November 4, 2024 • 26 mins
In this episode, we sit down with Ali Cox, a visionary in agriculture and food ingredient marketing and the founder of Noble West, an award-winning consultancy that serves the entire agricultural ecosystem—from fresh produce to agTech. As a fifth-generation farmer, Ali returned to California’s Central Valley in 2007 with a mission: to provide world-class marketing to farmers and growers in her community.
Ali shares her journey of keeping farming viable for future generations, exploring innovative projects like upcycling imperfect produce into valuable products. Through her work, Ali champions environmental sustainability, consulting on upcycling, regenerative water use, and organic farming practices, all with an eye on the climate crisis. This episode dives into the ways agriculture can adapt to changing consumer demands, while reducing waste and building a more sustainable future.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand how upcycling transforms potential waste into economic opportunities.
- Learn the difference between food loss (unharvested resources) and food waste (uneaten food).
- Discover how upcycling supports biodiversity and sustainable practices.
- Hear Ali’s insights on holding processors accountable and ensuring fair compensation for farmers.
- Explore how consumer education can help build acceptance for upcycled products and reduce food waste.
Learn more about Sierra Agra and their mission here!
Tune in for an eye-opening discussion on creating a sustainable food system and the future of upcycling in agriculture!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Fresh Take , where we at Florida Organic
Growers speak to food systemsexperts about topics related to
organic and sustainableagriculture, healthy lifestyles
and the environment.
To help us continue ourprograms at FOG, including our
podcast, consider becoming asponsor.
For more information onsponsorship, check out our Get
Involved page on our website,wwwfoginfoorg.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Welcome to our latest episode of Fresh Steak.
Today, I'm really excited to betalking to Allie Cox, ceo of
Noble West.
She is a fifth generationfarmer based in Central Valley
of California, a mother and awife, and today we're going to
be talking about upcycling.
Upcycling is sort of a new termfor me, so I'm excited to be
(00:51):
talking to Allie.
Thank you, allie, for joiningus today and talking to us about
the work that you do.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Thanks, jc, so happy to be here and obviously love
the podcast and although you areprobably hailing from Central
Florida, it is really.
I think some of the issues thatwe face are universal and
especially in specialty crops,so I think there's just a lot of
kind of synergies for us tobuild on for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, so we typically want to get to know our guests
a little bit more.
You know I mentioned that youare a fifth generation farmer,
so you know you have thatfarming background.
Maybe you can tell us a littlebit about what it was that
inspired you to you know work inthis field.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Sure, well, I mean just a little bit of background.
So, again, hailing from CentralCalifornia, which is the
Central Valley, and obviouslyrowcropping, and now we have
produce from apricots tocherries.
(02:08):
We grow almonds, walnuts, we dohave beef cattle, tomatoes,
beans, so there is quite avariety, but so that is kind of
the farming side and that's, Iwould say, what we live, eat and
breathe every day as a family,right, but then professionally,
in my marketing agency, nobleWest, we are tapped by our
(02:29):
clients all the time and againwe are an agriculture and food
ingredient specialty shop, soI'm an ag all day, every day,
and oftentimes our clients cometo us or businesses find us when
they have already made millionsof dollars of investments in
software or growing practices oron-farm practices or
(02:50):
certification compliance.
And they come to us and theysay, okay, how do we get more
value for this?
We need a bigger ROI to coverall these awesome things we've
just done and all thesefantastic certifications we've
just heard.
How do we do that and can youhelp us basically improve our
value proposition?
Because we can in fact provethat our produce or our food is
(03:15):
grown better and different, andso that is often that is a very
normal phone call for me toreceive, and typically from kind
of a flustered yet ambitiousCEO, is like I just need a
better business strategy aroundall of these crazy million
dollars, million million plusdollars of investments that
(03:36):
we're doing all the time toremain compliant with USDA or
the CDFA here in California.
So how do we do that?
So that's one that's probablythe basis of our business, but
now it's getting so much likepart in the pun juicier because
we're working on projects thatare more climate focused, quite
frankly, but also help farmers,and so for me, I'm like okay,
(03:59):
I'm farmer first in everythingwe do, I will forever be farmer
first.
But I'm also pragmatic and arealist and I want my kids to be
able to farm in 20 years versushaving a housing development
where our farm is right.
So I know that what God is hereis not going to get us there.
So, philosophically, we have tochange and evolve with consumer
(04:20):
demands, with compliancedemands and, frankly, take
advantage of ESG goals and foodsupply chains.
So that is definitely kind oflike the cornerstone of what we
do.
But upcycling has become a superniche project where I would
like to say, from a marketingperspective, we have in fact
(04:41):
become experts, and I speakabout upcycling quite a bit.
There is an upcyclingassociation, there are brands
that are upcycling forward.
It is definitely a very trendyI don't know how to say this.
It's trendy and current andrelevant.
At like food shows, like ExpoWest.
(05:02):
At like food shows like ExpoWest, it might not be in such in
like as dynamic of aconversation, at like an IFPA
show or an industry show,because that's more maybe
farming focused and, morefrankly, established brand focus
.
