Food Matters Live Podcast

From October 2022, new rules are set to be enforced around the sale of foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS).The HFSS promotion ban has been controversial since it was first devised and now retailers are calling for a further delay to its enforcement.The new rules will see the end of deals like buy-one-get-one-free, a ban on free soft drink refills, and restrictions on where HFSS products can be placed in a store - think sweets at the till.Enforcement of the law has already been delayed once, so would another postponement actually make a difference?In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by three experts to talk through the issues retailers have.They discuss what they see as ambiguity in the legislation, the challenges some stores face when it comes to complying in a small space, and how some retailers are already adapting to the new laws.Andrea Martinez-Inchowsti, Deputy Director, British Retail ConsortiumAndrea is Deputy Director responsible for food policy at the BRC. This includes labelling and consumer communication, allergen management, compositional standards and diet and nutrition policy. She has worked with the retailers’ nutritionists for over 14 years discussing and implementing provisions such as nutrition and health claims, food information regulation, PARNUTS legislation, reformulation initiatives and Natasha's law on allergens. She also led the joint project, with DH, to deliver the front of pack nutrition labelling scheme.  Joe Harriman, Strategic Consultant – covering HFSS at data analytics and market research company IRIJoe joined IRI in 2021 to lead its Health and Wellness practice area with an immediate focus on supporting Brand and Retail clients to respond and plan for the upcoming HFSS restrictions. Joe has more than 10 years experience in retail consulting, working across various consulting areas, from analytics to client engagement and more recently solution design and implementation. This blend of experience makes Joe ideally placed to identify the best solutions to commercial challenges and opportunities as well as to support the strategic or tactical deployment of these solutions. Chris Noice, Communications Director, Association of Convenience Stores Chris joined ACS in October 2009 having graduated from York University with a degree in English and Linguistics. As Communications Director, Chris is responsible for all ACS external and internal communications, media relations and a growing research portfolio which includes the industry leading Local Shop Report.Chris is an official spokesperson for ACS, appearing frequently on national and regional radio and television including BBC News, Sky News, BBC Breakfast and the Daily Politics show. Chris completed the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Diploma in 2013 and the CIM Strategic Marketing Masterclass in 2017.

Globally, alcohol consumption is thought to have declined by 6% in 2020.And between 2020 and 2024 the “low and no” market is expected to balloon by 31%. But what's next for the sector? What will we all be drinking in ten years' time? And how can "low and no" overcome some of the challenges it faces?In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by three experts to help answer some of those questions.They discuss why developments in alcohol-free wine have been slower than in alcohol-free beer, why a trace amount of alcohol means a drink is less likely to go to waste, and they tackle the big question: What should the low and no alcohol sector actually be called?They also try to predict what the alcohol-free trends will be in 2022 and beyond. Future-gazing is a fool's game - but let's do it anyway!Laura Willoughby MBE, Founder of Club Soda and the Mindful Drinking FestivalThe inspiration for Club Soda comes from Laura’s experience of giving up drinking ten years ago. A campaigner at heart with a background in movement building and politics, she realised that one of the big sticking points was a way to support people to take a self-guided journey to change their drinking.Club Soda has over 70,000 individual members and nearly 80 brand members who they support through research and collaborative projects. They have built a drinks guide and they run the UK’s only Mindful Drinking Festival which is now in its 8th edition.  Rob Fink, Co Founder, Big Drop BrewIn 2016 Rob Fink founded the world’s first company to focus entirely on brewing alcohol-free beer – Big Drop Brewing Co. As a lawyer with zero brewing experience, he teamed-up with an experimental brewer (Johnny Clayton from Wild Beer) and the creative mind of school-friend and entrepreneur James Kindred. Together they applied left-field fermenting techniques that meant no alcohol needed to be extracted from the end product to meet the required maximum 0.5% ABV. Five years later he is selling over 4 million bottles of 0.5% ABV beer annually around the world and his beers have won over 85 international beer awards Between them, including 7 times ‘World’s Best’ at the World Beer Awards and beating full-strength rivals in blind-tastings. Thorsten Hartmann, Head of Custom Analytics, IWSR Thorsten leads the IWSR’s custom analytics team, providing clients with data, insights and strategic advice to help them define, refine and build their global business strategies.  Thorsten has an extensive background in FMCG consultancy and beverage industry market research. Previous roles include director of consulting for GlobalData (formerly Canadean), as well as consulting roles at IMES Consulting/ManSci.

