Archives: Episodes

Posted in: Denmark

The Story of Denmark's Billion Kroner Investment Into Plant-based

In October 2021, the Danish government announced that it was allocating 1 billion kroner or 168 million euro to ramp up plant-based food production. This is one of the largest investments into plant-based by any country to date. Join me and Rune-Christoffer Dragsdahl, the Secretary General of The Vegetarian Society of Denmark, as we discuss the details of the agreement and what it means for the future. It’s not just about politics, it’s also about culture, history, and relationships.

  • 9:30 The history and cultural significance of vegetarianism 
  • 19:00 How the Vegetarian Society of Denmark got started
  • 42:00 Details of the agreement
  • 56:00 Tips for other countries looking to do something similar
Posted in: Uncategorized

Chromologics' CEO Gerit Tolborg on natural vs artificial food colorants

There is a big trend in the food and cosmetic industry to move away from artificial colors and flavors, replacing them with natural ingredients. My guest today is Gerit Tolborg, the CEO of Chromologics. Gerit describes herself as an accidental entrepreneur. Through her research at the Danish Technical University, she stumbled upon a way to naturally produce a red colorant using fungi and fermentation. Listen in as we discuss the business of artificial and natural ingredients, what it takes to build an R&D heavy startup, and the journey of becoming an entrepreneur when you never thought that was in the cards.

  • 2:09 Why companies are moving away from artificial colors
  • 9:40 Producing colors through precision fermentation
  • 16:00 How Chromologics started
  • 23:00 Building an R&D heavy startup 
  • 41:00 Challenges of being a female CEO

Episode Transcript 

Related Links

Interview with Chromologic’s investor Nordic FoodTech VC

Is artificial really bad? An investigation with artist Alexandra Genis

How DTU helps startups spin out

Hey Planet makes burgers from insects

For more conversations, join our community on Instagram

Like what you hear? This is a listener-supported podcast. Show your love by subscribing for a few dollars every month. 

Posted in: Denmark

Chromologics' CEO Gerit Tolberg on natural vs artificial food colorants

There is a big trend in the food and cosmetic industry to move away from artificial colors and flavors, replacing them with natural ingredients. Gerit Tolborg is the CEO of Chromologics. Gerit describes herself as an accidental entrepreneur. Through her research at the Danish Technical University, she stumbled upon a way to naturally produce a red colorant using fungi and fermentation. Listen in as we discuss the business of artificial and natural ingredients, what it takes to build an R&D heavy startup, and the journey of becoming an entrepreneur when you never thought that was in the cards.

  • 2:09 Why companies are moving away from artificial colors
  • 9:40 Producing colors through precision fermentation
  • 16:00 How Chromologics started
  • 23:00 Building an R&D heavy startup 
  • 41:00 Challenges of being a female CEO

Full episode transcript. For more conversations, join our community on Instagram Like what you hear? This is a listener-supported podcast. Show your love by subscribing for a few dollars every month. 

Posted in: Denmark Finland Iceland Latvia Norway Sweden

Artist Alexandra Genis on 3D printing flavor molecules

Listen again. Artist and food designer Alexandra Genis is set on challenging your notion of artificiality and what sustainability means in the context of food production. Are natural and wild foods really better? We explore her work and how artificial foods, technology, and art can help us reimagine a better food system.

  • 1:50 The Atoma project, turning individual molecules into spices
  • 2:48 The complexity of flavor and the limits of what we can taste
  • 10:45 The importance of artificial foods in a post-agricultural age 
  • 22:00 Other projects Alexandra’s worked on 
  • 24:00 Vision for the future food system

Full episode transcript. Subscribe to the podcast newsletter here.

Posted in: Uncategorized

Dr. Mikelis Grivins on foraging and the black market for wild foods

Listen again. Foraging exists in a delicate balanace with nature. If we take too much, it can lead to environmental degradation. At the same time, it survives as a cultural tradition and a key way families put food on the table. My guest today is Dr. Mikelis Grivins a researcher at the Baltic Studies Center. In this episode, we discuss the four kinds of foragers commonly seen in Europe, the ethics of foraging, and the black market that exists around wild foods.

