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Food Innovation: Resources for Students

This resource list is for students who seek to stay updated on the latest food and agriculture innovations, industry events, business support resources, and job opportunities. It also contains resources that students can leverage to expand their professional network and connect with founders, leaders, and experts in the food industry.

Carole Sioufi
Open Avenues
13 min readNov 22, 2021

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Carole Sioufi is the Market Research Analyst at Branchfood and Market Research Global Talent Fellow at Open Avenues Foundation.

Table of Contents

Day-to-Day Industry News
Recommended Newsletters
Niche Industry News
Market Research and Reports
Industry-Agnostic News
Free Startup Communities
Startup Communities (Subscription Fee)
Government and Regulation
Recommended Podcasts
Recommended Books (Food-Specific)
Recommended Books (Startups & Innovation)
Additional Reads
Movies and Documentaries
Platforms for Job Search
Examples of Good LinkedIn Profiles
Tips on Job Search
Personal Tips and Experiences in Job Search
Long-Term Career Progression

Day-to-Day Industry News

The following publications provide free access to industry news.

FoodNavigator USA

Daily news about food and beverage trends, food regulation and labeling, gluten-free, clean labels, GMOs, stevia, ancient grains, food M&A in North America. I like their broad coverage and the fact that they include food industry updates in Europe.

Food Business News

News, Markets and Analysis for the Food Processing Industry. I particularly enjoy reading articles in which they highlight emerging entrepreneurs and novel products and technologies.

Food Dive

Food Dive provides in-depth insights into the most impactful news and trends shaping the food industry. Their newsletters and website cover topics such as manufacturing, packaging, ingredients, R&D, flavor trends, and more. Great website to stay updated on the most important headlines in the industry.

Supermarket News

Supermarket News is the leading resource for news, insights, information and more for food retail and grocery professionals. The publication provides competitive intelligence, news, and information to make smart business decisions. Great resource to stay abreast of the latest advancements in retail.

The Spoon

The Spoon provides daily reporting and insight into the food tech revolution. The Spoon talks to the innovators, disruptors and creators helping to reinvent food, cooking and the kitchen and brings those conversations to the public in the form of interviews, deep dive analysis, newsletters, podcasts and videos. I like their focus on foodtech and smart home appliances.

AgFunder News

AgFunder News covers the latest news as they relate to the foodtech and agtech startup and venture capital industry. The publication also tracks and publishes reports about the investment activity in this sector. The agri-food tech sector has been gathering a lot of interest from investors, so it’s important to be aware of the latest trends and development in this space.

Recommended Newsletters

The following publications provide free periodic newsletters, delivered straight to your inbox.

Branchfood

Monthly newsletter to stay updated on the latest food and agriculture innovation news in the New England region. The newsletter also includes industry-specific events in Boston and beyond, as well as business support opportunities such as accelerator programs and grant applications. I enjoy reading this newsletter because of its varied content.

Food Tech Connect

Weekly newsletter to stay updated on the latest news as they relate to consumer products, retail, restaurants, agriculture, and consumption trends. I enjoy reading this newsletter which covers a variety of topics as they relate to the food supply chain.

Food Hack

Weekly FoodTech insights from Europe straight to your inbox. This newsletter is a great way to stay updated on the latest food innovation news and investment activity in Europe.

Green Queen

Weekly newsletter to stay updated on the latest news as they relate to alternative proteins in the world. The publication advocates for social and environmental change. The alternative protein industry is growing tremendously so it’s worth keeping an eye on the latest development in this category.

SmartBrief

By combining technology and editorial expertise, SmartBrief filters thousands of sources daily to deliver the most relevant industry news in partnership with more than 180 trade associations, professional societies, nonprofits and corporate entities. Great selection of newsletters to choose from depending on your interest.

ReFED

ReFED is a national nonprofit dedicated to ending food loss and waste across the U.S. food system by advancing data-driven solutions. Great newsletter to stay updated on the latest news, insights, and trends in food waste activity and funding for capital providers and solution providers of all types.

Whipstitch Capital

The largest independent M&A and private placement advisory firm focused solely on the healthy living consumer market. Their Weekly Transaction Recap is a great resource to stay updated on the latest mergers, acquisitions, and initial public offerings in the food industry and beyond.

Niche Industry News

The following publications provide news articles that relate to a specific sector in the food industry. Be sure to check out their newsletters!

