Food Industrialization - Feeding the World One Cookie at a Time

Food production has come a long way since the turn of the last century. One needs to simply watch the History Channel series "The Food that Built America" to understand how the making, distributing, and selling of food has evolved in America (albeit the World!) in recent times. But, somehow these companies that are exemplified as the Stallworth's of the food world (Hershey, KFC, Dunkin Donuts, etc) seem to never be discussed in conversations of "the most important companies" to economic development in the business schools or "intellectual circles". Why? Doesn't a civilization determine its success on its ability to feed its people as one of its critical pillars?

Certainly, one can paint a picture that looking at food production from an American point of view is myopic. Case in point, there are countries that base their GDP on production of certain food based materials: ex. pork. But, can the argument that food production and economic growth be a universal truth regardless of of national origin? Calling all of the statisticians out there . . . . . does X% food production = Y% growth in jobs, income, and GDP?

So why is there not more curriculum in schools taught to students on the how to build a food production company? Sure, lots of focus on the food service industry (restaurants, hotels, hospitality). But, where is the conversation on "how to be the next Colonel Sanders? or Ray Kroc? or <insert food icon>?"

Ultimately, we cannot dismiss the absolute genius that was required to combine making food and feeding millions!! If you want to encourage the upcoming leaders of this world, why not teach them how to feed it? Mic drop . . .