Arts
Why is eating less meat important to address climate change and how do you convince people to do it? Environmental entrepreneurs Phil Wong and Dave Betts built a one-of-a-kind business around answering this question. Their company Misfit Foods started as a juice company that upcycled ugly fruits and vegetables and evolved into a sausage company aimed at getting people to eat more meat and less vegetables. In our conversation, we explore what motivated this quirky pivot and talk about what stayed the same even after they completely changed their core product. We discuss why eating less meat matters and why they believe in marketing to omnivore's is crucial in getting to people to actually eat less meat. They share their vision for a more sustainable and resilient food system along with a subscription box recommendation we didn't know we needed and some truly stellar karaoke songs. This episode is packed with wisdom for environmentalists, aspiring entrepreneurs, and curious individuals who want to know how the sausage of sustainability is made, literally! Show Notes: Phil and Dave referenced research that showed that 2/3 of Americans have tried to reduce their meat consumption. In modern America, over 80% of beef production is controlled by 4 companies. Phil is a proud member of the Rancho Gordo Bean Club, which regularly ships him heirloom bean varieties to cook with. He's a particularly big fan of the royal corona bean. Reilly shared that his go-to karaoke song is Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. Dave's go-to karaoke song is a tie between Don't Speak by No Doubt and Waterfalls by TLCPhil's go-to karaoke song is What is Love by Haddaway.