The Feed

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 infl...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cole Jones is the Founder & CEO of Local Line, an e-commerce network connecting local farmers with restaurants and grocers. In this episode, we’ll talk about the importance of keeping food dollars within local economies, how large QSRs like Chipotle are using the platform to purchase tens of millions of pounds of local produce, and how farmers can tap into a marketplace of buyers looking for n...

Ellen Brune is the VP of Product Management at AutoStore, a warehouse automation system for online grocery and e-commerce fulfillment for brands like Best Buy, Puma, HEB, and Giant. In this episode, we’ll discuss the tradeoffs between manual and automated grocery fulfillment, how automation can deliver groceries faster and more accurately, and how it might transform the physical shopping experienc...

Sai Alluri is the Co-Founder & CEO of Momos, an all-in-one customer engagement platform that helps restaurants grow and retain their guests. In this episode, we’ll talk about how Momos is consolidating email marketing and feedback management, leveraging AI, and how restaurants are using it to identify key areas to delight their customers. Subscribe to the HNGRY Newsletter

Micahel Robinov is the co-founder and CEO of Farm To People, a New York City-based grocery delivery service that procures fresh produce, meat, dairy, and more directly from local farmers. In this episode, we’ll talk about sourcing products from sustainably-grown purveyors, the unit economics powering its delivery service, and the future of hyperlocal, decentralized food production and distribution...

Derek G. Taylor is the founder of Menotti’s Coffee Shop and The Park, a on-chain DAO powering food, beverage, and music projects like Happy Friday Coffee. In this episode, we’ll chat about the potential to move offline communities on-chain, how blockchain can create more equity within hospitality, and the pure espresso technology behind Happy Friday Coffee that enables espresso to be served withou...

Nick Kenner is the Founder & CEO of Just Salad, a fast casual salad chain on a mission to unlock everyday health and sustainability. In this episode, we’ll chat about technology’s role when it comes to nutrition, automation, and retention, its reusable bowl program, and the whitespace opportunity for salad to steal share away from fast food. Sign up for the HNGRY newsletter

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...

Kevin Brown is the Co-Founder & CEO of Innit, an AI platform purpose-built for large CPGs, grocers, and healthcare companies. In this episode, we’ll talk about the problems with off-the-shelf large language models in food, the future of personalized nutrition, and the promise of smart kitchens. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter

Page Schult is the co-founder & CEO of Topanga.io, a technology platform powering reusable container programs. In this episode, we’ll define what the circular economy really means, how it can help save businesses money in the long run, and talk about its deployments for meal delivery services, college campuses, and more. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter

Matthew Kenney is a world renowned plant-based chef, restaurateur, educator, and entrepreneur. In this episode we talk about Matthew’s launch of the first plant-based IP holding company, how he’s transitioned his restaurants from owned-and-operated businesses to asset-light franchises, and his thoughts on the future plant-based dining landscape. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter

Arik Keller is the Founder & CEO of Mable, a next-generation wholesale technology platform for emerging food & beverage brands. In this episode, we’ll chat about Mable’s three-sided marketplace of retailers, CPGs, and distributors, how it’s enabling c-stores to test new brands, and how technology can play a role in creating a more diverse and flexible ecosystem. Watch on YouTube Subscribe...

Martina Lokaiova is the Co-Founder & CEO of Tempty Foods, a Danish food innovation company creating fungi-based alternatives to tofu and meat. In this episode, we’ll talk about why Tempty is shying away from imitating meat analogs, its recent partnership with mycoprotein leader Quorn, and the importance of unbundling of food brands from technology R&D. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the HNG...

Colin Webb is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sauce, a dynamic pricing engine that helps restaurants leverage their data to optimize their online sales. In this episode, we’ll chat about the history of dynamic pricing, how restaurants can double their profitability on third-party marketplaces, and how variable pricing can alleviate the many cost pressures facing food delivery. Watch on YouTube Subscri...

Ismail Salhi is the Co-Founder of Wildgrain, the first bake-from-frozen subscription food service for artisanal breads, pastries, and pastas. In this episode, we’ll chat about the current state of the over-commercialized American baked goods market, how Wildgrain bootstrapped itself to 44k paying subscribers, and its unique business model that taps into underutilized capacity of local bakeries. Wa...

Alex Blum is the Founder & CEO of Relay, a last mile logistics company that consolidates restaurants delivery orders across every channel. In this episode, we’ll talk about how restaurants can save money by switching to self delivery, how Relay is able to more efficiently batch orders compared to DoorDash and Uber Eats, and the impact of the recent minimum wage legislation in NYC on the entire...

Edward Shenderovich is the Co-Founder & CEO of Synonym, a developer of shared and dedicated commercial-scale biomanufacturing facilities. In this episode we’ll talk about the myriad use cases for fermentation in pharmaceutical to textiles and food, how Synonym is creating a new asset class, and how “fermentation as a service” can unlock a wide range of applications we have yet to fully appreci...

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.