Rich Kelleman didn't always plan to become the CEO of a pet food company. With a background in advertising, it wasn't until he was assigned a project, reimagining the future of Burger King, that his eyes opened to the challenges attached to conventional agriculture. Adopting a vegan lifestyle, he came home and wrestled with the idea of feeding his pets meat, and couldn't help but question if there was a better way. Fast forward to now and he is the co-founder of Bond Pet Foods, an early-stage startup that's utilising microbial fermentation technology, to reimagine how and what we feed...
While working as an attorney in New York, Sharon Cryan stumbled across company cases that revealed some disheartening loopholes within food industry regulations. Sparking her passion for food education and living a healthy lifestyle, she soon realised she wanted to make a difference in the space, with entering the industry itself being the most effective way she knew how. Creating positively processed superfood products, we spoke with Sharon about her journey into entrepreneurship and the start of Foodnerd, as well as the collaboration process between dieticians, nutritionists and food scientists in creating the company's products. We also covered the benefits...
While running the food education business Kitchen Coach, Ashley began seeing the everyday struggles parents were facing when it came to feeding their children healthy and nutritional foods. Trying to develop a healthy recipe for butter on behalf of not only herself, but also her clients, she cracked the code and the first product for Phyto foods was born. In today's episode we speak with Ashley and Phyto co-founder Matt about the difficulties of mimicking butter, and it's elusiveness in the dairy alternative space. We also speak about the process the pair have gone through when it comes to running blind taste tests in the...
Having seen the success of the Good Food Institute (GFI) when it comes to accelerating plant-based foods, Stephanie Downs and Nicole Rawling saw an opportunity to affect change in an industry virtually nobody was talking about: materials. With their brilliant backgrounds, Nicole having set up all GFI's international programs, as well as Stephanie's experience as an entrepreneur, the pair have set up an ecosystem for the industry, Material Innovation Initiative, to bring together scientists, entrepreneurs, brands and investors, transforming textiles as we know them today. We spoke to the pair about a variety of topics, spanning from the history of...
After her transition to a vegan diet several years ago, Kati Ohens felt an itch that she was meant to do something more meaningful in her life. With a successful career in advertising and software development, she was put in touch with Csaba Hetenyi, a financier who had recently acquired a unique IP to develop a pasta product. Seeing the potential to do something more, what started as Kati advising on brand development soon transitioned into a cofounding team, with the two coming together and creating Plantcraft, a startup focussed on transforming deli, one slice at a time. In this...
Veronica Fil and her husband, leading chef Shaun Quade never intended to become plant-based entrepreneurs. Owning a fine-dining restaurant in Melbourne, it wasn't until they began to notice the future of food was drastically changing around them that they realised the potential of their skills to bring forth a healthier and high impact product, both for people and the planet. With a superpower of culinary creativity the couple have brought together an unusual pair: cauliflower and hemp, to create dairy-free cheese like you've never seen it before. In this episode we chat to Veronica about the startup's unusual and rather...
Even while working as an aerospace engineer, Christie Lagally always cared for animals. Every morning on her drive to Boeing, she would come face to face with chickens heading for slaughter, and each time she would ask herself why the plant-based movement wasn't getting closer to success. After conducting research of her own, she realised the problem at hand: we were unable to scale and make plant-based meat affordable, because we had been using the wrong manufacturing technology to make it. Deciding to be the change she wished to see in the world, she founded Rebellyous Foods, a startup focussed...
Alicia Robb, founder and CEO of Next Wave Impact is no ordinary fund manager. Describing herself as an 'accidental venture capitalist', her research with the Kauffman Foundation led her to found a fund with a current goal to diversify the investor base, helping to close existing gender and racial gaps, while supporting entrepreneurs pushing global solutions and having a positive impact. In this episode we cover the nuts and bolts of investing, delving deeper into Alicia's background and the research that led her on her path today, as well as what she looks out for in a good pitch and...
With over 15 years of experience working in hospitality, Jerome Pagnier is the first to understand and acknowledge just how wasteful the industry can be. From food waste to energy as well as the abundance of animal products on the menu, it's a space that's overlooked by many when it comes to veganism and environmental resilience reform. Having a desire to change things, Jerome and his cofounder set up WiseFins, a company that aims to transform the hospitality industry, both by helping already-established businesses build a more purposeful and sustainable future for themselves, as well as a stealth project which sees...
Big news!Happy to welcome our new Australian distributor Soulfresh!They'll be selling Bite in their portfolio, which includes in-house vegan brands including Nutty Bruce, Pico, Eaty and Wildly Good. We're excited at the potential, not only do they have a large national salesforce they also get the potential of plant-based foods and doing things different. Having a distributor also makes life easier for many stockists - no more struggling to get above large free shipping thresholds, as there are multiple products that can be delivered at once. Also they have relationships with a large amount of stockists, from small independents to...
