Elysabeth Alfano

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Guest Posts

Why Are Egg Prices Skyrocketing: Again?

Elysabeth Alfano is the CEO of VegTech™ Invest, an Advisor to a food innovation ETF. She is a consultant to multi-national companies focused on sustainability and an Advisor to C-Suite interested in understanding the growth and whitespaces in the food industry. She is also the host of the podcast, The Plantbased Business Hour on iTunes and vegconomist. In this guest post, Elysabeth Alfano discusses the factors driving the rise in egg prices, focusing on the impact of disease outbreaks and the inefficiencies in the global food supply system, along with the need for innovation to lower costs, improve access, and reduce health risks. Why Are Egg Prices Skyrocketing: Again? We have all been feeling the pressure of rising egg prices. Why are egg prices up so much…again? The answer …

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Guest Posts

Financing Food Fast: Blended Capital and the Race to 2030

CEO of VegTech™ Invest, Elysabeth Alfano, speaks with Caitlin Maclean, senior director of Innovative Finance at the Milken Institute and Holly Freishtat, senior director at Feeding Change. The investment landscape is undergoing a transformation as institutional and philanthropic investors increasingly turn their attention to food systems. Historically overshadowed by sectors like renewable energy and technology, food systems are now being recognized as both a major contributor to climate change and a critical area for financial growth. As discussed in the latest episode of Upside & Impact: Investing for Change, hosted by Elysabeth Alfano, CEO of VegTech Invest, the food industry is not only an essential component of human health and food security but also a significant factor in global economic resilience and sustainability. Food systems as …

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food investing

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Guest Posts

Top Three Reasons Investing in Food Innovation Will Take Center Stage Before 2030

Elysabeth Alfano is the CEO of VegTech™ Invest, an Advisor to a food innovation ETF. She is a consultant to multi-national companies focused on sustainability and an Advisor to C-Suite interested in understanding the growth and whitespaces in the food industry. She is also the host of the podcast, The Plantbased Business Hour on iTunes and vegconomist. In this guest post, Elysabeth Alfano discusses why investing in food innovation will take center stage before 2030. She explores the inefficiencies and externalized costs of the current global food system, the role of alternative proteins in addressing these challenges, and the growing investment opportunities within the sector. Top Three Reasons Investing in Food Innovation Will Take Center Stage Before 2030 Why would the food system ever change?  …

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Guest Posts

Department of Defense Invests Heavily in Food Innovation: Why?

Elysabeth Alfano is the CEO of VegTech™ Invest, an advisor to a food innovation ET, and a consultant to C-Suite of multinational companies. She speaks internationally on the intersection of investing, sustainability, and food systems transformation and is also the host of the podcast, Upside & Impact: Investing for Change. In this article, which originally ran on Advisorpedia.com, Elysabeth Alfano explores the US Department of Defense’s significant investment in food innovation through the Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program (DBIMP). She examines how food security, supply chain resilience, environmental impact, and public health concerns drive this initiative, positioning food system transformation as both a national security priority and a major investment opportunity. Department of Defense Invests Heavily in Food Innovation: Why? The US Department of Defense is investing heavily …

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Plantbased Business Hour

How the New US Administration Will Impact Food Systems Transformation

Elysabeth Alfano is the CEO of VegTech™ Invest, an advisor to a food innovation ET, and a consultant to C-Suite of multinational companies. She speaks internationally on the intersection of investing, sustainability, and food systems transformation and is also the host of the podcast, Upside & Impact: Investing for Change. This article, co-written by the fractional associate director of coms & research at VegTech™ Invest, Gwendolyn Brown, explores how the new US administration may influence food systems transformation, addressing bipartisan issues like food insecurity, climate change, and the role of food innovation in national security and global competition. How the New US Administration Will Impact Food Systems Transformation Of late, I have been getting this question a lot: “How will the Trump Administration impact US …

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Plantbased Business Hour

Why is Europe Leading the World in Plant-based Options? With Pascal Bieri of Planted

Why is Europe leading the world in plant-based options? Pascal Bieri, Co-Founder of Planted joins CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour to discuss the struggles and successes of the European market and the recent turn towards sustainable eating. Specifically, they discuss: What is Planted and why did you start it? The sector has been struggling in the U.S., but seems stronger in Europe. Why is this? You have an incredibly varied selection. How have you been able to keep so many SKUs alive and which one does the best? Which country does the best? You recently finished a manufacturing plant. What was the reason for the capital outlay as opposed to co-manufacturing? Do you think that the U.S. …

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Plantbased Business Hour

Investing in Food System Transformation with Jason Ingle of Third Nature Investments

Jason W. Ingle, founder and Managing Partner of Third Nature Investments, joins CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour to discuss the powerful lever for societal and environmental impact that is investing in food system transformation. Specifically, they discuss: What is systems investing and why are you focused on this? How do you invest in systems transformation, and can you give some examples of companies in which you have invested? Why are you focused on more than Climate Change? Can you elaborate on investing in food system transformation? Do you see others engaging in (or at least comprehending) systems investing? If so, who/which sort of entities? Is it too late? Or do you see progress? If no progress, what …

