Georges Daou

A Compelling Comparison of uFoodin Platform and Food Trade Shows for Professionals and Companies Developing International Sales and Purchases 👇 #foodtradeshow #b2b #ufoodin #sales #purchases

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HOW BATS ARE HELPING IN THE VINEYARD Bats are under-appreciated in the role they can play in boosting grape yields, lowering disease risk and reducing the use of chemicals. Kathleen Willcox finds out more. Only spiders, snakes and sharks could possibly outspook the average human more than bats. I mean, fair enough. With wingspans that can reach five-feet, hairless and nude micro-bodies, hog-like noses and hairy faces dominated by fleshy protruding ears and their affinity for hanging upside-down with wings folded, a little side-eye seems if not warranted, at least understandable. (And that doesn’t even touch on the fact that several of the world’s most virulent diseases—including Ebola, Marburg, Nipah have been linked back to various bat species.) But there’s a lot more to love than fear: not only are bats the only group of mammals capable of flight, their uncanny nighttime navigation by acoustic orientation (a.k.a. echolocation) makes them some of the keenest bug-hunters on the planet, and they are essential links in the pollination and seed dispersal chain for a number of plant species. And for vintners in the know, bats are becoming important partners in au naturel pest-and disease management, saving them (potentially) millions of dollars while also reducing their carbon footprint. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eN85_2a6 University of New England (AU) National EcoVineyard Program Vins de Bordeaux - CIVB LIGUE DE PROTECTION DES OISEAUX Bat Conservation Trust Fowles Wine Brassfield Estate Winery Chateau de Fontenille’s Ancient Peaks Winery Château LAPELLETRIE The Drinks Business #bats #vineyards #australia #france #engeland

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Despite the challenges of the last three years, there are commercial and economic opportunities presented by the plant-based sector as does the environmental, health and societal imperative to diversify our protein supply with more familiar and convenient alternatives. This report provides quite a detailed in-depth explanation of the plant based sector in Australia in both retail and foodservice. The Australian foodservice sector presents the most immediate opportunity for plant-based meat manufacturers to continue to grow in coming years. Wiith relatively small penetration of plant- based meat in just a few segments of the foodservice category, such as in QSRs and fast casual outlets, a large share of the foodservice market remains untapped for the plant-based meat industry with the potential to generate sustained and long-term growth across the next decade. Thanks to the team Food Frontier for this detailed analysis of the Australian market. https://lnkd.in/ggQ9r4Rb FoodFrontier-2023-State-of-the-Industry-report

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🌱 Investment Trends in the Food Ingredients Sector 🌱 Explore critical investment factors in this week's "Pathways to Prosperity" newsletter: • Innovation: Discover how R&D and technological advancements boost competitiveness. • Sustainability: Learn the importance of ESG principles in attracting and retaining investments. • Market Potential: Understand the opportunities in high-growth markets and evolving consumer preferences. With the global population set to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, innovations in AgTech and sustainable practices are crucial. Find out how Meyrick Consulting drives growth with top executive talent in the industry. 👉 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eKCPmsw2 #FoodIndustry #Sustainability #Innovation #MarketGrowth #MeyrickConsulting

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Climate change is changing our agriculture landscape and therefore the cost to consume our favorite things- especially coffee, which is why the work we are doing around organic cultivation with climate resilient varietals like robusta coffee is more important than ever. Thanks WSJ for speaking with me about this important work!

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I can think of no better trend than culinary professionals, influencers, and tastemakers finally saying out loud that high-quality processed foods are as good, if not better, than made-fresh-from-scratch ingredients. Just as I don't expect others to agree with me on politics, books, and movies, I don't expect everyone to enjoy repetitive cooking tasks. What I find meditative and satisfying others find tedious, boring, and pointless. Fair enough! We need high-quality processed goods so that everyone can enjoy exceptional food every day for every meal. IT IS POSSIBLE! It's time to demand that our food processing infrastructure deliver fresh, flavorful, nutritious ingredients that are both affordable and save time. https://lnkd.in/gCcwZBPY