But this project we're workingon with a company called Sierra
Agra, a phenomenal organizationof industry leaders who are
(05:25):
ambitious and rogue and forwardthinking and caring and
environmentally conscious, butalso, again I would argue,
they're farmer.
First, there's quite a fewfarmers that are on their board
and are investors, basically ahuge manufacturing company that
take the we call it the unseenharvest or the forgotten harvest
(05:48):
or basically whatever is on theground that is still great
produce or imperfect produce,something that's maybe not
harvested because it's just notbeautiful enough yet it's
perfectly edible.
Obviously, jc that requireslike this is produce that is
already the land's already beenpaid for, the insurance has
(06:09):
already been paid for, the laborcontractors have already gone
through, they've already been,they've already received.
You know they've beenfertilized all year, whether
organic or conventionally.
But this is where, like, theinvestment is already there and
it's basically leftover produce.
So we estimate that about 33% ofimperfect food never even
(06:30):
reaches consumers or has achance to reach consumers,
whether through a paste, a sauce, a whole fruit, a slurry, a
juice, because it's just notharvested.
And so that's where this company, sierra Agra, is saying okay,
farmers, we're going to pay youfor your bins of imperfect
(06:53):
produce and we are then going torun it through our processes,
which are these phenomenalpneumatic equipment, and then we
are going to then sell it forjuice or an aseptic, or in a
slurry, or in a paste or anessence for fragrance or whatnot
(07:14):
.
So it's an opportunity forfarmers to make money where they
wouldn't.
Oftentimes they're paying toget the crop out of their field
so that they can, you know, know, like prevent, like navel
orangeworm, and like prevent alldifferent kinds of molds.
Obviously, it requirestypically running a harvesting
crew back through the field,potentially, or sorting
differently.
So we compensate and it'ssomething that's really exciting
(07:37):
.
And when I talk about it, atlike the Expo West of the world,
there are brands that areactively from a climate forward
position looking to make thesekinds of supply chain
connections.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
One of the things, as I'm listening to you describe
and this is so important.
I'm fascinated by the idea thatyour intention, from what you've
described, is to help farmersto reduce in the way that I
think you've explained it toreduce some of that food loss
(08:13):
basically, which I wanted to getmaybe into the idea or maybe
the terms food loss and foodwaste, because I do think that
maybe that's important and it'sa little bit different.
But basically you're trying toboost farm revenue basically,
and I think you said 33%.
Wow, that imperfect food thatis, and I think I've heard these
(08:35):
figures before, but it isalways really crazy how, in our
food system the way I see it andthink about it is that
consumers and we're allconsumers we've gotten used to
so much that the produce and thefood that we buy, whether it's
that apple or pear or thestrawberries, they have to be
perfect and in so many ways, ifit's not, if it's got a little
(08:59):
bit of a spot here or there,then it's not going to make it
to our grocery shelves.
So it's really going to make itto our you know grocery shelves
.
So it's really reallyinteresting.
But I did want to maybe get ina little bit into that.
So it means I think it'simportant.
Many of our farmers obviouslyunderstand this.
What is the difference between,you know, food loss and food
waste?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
I'm so glad you're putting a pin on this JC.
I'm so glad you're putting apin on this JC because this is
really, really critical and thisis a terminology that, frankly,
I want to make sure everybodyhere knows.
The most savvy investors likegrapple with the true
intellectual, like environmentalintellectuals, grapple with
(09:41):
this all the time.
Food loss is for us in the waywe picture it.
It is food that is perfectlyedible and perfectly imperfect
and it is not harvested.
It is actually lost.
It is lost revenue, it is lostbio nutrients, it is lost.
(10:02):
It is lost on our food supplysystem.
So that is basically the foodsupply chain saying failing
farmers and failing theenvironment, quite frankly,
because it's not just 33 percentof the food, it's 33 percent of
the water, I mean like 33percent of the inputs, of the
tree, maintenance of the pruning, I mean of everything.
(10:25):
And that's where, just like,kind of like, throw my arms and
be like, this is exactly why wehave to do what we're doing,
like I will not quit, becausethis, this mission, is critical
and for me it's about access.
It's about access to upcycling.
So you know, at this exactmoment I don't know who is doing
upcycling in central Florida.
(10:46):
We will figure it out.
But this is where we have tocontinue to innovate and get
more return back to the growersBecause, again, if we are
putting these crazy, crazyrestrictions and crazy
requirements on farmers forcompliance, crazy requirements
(11:10):
on farmers for compliance, wehave to make sure that the
processors are doing everythingthey can to give as much
opportunity for a grower return,however they might get it.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, and there's already a problem, and I do
think that, even though andthank you so much for just
clarifying all of that but Ithink I read somewhere and the
source, I believe, was feedingFlorida where I read that in the
United States, you know, wewaste about 92 billion pounds of
(11:40):
food, you know, annually, andthat's the food that actually
made it to us.
You know, when we're talkingabout food loss, but now that
we're talking about food wasteas well which is another
obviously consideration andthing, as you mentioned, whether
it be food waste or food loss,it does have that environmental
impact that I think it's soimportant that all of us
(12:00):
involved, whether it be organic,sustainable, local food systems
, to really try to address.
