Get to know the thought leaders sharing their insights at the Future Food Systems event (25-26 January, Online | 2 March, London) in our dedicated speaker interview series.
Independent Forums: What is your favorite food?
Mark Hassenkamp: As long as it's fresh produce … anything Italian or Asian -vegetarian.
Independent Forums: Who or what has inspired you this year and why?
Mark Hassenkamp: My staff base; we have a new organisation, new people working to solve new challenges. We have achieved new discoveries against great expectations. It has been a year of truth - trust & transparency and the growing belief in The Collective good and mission alignment.
Independent Forums: What is your biggest source of motivation?
Mark Hassenkamp: My colleagues, our farmers and customers. They are so mission-aligned to drive a net–positive shift and committed to finding innovative alternatives while remaining pragmatic and grounded. Having the courage to discover new opportunities but the sense to fail small and cheap and keep on trying. Great progress happens in small increments. Never give up.
Independent Forums: How would you describe a typical day?
Mark Hassenkamp: No 2x days are the same. Some days it’s a 04H00 start to get to farms, some days it’s a 21H00 wrap up when the harvest or planting is completed. Some days it’s in the field and some days it’s all admin in the office and some days it's a long flight or a long drive. But every day starts with a plan. Try by all means to get lemons out of the way quick and early, then focus on the “one big thing”.
Independent Forums: What’s one thing about you that most people don’t know?
Mark Hassenkamp: “Don’t forget to go outside and play” … it is just as important to getting the one big thing of the day taken care of as it is to enjoy a great workout and do at least one thing that really scares you … every day.
Independent Forums: What’s one thing about your organization that you wish more people knew?
Mark Hassenkamp: Our total commitment to the success of our growers, customers and to really making a difference one meal at a time to change the way that we farm and then the way that we eat.
Independent Forums: Where do you see the biggest opportunity for transformation within the food system?
Mark Hassenkamp: Incentivise the farmer to change and measure impact throughout the supply chain from farm to the final consumer and the whole food supply chain will transform exponentially quickly. If we can’t measure it, we can’t manage it, and we will not drive change unless there is tangible incentive. Sustainability also applies to maintaining a thriving and going concern. Now there is a need but there is no incentive to change as is brings less but costs more.
Independent Forums: What are you most looking forward to at Future Food Systems 2022?
Mark Hassenkamp: New people, new ideas, being challenged and called on to offer original thinking to solve new challenges.
Mark will be speaking in the 'Scaling Regenerative Agriculture' session on 25 January 2022.
Register here to join the conversation.