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Plantbased Business Hour

The Demand for Plant-based, Juicy Steak with Amos Golan of Chunk Foods

Founder and CEO of Chunk Foods, Amos Golan, joins the CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour to discuss the demand and success of thick, juicy, plant-based steaks and the global outlook for foodservice today. Specifically, they discussed: Chunk Foods seemed to pop on the scene out of nowhere. Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you started Chunk in Israel? What has the reception been like in the US? Why initially foodservice only, and how big of a push is clean label? While I am sure IP is proprietary, what can you tell us of your fermentation technique and your production techniques to get whole cuts of meat? We speak endlessly of the US …

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plantbased business hour
Plantbased Business Hour

What is Plant-Rich Meat and is it a Sell-Out or a Way Forward?

Caroline Cotto of NECTAR Research and Tim Dale from Food System Innovations join CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour to discuss the results of a recent study around consumer perception of blended (or plant-rich) meat. Do they like it? Do they hate it? Is it a sell-out? Specifically, they discuss, 1. What is Food System Innovations, and what is its mission? 2. What is NECTAR, and why is it needed? 3. What is plant-rich meat? 4. What are the early indications regarding consumer acceptance of this category? 5. What are some challenges for the overall plant-based and diversified proteins sector moving forward? Below is a highlight clip and transcription from their long-form conversation. Full podcast here. Elysabeth: I want to bring in from Food System Innovations, Tim …

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Plantbased Business Hour

What Impact Will the Election Result Have on US Food Policy?

In the recent episode of The Plantbased Business Hour, CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano discusses whether or not the 2024 presidential election result could change U.S. food policy. You can listen to the podcast here, and below is a transcription of the podcast. Elysabeth: Here’s today’s Plantbased Business Hour. Hey everyone, it’s great to come to you from the jungle. I thought I would see what it would be like to really be remote and working remotely, and I am indeed doing that from the jungle in Mexico. I’m enjoying it a lot and thought I would get away from election news. So speaking of the election, a lot of people ask me, “What do you think the election will do to …

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Plantbased Business Hour

Make It or Break It: Scaling Food Manufacturing with David Ziskind

Founder of Mach Global Advisors, David Ziskind, joins CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour, and discusses the pros and cons of building out food manufacturing or going with a co-manufacturer, and how to keep it all sustainable. Specifically, they discuss: What are some of the challenges faced in food manufacturing? How do you scale manufacturing, particularly with smaller budgets? How do you right-size a manufacturing facility? Does contract manufacturing play a role in bridging the gap? In this capital-constrained environment, how can you prepare for future growth? How do you make do with what you have and do more with less? Below is a highlight clip and transcription from their long-form conversation. Podcast link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/make-it-or-break-it-scaling-food-manufacturing-with/id1512473843?i=1000673442530 Display “David Ziskind Discusses …

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Plantbased Business Hour

Building a Resilient Food System Supply Chain with Jamie Valenti-Jordan

The founder of Catapult Commercialization Services, Jamie Valenti-Jordan, joins CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour to discuss bringing resiliency to the diversified protein supply chain. Specifically, they discuss: Catapult Commercialization Services and Jamie’s long history in food science and manufacturing. What shifts Elysabeth and Jamie see in the sector, both positive and negative? Jamie and Elysabeth’s perspective on the slump of the sector: is it the valley of death or rebirth? What needs to happen for revitalization? Jamie’s predictions for the next 3 years? Below is a highlight clip and transcription from their long-form conversation. Podcast link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-a-resilient-food-system-supply-chain-with/id1512473843?i=1000672510116 Display “Jamie Valenti-Jordan Shares What Gen Alpha and Gen Z are Looking for in Products” from YouTube Click here to display content from …

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Plantbased Business Hour

What is the State of Plant-based Chicken in the US? With CEO of Daring Chicken, Jeff Gendelman

2021 was supposed to be the year of plant-based chicken: nuggets, strips, patties were all the rage. CEO and Founder of Daring Chicken, Jeff Gendelman, joins CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour to take us through the highs and lows of the plant-based chicken trajectory and the chances for success of the category. Specifically, they discussed: Europe is having much more success with this category than the US. Let’s take a trip around the world to discuss how plant-based, specifically chicken, is doing in Europe, Asia and then the US. Are you seeing any signs of things changing in the US? If so, where? Nuggets? Patties? Strips? Meals? Breaded? How much of the change is driven by the …

