Nordic FoodTech: Recent Episodes
Analisa Winther
Conversations with the leading entrepreneurs, organizations, ecosystem builders, and investors designing and enabling new food solutions in Scandinavia. Hosted by Analisa Winther. More information at www.nordicfoodtech.io
Top 50 Farmers is scaling regenerative agriculture by spotlighting and empowering the farmers leading the way. Their vision is to make regenerative agriculture the universal standard once again.
In this episode, Top 50 Farmers Co-Founders, AnalisaWinther and Cindie Christensen pull back the curtain on the organization’s fundraising journey. They discuss the importance of finding investors that align with your vision and values and how they managed to raise almost €1 million in grant funding as a first time project.
What we cover:
· The origin story of Top 50 Farmers
· Why it’s time for farmers to be recognized like chefs
· The barriers and opportunities of regenerative agriculture
· The values and vision that Top 50 Farmers is built on
· Top 50 Farmers fundraising process and the journey to raise and almost €1 million from the right funders
· Tips, strategies, and advice for anyone else looking to fundraise
Related Links
Top 50 Farmers
Future food revolution keynote
Leadership coaching
Connect with Cindie
Want to connect with Cindie? Subscribe to the Future Food newsletter to access her contact details and the episode transcript. You'll subscription will also power the production of more episodes like this. Get access now!
About Analisa WintherAnalisa Winther is an ecosystem developer, consultant, and executive coach for leaders working on food system transformation.
For more information on working together visit:
Website: www.analisawinther.com
Newsletter: www.analisawinther.substack.com
Instagram: @analisa.winther
Leading change through food requires a different mindset. It's not the same as building a tech or software company.
Over the years, I've coached an incredible portfolio of visionary leaders building a better future through food. Behind closed doors, I've noticed these leaders embracing a different approach to building organizations.
In this episode, you will learn the 5 leadership and mindset trends agrifood executives are using to drive change.
Epsisode Links
Get your ticket for Spot on Food here. Use the code FUTUREFOOD to receive 10% off at checkout.
Listen to the episode on personal due diligence here
About Your Host
Analisa Winther is an executive coach for leaders working on food system transformation and frequent speaker and MC for events on the future of food.
For more information on working together and to book a chemistry call visit:
Website: www.analisawinther.com
Newsletter: www.analisawinther.substack.com
Instagram: @analisa.winther
Show Host: Analisa Winther
Paul Greive is a regenerative farmer, entrepreneur, investor, and the founder of Pasturebird, the world's largest pasture raised poultry producer, Paul's team invented the automated range coop, which autonomously moves blocks of 6,000 broiler chickens to fresh pasture daily using a hundred percent solar power.
Pasturebird is one of the fastest growing brands in American retail meat. Join Paul in conversation with Analisa Winther to discuss Pasturebird’s startup journey, how they collaborated with Purdue to scale and have one of the largest exits in regenerative agriculture to date, as well as how they grew a family business into a movement to scale regenerative agriculture and pasture raised poultry in America and beyond.
What we cover:
- Paul's unique background: from Marine Corps sniper school toregenerative farming.
- The health journey that led Paul to discover the benefits ofa paleo diet.
- The inception of Primal Pastures and the rapid growth ofPasturebird.
- Explanation of pasture-raised poultry and its role inregenerative agriculture.
- Paul's collaboration with Purdue and scaling regenerativeagriculture.
- The importance of building strong company cultures anchoredin values and vision.
- How regenerative agriculture serves as a patriotic act forfuture generations.
Related Links
Get Real Chicken
Tour of Pasturebird
Top 50 Farmers
Future food revolution keynote
Leadership coaching
Connect with Pasturebird
Want to connect with Paul? Subscribe to theFuture Food newsletter to access her contact details and the episode transcript. You'll subscription will also power the production of more episodes like this.Get access now!
About Analisa Winther
Analisa Winther is an ecosystem developer, consultant, and executive coach for leaders working on food system transformation. For more information on working together visit:
Website:www.analisawinther.com
Newsletter: www.analisawinther.substack.com
Instagram:@analisa.winther
Show Host:Analisa Winther
Hashtags:
FutureFood,RegenerativeAgriculture, Sustainability, Collaboration, InnovationLeadership
In my executive coaching practice, I work with leaders who are building a better future through food. Over time, I have noticed that the most visionary leaders have three building blocks in place. They know their vision, values, and zones of genius.
In this minisode, Analisa Winther talks through the 3 hidden keys to being a visionary leader. If you're working on food system transformation, you're not going to want to miss them.
You will learn:
- How having a clear vision for yourself and the business will make everything flow more easily
- The importance of knowing your values to make more aligned decisions, delegate with confidence, and create a strong company culture
- Why staying in your zones of genius amplifies your impact and makes it easier for your team to support you
Related Links
1-1 Executive Leadership Coaching
Curious to join the Leadership Circle - a 3 month mastermind to delegate with ease? Send Analisa a message at analisa@analisawinther.com
About Analisa Winther
Analisa Winther is an ecosystem developer, consultant, and coach in the agrifood industry. Analisa advises corporations on where to partner and invest in the agrifood space and is an executive coach for vision leaders working on food system transformation.
Website: www.analisawinther.com
Newsletter: www.analisawinther.substack.com
Instagram: @analisa.winther
Show Host: Analisa Winther
In this episode of "Future Food" with Analisa Winther, we delve into the story of Leo with founder Laura Hernandez Espinosa, a unique gastronomic concept that offers immersive experiences in Bogotá, Colombia. From tasting menus that showcase the diverse flavors of Colombia to innovative cocktail pairings inspired by local ingredients, Leo embodies a philosophy of sustainability, cultural preservation, and social impact. Learn how Leo's founder, along with her son, a Colombian sommelier, have pioneered a culinary movement that celebrates Colombian traditions while empowering local communities.What we cover:● Unexpected Beginnings: Leo's founder transitioned from diplomacy to gastronomic ambassadorship for Colombia, driven by a passion for biodiversity and multiculturalism.● Gastronomy for Development: Leo's foundation FUNLEO empowers rural communities through sustainable food projects, using gastronomy as a tool for social impact and economic development.● Liquid Gastronomy: At Leo, traditional Colombian fermentations and distillates are spotlighted, offering a sensory experience reflecting the country's cultural heritage through innovative beverage pairing.● Culinary Innovation: Leo fosters a collaborative approach to culinary innovation, where the kitchen and bar seamlessly work together to create immersive dining experiences celebrating Colombian flavors and traditions.● Long-Term Relationships: Trust and synergy within the Leo team enable creative exploration and growth, emphasizing the importance of fostering long-term relationships for realizing their shared vision.Connect with Leo
Want to connect with Laura? Subscribe to the Future Food newsletter to access her contact details and the episode transcript. You'll subscription will also power the production of more episodes like this. Get access now!Related LinksAnalisa's Colombia Travel Tips: https://analisawinther.substack.com/p/colombiaKaffe Bueno on unleashing coffee's potential: https://nordicfoodtech.io/episode/kaffe-bueno/KBH Madhus on why bringing line cooks to the farm matters: https://nordicfoodtech.io/episode/13/Alchemist on restaurants as R&D centers: https://nordicfoodtech.io/episode/alchemists-diego-prado/Amass on creating a zero waste kitchen: https://nordicfoodtech.io/episode/amasss-kim-wejendorp/Bård Jervan on why tourism needs food: https://nordicfoodtech.io/episode/bard-jervan/Zotea Culinary Experience: http://zotea.org/en/About Analisa WintherAnalisa Winther is an ecosystem developer, consultant, and coach in the agrifood industry. Analisa advises corporations on where to partner and invest in the agrifood space and coaches startup founders helping them to attract the right investors and create their career.Website: www.analisawinther.comNewsletter: www.analisawinther.substack.comInstagram: @analisa.wintherShow Host: Analisa WintherJoin the communityThis show is listener-supported. Your contribution directly enables more awesome content like this. You’ll also get access to discounts, special events, and episode transcripts. 👉 Upgrade yourself hereHashtags#Gastronomy #ColombianCuisine #Biodiversity #Multiculturalism #SocialImpact #Sustainability #Innovation #CommunityEmpowerment #FoodCulture #CulinaryArts
For over a decade, I have been building innovation ecosystems and putting together investment and partnership deals to facilitate innovation.
In this minisode, I share my secret sauce for putting together long-lasting collaborations that drive impact: personal due diligence.
Personal due diligence is the process of getting to know the leaders behind a company to determine if you are a good fit to work together.
In this episode you will learn,
- 3 questions to start asking any prospective investor, partner, startup, employer, or hire to see if you are a match for doing business.
- What builds trust between organizations
- Analisa’s secret for conducting effective personal due diligence
- The method Analisa uses when working with CVCs like Paulig, IKEA, and Novozymes to put together investment and partnership deals
- How you can determine your organization’s vision and values
Links:
- Sign up for the Strategic Networking Course
- Podcast with Kaffe Bueno on unleashing coffee’s potential
- Paulig’s investment arm on the future of taste
- Love matchmaker on building strong business relationships
If you are interested in hosting a workshop for your organization to determine your vision and values, send Analisa a message on www.analisawinther.com
Estefania Simon-Sasyk is a Michelin-trained chef. After leading kitchens across Asia, South America, and Europe, her desire to make a broader impact led her to founding the innovation and new product development consultancy Mycelium Gastronomy.
Mycelium takes a unique approach to innovation management focusing on ethics and diversity of perspective to tackle critical issues around health, sustainability, and regional economic development.
Join Analisa Winther and Estefanis as they discuss the ethics of new product development and agrifood innovation.
What we cover:
- The next frontier for corporate innovation
- How Estefania went from working in Bali to the Basque Culinary Center and then founding Mycelium Gastronomy.
- The importance of collaboration to create lasting impact
- Inter-generational framework for innovation
- Innovation, diversity, and long-term thinking in organizational decision-making.
- Why lived experiences is the new google
- Aligning business and social impact in a corporate environment
Connect with Mycelium Gastronomy
Want to connect with Estefania? Subscribe to the Future Food newsletter to access her contact details and the episode transcript. Your subscription will also power the production of more episodes like this. Get access now!
Related Episodes:
Visionary Leadership coaching program
Corporate innovation consulting
Keynote: Creating Careers That Drive Innovation
Creating Your Career coaching program
Mycelium Gastronomy on the ethics of food innovation
About Analisa Winther
Analisa Winther is an ecosystem developer, consultant, and coach in the agrifood industry. Analisa advises corporations on where to partner and invest in the agrifood space and coaches startup founders helping them to attract the right investors and create their career.
Website: www.analisawinther.com
Newsletter: wwww.analisawinther.substack.com
Instagram: @analisa.winther
Show Host: Analisa Winther
Join the community
This show is listener-supported. Your contribution directly enables more awesome content like this. You’ll also get access to discounts, special events, and episode transcripts. 👉 Upgrade yourself here
Hashtags:
FutureFood, FoodInnovation, EthicalProductDevelopment, DiversityInclusion, Collaboration, Sustainability, EcosystemDevelopment, MyceliumGastronomy
I’m proud to sit on the Advisory Board of Sparks & Honey, a global consultancy that helps some of the world’s biggest brands understand explosive and immediate cultural shifts and adjust their strategies accordingly.
A few times a week Sparks & Honey hosts Cultural Briefings from their studio in NYC.
Last week, they hosted a briefing on the Biggest Food & Beverage Influences to watch in 2024.
I joined as the guest expert and the conversation was fire.
From Ozempic to AI, inflation to microplastics, we ran through the sociological, technological, economic, environmental, and political you need to know about.
Are you looking for a speaker for your next event?
I deliver keynotes on the future food revolution. On Zoom or in person, inspire your colleagues with an energizing talk about the trends, technologies, and business models influencing the future and how your org can play a role in shaping what’s et.
As an ecosystem developer, I've learned that why we gather and how we do it is key for breaking down silos, sparking innovation, disseminating information, and cross pollinating ideas.
I also know that to create a better future, we have to collaborate more. That mainly happens when we get to know each other, build trust, and don't see each other as "other."
In this episode, I share my philosophy for gathering diverse parts of the ecosystem and why it's so important to have an open mind and constantly seek to learn from others.
Ways to work with me
- Free masterclass on how I created my career: https://nordicfoodtech.io/about-creating-your-career/
- Book me to MC or keynote your event: https://nordicfoodtech.io/speaking/
- Investor and ecosystem services: https://nordicfoodtech.io/investor-services/
More information on www.analisawinther.com
Philippe Birker is the Founder of Climate Farmers, which supports European farmers across in the transition towards regenerative agriculture by providing a supportive community, context specific transition knowledge, and financing in the form of carbon and biodiversity credits.
Philippe is a part of Ashoka’s Changemaker community, the BMW Foundation Responsible Leader network, TED Countdown, Viva con Agua and the Love Foundation, which he co-founded in 2013. He also serves on the Board of Top 50 Farmers. When he is not attending events or visiting farmers, Philippe is living in the Serra da Estrella mountain range in central Portugal where he is rebuilding an abandoned village into a music and art residency combined with a regenerative farm.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How to scale regenerative agriculture in Europe
- Why we need new farmer role models
- Regenerative business models and how to find aligned financing as an impact company
- Stakeholder capitalism and the golden share
- Philippe’s backstory and journey into entrepreneurs
- Embracing regenerative principles as a leader and in your personal life
- Why a strong vision and values is key for creating change
Connect with Climate Farmers:
Want to connect with Philippe? Subscribe to the Future Food newsletter to access her contact details and the episode transcript. Your subscription will also power the production of more episodes like this. Get access now!
