Eat For The Planet with Nil Zacharias

Journalist and author Michael Grunwald joins Eat For The Planet for a provocative conversation about land use, climate truth-telling, and why regenerative beef might not be the climate solution it claims to be. We dig into the uncomfortable tradeoffs most people ignore in food system debates—from the myths of “local and organic” to the surprising upsides of high-yield industrial farming. Grunwald,...

Is plant-based food dying—or detoxing? In this episode, Kerry Song, founder and CEO of Abbot’s, returns to Eat For The Planet to unpack what she sees as the third wave of plant-based eating. We explore why consumers are walking away from ultra-processed mimicry, how trust is rebuilt through clean labels and transparency, and why the real opportunity lies in the space between imitation and compromi...

What if food didn’t have to come from animals—or even plants? In this episode, Nil Zacharias sits down with Thomas Jonas, CEO and co-founder of Nature’s Fynd, to explore the origins of Fy, a microbial protein discovered in a Yellowstone hot spring that’s grown through fermentation without soil, sunlight, or traditional agriculture. They discuss the company’s unconventional path, why they stayed qu...

Ethan Brown returns to Eat For The Planet eight years after his first appearance for a raw and timely conversation about what it means to lead Beyond Meat through public scrutiny, shifting consumer narratives, and a changing food landscape. We talk about the limits of frictionless adoption, the company’s strategic reset, and why storytelling is now central to Beyond’s mission. Ethan shares what he...

Katie Cantrell, co-founder of Greener by Default, joins the Eat For The Planet Podcast to explore how subtle changes in choice architecture—like making plant-based meals the default—can drive massive impact across institutional food systems. From working with Sodexo to scaling plant-forward menus in hospitals, Katie unpacks the behavioral science behind her nonprofit’s work, reflects on what she’s...

In this episode, Dan Altschuler Malek returns to Eat For The Planet for a wide-ranging, honest conversation about the state of food innovation. We dig into the lessons learned from the early rise—and recalibration—of alternative proteins, and why building a resilient food system requires patience, scrappiness, and a willingness to rethink success. Dan reflects on why food systems rarely "disrupt"...

Journalist and author Larissa Zimberoff joins Eat For The Planet to break down what went wrong in food tech—and what still gives her hope. From the collapse of vertical farms to the backlash against plant-based meat, we explore why hype wasn’t enough, how ultra-processed narratives took over, and where innovation might still thrive. A candid, clear-eyed look at the future of food beyond the buzzwo...

With declining sales, cultural backlash, and growing skepticism around alt-proteins, many are asking: Is the plant-based movement already past its peak? In this episode, Sarah Lake, CEO of Tilt Collective, makes the case that this moment is less a dead end and more a turning point. She shares the real forces shaping what we eat—from corporate power and public policy to culture and consumer psychol...

In this episode of Eat for the Planet, Matt de Gruyter, CEO and co-founder of Next Level Burger, discusses the brand’s significant progress since 2018, including the acquisition and turnaround of Veggie Grill, its ambitious expansion goals, and the evolving plant-based food landscape. Matt reflects on combating misinformation, balancing operational discipline with a strong work culture, and creati...

In this episode of the Eat for the Planet podcast, Nil Zacharias speaks with Alicia Kennedy, author of No Meat Required, about challenging meat’s dominance in the food system and exploring the cultural, culinary, and systemic shifts needed to create meaningful change. They discuss how plant-based eating, rooted in countercultural movements, can serve as a force for transformation while navigating...

In this episode of Eat for the Planet, Nil Zacharias engages with Indy Kaur, founder of Plant Futures Collective, to discuss her path in the food industry, her pivotal work at Tesco, and her current mission to drive plant-based adoption. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities in the plant-based food sector, emphasizing trust-building, storytelling, and collective action to ov...

In this episode of Eat for the Planet, Sami Nabulsi, founder of Pythag Tech, explores the intersection of innovation, politics, and progress in the cultivated meat industry. Drawing from his transition from finance to food tech, Sami shares his vision for the future of cultivated meat, including its potential to reshape global food systems and address critical challenges like sustainability, scala...