Who said cardboard's boring?This week we made a leap to a new carton for our choc balls. What's the big deal? Well for one, we reduced the amount of units from 20 down to 12 to give more flexibility of ordering - something especially smaller stockists have asked for.But the other big change is that the carton now doubles as a shelf ready pack. As in, tear the top off and you're left with a nifty display case.Not only does this let us emphasize some of the key points in the design (vegan, ethical cocoa, recyclable etc) it also let's...
In the vegan community, we have a goal to alleviate the suffering and exploitation of billions of animals worldwide. For a lot of us that means creating plant-based products that consumers can easily use to substitute for their usual, animal-based foods. And whilst that's our ideal, what if there was a way we could pick up the momentum by encouraging meat producers now, to use less meat? Enter Paul Shapiro, best-selling author of 'Clean Meat' and CEO of vegan-run company Better Meat Co. Doing something different, the startup focusses on creating plant proteins, that through blending, provide a hybridised alternative...
During her senior year at Cornell, Jessica Kwong had a decision to make. To say yes and secure a stable job at one of the world's most prestigious snack companies, or to follow her entrepreneurial spark and pursue starting her own business. Fresh out of university, she took the risk and declined the offer, taking her chance in starting Jack and Friends, a NY-based startup aimed at creating inclusive plant-based snacks for anyone of any lifestyle to enjoy. In this episode, we hear more about Jessica's story, as well as the tough decision she had to make. We learn about...
When her son Jonah was diagnosed with a milk allergy at 3 months old, Jessica Harris decided the only thing she could do was to change her diet. It wasn't until she started weening him that she soon realised there was no free-from food on the shelf, that nutritionally fit what she wanted to give her child. So she set off into the community, and after asking other mums in similar positions, it became clear they were all looking for the same thing: a fun, delicious, allergen-friendly yoghurt for their kids. Addressing what Jess saw as a gap in the market,...
While working as a manager for Apple, Ashish realised he wanted to have a career that aligned with his values and was more mission-driven. With the combination of research and intuition, he landed on Vegancuts. Despite having no background in e-commerce, but a desire to make a difference, he set out on a journey to fulfil the potential he saw in the business. In this episode, he shares how he transitioned from tech and the learnings he brought with him into his new role. We also spoke about the whys and hows of Vegancuts' evolution as a brand, how the company...
After the birth of his daughter, award-winning chef Alejandro Cancino had a decision to make. To stay in the restaurant world, or to take the plunge and start his own business, to try and bring veganism into the mainstream. With three hats to his name, he set to work and founded Fenn Foods, the plant-based manufacturing company and creators behind meat alternative vEEF. In this episode Alejandro sits down to talk about his journey, what it's like owning your own facility, the benefits and struggles of bootstrapping, as well as the importance of resourcefulness. We also cover how to make tough...
Where we see waste, Upcircle sees wonder. Having repurposed over 250 tonnes of coffee grounds into sustainable skincare, Anna and Will Brightman continue to make headlines, with the sibling duo appearing on UK's Dragon Den and featuring in publications such as VOGUE and Elle Magazine, among others. Despite their success however, things weren't always easy, with the pair choosing to quit their jobs to pursue their dream. This week we cover their journey, as well as how to organically grow an online presence, everything ethics, and the hows of maintaining balance in the early stages of getting a startup off the ground....
Big news, we're thrilled to launch into our first major chain.
Our salted caramel and original choc balls are now available at PARKnSHOP, one of the 2 largest supermarkets in Hong Kong.
Our HK fans can check Shop Finder on our website to discover which shops stock it.Personally, we're really happy to not only broaden our reach to show plant-based options can be tasty and affordable, but also will let us learn a lot and help inspire hopefully other vegan founders looking to get off the ground and break in...
Have you ever wondered what a vegan world would look like? Vikas Garg, CEO and founder of abillionveg, is turning this into reality through an app that makes eating vegan easier, while encouraging people to make a difference, one review at a time. But abillionveg is no ordinary platform. We spoke with Vikas about the challenges he has faced so far including the difficulties in building a team, as well as the future for the startup and their goal to donate $1 million this year. This is his story. Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from...
Mushrooms. We've all tried them, but never like this. Meet Fable Food Co, a startup focussed on transforming one of nature's healthiest foods into a tasty meat alternative. This week we spoke with Michael Fox, cofounder of Fable, and chatted about a variety of topics, starting from his fascinating history of entrepreneurship and the power of packaging, to being endorsed by a michelin star chef and what it means to be a responsible plant based meat producer in the market today. Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by email simon@bitesociety.com or katrina@bitesociety.com or @bitesociety on Instagram or Facebook Notes Despite only...