What I love about the way thatyou've been explaining is also,
you know, obviously, you knowtaking that step to address the
problem and hopefully, in thatmanner, also provides, you know,
(12:21):
economic benefits to thefarmers and really, at the end,
also consumers.
The way I see it, are there anysuccess stories about some of
the farmers or some of thepeople involved in upcycling
that perhaps you can share withus?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yeah, I mean, it's there One of the things that's
so amazing about their equipmentit's typically crop agnostic.
So from day to day, with afterproper sanitation, they're
running citrus, they're runningstone fruit because they have a
destoner, they have a destonerfor cherries.
They're running they could runpineapple not that we grow
(12:59):
pineapples here, but like youcould grow pineapples lemon um
limes um celery, which isamazing because I mean the
celery produced within you knowis basically the world's celery
comes out of central valley ofcalifornia, at the moment
although I'm sure there are somecelery farmers in um there are.
(13:22):
So I want to make sure and belike, really like, respectful of
that yeah but this is, this isjust a place where, like a
farmer, could, I mean, I think Ithink the most interesting
thing is going to be is likebiodiversity of silage.
I don't know if, like, weactually start upcycling
properly.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I don't know what the silage is going to look like
for cows what are some of thethings that you would say as
people listening and maybeconsidering?
You know, getting intoupcycling or at least you know,
just maybe trying to understand.
What are some of the thingsthat you know are a no-no in
(14:04):
terms of just the industry thatour farmers should be aware of?
Speaker 3 (14:10):
A no, no, I think, having a closed mind, can I say
that?
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Of course you can, yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
You know what I mean, like not being willing to try
new things and take newconversations, and you know you
could fight it or you couldlearn and evolve.
And that's where I think thatthere's a lot of farmers out
there who are exhaustingthemselves by just being angry
(14:37):
and fighting.
The way things are now and Iget it right, and I wish that it
was easier on farmers to learnand make mistakes and evolve,
but right now margins are sotight and pretty much everything
like they don't actually havethat luxury.
So I would say that'd be thefirst thing.
(14:59):
The second would be to demandmore of your processors, frankly
, or your co-ops or your you youknow wherever you're sending
your crop asking for what'shappening with their waste,
asking to get a take on thewaste, because that I think it's
their waste, they deserve it.
It's the whole crop.
(15:20):
So I think those are like kindof two definite things, definite
things.
And then I would say the thirdand this is me putting my
marketing hat on is that if yourindustry, whether it's your
association or if it's yourprocessor, is asking to, like,
bring camera crews out to yourorchards or to on your property,
you need to get compensated foryour time Compensated for your
(15:45):
time to clean it up, to bring ina video group to host people.
That's something where I amalways very conscious of that,
because we obviously werefilming.
This is a marketing agency.
We're making a video at leastonce a week somewhere and so
like, how can we, how can wemake sure our clients are
compensating those farmers forthat time?
And also, if they're providingsocial media, you know I don't
(16:07):
know about you, jc, but everysingle trade show I go to.
The last paragraph is alwaysthe same we need to get out
there and tell our story more.
That is literally the closingsentence on every single speech
I've heard in the last 15 years.
Right, yeah.
(16:29):
Whether we're talking aboutwater regulation or we're
talking about farmer advocacy,or we're talking about crops, or
we're talking about climate orwhatever, I think what people
are wanting to say is we hopethat consumers care about all
everything we're doing and I'mlike we don't.
That's not the point, likeyou're not going to guilt the
consumer into buying anything.
What we need to do is we needto give them a valid reason that
(16:51):
is like fiscally, likeresponsible, to actually care
about what is happening, becausethey like the crop and they
like the food and they like howit is.
So in order to do that,oftentimes you need to be
telling a farmer story.
They want to hear theorigination story.
The origination story is thefarming story.
And then I always say compensatethe farmer, don't expect them
(17:13):
to be posting social media,especially farmers at scale.
There's just too much riskinvolved.
I'm not talking about like your10 or 15 acre guys Like that's
great, because there's probablya lot of validity there.
If they're in a CSA or they goto farmer's market, sure, like
they get, they get, why socialmedia can work Right.
But this is especially likewith the seasonality.
(17:35):
But this is where I think atscale, we need to bring like if
we want to tell our story more,we need to make it more
financially like viable forfarmers to get on board with
that make it more financiallyviable for farmers to get on
board with that, right?
Speaker 2 (17:49):
You know, that makes me think.
I mean these stories, and whodoesn't like a good story?
And that's part of why I wascurious Sometimes I think about
I'm just passionate aboutlearning and teaching, and
sometimes how do you get thatmessage across?
One of the things that isimportant and I think that you
(18:09):
mentioned about so farmers arenow learning about this and
maybe they're hearing about itfor the first time.
How do we get them moreinterested in this concept of
upscaling and then now seeing anopportunity, because I think
that's really what we wantpeople to listening.
Maybe consider is that's reallywhat we want people to
listening?
