“There was so much need for healthier food and so much extra food.” —Anna Hammond
Food is an important part of our lives. It's what we eat, and it's how we celebrate and mourn. But sometimes, getting the right ingredients can be a challenge—especially if we're trying to do right by our environment, too.
As faithful stewards of the earth and advocates of our health, we are faced with the urgency to act upon this inherent responsibility. Upcycling is a great way to reduce waste and give something new life. It's also a great way to support local communities and build connections with the people we're working with. Thankfully, more companies are embracing upcycling as a sustainable business practice.
Matriark Foods is a Founding Member of the Upcycled Food Association, therefore, all their products are Certified Upcycle. Their dedication to sustainability is also seen in their FSC (Forest Council Certified) packaging, which means that their products are totally eco-friendly and sourced responsibly from the inside out.
In this episode, Justine sits with Matriark Foods’ CEO, Anna Hammond to discuss the urgent reasons we must reframe our food system and how businesses can help in achieving this goal. They also talk about food and art, how food strengthens bonds, tips on starting a new business, getting your products on the shelf, and the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs.
Meet Anna:
Anna Hammond is the Founder and CEO of Matriark Foods, a social impact business— inspired by the thousands of children Anna has worked with (including her 3 children and 4 grandchildren) — to scale access to healthy food for the benefit of people and the environment. Anna has spent 25 years as a nonprofit leader scaling programs and teams into dynamic, and stable organizations. Most recently, she was Executive Director for The Sylvia Center and collaborated with farmers, institutions, funders, and foundations committed to solving food insecurity through education and reimagined food systems. Together they expanded healthy eating and cooking programs in public housing community centers in all 5 NYC boroughs and all 6 school districts in Columbia County.
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Episode Highlights:
00:56 The Goals of Matriark Foods
03:55 Weaving Environment, Economics, and Health
07:04 Creativity in Food
10:56 Tips When Starting Something New
18:03 Getting on the Shelf
22:30 Challenges of a Female Entrepreneur