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Earth Month may have drawn to a close, but we’re keeping the conversation going ahead of our Confident Climate Comms webinar. Today’s Earth Episode comes from the food and drink sector...   Modern Milkman is doing great things for our planet, and we wanted to help them shout about it. As a doorstep milk and grocery delivery service, they compete with a huge amount of competition, from local shops, new startups, and multi-national supermarket brands. We cut through the noise to generate a Pure Thought focusing on the sustainable impact of every doorstep delivery. We successfully raised the brand’s profile through a combination of regional media coverage, thought leadership and a corporate campaign. It’s clear from the results that getting to the heart of customers’ eco-concerns is the secret to helping sustainable brands like Modern Milkman stand out from the crowd.   Wise up to your own customers’ climate concerns with our free webinar, Confident Climate Comms: How to Avoid Greenhushing and Greenwashing in Sustainability Storytelling: https://lnkd.in/eJZXG5sz

Have we turned a corner for the sustainable food (and broader VC) funding environment after hitting the bottom? A lot of the news Sonalie Figueiras and I talk about in this week's episode sure make it feel that way, with some bigger financing rounds and discussion of alternative forms of financing. The dolphin in the picture below is also pointing up, so that's got to be a good sign. Topics discussed this week: 🍔 SCiFi Foods completes its commercial-scale production facility to bring hybrid beef one step closer to reality. After trying the product last year, I can vouch for hybrid products taking taste to a new level. Now it'll come down to cost. Joshua March, Kasia Gora 📃 We discuss potential alternative forms of financing for early stage companies that could make better sense for sustainable food companies. I've been digging deep on this topic, and the recent creation of the Future Profit Partnership Agreement by Ines Schiller Ⓥ and Melanie Schichan have led me down another rabbit hole 💸 Have we turned a corner on the bottom of the market? With a flurry of raises by Infinite Roots®, Voyage Foods, chunk foods, and C16 Biosciences, it sure feels like it. Also fortunate timing for me, as I got to try the Chunk steak while having lunch with Beatriz Franco last week 🔍 For the positive this week, I call out Savor's unique approach to transparency for a company creating food in an entirely new way - TikTok. If a company like this can be transparent with the world via one of the biggest social media platforms in the world, then maybe other companies should re-think the black box approach. Nice work to Henrik Bennetsen, Chiara Cecchini, and the team over there on setting the bar high on transparency Link to this week's episode in the comments Link to the full Green Queen Media newsletter: https://lnkd.in/evn8D-3K

Rewind ⏮ back to the Fast Company Grill where Pedro Gonçalves, Christina Zwicky and Gigi Lee Chang discussed The Future of Sustainable Food Innovation. The panel took a deep dive into how founders and innovators are evolving the food and beverage industry through a focus on... 👥 People - by increasing access to safe food, 🌎 Planet – by lowering food waste, and ⏩ Future – by nurturing technologies that make us better. Continue the conversation here: https://bit.ly/4agxPVq

🌍 As the consumer landscape evolves, we're witnessing a powerful shift. 🔄 It's not just about high-quality products anymore; it's about aligning with brands that embrace ethical and social responsibility. 🌱 Take your morning coffee, for example. Imagine enjoying that rich, aromatic blend, knowing you're supporting sustainable farming in developing nations. 🌞 Brands today are not just selling products; they're offering us a chance to contribute to a fairer, more sustainable world with every purchase. 🤝 By choosing brands that care, we're not just buying - we're participating in positive change. Every cup of coffee becomes a statement of our commitment to a better future. #EthicalSourcing #SocialResponsibility #PositiveChange #SustainableLiving #ConsciousConsumption

