S8 Ep13: Upcycling for Health— Transforming Produce Trimmings Into Nutritional Gold with Jeni Britton and Jeremy Nelson
“We're not doing a marketing campaign to try to convince you that we're doing good stuff. It doesn't work. What works is creating beautiful products as a team who's devoted because we believe in the mission.” —Jeni Britton
“When you can put your ego aside and focus on the larger vision, you can achieve so much more than you can alone.” —Jeremy Nelson
Upcycling in the kitchen isn't just about saving money— it's about redefining what "waste" truly means and unlocking a hidden world of culinary creativity. It empowers us to break the consumption cycle and injects valuable nutrients back into our diets, promoting a more mindful and resourceful approach to cooking and eating.
This week, Justine sits down with James Beard Award-winning ice cream maker and founder of Jeni's IceCreams, Jeni Britton and Michelin-starred chef, Jeremy Nelson, to discuss their new venture, Floura, a company creating high-fiber, prebiotic snacks and ingredients from upcycled produce trimmings.
Listen in as Jeni and Jeremy delve into their personal wellness journeys and how it inspired Floura’s mission and innovative processes. They also explain the importance of fiber and prebiotics for microbiome health, the importance of upcycling, the power of building a company alongside customers, farmers, and investors, and the role of research in moving toward sustainability and planetary wellness.
Connect with Jeni:
Jeni Britton is a James Beard Award-winning ice cream maker and the founder of Jeni's IceCreams. She has over 25 years of experience in the food industry, constantly developing direct relationships with farmers and using fresh, local ingredients in her products. More recently, she has focused her efforts on gut health and microbiome research. As the co-founder of Floura, Jeni is leading the company's mission to upcycle fresh produce trimmings into high-fiber, prebiotic ingredients, and snacks to support overall wellness. She enjoys spending time in nature, where she finds inspiration for her creative work.
Connect with Jeni’s Icecreams:
Connect with Jeremy:
Jeremy Nelson is a Michelin-starred chef from San Francisco and the Chief Product Officer at Floura. He has over 15 years of experience in the culinary industry with a background in plant-based and health-supportive cooking. At Floura, he applies his culinary expertise to develop delicious, nutritious products using upcycled fruits and vegetables. Jeremy is passionate about connecting with others through food and creating options that are good for both humans and the planet. In his role, he oversees product development and ensures Floura's recipes deliver on taste, nutrition, and sustainability.
Connect with Floura:
Episode Highlights:
02:04 The Floura Mission
05:30 Nutrition on a Personal Level
09:03 The Bridge Between Health and Entrepreneurship
12:52 Prebiotics and Fiber for Gut Health
16:56 Upcycling For Health and the Environment
20:46 Working Remotely
28:05 What’s Next?
Tweets:
It’s all about creating impact together! From upcycling produce to nurturing the microbiome, discover the power of community and collaboration as @jreichman sits with @jenisicecreams founder, Jeni Britton and Michellin-starred chef, Jeremy Nelson. #podcast #entrepreneurship #socialgood #inspiration #impactmatters #NextGenChef #EssentialIngredients #Season8 #upcycling #zerowaste #sustainability #fermentedfoods #nutrition #guthealth #probiotics #prebiotics
Inspirational Quotes:
06:20 “When you can put your ego aside and focus on the larger vision, you can achieve so much more than you can alone.” —Jeremy Nelson
07:02 “We just bond and when we do that, we care for each other. And if we care for each other, then we care for other people, too. We build a good company.” —Jeni Britton
08:14 “We're not doing a marketing campaign to try to convince you that we're doing good stuff. Because honestly, it doesn't work. What works is creating beautiful products as a team who's devoted because we believe in the mission.” —Jeni Britton
08:36 “I'm motivated by what I do and the impact I have.” —Justine Reichman
11:06 “When something feels good, it generally is good.” —Jeni Britton
14:34 “95% of Americans don't get enough fiber. So this problem is real. And it's one thing you can do to change your health in the most dramatic way.” —Jeni Britton
18:49 “My passion is figuring out what to do with this with these things. And making them not only edible but insanely delicious.” —Jeremy Nelson
26:08 “There are some social advantages to coming together and maximizing our time and working together, and then being able to focus when we're on our own.” —Jeremy Nelson
27:31 “It's not just talent; it's understanding the vision, understanding our customers, understanding what we're trying to do.” —Jeni Britto
Transcriptions:
Coming soon