Maybe consider is here's anopportunity?
(18:30):
If you had never thought aboutit, but I doubt that they hadn't
is how I can reduce that foodloss.
Here's a way that maybe, thatperhaps can be done and then
innovate.
I think all of those things arevery, very important to me,
through whether it's teaching,educating or, you know, sharing
stories.
One of the things that has tohappen, hopefully, is to really
(18:53):
change that behavior, whetheryou know the farmers who are
used to doing things a certainway, the consumers who are used
to maybe seeing their fruits andyou know their produce look a
certain way.
Or eating certain things fruitsand their produce look a
certain way or eating certainthings.
That's very, very, very hard,but I think that we're all sort
of involved and passionate aboutfood so much that I think it is
(19:15):
possible to change people'sbehaviors.
But it does take people likeyou and the people that you work
with to start maybe identifyingthe problem.
Why is this happening?
Innovating to really startaffecting some of that change
that I think is so important.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Yeah, but you know what the thing is JC In the
United States like if you go toa grocery store you don't even
have the opportunity to seeother fruit.
That's not perfect.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
So you automatically are conditioned to think it's
bad.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
That's where I think folks who are blessed enough to
get fresh produce at a farmer'smarket like you are and I am
that's not normal, by the wayYear-round, that biodiversity
availability is just not there,and that to me is sad, and that
(20:13):
to me sad.
And then you go to europe andyou walk through, just you know,
a normal grocery store, likeit's a supermarket in europe,
and it's in perfect fruit, yeah,yeah that's where, like
culturally, we have it's aneducation.
Yeah, so that's when I say, likethe food system is absolutely
screwed, I actually mean it likewe have done this to ourselves,
(20:34):
and roasters are encouraged,and that's why I don't think I
think fresh produce is going tobe.
I just don't even think freshproduce is worth the fight, if
I'm being honest.
That's where, however, there'slike a global orange juice
shortage right now.
Okay, like that is where anupcycled product in a processed
(20:55):
form is absolutely the mostsensible thing to do from an
environmental standpoint, from afinancial standpoint and from
just like a like a consumeropportunity, and so that's why,
for me, like I am activelylooking for clients that are
working with upcycled products-to help them their story and to
(21:16):
help the market and advertisethemselves, because I think that
what they're doing is great.
it is likely not the easiest wayto source their product, yeah,
but it is the most thoughtfuland intentional and it is the
way that we can provide the mostlike climate relief in our
industry.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
So for all of our farmers out there listening, how
would you say they can one youknow, get in touch with you,
learn more about upscaling, orgive us some, maybe additional
strategies that you think couldbe things that they can start at
least now considering, asthey're learning about all of
(21:57):
this and these opportunities?
Speaker 3 (22:00):
They're more than welcome to email me at ally at
wearenoblewestcom, or follow uson social media or reach out on
LinkedIn.
I'm pretty active on LinkedInand I'd also suggest following
and subscribing to the upcyclingassociation.
And, for good measure, I wouldjust say, follow Sierra agra on
(22:20):
LinkedIn and go to their websiteof Sierra dash agracom.
And again, not to make this aSierra ag commercial, I'm just
in the thick of it with them andhave been for over a year, and
so we're working really closelyon them.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
Yeah, yeah, no, we appreciate again.
You know talking to guests likeyourself, because here at
Florida Organic Growers, we'realways trying to provide
resources, new information toour farmers and consumers as
well about healthy living.
Of course, we're all aboutorganic, sustainable and
(22:58):
regenerative ag.
Just listening to new ways oflooking at the food system and
the things that we can do isvery, very important.
Just together, I think that wewill continue.
I really hope and that'sprobably the perpetual optimism
in me, you know transform ourfood system.
Do you envision and hopefullythis is something that you know
(23:20):
upcycling is something that, asmore and more people you know,
learn about it, hopefully moreand more people will really
start getting into this.
You know, learn about it.
Hopefully more and more peoplewill really start getting into
this.
You know trend and that's notcalled a trend because again,
trends and sometimes I feel comeand go away, but if really this
is something and I'm all about,you know, reducing food loss
(23:42):
and food waste, so hopefullythis is something that can work.
What do you see happening in2025, maybe.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
In 2025, I hope that there is more upcycling
manufacturers out there so thatfarmers have more access within
their farming communities, youknow, within 50 miles or 100
miles.
I hope that processors are moredynamically looking for ways to
manage their waste and I'm notsaying that they're not because
(24:10):
they are.
Every single processor has todeal with waste.
It is the dirty side of thebusiness, right, so I hope that
that's happening.
And then, secondarily, I wantto make sure that there is a
continual education to consumersto keep an eye out for upcycled
products, if that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
And just become more familiarized with that
vernacular and then in your ownkitchens, all across America and
throughout, is really like justmanaging your own waste.
That is something that all ofus can do can do better.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Yeah, yeah for sure.
Well, ali, we really thank youfor spending some time with us
today here at Fresh Steak andletting us know more about
upscaling.
I think this has been really,for me, a very interesting,
fascinating topic.