Related Episodes:
Creating Your Career
Visionary Leadership
Regenerative Leadership
Top 50 Farmers
Maliina Abelsen on Greenland’s Wisdom
Climate Farmers On Scaling Regenerative Agriculture in Europe
About Analisa Winther:
Analisa Winther is an ecosystem developer, consultant, and coach in the agrifood industry. Analisa advises corporations on where to partner and invest in the agrifood space and coaches startup founders helping them to attract the right investors and create their career.
Website: www.analisawinther.com
Newsletter: www.analisawinther.substack.com
Instagram: @analisa.winther
Show Host: Analisa Winther
Join the community:
This show is listener-supported. Your contribution directly enables more awesome content like this. You’ll also get access to discounts, special events, and episode transcripts. 👉 Upgrade yourself here
Hashtags:
FutureFood, RegenerativeAgriculture, Sustainability, Collaboration, InnovationLeadership
On a steamy summer day in NYC, I was interviewed by Businesstalk Henriette about how I created my career and built a life I love. We discuss why building a career you love is so important and how it ripples out to have a positive impact in the world. I also share how I work with visionary leaders to build their dreams.
For the full story on How I Created My Career download this free You'll learn the approach I teach my clients to build your dream life and career.
Ready to get started?
I offer two signature coaching programs:
🧑🎨 Creating Your Career is a launchpad for pivoting into a career you love. You will get clear about what you want to create next and then take steps to make it a reality. This program is all about making your dreams come true.
🚀 Visionary Leadership is for entrepreneurs building the companies of tomorrow. From attracting the right investors to building a strong organizational culture, managing employees, co-founder relationships, and holding the company vision no matter what, we work through it all so that you successfully build an organization that will change the world.
What’s the connection between hormonal health, nutrition, and our food system? Join Analisa in conversation with Haley Nicole, a women’s health and fertility guide. Haley started her women's health coaching business, Root & Womb Collective , in 2019 after a long and challenging journey with hormonal birth control. This episode aims to demystify the complexities of hormonal health and inspire listeners to foster a deeper connection with their bodies. Join Analisa and Haley as they discuss the role of hormones in both men and women’s health and how it connects to our food system.
What we cover:
- How hormones govern our body
- Why hormones are deeply influenced by the food we eat
- The difference between male and female hormonal health
- Eating to support your hormonal health
- How eating disorders impact hormonal health
- Birth control’s impact on hormonal health
Connect with Root & Womb Collective
Want to connect with Haley? Subscribe to the Future Food newsletter to access her contact details and the episode transcript. You'll subscription will also power the production of more episodes like this. Get access now!
About Analisa Winther
Analisa Winther is an ecosystem developer, consultant, and coach in the agrifood industry. Analisa advises corporations on where to partner and invest in the agrifood space and coaches startup founders helping them to attract the right investors and create their career.
Website: www.analisawinther.com
Newsletter: www.analisawinther.substack.com
Instagram: @analisa.winther
Show Host: Analisa Winther
Join the community
This show is listener-supported. Your contribution directly enables more awesome content like this. You’ll also get access to discounts, special events, and episode transcripts. 👉 Upgrade yourself here
Hashtags:
Future Food Podcast, Hormonal Health, Food System Collaboration, Women In Food, Wellness Journey, Menstrual Health, Cycle Health, Preconception
Changing the food system to meet the UN’s environmental goals could generate close to $10 trillion of additional revenue or cost savings.
This is a massive opportunity that will require unprecedented collaboration, new business models, technologies, and a fundamental shift in how we think about and interact with our food system.
In this episode, Analisa shares part of a keynote she delivered for EIT Food Sales Booster in cooperation with Katalista Ventures on the future of agriculture. You will hear how our food system got to where it is today, where we are headed, and why food is one of the most exciting industries to be working and investing in today.
Book Analisa as a Speaker
Looking for a speaker for your next event? Analisa Winther is a frequent speaker, MC, and workshop facilitator on the future of food. Whether in person or virtual, she brings high energy and a deep knowledge of the agrifood industry to the stage. Check out her portfolio and booking information here.
About Analisa Winther
Analisa Winther is an ecosystem developer, consultant, and coach in the food industry. Analisa advises corporations on where to partner and invest in the agrifood space. Analisa is also a coach to startup founders helping them to attract the right investors and individuals to create their career.
Website:www.analisawinther.com
Newsletter: www.analisawinther.substack.com
Instagram: @analisa.winther
Show Host:Analisa Winther
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Top 10 Startup Interviews
More episodes on farming
How a Norwegian family transitioned to regenerative farming
Tim Wendelboe on biological coffee farming
Meraki Impact on venture philantrhopy
Join the community
This show is listener-supported so your contribution directly enables more awesome content like this. You’ll also get access to discounts, special events, and episode transcripts. Upgrade here
In this episode of Future Food, we explore regenerative olive oil Analisa interviews Sarah Vachon, the CEO of UK-based Citizens Of Soil, which sources olive oil from female producers.
We talk about the fascinating history of olive oil from its importance in global trade to its healing health and beauty properties.
This episode also covers:
- why olive oil is about to have a movement similar to what we saw in specialty coffee and wine
- how to make sure you’re buying the best possible good liquid gold for your pantry
- olive oil flavor profiles
- the rise of female farmers producing regenerative olive oils
- challenges around fraud
- how farmers are tackling drought and wildfires in Southern Europe
- how Citizen of Soil’s business model minimizes waste and strives for a low carbon footprint
Connect with Citizens of Soil
Want to connect with Sarah? Subscribe to the Future Food newsletter to access her contact details and the e pisode transcript.
Your subscription will also power the production of more episodes like this. Get access now!
Connect with Analisa Winther
Newsletter: www.analisawinther.substack.com
Website: www.analisawinther.com
Instagram:@analisa.winther
Show Host:Analisa Winther
October 2022 I decided to start my own business. To make my 1 year business anniversary, this minisode gives an honest, behind the scene look into my journey, why I decided to take the leap, and what I've learned since then.
Upgrade your podcast subscription here
Work with me: www.analisawinther.com
Instagram: @analisa.winther
A few months ago, I was interviewed by Yoann Berno for his podcast Climate Insiders to talk about how I put together deals between startups and investors.
The conversation went so well that he then invited me back on hisshow to interview him about his backstory, which turned into a great conversation on how anyone can start angel investing in ClimateTech with food and agtech falling under this umbrella.
I've been angel investing for the last few years in startups in Europe and the US. I started angel investing because I wanted to know what it was like to have skin in the game. While I work for investors helping them to find deals related to the future of food, this work has always been with someone else's money. Actually stepping into the role of investor was a learning curve with its own risks and upsides. This is what Yoann Berno and I debunk in this episode as we share our personal experiences detailing how we went from VC to angel investing.
Related Links
Get 20% off Yoann's Investing in Climate Techcourse with code FRIENDS 20
Climate Insider's interview with me on what build strong investor-startup relationships
Meraki impact on investing in regenerative agriculture
Connect with Analisa
www.analisawinther.com
Investor Services
Speaking
Join the newsletter
Fernando Russo is the co-founder of Meraki Impact, a single family office from Brazil dedicated to investments in regenerative agriculture, forest and the future of sustainable food production. Guided by venture philanthropy, Meraki Impact has made dozens of investments in technology to enable the scale of regenerative agriculture and in large scale regenerative agriculture farms in Latin America and Europe.
In this episode, we discuss Fernando's uncommon career path. He used to work for Playboy and AB InBev before he pivoted to food. We also explain what regenerative agriculture is, the industry's potential, and technology enablers. Fernando also explains how they use the venture philanthropy model to invest in pioneering startups as well as grassroots initiatives, especially related to regenerating the Amazon rain forest.
Become a subscriber
Want to connect with Fernando? Subscribe to the Future Food newsletter to access his contact details and the episode transcript. You'll subscription will also power the production of more episodes like this. Get access now
Connect with Analisa
www.analisawinther.com
Investor Services
Speaking
Related Episodes
Food investors playlist
The future of farming
In 2007, journalist Teun van de Keuken turned himself in for eating chocolate. He claimed that by buying chocolate he was benefiting from child slavery and he wasn’t wrong.
The cocoa supply chain is shaped like an hourglass. The chain starts with millions of farmers that produce cocoa and ends with the billions of consumers like us that enjoy chocolate.
But what about the bit in between?
This section is dominated by a small group of chocolate giants that profit from keeping the cocoa purchasing price as low as possible. For the farmers, this creates a poverty trap that leads to illegal child labor and modern slavery.
From this revelation, Tony’s Chocolonely was born. By raising awareness with great marketing, leading by example in producing their own chocolate, and inspiring othersto act with initatives like the Open Chain they aim to make 100% slave free chocolate the industry norm.
Today’s episode is an awesome example of how a strong vision can shift an industry. I sit down with Joke Aerts to discuss how Tony's got started, how the chocolate supply chain works, the power of transparency and collaborations, and how we can make 100% slave free chocolate the industry norm.
Connect with Analisa
Website: www.analisawinther.com
Coaching Programs: https://nordicfoodtech.io/startup-services/
Investor Services: https://nordicfoodtech.io/investor-services/
Speaking: https://nordicfoodtech.io/speaking/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/analisa.winther/
Give Thanks To The Show
Has the show helped you learn about the future of food? Find a job? Make an investment? Partner with an org? Change how you eat? This podcast is powered by listener support and contributions. If the show has helped you in any way, please consider becoming a monthly or annual subscriber. Your contribution goes a long way to tell more stories about how we can create a better future through food.
Make a one-time contribution to support the show here
How can startups in the climate, ag, and foodtech space get the funding they need to scale their solutions? Climentum Capital, a European VC, asked me to come on their podcast Climate Insiders to discuss just that. I speak with Partner Yoann Berno about the art and science of fundraising giving you a behind the scenes look at how investors think, make decisions on deal flow, and what they typically look for.
Attracting the Right Investors - Get the Masterclass
Want to dive deeper on how you can create a fundraising strategy that closes your ideal investors? Download my Masterclass on Attracting the Right Investors here.
Book a Workshop
In this 90 min 1:1 coaching workshop, you and Analisa will go through your pitch deck and review your fundraising strategy. Analisa will give constructive feedback from an investors’ point of view to help you find and land the right investors for your growth journey. Learn more and book here.
Related Links
Watch this episode as a YouTube video
Interview with a love matchmaker on building great business relationships
More episodes by Future Food with Analisa Winther
Climate Insiders Podcast
How to Pitch Your Company by Y Combinator
What You Do Is Who You Are by Ben Horowitz
Give Thanks To The Show Has the show helped you learn about the future of food? Find a job? Make an investment? Partner with an org? Change how you eat? This podcast is powered by listener support and contributions. If the show has helped you in any way, please consider becoming a monthly or annual subscriber. Your contribution goes a long way to tell more stories about how we can create a better future through food.
Become a subscriber and support the show here
Claus Meyer is a true gastronomic entrepreneur. He co-founded Noma with Rene Redzepi, which has been voted the best restaurant in the world multiple times. In 2004, he spearheaded the writing of the New Nordic Manifesto, an influential philosophy that spread like wildfire on how chefs can approach cooking using traditional ingredients and local produce. Claus is also behind the Melting Pot Foundation, which trains individuals in underserved communities from Morocco to Bolivia and even in Danish prisons to become chefs. He’s also been the host of multiple cooking shows with global reach, authored several cookbooks, started a catering company, deli, bakery chain, country hotel, orchard, and is behind several high-end restaurants globally.
The red thread through all of Claus’s work is to create healthy, delicious meals that inspire us to see eating as an agricultural act. In this episode, we discuss Claus’ career and how his opinion on what a good food future looks like has changed over time.
Related Links
Top 50 Farmers
Connect with Analisa
Why you should be drinking Bolivian wine
Puris' CEO on the power of peas
The power of public meals
Give Thanks To The Show
Has the show helped you learn about the future of food? Find a job? Make an investment? Partner with an org? Change how you eat? This podcast is powered by listener support and contributions. If the show has helped you in any way, please consider becoming a monthly or annual subscriber. Your contribution goes a long way to tell more stories about how we can create a better future through food.
Make a one-time contribution to support the show here
How do you find the right investor for a startup? This is a million dollar question that early stage startups ask me all the time. And, I get it. Finding the right investors IS super important. They can help to make or break the company.
Today's podcast episode is a snippet of my new masterclass Attracting the Right Investors, which deep dives into this topic. In it, I share the seven strategies I teach my one-on-one coaching clients to help them land investors that align with their vision and values. These principles have been gleaned from years of experience putting together startup-investor relationships. It's a behind the scenes look at how investors think when evaluating a startup, which will help you to enter the fundraising process with confidence and clarity.
Enjoy!
Download Attracting the Right Investors - Masterclass here
Book a 1:1
In this 90 min 1:1 coaching workshop, Analisa will go through your pitch deck with you and review your fundraising strategy. Analisa will give constructive feedback from an investors’ point of view to help you find and land the right investors for your growth journey. Learn more and book here.
Support the Show
Become a paid subscriber for access to exclusive content and to support the shpw
Join the newsletter to get regular updates about new episodes
Instagram @analisa.winther
4 years ago I started the Nordic FoodTech Podcast. A lot has happened since then. I’ve evolved. The show’s evolved and now it’s time for a change.
I’m rebranding the show to be called Future Food with Analisa Winther and we’re going global!