In this episode of Eat for the Planet, Maisie Ganzler, former Chief Strategy and Brand Officer at Bon Appétit Management Company (BAMCO), reflects on her 30 years of leadership at the forefront of sustainability. She discusses BAMCO’s approach to balancing customer needs with supplier realities, lessons learned from the company’s early adoption of plant-based alternatives, and the critical role of...

Palak Patel is an award-winning chef, best-selling author, and a dynamic force in the movement for sustainable food systems. In this episode, Palak reflects on her personal and professional evolution, highlighting food’s role as an emotional and cultural connector. Drawing from her cookbook Food is Love, she discusses how emotion drives her cooking and offers insights into the challenges of transi...

In this thought-provoking episode of Eat for the Planet, Nil Zacharias is joined by Michelle Adelman, an entrepreneur and innovator in the food industry. Michelle reflects on her journey from leading the plant-based food platform Infinite Foods in Africa to founding Crossover Meats, a company that blends chicken and beef to create a more sustainable and scalable meat product. Through candid insigh...

Overthrow Hospitality is an award-winning plant-based food and beverage hospitality group with ten unique venues offering elevated dining and drinking experiences to the socially conscious consumer. In this episode, Ravi Derossi, Founder and CEO of Overthrow Hospitality discusses the company's evolution into a fully plant-based hospitality group with an innovative approach to dining. He reflects o...

In this episode, Sorosh Tavakoli, the CEO of Stockeld Dreamery shares his journey from tech to founding Stockeld Dreamery, a plant-based cheese company. He highlights the shortcomings of plant-based cheese—poor taste, texture, and nutrition—and discusses Stockeld’s innovative approach using fermented legume proteins to create better products. Sarosh reflects on industry challenges, from manufactur...

This episode features Steve Molino, Partner & Head of Investments at Clear Current Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on catalyzing sustainable change in the food system. The conversation focuses on the state of the alternative protein industry and its potential to transform the global food system. Steve shares his journey into impact investing, insights into the challenges facin...

If vibes can play a big role in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Elections, shouldn't we examine their role in food choices? This episode discusses why the plant-based food industry's focus on branding plant-based meat by emphasizing environmental and health benefits has failed to resonate with a consumers. A more effective branding strategy for alternative protein involves focusing on the "vibes"—the e...

This episode features Liron Nimrodi, the Co-Founder and CEO of Zero Egg. Animal friendly, sustainable, and a healthier alternative, Zero Egg is the plant-based egg for everyone. Zero Egg’s products are 100% plant-based, gluten-free, non-GMO, low in calories and fat, have zero cholesterol and are cleaner in terms of ingredient list (compared to other existing plant-based egg products) making them s...

The episode explores Nudge Theory, a behavioral economics concept used to guide better decisions through minor environmental changes. Plantega, a company making plant-based food accessible via a unique plant-based-deli-in-store model in New York City bodegas, employs Nudge Theory through strategic locations, appealing signage, choice architecture, simplification, sampling events, social proof, and...

This episode discusses the plant-based food industry's evolution and future prospects, following the Gartner Hype Cycle. Despite a disillusionment phase, consumer demand remains strong, with plant-based food sales growing in 2022. To ensure continued growth, we need to focus on three pillars: Innovation (addressing nutritional concerns and offering global flavors), Accessibility (emphasizing foods...

Elena Devis is on a mission to make Deliveroo the go-to delivery platform for plant-based food. As the Head of the Vegan Category, she works cross functionally with the Commercial, Marketing, Product and Sustainability teams to make it easier for consumers to find, and confidently order, plant-based food anytime, anywhere. Elena follows a plant-based diet and is really passionate about all things...

Samuel Dennigan is Founder and CEO of Strong Roots, a leading plant-based brand committed to planet-friendly food. Launched in 2015, Strong Roots are on a mission to provide tasty and environmentally responsible food for busy lives. Since its beginnings Strong Roots has become a firm favorite of consumers globally listing its Cauliflower Hash Browns, Sweet Potato Fries, Kale-and-Quinoa Burgers and...

Wildtype is a cultivated seafood brand on a mission to create the most sustainable seafood on earth, starting with their highly anticipated sushi-grade salmon. Aryé Elfenbein, a cardiologist, and Justin Kolbeck, a former U.S. diplomat, set out to protect our planet’s wilderness, and to reverse trends of global food insecurity. Using cellular agriculture techniques, Wildtype will provide consumers...