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Over the past few weeks I’ve spent a lot of time sharing the CULT Food Science (CSE:CULT) story with shareholders, family offices, brokers, institutions and other interested parties. A common theme has been the interest level and enthusiasm for what we are building at both CULT and Noochies! This is not the type of deal you see every day. As the only publicly traded company in Canada (and one of 3 worldwide) focused on cellular-agriculture/cultivated meat we are uniquely positioned as a first mover in this exciting new space. Another common theme/question has been “when will you be doing a financing?” Well, today we’ve just announced a non-brokered financing for up to $2.5M CAD at 25 cents per unit with a full warrant exercisable at 35 cents (2 years): https://lnkd.in/gFBFQ5Bw The net proceeds raised from the Private Placement are expected to be used to advance Noochies!, the flagship brand of the Company’s subsidiary, Further Foods Inc., for marketing, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. We've also updated our deck/corporate presentation, it can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/gBciFRFH

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Two things come to mind when I read this. 1) The idea of “local sourcing” is generally not applicable to seafood. Yes, if you live in New England, it is better to source Atlantic cod, Atlantic halibut, and Saith (Pollock) vs. the Pacific species, and domestic harvest is preferable to imported. That said, the truth is that local sourcing does. It works the same for seafood as it does for poultry and other land-based agriculture products. 2) there is not enough emphasis on what “sustainability” means. I would love to see a report on how much of the seafood sold by the processors and through the supply chain was billed as “sustainable,” yet the processors (per this article) “company fell months behind on payments to fishermen.” Without a sustainable financial transaction, a product can not be “sustainable.”

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In a recent episode of The Plantbased Business Hour with Elysabeth Alfano, the CEO of Triplebar, Maria Cho, discusses the new kinds of innovation opportunities that precision fermentation can bring to the food market. Link in the comments to listen to the full interview. #precisionfermentation #foodsystemstransformation #diversifiedproteins

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Great insight from Kenji López-Alt, chef, author, and #FoodJournalist printed in the #NewYorkTimes. Kenji takes us on a journey through his experiments of salting #eggs before and after cooking them but lands on one philosophy- "just salt them whenever you darn well please." I am surprised that the type of salt he suggests didn't come up but perhaps that's a topic for another article. I'm no Kenji, but I suggest #Himalayan or #FlavoredSeaSalt, such as garlic/onion, porcini, or sriracha. What's your egg-salting method? #SeaSaltSuperstore

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Dairy biomethane digester study for central California concludes: “These results indicate that EJ concerns are not a dominant factor when deciding whether to adopt biogas electricity production in central California. Conclusion - Dairy waste emissions in the SJV make minor contributions to regional O3 and PM2.5 concentrations.” Capturing methane emissions is good for local communities by improving air quality and reducing climate impacts while creating significant investment and job creation in lower income areas.

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The El Dorado AVA produces what the sommeliers say they like about European wines. Grapes that retain acid into ripening. This happens best in the Mesic temperature regime, above about 1,800 feet elevation. https://lnkd.in/gba4WDtE

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Fascinating insights from Scott Dicker and Joshua Schall in BevNET's latest issue: protein continues to dominate the beverage space, fueled by health-conscious consumers. Here are some key takeaways: ☘ Plant Protein Powerhouse: The protein beverage market is surging with consumers seeking health benefits. Plant-based protein is a key driver, offering muscle-building and weight-loss potential. 💉 GLP-1 and Protein Synergy: GLP-1 medications for weight management are gaining traction, further boosting demand for protein shakes. Plant protein positions itself well in this growing market. 🍊 What's next for plant protein beverages? I'm excited for the expansion of plant-protein fortification into fruit beverages (PURIS HiLo unlocks this!). Can't wait to see who launches first! #plantprotein #beverageindustry #glp1 #health #wellness https://lnkd.in/gxbjNxec

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Technomic's 2024 report reveals that 70% of consumers still prefer beef, even amidst rising prices and environmental debates. This choice is deeply rooted in cultural values and the high protein content that beef offers. Companies like Omaha Steaks are witnessing a surge in demand for premium, sustainably sourced beef, suggesting a shift towards quality and ethical consumption. Explore why beef remains a popular choice and how consumer preferences are evolving: https://lnkd.in/ehnEQew7 #ConsumerTrends #SustainablySourced #FoodNews