The show’s core focus will stay the same: share stories of individuals and organizations creating a better future through food to foster more awareness and collaboration BUT the scope will now be global and more broad when it comes to topic areas.
I share the full thinking and reasoning behind the rebrand in this minisode.
Related Links
Get 20% off an annual subscription to the podcast
Apply to be on the show
When it comes to the solving the climate crisis, food is a big part of the puzzle. Food is responsible for 1/3 of greenhouse gas emissions, but historically it hasn’t been in the spotlight of climate conversations. In today’s episode, I speak with Brent Loken who is the Global Food Lead Scientist for the World Wildlife Fund.
We discuss the power each country has to create food system transformation. All of these natural climate solutions fit together to create an exponential roadmap for solving the Great Food Puzzle and reaching the biodiversity, climate, and health goals we’ve set as an international community.
Give Thanks To The Show
Has the show helped you learn about the future of food? Find a job? Make an investment? Partner with an org? Change how you eat?
This podcast is powered by listener support and contributions. If the show has helped you in any way, please consider becoming a monthly or annual subscriber. Your contribution goes a long way to tell more stories about how we can create a better future through food.
Make a one-time contribution to support the show here
Related Links
Episode Transcript
Solving the Great Food Puzzle: Translating Global Goals into National Level Action
Exponential Roadmap for Natural Climate Solutions
TED-Ed: Can we create the “perfect” farm?
1:1 Coaching Programs with Analisa Winther
C40 Cities on how cities are addressing climate change
Connect With The Show's HostAdd Analisa on LinkedIn
Follow Analisa on Instagram
Learn more about coaching & consulting services on www.analisawinther.com
At the top of Norway near the Arctic Circle, you will find the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Like you and I back up our phones and computers, seed banks around the world serve as the ultimate insurance policy for the world’s food supply. They store copies of every important crop variety available in the world today. Their goal is give future generations options. Whether we face war, climate change, or population growth, they make sure that we have seeds to replant and genetic diversity in our food supply for years to come.
My guest today is Lise Lykke Steffensen. She is the Director of NordGen or the Nordic Genetic Resource Center. NordGen runs the Svalbard Global Seed Vault along with the Norwegian Ministry of Agricutlure and Food and the Crop Trust. Their mission is to preserve and promote the sustainable use of the genetic resources within plants, farm animals, and forestry in the Nordic countries.
Join us as we discuss the importance of genetic diversity and the role of seed keepers in ensuring our future food supply.
Episode Transcript
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Show Host: Analisa Winther
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One of my favorite questions to ask leaders is: what is your relationship to your intuition? This question always leads to a fascinating conversation about how our intuition does or doesn't influence decision-making. This is also a topic I love to discuss with my coaching clients. Our bodies carry so much wisdom and data around what we should do, but it can take time and practice for us to get in touch with our intuition and trust it as a knowledge source. In this episode, I explore the role of intuition in business.
Related LinksApply for coaching with Analisa
Episode with the Kogi on merging indigenous wisdom with modern science and technology
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The Kogis escaped colonization by retreating high up into the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains of Colombia. This is nothing short of a miracle. Their ancient, indigenous culture has been preserved since pre-Colombian times giving us a glimpse of what life would have been like when the Incans, Mayans, and Aztecs ruled and we interacted with the world in another way. They recently started traveling and connecting with us - The Little Brothers as they like to call us - to raise awareness about climate change, biodiversity loss, and the need for us to come together and create a new, third world that brings together indigenous wisdom with modern science and technology. In today’s episode, I speak with Lucas Buchholz who has written a book for the Kogi and traveled the world with them as their translator. We discuss the Kogi's message and what a food system that supports life looks like from their point of view.
A big thank you to Mac Krol for sponsoring this episode. Mac is the Director of the European Institute of Miso and the Founder of a startup that produces miso from European ingredients. His misos are currently being used by many of of the best restaurants in the world. Miso is made from koji, an ancient fermentation tradition. Koji adds rich, umami flavor to dishes, which is especially useful if you’re cooking plant-based. Mac is a passionate advocate for all fermented food products and has spoken about miso all around the world from Chicago to Berlin. If you are looking for a speaker for your next event, consider getting in touch with him at mac@macferments.com. He’ll tell you the story of how miso is becoming a household staple just like the salt, pepper, and sugar in your pantry.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Video trailer from our weekend with the Kogi
Documentary about the Kogi
Here are two exercises I often do at the end of the year. The first one is about reflecting on what happened in the year past before defining what you want to create more of in the year to come. This is summarized by one word that anchors the vision. The second practice is one I love to do with family and friends around the holidays. It's about acknowledgement and enabling your community to support you.
Often when starting with a new client, we do a check-in on where they are right now before we take a look at what they want to create in the next 12 months. This is a practice I do with individuals and organizations. It's about creating the big vision and then working backwards to determine what needs to happen to get there. When we create a vision and share it with others - whether in our professional or personal lives - we enable others to support us in getting there.
If you do either exercise, send me a message and let me know how it went. Feel free to tag me on Instagram or LinkedIn. I love to hear from you and sharing with others can inspire them to do the same.
If you are interested in working with me in a 1:1 coaching container, shoot me an email at nordicfoodtechpodcast[@]gmail.com
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Jesper Hansen started his career as a Michelin chef before getting into fish. He was the Sous Chef of Søllerød Kro in Denmark helping the famous fine dining restaurant get its first star in 2006. Then his career took a turn. Today, Jesper is the Executive Managing Director of Fiskerikajen, a modern-day fishmonger that has been selling sustainably sourced fish to many of the best and most famous restaurants in the world since 1999
A big thank you to Wavy Wonders seaweed snacks for sponsoring this episode.Today, you’re going to hear Jesper talk a lot about how we can respect our seas by minding what we consume and where it comes from. Seaweed is a great example of a sea vegetable that is not only wildly delicious, but also does wonders for the environment. If you are hosting a conference, event, or have a workplace where you’d like to serve healthy, sustainable snacks, Wavy Wonders is a great choice. Visit their website to learn more.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
🐡 Marine Stewardship Council on sustainable fisheries
🍙 Why seaweed is a multi-billion dollar industry
🏡 The global rise of community ocean gardens
🐠 How Iceland is creating a circular economy for fish
🎣 Why Bergen, Hawaii, and Singapore are hubs for ocean startups
🛒 Aarstiderne on sustainable home grocery delivery
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Show Host: Analisa Winther
In this minisode, I cover how to pitch a podcast you might want to appear on to promote your business. I go over the criteria I have for the Nordic FoodTech Podcast, how I evaluate potential interviewees, and give tips for writing cold pitch emails.
Apply for the Nordic FoodTech Podcast here
Like the show? Consider becoming a patron on Substack. You’ll get access to exclusive content like Analisa’s travel notes and episode transcripts. Most importantly, your contribution directly enables the creation of more content like this. Contributions start at $5. Sign up here.
Website: www.nordicfoodtech.io
Instagram: @nordicfoodtech
Show Host: Analisa Winther
In this minisode, I cover how to pitch a podcast you might want to appear on to promote your business. I go over the criteria I have for the Nordic FoodTech Podcast, how I evaluate potential interviewees, and give tips for writing cold pitch emails.
Apply for the Nordic FoodTech Podcast here
Like the show? Consider becoming a patron on Substack. You’ll get access to exclusive content like Analisa’s travel notes and episode transcripts. Most importantly, your contribution directly enables the creation of more content like this. Contributions start at $5. Sign up here.
Website: www.nordicfoodtech.io
Instagram: @nordicfoodtech
Show Host: Analisa Winther
Coffee is a filled with bioactive compounds that beneficial for our health and well being, but when you or I brew a cup we tap less than 1% of the plant’s full potential. The rest we throw away in the coffee grounds. That’s where Kaffe Bueno comes in. They are a bioscience company upcycling coffee grounds into ingredients for the cosmetic, nutraceutical, and functional food and beverage industry. Today, I speak with Alejandro Franco, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Kaffe Bueno. We talk about their startup journey, how we can unlock food waste to create high value products, and what it means to design a circular business model.
This episode was brought to you by Danish Technological Institute. Their experts have extensive knowledge within product development and market evaluation of food and you can use their technological facilities for upcycling, circular economy, and much more. Danish Technological Institute works with clients all around the world helping them to transform their ideas into business through technology and innovation. If you have an idea you want to get off the ground, consider partnering with them. You can learn more at www.dti.dk.
Episode Transcript
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Top startup interviews
Creating change through coffee
Fringe flavors and ingredients
Chromologics on fermenting natural colors
An insider’s look at Bolivia’s wine industry
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Website: www.nordicfoodtech.io
Instagram: @nordicfoodtech
Show Host: Analisa Winther
As a startup you have to pitch all of the time. As your company grows and takes on new markets and foreign investors, you have to adapt your pitch to speak to them. This means some cultural adjustments in how you do business. I just wrapped up doing the pitch coaching for the Nordic US Food Summit and noticed 3 common mistakes that almost all startups made when approaching the US market. In this minisode, I share what they are and how you can avoid them when pitching any VC, potential partner, or customer located outside of your home operating market. Like the show? Consider becoming a patron on Substack. You'll get access to exclusive content like Analisa's travel notes and episode transcripts. Most importantly, your contribution directly enables the creation of more content like this. Contributions start at $5. Sign up here.
Website: www.nordicfoodtech.io Instagram: @nordicfoodtech Show Host: Analisa Winther
As a startup you have to pitch all of the time. As your company grows and takes on new markets and foreign investors, you have to adapt your pitch to speak to them. This means some cultural adjustments in how you do business. I just wrapped up doing the pitch coaching for the Nordic US Food Summit and noticed 3 common mistakes that almost all startups made when approaching the US market. In this minisode, I share what they are and how you can avoid them when pitching any VC, potential partner, or customer located outside of your home operating market.
Are you working on your pitch? Learn more about working with Analisa here.
Like the show? Consider becoming a patron on Substack. You’ll get access to exclusive content like Analisa’s travel notes and episode transcripts. Most importantly, your contribution directly enables the creation of more content like this. Contributions start at $5. Sign up here.
Website: www.nordicfoodtech.io
Instagram: @nordicfoodtech
Show Host: Analisa Winther
The Marine Stewardship Council is kind of a big deal in the world of fish. They are the organization that sets the standards for sustainable fisheries worldwide. If a fishery meets MSC’s standards, their products are awarded with a blue ecolabel. Many global organizations like IKEA and McDonald’s exclusively purchase MSC certified fish. For them, its a standard that denotes quality and sustainability. This also means that who and what gets certified matters a lot in the global market. In this episode, I sit down with Linnéa Engström. Before becoming the Director of the Baltic Sea Region & Scandinavia at Marine Stewardship Council, Linnéa worked in politics. She was the Former First Vice Chair of the Fisheries Committee in the European Parliament. While in office, she wrote the first report in the European Parliament on climate justice along with legislation for the sustainable management of the EU’s external fishing fleet. She is also the author of two books, Climate Feminism and Queen Fish. We discuss how the organization is working to stop overfishing and ensure that our oceans are filled with fish for generations to come. Episode Transcript Related Links More episodes on the future of the ocean The global rise of community ocean gardens How Iceland is creating a circular economy for fish Like the show? Consider becoming a patron on Substack. You'll get access to exclusive content like Analisa's travel notes and episode transcripts. Most importantly, your contribution directly enables the creation of more content like this. Contributions start at $5. Sign up here. Website: www.nordicfoodtech.io Instagram: @nordicfoodtech Show Host: Analisa Winther Edits: The fee in Sweden is 0.8% not 0.5%. CAB stands for conformity assessment body.
I've got big news to share! I am going 100% in on starting my own business, which includes growing the podcast. In this episode, I share the details behind the move. If you believe in me and would like to support this work, consider becoming a paid subscriber of the podcast on Substack. To celebrate, I'm offering 20% off an annual subscription to the podcast, which makes it $39 for the year or about $3.50 every month. Sign up here.
I've got big news to share! I am going 100% in on starting my own business, which includes growing the podcast. In this episode, I share the details behind the move. If you believe in me and would like to support this work, consider becoming a paid subscriber of the podcast on Substack. To celebrate, I'm offering 20% off an annual subscription to the podcast, which makes it $39 for the year or about $3.50 every month. Sign up here.
Hospitals, schools, prisons, elderly homes, day cares, and corporate canteens are all examples of public or professional kitchens. Every day these kitchens churn out hundreds of meals, which means they have a pretty major influence not only on what people eat, but also the entire supply chain. In today’s episode, I sit down with Line Rise Nielsen, The Food Policy Director of Changing Food a consultancy that helps kitchens convert to more sustainable practices. Line and I get into how these kitchens are undergoing transition and why their role is sup important.
A big thank you to Lund University and Region Skåne for sponsoring this episode. They hosted a workshop at Skåne Innovation Week along with Krinova and Greater Copenhagen looking at the role of public meals in Scandinavia. Read more here.
Episode Transcript
Related Links Ellen MacArthur Foundation on circular food cities
Aarstiderne on pioneering home grocery delivery
C40 Cities on the mayors addressung climate change
KBH Madhus on shifting to 90% organic public meals
Coop on supermarkets as a platform for funding new food products
Aquaporin on the future of water
Like the show? Consider becoming a patron on Substack. You'll get access to exclusive content like Analisa's travel notes and episode transcripts. Most importantly, your contribution directly enables the creation of more content like this. Contributions start at $5. Sign up here.
