#eatfortheplanet With Nil Zacharias

If vibes can play a big role in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Elections, shouldn't we examine their role in food choices? This episode discusses why the plant-based food industry's focus on branding plant-based meat by emphasizing environmental and health benefits has failed to resonate with a consumers. A more effective branding strategy for alternative protein involves focusing on the "vibes"—the emotional and cultural context associated with food—rather than just facts and figures, aiming to make plant-based options feel more appealing and culturally relevant to diverse consumer groups. Companies mentioned in this episode: Plantega Beyond Meat – “Serve Love” Campaign / Beyond Meat (BYND) Q2 2024 Earnings Call Transcript Impossible Foods – Recipe for Disaster: Impossible Foods CEO Says Plant-Based Meat Marketing's 'Wokeness' Hurt the Category / Hot dog eating champ Joey Chestnut barred from competing in this year’s contest Music: Endless Inspiration (Vibe Street Mix) Learn more about your ad choice

This episode features Liron Nimrodi, the Co-Founder and CEO of Zero Egg. Animal friendly, sustainable, and a healthier alternative, Zero Egg is the plant-based egg for everyone. Zero Egg’s products are 100% plant-based, gluten-free, non-GMO, low in calories and fat, have zero cholesterol and are cleaner in terms of ingredient list (compared to other existing plant-based egg products) making them suitable for a range of dietary needs. Founded in 2018, the company believes the plant-based egg should be an everyday choice and is on a mission to make plant-based food accessible to everyone. With a feather-light footprint, Zero Egg offers the taste and texture of an ordinary egg, has better-for-you attributes, and is easy on the planet. It is made of plant proteins including soy, potatoes, peas, and chickpeas. Manufacturing Zero Egg uses radically less land, water, and energy, and produces significantly less greenhouse gas emissions than eggs from hens. Zero Egg is determined to meet the growing demand for egg al

The episode explores Nudge Theory, a behavioral economics concept used to guide better decisions through minor environmental changes. Plantega, a company making plant-based food accessible via a unique plant-based-deli-in-store model in New York City bodegas, employs Nudge Theory through strategic locations, appealing signage, choice architecture, simplification, sampling events, social proof, and incentives. By incorporating these tactics, Plantega has successfully launched across the city, encouraging thousands of consumers to choose plant-based options daily. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode discusses the plant-based food industry's evolution and future prospects, following the Gartner Hype Cycle. Despite a disillusionment phase, consumer demand remains strong, with plant-based food sales growing in 2022. To ensure continued growth, we need to focus on three pillars: Innovation (addressing nutritional concerns and offering global flavors), Accessibility (emphasizing foodservice and prepared frozen meals), and Sustainability (commitment to sustainable sourcing and regenerative agriculture practices). Alongside these pillars, changing public perceptions and raising awareness of the health and environmental benefits of plant-based food is crucial for the industry's ongoing growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elena Devis is on a mission to make Deliveroo the go-to delivery platform for plant-based food. As the Head of the Vegan Category, she works cross functionally with the Commercial, Marketing, Product and Sustainability teams to make it easier for consumers to find, and confidently order, plant-based food anytime, anywhere. Elena follows a plant-based diet and is really passionate about all things human and planetary health. Outside Deliveroo, she teaches meditation and hosts a Podcast in Spanish (Positivamente Presente), where she discusses different aspects of well-being with inspiring individuals from all walks of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samuel Dennigan is Founder and CEO of Strong Roots, a leading plant-based brand committed to planet-friendly food. Launched in 2015, Strong Roots are on a mission to provide tasty and environmentally responsible food for busy lives. Since its beginnings Strong Roots has become a firm favorite of consumers globally listing its Cauliflower Hash Browns, Sweet Potato Fries, Kale-and-Quinoa Burgers and other innovative products in over 10,000 stores worldwide including major retailers in the U.S., UK, and Ireland. Shop Strong Roots' New Frozen Meal Entrées here: shop.strongroots.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wildtype is a cultivated seafood brand on a mission to create the most sustainable seafood on earth, starting with their highly anticipated sushi-grade salmon. Aryé Elfenbein, a cardiologist, and Justin Kolbeck, a former U.S. diplomat, set out to protect our planet’s wilderness, and to reverse trends of global food insecurity. Using cellular agriculture techniques, Wildtype will provide consumers with a new option for real seafood that provides the same nutritional benefits as the most pristine wild-caught fish, without common contaminants such as mercury, microplastics, antibiotics, or pesticides and without relying on commercial fishing or fish farming. Wildtype is the first and only cultivated seafood brand to raise $100 million in Series B funding with high-profile investors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downing Jr., and Jeff Bezos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexis Gauthier is a multi-award-winning French chef and successful London restaurateur. In 2016 he became vegan, and in 2021 he removed all animal products from his restaurant menus entirely. From Avignon, in the south of France, Alexis began his career in the grand hotels of Nice and Monaco, under the eye of Chef Alain Ducasse. It was there he first began to form his fundamental cooking style, a light and uncomplicated celebration of the best seasonal produce, often led by fruits and vegetables, chosen instinctively and prepared intuitively. Opening Gauthier Soho in 2010, Alexis knew from the very beginning that vegetables would be a main focus, and made his vegetable menu stand shoulder to shoulder with the then classic gout du jour menu. In 2016, Alexis himself became vegan, and announced he was planning to turn the entire restaurant plant-based. In 2021, this became a reality, and Gauthier Soho became the first classical French fine-dining vegan restaurant in the world. He recently opened the more casua

