Creating a food-related product that is scalable, in a market segment that isn’t already saturated can be difficult—no matter your connection to the industry. Even if you get that far, selling into stores and gaining market traction is another hurdle to tackle. During this episode, host Matt Teegarden speaks with Dan Staackmann of Upton’s Naturals and Paul Tasner of PulpWorks will discuss how they got their start, how they scaled their business, and what the roadmap looks like for a successful food start-up.
Matt Teegarden, M.S., IFT Student Association Past President 2016-2017, Ph.D. Candidate, The Ohio State University
Dan Staackmann
CEO of Upton’s Naturals, a natural foods company with a focus on meat alternatives and vegan values. Dan pioneered flavored, wheat-based seitan in 2005.
Paul Tasner
TED speaker, CEO and co-founder of PulpWorks, an environmentally-friendly company that designs and manufactures sustainable packaging for the consumer-packaged goods industry. PulpWorks was founded in response to the worldwide plastic pollution crisis.
Then you need to learn more IFT19's IFTNEXT Startup Alley.
IFTNEXT Start-Up Alley, now bigger and better than ever, is where you can meet one-on-one with a leading group of future-forward entrepreneurs developing some of the most innovative products and solutions in the food science industry. Selected Strartups will exhibit and participate in a high-profile pitching event at IFT19 in New Orleans this June.
Applications now being accepted.
A group of researchers has conducted a comprehensive genomic analysis of all seven species, leading to the development of a new resource that may enable breeders to cultivate tasty, appealing watermelons that are also more disease-resistant and that can be grown in more varied climates.
Of the major food crops, only rice is currently able to survive flooding. Thanks to new research, that could soon change—good news for regions of the world where rains are increasing in both frequency and intensity.
A recent study sponsored by Chr. Hansen has determined that if certain strains of probiotics were administered to the U.S. public, healthcare costs related to respiratory infections would decrease by up to $1.4 billion.
In the first population-based study to examine the association between onion and garlic consumption and breast cancer in Puerto Rico, researchers at the University of Buffalo and University of Puerto Rico found that women who consumed sofrito more than once per day had a 67% decrease in risk compared with women who never ate it.
What are the best and most sustainable options for addressing the food supply challenges that await as the world's population soars and becomes increasingly urbanized?
Food and beverage startups in the United States procured about $1.45 billion in investments on 200 disclosed deals in 2018. The categories of alternative dairy (14% of total funding) and alternative protein (13%) captured more than one-quarter of all investment dollars to food and beverage startups.
With customer demand for transparent and responsibly produced products gaining momentum, food and beverage companies are asking how they can operate in more sustainable ways. They’re taking a closer look at their environmental impact—and turning to their suppliers for solutions.
Research has examined several health markers for edible insects, including gut microbiota and antioxidant activity.
The Kroger Co., America’s largest grocery retailer, and Infarm, an urban farming network, have announced a partnership that will bring modular living produce farms to North America.
A new study, conducted by the non-profit Zero Waste organization Eco-Cycle, finds restaurants can play a crucial role in diverting food waste away from U.S. landfills.
Bimbo Bakeries USA has announced that it is committing to 100% sustainable packaging for its entire product portfolio by 2025.
Verdeca, a joint venture between Arcadia Biosciences and Bioceres Crop Solutions, has successfully completed the regulatory review process and received approval for its HB4 drought and herbicide tolerant soybeans from the Paraguayan Minister of Agriculture, through the National Commission for Agricultural and Forestry Biosafety.
Cornell University is co-leading a $9.95 million, five-year U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant that aims to transform nutrition and water use in the poultry industry in order to improve its environmental impact and enhance human health.
