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The Feed

The Feed

By HNGRY

The line between food and tech is increasingly blurring. The Feed is a series of in-depth conversations from Matt Newberg of HNGRY (hngry.tv) and food industry insiders who are leveraging technology to shape the way we eat.
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108- Automating fast casual dining with Stephen Goldstein of Kernel

The FeedMar 25, 2024

00:00
53:39
108- Automating fast casual dining with Stephen Goldstein of Kernel

108- Automating fast casual dining with Stephen Goldstein of Kernel

Stephen Goldstein is the COO of Kernel, a redesigned restaurant model for the next era of hospitality that leverages automation and efficiency to drive convenience, better wages, sustainability, and quality. In this episode, we’ll talk about Stephen’s journey from RBI, Deliveroo, and Wonder to Kernel, the concept’s unique approach of vertical integration, and how Kernel’s modular design could influence the course of its future.

Mar 25, 202453:39
107- Building intelligent machines for foodservice & CPG with Rajat Bhageria of Chef Robotics

107- Building intelligent machines for foodservice & CPG with Rajat Bhageria of Chef Robotics

Rajat Bhageria is the Founder & CEO of Chef Robotics, an AI startup focused on automating assembly lines within foodservice and CPG. In this episode, we’ll talk about Chef’s unique approach to robotics, how it quickly scaled to helping produce over 12 million meals, and the symbiotic relationship between humans and robots within the food industry.

Mar 18, 202453:50
106- Empowering CPGs to sell into foodservice with Reed McCord of First Bite

106- Empowering CPGs to sell into foodservice with Reed McCord of First Bite

Reed McCord is the Founder & CEO of First Bite, a software platform providing market intelligence and CRM tools for CPG brands selling into foodservice. In this episode, we’ll talk about Reed’s early experience helping scale Impossible Foods, the black box of foodservice distribution, and how First Bite is helping brands identify and sell to the most likely restaurant customers.

Mar 11, 202452:06
105- Curating top restaurant lists with Judy & Eliot Frost of Beli App

105- Curating top restaurant lists with Judy & Eliot Frost of Beli App

Judy & Eliot Frost are the co-founders of Beli, a social network and review platform dedicated to restaurant fanatics. In this episode we’ll talk about the problems with the existing rating platforms and restaurant discovery, how Beli aims to play a pivotal role in the end-to-end dining experience, and the power of its data to unlock personalized recommendations.

Feb 26, 202445:28
104- Optimizing third-party delivery with Priyam Saraswat of Voosh

104- Optimizing third-party delivery with Priyam Saraswat of Voosh

Priyam Saraswat is the co-founder of Voosh, a dashboard that helps restaurants maximize profitability on third-party delivery apps. In this episode, we’ll talk about how Voosh leverages AI to help restaurants win back lost revenue from chargebacks, optimize their promotions, and get a full picture of their delivery P&L across multiple platforms.

Feb 19, 202458:02
103- Diving into the gut microbiome with Dr. Joseph Weiss of UCSD

103- Diving into the gut microbiome with Dr. Joseph Weiss of UCSD

Dr. Joseph Weiss is a gastroenterologist and clinical professor at University of California San Diego. In this episode, we’ll talk about the various functions of the gut microbiome, why many probiotics are scientifically unproven, and the power of resistant starch prebiotic foods.

Feb 12, 202401:02:09
102- Creating a better burger robot with Aniai

102- Creating a better burger robot with Aniai

Gunpil Hwang is the co-founder & CEO of Aniai, a hamburger automation startup based in Seoul, Korea. I was also joined by Head of North American Sales Eric Hansen. In this episode, we’ll talk about Aniai’s first-principles approach to kitchen automation, how it’s different from competitors, and the current and future foodservice robotics landscape.

Feb 05, 202453:35
101- Designing new seafood alternatives with Anne Palermo of AQUA Cultured Foods

101- Designing new seafood alternatives with Anne Palermo of AQUA Cultured Foods

Anne Palermo is the Co-Founder & CEO of Aqua Cultured Foods, a startup developing whole-muscle cut alternatives to seafood using biomass fermentation. In this episode we’ll talk about the health and sustainability challenges facing traditional aquaculture, how AQUA is partnering with high-end restaurants, and the market opportunity to offer a high-fiber, lower-cost seafood alternative.

Jan 29, 202451:17
100- Digitizing local farms with Cole Jones of Local Line
Dec 11, 202357:19
099- Automating grocery delivery with Ellen Brune of AutoStore
Dec 04, 202354:23
098- Scaling digital hospitality with Sai Alluri of Momos
Nov 27, 202352:34
097- Decentralizing local food with Michael Robinov of Farm To People
Nov 20, 202358:17
096- Putting food and beverage on-chain with Derek G Taylor of Happy Friday Coffee
Nov 13, 202301:04:42
095- Scaling modern salad chains with Nick Kenner of Just Salad
Oct 30, 202350:58
094- Doubling down on natural sugar with Marcus Antebi of goodsugar

094- Doubling down on natural sugar with Marcus Antebi of goodsugar

Marcus Antebi is the founder & CEO of goodsugar, a NYC-based quick service concept serving unpasteurized organic smoothies and juices as well as plant-based prepared foods and baked goods. In this episode, we’ll explore Marcus’ entrepreneurial journey including the founding story of Juice Press, his unique approach to culinary and retail, and his plans to expand into CPG.