  • 4:00 Overview of alternative food systems are important
  • 17:00 4 types of foragers across Europe
  • 20:20 Exploitation, transparency & regulation in the wild food market
  • 25:00 Wild washing

Episode Transcript

Links

Artist Alexandra Genis on why all foods are artificial

Using blockchain to trace food from farm to fork 

The chef preserving Iceland’s food traditions

The Importance of Microbes in the Greenlandic Diet

Regenerative agriculture and our connection with nature

This episode was first released in February 2020 with the support of the Nordic Council of Minister’s Office in Latvia.

Like the show? Support more stories like this by contributing a few dollars a month. You can do so here.

Posted in: Latvia

Dr. Mikelis Grivins on foraging and the blackmarket for wild foods

Listen again. Foraging exists in a delicate balanace with nature. If we take too much, it can lead to environmental degradation. At the same time, it survives as a cultural tradition and a key way families put food on the table. My guest today is Dr. Mikelis Grivins a researcher at the Baltic Studies Center. In this episode, we discuss the four kinds of foragers commonly seen in Europe, the ethics of foraging, and the black market that exists around wild foods.

  • 4:00 Overview of alternative food systems are important
  • 17:00 4 types of foragers across Europe
  • 20:20 Exploitation, transparency & regulation in the wild food market
  • 25:00 Wild washing
Posted in: Sweden

ICA on shifting the Swedish food system

ICA is one of the biggest grocery retailers in Sweden. Every week, around 12 million people pass through their stores. Recognizing the important role they play in the everyday life of Swedes, ICA is intent on supporting the shift to a sustainable food system. A system that supports biodiversity, plant-based, and local foods. They launched ICA Växa, a new unit of the organization, to bring new products to market and connect with the startup community. Today, I speak with Jacqueline Engdahl, the Head of ICA Växa, to hear what exactly their up to. 

  • 6:00 ICA’s vision for the next 100 years
  • 8:50 Jacqueline’s story
  • 19:00 What ICA Växa does
  • 32:00 Different pathways of getting into ICA from pitching the category manager to the store owner or co-branding with ICA’s private label.
Posted in: Iceland

Chef Gunnar Karl Gíslason on Iceland's food traditions

Gunnar Karl Gíslason is the founding chef behind Dill, which was the first restaurant in Iceland to receive a Michelin star. He is also the author of North: The New Northern Cuisine of Iceland. In this episode, we trace Iceland’s food traditions through the individuals that are helping to keep them alive

  • 2:15 Rundown of Gunnar’s career and opening a res 
  • 7:30 Defining New Nordic food and the Icelandic kitchen 
  • 16:00 Finding inspiration in old traditions
  • 33:00 The evolution of the Icelandic kitchen 

We also reference this episode with Amass on creating a zero-waste kitchen. As well as Saltverk’s startup story. 

Show your love for the podcast. Support the show for $5 a month here: https://nordicfoodtechpodcast.substack.com/

Posted in: Uncategorized

A Special Message

As the year wraps up, here are a few reflections from 2021 as well as some announcements for what’s to come in 2022. If you would like to support the podcast, consider contributing $5 a month by going to https://nordicfoodtechpodcast.substack.com/

You can also subscribe to the podcast’s newsletter here. You’ll be notified about new episodes as soon as they are released. 

Lots of love, Analisa

Posted in: Norway

Delås Farm on regenerative agriculture and REKO rings

In 2017, Camilla and Raymund were trying to get the best food possible to feed their family. Realizing that food is tightly linked with health, they were looking for high-quality, nutrient-dense foods, but actually struggled to find it in Norwegian grocery stores. So, they decided to start growing their own food. This is the story of how they traded city life and taught themselves how to farm according to regenerative principles.

  • 5:00 How Camilly and Raymund started farming
  • 12:20 What regenerative agriculture is and how it works
  • 23:00 Norway’s farming capacity 
  • 27:00 How Reko Rings directly connect consumers and farmers
  • 52:00 Advice for farming and the cost of getting started

Become a contributor. Support the show for $5 a month: https://nordicfoodtechpodcast.substack.com/