Maliina Abelsen is the Head of Programme at UNICEF in Greenland. From 2009-2013 she was a Member of Parliament in the Greenlandic Inatsisartut where she first served as the Minister of Social Affairs and Equality and then as the Minister of Finance. She has also served as the CCO of Air Greenland and the CEO of the Arctic Winter Games 2016. This episode was recorded in Nuuk as part of the UNLEASH Regional Innovation Lab, which gathered 200 people under the age of 35 from the Arctic and Nordics to develop solutions to the challenges we are facing as a region. We had a particular focus on biodiversity, education, and health and wellbeing. In this episode, we discuss what creating a sustainable solution from indigenous knowledge and modern science and technology can look like, why food is a powerful healer, and how we must consider the whole in our creations.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann on the Greenlandic Diet Revolution
More episodes on the Nordics food heritage
Trailer: Sumé - The Sound of a Revolution
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Maliina Abelsen is the Head of Programme at UNICEF in Greenland. From 2009-2013 she was a Member of Parliament in the Greenlandic Inatsisartut where she first served as the Minister of Social Affairs and Equality and then as the Minister of Finance. She has also served as the CCO of Air Greenland and the CEO of the Arctic Winter Games 2016. This episode was recorded in Nuuk as part of the UNLEASH Regional Innovation Lab, which gathered 200 people under the age of 35 from the Arctic and Nordics to develop solutions to the challenges we are facing as a region. We had a particular focus on biodiversity, education, and health and wellbeing. In this episode, we discuss what creating a sustainable solution from indigenous knowledge and modern science and technology can look like, why food is a powerful healer, and how we must consider the whole in our creations.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann on the Greenlandic Diet Revolution
More episodes on the Nordics food heritage
Trailer: Sumé - The Sound of a Revolution
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Mia Maja Hansson has been super influential in nurturing Copenhagen’s food startup scene. She launched Kitchen Collective, one of the first test kitchens in Europe followed by a co-working collective and street food festival for startups to test new products. The red thread in everything she does is a vision to create a more sustainable, diverse food culture that’s supported by healthy businesses and healthy people. In today’s episode, we talk to Mia Maja about her journey, common mistakes she sees food entrepreneurs make, and recommendations for running a test kitchen.
Episode Transcript
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How these chefs view food as a vehicle for change
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Ocean Harvest on regenerative ocean farming
Coffee is a filled with bioactive compounds that beneficial for our health and well being, but when you or I brew a cup we tap less than 1% of the plant’s full potential. The rest we throw away in the coffee grounds. That’s where Kaffe Bueno comes in. They are a bioscience company upcycling coffee grounds into ingredients for the cosmetic, nutraceutical, and functional food and beverage industry. Today, I speak with Alejandro Franco, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Kaffe Bueno. We talk about their startup journey, how we can unlock food waste to create high value products, and what it means to design a circular business model.
Episode Transcript
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How supermarkets are preparing for the future of food
Ellen MacArthur Foundation on building circular food cities
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Once a year I crowdsource feedback from listeners about the show as well as ideas for future guests / topics you’d like to see me cover. The 10 question survey is now open. Find it here.
To say thank for answering it, I’m raffling off two prizes!
- A $200 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice anywhere in the world (the restaurant must agree to / offer digital gift certificates). The goal here is to support small businesses and good food
- 3 coaching sessions with me. We can tackle any problems you might be facing around designing what’s next in your life to your career, biz advice, pitch deck review, etc. We will co-create what the sessions should look like together (this is the same process I follow with my coaching clients)
And if you’re not interested in a prize, but still want to give feedback that’s also okay! I read everything that’s submitted and it really helps me to get to know who is listening and what topics you want to hear more about.
Deadline to answer the survey is Septmeber 30, 2022.
Answer the survey here
About the Nordic FoodTech Podcast
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If you're only now talking about turmeric, you're too late. Sparks & Honey's Daily Culture Briefings focus on the cultural signals that are constantly shaping our new normal and how that affects your brand. Today, we look at new and emerging ingredients and discuss strategies for determining which flavors are fads and which are here to stay. Our guest expert is Analisa Winther, Host of the Nordic FoodTech Podcast and corporate innovation venture scout.
This episode was recorded live on July 19, 2022 at the Sparks & Honey studio in NYC. It's available as a podcast and video.
Heja Framtiden (Go Future) is a popular Swedish podcast by Christian von Essen. He interviews all kinds of people about the future and how we can make it better. While in Stockholm, I got to pop by his studio to share my story and thoughts on where the future of food is going.
About Heja Framtiden
About the Nordic FoodTech Podcast
The Top 10 Episodes
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I pulled together three of the top investors in food and ag from the Nordics for a fast-paced, spirit conversation on how they view and are investing in the future of food. We have Marika King from PINC representing corporate venture capital, Lauri Reuter from the Nordic FoodTech VC looking at the bridge between science and entrepreneurship, and Gustaf Brandberg from the family office of Gullspånge Invest Re:Food, which has an evergreen strucutre. I’ve done individual episodes with each of these investors diving into their backstory and investment thesis. Find those in the show links below. This conversation was recorded at Sweden FoodTech’s Big Meet.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Interviews with other Nordic investors
Marika King on Paulig's investment arm (PINC)
Lauri Reuter on the Nordic FoodTech VC
Gustaf Brandberg on Gullspång Invest's Re:Food
Chromologics on fermenting natural red colors
Nick's on the future of sweets
Oatly's startup story with Founder Björn Öste
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Building a food company and transitioning to more sustainable agriculture takes time and requires more patient capital with a long-term view. Re:food is part of Gullspång Invest, a Swedish family office that operates with an evergreen structure. This means that they can invest for the long term without posing time constraints. Located in Stockholm and San Francisco, Re:Food invested early in some of the most successful food companies that have come out of the Nordics so far like Oatly and Nick’s. The firm focuses on investing across four themes: alternative proteins & fats, regenerative farming, sustainable supply chains, and healthy diets. In this episode, Re:Food's Co-Founder Gustaf Brandberg shares the company's investment thesis, background, and vision for the future food system.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Oatly's Startup Story with Founder Bjorn Oste
Nick's Startup Story with Founder Niclas Luthman
Stockholm Resilience Center on supporting people and the planet
More interviews with Nordic VCs
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Water is key because we cannot live without it. We needed to nurture and water our crops and to manufacture all kinds of different things. In today's episode, we explore the future of water as it relates to agriculture and life on Earth. My guest is Peter Holme Jensen, who is the Chief Innovation Officer of Aquaporin. They have developed an innovative technology to treat and filter water on an industrial scale. The design is based on how our bodies naturally filter water through something called an aquaporin protein. In this episode, we dive into Aquaporin's approach to innovation and how they have built a business based on biomimicry or the science of applying nature's genius to solve human problems. We also get into the science behind Aquaporin’s technology, why watter matters, and the company's startup story since it was founded in 2005.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Carlsberg on sustainability and water in food production
Chr Hansen on the world of enzymes
Chromologics on fermenting natural colors
Spinning out research into a business
DTU on desiging university innovation environments
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Real wasabi is rare and expensive. It requires a specific temperature and a constant stream of fresh water to grow, which has isolated it to the mountains of Japan. That was until Nordic Wasabi came along. They’re growing wasabi in Iceland using the country’s natural geothermal energy and freshwater. In today’s episode, we tell Nordic Wasabi’s startup story. We cover everything you could want to know about real wasabi, the amazing possibilities that come with greenhouses, and the challenges of being the first company in Iceland to try and export vegetables.
Episode Transcript
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Get 15% off Nordic Wasabi with the code NORDICFOODTECH
Why food matters to tourism
Exploring different kinds of agriculture
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Bård Jervan is a Senior Partner at Mimir. He was deeply involved in writing and developing the new Norwegian national Tourism Strategy for 2030. A cornerstone of the report is centered around food in tourism and how it connects to economic development. It's also a way to preserve culture, protect natural resources, and trace history. Today, we dive into what sustainable tourism is, why the context of a meal matters, the best places to visit in Norway, why seafood is a major opportunity, and the Nordics as a gastronomic destination.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Norway’s Tourism Strategy for 2030
Climate change and the development of a Nordic wine region
A foodie roatrip around Iceland by Chef Gunnar Karl Gíslason
Opportunities around Norwegian seaweed
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The Big Meet is one of my favorite events and this year I'm on the speaker line up! I'll be sharing my findings on how the Nordics envision and are acting upon the future of food. The event is happening June 1-3, 2022 in Stockholm. If you are able to join us, they are giving 20% off tickets to all Nordic FoodTech podcast listeners. Use the code NORDICFOODTECH at checkout to redeem the deal!
And, be sure to let me know if you'll be there. I would love to connect with you. If you're not able to come, but interested in a keynote on the future of food being presented to your organization send me an email at nordicfoodtechpodcast@gmail.com
Maersk Growth is the venture arm of A. P. Moller – Maersk, one of the largest shipping and logitics companies in the world. 1/3 of all food is wasted or lost as it moves from the farm to our tables. Fixing inefficenices along the supply chain is key for cutting down on waste. To discuss how Maersk is thinking about food, my guest today is Peter Jorgensen, a Partner at Maersk Growth focused on their FoodTrack. A small note, that this was one of the first podcast episodes I recorded back in 2019. I re-read the transcript the other day and it felt more relevant than ever, so I wanted to share it with you again.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Too Good To Go on building a startup that tackles foood waste
Matt Homewood on stopping supermarket food waste
Amass on creating a zero-waste restaurant
Electrolux on using appliances to curb consumer food waste
How companies like Coffee Collective figure out shipping when starting up
More interviews with corporations investing in food solutions
Join us on Instagram
Based in Minnesota, Puris is the largest producer of pea protein in North America supplying the likes of Beyond Meat. Fast Company named them the most innovative food company in 2021 for their end-to-end solution to food production. To speak about the company's philosophy, history, business model, and future, my guest today is CEO Tyler Lorenzen who runs the company alongside his sister Nicole Atchinson.
Episode transcript
Related Links
Denmark's 1 billion kroner investment into plant-based alternatives
ICA on working with farmers to develop plant-based products
Oatly on becoming a 25 year overnight success
A Norwegian family's journey from city life to regenerative agriculture
If you’ve been to the Nordics, odds are you've tried licorice. In today’s episode, we dive into the story of the luxury licorice and chocolate company Lakrids by Bülow. Johan Bülow started cooking licorice in his mom's kitchen on the Danish island of Bornholm in 2007. Fast forward to today and they've become an iconic brand with sales in 35 countries and counting. Their mission: to make the world love licorice. This episode traces the evolution of the company, diving into valuable lessons around food entrepreneurship, branding, and sales.
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Coffee Collective on responsible sourcing
Vivino's startup story
Oatly's Startup Story
Growing hemp on the island of Bornholm
True Gum on developing a plastic-free chewing gum
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Signe Anker is the Co-Founder of Bornholmerhampen. She and her partner were some of the first people in Denmark to start growing hemp again. Today, they hand harvest it to produce teas, flours, oils, and cosmetics on the beautiful Danish island of Bornholm. In this episode, we explore why it's considered a miracle crop, how it's making a comeback, and the roots of its bad reputation.
As a listener of the podcast, get 20% off all Bornholmerhampen products using the code NORDICFOODTECH at checkout.
Episode Transcript
This episode was first published on October 16, 2020
In October 2021, the Danish government announced that it was allocating 1 billion kroner or 168 million euro to ramp up plant-based food production. This is one of the largest investments into plant-based by any country to date. Join me and Rune-Christoffer Dragsdahl, the Secretary General of The Vegetarian Society of Denmark, as we discuss the details of the agreement and what it means for the future. It’s not just about politics, it’s also about culture, history, and relationships. * 9:30 The history and cultural significance of vegetarianism * 19:00 How the Vegetarian Society of Denmark got started * 42:00 Details of the agreement * 56:00 Tips for other countries looking to do something similar
Episode Transcript Related Links
Regenerative agriculture
How a vegan food blogger helps new plant-based products succeed
ICA on shifting Sweden to more plant-based foods
Why plant-based is not for all
Livestock's Long Shadow report
This is a listener support podcast. Your contribution of a few dollars every month enables me to produce more stories like this and share them with the world. Subscribe here.
There is a big trend in the food and cosmetic industry to move away from artificial colors and flavors, replacing them with natural ingredients. My guest today is Gerit Tolborg, the CEO of Chromologics. Gerit describes herself as an accidental entrepreneur. Through her research at the Danish Technical University, she stumbled upon a way to naturally produce a red colorant using fungi and fermentation. Listen in as we discuss the business of artificial and natural ingredients, what it takes to build an R&D heavy startup, and the journey of becoming an entrepreneur when you never thought that was in the cards. * 2:09 Why companies are moving away from artificial colors * 9:40 Producing colors through precision fermentation * 16:00 How Chromologics started * 23:00 Building an R&D heavy startup * 41:00 Challenges of being a female CEO
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Interview with Chromologic's investor Nordic FoodTech VC
Is artificial really bad? An investigation with artist Alexandra Genis
How DTU helps startups spin out
Hey Planet makes burgers from insects
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram
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Listen again. Artist and food designer Alexandra Genis is set on challenging your notion of artificiality and what sustainability means in the context of food production. Are natural and wild foods really better? We explore her work and how artificial foods, technology, and art can help us reimagine a better food system.