You might already know that you want to work in the green sector, but how do you go about finding the right job for you?It's a question we've been asking on Table Talk throughout our Green Jobs series and in this episode, we get more fantastic advice from someone who can not only talk the talk, but is already walking the walk.Marc Zornes is CEO and Winnow Solutions - a company that helps commercial kitchens reduce food waste.He tells Stefan Gates that people entering the green jobs market at the moment should be looking at companies that are "setting tomorrow's agenda".Find out why he thinks people shouldn't be looking for sustainability roles anymore, how he experienced self-doubt when starting his own company, and his three tips for landing your dream green job. Marc Zornes, CEO and Founder, Winnow SolutionsMarc Zornes was a former top-rated McKinsey Engagement Manager where he was a leader in the consumer and sustainability practices. While at McKinsey, Marc co-authored the McKinsey Global Institute report on Resource Revolution. In developing this report, his team highlighted food waste as one of the biggest issues globally and yet very little was being done about it. Marc then left McKinsey to found Winnow. Marc founded Winnow to help the hospitality sector cut food waste using technology. Winnow builds artificial intelligence tools to help chefs run their kitchens more efficiently focusing on helping them understand and prevent food waste. Since launch, Winnow has been deployed in 45 countries and has saved its customers over $40m by reducing food waste. Clients include global brands like IKEA, Compass Group and AccorHotels. 

The Table Talk podcast is on a festive break, but that doesn't mean we stop providing top content. We've delved into our archive and pulled out some of the best interviews from 2021. In this episode, Stefan Gates met Josh Tetrick, CEO of Eat Just. Eat Just made history in 2021, following a regulatory approval decision in Singapore for lab-grown meat to be sold in a restaurant.  System change needs to start somewhere, and this approval offers the potential to be the catalyst for changing the future of meat production and consumption and for cutting down on greenhouse gases, thus being more environmentally friendly. The 1880 restaurant in Singapore is the first restaurant in the world to have lab grown meat on their menu.  The restaurant sells a trio of taster dishes using Eat Just cultured chicken: bao bun with crispy sesame cultured chicken and spring onion; filo puff pastry with cultured chicken and black bean puree; and a crispy maple waffle with cultured chicken with spices and hot sauce. In this episode, Stefan Gates is joined by visionary Josh Tetrick, Founder and CEO of Eat Just as they discuss what impact this approval process will have on the future of meat without animal slaughter, the challenges of moving at scale, and why environment and health conscious Gen Z are key to taking cellular meat to the mainstream. Josh Tetrick is CEO & Co-Founder of Eat Just, Inc. Josh Tetrick is CEO & Co-Founder of Eat Just, Inc., a food technology company with a mission to build a healthier, safer and more sustainable food system in our lifetimes. The company’s expertise, from functionalising plant proteins to culturing animal cells, is powered by a world-class team of scientists and chefs spanning more than a dozen research disciplines. Eat Just created America’s fastest-growing egg brand, which is made entirely of plants, and the world’s first-to-market meat made from animal cells instead of slaughtered livestock. Prior to founding Eat Just, Tetrick led a United Nations business initiative in Kenya and worked for both former President Bill Clinton and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. As Fulbright Scholar, Tetrick taught schoolchildren in Nigeria and South Africa and is a graduate of Cornell University and the University of Michigan Law School. Tetrick has been named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business,” Inc.’s “35 Under 35” and Fortune’s “40 Under 40". Eat Just has been recognised as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies,” Entrepreneur’s “100 Brilliant Companies,” CNBC’s “Disruptor 50” and a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer.

This episode is part of a special series we’re running to celebrate the fact we’ve now made more than 200 editions of Table Talk.We would like to thank everyone who has joined us on the podcast since it launched and we are so grateful to you for helping us to reach this milestone.To mark the occasion, we’ve invited some friends of the podcast to make their own mini-episodes, looking back at 2021.It’s been another year that’ll stick in the mind, but we’re doing our best to avoid the C-word (that's Covid) as we get our guests to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly of the last 12 months.In this episode, we hear from Derek Sarno, co-founder of Wicked Healthy, LLC, and Executive Chef & Director of Plant-Based Innovation for Tesco PLC Derek SarnoPrior to co-founding Wicked Healthy and partnering with Tesco, Derek served as the Senior Global Executive Chef for Whole Foods Market, where he oversaw global research and development for the company’s prepared foods department, worked with suppliers and leadership to develop and promote plant-based foods across the organisation, and served as Culinary Director for the WFM Academy for Conscious Leadership.Derek is a serial entrepreneur, founding several award-winning restaurants and food service companies in the United States, including the One Hundred Club, Mahalo’s Catering, and Mizuna’s. Derek also served as the resident Chef & Gardener at Padma Samye Ling, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery and retreat center in upstate New York.

In this episode, we hear from Derek Sarno, co-founder of Wicked Healthy, LLC, and Executive Chef & Director of Plant-Based Innovation for Tesco PLCThis episode is part of a special series we’re running to celebrate the fact we’ve now made more than 200 editions of Table Talk.We would like to thank everyone who has joined us on the podcast since it launched and we are so grateful to you for helping us to reach this milestone.To mark the occasion, we’ve invited some friends of the podcast to make their own mini-episodes, looking back at 2021.It’s been another year that’ll stick in the mind, but we’re doing our best to avoid the C-word (that's Covid) as we get our guests to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly of the last 12 months.In this episode, we hear from Ria Rehberg, CEO of Veganuary.Ria RehbergRia Rehberg is the CEO of Veganuary, a UK based charity that encourages people worldwide to try going vegan in January and beyond. Since 2014, Veganuary has inspired and supported more than one million people in 192 countries to try a vegan diet. Additionally, Veganuary works with hundreds of businesses to drive up vegan food provision in shops and restaurants, and have made veganism more visible and accessible through their work with national and international media.

