Key Takeaways:
- Innovative Collaboration: Mars, in partnership with Unreasonable Group, introduces the first cohort of the Unreasonable Food program aimed at redefining global food systems.
- Diverse Ventures: Fifteen growth-stage companies from across five continents have been selected for their potential to impact the food value chain significantly.
- Sustainability Goals: The program aligns with Mars’ Net Zero Roadmap and aims to cut emissions by 50% by 2030, enhancing sustainability across the board.
- Strategic Support: The cohort will receive comprehensive support including mentorship, resource access, and opportunities for significant industry collaboration.
Introduction to the Unreasonable Food Program
Today marks a significant milestone as Mars and Unreasonable Group announce the first cohort of the Unreasonable Food program, set to pioneer systemic changes in the global food systems. This initiative selects fifteen purpose-driven ventures that promise to scale impact across the food value chain, from sustainable packaging to improving farmer livelihoods and transforming food supply chains.
Cohort Overview and Selection Process
The inaugural cohort, chosen through a meticulous selection process involving a committee of experts, showcases ventures operating in nearly forty countries. These companies were evaluated based on their innovative solutions to critical challenges in the food industry, potential for impact and scalability, and their alignment with the four pillars of the program: Shaping the Future of Food, Improving Farmer Livelihood, Transforming Food Supply Chains, and Reimagining Sustainable Packaging.
Ventures and Innovations
Each venture brings unique innovations aimed at enhancing sustainability and efficiency within the food sector:
- Mootral: Produces a feed additive that reduces methane emissions from dairy cows, enhancing milk production while improving environmental sustainability.
- Sea Forest: Utilizes red seaweed-based feed additives to cut cattle emissions drastically, supporting climate change mitigation efforts.
- Yard Stick: Offers a cost-effective solution for soil carbon measurement, simplifying data acquisition and enhancing the accuracy of carbon credits.
- Regrow Ag: Leverages satellite imagery to monitor and reduce agricultural emissions, promoting resilient farming practices.
- LandScan: Provides digital twin technology for precise agricultural insights, improving land and crop management through advanced analytics.
- Nitricity: Creates nitrogen fertilizers using renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing soil health.
- Absolute: Develops sustainable agri-inputs through natural processes, focusing on innovation in agriculture and biomaterials.
- Xampla: Introduces plant-based materials that mimic plastic properties but are fully biodegradable, promoting a reduction in plastic waste.
- Loliware: Innovates with seaweed-based packaging solutions that are both biodegradable and compostable, advancing towards a plastic-free future.
- Farmerline: Enhances smallholder farmers’ incomes through better access to education, resources, and market connectivity.
- 80 Acres Farms: Pioneers in vertical farming using minimal water and renewable energy to massively increase produce yield per square foot.
- MycoTechnology: Utilizes mushroom fermentation to produce sustainable food ingredients, improving food quality and availability.
- Voyage Foods: Recreates popular foods using sustainable methods, ensuring accessibility to nutritious and enjoyable diets.
- String Bio: Generates carbon-negative ingredients from methane, tackling key global challenges related to food, health, and the environment.
- Air Protein: Employs gas fermentation to produce sustainable protein, offering an efficient alternative to traditional crop methods.
Comments from Leadership of Mars & The Unreasonable Group
Daniel Epstein, CEO of Unreasonable Group, expressed enthusiasm about the ventures’ potential, stating, “Their innovative solutions and commitment to creating a more regenerative, inclusive, and equitable future of food align perfectly with our mission. We look forward to supporting their growth and connecting them with Mars to drive lasting mutual impact and value.”
Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Procurement and Sustainability Officer for Mars Snacking, also highlighted the alignment with Mars’ sustainability goals, “We’re thrilled to deliver on our mission through Unreasonable Food in support of innovative ventures that have the potential to transform our food systems.”
Program Goals and Future Impact
The Year 1 Unreasonable Food cohort will engage in a program that includes mentorship, strategic resource access, and collaborative opportunities with industry leaders. This initiative is designed to catalyze the ventures’ growth and multiply their impact towards creating a more sustainable and resilient food system globally.
Image provided by Mars