I hope that everybody who tunesin and listens to our episode
(25:11):
will try to learn more aboutupscaling.
Maybe even you know contact youif they have any questions.
We really appreciate you takingthe time to talk to us today.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Well, thank you so much for having me and
appreciate this podcast.
It's a favorite of mine and Ialways look forward to it.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Well, we certainly appreciate it, and same goes for
everybody out there listeningto us.
Please join us in our nextepisode at Fresh Steak, and we
really appreciate you tuning in.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
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Welcome to Fresh Take , where we at Florida Organic
Growers speak to food systemsexperts about topics related to
organic and sustainableagriculture, healthy lifestyles
and the environment.
To help us continue ourprograms at FOG, including our
podcast, consider becoming asponsor.
For more information onsponsorship, check out our Get
Involved page on our website,wwwfoginfoorg.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Welcome to our latest episode of Fresh Steak.
Today, I'm really excited to betalking to Allie Cox, ceo of
Noble West.
She is a fifth generationfarmer based in Central Valley
of California, a mother and awife, and today we're going to
be talking about upcycling.
Upcycling is sort of a new termfor me, so I'm excited to be
(00:51):
talking to Allie.
Thank you, allie, for joiningus today and talking to us about
the work that you do.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Thanks, jc, so happy to be here and obviously love
the podcast and although you areprobably hailing from Central
Florida, it is really.
I think some of the issues thatwe face are universal and
especially in specialty crops,so I think there's just a lot of
kind of synergies for us tobuild on for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, so we typically want to get to know our guests
a little bit more.
You know I mentioned that youare a fifth generation farmer,
so you know you have thatfarming background.
Maybe you can tell us a littlebit about what it was that
inspired you to you know work inthis field.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Sure, well, I mean just a little bit of background.
So, again, hailing from CentralCalifornia, which is the
Central Valley, and obviouslyrowcropping, and now we have
produce from apricots tocherries.
(02:08):
We grow almonds, walnuts, we dohave beef cattle, tomatoes,
beans, so there is quite avariety, but so that is kind of
the farming side and that's, Iwould say, what we live, eat and
breathe every day as a family,right, but then professionally,
in my marketing agency, nobleWest, we are tapped by our
(02:29):
clients all the time and againwe are an agriculture and food
ingredient specialty shop, soI'm an ag all day, every day,
and oftentimes our clients cometo us or businesses find us when
they have already made millionsof dollars of investments in
software or growing practices oron-farm practices or
(02:50):
certification compliance.
And they come to us and theysay, okay, how do we get more
value for this?
We need a bigger ROI to coverall these awesome things we've
just done and all thesefantastic certifications we've
just heard.
How do we do that and can youhelp us basically improve our
value proposition?
Because we can in fact provethat our produce or our food is
(03:15):
grown better and different, andso that is often that is a very
normal phone call for me toreceive, and typically from kind
of a flustered yet ambitiousCEO, is like I just need a
better business strategy aroundall of these crazy million
dollars, million million plusdollars of investments that
(03:36):
we're doing all the time toremain compliant with USDA or
the CDFA here in California.
So how do we do that?
So that's one that's probablythe basis of our business, but
now it's getting so much likepart in the pun juicier because
we're working on projects thatare more climate focused, quite
frankly, but also help farmers,and so for me, I'm like okay,
(03:59):
I'm farmer first in everythingwe do, I will forever be farmer
first.
But I'm also pragmatic and arealist and I want my kids to be
able to farm in 20 years versushaving a housing development
where our farm is right.
So I know that what God is hereis not going to get us there.
So, philosophically, we have tochange and evolve with consumer
(04:20):
demands, with compliancedemands and, frankly, take
advantage of ESG goals and foodsupply chains.
So that is definitely kind oflike the cornerstone of what we
do.
But upcycling has become a superniche project where I would
like to say, from a marketingperspective, we have in fact
(04:41):
become experts, and I speakabout upcycling quite a bit.
There is an upcyclingassociation, there are brands
that are upcycling forward.
It is definitely a very trendyI don't know how to say this.
It's trendy and current andrelevant.
At like food shows, like ExpoWest.
(05:02):
At like food shows like ExpoWest, it might not be in such in
like as dynamic of aconversation, at like an IFPA
show or an industry show,because that's more maybe
farming focused and, morefrankly, established brand focus
.
But this project we're workingon with a company called Sierra
Agra, a phenomenal organizationof industry leaders who are
(05:25):
ambitious and rogue and forwardthinking and caring and
environmentally conscious, butalso, again I would argue,
they're farmer.
First, there's quite a fewfarmers that are on their board
and are investors, basically ahuge manufacturing company that
take the we call it the unseenharvest or the forgotten harvest
(05:48):
or basically whatever is on theground that is still great
produce or imperfect produce,something that's maybe not
harvested because it's just notbeautiful enough yet it's
perfectly edible.
Obviously, jc that requireslike this is produce that is
already the land's already beenpaid for, the insurance has
(06:09):
already been paid for, the laborcontractors have already gone
through, they've already been,they've already received.
You know they've beenfertilized all year, whether
organic or conventionally.
