Agri Matters: Recent Episodes
PDD Podcasts
Agri Matters is a podcast about cutting-edge technology and innovation in agriculture. From scientists, venture capitalists to start-up founders, we talk to the people responsible for bringing food from farm to table. Agri Matters is brought to you by PDD Podcasts.
The challenge of feeding a growing population well and feeding them better without destroying the planet is a gargantuan task, but one that we must tackle nonetheless. How can we do so equitably? And what would it take to nudge consumers to change?
The Pinduoduo Food Systems Forum was held 14-15 July.
"How Can Consumers Eat Well Without Wrecking the Planet"
Panellists:
--David Yeung, Founder and CEO, Green Monday Group
--Prof Jessica Fanzo, Professor, Johns Hopkins University
---Prof Jeyakumar Henry, Senior Advisor, SIFBI
Moderator: Danielle Nierenberg, President and Co-Founder, Food Tank
For more, visit https://stories.pinduoduo-global.com/
The highlights of the panel include:
- A discussion on the EAT-Lancet report, the impact and drawbacks of the recommendations
- Whether plant-based meat alternatives are healthy
- The need to focus on the base of the pyramid when it comes to accessibility to healthy, nutritious food
For a video recording of the panel, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlo0IzOip8E
Maarten Bosch, CEO of Mosa Meat, Rahul Ray, Senior Director of Tyson Ventures, and Prof Yaakov Nahmias, founder of Future Meat, discuss the future of cultivated meat and how the maturing movement can go from the initial novelty factor to becoming part of consumers' normal diets. The discussion is moderated by Louisa Burwood-Taylor at the Pinduoduo Food Systems Forum.
Highlights of the panel discussion that took place at the Pinduoduo Food Systems Forum on 14-15 July.
• The biggest challenges facing cultivated meat industry now are: (1) Getting production to scale, (2) securing regulatory approval, (3) getting capex to build factories after regulatory approval.
• Yaakov Nahmias of Future Meats estimates it’d require half a trillion dollars to set up enough production capacity worldwide to replace 60% of protein demand. The factories will need to be in South America, Africa, China, Europe, the US. “The only thing that we ever spread like this was the Model T.”
• Mosa Meats currently at “pre-industrial levels” of production with pilot plants in Netherlands, while Future Meat can produce “a cow a day” at current capacity. Plan for Mosa Meats is to develop first industrial-scale production line, hope to coincide roughly with regulatory approval, and then build factories in Europe and in countries that allow for cultivated meat.
• On regulatory approval, Singapore’s approval of Eat Just’s chicken nuggets at the end of last year was a landmark decision that has catalyzed the industry, getting more people and venture capital interested. Regulatory agencies are taking it seriously but not all have figured it out, according to Mosa’s Bosch.
• Cultivated meat can be more efficient than animals because the nutrients cater only to the meat whereas whole animals require nutrients to feed everything from brain, central nervous system, skin, “even the microbiome wants to eat from the same sandwich,” says Yaakov Nahmias, Future Meat
Link to a roundup of the full proceedings of the Pinduoduo Food Systems Forum is available here.
In the 2nd part of our interview featuring Pasi Vainikka of Solar Foods, we dive deeper into how Solein will scale up and contribute to the de-carbonization of the wider food system. We discuss:
1）The potential for air protein to be the nutrient feed for cultivated meat
2) The feasibility of producing proteins in space with Martian carbon dioxide
3) Upcoming production milestones for successful scaling
4) How their technology can enable carbon negative food production
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In this episode of Agri Matters, we speak to Dr Pasi Vainikka, co-founder and CEO of Solar Foods, a Finnish start-up that is literally making food out of thin air. We discuss:
1) How air and electricity can come together through fermentation to replicate and replace the conventional process of growing plants
2) Taking concepts from space technology to engineer a food system solution for spaceship Earth
3) What does air protein taste like and how might it make its way to consumers?
Join us for the next episode which features Part 2 of our interview with Pasi, where we discuss their product roadmap and Pasi's favourite Finnish food! Follow us on Twitter @PinduoduoInc for more updates!
In the 2nd part of our interview with Yuki Hanyu of Integriculture, we delve into the science of Integriculture's offerings and their vision to provide B2B services for the industry. We discuss:
1) Integriculture's product roadmap
2) Integriculture's unique Cul-net system and how it mimics human organs
3) The R&D work that lies ahead for the industry
If you enjoyed this podcast, subscribe for more episodes and follow us on Twitter and Facebook @PinduoduoInc as well as Linkedin!
