Neutral Foods Makes Fast Company's 2023 World's Most Innovative Companies List
Company continues innovating by adding Shake Shack to food service partner lineup
PORTLAND, Ore., March 7, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Neutral Foods, the first carbon neutral food company in the U.S., has been named to Fast Company's prestigious annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies for 2023, recognized as number two in the agriculture category.
The company also announced today that it added Shake Shack to its list of foodservice partners prioritizing sourcing premium ingredients and business practices that benefit the environment. Starting with its Washington and Oregon locations, Shake Shack now uses Neutral Milk at its Northwest locations.
"With a mission to 'Stand for Something Good,' Shake Shack was a natural next step as we continue to grow our foodservice business by partnering with companies that look for ways to reduce their carbon footprints," said Chris Haines, vice president of operations, Neutral Foods. "This news comes the same week Fast Company recognizes the work we do every day to bring products to market that allow businesses and consumers tangible, easy ways to make climate-friendly choices in the foods they choose."
Backed by Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, number one on Fast Company's recent list for energy and sustainability companies, Neutral debuted nationally in 2021 with organic milk products now available in more than 2,000 grocery stores from coast to coast. Shake Shack joins other planet-conscious food retailers in the Pacific Northwest —including Stumptown Coffee and Grand Central Bakery— that have chosen Neutral Milk for foodservice.
"Doing well by our community is part of our DNA, which means finding innovative and thoughtful partners such as Neutral," said Kristina Wollenberg, director of protein procurement and sustainability Shake Shack. "We're proud to partner with a company credited for their on-farm projects that reduce the climate impact of agriculture."
Neutral's carbon reduction team has implemented 13 carbon reduction projects on farms in the last 18 months and will reach as many as 30 by the end of this year. As its brand name implies, the company has provided only carbon neutral products since its inception.
Fast Company's editors and writers sought companies making the most significant strides globally. They also judged nominations received through their application process. The World's Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company's signature franchise and one of the year's most highly anticipated editorial efforts. It provides a firsthand look at the inspiring and innovative efforts of companies across all sectors of the economy.
"What a strange and thrilling year it has been to honor this year's Most Innovative Companies, and this year's list compiles some of the most cutting-edge groundbreakers who are changing our world daily," said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief, Fast Company. "Everyone on this list does something completely, uniquely different, yet, they all have one thing in common: innovation."
The magazine featured Neutral in the introduction to the agriculture list, writing: "Neutral Foods labors to cut every emission it can. It measures the carbon footprint of its milks and butters using a model that considers everything from cow burps to what becomes of the empty carton. Though the food industry has a ways to go before it can be considered truly green, these projects on this latest list represent an industry paradigm shift in the positive direction."
ABOUT NEUTRAL
Neutral Foods, the first carbon neutral food company in the United States, backed by Bill Gates founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures, offers carbon neutral dairy products nationwide. The company is on a mission to radically reduce the nearly 37 percent of global emissions produced by agriculture and the food system. Started in 2019 in Portland, Oregon, Neutral is a national brand that works directly with farmers to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy products - for good. Neutral has organic and conventional carbon neutral dairy solutions, including whole milk, 2%, half-and-half, and butter. Products are available at Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Target on the West Coast, The Fresh Market, Giant Eagle, Imperfect Foods, Fresh Direct, and several regional and local chains and independent grocers. Additional Neutral investors are Mark Cuban and David Adelman's Darco Capital, which led a celebrity round of investors, including LeBron James, John Legend, and Questlove. Japanese firm Global Brain, its CVC partners Kirin Holdings Company, Limited and Norinchukin Bank, and Craig Shapiro of the New York-based Collaborative Fund have also invested in Neutral and its vision of a more sustainable food system.
Media Contact
Abby Roedel, Neutral, 1 917-209-5454, [email protected]
SOURCE Neutral
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