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Recently, I had the privilege to sit down with Hydrorock International B.V. CEO Richard Dirne for an interview about "water on demand" using subsoil irrigation. 🔗 Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/dz6wXvSD 🌍 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸 🌱 Water is the lifeblood of agriculture, but how can we manage it more efficiently? In this video, Henry Gordon Smith and Richard Dirne take us behind the scenes of HydroRock's subsurface irrigation system. Discover the journey of how HydroRock's technology was developed, its collaboration with Wageningen University, and the real-world impact it's having on farms. From increasing tree yield by up to 25% to saving 60% of irrigation water, HydroRock is shaping the future of sustainable farming. Reza Intelligent Water brings HydroRock's advanced water management products to the Middle East, ensuring efficient irrigation and supporting sustainable agricultural practices. Key benefits include: 💧Water Conservation: Save up to 60% of water typically lost to evaporation and percolation. 📈 Increased Yields: Boost tree yield by up to 25%. 🌿 Weed Control: Keep weeds at bay with a drier soil surface. 🧪 Fertilizer Efficiency: Reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers. This technology is particularly beneficial for farmers in arid regions, like the Middle East, where water scarcity is a major challenge. 💡 Learn about their collaboration with Wageningen University & Research, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and the impressive research results that back up these claims. Watch the first video in this series to discover how HydroRock is revolutionizing sustainable water management. Explore their research and case studies online at 🔗 www.hydrorock.com #SustainableAgriculture #WaterConservation #HydroRock #InnovativeIrrigation #Agriculture #RezaInternational #Ad #Sponsored #Farming #SmartFarming #MiddleEastFarming #HenryGordonSmith #RichardDirne #Agritecture

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In 2010 a local group of farmers in the California area wanted a more active role in the rice they take great pride in growing and built a storage and drying facility in Maxwell, CA. It did not take long for the next logical step to build a rice mill. This is how California Heritage Mills (CHM) became a fully integrated business model from the farm, to storage and drying, to full packaging and direct sales to customers. Director of Operations, Chris Davis has been involved in the rice industry for over 30 years and has seen many changes. When the Cgrain Value in 2023 was selected to work with the USDA in grading medium grain rice for whole and broken kernels, he and others within the industry flew to Kansas City, MO and visited the laboratory where two instruments were being used. He instantly saw the potential of the instrument being able to grade quality parameters within his rice mill at CHM. The justification to purchase was the automation of being able to analyze for common defects in the rice they were milling, at the time only done by manual grading. Since a model did not exist for all of these parameters, CHM took it upon themselves to develop the model for these quality traits together with TA Scientific (TAS), and Cgrain AB. This was done by collecting rice samples that have been graded from their facility and sent to be collected on a Cgrain Value Instrument at TAS prior to purchasing. In October of 2023, CHM purchased the first Cgrain Value instrument for the purpose of giving them a tool to monitor the quality of rice they produced. Within a few weeks of the instrument being installed, comparisons began between their graders and the initial Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model. The ANN model compared very well with their current graders and additional samples were collected during the 2023 harvest and extensive comparisons continued. Collected samples were analyzed on the Cgrain Value, their own internal graders, and a FGIS official site in California. The confidence they gained from these comparisons have given them a tool that is not only used for broken and whole kernels, but also thirteen other parameters as well. This allows their operators to have an objective, automated tool to help do their tasks at hand. In today’s market there are many challenges. They include the cost of labor, training new hires on how to grade rice, and making their employees more productive. The Cgrain Value has given them the opportunity to take a manual task that was only being done by trained operators, and allowed that process to be automated at significant savings. We are very pleased to have partnered with California Hertiage Mills to bring the latest imaging analysis to the rice market.

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Pick of the Day (courtesy - again - Green Queen Media) Numbers put things in perspective, 1.1% of overall US food sector sales seems tiny, there is definitely room to grow. Alternative meat and seafood only representing $1.3bio and shrinking means that investors need to buy on the premise that it will experience exponential growth in the years to come. What would be the catalyst? Happy to have your comments on this one. As a side comment, I noted recently that my posts derived from Green Queen Media and in particular articles written by Anay Mridul are the ones attracting most likes (albeit a small number) for me on LinkedIn. This must say something as to the quality of the articles, the tone and the subjects. Well done. #foodtech #alternativeproteins #cultivatedmeat

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I enjoy listening to The Prof G Podcast and appreciated Scott Galloway’s views on alternative protein and the state of the category these days. The advice he gave startups in the space that resonated with me were: - People will eat more alternative proteins in the years to come - Be very mindful of all expenses and stay scrappy - Startups shouldn’t spend their limited resources on marketing. - When the markets come back (for funding) the surviving companies will be the winners given that the number of competitors will be lower It’s not an easy time as the industry resets, but the need for #betterfoodsystems is clear. Entrepreneurs are getting better, products are improving, and I continue to believe that there are better, healthier ways to feed a growing population that are less harmful to our planet and all living things. https://lnkd.in/gvBM8h-K Unovis Asset Management New Crop Capital #betterfoodsystems #sustainability #alternativeproteins #plant-based

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