Food for thought (sorry) on sustainability in the food industry from the last couple of days at the Future of Food and Beverage: "We need to go from the low hanging fruit to all the fruit" "The time for pilots is over" "(food) Waste is a function of poor design. It's typically a symptom of lack of information flow" "Understanding the risk that #biodiversity loss represents for the business unlocks everything for the CEO and investors" It was great to hear some honest discussion about the real challenges involved in moving to more sustainable food systems, and some different perspectives on what works and doesn't work in convincing the board and shareholders of the need to prioritise this topic. What came through for me was that especially in these challenging economic times, real action on sustainability needs to be rooted in addressing business risk and/or finding new business opportunity. I believe that it's open-minded innovation that will help us find those opportunities and move beyond sustainability just being a cost. Innovation Forum Catherine Joce Jennifer Gomez Ruth Thomson

🚀 As the CEO of ChickP and member of Forbes Business Council , Liat Lachish Levy has penned an article that highlights how science and technology are propelling the food industry towards sustainability. Inspired by her children's environmental awareness, Liat shares her experience that led to a pivotal role in the global food tech industry, particularly in alternative protein sourced from chickpeas. With the market projected to reach $290 billion by 2035, ChickP is at the forefront of sustainable innovation. Let's collaborate, innovate, and lead the way towards a greener and more sustainable food future. Follow us! 🌍🌿 #ChickPProtein #SustainableFuture #FoodTech #InnovationLeadership Read the full article in the first comment.

Rootree Inc. was featured in an article in the Boston Chronicle. I thought these quotes were pretty good: "The impact of Rootree extends beyond the realm of sustainability. St-Cyr sheds light on how the company nurtures small to medium-sized enterprises in their product launches. “Our role transcends mere ecological concern; we facilitate a level playing field where superior products take precedence over financial clout,” St-Cyr states." and " St-Cyr stresses the importance of mindset. His background in nutrition informs the company’s decisions. “Comparing to how people buy organic food, and how it helps not only your health but also the environment, similarly if we put health and wellness first, sustainability in turn follows. Sustainability starts with the self.” Check it out here to read it: https://lnkd.in/eUftujHt

While we’re all keen to create more sustainable products – and share those improvements with customers – accurate data is key to: 🌍 Create real, sustainable change 🌍 Prevent greenwashing 🌍 Understand which initiatives to embrace Here’s Alexa Masterson-Jones Head of Product Development at Co-op on a recent British Baker webinar speaking to the importance of data validation when it comes to exploring sustainable ingredients. Watch the full webinar 👇 https://lnkd.in/euSEHKRN Learn more 👇 https://lnkd.in/eua-CUxV #bakerymanufacturing #netzero #sustainability

The plant-based milk market is booming, and it's not slowing down anytime soon. As more of us lean towards healthier and eco-friendly choices, the demand for dairy alternatives is skyrocketing. If you're in the game of creating impact and visibility for vegan businesses, now's the time to shine! Let's ride this wave together and make a real difference. Whether you're a small startup or a seasoned pro, there's a place for you in this growing movement. So here's to innovation, sustainability, and a healthier planet! VLynn Hawkins and Kathleen Gage CoFounders, Vegan Visibility Productions Creators of The Veganpreneur Revolution™ https://buff.ly/3Jx5Vsp #PlantPower #GreenRevolution #VeganVibes #SustainableEating #EatGreenLiveGreen #VeganVisibilityProductions #VeganpreneurRevolution #KathleenGage #VLynnHawkins

Will customers pay for a premium 'sustainable' product if they don’t know its green credentials? Over the last few weeks of events, I've been repeatedly shocked that brands are choosing to ditch their verified sustainability claims on packaging - leaving consumers unaware of their efforts. If I put aside unverified, broad claims like “this product will save the planet” (should be regulated by the EU Green Claims Code + shouldn’t be used to mislead consumers), the main issue is greenhushing—failing to share credible sustainability practices on packaging… I think the solution depends on the audience: - B2B: Be bold in boardrooms. Convincing supermarkets to stock your products by highlighting verified green credentials and sustainability commitments. - B2C: Make accessible, compelling claims. I would consider the sector/product - I heard a great point that those detailed green claims on low-emitting beef packets won’t be valuable as the few who can understand these claims may not buy beef in the first place - choose storytelling. Either way, align with legal, marketing, and sustainability teams and collaborate within the industry to share broader benefits. For more context, listen to our Altruistiq podcast linked below (00:19:30).