Heja Framtiden (Go Future) is a popular Swedish podcast by Christian von Essen. He interviews all kinds of people about the future and how we can make it better. While in Stockholm, I got to pop by his studio to share my story and thoughts on where the future of food is going.nAbout Heja FramtidennAbout the Nordic FoodTech PodcastnThe Top 10 EpisodesnNewsletternLink the show? The biggest way to thank you is by becoming a patron for a few dollars a month on our Substack. Sign up here.
3 Nordic Investors Views on the Future of Food
I pulled together three of the top investors in food and ag from the Nordics for a fast-paced, spirit conversation on how they view and are investing in the future of food. We have Marika King from PINC representing corporate venture capital, Lauri Reuter from the Nordic FoodTech VC looking at the bridge between science and entrepreneurship, and Gustaf Brandberg from the family office of Gullspånge Invest Re:Food, which has an evergreen strucutre. I’ve done individual episodes with each of these investors diving into their backstory and investment thesis. Find those in the show links below. This conversation was recorded at Sweden FoodTech’s Big Meet.
Gullspång Re:Food Gustaf Brandberg on investing patient capital in the food system
Building a food company and transitioning to more sustainable agriculture takes time and requires more patient capital with a long-term view. Re:food is part of Gullspång Invest, a Swedish family office that operates with an evergreen structure. This means that they can invest for the long term without posing time constraints. Located in Stockholm and San Francisco, Re:Food invested early in some of the most successful food companies that have come out of the Nordics so far like Oatly and Nick’s. The firm focuses on investing across four themes: alternative proteins & fats, regenerative farming, sustainable supply chains, and healthy diets. In this episode, Re:Food’s Co-Founder Gustaf Brandberg shares the company’s investment thesis, background, and vision for the future food system.
Aquaporin on using nature's genius to solve the water crisis
Water is key because we cannot live without it. We needed to nurture and water our crops and to manufacture all kinds of different things. In today’s episode, we explore the future of water as it relates to agriculture and life on Earth. My guest is Peter Holme Jensen, who is the Chief Innovation Officer of Aquaporin. They have developed an innovative technology to treat and filter water on an industrial scale. The design is based on how our bodies naturally filter water through something called an aquaporin protein. In this episode, we dive into Aquaporin’s approach to innovation and how they have built a business based on biomimicry or the science of applying nature’s genius to solve human problems. We also get into the science behind Aquaporin’s technology, why watter matters, and the company’s startup story since it was founded in 2005.
Nordic Wasabi grows in the greenhouses of Iceland
Real wasabi is rare and expensive. It requires a specific temperature and a constant stream of fresh water to grow, which has isolated it to the mountains of Japan. That was until Nordic Wasabi came along. They’re growing wasabi in Iceland using the country’s natural geothermal energy and freshwater. In today’s episode, we tell Nordic Wasabi’s startup story. We cover everything you could want to know about real wasabi, the amazing possibilities that come with greenhouses, and the challenges of being the first company in Iceland to try and export vegetables.
Bård Jervan on why tourism needs food
Bård Jervan is a Senior Partner at Mimir. He was deeply involved in writing and developing the new Norwegian national Tourism Strategy for 2030. A cornerstone of the report is centered around food in tourism and how it connects to economic development. It’s also a way to preserve culture, protect natural resources, and trace history. Today, we dive into what sustainable tourism is, why the context of a meal matters, the best places to visit in Norway, why seafood is a major opportunity, and the Nordics as a gastronomic destination.
Maersk's VC arm on tackling food waste
Maersk Growth is the venture arm of A. P. Moller – Maersk, one of the largest shipping and logitics companies in the world. 1/3 of all food is wasted or lost as it moves from the farm to our tables. Fixing inefficenices along the supply chain is key for cutting down on waste. To discuss how Maersk is thinking about food, my guest today is Peter Jorgensen, a Partner at Maersk Growth focused on their FoodTrack.
A small note, that this was one of the first podcast episodes I recorded back in 2019. I re-read the transcript the other day and it felt more relevant than ever, so I wanted to share it with you again.
Related Links
Too Good To Go on building a startup that tackles foood waste
Matt Homewood on stopping supermarket food waste
Amass on creating a zero-waste restaurant
Electrolux on using appliances to curb consumer food waste
How companies like Coffee Collective figure out shipping when starting up
More interviews with corporations investing in food solutions
Puris's CEO Tyler Lorenzen on the power of peas
Based in Minnesota, Puris is the largest producer of pea protein in North America supplying the likes of Beyond Meat. Fast Company named them the most innovative food company in 2021 for their end-to-end solution to food production. To speak about the company’s philosophy, history, business model, and future, my guest today is CEO Tyler Lorenzen who runs the company alongside his sister Nicole Atchinson.
Lakrids by Bülow's Founder on creating an iconic brand
If you’ve been to the Nordics, odds are you’ve tried licorice. In today’s episode, we dive into the story of the luxury licorice and chocolate company Lakrids by Bülow. Johan Bülow started cooking licorice in his mom’s kitchen on the Danish island of Bornholm in 2007. Fast forward to today and they’ve become an iconic brand with sales in 35 countries and counting. Their mission: to make the world love licorice. This episode traces the evolution of the company, diving into valuable lessons around food entrepreneurship, branding, and sales.
The Miracle of Hemp on the Island of Bornholm
Signe Anker is the Co-Founder of Bornholmerhampen. She and her partner were some of the first people in Denmark to start growing hemp again. Today, they hand harvest it to produce teas, flours, oils, and cosmetics on the beautiful Danish island of Bornholm. In this episode, we explore why it’s considered a miracle crop, how it’s making a comeback, and the roots of its bad reputation.
As a listener of the podcast, get 20% off all Bornholmerhampen products using the code NORDICFOODTECH at checkout.
This episode was first published on October 16, 2020