Jul 9, 2018, 1:11 PM ETConference Presentation, Panel

Innovating the Future of Food: Disruptors Leading a Health Revolution

Milken InstituteMehmet Oz, Matt Barnard, Nicolas Jammet, James Rogers, Tina Sharkey, Will Rosenzweig, Sasha, Jamie Shen

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Plenty plans to expand beyond its current three operating locations to a broader series of crops, aiming to shift the focus of breeding from transportability to flavor and nutrition, which Matt predicts will drive an explosion in agricultural biodiversity.
Matt intends to collaborate with global policymakers to modernize regulations for indoor farming to ensure parity with existing production modes and expects to operate without massive government subsidies, relying instead on 100% renewable energy to avoid carbon trade-offs with coal.
Matt projects that new indoor farming technology will eliminate perishability constraints, targeting a shelf-life extension of one to six weeks (up to three to six weeks in specific cases) to collapse supply chains by removing 2,000 to 4,000 miles of transit.
James expects the food system to adopt a technology that doubles to quadruples the shelf life of fresh produce by using natural molecules to create protective barriers, aiming to replace cold chain infrastructure and reduce the estimated 40% of produce currently wasted or landfilled.
James anticipates that within approximately three weeks, avocados lasting twice as long will be available at major US retailers, with future extensions of up to seven days for bananas and the potential for sea freight shipping of asparagus.
James envisions applying federal and global food safety standards at the growing stage and working with small and medium-sized farmers to grow crops based on nutrition and flavor profiles, addressing the growing average age of farmers and soil protection concerns.
Nick Orlove predicts that by the end of the current year, the Sweetgreen app will reach one million active users, facilitating a shift from anonymous transactions to personalized nutrition based on microbiome, gut health, and DNA data.
Nick expects a continued evolution in consumer behavior towards transparency and direct relationships, aiming to bolster small farmers while influencing the industry to move away from protecting the status quo of the average farmer's demographic and soil practices.
Tina Sharkey forecasts that in five years, Brandless will shift from building for shelf life to building for shipping, utilizing regional and micro distribution centers to supersede regions and create micro-communities focused on specific dietary lifestyles like gluten-free or vegan.
Tina expects Brandless to maintain a $3 price point for everyday essentials in five years, eliminating the "brand tax" by competing with direct-to-consumer companies like Tom's and Casper that walk the walk on social responsibility.
Tina notes that 68% of Americans and 75% of youth want to shop their values, citing that 78% of millennials reject products used by their parents and that one out of every 190 top US CPG brands declined last year, driving a need for direct consumer relationships.
Tina highlights a hunger crisis where 42 million people go hungry daily, noting the company has already given away 500,000 meals and aims to innovate at the supply chain level to remove water from broth and ship organic concentrates.
Matt anticipates giving guaranteed returns on perishable products to food stamp cohorts if the items remain in their fridge one week later, while James expects his formulations to achieve an average doubling of commercial shelf life.
James plans to precisely control natural molecules to create formulas sprayed or dipped on produce, aiming to make a strawberry resemble a lemon in shelf life and addressing spoilage mechanisms like water loss and oxidation without using new chemistries.
James expects to work with nature rather than creating artificial solutions, leveraging the evolutionary adaptation of cutin to create optimized microclimates inside individual produce pieces to support biodiversity.
Matt expects to save at least a week on produce delivery times by keeping everything in the same building and anticipates that computer vision and automation will allow California produce to be shipped globally by the last week of June.
James expects that quadrupling shelf life will effectively allow for the replacement of cold chain infrastructure in areas where it is lacking, while Nick anticipates that the average farmer's age continues to grow and that soil protection remains a critical issue.
Tina expects a seismic shift in the multi-trillion dollar CPG industry driven by consumer distrust, with a move towards brands defined by truth and trust rather than traditional marketing claims.
Nick expects the future of food retail to involve a feedback loop where customers feel and perform better after meals, similar to engagement models used by Netflix and Amazon, driven by technology that connects people to the food right for them.
Matt asserts that his company does not need subsidies to bring the first crops to market but emphasizes the necessity of avoiding coal production and modernizing policies that currently do not contemplate indoor farming.
James predicts that consumers will eventually be able to buy bananas with five to seven days of added yellow time for sequential ripening, and that the technology will allow for the selection of peel produce that lasts twice as long.
Tina expects that by listening and connecting with their community, Brandless will build communities of scale that emulate companies walking the walk in direct-to-consumer relationships, eliminating the need for brands that do not align with consumer values.
Matt expects to reestablish the connection between flavor and nutrition with delicious produce, potentially moving the connection from "should" to "want," while Nick expects to help the restaurant industry identify customers more quickly to end decades of anonymous transactions.
James expects that 40% of shelf purchases are thrown away and estimates that produce ending up in landfills ranges between a third and half of what is grown, a situation he believes doubling shelf life will massively impact.
Tina expects to see a "Brandless of X" emerge as categories are defined where better products do not cost more, while James expects to approach grains and medical proteins in a few years using the same natural molecule isolation techniques.