- 1:50 The Atoma project, turning individual molecules into spices
- 2:48 The complexity of flavor and the limits of what we can taste
- 10:45 The importance of artificial foods in a post-agricultural age
- 22:00 Other projects Alexandra's worked on
- 24:00 Vision for the future food system
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Video of 3D Printed Flavor Molecules
Coffee Collective on the complex, delicious taste of coffee
Europe’s black market for wild foods
Climate change and producing wine in the Nordics
Eating insects is an ancient tradition, but it’s a novel food in the EU
Nick’s using high tech to make guilt-free treats
Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the podcast newsletter here.
This episode was recorded on March 11, 2020 with the support of and is supported by the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture.
Listen again. Foraging exists in a delicate balanace with nature. If we take too much, it can lead to environmental degradation. At the same time, it survives as a cultural tradition and a key way families put food on the table. My guest today is Dr. Mikelis Grivins a researcher at the Baltic Studies Center. In this episode, we discuss the four kinds of foragers commonly seen in Europe, the ethics of foraging, and the black market that exists around wild foods.
- 4:00 Overview of alternative food systems are important
- 17:00 4 types of foragers across Europe
- 20:20 Exploitation, transparency & regulation in the wild food market
- 25:00 Wild washing
Episode Transcript
Links
Artist Alexandra Genis on why all foods are artificial
Using blockchain to trace food from farm to fork
The chef preserving Iceland’s food traditions
The Importance of Microbes in the Greenlandic Diet
Regenerative agriculture and our connection with nature
This episode was first released in February 2020 with the support of the Nordic Council of Minister’s Office in Latvia.
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ICA is one of the biggest grocery retailers in Sweden. Every week, around 12 million people pass through their stores. Recognizing the important role they play in the everyday life of Swedes, ICA is intent on supporting the shift to a sustainable food system. A system that supports biodiversity, plant-based, and local foods. They launched ICA Växa, a new unit of the organization, to bring new products to market and connect with the startup community. Today, I speak with Jacqueline Engdahl, the Head of ICA Växa, to hear what exactly their up to.
- 6:00 ICA's vision for the next 100 years
- 8:50 Jacqueline's story
- 19:00 What ICA Växa does
- 32:00 Different pathways of getting into ICA from pitching the category manager to the store owner or co-branding with ICA's private label.
Full episode transcript
Links
How other Nordic grocery retailers are thinking about the future of food
The 2020 Future Report that launched ICA Växa
Delås Farm on what it means to be a regenerative farmer
Coop Crowdfunding on enabling their customers to invest in food startups
How a vegan blog helps new products get on Sweden’s supermarket shelves
The largest online recipe base in Sweden is ICA’s
How blockchain is being used in the food system
Set a food climate goal with this tool from ICA
Set a food climate goal with this tool
Gunnar Karl Gíslason is the founding chef behind Dill, which was the first restaurant in Iceland to receive a Michelin star. He is also the author of North: The New Northern Cuisine of Iceland. In this episode, we trace Iceland’s food traditions through the individuals that are helping to keep them alive
- 2:15 Rundown of Gunnar's career and opening a res
- 7:30 Defining New Nordic food and the Icelandic kitchen
- 16:00 Finding inspiration in old traditions
- 33:00 The evolution of the Icelandic kitchen
We also reference this episode with Amass on creating a zero-waste kitchen. As well as Saltverk's startup story.
Show your love for the podcast. Support the show for $5 a month here: https://nordicfoodtechpodcast.substack.com/
As the year wraps up, here are a few reflections from 2021 as well as some announcements for what's to come in 2022. If you would like to support the podcast, consider contributing $5 a month by going to https://nordicfoodtechpodcast.substack.com/
You can also subscribe to the podcast's newsletter here. You'll be notified about new episodes as soon as they are released.
Lots of love, Analisa
In 2017, Camilla and Raymund were trying to get the best food possible to feed their family. Realizing that food is tightly linked with health, they were looking for high-quality, nutrient-dense foods, but actually struggled to find it in Norwegian grocery stores. So, they decided to start growing their own food. This is the story of how they traded city life and taught themselves how to farm according to regenerative principles.
- 5:00 How Camilly and Raymund started farming
- 12:20 What regenerative agriculture is and how it works
- 23:00 Norway's farming capacity
- 27:00 How Reko Rings directly connect consumers and farmers
- 52:00 Advice for farming and the cost of getting started
Become a contributor. Support the show for $5 a month: https://nordicfoodtechpodcast.substack.com/
Like the show? Help keep the Nordic FoodTech Podcast running by becoming a subscriber here for $5 a month.
Yara is the world’s leading producer of nitrate-based fertilizer. Most fertilizers are produced using fossil fuels. Fertilizer runoff has also been linked to environmental degradation. At the same time, fertilizer plays a critical role in our food system's productivity. Over half of the world's population relies on mineral fertilizer to be fed. Yara's mission is to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet. In this episode, I sit down with Executive Vice President of Farming Solution Terje Knutsen to explore exactly how they are doing that. We cover green fertilizer, the hydrogen economy, soil carbon sequestration, and precision agriculture.
- 8:30 The role of fertilizer in crop production
- 19:30 Green fertilizer and clean ammonia
- 26:30 Details of Yara's investment arm, Yara Growth Ventures
- 31:30 The Agoro Carbon Alliance and helping farmers to sequester carbon
- 49:00 AtFarm and other digital solutions for precision agriculture
If you like this episode on corporate innovation, check out this series of podcasts.
The Danish king established salt production in Iceland in the 18th century using geothermal energy. The production stopped a few decades later, but the tradition was not lost forever. In 2011, Björn Steinar Jónsson co-founded Saltverk, re-instating Icelandic salt production in one of the most remote parts of Europe. The result is a delicious, hand-harvested flaky sea salt that tastes like the ocean and is used by many of the best restaurants in the world. Join us we explore Saltverk's startup journey.
- 10:00 Producing salt with geothermal energy
- 16:00 Selling to restaurants
- 24:00 Finding product market fit
- 35:30 How Saltverk self-funded growth
- 43:00 Setting up production
Interested in learning more about oceans and the future of food? Check out this series. You’re also invited to join our community on Instagram
Iceland is known for having some of the most productive fisheries in the world. Some even call it the Silicon Valley of white fish. In this episode, Thor Sigfusson, the Founder of The Iceland Ocean Cluster, dives into why Iceland is a leader in seafood processing technology, the innovative ways they are using 100% of a fish, and what the fishing ship of tomorrow will look like. Thor is also the author of The New Fish Wave: How To Ignite the Seafood Industry.
- 7:00 Low-hanging fruit as an impetus for collaboration
- 10:30 The history of Fish & Ships in Iceland
- 19:30 Using 100% of the fish
- 21:30 How the Iceland Ocean Cluster started
- 36:30 How the cluster's model is being applied elsewhere
Interested in learning more about oceans and the future of food? Check out this series of podcasts. You’re also invited to join our community on Instagram
Jon Funderud is the CEO of Seaweed Solutions. Since 2009, they have been a pioneer in building up Europe's seaweed production, collaborating with players across the value chain to set up and establish growing and cultivation. Seaweed is an incredible raw material. Regenerative, sustainable, and versatile - seaweed is being used for animal feeds, food ingredients, biofuels, bio-plastics, and pharmaceuticals. It is estimated that the seaweed market will grow to 9.3 billion euro by 2030, 30% of which could be captured by Europe. This episode is a crash course on seaweed's potential. We dive into what's unfolding in Norway and beyond and why seaweed is such a big deal.
- 6:30 Seaweed's many applications
- 15:30 The up and coming European market
- 22:00 Ways of farming seaweed
- 31:30 Seaweed Solutions operations
- 37:00 Why industry collaborations matter
Episode Transcript
Related Links
More episodes on ocean farming in the Nordics
🐚 Does your community have an ocean farm?
Forget seaweed, why hemp is nature’s misunderstood supercrop
Iceland a.k.a. The Silicon Valley of Fish
Report on Seaweed in Europe
Electrolux was founded in 1901. Today, they offer a full line of kitchen and laundry appliances, inspired by their work in designing professional products for the world’s best chefs. Tove Chevalley is the Head of Electrolux’s Innovation Hub focused on rethinking the way we cook, clean, and take care of our homes. In this episode, we dive into how the Innovation Team co-creates with chefs, teenagers, colleagues, and startups to develop new solutions that facilitate sustainable eating, better clothing care, and wellbeing in the home.
- 11:00 Electrolux's sustainability targets for 2030
- 18:12 The future kitchen in 10 years
- 24:00 Defining sustainable eating
- 29:00 How Electrolux sources innovation
- 43:30 How the hub facilitates internal innovation
If you'd like this episode on sustainability innovation, check out this conversation with Carlsberg's Sustainability Manager. You're also invited to join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Tim Wendelboe runs his own roastery and espresso bar in Oslo, Norway where he imports, roasts and serves high quality coffees. Tim has won multiple international barista competitions and is known for his ability to create great taste. In this episode, we trace Tim's career starting as a barista, moving into coffee roasting, and then starting his own Farm, Finca el Suelo, in Columbia where he practices biological coffee farming. We also discuss how Tim works closely and transparently with farmers to improve their coffee quality.
- 8:30 Positively influencing great taste in coffee
- 15:30 The Tim Wendelboe coffee shop experience
- 18:00 How Tim works with farmers around the world
- 27:30 Adventures in biological coffee farming in Columbia
- 43:20 Sustainability and transparency
If you like this episode, check out this podcast with the Coffee Collective where we further explore what creates great taste, transparency, and sustainability from another Nordic point of view. For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Klaus Thomsen is one of the Founders of Coffee Collective. Their goal is to explore and unfold exceptional coffee experiences, in a manner that gives better living conditions to coffee farmers across the globe. For nearly, 15 years they have been pushing the coffee industry to do business differently. In this episode, we discuss their many initiatives from transparently sharing what they pay for coffee to going carbon neutral by 2022. Their dream is for a coffee farmer in Kenya to obtain the same status and living conditions as a winegrower in France.
- 11:30 What creates great taste across the supply chain
- 19:30 Paying farmer's a fair price
- 24:00 Direct trade and opening up the books for transparency
- 33:00 Creating a market for specialty coffee
- 50:30 Going carbon neutral by 2022
If you like this episode, check out this podcast with Tim Wendelboe who runs a roastery and coffee shop in Norway as well as a coffee farm in Columbia. We further explore what creates great taste and sustainability in coffee. For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Regenerative ocean farming has been identified as a key solution to climate change. It’s the practice of growing seaweed along with several kinds of shellfish like oysters and mussels not just to feed people, but also to heal the oceans. HavHøst or OceanHarvest is an NGO helping communities throughout the Nordics get set up with toolkits to grow, harvest, and eat from the sea without harming nature or existing underwater ecosystems. In this episode, Joachim Hjerl shares how a crazy idea of growing 20 oysters in Copenhagen's central harbor became a movement of blue community gardens.
- 7:30 An intro to regenerative ocean farming
- 14:30 Growing a network of community-supported farms
- 23:00 Working with policymakers to enable solutions
- 36:00 Creating a market to support supply
- 43:00 Cultural acceptance around new foods
If you liked this episode, check out this podcast with Hatch from Norway on innovations within aquaculture (farming in water). For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Björn Öste founded Oatly with his brother Rickard in 1994. Fast forward to today and Oatly IPOed in May 2021 at a value of $10 billion. But how did this startup from Lund, Sweden become the world's leading alt-milk brand? In today’s episode, we cover Oatly’s startup journey from the early academic days focused on lactose intolerance to the development of their famous barista strategy. We also cover the brothers' other entrepreneurial endeavors to develop food with clear health benefits.
- 5:00 How Oatly started
- 18:00 Nailing branding and product-market fit
- 41:00 Tips for entering the US market
- 47:00 Aventure and developing science-backed ventures
- 57:00 The story of Good Idea - sparkling water that reduces blood sugar
Applications are now open for the US Nordic Food Summit in November 2021. 20 of the most promising Nordic startups in food and agtech will be selected to go to San Francisco and meet with a curated list of U.S. investors as well as learn more about what it takes to enter the market. Apply here by September 17.
Diego Prado is the Head of R&D at Alchemist Explore - the research and development arm of restaurant Alchemist focused on making new dishes and conducting scientific research on products and techniques that create future building blocks for gastronomy. Alchemist was founded in 2015 by Rasmus Munk and introduced a new approach to gastronomy called Holistic Cuisine, which looks at the whole instead of the parts. In this episode, we explore how the Alchemist brings artists, designers, engineers, researchers and chefs together to challenge food as we know it.
- 10:20 An intro to Holistic Cuisine
- 14:40 Restaurant Alchemist vs the R&D Test Kitchen
- 22:30 Academic papers as a foundation for new dishes
- 28:30 What food will look like in space
- 38:30 Eating invasive species from jellyfish to butterflies
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Carlsberg’s Together Towards Zero program consists of four major ambitions - ZERO carbon footprint, ZERO water waste, ZERO irresponsible drinking, and a ZERO accidents culture. Tenna Skov Thorsted leads Carlsberg Denmark’s sustainability efforts. Her job is to ensure that these targets are met and that they create value. Join us as Tenna shares how sustainability at Carlsberg works in practice and how they collaborate to get there.
- 4:00 The organizational structure of sustainability
- 6:30 The Together Towards Zero campaign
- 12:00 Where ideas come from
- 16:00 Examples around water and packaging
- 35:00 Carlsberg Research Laboratory
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io. Your host, Analisa Winther, always appreciates hearing your feedback, thoughts, and key takeaways!