Working as a freelance writer and engaging with animal activism, but feeling like nothing was changing, Alice Shopland had the idea of vegan food being a positive contribution which could fit her entrepreneurial interests. Fast forward to now, and what started as a small importer of vegan cheeses, has now grown to a successful and mission-driven business with accomplishments making New Zealand headlines. How did she get there? And what are some secrets to her success? Listen to find out her story. Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by email simon@bitesociety.com or katrina@bitesociety.com or @bitesociety on Instagram or Facebook...
After reflecting on his career, Blair Crichton knew he wanted to have a positive impact on the planet and make a difference. With an interest in climate change, and having been a long-term vegetarian, he took an interest in the food-tech space, leading him to take up opportunities at Impossible Foods, the Good Food Institute and New Age Meats. Fast forward to now, a cofounder of Karana - a startup focussed on creating delicious and indulgent asian comfort foods using whole plants, starting with pork. How do they do it? Using one of the world's most sustainable crops: Jackfruit. Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes ...
Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by email simon@bitesociety.com or katrina@bitesociety.com or @bitesociety on Instagram or Facebook Notes From meeting in an uber ride, to launching a market-leading business in the field of vegan cheese, you could say cofounders Bree Gaudette and Matthew Ronalds are doing it all. With no formal training, but an unrelenting desire to create a vegan alternative close to the cheeses she used to love, Bree set to the kitchen to have a go herself. Fast forward to now with multiple products such as mozzarella, haloumi and even a delicious brie in puff, all...
Tempeh, a food discovered 300 years ago, in Java, Indonesia is set to make it into the mainstream. But how will it get there? And who is propelling the fermentation technology forward? Meet our first guest, Chris Kong, head of business development for Better Nature, a startup company focussed on producing protein the better way, one block of tempeh at a time. In this episode we learn their story, why tempeh, and what the future holds for the delicious meat alternative. Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by email simon@bitesociety.com or katrina@bitesociety.com or @bitesociety on Instagram or Facebook Summary...
Yep, that's right! In today's episode we share the big news, a new direction for the vegan startup podcast! Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by email simon@bitesociety.com or katrina@bitesociety.com or @bitesociety on Instagram or Facebook Show notes Big news - we're expanding our "Vegan Startup" podcast to include other vegan startups from around the world! If you're in a vegan startup or know one to be features, pls comment or send us a DM! ps - don't worry, we'll also continue updating our journey with BITE as well :) Background - For those who've have been listening...
Everywhere you look right now, Coronavirus appears to dominate the headlines. But what impact has the virus actually had on our team, and what does it mean for the future of Bite Society? Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by email simon@bitesociety.com or katrina@bitesociety.com or @bitesociety on Instagram or Facebook Show notes It's safe to say that the world is in panic over the coronavirus, and with the number of cases escalating day by day, it's understandable that people are beginning to worry. Shelves of supermarkets have been run dry, and as of today, events and gatherings of...
After touching on the topic briefly across multiple episodes, this week we sit down with Bite Society's head of global sales, Michal, to finally bring you an in-depth episode on international business and how we plan to take our mission global. Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by email simon@bitesociety.com or katrina@bitesociety.com or @bitesociety on Instagram or Facebook Show notes Some of you may be thinking, why is that we are even interested in doing international business since we are a zero profit and our motivation doesn't lie in the money? The answer falls under two main...
In last week's episode we mentioned that Bite Society had begun to trial a 'brand ambassador program'. This week, we thought we would delve deeper and explain what it is, how it's been going and why we're excited to be the first of (hopefully) many businesses to do it. Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by email simon@bitesociety.com or katrina@bitesociety.com or @bitesociety on Instagram or Facebook Show notes I guess it's time to get into the nitty gritty. What actually is an ambassador? And how does their role integrate into Bite Society as a project? It's important to take a...
Before the end of 2019 we left you with the news that we were hoping to launch our new flavour into the world. So now the question remains... did we do it? And if so, how did we go? In our first episode of 2020 we talk all things salted caramel, an update on the launch so far, and where we're hoping to go next. Click here to subscribe on Android or Apple iTunes We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by email simon@bitesociety.com or katrina@bitesociety.com or @bitesociety on Instagram or Facebook Show notes So... what you've all been waiting to know. Have we launched our new flavour? ...
I think we just set the record for the world longest receipt 😅
(courtesy of sending a truckload of samples to all our newly appointed BITE ambassadors... go team go!!!)
#bitetribe
