The Produce Moms Podcast

"Without exception, I've never talked about Brighter Bites and not had someone say, 'That's amazing. I want to support that. I want to be a part of that.'" Rich Dachman (22:09-22:23) Rich Dachman is the former vice-president of produce for Sysco and was an executive at Sysco for almost three decades. He is now the CEO of the Brighter Brights.  The road that led him to Brighter Bites started with a...

"Sunbelt is really focused on three things: food, people, and relationships. When we hire people, we want to make sure that people fit that culture." Stacy Ward (14:13-14:21) Stacy Ward is on the executive board of Coastal Sunbelt Produce. With decades of experience under her belt, Stacy is a super-focused and disciplined professional and  mom, and she loves produce.  After working for Sysco, Stac...

"When you marry aquaculture and hydroponics, you get aquaponics." Kurt Wagaman (5:04 - 5:09) Kurt Wagaman is the GM at Superior Fresh, an industry-leading aquaponics facility specializing in leafy greens, Atlantic salmon, and Steelheads. Their facility is situated on a 720-acre native restoration property nestled in the Coulee Region of Wisconsin. Superior Fresh's flagship facility is the largest...

"Joy Bauer is passionate about inspiring children and people of all ages to eat the healthiest foods and live their best lives." Lori Taylor (7:24 - 7:37) Joy Bauer is one of America's leading health authorities. She's a New York Times number 1 best-selling author and the health and nutrition expert for NBC's Today show.  Joy is also the host of the TV show Health and Happiness with Mayo Clinic. S...

"Part of the obesity problem is that health care providers aren't sufficiently trained to give the information patients need to make healthy choices." - Dr. Amanda Velazquez Dr. Amanda Velazquez is an obesity medicine doctor and a nutrition specialist, and she is board certified as an internal medicine doctor. Dr. Velazquez helps her patients with weight loss so they can improve their health and a...

"The Coconut Coalition of the Americas was founded in order to fight the negative perceptions of coconuts resulting from false reports." Traci Kantowski (2:35 - 2:45) Traci Kantowski, of the Coconut Coalition of the Americas (CCA), has over eighteen years of marketing communications experience in corporate and non-profit sectors. She's leading the CCA's communication efforts to develop educational...

"We're transforming agriculture by enabling local production within farms in major cities...where the people are." Marc Oshima (2:07 - 2:13) Marc Oshima is the co-founder and CMO of AeroFarms, one of the most innovative companies in the world, according to Fast Company. They were selected as a winner in Environment for the 2018 World Technology Awards.  AeroFarms disrupts traditional supply chains...

"Onions are in every home and restaurant. They're a part of everyone's recipes, whether it's a gourmet restaurant or grandma's family recipe."  Lori Taylor (4:13 - 4:26) Jessica Peri is a fourth-generation farmer at Peri & Sons Farms, one of the leading onion growers in the country. Starting with only 100-acres in 1979, Peri & Sons Farms has experienced incredible growth while maintaining the comp...

"Companies like Hazel Tech are a part of the solution to the global food waste crisis." Lori Taylor (17:26 - 17:33) Aiden Mouat is the CEO and co-founder of Hazel Technologies, a company passionate about saving resources and reducing global food waste, and they're doing it in an eco-friendly way.  Food Waste is a Global Crisis How can we produce enough food to give everyone around the world enough...

Eating Healthy on the Go With Alison Velázquez   "Fresh produce is not only a cornerstone of my brand. It's a cornerstone to my own diet as well." Alison Velázquez (6:45 - 6:53) Drinkable soup is the newest food trend you definitely want to get in on. When you're in a hurry for your eight o'clock meeting but haven't eaten breakfast yet - what do you reach for? A thick Clif bar? Strawberry Pop-tart...

"A third to a half of all the food we produce is wasted. There's a food supply gap that we can begin to close and make an impact on if we just waste less." Natalie Shuman - (4:58-5:12)   Apeel Sciences is one of the most buzz-worthy brands and products in the produce industry, agriculture, and the entire world. Natalie Shuman paved her path in the fresh produce industry. She's the director of mark...

"People love CBD because it doesn't get you high but has all the benefits of cannabis, including pain relief and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression."  Emily Kyle (5:04 - 5:20) Emily Kyle is a registered dietician and holistic cannabis practitioner. She offers a compassionate, understanding holistic healthcare approach designed to fit each individual and their circumstances. Emily has a Ma...