Full disclosure that unlike prior episodes, there is a lot of raw profanity in this conversation.

Oct 24, 202301:10:53
093- Using generative AI in food with Kevin Brown of Innit
Oct 09, 202353:37
092 - Building circular economies with Page Schult of Topanga.io
Oct 02, 202354:47
091- Redefining plant-based cooking with Matthew Kenney of Ascention
Sep 25, 202350:14
090- Powering next-gen CPG distribution with Arik Keller of Mable
Sep 18, 202351:55
089- Creating new alternative proteins with Martina Lokajova of Tempty Foods
Sep 11, 202356:30
088- Optimizing restaurant pricing with Colin Webb of Sauce
Sep 05, 202301:06:10
087- Building America's online bakery with Ismail Salhi of Wildgrain
Aug 14, 202356:39
086- Consolidating last-mile deliveries with Alex Blum of Relay
Aug 07, 202357:40
085- Building "fermentation as a service" with Edward Shenderovich of Synonym
Jul 31, 202350:17
084- Bringing local markets into the e-commerce era with Bobby Brannigan of Mercato

084- Bringing local markets into the e-commerce era with Bobby Brannigan of Mercato

Bobby Brannigan is the Founder & CEO of Mercato, a local marketplace highlighting over 1,500 top independent grocers and specialty stores in the US. In this episode, we’ll talk about how Mercato is able to quickly digitize merchants, the role of its unique marketplace alongside larger competitors, and how it strives to make grocery delivery profitable for its markets.

Jul 24, 202354:56
083- Digitizing restaurant procurement with Dante DiCicco of Zitti

083- Digitizing restaurant procurement with Dante DiCicco of Zitti

Dante DiCicco is the Founder & CEO of Zitti, a company on a mission to bring radical transparency to the $300bn wholesale restaurant industry while streamlining vendor payments for operators. In this episode, we’ll talk about the current inefficiencies of pen-and-paper restaurant procurement, the competitive landscape of back-of-house technology companies, and the massive opportunity to create a comprehensive inventory, ordering, and accounts payable solution for small and medium sized restaurants.

Jul 17, 202301:05:33
082- Building the consumer frontend for future foods with Ben Berman of Tomorrow Farms

082- Building the consumer frontend for future foods with Ben Berman of Tomorrow Farms

Ben Berman is the Co-Founder & CEO of Tomorrow Farms, a CPG startup focused on building irresistible consumer brands around emerging platforms like precision fermentation and upcycling. In this episode, we’ll chat about why foodtech startups should focus on being B2B and R&D centric companies, the nuances behind precision fermentation dairy, and how Tomorrow Farms plans to build the Unilever of sustainable pantry staples.

Jul 10, 202352:56
081- Uncovering the tensions in the restaurant industry with Jensen Cummings of Best Served Creative
Jun 26, 202358:28
080- Empowering the next generation of culinary influencers with Kristen Barnett & Trevor Kerin of CCW
Jun 19, 202354:27
079- Analyzing the current state of restaurant tech with Stefan Hertzberg of ItsaCheckmate
May 22, 202301:13:51
078- Leveraging AI to unlock nature’s full potential with Karthik Sekar of Climax Foods
May 15, 202356:07
077- Feeding good gut bugs with Marc Washington of Supergut
May 08, 202353:51
076- Building the plug & play online grocery platform with Brad McNamara of Morrissey Market
Apr 24, 202359:31
075- Defining table stakes for modern restaurateurs with Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ
Apr 17, 202301:07:20
074- Delivering dinner from microenterprise home chefs with Morley Ivers of Cookin
Apr 11, 202355:28
073- Dissecting the robotic delivery pipedream with Dmitry Shevelenko
Mar 27, 202353:21
072- The Willy Wonka of Algae With Elliot Roth of Spira

072- The Willy Wonka of Algae With Elliot Roth of Spira

Elliot Roth is the Founder of Spira, a startup growing algae to be used in protein, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and pigments. In this episode, we’ll talk about Elliot’s personal journey of growing his own spirulina algae while he was food insecure, how algae can replace harmful petrochemicals found in our clothes and food, and the future of hyperlocal, distributed food systems.


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Mar 20, 202301:02:51
071- Building the world’s first caffeine replacement with Jeffrey Dietrich of Rarebird Coffee

071- Building the world’s first caffeine replacement with Jeffrey Dietrich of Rarebird Coffee

Jeffrey Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Rarebird, a modern coffee company building a new replacement to caffeine without the jitters. In this episode, we’ll talk about the 60% of the population who are slow caffeine metabolizers, how Rarebird is leveraging a metabolite called Paraxanthine, and the various adaptogens that it's infusing into its portfolio of coffees to support long-term cognitive health.


