Summary of FOODBIZ+ Sustainable Supply Chains with Helene York

00:00:00 - 00:50:00

The video discusses the importance of sustainability in food systems, and features Helene York, a supply chain manager, who provides examples of issues that are currently facing food systems, such as global population growth and limited resources. York stresses the importance of having a diverse range of backgrounds when working in the food industry, as well as possessing a fundamental understanding of sustainability.

• 00:00:00 Helene York is the global director of responsible business for Compass Group, and she is coming to speak at the food biz Plus conference. She discusses how her background in supply chains has led her to focus on sustainability in food businesses. She shares some of the challenges that sustainable supply chains pose, and discusses how the food business Plus online program can help attendees learn how to address these challenges.
• 00:05:00 This video, which is followed by a 1-paragraph summary, discusses food supply chains, and the various challenges they face. The video features Helene York, a supply chain manager, who provides examples of issues that are currently facing food systems, such as global population growth and limited resources. York stresses the importance of having a diverse range of backgrounds when working in the food industry, as well as possessing a fundamental understanding of sustainability. She discusses how corporate chefs, procurement professionals, and other food-related professionals can benefit from this course.
• 00:10:00 The speaker talks about how things have changed in the food industry over the past dozen years, citing increased pressure from non-government organizations, changes in regulations, and supplier gauging and interest as some of the reasons. She also mentions climate change, which she says is intensifying pressures on fresh water supplies. She recommends thinking about goals and standards over a longer period of time when trying to improve a food supply chain.
• 00:15:00 Foodbiz+ host Helene York discusses the challenges of achieving sustainable food systems, emphasizing the importance of working with multiple stakeholders. She cites decreasing beef consumption in the U.S. as a hopeful sign, and discusses other hopeful signs such as increased interest in sustainable food systems among citizens and professionals.
• 00:20:00 The speaker discusses the connection between the audience for their course and those coming for the Reefing conference, noting that while GMOs are a "misdirected" part of the food system, they are not a major part of it. They say that while GMO campaigns may mislead consumers, they ultimately want to see an intelligent conversation about GMOs.
• 00:25:00 In this video, Helene York discusses the European cheese market, which does not allow for GMOs. She explains that this is due to politics, as GMOs were developed more than 40 years ago to sustain small artisan cheese producers around the world. Italy is an exception because they still produce a lot of veal, which provides the rennet used in Italian cheeses. However, almost all European cheese is produced with GMO rennet, which is a very small amount and critically important to the production of Italian cheeses. York provides a framework for thinking about sustainability, and invites participants to add their own values onto the framework in order to make decisions based on their company's needs and consumers' perceptions. Finally, York shares information to help consumers make informed decisions about food.
• 00:30:00 The speaker discusses the importance of communication and target audience understanding when it comes to sustainable food systems. They mention Starbucks as an example, noting that the company has been very clear about what they want to measure and historically has been successful in hitting their goals. The speaker then goes on to discuss how companies specific to different industries may have different capabilities when it comes to sustainable food systems. They mention food service as an example, saying that there is not a lot of capability within companies to have a dedicated person setting targets and measuring them. The speaker then discusses how vegan and plant-based food is impacting the debate. They say that while vegan and plant-based food may be called that, they are actually two different things. The speaker concludes the talk by saying that while vegan and plant-based food may be popular, it is important to remember that they are actually two different things and there is a lot of debate surrounding them.
• 00:35:00 Foodbiz+ presenter Helene York discusses how animal manure is used in the food industry to create greater yields, and how veganism is becoming more popular as people become more concerned about the environment and their own health. She notes that while some companies have done a good job in reducing food waste, the industry as a whole is still Too much, and new companies are always bought up along the way.
• 00:40:00 The speaker discusses food waste and how it can be minimized. She points to two examples, coffee flour and cheese, and explains that food waste often goes unreported but is often a valuable resource. She also discusses the importance of local food movements and tech startups in achieving scale.
• 00:45:00 This video discusses the importance of sustainability in food systems, and the potential challenges that small, new, and local food businesses face when trying to scale. The speaker encourages listeners to engage with suppliers and learn about change, and to consider the responsible growing practices of food systems in order to make informed decisions.
• 00:50:00 The speaker discusses food business programs at the CIA at Copia, including the upcoming Sustainable Supply Chains program with Helene York. She also mentions free webinars on food innovation and ethical leadership.