Chad Rosen is the Founder & CEO of Victory Hemp Foods, a business-to-business primary food ingredient processing company that develops innovative technology to manufacture hemp grain into premier proteins and healthy fats for applications in food and beverage, skincare and cosmetics, and nutritional supplements. Victory Hemp Foods won the 2020 Hemp Innovation Challenge at the World Ag Expo® in Tulare, CA for the development of two proprietary ingredients, V-70 Hemp Heart Protein and V-ONE® Hemp Heart Oil. In addition to leading his company’s growth over the past six years, Chad has worked as an industry-wide advocate within the U.S. hemp grain supply chain and market and is dedicated to developing hemp grain as a significant and positive addition to American agriculture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is co-hosted by Ben Davis, Content Chair​ and Strategic Advisor of Plant Based World Expo and was produced in collaboration with Plant Based World Expo. Palak Patel is a classically trained chef, Host, Atlanta restaurant owner, and two time food network champion winner of Food Network’s famed shows Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay. Her new cookbook INVITED: Recipes for Joy and Connection debuts (Spring 24) with Harper Collins. She was a finalist on Food Network Star season 14. Most recently Palak hosted and produced a 5 episode digital series with Food Network called The Diwali Menu and appeared as a guest judge on Food Network’s newest competition series, Money Hungry. A TEDx speaker and chef at the Institute of Culinary Education, Palak has partnered with many high-profile brands like Microsoft, Sakara, BMW, Barclays and Clif Bar. She’s made on-camera appearances on the TODAY show, Food52 digital and Good Day Atlanta. Chef Patel was featured in an article entitled “The Women Of The Restaurant Indust

Serial social entrepreneur & trends forecaster Sonalie Figueiras is the founder & editor-in-chief of Green Queen, an award-winning impact media platform advocating for social & environmental change through inspiring & empowering original content and one of the world's leading outlets for alternative protein news. Green Queen is APAC's largest sustainability media as counted by website views. She is also the founder & CEO of Ekowarehouse, the global sourcing platform for certified organic products and the co-founder & CEO of SourceGreenPackaging.com, the world's first global marketplace for sustainable packaging with a mission to fight single-use plastic waste (pre-seed funded in May 2021). With over a decade of experience in publishing, digital marketing, organic trade, sustainability, alternative proteins and green packaging, she is an eco wellness industry veteran with a keen eye for market trends and a sought-after international speaker and moderator, sharing her expertise on stages across Asia and beyond,

Kobi Regev is a passionate New Yorker who happens to be vegan. Over the past 5 years he has become an expert in the development and production of plant based cheese. Together with his wife Abev, they switched to a plant-based diet in 2014, and the one thing we missed more than anything else was grabbing a slice of pizza from their favorite restaurants.  As New Yorkers, they couldn't find any cheese alternatives able to replicate the authentic New York pizza experience. So, they decided to do something about it, and Pleese Foods was born. The mission? To make the most delicious and functional plant-based alternative to dairy cheese that meets the perfect trifecta of taste, texture and melt. Pleese Foods products are all natural, vegan, kosher and perfect for people avoiding dairy, soy or nuts due to allergies or dietary restrictions. Pleese® has been tested and approved by the harshest food critics, picky eaters and kids from all age groups. Both Kobi and Abev are beyond grateful to everyone that helped and su

Le’Spencer Walker is Director of the Merchandising Vendor Development (MVD) team and lends his skills and leads in many areas at Target. Currently leading a team that identifies, develops and on-boards women and minority owned brands aligned to Target strategies. Over his 12 years at Target, he made and continues to make a conscientious effort to align his work with his passions through education with storytelling, creating authentic products, leveraging research to amplify strategy, building tools & resources for small minority owned businesses to help them succeed, and bring joy to all. He designed & developed 1000+ products with 7 patents, co-led the Target Owned Brand team communications strategy, former member of the Black History Month enterprise assortment team, and former chairman of The SQUAD - Target’s Owned Brand team engagement committee. A Jackson Mississippi native who resides in Minneapolis with his wife Lauren and two little ones. Purpose and family drives him; “purpose driven people, lead pur