Market Research and Reports

The following organizations provide market reports and consumer insights as they relate to a specific category in the food industry.

Industry-Agnostic News

The following publications provide newsletters highlighting the latest developments in business and tech.

  • The Hustle: tech and business news
  • Bostinno: local daily news about Boston startups (PS exists in 45 cities)
  • TechCrunch: startup and technology News
  • Morning Brew: latest news from Wall Street to Silicon Valley

Free Startup Communities

The following food organizations provide industry-specific resources and networking opportunities to support entrepreneurs in their journey.

Project Potluck

Professional community founded by People of Color with the mission to help POC build successful companies and careers in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.

Startup CPG

National community hosted on Slack for emerging brands

OMGCPG

Facebook group for consumer products

Vegpreneur

Global community for founders and investors building plant-based businesses

Greenhorn Connect

Greenhorn Connect’s mission is to help build connections within the Boston entrepreneur ecosystem through increased awareness of opportunities. The GreenhornConnect.com web portal connects Boston startups and enthusiasts with the many resources, events and opportunities in the region as well as educational and informational content.

Startup Communities (Subscription Fee)

The following food organizations provide industry-specific resources and networking opportunities to support entrepreneurs in their journey.

Branchfood

Hub that connects food founders, leaders, and experts, and provides innovation support, curated networking, educational sessions and targeted insights. Membership plans start at $40/month.
Be sure to join Branchfood’s Meetup Group and tune into Branchfood’s Monthly Community Table, which are free and open to the public, and where you would connect with food founders and experts, exchange contacts and resources, and crowdsource information from the food community in New England.

Specialty Food Association

A not-for-profit, membership-based, trade association founded in 1952 and currently representing 3,000+ businesses, i.e. artisans, purveyors, importers and entrepreneurs, as well as distributors, retailers, and others involved in the specialty food trade.

FoodBevy

Directory, Education, and Discounts to help food and beverage brands grow from startup to scale

Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)

International, non-profit scientific society of professionals engaged in food science, food technology, and related areas in academia, government and industry

Food Tank

Spotlights environmentally sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and poverty

The Capital Network

Non-profit democratizing access to fundraising for ALL founders through education and an investor network.

Government and Regulation

Places to learn more about food regulation, policy, and nutrition science.

Recommended Podcasts

Recommended Books (Food-Specific)

Recommended Books (Startups & Innovation)

Additional Reads

The following books helped me in my career progression and changed my perspective on the world :)

Movies and Documentaries

Platforms for Job Search

Food-specific

Industry-agnostic

Examples of Good LinkedIn Profiles

These are people who I know and who created a comprehensive public picture with their LinkedIn profiles. They are active on the platform, i.e. share their thought leadership, perspective, and updates with their network, whenever relevant.

Tips on Job Search

Article Libraries

Articles

Free Community

Personal Tips and Experiences in Job Search

Know what you want
Identify the type of companies you want to work at. Do you think you would be better at working in a small team, where, on any given day, you handle multiple responsibilities and juggle a variety of tasks? Or do you think you would excel in a larger team, where you specialize your focus on a specific set of responsibilities and tasks? Do you think you would work best in an environment that is uncertain and that requires agility? Or do you prefer working in a well-established company with defined procedures and operations? If you don’t know, it’s always helpful to conduct internships with different types of companies (small businesses, startups, mid-large companies) and identify your fit.

Conduct informational interviews
Informational interviews allow you to identify the type of industry, company, or role you’re interested in, as well as the skills and/or experience you need to acquire, and work towards successfully getting the job that you want. They are typically conducted with professionals/executives who hold a job that you would like to hold one day — leverage your network and school career services to connect with them! The interviews are usually structured and last anywhere from 15–30 minutes. Learn more about informational interviews here and how to get the most out of them here.
Pro tip: always reach out to industry professionals from your student email address. I find that professionals are more receptive to helping students and understanding.

Be proactive
Reach out to companies whose mission interests you and ask for internship opportunities, even if none are listed on their career page. Before reaching out, make sure to understand the mission of the company, products/services it offers, and its differentiator in the industry — all of which are great to include in your outreach to showcase your motivation and drive to work at this company. You might need to do a little bit of research about the industry and specific sector the company operates in and/or ask your school advisor or professionals in your network for advice.

