Moneda Moves (160): π Funding the Future of Food (NEW Season)
Welcome back to another season of Moneda Moves, mi gente!
This season we are talking about food: It makes the world go round. Some might say food is everything we are: An extension of our regions, our tribes, to paraphrase the late chef and journalist Anthony Bourdain. But itβs also an interesting business opportunity. Last year, venture capitalists invested more than $20 billion in this space even after economic conditions had tightened.
And as we know on this podcast, Latinos (alongside people of color) are among the biggest creators of business in this country. With us we have this immense opportunity to create great companies in the consumer packaged goods and food tech space. Throughout this season, Moneda Moves is bringing funders investing in the future of food and founders paving the way for intimate conversations on how they invest, fundraise and build truly scalable companies. Our panel today is from our first live event in Chicago, where we have founders from the consumer packaged goods space to the food tech space.
On the mics we have Perteet Spencer, Founder of AYO Foods, who launched the company to celebrate ingredients, flavors and culture of West African diaspora. We also have Michelle Ruiz, founder of food tech company Hyfe, who brings more than ten years of manufacturing experience from the likes of Exxon Mobile.
Also joining us is Shayna Harris, managing partner of Supply Change Capital, investing in early stage, high growth food tech businesses and culture-first brands. Shayna has more than two decades of experience as a food industry leader and operator. She and her co-founder Noramay Cadena just closed a $40 million fund. Congratulations! A trifecta of women that are joining us in our conversation today to talk about what the future of food looks like, from both a funding and scalability perspective.
Finally, a shout to our collaborators who helped put on our first live podcast event, DishRoulette Kitchen, a nonprofit working to provide funding and education for BIPOC resterateurs across Chicago, and Industrious where the event was hosted.
Letβs dive in. Welcome to Funding the Future of Food.Β
Con poder,
Lyanne
Thank you for joining us! Until next time,Β catch us here on Moneda Moves.
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