“The big issues are sourcing, labor, and price points,” Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University, ... David Friedberg, a former Google programmer with a degree in astrophysics, hopes to overcome these challenges with a new vegetarian chain called Eatsa. ... “We think the way to do it is quinoa.”
Underwhelmed.
Though I can see this might be a good example of creating cheaper high quality food, I wonder if the google ^wonderlic^ [0] has thought out the economic implications of trying to monetise a regional specific grain from a third world region?
"Bolivian government nutrition programs
have begun to incorporate quinoa into
school breakfast and new mothers'
subsidies."
A quick check online yields an assortment of the impact, some positive [1], some negative. [2] The fact the founder worked for Monsanto isn't promising.
Actually he didn't exactly 'work for Monsanto', he founded WeatherBill/The Climate Corporation, which was acquired by Monsanto in 2013 (for 1.1Bn!). Presumably he was 'resting and vesting' until his exit in 2015.
Not quite resting. He's something of a militant vegetarian, so he bought a huge chunk of the North American quinoa production and then launched this thing.
There's no relevant technology to transfer. Besides, I believe Monsanto are quietly winding down their acquisition. Does Climate even sell insurance anymore? Last I heard, they're just a glorified app development studio for Monsanto. $1.1B didn't buy them much West Coast street cred after all.
Did you read the article? The grain is grown in one of the harshest environments known a long way from markets. Any technology that allows farmers insight into their crops would benefit them, the supply chain and customers.
Underwhelmed.
Though I can see this might be a good example of creating cheaper high quality food, I wonder if the google ^wonderlic^ [0] has thought out the economic implications of trying to monetise a regional specific grain from a third world region?
A quick check online yields an assortment of the impact, some positive [1], some negative. [2] The fact the founder worked for Monsanto isn't promising.[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderlic_test#History
[1] "Quinoa brings riches to the Andes"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/14/quinoa-andes-b...
[2] "It’s OK To Eat Quinoa"
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2013/01/quinoa_bad_f...