In the search for an answer to the question of how we will feed a growing population, Blue River Technology has created a robot that kills plants and weeds so that others may flourish while protecting the planet in the [...]
Steve Osipow's Profile
Steve Osipow
Submitted
Activity Feed
Anca,
Wonderful post! I am always excited to learn about a new international food company. You went into the competitive advantages that Ocado has but also mentioned an entry of a major competitor in the grocery delivery space. If i was Ocado, I would be very worried about Morrison’s and their recent partnership with Amazon. What makes the grocery delivery bubble in the developed western world so interesting is that the marginal gains it has made in innovation have resulted in massive value add tot he customer and has invited greater and greater funding interest. As you mentioned, grocery delivery is not a new idea and the true competitive advantage is around your distribution and order method as well as the margins you are able to achieve from hour suppliers. Amazon has the logistics covered and it seems as though Morrison has the corporate goods relationship taken care of. If I was Ocado, I’d be worried.
Sarah,
To me, this is one of the murkiest questions. Thank you very much for addressing this topic. Can we truly practice presence while still connected to the device that perpetually threatens our ability to be present? I still work part time for a non-profit organization focused on advocating the need to practice silence and silent meditation as a part of a healthy life, both spiritually and naturally. We were all fascinated and perhaps a bit skeptical when we were introduced to Headspace. The IPhone is what is coming between people and silence, and now we are using it to achieve silence? It seemed like too much conflict but after trying it a number of times, the appeal became obvious and the benefits were observable. I finally came to the conclusion that whether it is a lecture, or church, or a yoga mat or even an IPhone app built to help you include silence and meditative practice into your day, than it is worth the price of admission. In my opinion, the destination of meditation and silence is so crucial to a well balance life that whatever road gets you there is fine by me!
Zach,
Terrific insight into a market that not many know much about. It seems as though the basic needs of the farmer in Nigeria are not being met and the availability of such a quintessential piece of farming equipment is a major step forward for the overall agrarian community in Nigeria. My question is around the other challenges facing the Nigerian market that are making the process off farming less of a sustainal source of food and income. One of the questions I have is around irrigation. We very often take our irrigation sytems in the US for granted but there could be opportunity in this space as well given the major impact of Hello Tractor. I look forward to exploring this market a bit more and to understanding the other needs. Thank you very much for your post!
RR,
I could not be less surprised at your choice of topic but could not be more excited that you have introduced me to a major disruption in Western Civilizations most cherished past time. I was with a friend who was an actor all of her life this weekend and she said something that resonated with me and I believe it complements your post: “My religion is humanity, and the theater is humanities church.” It was at once both a profound and somber statement given your argument. In a world that has become imprisoned in artificiality and the digitization of the human experience, the theater has the power to re-teach a generation how to feel passion and be enveloped by reality rather than passively observe it. My feeling about advancements such as BraodwayHD are less focused on the damage that they can do but rather the value they can create. While I hope they find an equitable way of dividing up the profits to the correct parties, I hope that the digital junkies of our generation will be using this as a trial medium, and hope that we are pushed to discover new shows that can ask us to examine the quintessential human questions in the way only theater can.
Well said Ty. I once got advice that “the happiest fish were the ones that swam downstream.” This could not be more true for Tyson Foodsgiven the strategic advancements towards more sustainable procured foods. I think it would be foolish to believe that this is less than a movement. I believe that behaviors are slowly changing and that people will begin, or have begun asking about where their food comes from in a restaurant. It won’t be long until all o the chicken products in the market are called to answer the same scrutiny.
This was terrific. It shows how a single product given a set of variables, can come under threat from every angle. I had no idea about the level of inputs that went into making that much beer. It seems like managing this project would be one that loyal drinkers would rally behind because of their connection that happinesss produced by good beer. Good beer with a purpose sounds like icing on the cake.
What a difficult subject. Well done Bhargav. There is no greater advocate than I when talking about the movement away from fresh dairy products like milk and cream, however it seems as though Almond milk will cause harm whee its intentions were all good. I would be very curious to know what strategy these companies are seriously considering, given the overwhelming production impacts skewed towards California. I am also wondering if we would be able to make a similar non-dairy milk substitute with a cover crop like a legume rather than a tree nut.
Very interesting look into an industry laggard. Burger King has tried to find ways to gain a competitive edge over their larger older brother, McDonalds and are clearly blowing an enormous opportunity. What I find fascinating is the scale of this kind of company and the licence that this scale gives them to completely transformer their suppliers if they want to / see a consumer preference change where the customer is demanding sustainable ingredients. If they could change the behaviors and a start having people stop choosing “meat before morals”, then there would be a major impact on the fast-casual supply chain.
Well Done Cathal! Very interesting read. I feel as thought the conversation around where the responsibility lies regarding the farmer or Fonterra over reducing the GHG emissions at the farm level in an interesting one. The IKEA case showed us the power of an overwhelming #1 buyer and the influence that can be exerted at the top in order to change supplier behavior. Perhaps Fonterra has more influence in this conversation than what meets the eye. One way or another, my biggest question is how well is Fonterra diversified in Almond trees?!?!