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Fairs & Events

Insights From New York Climate Week

CEO of VegTech Invest and host of The Plantbased Business Hour, Elysabeth Alfano, recaps her time at NYC Climate Week 2024. She shares the popular topics of discussion and her excitement about food being a focal point in the food systems transformation discussions. Podcast link here, transcript as follows. Elysabeth: Hey everyone, after a couple days of decompressing from New York Climate Week, oh my gosh, I just thought I’d give a recap of how that went. You know, I’ve been saying since COP28 in December that food is now considered one of the three pillars for impact in climate change. So that would be electric vehicles, otherwise known as transportation, novel energy, getting rid of fossil fuels, and food innovation and ag innovation. A lot of …

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plantbased business hour
Plantbased Business Hour

What is the State of the American Farmer? Deputy Under Secretary of the USDA, Sanah Baig, Explains

What is the state of the American Farmer? Is food insecurity in the U.S. on the rise? What initiatives are upcoming to address feeding more people with fewer resources? What does the USDA science data tell us? Deputy Under Secretary of the USDA, Sanah Baig, joins CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour for the big knowledge drop just months before the Farm Bill drop. Specifically, they discuss: As we turn the corner into 2025, what is the USDA working on, given the need to feed a growing global population with fewer resources? How is the USDA prioritizing food systems transformation and the plight of the American farmer? What level of money is being spent on the future of agriculture, and what kind of …

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plant-based business hour
Plantbased Business Hour

Is 2025 the Year for Financing Food Fast? Ambassador Ertharin Cousin Weighs In

Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture and Executive Director of The Food Systems for the Future, Ertharin Cousin, joins CEO of VegTech Invest, Elysabeth Alfano, on The Plantbased Business Hour to discuss the pivotal year of 2025 for food and other systems shifts. Specifically, they discuss: What is the Food Systems for the Future Institute? Given your long tenure as the Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture and as Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, how have you seen the landscape around global nutrition and food insecurity change? At COP28, the World Bank declared that Food Tech is Climate Tech. There is a growing understanding of the overlap of food systems and energy use, and food’s impact on …

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Plantbased Business Hour

Friends of the Earth Discuss Who Funds the Most Environmentally Damaging Sectors

Monique Mikhail, Senior Program Manager, Climate and Agriculture Finance Program, and Kelly McNamara, Senior Research and Policy Analyst, at Friends of the Earth join CEO of VegTech Invest, Elysabeth Alfano, on The Plantbased Business Hour to reveal some shocking environmental statistics from the banking industry’s funding of animal agriculture. Specifically, they discuss: What prompted the Bull in the Climate Shop report? How was the study conducted? What were the results? Why would the banks put themselves at this kind of risk? What has been done with the results? Has there been any reaction from the banking industry? From a societal perspective, can the banks stop funding this industry? Is there any kind of mandate to continue to fund them? What are the next steps? Podcast link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-of-the-earth-discuss-who-funds/id1512473843?i=1000664723594  Below is a highlight clip …

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Plantbased Business Hour

What Can AI do for Food Innovation? Meet LEO, Mattson Co’s New AI Agent, to Find Out

What can AI do for food innovation? Meet LEO, Mattson’s AI Agent and find out! On this episode of The Plantbased Business Hour, Chief AI Officer at Mattson, Steve Gundrum, joins CEO of VegTech Invest, Elysabeth Alfano, to take LEO out for a spin and show us the future of food. Specifically, they discuss: What is Mattson Co. and what do you focus on? Times are changing, and you now have LEO, the AI Agent, and advanced AI tools: what are they and what do they do specifically that couldn’t be done before? How has this changed your business and how will this change the future of food? Below is a highlight clip and transcription from their long-form conversation, including their conversation with LEO and …

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Plantbased Business Hour

How Do We Fight for the Planet? George Monbiot Weighs In

George Monbiot, author, journalist, and environmental activist, joins The Plantbased Business Hour with host and CEO of VegTech Invest, Elysabeth Alfano, to discuss how to best fight for the planet and how to take no prisoners when it comes to taking on the meat industry and its lobby. He goes for the jugular and this is a do-not-miss interview. Specifically, they discuss How does the big meat misinformation campaign differ from big tobacco and fossil fuels’ misinformation campaigns? What do we do against the misinformation campaign, especially if it is protected by certain government organizations? Is there a strategy for impact when we are woefully outspent? What is it going to take to move the needle? For people to be outraged? A health crisis? Another …

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Plantbased Business Hour

The ‘All In’ Podcast’s Sultan of Science, David Friedberg, on the Diversified Proteins Sector

In advance of the All In Summit this September in Los Angeles and as one of the best Plant-Based Business Hour podcasts of 2023, we are here re-running the All-In Podcast’s Sultan of Science: David Friedberg, CEO of The Production Board on The Plantbased Business Hour. David and Elysabeth Alfano discuss how AI can impact the plant-based innovation sector (plant-based foods and alternative proteins) as well as what the sector can do to scale up production and reduce costs. Specifically, they discuss: How the sector can scale to price parity or better and the innovations that will advance the sector, The power of bioengineering and the opportunities that can come from land, water, and forest availability provided by more efficient ways of making protein, Plant-based …

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