Watch on YouTube

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Mar 13, 202356:48
070- Reimagining microwave cooking and frozen foods with Steph Chen of Anyday

070- Reimagining microwave cooking and frozen foods with Steph Chen of Anyday

Steph Chen is the founder of Anyday, a modern cookware brand designed specifically for microwave cooking. In this episode we’ll talk about some of the biggest misconceptions around the health and safety of the home microwave, how culinary influencers like Dave Chang and Kenji Lopez-Alt have become proponents of this way of cooking, and the next generation of CPG brands rethinking your freezer and pantry.

Mar 06, 202351:32
069- Fixing the broken incentives of our food system with Justin Mares of Kettle & Fire

069- Fixing the broken incentives of our food system with Justin Mares of Kettle & Fire

Justin Mares is an entrepreneur behind better-for-you CPG brands like Kettle & Fire, Perfect Keto, & Surely and co-founder in TrueMed, a payment integration that allows health-promoting merchants to accept pre-tax HSA and FSA funds. In this episode, we’ll talk about designing decentralized, local economies around food, uncover some of the perverse incentives of Big Food lobbying that impacts our health, and look at the potential for personalized nutrition and wearables to improve preventative healthcare.

Feb 27, 202351:03
068- Democratizing the private chef with Carlos Ventura Jr. of Feast & Fettle

068- Democratizing the private chef with Carlos Ventura Jr. of Feast & Fettle

Carlos Ventura Jr. is the Founder & CEO of Feast & Fettle, a regional meal prep service delivering throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In this episode, we’ll talk about how the service has scaled from a home chef operation to over $20mm in revenue, how it’s differentiated other delivery services, and its new retail strategy.

Feb 20, 202356:09
067- Breaking down Amazon’s fulfillment network with Marc Wulfraat of MWPVL

067- Breaking down Amazon’s fulfillment network with Marc Wulfraat of MWPVL

Marc Wulfraat is the Founder & President of MWPVL International, a global supply chain and logistics consulting firm that advises large retailers on warehouse and automation strategies. In this episode, we’ll dissect the various pieces of Amazon’s global supply chain, its recent changes to its online grocery business, and the role of automation. 

Full disclosure, the host is a shareholder of Amazon stock.

Feb 13, 202356:15
066- Arming the coffee rebels against Starbucks with Dane Atkinson of Odeko
Feb 06, 202357:42
065- Engineering a pre-alcohol probiotic with Zack Abbott of ZBiotics
Feb 01, 202301:02:01
064- Prescribing food as medicine with Josh Hix of Season Health

064- Prescribing food as medicine with Josh Hix of Season Health

Josh Hix is the Co-Founder and CEO of Season, a food-as-medicine platform that enables people with chronic conditions like diabetes to access healthy food through delivery services in partnership with their insurance provider. In this episode we’ll talk about the incentives of the healthcare system to support healthy eating, how Season was born out of meal kit startup Plated, and the role of data when it comes to at-home testing and nutrition.

Jan 09, 202352:20
063- Democratizing investment in agricultural land with Tim Luckow of Farm

063- Democratizing investment in agricultural land with Tim Luckow of Farm

Tim Luckow is the founder & CEO of Farm, a platform for investing in farmland to be used in various environmental projects such as regenerative agriculture and wind energy. In this episode we’ll talk about the challenges of quantifying natural capital, how Farm is building technology to identify investment opportunities, and how it’s championing collective land ownership to better align incentives between land owners, farmers, and ranchers.

Dec 15, 202253:00
062- Taking the "ice cream truck" approach to delivery with Baris Karadogan of Jingle

062- Taking the "ice cream truck" approach to delivery with Baris Karadogan of Jingle

Baris Karadogan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Jingle, a new hyperlocal marketplace enabling mobile commerce of artisanal foods like ice cream, prepared meals, pastas, and more. In this episode we’ll talk about the difficulty in scaling food truck-centered businesses like Wonder, the push vs. pull model of delivery, and how five-minute impulse deliveries from a van could be more sustainable than 15 or 30 minutes.

Dec 08, 202248:50
061- Using microalgae as a future protein source with Yonatan Golan of Brevel

061- Using microalgae as a future protein source with Yonatan Golan of Brevel

Yonatan Golan is the Co-Founder & CEO of Brevel, a startup growing microalgae indoors to be used as protein in dairy and meat alternatives. In this episode, we’ll chat about the difference between seaweed and microalgae, what its advantages are over conventional soy and pea-based proteins, and Brevel’s unique cultivation process that is able to help bring down its unit cost.

Dec 01, 202248:39
060- Dissecting delivery business models with Professor Len Sherman of Columbia Business School
Nov 17, 202254:53
059- Designing innovative foodservice programs for convenience stores with Jerry Weiner

059- Designing innovative foodservice programs for convenience stores with Jerry Weiner

Jerry Weiner is a foodservice veteran responsible for building out fresh food programs at convenience chains like Rutter’s, MAPCO, and Crown. In this episode, we’ll chat about the history of kitchen automation like TurboChef convection ovens, how delivery services like Wonder are leveraging such technology, and the evolving roles of convenience stores when it comes to serving quality meals at breakfast, lunch, and dinner dayparts.

Nov 02, 202247:29