But this is where, like, theinvestment is already there and
it's basically leftover produce.
So we estimate that about 33% ofimperfect food never even
(06:30):
reaches consumers or has achance to reach consumers,
whether through a paste, a sauce, a whole fruit, a slurry, a
juice, because it's just notharvested.
And so that's where this company, sierra Agra, is saying okay,
farmers, we're going to pay youfor your bins of imperfect
(06:53):
produce and we are then going torun it through our processes,
which are these phenomenalpneumatic equipment, and then we
are going to then sell it forjuice or an aseptic, or in a
slurry, or in a paste or anessence for fragrance or whatnot
(07:14):
.
So it's an opportunity forfarmers to make money where they
wouldn't.
Oftentimes they're paying toget the crop out of their field
so that they can, you know, know, like prevent, like navel
orangeworm, and like prevent alldifferent kinds of molds.
Obviously, it requirestypically running a harvesting
crew back through the field,potentially, or sorting
differently.
So we compensate and it'ssomething that's really exciting
(07:37):
.
And when I talk about it, atlike the Expo West of the world,
there are brands that areactively from a climate forward
position looking to make thesekinds of supply chain
connections.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
One of the things, as I'm listening to you describe
and this is so important.
I'm fascinated by the idea thatyour intention, from what you've
described, is to help farmersto reduce in the way that I
think you've explained it toreduce some of that food loss
(08:13):
basically, which I wanted to getmaybe into the idea or maybe
the terms food loss and foodwaste, because I do think that
maybe that's important and it'sa little bit different.
But basically you're trying toboost farm revenue basically,
and I think you said 33%.
Wow, that imperfect food thatis, and I think I've heard these
(08:35):
figures before, but it isalways really crazy how, in our
food system the way I see it andthink about it is that
consumers and we're allconsumers we've gotten used to
so much that the produce and thefood that we buy, whether it's
that apple or pear or thestrawberries, they have to be
perfect and in so many ways, ifit's not, if it's got a little
(08:59):
bit of a spot here or there,then it's not going to make it
to our grocery shelves.
So it's really going to make itto our you know grocery shelves
.
So it's really reallyinteresting.
But I did want to maybe get ina little bit into that.
So it means I think it'simportant.
Many of our farmers obviouslyunderstand this.
What is the difference between,you know, food loss and food
waste?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
I'm so glad you're putting a pin on this JC.
I'm so glad you're putting apin on this JC because this is
really, really critical and thisis a terminology that, frankly,
I want to make sure everybodyhere knows.
The most savvy investors likegrapple with the true
intellectual, like environmentalintellectuals, grapple with
(09:41):
this all the time.
Food loss is for us in the waywe picture it.
It is food that is perfectlyedible and perfectly imperfect
and it is not harvested.
It is actually lost.
It is lost revenue, it is lostbio nutrients, it is lost.
(10:02):
It is lost on our food supplysystem.
So that is basically the foodsupply chain saying failing
farmers and failing theenvironment, quite frankly,
because it's not just 33 percentof the food, it's 33 percent of
the water, I mean like 33percent of the inputs, of the
tree, maintenance of the pruning, I mean of everything.
(10:25):
And that's where, just like,kind of like, throw my arms and
be like, this is exactly why wehave to do what we're doing,
like I will not quit, becausethis, this mission, is critical
and for me it's about access.
It's about access to upcycling.
So you know, at this exactmoment I don't know who is doing
upcycling in central Florida.
(10:46):
We will figure it out.
But this is where we have tocontinue to innovate and get
more return back to the growersBecause, again, if we are
putting these crazy, crazyrestrictions and crazy
requirements on farmers forcompliance, crazy requirements
(11:10):
on farmers for compliance, wehave to make sure that the
processors are doing everythingthey can to give as much
opportunity for a grower return,however they might get it.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, and there's already a problem, and I do
think that, even though andthank you so much for just
clarifying all of that but Ithink I read somewhere and the
source, I believe, was feedingFlorida where I read that in the
United States, you know, wewaste about 92 billion pounds of
(11:40):
food, you know, annually, andthat's the food that actually
made it to us.
You know, when we're talkingabout food loss, but now that
we're talking about food wasteas well which is another
obviously consideration andthing, as you mentioned, whether
it be food waste or food loss,it does have that environmental
impact that I think it's soimportant that all of us
(12:00):
involved, whether it be organic,sustainable, local food systems
, to really try to address.
What I love about the way thatyou've been explaining is also,
you know, obviously, you knowtaking that step to address the
problem and hopefully, in thatmanner, also provides, you know,
(12:21):
economic benefits to thefarmers and really, at the end,
also consumers.
The way I see it, are there anysuccess stories about some of
the farmers or some of thepeople involved in upcycling
that perhaps you can share withus?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yeah, I mean, it's there One of the things that's
so amazing about their equipmentit's typically crop agnostic.
So from day to day, with afterproper sanitation, they're
running citrus, they're runningstone fruit because they have a
destoner, they have a destonerfor cherries.