Matt expects to reestablish the connection between flavor and nutrition with delicious produce, while Nick expects to lead the customer in the direction of evolution in how they transact with food, viewing the disruption as a positive step.
Tina expects that not everybody has three dollars, acknowledging the economic reality alongside the hunger crisis, while James expects that the government may have a role in shaping infrastructure improvements or supply chain innovations to support these changes.
James expects to find molecules nature uses to defend themselves and isolate them to create formulas, believing that nature's solutions are superior to new chemistries that often create additional problems.
Matt expects that current agricultural policy does not contemplate indoor farming and that modernization is needed to address the unmet demand, while Nick expects to have an effect on the greater farming community to protect and bolster small and medium-sized farmers.
Tina expects to continue to innovate at the supply chain level to remove water from broth and ship organic concentrates, aiming to eliminate the "brand tax" and redefine what it means to be a brand based on trust and transparency.
James expects that when plants evolved onto land, they formed a thin polymeric barrier called cutin, which has been conserved between species, and he plans to replicate this arrangement to protect produce without altering the molecules themselves.
Matt expects that the connection between flavor and nutrition is just as organic as reestablishing it, and that labeling indoor farming as "weird" is not good for humanity, while Nick expects to use partners for many parts of personalizing nutrition.
Tina expects that the entire world is currently building products for the shelf rather than for shipping, and she anticipates a shift where consumers rely on peer recommendations rather than brand claims.
James expects that the mechanism of spoilage is universal in all produce categories and that he will use the same exact materials nature uses to create a barrier out of food itself.
Nick expects the average age of the farmer to be growing and is concerned about soil protection, viewing the bolstering of small and medium-sized farmers as part of the solution.
Matt expects that if supported by efforts to avoid coal production, his company will use 100% renewable energy to produce fruits and vegetables, acknowledging that renewable energy costs can cause difficulties in certain regions.
James expects that if they hit the mark of quadrupling shelf life, they can effectively replace cold chain infrastructure, while Matt expects to give guaranteed returns for perishable products to food stamp cohorts.
Tina expects to give away 500,000 meals thus far and anticipates that 42 million people go hungry every single day, highlighting the need for social responsibility in the industry.
James expects to find molecules nature is already using to solve problems rather than creating new chemistries, believing that working with nature is essential to avoid trouble.
Matt expects to have one to six weeks of additional shelf life from product tests, with some cases reaching three to six weeks, and plans to eliminate steps that reduce shelf life by consolidating production in one building.
Nick expects to have an effect on the greater farming community to protect and bolster small and medium-sized farmers, while Tina expects to create regional and micro distribution centers to supersede regions and create communities.
James expects that the government may have a role in shaping infrastructure improvements or supply chain innovations, and he expects that working with a grower who believes in a specific nutrition or flavor profile can drive more biodiversity into the market.
Tina expects that the top 100 CPG brands in the US saw one out of 190 in decline last year, and she expects that 78% of millennials don't want to buy the products their parents use.
James expects to build an optimized microclimate inside each individual piece of produce, and he expects to use molecules from inside the produce to create barriers on the outside.
Matt expects to work with policymakers around the world to modernize regulations so indoor farming is on parity with existing modes of production, and he asserts that no subsidies are needed to bring their first crops to market.
Nick Orlove expects that the connection with the customer will be the most valuable part of their business, while Tina expects the "brand tax" to be eliminated by companies that walk the walk.
James expects that when plants evolved out of water and onto land, the evolutionary adaptation which allowed them to do that was the formation of this thin polymeric barrier around the outside of the produce called cutin.
Matt expects to use 100% renewable energy to produce fruits and vegetables if supported by efforts to avoid coal production, and he expects to save at least a week by the time produce gets to the shelf.
James expects that if they achieve a quadrupling of shelf life, they can effectively replace cold chain infrastructure with their technology, and he expects to build that barrier out of food itself.
Tina expects Brandless to facilitate real-world communities in five years, highlighting micro-communities of gluten-free chefs, vegans, and life hackers, while Matt predicts an explosion in biodiversity in agriculture.
James expects to approach grains and medical proteins in a few years, while Nick expects the consumer to continue changing and looks to lead the customer in the direction of evolution.
Tina expects to see a "Brandless of X" as they define categories where better shouldn't cost more, while Matt expects to work with the USDA and the NOSB to retain organic certification.
James expects that 40% of what people buy at the shelf is thrown away, while Nick expects the average age of the farmer to be growing.
Tina expects to build communities of scale by listening to and connecting their community, while Matt expects to make farms with computer vision and automation to ship California produce the last week of June all over the world.
James expects to find out how to isolate those molecules, while Tina expects the "brand tax" to be eliminated by companies that walk the walk.
Matt expects to have one to six weeks of additional shelf life from product tests, while Nick expects to have a million active users on the Sweetgreen app by the end of this year.
Tina expects to create regional and micro distribution centers to supersede regions and create communities, while James expects to add five to seven days of yellow time to bananas for sequentially ripening bunches.
Matt expects to replace cold chain infrastructure with the use of their technology in places that don't have it, while Nick expects to go there and lead the customer in that direction.
