REFLECTION PAPER #3

(Course: Food and Agriculture Immersion)

-Muskaan Agarwal

As always, the Food and Agriculture Immersion is a very enlightening class with thorough
understanding of actual market problems. This time I had the opportunity to understand about
the Food Waste and its opportunities for Innovation and the berries industry which way
beyond my imagination as I don’t get to hear about it in this extent in India.
Ned talked about the different perspective of viewing things as an opportunity and not as a
challenge which made me think about various other aspects oy mt life as well. His insightful
presentation on food waste underscored the staggering impact of inefficiencies in our current
linear food system. Learning that 1/3rd of produced food goes uneaten, incurring a $2.6
trillion cost, prompted a paradigm shift and I would be more cautious of wastage of food
from here on. ReFed's data illuminated key areas for intervention, emphasizing prevention,
donation, and upcycling. The circular economy concept resonated was impressive, urging us
to reconsider waste and explore innovative solutions.
The emerging role of AI in the food system and the interdisciplinary approach in chemical
compound extraction showcased exciting possibilities for sustainable practices. I was
unaware of Smartian law that protects restaurants from donating their food, and being sued in
case people get sick from it which I feel should be made more educated, because I always see
the amount of food wasted regularly by restaurants and has always wondered what an
alternative can be. Also definitely going to use things past expiration date from here on until
it smells bad!
Dan Kurzrock's discourse on food waste and the innovative solutions offered by Upcycled
Foods, Inc. revealed the staggering global loss of $1 trillion annually. The macro concerns of
the food industry, spanning government regulations, corporate responsibility, consumer
demands, supply chain efficiency, and social considerations, underscored the complexity of
the issue. I understood that every industry has its own complexities and intricacies that we
might not even consider, which we get to think about during the case presentations.
The success of the Regrained SuperGrain and the diverse portfolio of upcycled ingredients
highlighted the economic viability and consumer interest in such products. The B2B
ecosystem and partnerships with industry leaders like Kerry and Kroger exemplify a
collaborative approach to tapping into upcycling opportunities. The Innovation Lab's role in
providing agile R&D services and overcoming industry challenges provided valuable insights
into the intricacies of sustainable food production. Overall, this session illuminated the
potential for economic and environmental gains through innovative solutions to food waste.
The challenge provided to us by Dan was monetizing the Innovation Lab poses hurdles of a
lengthy development cycle and bandwidth constraints. Senior VPs' concerns include
distraction from core business. Several solutions emerge from my batchmates. The first idea
was to leverage patented upcycling technologies for new product development through
partnerships with grocery stores and government. The second idea was to monetize the
Innovation Lab's expertise by selling insights and identifying ingredients from owned waste
streams in a cooperative model. The third idea was focusing on extreme products, policy
reforms, and process innovation while the fourth idea hosting a startup innovation challenge.
For the first time, I think I liked my team’s idea the best as it involved tiered and long term
subscription model for the Upcycled foods that can be pertained for long-term as well as
short-term growth. The expenses depended on the resources being involved. Our basic idea
was to bridge the gap between invention and action. One of the flaws in our idea was that,
instead of timing, milestones can be kept as the deadline for the project end giving more
viable results.

In exploring Driscoll's strategic plan for 2024-2028, I am enlightened by their commitment to

consumer satisfaction, epitomized by their mission to continually delight berry consumers.
Their focus on taste, weather conditions, and berry appearance, analyzed annually,
underscores their dedication to quality. The acknowledgment of the berry as the highest
revenue generator in supermarkets highlights its pivotal role and the fact that berries are seen
as indulgence and play a massive role in the supermarket was a very interesting insight. The
enterprise value chain, from R&D breeding to customer and consumer engagement,
exemplifies a holistic approach to the whole process. Operational challenges, particularly the
perishable nature of the product, emphasize the need for an efficient supply chain, a vital
component in their strategic plan. Driscoll's foresight is evident in their four strategic pillars:
greater consumer advocacy, exceptional execution, expansion into new frontiers, and
achieving more with fewer resources. The emphasis on water sustainability and greenhouse
gas reduction aligns with broader environmental concerns, as reflected in recent legislation
and global trends.
As I reflect on Driscoll's journey, I appreciate their comprehensive approach, balancing
consumer satisfaction, sustainability, and adherence to evolving legislative landscapes. I also
appreciate for letting us see their detailed strategic plan. This case study serves as a valuable
lesson in integrating strategic planning, operational efficiency, and environmental
responsibility in a dynamic business environment.
Driscoll’s challenge was the plastic supply reusage. One of the team’s idea line that stuck to
my mind is “What if we use more plastic”, because it was so out of the box and very
interesting (and a bit controversial!). The ideas proposed by other teams were that the
company can use durable plastic, akin to Norway's successful 97% plastic bottle recycling.
Consumers can pay a small fee, and grocery stores earn by collecting clamshell deposits. The
second idea was short-term reuse of berry clamshells, with customers receiving refunds while
the long-term focus includes investing in biodegradable products aligned with younger
consumers' sustainability preferences. The third idea suggests Driscoll’s investing in
sustainable standards to gradually guide consumer behavior while the fourth idea was to
envisions circular plastic packaging, initiating recycling infrastructure, and fostering long-
term partnerships to alter consumer packaging preferences.
Our team’s idea was to educate customers and set up logistics in supply chain as short-term
plan and meeting SB 54 2032 guidelines as long-term plan with research in biodegradable
packaging. Gen Z are particular about sustainability and hence, their consumer behavior has
to be kept in mind (an analysis by almost every team).

(Source: World Economic Forum)

In the short term, Driscolls should pay for the package and slowly consumers can adopt
BYOP (Bring your own Package).
Finally, as a last insight, one of the team presented an idea with berries in cereals container
was so memorable that I can never forget and so out-of-the box (Unfortunately, couldn’t click
a pic of that. Overall, I learned a lot about berries and food wastage and really excited about
my next immersion!

REFERENCES
• https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2018.00121/full
• https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/7/6153
• https://ourimpact.oregonstate.edu/story/osu-researchers-patent-new-packaging-
material-made-food-waste

• https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/generation-z-sustainability-lifestyle-
buying-decisions/
• https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/packaging-and-paper/our-
insights/sustainability-in-packaging-us-survey-insights
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8379461/
• https://www.upcycledfood.org/