Just 12 plants & 5 animals make up 75% of the worlds food supply. Almost half of our plant-derived calories come from just three foods: wheat, corn & rice. While estimates vary, it is believed that there are over 30,000 edible plants, & we only eat 150 of them. This is harmful to our planet, health & the communities that rely on them. While the conversation around sustainability typically focuses on how we grow our food, its time to focus on what were growing.
Biodiversity is crucial to the health & safety of our food supply. But to us, biodiversity in food means something even more. Biodiversity sits at the intersection of taste & sustainability, where we can simultaneously satiate an eaters desire for new, interesting foods, while supporting a more diverse cornucopia of foods being cultivated in the world. As an industry, consolidation puts our food supply at risk & leaves a lot of opportunity - new flavors & food experiences - on the table.
From building out supply chains with farming cooperatives abroad to partnering chefs & breeders to develop delicious plant varieties, companies are increasingly launching products & developing supply chains that support agrobiodiversity.
Join us to hear how game-changing startups are creating a more biodiverse food system at our February Food+Tech Meetup. Founders will do a deep dive into their business models, technology & supply chains. We will also have networking with the community & lots of great food & drinks to sample from Yolele, Sanzo, Kuli Kuli, Tender Greens, Spero Foods, Loisa, Rebbl + More
Are your products supporting biodiversity in food? Apply through our application here: https://bit.ly/2AXzYHa
SCHEDULE:
6 - 7:30pm: Networking + Company Showcase
7:30 - 9pm: Presentations + Q&A
9pm - 9:30pm: Networking
PRESENTERS:
Charlotte Douglas, Chief Operating Officer, Row 7 Seeds
Charlotte Douglas is the Chief Operating Officer of Row 7 Seed Company. Founded by Chef Dan Barber, vegetable breeder Michael Mazourek & organic seed grower Matthew Goldfarb, Row 7 works alongside chefs & plant breeders to create, trial & distribute delicious new plant varieties that make an impact in the soil & at the table. Prior to Row 7, Charlotte spent ten years at Blue Hill, where she spearheaded creative & culinary initiatives that explore issues of agriculture & the environment through the lens of flavor. Charlotte received a BA in History & Literature from Harvard University.
Lisa Curtis, Founder & CEO, Kuli Kuli
Kuli Kuli is the first brand to introduce the green superfood moringa to the US market. Lisa founded Kuli Kuli after working with moringa as a Peace Corps Volunteer. She has grown Kuli Kuli from a Peace Corps dream into a multi-million dollar social enterprise that sells delicious moringa products in over 7,000 stores. Through Kuli Kulis moringa supply chain, the company has planted over 1 million moringa trees, created 1,300 sustainable livelihoods & has put over $1.5M back into the hands of rural farmers across Africa & South America.
Erik Oberholtzer, Co-Founder, Tender Greens
Erik holds the title of executive chairman of Tender Greens & leads the board of directors with daily emphasis on supply chain integrity, culinary innovation, food justice & community cultivation. Erik's thought leadership on the topics of regenerative organic agriculture, urban agriculture, food policy, health & wellness & social justice have earned him advisory roles with The Food For Ever Foundation, pttow!, The Crop Trust, Rodale Institute, Berkeley Food Institute, SEE-LA, California Restaurant Association, Farmshelf & Children Now. Erik is the founder of The Sustainable Life Project, a Tender Greens sponsored foundation with a mission to help foster youth find paths forward through food access & culinary internships.
Thank you to our partners Kickstarter & Brooklyn Brewery.