The Nordic FoodTech Podcast spotlights individuals and organizations who are creating the future through food. In this episode, the Host and Creator of the podcast Analisa Winther is interviewed by radio and podcast personality Andreas Graulund. Listen in as Analisa explains how and why the show started, her background, common themes, how guests are chosen, and so much more.
- 8:10 How the podcast got started
- 12:00 The purpose of the show
- 16:00 How guests are chosen
- 22:30 Fostering collaboration and breaking down silos
- 30:00 Why every asked is asked the same 4 questions
To get in touch with Analisa, connect on Instagram or LinkedIn.
Over 10 years ago, Heini Zachariassen and his co-founder Theis Søndergaard founded Vivino because they were frustrated by not knowing which wine to buy. Today, Vivino’s 50 million users can purchase nearly 13 million wines from around the world. The Vivino community has scanned over 1.6 billion wine labels, written 72 million reviews, and given 204 million ratings on 13.5 million bottles of wine. In this episode, Vivino Founder Heini Zachariassen shares the startup’s story of how they disrupted the wine industry.
- 6:30 How Vivino started
- 10:30 The first MVP - staying lean and frugal
- 16:15 The technology and community behind Vivino
- 30:30 The moment Vivino found product-market fit
- 40:00 Lessons in leadership
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io. Your host, Analisa Winther, always appreciates hearing your feedback, thoughts, and key takeaways!
The story of Nick's begins in 2014, when a Swedish serial entrepreneur with a background in mechanical engineering was diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Niclas Luthman had to change his diet, but he still loved and craved sweets. This led to him tinkering around in the kitchen and creating a line of "better for you" snacks and sweets that have no added sugar, gluten, or palm oil. Nick's products involve an enormous amount of R&D. enabling them to achieve new food feats like offering an ice cream with 70% fewer calories than other leading brands. Nick's recently closed $30 million in funding, launched its ice cream in 4,000 stores across the US, and has expanded into 15 European markets. Tune in for this startup's how I built this story.
- 9:30 How Nick's started
- 17:00 Building every ingredient from scratch
- 23:00 The power of a good team in an emerging industry
- 32:00 Developing innovative products from science
- 42:00 Advice for scaling in Sweden vs the USA
Share your feedback and thoughts or discover new episodes on Instagram @nordicfoodtech
The C40 network consists of 97 cities representing 700+ million citizens and one quarter of the global economy. The mayors of these cities are committed to delivering on the most ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement at the local level and C40 supports them in collaborating effectively, sharing knowledge and driving meaningful, measurable and sustainable action on climate change.
In today’s episode, I speak with Zachary Tofias who serves as the Director of the Food and Waste Program at C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. We discuss the ins and outs of how C40 works, the power of cities to create change, why networks matter, how to spread good ideas, and examples of how cities are taking bold climate action.
- 2:30 What C40 is and how it works
- 7:40 Why cities can have big food system impact
- 11:15 How good ideas spread across cities
- 30:00 The big opportunity around food systems
- 36:00 How to establish a network
Share your feedback and thoughts or discover new episodes on Instagram @nordicfoodtech.
My guest today is the internationally renowned love matchmaker Lemarc Thomas who is based in Stockholm. A life-long student of psychology, Lemarc learned through his studies and interactions that love is at the core of human behavior, and that helping someone become aware of how they love not only improves that individual’s life, but transforms many, if not all relationships connected to that person. In today’s conversation, we focus on the lessons that can be learned from love matchmaking when it comes to building stronger relationships and collaborations throughout the food system.
- 6:00 The blurred line between our professional and personal selves
- 7:00 Values and needs as predictors of long term relationships
- 22:20 The 3 layers of being in a relationship
- 40:00 What it means to do business with love
Share your thoughts with us on Instagram @lemarcthomas and @nordicfoodtech
In 2016, Peter Juul Regnersgaard and his co-founders realized that most gum is made with a plastic core. This launched a hobby project, which turned into a business to see if a plastic-free gum could be made. It took the founders 472 prototypes until they finally perfected the recipe in their home kitchens and launched True Gum, which is now sold all across Europe. In this episode, Peter shares the company’s startup story from going up against industry conglomerates to building a brand and setting up a factory with no prior startup or food production experience. This is a story you won’t want to miss!
- 2:30 Why gum is an environmental problem
- 17:50 Why True Gum set up their own factory
- 39:00 Finding product-market fit
- 37:20 Sourcing and making plastic-free gum
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io. Your host, Analisa Winther, always appreciates hearing your feedback, thoughts, and key takeaways!
My guest today is Ramon Escobar, the founder of Chufly Imports, which curates, imports, and markets a portfolio of premium wine and spirits from the world's lesser-developed countries. Their mission is to drive transformative socio-economic development in local economies by expanding market access, promoting social mobility, and fostering economic diversification.
During our episode today, we’ll talk about how Ramon arrived at this business model from his background in diplomacy, economics and international affairs. We will particularly focus on Bolivia’s five-century old wine-making tradition. This is a friendly warning that this episode will likely give you very strong wanderlust and is best enjoyed while drinking a glass of wine.
- 9:10 The impossibility of Bolivia making wine
- 20:30 How drinking wine from developing nations leads to economic development and prosperity
- 25:00 Ramon’s vision for the future of food
- 29:00 How to check if your business model is having a positive impact
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io. Your host, Analisa Winther, always appreciates hearing your feedback, thoughts, and key takeaways!
My guest today is Marika King who is the Head of PINC, Paulig Group’s corporate venture capital arm, which is focused on investing in the future of taste. Paulig is a house of brands with a presence in 13 European countries, a turnover of almost 1 billion euros, and around 2,000 employees. Headquartered in Finland, its portfolio consists of Santa Maria, Risenta, Gold & Green, and PocoLoco along with Paulig coffee. PINC stands for Paulig Incubator and was launched in 2018. In this episode, we discuss how PINC is helping Paulig to invest in future innovations while contributing to a tastier, healthier, and more sustainable planet.
- 6:10 How Paulig’s corporate venture capital arm works
- 10:00 The future of taste and how PINC looks at radical innovation
- 13:30 Due diligence and what PINC expects to see from startups
- 33:00 Vision for the future of food in 10-15 years
- 48:00 Tips for fundraising and valuating your company
This month, we are hosting a feedback competition. If you fill out this form, you will be entered in a lottery to win a $200 gift certificate to the bar or restaurant of your choice OR an hour of coaching / consulting with your host. Enter here.
The Norrsken Impact Accelerator is based in Stockholm. This year, the program is focused on accepting startups who are addressing big challenges related to our global good system. The accelerator has created quite a buzz for the incredible network of unicorn founders behind companies like Soundcloud, Klarna, Meltwater, Acne Studios, etc who will be advising the selected applicants. Today, I am joined by Funda Sezgi who is the Co-founder and Managing Director of the Norrsken Impact Accelerator. I also have Anna Ottosson, a FoodTech investor at Trellis Road and a Venture Partner of the program.
- 15:00 How the accelerator works and perks
- 22:00 How will startups be able to tap these unicorn founders?
- 28:00 What do we need more of in the Nordics to build our ecosystem?
- 37:20 What does it mean to scale impact?
- 42:00 What's the best place to start a food startup globally?
This month, we are hosting a feedback competition. If you fill out this form, you will be entered in a lottery to win a $200 gift certificate to the bar or restaurant of your choice OR an hour of coaching / consulting with your host. Enter here.
Matt Homewood better known as @anurbanharvester on Instagram is a food waste activist. He is part of a community of urban harvesters who have taken to social media to document their dumpster diving finds. Matt is particularly interested in raising awareness around supermarket food waste and is working towards finding solutions for the electronics to kilos of meat that he sees thrown out. In this episode, we talk about Matt’s journey to becoming a food waste activist, how to dumpster dive, the economics behind why this is happening, and what needs to change.
- 5:00 What is dumpster diving?
- 9:50 How do you use social media to spread the word?
- 23:55 What are the solutions to this problem?
- 30:45 How does someone start urban harvesting?
This month, we are hosting a feedback competition. If you fill out this form, you will be entered in a lottery to win a $200 gift certificate to the bar or restaurant OR an hour of coaching / consulting with your host. To enter fill out this form here.
Julien Biolley heads up the Marketing and Business Development activities for Chr. Hansen’s Food Cultures & Enzymes in North America. Chr. Hansen is a bioscience company that develops natural ingredient solutions for the food, nutritional, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries.
A C25 company based in Denmark, for over 145 years the company has strived to enable sustainable agriculture, cleaner labels, and healthier living for more people around the world. Chr. Hansen's product innovation is based on their microbial platform, which consists of about 40,000 microbial strains or what they call "good bacteria." They produce more than 400 different bacterial strains each year and in their 2025 strategy, have committed 75% of the R&D spending to new product development. Their microbial and fermentation platforms have the potential to respond to global challenges such as food waste, global health, and the overuse of antibiotics and pesticides, and they are increasingly looking to work with startups to meet these challenges.
In this episode, we discuss their 2025 strategy, how they are partnering with different stakeholders in the food ecosystem from Noma's former Head of Fermentation David Zilber to startup accelerator programs, and the many potential applications and innovations surrounding microbes and fermentation.
- 3:10 What is good bacteria?
- 13:00 How do startup partnerships happen?
- 20:30 What is your 2025 strategy?
- 28:00 How do you do new product development?
- 40:00 How does Chr. Hansen define sustainability?
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io. Your host, Analisa Winther, would also love to connect on LinkedIn! Feedback, thoughts, and key takeaways are always welcome!
Anders Husa (@anderhusa) and Kaitlin Orr (@carnivorr) are Scandinavia's most influential restaurant bloggers with an audience of over 300,000 people on Instagram, YouTube, and their website. Both Husa and Orr are global jurors for the 360° Eat Guide, which promotes sustainability in the food industry, and official TasteHunters (digital ambassadors) for The World’s 50 Best. They are also behind the food community The Hungries. In this episode, we talk about how Husa and Orr got into blogging, their process for reviewing restaurants, what makes for a memorable dining experience, and the impact of COVID-19.
- 9:00 How Kaitlin and Anders met
- 15:20 Criteria and process for recommending restaurants
- 30:00 The impact of COVID-19
- 41:30 Strengths and weaknesses of the Nordic food scene
- 49:00 The power of food communities
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io. I’d also love to connect with you on LinkedIn and hear your feedback and thoughts on the episode!
Vaekstfonden is the Danish State’s investment fund. Since 1992, they've funded over 9 thousand companies with investments amounting to more than 4.4 billion euro. Eric-Alan Rapp is a partner at Vækstfonden investing in FoodTech companies. He has more than 25 years in the world of start-ups, venture capital, and corporate finance in both Europe and the United States. In this episode, we explore how Vaekstfonden is investing and thinking about the future of food. Eric-Alan and I also discuss why connecting on values is key for finding the right investor, the future of Denmark as a leader in meat and dairy, and the role of
- 5:30 Vækstfonden's food and ag investment thesis
- 10:00 The future of meat and dairy in Denmark
- 26:20 What Vækstfonden looks for when investing
- 39:40 Why values matter
- 42:00 Eric-Alan's vision for the future in 10-15 years
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io. I'd also love to connect with you on LinkedIn and hear your feedback and thoughts on the episode!
Lauri Reuter is a scientist-turned-investor and a founder and partner of the Nordic Foodtech VC, which invests explicitly in Nordic and Baltic early-stage tech companies that are renewing the global food system. Lauri holds a Ph.D. in biotechnology and worked previously as a Researcher and Senior Specialist of Disruptive Technologies at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. He is a part-time urban beekeeper and passionate about building a radically sustainable food system for this planet – and the next one.
- 1:50 Fund backstory and investment thesis
- 11:30 Commercializing research-based technology
- 21:10 The ideal food portfolio 10 years from now
- 30:00 Funding gaps and opportunities for Nordic food startups
- 41:30 Lauri’s vision for the future food system
Connect with the show's Host Analisa Winther on LinkedIn. For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Hemp is considered nature's miracle plant. With over 25,000 known applications hemp can be used to make everything from paper to textiles, fuel, building materials, plastics, food, livestock feeds, medicine, paint, and oil. Hemp is a rising star for its immense utility, ability to replace big pollutants, and because it can grow in almost any climate, multiple times a year with little water, fertilizers, and pesticides. It also can drawdown CO2 and regenerate the soil making it a sustainability wonder. At the same time, hemp is nothing new. In the Nordics, hemp seeds have been found dating back to the 5th century, but as in so much of the world, it has been misunderstood and heavily regulated. It's just now that we are starting to see it make a comeback.
My guest today is Signe Anker, one of the co-founders of Bornholmerhampen. Listen in to their unique startup story of how they started growing hemp and producing products on the little Danish island of Bornholm. We also discuss hemp's history in the Nordics, what makes this plant so special, the challenges and regulations of working with it, and what's needed to help the industry grow.
- 7:30 Hemp vs. marijuana
- 14:00 What makes hemp sustainable and its many uses
- 16:30 Harvesting and regulations around growing hemp
- 20:30 History of hemp in the Nordics
- 25:00 Challenges of growing this industry
For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.
This year has been wild for everyone in the restaurant industry, but 2020 has proven to be especially memorable for Relæ. Not only did they celebrate their 10 year anniversary in August, they also announced that they will be closing their and Manfreds' doors by the end of the year.
Join me in conversation with Relæ's restaurant manager Luca Donninelli as we recount the restaurant's journey to a Michelin star and the world's 50 best list. We also discuss the Relæ community and its partners Rudo, BÆST, Mirabelle, and the Farm of Ideas, its impact on the global food scene, COVID-19, and what its like to create so many memorable dining experiences.