"Krissy Farms brand is about putting together food, fun, families, and farms. It's a lifestyle brand that promotes health and wellness from the very first bite." Kristyn Lawson (7:58-8:15) The food mothers feed their babies lays the foundation for long-term health. Organic food products sourced from high-quality produce are essential to their development. Kristyn Lawson is the founder and CEO of K...

  "If we integrate more women and balance the boardroom, then we can have a huge impact on the environment." Julie Escobar (11:34 - 11:46) The International Mission of Global Women Fresh Julie Escobar has worked on an international scale with growers, consumers, and retailers in the agricultural industry for the past 20 years. Throughout her business expeditions in Latin America, Europe, and the P...

"Elisabeth Watkins is 18 years old. She is the Founder of Farm Girl Chef and she won Chopped Junior on Food Network when she was a freshman in high school!" Lori Taylor (0:48 - 0:55) Elisabeth Watkins from Farm Girl Chef. Elisabeth Watkins is only 18, but she has already accomplished so much. She won Chopped Junior, a reality-based cooking television game show on the Food Network when she was a fr...

"We have to trust in the capacity of women, not only to farm and to have kids, but to run families and … nations, and the next generation." Lorena Muro (9:02-9:11) Lorena Muro is a powerful force, elevating females in agriculture, specifically within the fresh produce sector. She is the CEO of Mama Pacha, a ten-year-old company from Peru which exports organic superfoods from the Amazon highland, e...

"Plastic is not the problem. It's plastic waste that is problematic." Dave Beck (12:27 - 12:31) Dave Beck is the National Sales Director at rPlanet Earth, a company dedicated to the mission of zero plastic waste on planet earth. rPlanet Earth is a well-capitalized, innovative manufacturer reusing post-consumer plastics as a feedstock to produce the highest quality packaging with the lowest carbon...

"In addition to a lot of international regions, especially in Latin America, in the United States, mangoes are grown in Florida, California, Hawaii, and in territories like the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico." Eve Sapp (6:46 - 7:05) Eve Sapp is a board member at the National Mango Board, appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. She works to educate the U.S. consumer about the flavor, c...

"Get into the kitchen and play. Get the children involved. Have them peel something or taste it when it's raw... we're all in it together." Brandon Fortener (31:32-32:06)   Brandon Fortener is the Product Development Chef for the Kroger company, which is the nation's largest supermarket retailer. Produce is one of the first things that Kroger's nine million daily customers see when they walk into...

"Qi Gong helps us get into that flow state where we feel our best selves and bring our best selves into all the activities of our lives." Lee Holden (8:56-9:08)   Would you like to be able to release stress and gain energy in just a few minutes?   By practicing a form of ancient Chinese medicine called Qi Gong, you can do just that. It's is an easy feel-good practice that can be done in just a sho...

"One of the things I love about Chadwick is that he understands and practices the idea that food is how life happens." Lori Taylor (28:03 - 28:14)   Chadwick Boyd is a food and lifestyle expert. He is the host of Reel Food , the first food entertainment series in movie theaters nationwide. Chadwick also appears on TV shows like Hallmark's Home & Family , Food Network's The Kitchen , and many other...

"The interest that consumers have in understanding where and how their food was grown is only going to increase." Wendelyn Jones (30:51-31:01)   In 2017, Dow Chemical and DuPont Chemical merged with the intent of spinning out into three different companies. Its Agriculture Division forms a company known as Corteva Agriscience with a purpose to, "enrich the lives of those who produce and those who...

"So much of life is centric to food, and being a picky eater can become problematic." Lori Taylor (7:00 - 7:14) Liz Weiss MS, RDN, is the Founder of Liz's Healthy Table, where she shares healthy recipes and mealtime wisdom through blog posts, cooking videos, and podcasts. Liz has been passionate about healthy food and family nutrition for over 20 years. Her previous company, Meal Makeover Moms, re...

"The new generations of Millennials and Gen-Zers are passionate about the connection between food and agriculture, and they're passionate about plant-based diets." Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (5:18 - 5:29) Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN is the CEO and President of the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH). She is a leader within the agriculture and produce industry, and has re-invigorated PBH. We...

"Food is one of the main things that glue our communities together, and the Latinos take that concept to a whole new level." Sylvia Klinger (5:46 - 5:53) Sylvia Klinger is a registered dietician (RD), the Founder of HispanicNutrition.com, and an industry thought leader when it comes to Hispanic nutrition. Listen to this week's episode of The Produce Moms Podcast with Sylvia Klinger to learn more a...