This episode is part of a special series we’re running to celebrate the fact we’ve now made more than 200 editions of Table Talk.We would like to thank everyone who has joined us on the podcast since it launched and we are so grateful to you for helping us reach this milestone. To mark the occasion, we’ve invited some friends of the podcast to make their own mini-episodes, looking back at 2021. It’s been another year that’ll stick in the mind, but we’re doing our best to avoid the C-word (that's Covid) as we get our guests to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly of the last 12 months.In this episode, we hear from Anna Taylor, Executive Director of The Food Foundation. Anna TaylorAnna joined The Food Foundation as its first Executive Director at the beginning of June 2015 after 5 years at the Department for International Development. At DFID, Anna led the policy team on nutrition and supported the delivery of the UK’s global commitments to tackle undernutrition. 

This episode is part of a special series we’re running to celebrate the fact we’ve now made more than 200 editions of Table Talk. We would like to thank everyone who has joined us on the podcast since it launched and we are so grateful to you for helping us to reach this milestone. To mark the occasion, we’ve invited some friends of the podcast to make their own mini-episodes, looking back at 2021. It’s been another year that’ll stick in the mind, but we’re doing our best to avoid the C-word (that's Covid) as we get our guests to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly of the last 12 months. In this episode, we hear from Andrew Ive, Founder and Managing General Partner at Big Idea Ventures. Andrew Ive Andrew founded Big Idea Ventures and invests and builds companies in the alternative protein and plant based sectors as part of their first fund – the New Protein Fund.  Andrew has invested in more early stage / pre-seed food companies than most other investor worldwide. Andrew is focused on innovation, developing high-growth businesses opportunities and as a business advisor in multiple verticals.  Andrew serves on the Tufts Nutrition Council advisory board, is a Friedman School Entrepreneurship Advisor.  A Harvard Business School graduate and Procter & Gamble brand management trained.

This episode is part of a special series we’re running to celebrate the fact we’ve now made more than 200 editions of Table Talk.We would like to thank everyone who has joined us on the podcast since it launched and we are so grateful to you for helping us to reach this milestone.To mark the occasion, we’ve invited some friends of the podcast to make their own mini-episodes, looking back at 2021.It’s been another year that’ll stick in the mind, but we’re doing our best to avoid the C-word (that's Covid) as we get our guests to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly of the last 12 months.In this episode, we hear from Barry Smith, Founding Director of the Centre for the Study of SensesBarry SmithBarry C Smith is a professor of philosophy and director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study. He is also the founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses, which pioneers collaborative research between philosophers, psychologists and neuroscientists.

The Table Talk podcast is on a festive break, but that doesn't mean we stop providing top content.We've delved into our archive and pulled out some of the best interviews from 2021.In this episode, Stefan Gates met Oliver Bennett; a British race car driver, turned energy drink entrepreneur.Oliver made his debut in the British Rallycross Championship in 2016 and fought for the title the following season. He is also the co-founder of Xite Energy, a brand bringing nootropic energy drinks to the mass market. Popular among Gen Z and E-sports athletes, nootropics support healthy brain function and mental ability.This podcast looks at the growing world of nootropics, as we chat to Oliver about why Xite entered the market and how the sector has developed, and will continue to grow. Why are so many E-sports athletes and Gen Z consumers embracing nootropics for cognitive health, and what can we expect from brands like Xite in the future? J Oliver BennettOliver Bennett is a 28-year-old British driver with experience in rallycross competitions. In 2016 he made his debut in the British Rallycross Championship and the following season he fought for the title. He also made his debut in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, where he has competed in recent seasons. Bennett has also participated in a number of Americas Rallycross events and the Gymkhana GRID in Cape Town in 2018, where he put on a great performance. XiteXITE Energy, which was born in Bristol UK, is only two years old but has already made huge waves in the highly competitive energy drinks market. The brainchild of university graduate and rally driver Oliver Bennett – who is racing in Extreme E for the Hispano Suiza XITE Energy Team – and co-founder Megan Jones.The product is designed to resonate with fellow Gen Z’ers by using nootropics (Cognitive amino acids that aid concentration and focus) natural caffeine (green coffee bean), natural flavours, pansax ginseng, L-tyrosine and L-carnitine – all designed to keep energy levels constant without the ‘highs and lows’ associated with most other energy drinks. The brand is also proud that 1p for every can sold goes to mental health charities.