This episode was recorded live on @nordicfoodtech‘s Instagram. If you’d like to watch the conversation, follow the link to the video here.
- 5:00 The story of Relæ
- 12:00 The Relæ community and how it works
- 17:50 Sustainability at Relæ
- 20:20 How service changed during COVID-19
- 25:00 The future of the restaurant scene
PS: I coach entrepreneurs and business professionals on creating the change they want to see in the world. If you're curious, sign up for a free chemistry call with me here to learn more.
Daniel is a consultant to The Rockefeller Foundation Food Initiative. He previously supported the Foundation’s food and agriculture strategy refresh. Now he supports the Foundation’s work to advance a more nourishing and sustainable food system. Daniel is also the author behind the FoodTech Weekly newsletter as well as a mentor to several FoodTech accelerators and an advisor to a number of startups in the food and ag space.
In every episode of this show, we ask guests what their vision for the future of the food system is as well as what’s missing to make that vision a reality. Since 2019, The Rockefeller Foundation has run a Food System Vision Prize, distributing prize money to organizations across the globe that develop and share their vision for the future food system that they aspire to create by the year 2050. Join us as we discuss the vision that Daniel sees developing in the Nordics compared to what he sees happening in other parts of the globe. We also talk about what it takes to turn these visions into realities.
To join the Nordic FoodTech fall coaching program, sign up for a discovery call here. For live interviews, check out our Instagram here.
- 8:00 The Food System Vision Prize
- 19:00 How visions for our food system have changed over history
- 22:30 The Nordic food system vision vs other parts of the world
- 36:30 How COVID-19 is impacting the food system
Isolated in the North Atlantic, for many years the Faroese largely relied on eating what was found in the environment around them. They learned to use every bit of animal and how to store and preserve as much as possible for as long as possible resulting in a fascinating and unique food culture that I discuss with Kinga Eysturland who runs a bed & breakfast in the Faroes and is an author of “Faroe Islands: A Tourist & Cultural Guidebook. This episode was recorded live on @nordicfoodtech's Instagram. If you'd like to see the foods Kinga shows and tells about, follow the link to the video here.
- 4:30 How the Faroe Island’s history and geography has influenced its food traditions
- 12:30 Faroese fermentation or ræst and why it’s a revelation
- 17:30 The Faroe Island’s alcohol prohibition and the upcoming beverage scene
- 24:00 The influence of Koks and eating-out culture in the Faroes
- 30:30 The dishes Kinga serves for a Faroese dinner
And my fall coaching program is now open! If you are an entrepreneur or changemaker looking to make a business or leadership breakthrough, sign up for a chemistry call here to work 1-on-1 with me.
My guest today is Mie Tingsager Nielsen whose relationship to design and sustainability is expansive. She is a sustainable business advisor at Closed Loop and the manager of The Fabric Source, a sustainable textile library with more than 2,000 sustainable fabrics from more than 200 suppliers around the world that is focused on showcasing the latest and most innovative materials that can be applied across the fashion and textile industry. Join us as we discuss the world of farming fabrics and how textiles made from crops like cotton and hemp are not so different from the agricultural commodities we grow, harvest, and eat.
- 5:40 Overview of The Fabric Source
- 7:38 What you need to know about textiles
- 11:42 New technologies shifting the space
- 15:33 Brands leading the way
- 23:08 Mie's vision for the future
For more conversation, join our community on Instagram and hear more episodes at www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Noah Erhun has 8 years of experience working in artisanal bakeries in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and today in Denmark where he leads production at Juno The Bakery in Copenhagen. His expertise is in naturally leavened breads and heritage grains. In this episode, Noah takes us on a ride through time and around the world as we explore how heritage grains are making a comeback with the surprising help of Instagram.
- 1:20 How Noah became a baker
- 6:30 The resurgence of small craft bakeries
- 9:00 How industrialization changed the game
- 14:30 Instagram and the alternative grain economy
- 21:40 What you should know about Scandinavia's heritage grains
For more conversation, join our community on Instagram and hear more episodes at www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Climate change is warming the Nordics making it increasingly possible to produce wine commercially. Recently, the New York Times published a front page article exploring the budding scene of wine makers who see the Nordics as the next frontier. My guest is Betina Newberry who was featured in the article and owns Denmark's largest vineyard, Dyrehøj Vingaard, along with her brother. This episode is full of insights on what it takes to produce wine in the Nordics and how the industry is developing as Betina shares her entrepreneurial journey.
- 1:40 How the vineyard started
- 5:00 Lessons learned in starting a Danish vineyard
- 14:50 How climate change is changing the wine scene
- 18:30 The taste of Nordic wine
- 24:50 The future of wine making
For more conversation, join our community on Instagram and hear more episodes at www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Malena Sigurgeirsdóttir is the co-founder of Wholi Foods, which was one of the first European companies to produce products with insect protein. Their portfolio includes snack bites, crisp bread, protein bars, and an insect-based meat alternative, which premiered at Roskilde Festival.
In this episode, you’ll hear how insects are tiny, but mighty, able to fight poverty, boost nutrition, reduce pollution, and combat climate change. Malena gives us the inside scoop on how they solved her own health issues and why soon they may not feel like such a novel food.
- 4:30 The avocado of insects
- 5:15 How Wholi Foods was started
- 12:40 Insects vs beef in taste, sustainability, and nutrition
- 18:50 Vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians take on insects
- 29:10 Why the western world needs insects in their diet
For more conversation, join our community on Instagram and hear more episodes at www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Alexandra Genis is an artist and the principal designer at TAS2R, a Food Design Studio in Berlin propagating Gastro-Intestinal Science-Fiction. She uses food as a biochemical and visual tool to transmit challenging ideas about ecology, innovation and science. Her projects seek to reframe human perception around what an edible substance is as well as challenge our consumption behaviors. In this episode, we look at the power of art and design to realize new possibilities.
- 1:50 The Atoma project, turning individual molecules into spices
- 2:48 The complexity of flavor and the limits of what we can taste
- 10:45 The importance of artificial foods in a post-agricultural age
- 22:00 Other projects Alexandra's worked on
- 24:00 Vision for the future food system
Episode Transcript
Related Links
Video of 3D Printed Flavor Molecules
Coffee Collective on the complex, delicious taste of coffee
Europe’s black market for wild foods
Climate change and producing wine in the Nordics
Eating insects is an ancient tradition, but it’s a novel food in the EU
Nick’s using high tech to make guilt-free treats
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This podcast was recorded live at the Future of Food Hackathon in Riga, Latvia and is supported by the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture. For more conversation, join our community on Instagram and hear more episodes at www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Is foraging sustainable? Is a black market around wild foods okay? Dr. Mikelis Grivins, a senior researcher at the Baltic Studies Centre, has built his academic career on studying foraging and the sustainability transition in Central and Eastern Europe. In this episode, we discuss the alternative food system and business that exists around wild foods in Europe. We also take a look at how post-Soviet states like Latvia had to develop alternative food pathways like foraging and how that feeds into today's conversations around sustainability.
- 4:00 Overview of alternative food systems are important
- 17:00 4 types of foragers across Europe
- 20:20 Exploitation, transparency & regulation in the wild food market
- 25:00 Wild washing
Artist Alexandra Genis on why all foods are artificial
Using blockchain to trace food from farm to fork
The chef preserving Iceland’s food traditions
The Importance of Microbes in the Greenlandic Diet
Regenerative agriculture and our connection with nature
This podcast was recorded live at the Future of Food Hackathon in Riga, Latvia and is supported by the Nordic Council of Minister's Office in Latvia. For more conversation, join our community on Instagram and hear more episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.
My guest is Raz Godelnik Assistant Professor of Strategic Design and Management at the Parsons School of Design New School where he is exploring new business models and design solutions. In this episode, we discuss the DEFT framework, which provides a model for designing and implementing climate solutions.
Raz is also the co-founder of two green startups - Hemper Jeans and Eco-Libris. He is involved with sandbox Zero where he develops sustainable business models, climate action, and sustainability-as-unusual tools and frameworks. He holds an MBA from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Communication and Economics from the Hebrew University.
- 1:10 Overview of the DEFT Framework
- 5:12 How to shift values, beliefs, and attitudes
- 9:50 The importance of affordability, delight, and meaning
- 17:10 Translating solutions into stories
- 19:15 Vision for the future food system
Join our community on Instagram and find more episodes at www.nordicfoodtech.io. Raz is also looking to collaborate on climate experiments. Contact info and details at the end of the episode!
For a millennia, the Inuit people have managed to survive off the land of Greenland, an extreme Arctic environment. Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann has been conducting research on the Greenlandic Diet Revolution, which looks at the microbiomes of traditional Greenlandic foods, an almost exclusively animal-based diet.
Aviaja's work encompasses culture, climate change, nutrition, microbiology, biotech, big industry, and politics. Full of fascinating insights, this conversation will get you thinking about what health really means for humans and the planet and how the two can and can’t be connected. It’s also an important conversation to consider how vulnerable communities fit in o our global climate solutions.
- 5:20 Overview of diet, traditions, and culture
- 10:20 Why a plant-based diet is causing problems in Greenland
- 26:00 Vision for the future food system
- 30:30 How Arctic micro-organisms create big business opportunities beyond oil & gas
- 38:00 Wisdom collected from nature and the Inuits
Episode transcript
Links
How foraging is creating an alternative food system in the Baltics
Why Chr. Hansen is building a microbial platform
The Michelin chef preserving Iceland’s food traditions
What is the Faroese kitchen?
Landmarks (one of my fav books) on the power of language to shape our sense of place and connection to nature
The EAT-Lancet report, which greatly influenced global dietary recommendations
Join our community on Instagram and find more episodes at www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Charlotte Aschim is CEO and Co-Founder of the Norwegian startup TotalCtrl, which makes food waste prevention software for grocery stores, hotels, and restaurants. Charlotte has been named one of Europe's most inspiring food waste change makers, one of the top 80 Norwegian leaders under 35, and is a European Green Capital Ambassador. TotalCtrl is looking to integrate with other software companies food management solutions so if you're in that space, get in touch! in this episode, we also cover:
- 1:40 How TotalCtrl works
- 6:00 Players and difference in the food loss and food waste space
- 14:50 The impact of regulation
- 16:00 The Norwegian food scene
- 21:25 Vision for the future and desired collaborations
Join our community on Instagram and find more episodes at www.nordicfoodtech.io
K Group is the 2nd biggest grocery retailer in the Finnish market. They've been celebrated for being the most sustainable trading sector company in the world by World Economic Forum and are the only Finnish company to have made it on the list every year since 2005.
Despite this achievement, K Group has struggled to communicate the responsibility they’ve taken around their business practices to consumers. In this conversation, we speak with Customer Insight Director Heidi Jungar to explore how Kesko has approached this challenge including what sustainability in retail means to them, how they are taking responsibility, and what grocery shopping will look like in the future.
- 11:00 K Group's sustainability and conservation programs
- 14:25 Insights around what drives consumer buying decisions towards sustainability
- 19:10 How K Group gives customers their data back
- 21:10 K Group's vision for the future grocery store
- 36:00 Vision for future food system
Since 2010, Södertälje Municipality in Sweden has served public school lunches that are healthy for students and the planet. The initiative is known as Diet for a Green Planet.
Our guest today is Sara Jervfors who is the Head of the Diet Unit in Södertälje Municipality and an architect of the system. We talk about what a diet for a green planet is, how more municipalities could transform their lunches to meet these parameters, what incentives are missing to encourage such a diet, and how parents and kids have responded.
- 4:30 Details of the program
- 11:50 How kids vs parents respond to new food initiatives
- 15:40 The ripple effect on the community
- 18:30 What's missing to revive local food ecosystems
- 23:50 The role of politicians
This episode is part of Taste the Transition, a series of lunch conversations during the COP25 climate negotiations highlighting individuals taking climate action through food. Tell us your vision for the food system on www.nordicfoodtech.io/answer or by using the hashtag #NordicClimateAction
In this episode, we address what we know from science when it comes to adopting diets that support a healthy, sustainable food system. My guest is Amanda Wood who is a researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre. Launched in 2007, the Centre's vision is to advance a world where social-ecological systems are understood, governed and managed to not only enhance human well-being, but also enable the sustainable co-evolution of human civilizations with the biosphere.
Amanda’s work intersects science, policy and practice to inform food systems transformations for sustainability and health. This includes working with and informing decision-makers, organizations and networks who can influence change. Amanda was a co-author of the influential EAT Lancet report and subsequently wrote an analysis on how the Nordic food system would have to be transformed in order to meet the report's recommendations.
- 7:30 Five actions areas that will transform the food system
- 19:00 Vision for the future food system
- 26:50 Wishlist for change from policy makers
- 31:00 Research areas we're still missing to move forward
- 35:30 Signs that the food system is changing for the better
Emil Vincentz started his climate activism as a 12 year old. Today he is in his 20s and a member of Regeneration 2030, a movement led by teenagers and young adults in the Nordic and Baltic Sea Regions focused on making the United Nation's sustainable development goals a reality. He is also the founder of Symplistic, a company helping private and public organizations implement concrete solutions on environmental sustainability.
At the Nordic COP25 in Stockholm, ReGeneration 2030 will be presenting their views on the future of the food system. Join us as Emil and I discuss what actions ReGeneration 2030 is calling for from policy makers, what it's like to be a young person advocating for the future today, and ways to champion the next generation.
