Following its successful product launch of ‘Sabzu’ at ThaiFex 2019 and ambitious plans to take leadership role in global Specialty Foods industry, the Southeast Asia’s foods manufacturer NR Instant Produce (NRF) continues to conquer yet another proud achievement across the globe- this time in New York City- towards feeding the world through sustainability with granting the highest regenerative agriculture grant to a US-based innovation tool in advancing Soil 3.0 that’ll change the way farms live, eat, and breathe.
Earlier in 2019, NRF has announced a corporate rebranding and clear commitments to both sustain and revolutionize the foods industry as well as the specialty food business. Now, they are pioneering a path few food manufacturers have done- supporting, investing, and granting funds to innovative companies that can promise a healthy food system that can nourish 10 Billion people and sustain earthly resources.
As CEO of NRF and Chairman of Path Foundation, Mr. Danai Pathomvanich has flown to New York City to attend as one of the founding donors of initiative and a member of the selection committee to present the Moonshot Prize at FoodShot Global, a non-profit organization of world-class partners empowering bold ideas and innovative companies to accelerate the transformation to a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system. FoodShot Global launched its investment platform in 2018 aimed to accelerate food system transformations through annual challenges called ‘Moonshot for Better Foods’- a global call for entrepreneurs, researchers, and advocates on a specific topic within the food and agriculture space. Applicants with most qualified solutions are then selected to receive grants or equity prizes from the FoodShot’s integrated capital platform. Best in-class candidates will receive equity and debt financing for their business; cash prizes will be rewarded for rising stars working within research, social enterprise, and advocacy. In 2018, Moonshot for Better Foods topic was Innovating Soil 3.0 Solutions. This year’s topic was Soil 3.0 under the theme ‘regenerative agriculture’ – an aligned mission for Path Foundation (a founding donor of FoodShot Global) and a core philosophy all too familiar to NRF.
A total of four prizes were awarded; two Moonshot prizes of $250,000, a research grant of $35,000, and a social equity prize of $3,000,000 to Trace Genomics. Mr. Danai handed out the Moonshot Prize of $ 250,000 to COMET-Farm, a Colorado-based Whole Farm and Ranch Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Accounting System. COMET-Farm estimates the ‘carbon footprint’ for all or part of farming and ranch operations then allows farmers to evaluate different options for reducing GHG emissions and sequestering more carbon. General guidance on the system is provided about potential changes to your management practices that are likely to sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Amazingly, the system also uses detailed spatially-explicit data on climate and soil conditions specifically for location and allows farmers to enter detailed information for their field and livestock operations to produce an accurate estimate tailored to your specific situation. How’s that for reducing world’s carbon footprint?
“Regenerative Agriculture is the key for the future. The need to save the world and the need to save our health has been given media attention, however, the need to save on our soil has been something largely ignored. The Food And Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has cited that more than 90% of all the Earth’s soil could be degraded by 2050 as our world continues to extract higher tolls to produce more for a burgeoning population,” commented Mr. Danai Pathomvanich, CEO of NR Instant Produce (NRF).
“NRF’s vision aims to a make the world more sustainable with food products that are made from regenerative farming. We are grateful for government organizations that support this cause and without the help of world’s leading partners, organizations such as FoodShot Global, and local communities themselves, this goal of food system sustainability will not be reached. To enable us to achieve this, NRF also supports and seek to work with innovative startups who are focused not just on the science of regenerative agriculture, but the collaboration to make it accessible to the global community. This way, we will succeed in helping improve the farming system in Thailand that we currently work with and hopefully, the entire industry as a whole,” added Mr. Danai.
In collaboration with Path Foundation and FoodShot Global, NRF is announcing qualifying Thai entrepreneurs, policy makers, NGOs, and others to apply and get involved with the next MoonShot For Better Foods Challenge 2020. Everything will be bigger and better, with prizes up to $1,000,000 in grant money and $20,000,000 in social equity. Stay tuned on applicant enrollment date and register at http://www.foodshot.org/apply.html!