They're running they could runpineapple not that we grow
(12:59):
pineapples here, but like youcould grow pineapples lemon um
limes um celery, which isamazing because I mean the
celery produced within you knowis basically the world's celery
comes out of central valley ofcalifornia, at the moment
although I'm sure there are somecelery farmers in um there are.
(13:22):
So I want to make sure and belike, really like, respectful of
that yeah but this is, this isjust a place where, like a
farmer, could, I mean, I think Ithink the most interesting
thing is going to be is likebiodiversity of silage.
I don't know if, like, weactually start upcycling
properly.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I don't know what the silage is going to look like
for cows what are some of thethings that you would say as
people listening and maybeconsidering?
You know, getting intoupcycling or at least you know,
just maybe trying to understand.
What are some of the thingsthat you know are a no-no in
(14:04):
terms of just the industry thatour farmers should be aware of?
Speaker 3 (14:10):
A no, no, I think, having a closed mind, can I say
that?
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Of course you can, yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
You know what I mean, like not being willing to try
new things and take newconversations, and you know you
could fight it or you couldlearn and evolve.
And that's where I think thatthere's a lot of farmers out
there who are exhaustingthemselves by just being angry
(14:37):
and fighting.
The way things are now and Iget it right, and I wish that it
was easier on farmers to learnand make mistakes and evolve,
but right now margins are sotight and pretty much everything
like they don't actually havethat luxury.
So I would say that'd be thefirst thing.
(14:59):
The second would be to demandmore of your processors, frankly
, or your co-ops or your you youknow wherever you're sending
your crop asking for what'shappening with their waste,
asking to get a take on thewaste, because that I think it's
their waste, they deserve it.
It's the whole crop.
(15:20):
So I think those are like kindof two definite things, definite
things.
And then I would say the thirdand this is me putting my
marketing hat on is that if yourindustry, whether it's your
association or if it's yourprocessor, is asking to, like,
bring camera crews out to yourorchards or to on your property,
you need to get compensated foryour time Compensated for your
(15:45):
time to clean it up, to bring ina video group to host people.
That's something where I amalways very conscious of that,
because we obviously werefilming.
This is a marketing agency.
We're making a video at leastonce a week somewhere and so
like, how can we, how can wemake sure our clients are
compensating those farmers forthat time?
And also, if they're providingsocial media, you know I don't
(16:07):
know about you, jc, but everysingle trade show I go to.
The last paragraph is alwaysthe same we need to get out
there and tell our story more.
That is literally the closingsentence on every single speech
I've heard in the last 15 years.
Right, yeah.
(16:29):
Whether we're talking aboutwater regulation or we're
talking about farmer advocacy,or we're talking about crops, or
we're talking about climate orwhatever, I think what people
are wanting to say is we hopethat consumers care about all
everything we're doing and I'mlike we don't.
That's not the point, likeyou're not going to guilt the
consumer into buying anything.
What we need to do is we needto give them a valid reason that
(16:51):
is like fiscally, likeresponsible, to actually care
about what is happening, becausethey like the crop and they
like the food and they like howit is.
So in order to do that,oftentimes you need to be
telling a farmer story.
They want to hear theorigination story.
The origination story is thefarming story.
And then I always say compensatethe farmer, don't expect them
(17:13):
to be posting social media,especially farmers at scale.
There's just too much riskinvolved.
I'm not talking about like your10 or 15 acre guys Like that's
great, because there's probablya lot of validity there.
If they're in a CSA or they goto farmer's market, sure, like
they get, they get, why socialmedia can work Right.
But this is especially likewith the seasonality.
(17:35):
But this is where I think atscale, we need to bring like if
we want to tell our story more,we need to make it more
financially like viable forfarmers to get on board with
that make it more financiallyviable for farmers to get on
board with that, right?
Speaker 2 (17:49):
You know, that makes me think.
I mean these stories, and whodoesn't like a good story?
And that's part of why I wascurious Sometimes I think about
I'm just passionate aboutlearning and teaching, and
sometimes how do you get thatmessage across?
One of the things that isimportant and I think that you
(18:09):
mentioned about so farmers arenow learning about this and
maybe they're hearing about itfor the first time.
How do we get them moreinterested in this concept of
upscaling and then now seeing anopportunity, because I think
that's really what we wantpeople to listening.
Maybe consider is that's reallywhat we want people to
listening?
Maybe consider is here's anopportunity?
(18:30):
If you had never thought aboutit, but I doubt that they hadn't
is how I can reduce that foodloss.
Here's a way that maybe, thatperhaps can be done and then
innovate.
I think all of those things arevery, very important to me,
through whether it's teaching,educating or, you know, sharing
stories.
One of the things that has tohappen, hopefully, is to really
(18:53):
change that behavior, whetheryou know the farmers who are
used to doing things a certainway, the consumers who are used
to maybe seeing their fruits andyou know their produce look a
certain way.
Or eating certain things fruitsand their produce look a
certain way or eating certainthings.
That's very, very, very hard,but I think that we're all sort
of involved and passionate aboutfood so much that I think it is
(19:15):
possible to change people'sbehaviors.
