You can protect it indefinitely as long as you keep it a secret. This is what the food industry does Patents: Public. Limited process time. The limit is about 20 years The most common, known way is the music industry. Everytime a song plays, they are charged a royalty fee. Penalties: If you find out KFC’s secret recipe, could you copy it?: They need to use reasonable measures. For example. If you are an employee and you steal a formula, you can be sued. If you sign an NDA or any employee confidentiality, you can get penalized for stealing. There is not an enforcement for fighting for a trade secret How did you get to where you are today?: I thought I was going to be a scientist but I found out that law would be the best path for me because I can argue really well. My score at the GRE told me I should work on the LSAT. Human Genome Project – David found many gray areas with the Human Genome Project in regaurds to law and it was the perfect intersection between science and law. My first job a laywer at a company that was searching genetic sequences automatically. Can you patent genes?: It’s really hard to patent genes. You have to know everything about the gene/microbe What do you think is the most important skill you need for your job?: Wisdom. Which comes from experience. Why does your food Job Rock: It rocks because they are trying to do something no one has done in the food industry. Why is what you do important for the global food supply?: 2 reasons. This technology is capable to use the unnoticed land to grow crops and would notify people to not hard vital areas that can grow crops. How will the future change be impacted in what you do?: Hopefully, we can impact agriculture that uses natural substances to make yields more robust. We can get rid of chemicals doing this. How has technology helped in what you do?: It allows us to screen tons of data really fast. How will artificial intelligence change food and agriculture careers?: it will benefit and change it. Artificial Intelligence will allow better prediction for physical microbiomes and research purposes. What is one significant example of what you do will benefit the world?: Things are built upon other things and we need to know how to access this technology. To truly improve technology, we need to collaborate but have agreements in place. Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to go into your field?: I don’t know if this is a field for everybody. In all seriousness, whatever field you go into you need to really believe in it. What I enjoy in my job is that I get to see stages in biology that is applicable to food and agriculture. We take for granted the ability to go to stores and buy great quality food no matter where we are. People don’t even think about where food comes from anymore. Do you think there will be more diversity in the world or less?: If we’re able to be productive and more mindful, then yes, I think we can.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 2, 2018 • 53min

Ep. 113 - [Northeastern Lecture Series] How to Be a Community Hero with Ted Johnson LPD, Senior Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice

If you’re in the non-profit space, what do you have to do to jump through the hoops and get funded on your project that will help your community? This is the question I asked Ted Johnson today. Ted leads an incubator that helps push these projects to get funded and we go through multiple scenarios on how to get community projects funded. This includes things I’ve never known. Some examples include ethnic based sororities and fraternities, kickstarters and go-fund-me’s. Other topics we talk about that are super interesting is the complexities of Food Deserts and the power of writing. We really stress the importance that everyone should learn to write and the best way to do it? Start a blog! About Ted Theodore R. Johnson is a senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice. Prior to joining the Brennan Center, Dr. Johnson was a national fellow at the New America Foundation, where he undertook projects on black voting behavior and the role of national solidarity in addressing racial inequality. Previously, he was a Commander in the United States Navy and, most recently, a research manager at Deloitte. You can read more about Ted here. Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. You can create a profile, add your resume and search for co-op, internships and full-time opportunities just for Food Grads. Employers can find you too, they can recruit you for jobs and projects they need help with to give you the relevant industry experience you need. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Show Notes What do you tell people in a  sentence or less: I study racial disparities and the implications those disparities have on public policy What do you do in the food realm?: There’s tons of data showing that communicates with less access to food have less access to healthy food. It’s hard to get a fresh piece of fruit in a food desert Food Desert: A geographic area where there is no access to fruit and evegtables. Healthy foods are not accessable. They form because grocery stores don’t find it economical to set up in poor neighborhoods How do you prevent food deserts?: The federal government has to get involved and the solution might be to give grants to innovative projects Urban Gardening Uber, Lyft, Airbnb: Sharing Economy How do people get funding for their projects?: there are a lot of places that want to invest in solutions Idea: Combining free breakfast and food trucks. This removes the pain point for kids on free lunch can get food right at their house and remove the stigma of free lunch. How to Get Funding Angel Investment and Community Crowdfunding helps a ton Black Fraternities and Sororities are actually one of the best ways to get funding as they are lifelong community activists Every culture has their way of giving back to the community. For example, Hispanics send money back to their homeland. Hispanic and South East Asians can pool community resources extremely well. Ted, what role do you play in this?: I’m at the federal level. I identify problems and find solutions and find the natural fit for the agency or policy maker. I put the human element in. I try to close the wage gap. Is that hard?: Super hard. It’s because of the politics. The decision makers think “how does this benefit me?” Can you describe the steps it took to get you where you are today?: Math major, ended up in the Navy in cyber security. Was a whitehouse fellow. During that time, I saw a lot of disparities in the black community so I focused the rest of my career on that. I spent my last few years in service getting my PhD in Public policy The Lesson in all of this: It’s NEVER too late to change yourself What is the most important skill you need for your job?: Writing. It’s a really effective way to communicate a complex problem to people who can build support. There is a talent to write short, long and book-length content. All are important. For me, I try to write lived experience. Not just data, stories Writing is a muscle. Start a blog. It gets your name out there. What is what you do important for the food system?: It impacts the global food supply because it makes food cheaper and people should be getting it. A lot of the food that grows is, unfortunately, going to processed food. How will the future change or be impacted by what you do?: If we figure this out, resources will be freed up to help us do more things. If people live higher quality lives and we get more talent, we can improve every aspect of our society. How has science and technology impact what you do?: Yield. The more food we have, the more it will help with our cause How will artificial intelligence change what we do in food and agriculture: It will free up a lot of mundane tasks and will help us make better decisions by recognizing problems we’d never discover. How can what you do help us as cities: The only ways companies will do things is if you buy more stuff. For example, if a chicken is free ranged, they will plaster it everywhere. We have to do the same with food disparity. Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to get into food policy?: Be specific. Find that passion in that discipline and go from there. Where can we find you: TheodoreRJohnson.com Everything is there. I talk about cybersecurity, racial security, everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Mar 28, 2018 • 59min