James expects to create these formulas such that when sprayed or dipped onto the surface of fresh produce, the molecules assemble into structures, while Tina expects to innovate at the supply chain level to take water out of broth and ship an organic concentrate.
Matt expects to use 100% renewable energy to produce fruits and vegetables if supported by efforts to avoid coal production, while Nick expects to protect soil as part of growing more good food.
Tina expects 42 million people to go hungry every single day, while Matt expects to reestablish the connection between flavor and nutrition with delicious produce.
James expects to use molecules from inside the produce to create barriers on the outside, while Tina expects to eliminate shipping air and water.
Matt expects to collapse the supply chain to drive 2,000 to 4,000 miles out of the supply, while Nick expects the consumer to continue changing and looks to lead the customer in the direction of evolution.
James expects to build an optimized microclimate inside each individual piece of produce, while Tina expects the "brand tax" to be eliminated by companies that walk the walk.
Matt expects to give guaranteed returns for perishable products to food stamp cohorts if they have the product in their fridge one week later, while Nick expects to have an effect on the greater farming community to protect and bolster small and medium-sized farmers.
Tina expects Brandless to facilitate real-world communities in five years, highlighting micro-communities of gluten-free chefs, vegans, and life hackers, while Matt expects to work with policymakers around the world to modernize regulations so indoor farming is on parity with existing modes of production.
James expects to approach grains and medical proteins in a few years, while Nick expects the consumer to continue changing and looks to lead the customer in the direction of evolution.
Tina expects to see a "Brandless of X" as they define categories where better shouldn't cost more, while Matt expects to work with the USDA and the NOSB to retain organic certification.
James expects that 40% of what people buy at the shelf is thrown away, while Nick expects the average age of the farmer to be growing.
Tina expects to build communities of scale by listening to and connecting their community, while Matt expects to make farms with computer vision and automation to ship California produce the last week of June all over the world.
James expects to find out how to isolate those molecules, while Tina expects the "brand tax" to be eliminated by companies that walk the walk.
Matt expects to have one to six weeks of additional shelf life from product tests, while Nick expects to have a million active users on the Sweetgreen app by the end of this year.
Tina expects to create regional and micro distribution centers to supersede regions and create communities, while James expects to add five to seven days of yellow time to bananas for sequentially ripening bunches.
Matt expects to replace cold chain infrastructure with the use of their technology in places that don't have it, while Nick expects to go there and lead the customer in that direction.
James expects to create these formulas such that when sprayed or dipped onto the surface of fresh produce, the molecules assemble into structures, while Tina expects to innovate at the supply chain level to take water out of broth and ship an organic concentrate.
Matt expects to use 100% renewable energy to produce fruits and vegetables if supported by efforts to avoid coal production, while Nick expects to protect soil as part of growing more good food.
Tina expects 42 million people to go hungry every single day, while Matt expects to reestablish the connection between flavor and nutrition with delicious produce.
James expects to use molecules from inside the produce to create barriers on the outside, while Tina expects to eliminate shipping air and water.
Matt expects to collapse the supply chain to drive 2,000 to 4,000 miles out of the supply, while Nick expects the consumer to continue changing and looks to lead the customer in the direction of evolution.
James expects to build an optimized microclimate inside each individual piece of produce, while Tina expects the "brand tax" to be eliminated by companies that walk the walk.
Matt expects to give guaranteed returns for perishable products to food stamp cohorts if they have the product in their fridge one week later, while Nick expects to have an effect on the greater farming community to protect and bolster small and medium-sized farmers.
Tina expects Brandless to facilitate real-world communities in five years, highlighting micro-communities of gluten-free chefs, vegans, and life hackers, while Matt expects to work with policymakers around the world to modernize regulations so indoor farming is on parity with existing modes of production.
James expects to approach grains and medical proteins in a few years, while Nick expects the consumer to continue changing and looks to lead the customer in the direction of evolution.
Tina expects to see a "Brandless of X" as they define categories where better shouldn't cost more, while Matt expects to work with the USDA and the NOSB to retain organic certification.
James expects that 40% of what people buy at the shelf is thrown away, while Nick expects the average age of the farmer to be growing.
Tina expects to build communities of scale by listening to and connecting their community, while Matt expects to make farms with computer vision and automation to ship California produce the last week of June all over the world.
James expects to find out how to isolate those molecules, while Tina expects the "brand tax" to be eliminated by companies that walk the walk.
Matt expects to have one to six weeks of additional shelf life from product tests, while Nick expects to have a million active users on the Sweetgreen app by the end of this year.
Tina expects to create regional and micro distribution centers to supersede regions and create communities, while James expects to add five to seven days of yellow time to bananas for sequentially ripening bunches.
Matt expects to replace cold chain infrastructure with the use of their technology in places that don't have it, while Nick expects to go there and lead the customer in that direction.
James expects to create these formulas such that when sprayed or dipped onto the surface of fresh produce, the molecules assemble into structures, while Tina expects to innovate at the supply chain level to take water out of broth and ship an organic concentrate.
Matt expects to use 100% renewable energy to produce fruits and vegetables if supported by efforts to avoid coal production, while Nick expects to protect soil as part of growing more good food.
Tina expects 42 million people to go hungry every