Leverage your network
Try to find a mutual connection on LinkedIn with a member of the company you seek to intern/work at and ask for an introduction. Don’t be shy; even if you haven’t connected with this mutual contact for a long time, it’s okay to ask — worse, they would ignore your request. Be sure to include all the information that the contact needs to facilitate an introduction to a member of the company of interest, i.e. educational background, passion and interests, career goals, why you think you would be a good fit for the company and what you can bring to the company.
Pro tip: ask your family and extended relatives for connections. Chances are, they might know someone who could help you.

Leverage the career services at your university
Explore your school’s career center’s resources and seek guidance and advice from professors. Ask them to connect you with alumni and/or individuals in their network who ended up working in the field/type of companies you’re interested in.

Be patient
Finding a job/internship takes time and effort. Give yourself ~3 months. At times you might feel like your efforts are not paying off, and it’s totally normal to feel this way. It’s important to get the mental support that you need — from family, friends, or even a social worker or licensed therapist who can help you navigate through the process.

Be prepared and assertive
Interviews can be intimidating. Make sure you prepare for the interview by researching the company and industry and identifying ways you could leverage your educational and work background to add value to the company. Be authentic, i.e. showcase your personality. Be assertive, i.e. take a minute to formulate your thoughts before answering a question, and make sure you answer in complete sentences, all while avoiding expressions such as “like”, “you know”, “I mean”, and “eum”. Listen actively and attentively. If you didn’t fully understand the question, it’s okay to reiterate it to the interviewer by saying: “What I’m hearing is that you would like me to elaborate on x and y. Is that correct?”. If the compensation has not been communicated with you prior to the interview, be sure to ask about it in a very transparent way. Always ask when you should expect to hear back. After the interview is complete, take the time to reflect on your conversation with the interviewer and identify what you liked and disliked about it. Interviews are a 2-way process. They are not only designed for the company to evaluate your fit, but also for you to evaluate whether you would like to join the company. This is especially relevant when you’re interviewing with a startup founder or executive (as opposed to an HR executive in a large company) because chances are you’ll be working with them and possibly reporting directly to them.

Always follow up
After sending an email or taking part in an interview, if you haven’t heard back when you should have, follow up with the individual who interviewed you and ask for an update. Be kind and thank the recipient for taking the time to interview you and learn more about you. You always want to leave a good impression.

Ask for feedback
If you didn’t get the position you were seeking or did not make it to the next round of interviews, and the rejection email/memo doesn’t explain why, ask for feedback and potentially for a brief follow up call. This will help you identify the gaps in your knowledge, education, and/or experience; skills you need to acquire and/or hone; whether you should improve your outreach/communications skills; and any other relevant information that will help you land your dream job. If you are determined to get the specific position you applied for, be sure to translate this feedback into actions, I.e. Begin honing your skills or acquiring the knowledge you need to land this position.

Keep an open mind
As you connect with stakeholders within the industry and take part in internship/job interviews, you will learn more about the industry and potential career opportunities that you weren’t necessarily aware of. Keep an open mind and go with the flow, you never know where you’ll end up!

Long-Term Career Progression

  • SCORE: industry agnostic mentorship services(free)
  • Branchfood: food and agriculture mentorship services ($)

About Branchfood
 Branchfood is a Boston-based hub that connects food founders, industry leaders, and experts, and provides innovation support, curated networking, targeted insights, and consulting services. Since 2015, we’ve been catalyzing connections among innovators, advancing the key knowledge and partnerships that will transform the food system. Check out our sister companies Branch Venture Group and Food Edge.

About Open Avenues Foundation
Open Avenues brings global talent from high-growth companies to lead career development opportunities for students in STEM and business fields at our partner universities. Together, we are demonstrating that when we open avenues for global talent to lead, educate, and build in the United States, we all move forward.

Technology
Food And Beverage
Agriculture
Food
Innovation

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Open Avenues
Open Avenues

Published in Open Avenues

9 Followers
Last published Nov 16, 2022

We help students get resume-building experiences through micro-internships and industry projects with innovative STEM companies. We help these companies retain foreign talent and demonstrate the economic, social, and civic value of immigrants in the United States.

Carole Sioufi
Carole Sioufi

Written by Carole Sioufi

8 Followers
1 Following

Leveraging my managerial background and entrepreneurial experience to increase innovation, connectivity, knowledge, and collaboration within the food industry

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