Ep. 112 - [Northeastern Lecture Series] Geospatial, Big Data and Precision Agriculture Todd Barr, Product Owner at Soulspec Solutions

  We shoot around the topic of big data around, but it’s hard for us to understand what that actually means. Luckily, Todd Barr helps break down not only Big Data, but also gives us a taste of the fascinating world of Geographic Information Systems, and Precision Agriculture. Using drones, tractors, or anything that scans data, Todd can gather mass amounts of data, organize it, and give hyper-targeted solutions on certain issues in the food realm. We give tons of examples of how this technology works. For example, we can fix farms really easily because we know what plots of lands need more water, and we know where to put Whole foods in which suburb because we know what type of people live there, This interview is admittedly really rocky, because I had a hard time trying to understand this! And I want to understand it so I ask a lot of questions. Todd does an amazing job breaking it down with examples on how precision agriculture can feed the world. The first half of the interview is very rough, but I want you to take note how I try and understand the technology and eventually we get to the heart of it. Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. You can create a profile, add your resume and search for co-op, internships and full-time opportunities just for Food Grads. Employers can find you too, they can recruit you for jobs and projects they need help with to give you the relevant industry experience you need. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Show Notes What do you do for a living?: I collect data using drones and satellites and analyze data. I color maps like a kindergartner Tractor technology: started as GPS, ended up using new technology. Post Katrina, they are self-driving and getting real-time data. People don’t realize what’s on a farm. There are automatic tractors nowadays Geospatial: is basically X Y Z data. Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Using technology and data to run spatial analytics to solve real-world problems Whole Foods and Trader Joes uses geospatial technology to plant their shops How did you get to the Big Data industry?: 20 years in Washington DC. Introduced through work and learned about it before big data was a thing. Where can you learn about Big Data?: Youtube has great videos, ESRI, Open Source, QGIS Where would you go first?: I’d join the spatial community on twitter #GIStribe and then go to youtube Can you give me an example on this technology?: We did a study on tractor accuracy so reduce how “off” they are in their path Another example: Scanning biomass of orange fields and tells you if biomass is a correlation of yield Is there any software you need?: You need to create a lake database and link it to a JSON file and you chunk it out to do the analysis. You can extract and input a row. We use cloud systems to handle the data. We use Amazon web services. What kind of skill do you need for your job?: You should know a bit about statistics but you should also learn to ask questions. Be interactive. Big Data is about volume velocity My Food Job Rocks: I make food cheaper, and I get to play with data. How do you make food cheaper?: We can scan a whole mass of data and find ways to reduce input. We can target an area that has problems and fine-tuning it. You spend less on resources. More and more farms are asking people to do this during the growing season What is Darin’s course: Darin’s course is about food security and this technology will help with solving food security. A lot of countries are now looking into this technology. Africa, for example, is getting a lot more yield with this technology. What is what you do important?: It’s going to make food cheaper because we can find pain points and reduce it. Planet Labs is taking pictures of the earth every day and the stuff gets processed in under 24 hours. Doves or small satellites. You can buy their services and get the big data. What up and coming technologies will help you in Precision Agriculture?: This technology will be cheaper. However, machine learning will improve this technology by a lot. What will AI do to your industry?: It will come up with recipes in what humans have been doing for years. So it would give you a recipe for maximum yield on a farm. When will this AI be coming?: It’s here, we need to convince people that it’s a proper ROI. Monsanto, Cargill is already implementing it. Medium-sized farms probably won’t buy it yet. How do you feel about self-driving cars?: I hate them. But I like assisted self-driving cars Other technologies: Vertical farming, Hydroponics, Stacking farms on top of each other Favorite book: Fahrenheit 451 Favorite Kitchen Item: Ipad. I can learn to cook or order from seamless. Amazon Echo Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to go to your field?: Don’t be afraid to ask questions, know statistics, don’t be afraid about a computer program. How to learn computer programming: Data camp (in browser coding). You should learn python if you want to go into Big Data. Really easy to learn Where can we find you?: Twitter (Spatial_punk). I havea blog at medium called Spatial Impressionism. Workshops: Spatial R and Spatial Squal classes at Colorado State and going to Miami and Ohio University   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Mar 26, 2018 • 48min

