Author Archives: austinkiessig

About austinkiessig

http://austinkiessig.com/about-me/

The Magnificent Audacity of the FDA

Posted on May 20, 2016 by austinkiessig

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced courageous amendments to American nutrition label standards. The changes have already raised shrill responses from processed food manufacturers, which is an early and reliable signal that the new rules will benefit public … Continue reading →

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A farm in San Francisco? This startup is doing it!

Posted on February 3, 2016 by austinkiessig

Special guest post by Mary Lemmer It was almost two years ago when I stood staring at my backyard in frustration. The almost 3,000 square foot space had previously hosted several outdoor parties, bringing together hundreds of people over great … Continue reading →

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Food Isn’t Fixed. But We Are Fixing It Now.

Posted on January 20, 2015 by austinkiessig

2015. It’s hard to believe we’ve marked fifteen years in the new millennium. “2015” feels like that emblematic far-off year in a fantastical ‘80s movie. In that version of now, cars flew (or drove themselves?), eyeglasses displayed our email (oh … Continue reading →

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If You Can’t Beat ‘Em…Steal Their Playbook

Posted on May 27, 2014 by austinkiessig

“We are simply not winning the war. And it is a war.” Todd Putman, a former chief of marketing for Coca Cola North America, minced no words as he strolled across the stage at the 2014 Childhood Obesity Bay Area … Continue reading →

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Flipping the Pyramid: “Cereal Killers” and the Scourge of Sugar

Posted on February 5, 2014 by austinkiessig

On January 29, 2014, I was privileged to view a screening of Donal O’Neill’s new hour-long documentary, “Cereal Killers.” The Kickstarter-backed film follows O’Neill (producer and protagonist) through Cape Town as he embarks on a medically-supervised departure from the routine … Continue reading →

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Feeding 100 Trillion Friends: Produce or Pills?

Posted on November 18, 2013 by austinkiessig

If you’ve participated in foodie dinner table conversation in the past year, you’ve likely heard the term “microbiome” more than once.  Due in part to exceptional expository pieces such as Michael Pollan’s “Some of My Best Friends Are Germs,” the … Continue reading →

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What “Big Ideas” In Food Get Funded In Silicon Valley?

Posted on October 14, 2013 by austinkiessig

Much has been written about the ascent of Silicon Valley (SV) as the go-to global incubator for transformational change.  SV has become the Jerusalem of the techno-optimist religion. In venture capital doctrine, the absolution of humanity’s sins begins with seed … Continue reading →

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Careers In Food System Change: Where Should You Start?

Posted on September 24, 2013 by austinkiessig

By Austin Kiessig I have had many career path conversations with people who are fired up about changing the food system. These conversations are often tricky. The food landscape is complex, and there are many different ways to plug into the … Continue reading →

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The burger will cost you a buck. But the bad ideas are free!

Posted on August 14, 2013 by austinkiessig

By Austin Kiessig Amidst the preening flock of sanctimonious food-related articles that flit across our social media newsfeeds or strut into our inboxes each month, there is occasionally a dark horse.  Dark horse pieces in contemporary food writing stand out … Continue reading →

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