Kalera

Another highlight of the #GPFS2024 was visiting the Kalera booth and meeting Steve Janedis, B.A. Org. Development and Don Krekorian. I had the opportunity to receive a lesson in produce flavor profiling—on par with the kind of experience you’d get from a world-class sommelier at a winery. Steve guided me through the sensory nuances of each microgreen and how their flavors affect the palate, transitioning from one to another. It was an experience unlike anything I’ve encountered in grocery retail or food service. If you ever get the chance, do yourself a favor and connect with Steve—it's truly a one-of-a-kind experience. During my time in Northern California, visiting wine regions and attending tastings, I used to laugh at sommeliers when they described the flavor profiles of wine—notes of oak, hints of berries, and so on. My palate isn’t that refined, so I’d just enjoy sipping the glass without picking up all the nuances they mentioned. So, when Steve challenged me to engage my palate and explore the distinct transitions between different microgreens—and even how some can cleanse the palate—I gave him a skeptical look. He caught on immediately and called me out on it, which made the experience even more memorable. Thank you, Steve, for this incredible experience! I look forward to learning more about the amazing work you and your team are doing.

We are excited to announce Kalera is bringing Microgreens to Texas this October!

Our Agricultural Biotechnology and Climate Change (ABCC) research group—in collaboration with Texas A&M University—visited Kalera Houston to gain insight into vertical farming operations. ?? We observed how automation is used to reduce labor and produce higher yields, how apps and software increase efficiency, and witnessed good manufacturing practices (GMP) in action. We learned about the Kosher certification process and the challenges of extended power outages on crop growth. Thank you Amanda Wedwaldt, Jennifer Layden, and Longchi Foma, PMP?, CSSGB? for the informational tour and boxes of delicious greens! We shared them with family and friends. ?? Yetunde Williams, Lauryn Coffman, Emily Ip, Frida Orbe, Naomi Pluma, Imad Aijaz, Suhaib Ahmad, Roshan Adhikari, and others Mentors: Abdul Latif Khan, Albert Flavier, Yuheng Lin, Shuyang Zhen, and Venkatesh Balan

I swear this is my last post about the Outside / Outside For Business #TheSummitOFB (probably), but it was an incredibly cool experience, and a career highlight so you get one more. My fellow panelists and I talked about social media and brand safety, enragement or engagement, and what it takes to fist fight the algorithm on behalf of your brand (I'm stealing that, Courtney!). On top of that, hearing passionate DEI leaders making the outdoors more accessible (Evelynn Escobar had the best closing line of the day IMO), policy leaders prioritizing public lands, and incredibly strong women leaders all made for an inspiring and revelatory day. Massive thanks to Laura B. Underwood and Sharon Houghton for such a well-run and impeccably high caliber event, in terms of the production, all the brilliant panelists, and getting so many amazing people in one (large) room to talk about the future of the outside industry, both on stage and off. It was so thoughtful and encompassing and I was so lucky to be a part of it! And I meant what I said about coming to tour with us at Kalera - reach out to me if you want to come visit and learn about vertical/hydroponic/CEA farming! ??