Ep. 111 - [Northeastern Lecture Series] - Food Fraud, Spying and Authenticity with Mitchell Weinburg, CEO of Inscatech

  To kick off our Northeastern Lecture Series, I give you an episode that feels like a spy flick than anything else. Mitchell leads and manages food spies who look for food fraud in various companies and his mission in life is to make food authentic. This was all inspired by a food safety incident in China. So this episode brings us to the complex world of food fraud, and how Mitchell promotes food authenticity through various services and non-profits. We also get into a discussion on blockchain. Though nobody seems to truly understand blockchain, Mitchell tells us why it might not be the panacea we’re looking for. We do this interview live with Mitchell conveniently at Phoenix at the time. Kinda cool, huh? Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. You can create a profile, add your resume and search for co-op, internships and full-time opportunities just for Food Grads. Employers can find you too, they can recruit you for jobs and projects they need help with to give you the relevant industry experience you need. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Show Notes What do you tell people you do?: I’m a Food Spy. I run a food intelligence gathering firm where I contract operatives all over the world What do these spies do?: very good at gaining employment and taking audio and pictures Examples: Melamine in China Honey Fraud Peanut Corporation of America In general, profit will always take over quality when push comes to shove Has quality improved since you started or not?: Consumers want quality, but there’s a chance that it can be clever marketing How do you get into a career in Food Fraud?: You have to try internally and create a system inside the company to test out. This takes a ton of courage. The European Union Regulatory Environment is much more honest compared to the United States. How did you get into food?: I was a lawyer in the semiconductor industry. When I was setting up an international trade company in China, I got some terrible food poisoning Most important skill you need in what you do?: Common Sense. Food Industry is complicating the issue Why Does Your Food Job Rocks?: It validates my mission in life Switzerland Organic Food (Bio). Nobody bought the lower priced produce because they know it's authentic. Why is what you do important in terms of the global food supply?: Because it’s global. We want to promote food authenticity. International Food Authenticity Non-Profit Trends and technologies: Why Michthell does not agree with Blockchain in a food fraud standpoint How will artificial intelligence change the future?: Artificial intelligence is honest and not greedy so it will help food fraud a lot What is one example that shows people that what you do is important?: This interview! Outside of the food industry, how can regulatory help others in the future?: We need better regulations. People in public affairs and public policy can help us push forward. How would they contact you?: Info@inscatech.com I am also googleable Any advice for anyone who wants to go into the industry: Go for it, but be passionate         Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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