- 6:00 An inside look into youth climate activism
- 18:30 Key issues talked about in Emil's circle (it might surprise you)
- 20:50 Actions for policymakers and vision for the future
- 32:30 How you should engage youth in your community
- 38:25 The role of parents and what it means to be a good ancestor
This episode is part of Taste the Transition, a series of lunch conversations during the COP25 climate negotiations highlighting individuals taking climate action through food. Tell us your vision for the food system on www.nordicfoodtech.io/answer or by using the hashtag #NordicClimateAction
The Nordic Food Policy Lab was launched by the 5 prime ministers of the Nordic countries in 2017 to curate and share examples of Nordic food policy for health and sustainability. They do this through global partnerships and dialogues. Their goal is meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals through food policy. They also help other countries in achieving the goals.
In this episode, Marie Persson provides an overview of what is happening within food policy across the Nordics. We also take a look at the COP25 UN climate negotiations from a Nordic angle and what a sustainable, healthy diet looks like.
- 7:30 Overview of the Nordics strengths and weaknesses when it comes to food & food policy
- 9:40 Why food is such a tricky political conversation
- 16:30 Examples of individuals taking climate action through food
- 20:20 What is needed for policy to encourage sustainable production and consumption
- 25:35 Why more chefs and behavioral psychologists are needed in politics
This episode is part of Taste the Transition, a series of lunch conversations during the COP25 climate negotiations highlighting individuals taking climate action through food. Tell us your vision for the food system on www.nordicfoodtech.io/answer or by using the hashtag #NordicClimateAction
Too Good To Go enables consumers to buy food that would otherwise be thrown out at the end of the day. The idea started in Denmark and has quickly spread across Europe with everyone from mom and pop bakeries to big grocery retailers getting on board. Today they've saved some 25.5 million meals and opened up a new customer segment for many food businesses.
In this episode, we speak with Mikkel Fog Holm-Nielsen who runs special projects for Too Good To Go's management team. Join us as we discuss their ambitious strategy to fight food waste across multiple fronts. By 2020, they aim to work with 75,000 businesses, inspire 50 million people to reduce their household food waste, impact regulation in 5 countries, and have a food waste curriculum in 500 schools.
- 2:00 How Too Good To Go got started
- 5:40 Creating a business around food waste
- 14:10 Vision for the future food system and what's missing to get there
- 17:20 How they are fighting food waste via business, politics, education, and household behavior
- 27:30 Company culture and why much of the team from Endomondo, which sold to Under Armour for $85 million, joined Too Good To Go
Arla is the 5th largest dairy company in the world. Owned by 12,500 farmers across seven countries, they have an ambition to become the most transparent value chain in dairy.
In today's episode, we discuss this ambition with Tomi Sirén who is the head of Digital and Technological Innovations at Arla. Based in Finalnd, he’s spearheading a variety of projects focused on moving their sustainability agenda forward with emerging technologies including the Arla Milkchain. Listen in as we talk about:
- 5:30 Arla's digital transformation
- 9:00 Arla Milkchain - how they are using blockchain to trace their products and animal welfare (see video)
- 21:00 Collaborations Arla is looking for and what obstacles they are facing to scale
- 26:00 Other sustainability projects at Arla
- 28:40 Vision for the future and what we're missing to get there
Almi Invest is Sweden’s most active startup investor. With 3 billion SEK under management, they make about 50 new investments each year and have invested in 660 companies overall, some of which have been acquired by Google, Microsoft, and Apple or IPOed at a billion kroner level on the stock market.
Join us as we speak with investment manager Karin Ebbinghaus about Almi's GreenTech fund, which only invests in companies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The fund has about 650 million SEK under management or 60 million euro. Listen in as we talk about:
- 3:50 Almi's investment thesis
- 15:10 What a GreenTech model looks
- 17:35 How to measure a GreenTech model's impact
- 21:20 How Almi's GreenTech fund fits into Swedens' national strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
- 30:10 Almi's vision for FoodTech ecosystem in 10-15 years
By 2050, an estimated 80% of all food will be destined for our global cities. To understand how we can make the food systems of our cities sustainable, resilient, and diverse our guest today is Emma Chow - the Project Lead for the Food Initiative at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation was launched in 2010 to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. In 2019, they launched a food initiative focused on convening food brands, producers, retailers, governments, innovators, and waste managers to redesign the food system serving cities to:
- Source food regeneratively and locally when appropriate
- Design and market healthier food products
- Make the most of food by upcycling waste streams.
London, São Paulo and NYC have signed on as flagship cities to show what is possible. Join us in a wide-ranging conversation as we discuss the role of cities as power nodes in the food system as well as a circular vision for the future and the practical next steps for getting there. Whether you are a citizen, entrepreneur, policymaker, or researcher, there are clear actions for you!
Amass has been recognized multiple times not only as one of the best restaurants in the world, but also as one of the most sustainable.
For them, a zero waste kitchen has been an incredible creative constraint inspiring major changes to how this fine dining institution cooks, recycles, sources, and operates in their local environment.
Today the restaurant’s food and ingredients are 90% organic. Food waste has been reduced by 75% since they started in 2013 and their annual water consumption is down by 5,200 liters. The restaurant’s facilities also include a garden with 80 varieties of plants and an aquaponic farming system.
A Native New Zealander, Kim Wejendorp was the Sous Chef at Amass Restaurant in Copenhagen before becoming their head of R&D. In this conversation, we talk about how they undertook the sustainable transition, the creative process that produces a zero waste kitchen, and what kind of partners and innovations they are looking to partner with.
Not long ago, Frida Jonson and her co-founder Lovisa Madås realized that the FoodTech and AgTech worlds were unfolding in parallel. No journalism outlet was covering all sides of the story from farm to fork. So, they started AgFo, a digital media outlet covering the intersection of agriculture and food in Sweden.
AgFo's journalists travel all over the country reporting on different trends, perspectives, and innovations in the food system. Today, Frida gives us a front row seat to the conversations being had, the emerging trends, and collaborations to look out for. We also discuss why journalism is important for ecosystem development and connecting diverse communities.
Aquaculture is the farming of fish. As the fastest growing sector in animal food production, the industry has started to attract the interest of Silicon Valley. This might also be because aquaculture is some 20 years behind traditional agriculture in terms of development leaving it ripe for innovation.
We speak with Carsten Krome who is the Managing Partner of Hatch, the first global aquaculture accelerator program operating across Norway, Hawaii and Singapore and an investor into aquaculture with the fund Alimentos Ventures. He provides an excellent introduction to the aquaculture world and what we can look forward to in this space.
Carsten has his own entrepreneurial experience through his start-up as a prawn farmer in Malaysia and he holds a Ph.D. in feed science from the University of Stirling as well as a Masters in Marine Biology from the University of Kiel in Germany.
If you liked this episode, check out this podcast with Ocean Harvest from Denmark on regenerative ocean farming as a solution to climate change. For more conversations, join our community on Instagram or check out other episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.
Creandum has been an early investor in many of the most well known and successful Nordic companies including Spotify, Vivino, Klarna, and Kahoot just to name a few.
In today’s episode, we are speaking with Carl Fritjofsson who runs the San Francisco office serving as a bridge to Creandum's European founders as their companies expand into the US. Join us as we discuss how this tech VC is investing into the future of food and how European startups should be considering internationalization.
KBH Madhus has a mission is to change society through better meals and they’ve been doing this by helping the kitchens of hospitals, schools, and other public institutions go 90% organic, often on the same budget. So many meals are made in the public sector, that this kind of institutional change has massive impact. In this episode, we talk about the process KBH Madhus uses as well as how any kitchen - big or small, private or public - can do the same.
Cecilia Tilli founded Ultuna Mejeri, one of the first vegan cheese startups to hit the Swedish market back in 2014. The company grew to be sold in 50 stores and had a devoted fan base. Still, Cecilia and her team had to take the decision to close the company and declare bankruptcy. In this episode, Cecilia shares her personal story of starting the company and gives us a look into the realities of having your startup journey end in bankruptcy.
Gustav Johansson is behind Swedens largest vegan food blog. He’s also the author of two vegan cookbooks - one covers Swedish comfort food and the other is for athletes in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund and the Swedish Olympic Committee.
Gustav's work is fascinating. His work centers on using his platform to make it easier for people to chose a planet friendly diet. He does so by developing a trove of recipes that don’t require consumers to sacrifice the tastes they love or dishes they grew up with in order to eat more sustainably. He also works with supermarket chains and food entrepreneurs to ensure that the vegan products people want make it to market. He also develops recipes for new products to make sure there are resources available online for how to use them.
Besides Gustav's story and approach, we also cover how new products are released in Sweden - it only happens three times a year - and why Swedes seem to be leading the charge when it comes to embracing a vegan diet.
Lolland-Falster is fascinating not only because it has some of the richest soil in the country, but also because its considered “udkantsdanmark” or outer Denmark - a rural region, which has been struggling to attract growth in competition with big cities.
Despite this, Growth Train's 7-week accelerator program has succeeded in attracting startups to the region. Their program focuses on connecting the big agricultural operators with startups, giving them a playground to test new technologies. The goal is to work with corporations to soure solutions to their innovation challenges. I speak with Christiane Paaske-Sørensen on the ins and outs of the program. Episode Transcript
Related Links
Coop’s members use crowdfunding to get new food startups on the shelves
Why the Danish government's fund is now investing in FoodTech
How Denmark's Agro Business Park connects startups and corporations
Danish Technical University's on helping students invent the next big food solution
How Copenhagen Food Space helps new startups get off the ground
NordDetect is doing rapid soil testing
Nicolai Jæpelt is the Project Leader for Coop Crowdfunding. Coop is one of the largest supermarket chains in Denmark and is run as a cooperative with approx. 1.8 million members. The supermarket has created a crowdfunding platform where members can invest in early stage food initiatives they believe in. We cover how to get on Coop's shelves, why this new pathway is so interesting, and what consumers are investing in. We also chat about how to make a successful food crowdfunding campaign and why the platform has become a trend spotting platform for other purchasers.
If you're into food and find yourself in Sweden, then one of your first points of contact should definitely be Sweden FoodTech's Johan Jörgensen. The org is fully focused on developing the ecosystem through community, events, and biz dev assistance. Johan is an Internet entrepreneur turned investor with 20+ years of experience under his belt. He was once voted Best Investor in Sweden. Listen in as we discuss the ins and outs of Sweden's FoodTech ecosystem including Stockholm's plans to become a future food city.
Samuel Scheer works at Innovation Center Denmark in Tel Aviv, where they have a focus on accelerating Ag & FoodTech businesses. In this episode, we focus on how Nordic companies can tap foreign VC and ecosystems to grow globally. We especially focus on why the Danish-Israeli connection is so interesting, what we can learn from each other, and how you can make the most of the connections and market opportunities these centers have to offer.
Mia Maja Hansson helped to grow food entrepreneurship by establishing many of the spaces and facilities that Copenhagen food entrepreneurs use to get their businesses off the ground. This includes CPH Food Space, Street Food Around the Lakes, and Kitchen Collective. We discuss what each of these initiatives are as well as how and why they got started. We also dive into the history of food entrepreneurship and gastronomy in Copenhagen including what makes it such an innovative environment.
Roberto Flore is the Manager of DTU FoodLab, part of the Danish Technical University's incubator/maker space DTU Sky Lab. Roberto is the former Head of R&D at Noma's Nordic Food Lab. In 2017, Rolling Stone Magazine cited Roberto as one of 25 innovators who are changing the world. In this episode, we discuss how DTU Foodlab is sparking radical innovation by using food to build bridges between disciplines and address the grand global challenges. We also talk about how students & entrepreneurs can get involved and access the lab.
Keenan Pinto is the founder and CEO of Nordetect, which enables farmers to test their own soil samples for Nitrogren Phosphorous, and Potassium and then see the results in real time. This not only enables smarter farming practices, but also prevents over-fertilizing. With a diverse scientific and international background, Keenan shares his advice, lessons learned, and smart cuts for starting an Ag or FoodTech hardware / software company in the Nordics. We also discuss the pros and cons of building and scaling a company in Denmark and what's needed from the ecosystem to help companies grow.
Claus Mortensen is the Site Manager for Agro Business Park and the Copenhagen Agrifood Incubator. His job is basically to help startups’ solve the barriers holding them back from scaling across the EU. That could be sourcing, production, distribution, funding, etc. With offices in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Viborg, Agro Business Park is a gateway to the Danish food scene and offers a ton of opportunities and resources. We touch open all of these as well as how he expects the Nordic FoodTech ecosystem to evolve.
The FoodStack Community started as a meet up - the first one at Techfestival in 2017 - and quickly evolved into a powerful grassroots movement of food enthusiasts, makers, doers, biohackers, and entrepreneurs gathering together to develop new food solutions.
Frederik Lean is one of the forces that got the group off the ground. In this episode, he tells the story of how FoodStack got started and why it’s been so important for the Nordic FoodTech ecosystem to gather centrally. We also discuss the application of open source principles to food and how co-ops are being revamped for vertical farming.
For more information and episodes visit www.nordicfoodtech.io
Peter Jorgensen is a Partner at Maersk Growth, the VC arm of Maersk Group. His focus is on investing in startups that address inefficiencies in existing supply chains, particularly to fight food waste.
In this episode, we look at how Maersk is thinking about and investing in a future of food based on data, structure, and transparency. We also dive into the details of their investment thesis, how to best pitch them, and what kind of partnerships they are looking to build!