Ep. 47: Live recorded at Johns Hopkins “Choose Food” Symposium – we welcome Maisie Ganzler, Chief Strategy & Brand Officer at Bon Appétit Management Company ||
For episode 47 we speak with Maisie Ganzler of Bon Appétit Management Company live recorded at the Johns Hopkins ‘ChooseFood’ symposium in Baltimore Maryland. Ganzler is Chief Strategy & Brand Officer at Bon Appétit Management Company, an on-site restaurant company offering full food-service management to corporations, universities, museums, and specialty venues. Based in Palo Alto, CA, the company operates more than 1,000 cafés in 34 states for dozens of marquee clients. Maisie has been instrumental in shaping the company’s strategic direction. We focus our discussion on the diverse sustainable initiatives and purchasing policies Ganzler has implemented in her 25 year career at Bon Appétit management company.
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The “ChooseFood” gathering was a collective effort of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. The goal of the event was to evaluate the broad reaching ethics of food, and its production. Issues like Labor, environmental impact, externalities, animal welfare, health risk factors & new tech were all part of the ethical questions for food. Maisie was asked to share with the group some of the impact her work has had, and how the commitments at Bon Appétit have influenced some vast changes in the foodservice industry.
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The “ChooseFood” gathering was a collective effort of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. The goal of the event was to evaluate the broad reaching ethics of food, and its production. Issues like Labor, environmental impact, externalities, animal welfare, health risk factors & new tech were all part of the ethical questions for food. Maisie was asked to share with the group some of the impact her work has had, and how the commitments at Bon Appétit have influenced some vast changes in the foodservice industry..
During our 40 minute discussion we dig deep into a few of the initiatives Ganzler described in her presentation, including her 1999 initiative “Farm to Fork” that buys meat, vegetables, and other products within a 150-mile radius of a client. In fact, (at a national level) at least 20% of Bon Appétit purchases meet this criteria. You’ll hear how of their pioneering initiatives to reduce food waste, work with small farmers, improve animal living conditions and ability to influence industrial scale agriculture to become more conscious & conscientious have evolved a minimum market entrance for their competitors. For this innovative company not afraid to draw a line in the sand – a dedication to ethics is paying off with positive business results. As you’ll hear in my conversation with Maisie, it’s all working for Bon Appétit because… it’s all authentic.
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To hear of lessons learned and milestones gained by an industry leader at Bon Appétit is invaluable for us all. As we’re all consumers of it, we all have equal stake in food. For me, it’s inspiration and hope for what tomorrow can bring if/when we embrace ‘business ethics’ as a core competency in how we decide to vote for what we believe in – with our dollars – with our forks. TUNE-IN.
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To hear of lessons learned and milestones gained by an industry leader at Bon Appétit is invaluable for us all. As we’re all consumers of it, we all have equal stake in food. For me, it’s inspiration and hope for what tomorrow can bring if/when we embrace ‘business ethics’ as a core competency in how we decide to vote for what we believe in – with our dollars – with our forks. TUNE-IN.
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ChooseFood offered an opportunity to learn from leaders with a vested interest in food and how we produce it. Hearing from these diverse stakeholders fighting a similar battle reminded me how much our food is so deeply intwined into family, beliefs, culture and society – no matter where you come from on the planet. I left the symposium wondering if food ethics could be that common development language which would transcend many of the current differences we find in each other? We’re so much more alike than different – could food ethics be a reminder if not the primary ingredient for this panacea? Not sure, but a goal to find some insight and codify better practices that harmonize us and our surroundings on a shrinking planet just seems like a good idea!
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Prior to Thrive, McIntosh was the founding Director of Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship at Nestlé Waters North America, the $4B division of the world’s largest consumer water company. At Nestlé Waters, Alex developed the vision and strategic plan, and provided hands-on leadership to build the corporation’s first sustainability program from the ground up during a time of intense social scrutiny. Prior to Nestlé, Alex was Director of Philanthropy at The Nature Conservancy, where he helped raise a record $75MM in private capital for two of the largest watershed conservation projects in the organization’s history.
They’re surely good eating, but oysters represent so much good to their surrounds, the shared environments, and the communities they support. You see, each adult oyster filters 50 gallons of water daily, they restore keystone marine ecosystems, and they build protective reefs around susceptible coastal communities – protecting us from storm surge and severe weather events. In this 45 minute discussion Bill Mook goes into details describing why Oysters are so important to the stability of seas, and to our planet. As you’ll hear, Mook has implemented bleeding-edge R&D in his hatchery that is second to none. Innovations include development of methods for overwintering seed out of the water; a tidal powered nursery system; a vessel and gear for mechanizing the use of OysterGro™ cages; and a unique, energy efficient, and highly productive system for growing the micro-algae we use for food in the hatchery. Effectively his approach to “brew” feed for Oysters, or for other animals for that matter, sets to be revolutionary.
Bringing 24,000 concert goers to Hartford in September- the 2018 Farm Aid event was a smashing success. Featuring Farm Aid founder Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Neil Young, Sturgill Simpson and many more – this gathering amplifies the needs, and helps define current state of farming in this county. Alicia Harvie and Jennifer Harvie describe their moving experiences during both the main concert event and the field visits and pavilion days leading up to the top billing.
Until 2014, Stacey served as the managing director of the health care practice at 
Sourcing Matters ep. 41: “Systems Thinking in food production”– live recorded at the “Let’s talk about Food” festival at Harvard University – looks at harmonizing with more natural systems, and evaluates better management practice that could be used to produce our food in the future. Host Aaron Niederhelman will guide the discussion to cover diverse topics. Not the least of which a process that’s being used to sequester carbon through reengaging the natural system of our living soils – on the hoof. Additionally, one of the most under valued workforce in food production – pollinators. And, it’ll be a conversation that clearly detail how what you eat is the most impactful vote you have to positively benefit your health and that of your family, to increase global stability and to mitigate climate change. So, If you’re an environmentalist, a humanitarian, a patriot, a doctor, or even that you just want to look and feel better – tune-in and learn how your grocery budget can change the world.
Sourcing Matters ep. 
Last, Scott Murphy serves as President of Veterans for Safe Access to Compassionate Care. An organization fighting for smart, just pain management programs for their brethren; for every community, and for every family as a proactive plan against this epidemic.
First, in “Cows Save the Planet” – she takes a look at restoring large scale ecological systems through holistic planned grazing of herbivores. Basically, by keeping animals on the parterre lands, in natural environments we evolve our management practice to actually harmonize with natural order. This kick starts natural environments that can have vast net positive impact on the climate. Soil everywhere becomes a thriving carbon bank – by first stabilizing natural exchanges, then sucking-up excess carbon we spew into the air. Judith shares her thoughts on the current state of affairs with this approach & mindset, and some new discoveries since publishing the book.