In this episode of Agri Matters, we speak to Yuki Hanyu, Founder of the Tokyo-based Shojinmeat Project and Integriculture to find out how the future of alternative proteins is being imagined and communicated in Japan. We discuss:
1) The origins of the Shojinmeat Project and how it makes growing your own meat readily accessible
2) How consumers in Japan view alternative proteins
3) Regulatory environment with regard to alternative proteins in Japan
Join us for the next episode which features Pt 2 of our interview with Yuki, where we dive into what Integriculture's technology is about! Follow us on Twitter @PinduoduoInc to stay updated
In this episode, we discuss:
- Consumer acceptance of alternative proteins and new food products
- The next big opportunity in alternative proteins
- Making innovations available to the masses
Subscribe to our podcast to receive more updates! You can also follow us on Twitter @PinduoduoInc
In this episode, we discuss：
- How art plays an important role in communicating and generating discussions on our future food system
- How motherhood has influenced their viewpoint on the sector, and how they try to juggle motherhood and their career
- How innovation in the agri-food sector is evolving over time
- How cultivated shrimp is produced and how it will make its way to your plate
Subscribe if you like what you're hearing! You can also follow us on Twitter @PinduoduoInc
In this episode, you'll learn about:
1) How the process of cultivating milk proteins outside the human body works
2) The health benefits of breast milk proteins and how you can one day enjoy it in your yoghurt
3) The journey to reducing the cost of growth factors and Turtletree's next-generation microflora-based expression system
4) What has surprised her on her start-up journey
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn or www.stories.pinduoduo-global.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc.
In this episode, you'll learn:
1) How modern agriculture can effectively address youth unemployment
2) Overcoming barriers to entrepreneurship through innovations in financing
3) The importance of proven technologies at lower cost for future food system development
4) Tips for women entrepreneurs to succeed
In this episode, you'll hear about:
1) How Mountain Hazelnuts built out a community of 12,000 hazelnut farms in a country where there is no native word for 'hazelnut'
2) The journey of a hazelnut from seed to table
3) How agricultural enterprises can empower women and better the lives of the households they lead
4) How hazelnut planting can help with carbon sequestration and habitat preservation with the use of technology
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn or www.stories.pinduoduo-global.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc.
In this episode, you'll hear about:
- How Shiok came to focus on shrimp, one of the most consumed proteins in the world. No other cell-based meat company was working on shrimp, giving Shiok excellent market potential.
- Why focusing on seafood has some advantages as the cells are easier to handle compared to mammalian cells.
- The challenge of isolating shrimp muscle stem cells when most of stem cell research is done on animals that are closer to humans.
- How Shiok is experimenting with plant extracts in place of chemical ingredients to lower the cost of its nutrient media to bring its product cost from a few thousand dollars per kilogram to a two digit figure within a year
This episode, we speak to Stuart Oda, Founder and CEO of Alesca Life, a 2019 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer. Alesca Life is a Beijing-based indoor farming company with a global footprint, having set up container farms in China, Dubai and Singapore.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
1) How indoor farming can address many of the challenges the global food system is currently facing
2) How indoor farming could actually help other forms of farming increase their efficiency
3) The merging of where consumers live and where food is grown by making indoor farming more distributed in urban areas improving food security and community building
4) How agritech can make farmers superhuman and transform agriculture into being the most productive industry on the planet
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can follow us on Twitter @PinduoduoInc or visit: https://stories.pinduoduo-global.com/
This episode, we speak to Fulco Wijdooge, GM of China for Ridder Group. Ridder Group is a family-owned company from the Netherlands with over 60 years of expertise in developing smart greenhouse solutions.
Fulco shares his thoughts on:
1) The Pinduoduo Smart Agri Competition and its potential impact on the industry
2) The challenges China's agricultural industry faces in the adoption of smart agriculture
3) How Ridder Group is adapting to the market conditions in China to better demonstrate to Chinese farmers the yield improvements that can be achieved with their technology
4) How digitization is key to making the agricultural sector more sexy to young talents
5) New developments in the industry such as scouting robots
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc.
This episode, we speak to Elaine Siu, Managing Director of The Good Food Institute Asia-Pacific. The Good Food Institute (GFI) is a non-profit with a global footprint that aims to shift the world away from conventional animal agriculture.
You'll learn about:
- How GFI is working in different parts of the world to build a stronger ecosystem for alternative proteins
- The promise and challenge for plant-based proteins in Asia
- Understanding consumers' needs and positioning products precisely instead of trying to be all things to all people
- The importance of collaboration to move the industry forward
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc.
This episode, we speak to Gary Brenner, VP of Products and Market Development at Aleph Farms. Aleph Farms is a cultivated meat company from Israel focused on growing high-quality slaughter-free beef.
Here's what we talked about:
- Aleph's technology platforms to achieve slaughter-free meat and its timeline for commercialization
- Navigating the regulatory landscape for cultivated meat
- Starting a business that is international from Day One - partnering chefs and local food giants to create localized products for success
- Why Asia is most likely to be the first region to taste cultivated meat given its heavy reliance on meat imports
- The importance of cultivated meat technology in future-proofing our food systems to be more resilient and adaptable to how we may live in the future e.g. in space, where Aleph aims to be no.1
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc.
This episode, we speak to Dr Benjamin Smith, Director for the Innovations in Food and Chemical Safety program at A*STAR, who is also part of the newly established Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation.
In this episode, you'll learn:
1) Introduction to food safety testing and why food adulteration is one of the biggest international areas of crime, costing the industry $40 billion annually
2) How globalization complicates testing and enforcement
3) The need for multi-sector expertise to ensure food security
4) How Pinduoduo's research project with SIFBI aims to lower the cost of testing produce for contaminants and contributes to greater quality assurance across the supply chain
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc.
This episode, we speak to Shen Ming Lee, social entrepreneur and author of the book Hungry for Disruption: How Tech Innovations Will Nourish 10 Billion by 2050.
Here's what we talked about:
- The power of story-telling to bring customers and stakeholders along your journey to achieve your mission and effect change
- The opportunity for youths to see the possibilities for collaboration across diverse stakeholders and build bridges to transform the agri-food system
- The scale of the food waste problem and innovations to tackle it- if food waste were a country, it would be the 3rd largest greenhouse gas emitting country after the US and China
- Covid-19 prompting a shift to more decentralized food systems, and how e-commerce players like Pinduoduo contribute to that decentralization
- Resources to start one's agri-food journey: Food Fix by Dr. Mark Hyman, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc.
Xin Yi Lim, Executive Director of Sustainability and Agricultural Impact at Pinduoduo, explains how the e-commerce giant is reimagining the agriculture supply chain and using technology to surmount the challenges of scale, geography and reach.
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc.
Join us to hear from 3 leading agri-food tech VCs on the state of the agri-food tech investment market in the wake of Covid-19 as well as the latest trends to watch!
On this episode, we speak to:
- John Friedman, Director at AgFunder
- Andrew Ive, Founder of Big Idea Ventures
- Joseph Zhou, Managing Partner at Bits x Bites
We got their expert takes on the health of the agri-food tech investment market and also discussed at length some of the promising trends and start-ups.
Here’s what you’ll learn from this episode:
- While there have been some recent adjustments in deal flow with some correction in valuations, this does come after the industry had already witnessed a 5x growth in investments over the past few years.
- If anything, Covid-19 has also made agritech investing a greater area of interest for a broader pool of investors - from Big Ag and Big Food corporations to family offices and governments. From Tyson to the Singapore government, the interest in the sector has grown as Covid-19 exposed the underlying fragilities and bottlenecks of the global food supply chain.
- A key sector to watch is the Alternative Protein segment – be it plant-based meats or dairy, the relative safety and health benefits from consuming these products versus conventional animal protein products has grown in consumers’ minds
- Personalized nutrition is another key area our VCs are watching as consumers these days are paying much more attention to the scientific merits of what they eat, and are also willing to invest more in their health.
- When investing in startups, our experts look out for big ideas (AKA what is the TAM, and what is the impact), deep tech and strong execution.
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn.
And follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc
For more information on Pinduoduo, you can check out our LinkedIn.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PinduoduoInc.
What can China do to emerge as a global leader in sustainable and organic farming? Interview with researchers who surveyed farmers in 13 Chinese provinces.
An interview with Chloe Dempsey, Research Fellow at the Cellular Agriculture Society on the future of the alternative protein industry and what it takes for consumer adoption. Interview date: April 21, 2020
Interview with Ajay Jakhar, Chairman of India Farmers Forum, about challenges faced by the farming sector during the coronavirus outbreak. Interview Date: April 17, 2020
An interview with Prof. Miguel A. Altieri, agronomist and academician, about the challenges in the global food supply chain. Interview Date: April 21, 2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic, urban farming is gradually moving to balconies and terraces as city dwellers get concerned about disruption in the food supply, reports Kavita Budhraja.
The just-in-time food supply chains that deliver food from farms to table are under stress as various countries restrict the movement of people and goods in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.