But it does take people likeyou and the people that you work
with to start maybe identifyingthe problem.
Why is this happening?
Innovating to really startaffecting some of that change
that I think is so important.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Yeah, but you know what the thing is JC In the
United States like if you go toa grocery store you don't even
have the opportunity to seeother fruit.
That's not perfect.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
So you automatically are conditioned to think it's
bad.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
That's where I think folks who are blessed enough to
get fresh produce at a farmer'smarket like you are and I am
that's not normal, by the wayYear-round, that biodiversity
availability is just not there,and that to me is sad, and that
(20:13):
to me sad.
And then you go to europe andyou walk through, just you know,
a normal grocery store, likeit's a supermarket in europe,
and it's in perfect fruit, yeah,yeah that's where, like
culturally, we have it's aneducation.
Yeah, so that's when I say, likethe food system is absolutely
screwed, I actually mean it likewe have done this to ourselves,
(20:34):
and roasters are encouraged,and that's why I don't think I
think fresh produce is going tobe.
I just don't even think freshproduce is worth the fight, if
I'm being honest.
That's where, however, there'slike a global orange juice
shortage right now.
Okay, like that is where anupcycled product in a processed
(20:55):
form is absolutely the mostsensible thing to do from an
environmental standpoint, from afinancial standpoint and from
just like a like a consumeropportunity, and so that's why,
for me, like I am activelylooking for clients that are
working with upcycled products-to help them their story and to
(21:16):
help the market and advertisethemselves, because I think that
what they're doing is great.
it is likely not the easiest wayto source their product, yeah,
but it is the most thoughtfuland intentional and it is the
way that we can provide the mostlike climate relief in our
industry.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
So for all of our farmers out there listening, how
would you say they can one youknow, get in touch with you,
learn more about upscaling, orgive us some, maybe additional
strategies that you think couldbe things that they can start at
least now considering, asthey're learning about all of
(21:57):
this and these opportunities?
Speaker 3 (22:00):
They're more than welcome to email me at ally at
wearenoblewestcom, or follow uson social media or reach out on
LinkedIn.
I'm pretty active on LinkedInand I'd also suggest following
and subscribing to the upcyclingassociation.
And, for good measure, I wouldjust say, follow Sierra agra on
(22:20):
LinkedIn and go to their websiteof Sierra dash agracom.
And again, not to make this aSierra ag commercial, I'm just
in the thick of it with them andhave been for over a year, and
so we're working really closelyon them.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
Yeah, yeah, no, we appreciate again.
You know talking to guests likeyourself, because here at
Florida Organic Growers, we'realways trying to provide
resources, new information toour farmers and consumers as
well about healthy living.
Of course, we're all aboutorganic, sustainable and
(22:58):
regenerative ag.
Just listening to new ways oflooking at the food system and
the things that we can do isvery, very important.
Just together, I think that wewill continue.
I really hope and that'sprobably the perpetual optimism
in me, you know transform ourfood system.
Do you envision and hopefullythis is something that you know
(23:20):
upcycling is something that, asmore and more people you know,
learn about it, hopefully moreand more people will really
start getting into this.
You know, learn about it.
Hopefully more and more peoplewill really start getting into
this.
You know trend and that's notcalled a trend because again,
trends and sometimes I feel comeand go away, but if really this
is something and I'm all about,you know, reducing food loss
(23:42):
and food waste, so hopefullythis is something that can work.
What do you see happening in2025, maybe.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
In 2025, I hope that there is more upcycling
manufacturers out there so thatfarmers have more access within
their farming communities, youknow, within 50 miles or 100
miles.
I hope that processors are moredynamically looking for ways to
manage their waste and I'm notsaying that they're not because
(24:10):
they are.
Every single processor has todeal with waste.
It is the dirty side of thebusiness, right, so I hope that
that's happening.
And then, secondarily, I wantto make sure that there is a
continual education to consumersto keep an eye out for upcycled
products, if that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
And just become more familiarized with that
vernacular and then in your ownkitchens, all across America and
throughout, is really like justmanaging your own waste.
That is something that all ofus can do can do better.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Yeah, yeah for sure.
Well, ali, we really thank youfor spending some time with us
today here at Fresh Steak andletting us know more about
upscaling.
I think this has been really,for me, a very interesting,
fascinating topic.
I hope that everybody who tunesin and listens to our episode
(25:11):
will try to learn more aboutupscaling.
Maybe even you know contact youif they have any questions.
We really appreciate you takingthe time to talk to us today.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Well, thank you so much for having me and
appreciate this podcast.
It's a favorite of mine and Ialways look forward to it.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Well, we certainly appreciate it, and same goes for
everybody out there listeningto us.
Please join us in our nextepisode at Fresh Steak, and we
really appreciate you tuning in.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
We hope you enjoyed today's episode Photo.
Organic Growers is a 501c3nonprofit organization, so to
keep our content available andfree to the public, we need your
help.
Please subscribe, rate andreview wherever you listen, and
consider making a tax-deductibledonation or become a sponsor.
Learn more about our work andhow you can become a sponsor
from our website, wwwboginfoorg.
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