Amazing panel discussion from this week's Futureproofing... event. Here's Jeremiah McElwee from Thrive Market talking about "distant" eco-friendly claims on food packaging (register for the session called 'What does sustainable sourcing really mean?' https://tinyurl.com/3n2s4zy5)
“It's very frustrating to hear people talk all the time about transportation and power [in conversations about climate change] when right in front of you three times a day, there is a solution that's more impactful,” observed Beyond Meat founder and CEO Ethan Brown in a panel session yesterday on day one of FoodNavigator-USA’s Futureproofing the Food System virtual summit.
“There’s urgency to what we're trying to do here and food is the fastest way to fix this, whether it’s [fellow panelists] Meati Foods, Air Protein, Orbillion Bio or Beyond Meat doesn't matter. We can empower people to do something proactive about climate. It would be great if you got a Tesla, but if you can't afford one, here's a $5 solution that you can pursue three times a day.”
But with mounting losses and declining sales, how much room for maneuver – and how much time - does Beyond Meat, a highly visible publicly held company, have to realize Brown’s vision and change the way we eat, something he himself has acknowledged will not happen overnight?
Outer Aisle Gourmet: 'We took off like a rocket ship...'
WATCH: ‘We took off like a rocket ship…’ Cauliflower-fueled Outer Aisle Gourmet gears up to open third facility
When it comes to packaging, is it always clear which is the most environmentally-friendly choice?
WATCH: ‘We’re replacing mixed material packaging that’s difficult or impossible to recycle with a mono-material that can be used again and again,' says Zotefoams VP Neil Court-Johnston.
'The issue is not paper vs plastic; what we're try to solve here is mixed material...'
McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams CEO: ‘Our closest competitors are all private equity owned and in the market share business; we're family owned, so we’re in the ‘We better be profitable’ business…’
WATCH: While there have been some hairy moments over its 72 years in business, Santa Barbara-based McConnell's Fine Ice Creams has managed to stay in the game by focusing on what it does best: making decadent, high butterfat dairy ice cream with signature flavors from Eureka Lemon and Marionberries, to Turkish Coffee, and the lowest overrun (air) in the business, says CEO Michael Palmer.
"Our closest competitors are all private equity owned and in the market share business; we're family owned, so we’re in the ‘We better be profitable’ business…’
WATCH: What are 'milk,' 'meat,' and 'eggs?' And what do we call animal products as they become decoupled from animals?
WATCH: What are 'milk,' 'meat,' and 'eggs?' And what do we call animal products as they become decoupled from animals?
Check out our slide-show exploring the brave new world of animal-free dairy and cell-cultured milk, fungi-based meat and ‘real’ honey, minus the bees…