This episode features Vincent "Buddy" Gillespie, Director of Culinary at JBH Advisory Group. Buddy has thirty years of experience in restaurants and hospitality markets with past projects that include fast casual restaurant development, kitchen design, creation of operational policies and procedures, financial assessment, menu and recipe development, operational assessment, manager recruitment and manager training. He was previously the Vice President of Culinary Operations for Dean & Deluca in the US. He developed the menu and all recipes for Dean & Deluca’s first restaurant, Dean & Deluca Stage, which opened in NYC’s meatpacking district in April 2019. He also was part of the development and oversaw the building of Dean & Deluca’s second 12,000 SQFT commissary in NYC for all the retail markets and catering department’s operations. He was one of the creators of Bonmi Restaurant, a fast-casual Vietnamese/Banh Mi sandwich shop with two locations in Manhattan. Bonmi was voted #8 on FastCasual.com Top 100 Movers

This episode features Rodd Willis, Director of Natural & Specialty at Dot Foods. His 25-year career at Dot Foods has included positions in sales, management, supply chain, and business development. He is based out of St. Louis, MO. He holds an MBA from the University of Missouri.  Dot Foods, Inc. carries 125,000 products from 1,020 food industry manufacturers making it the largest food industry redistributor in North America. Through Dot Transportation, Inc., an affiliate of Dot Foods, the company distributes foodservice, convenience, retail, and vending products to distributors in all 50 states and more than 55 countries. Topics Covered Dot Foods’ role in the food industry. Macro trends in food service and retail as we emerge out of the pandemic. Current state of the plant-based food industry and why Rodd and Dot Foods are bullish about the future of this category. Why Rodd believes meat and dairy alternatives will continue to grow and learn which sub-categories have the most (and least) growth potenti

This episode features Kelly Coffin, the Founder and CEO of WayFare Foods, a company that takes the finest whole, plant-based ingredients in the world, and turns them into products that are truly Simple, Delicious, and Amazing. You’ll find WayFare’s food foundations are always based on whole ingredients, and nothing else. WayFare’s mission is to bless our world by creating incredible products – all from plants. WayFare is sold in retail locations across the country and direct to consumer via their website. WayFare products are also used as ingredients by restaurants and bakeries in the U.S. and Canada. Show Page: https://eftp.co/wayfarefoods Newsletter signup: https://eftp.co/newsletter Follow us on Instagram Follow Nil Zacharias on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode features Julie Emmett, Sr. Director, Marketplace Development at Plant Based Foods Association and Sabina Vyas, Sr. Director, Impact Strategies at Plant Based Foods Association and is co-hosted by Ben Davis, VP of Content at Plant Based World Expo. Topics Covered Overview of partnership between Plant Based World Expo and Plant Based Foods Association and how it has benefited plant-based food companies Current priorities of retail buyers - questions they are asking and information they need to guide their decision making. What sales strategies have worked for brands in recent months and years + success stories Current food service landscape - what buyers are prioritizing and which areas are seeing some early momentum and opportunities. What attendees can expect from Plant Based World Expo 2022 - what's going to be different and how are buyers and brands approaching the show. Key issues that will be discussed during the conference. How does Plant Based Foods Association and Plant Based Wo

Anna Hammond is the Founder and CEO of Matriark Foods, a social and environmental impact food business that upcycles farm surplus and fresh-cut remnants into healthy, shelf-stable vegetable products for institutional foodservice. Matriark is building a circular food future, creating products that solve for inefficiencies in the supply chain while combating climate change and providing greater access to healthy food—at scale. Show Page: https://eftp.co/matriark-foods Newsletter signup: https://eftp.co/newsletter Follow us on Instagram Follow Nil Zacharias on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karana is a Singapore and US based company that makes meat from whole plants. Show Page: https://eftp.co/karana Newsletter signup: https://eftp.co/newsletter Follow us on Instagram Follow Nil Zacharias on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Garrett Broad is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University. His research and teaching focus on contemporary social movements, digital media technologies, and the food system. He is the author of More Than Just Food: Food Justice and Community Change, as well as a variety of articles on food's relationship to environmental sustainability, economic equity, and the health of humans and nonhuman animals. An engaged scholar, Professor Broad writes for both academic and public audiences, and works to develop collaborative research projects with a variety of social change-focused organizations. Show Page: https://eftp.co/garrett-broad Newsletter signup: https://eftp.co/newsletter Follow us on Instagram Follow Nil Zacharias on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices