Finding Our Place in Food Systems

Food has kept us humans going since, well, we first got hungry. But beyond today’s snack runs and our daily breaking bread, food has become a powerful social tool — especially in a metropolis like New York City, where a diverse, dynamic population is reflected in an ever-growing abundance of cuisines and flavors. Food now offers a way to build an understanding of each other; appreciating our differences, strengthening our connections, and prompting us to think tastefully about the most relevant social issues of our time.

From sustainability to human rights, ThoughtMatter fills its plate with these themes. Recently, we helped our client Misfits Market create a private label line of pantry staples and prepackaged goods, a smart brand extension by a grocery delivery service that’s built a following saving food destined for disposal. This tasteful pairing of beautiful packaging and brand offering has further fed our collective appetite for impactful work. Luckily, expanding our taste horizons in a city like ours is a constant and welcome pursuit.

Last week, we visited the Museum of the City of New York to continue exploring the impact of food systems in our area. Its exhibition ‘Food in New York: Bigger Than the Plate’ offer a collective response to the challenges facing sustainability, labor justice and equitable food access, including a look at solutions being developed by fellow artists and designers. Reflecting on the experience, our team shares their own perspectives below.

Megan June, Studio Manager

I hadn’t been aware of how long a journey some food items take before they end up in a particular supermarket in a particular city. We, as consumers, are so concerned about the “freshness” of our food, when much of our food is potentially harvested many weeks before it ends up in a bin or behind a counter for our selection. And often, if it doesn’t appear “perfect,” we are quick to dismiss it and its lengthy migration is all for nothing and it goes to waste.

That’s why a company like Misfits Foods is so wonderful, since it has found a way to successfully market foods that would otherwise be picked over for being “imperfect.”

Mari Andreatta, Business Development Lead

I’d say the biggest challenge facing food systems is the passive consumer. If you’re eating food…you’re part of the system. And it’s important to question the systems we’re in so we can make them more equitable & sustainable for all.

I think brands can use design and storytelling to help make food a more interactive experience once it’s in our hands. How did it get here? Who made it possible? What is next for the packaging or parts of the food we don’t eat?

Rosemarie Albanese, Strategist

I became keenly aware of how interconnected our food ecosystem is. Every organism plays a vital role in providing nutrition, from farm to table or beehive to honey bottle. It made me think about how much more care we can put into the various processes that result in food on our plates. For example, bees play a vital role in pollinating vegetation.

Seeing exhibits that paid homage to their role in our ecosystem was a great reminder of how society should cultivate systems that honor and protect such creatures. Design and branding support this connection through awareness campaign work executed via strategic partnerships with community partners who do essential work in Environmental Social Governance. The power of design can help guide consumer behaviors and purchasing decisions that align with their values of keeping the food ecosystem ethical.

Dylan Stiga, Senior Strategist

There is such a big need for bringing more visibility to every step of the food system. Each bite of food we decide to consume has so many different layers of impact, both positive and negative depending on your choice and affects so many different people.

We like to talk about food being this great tool to bring us together, and it’s usually around the sentiments of sharing tables, passing down recipes through families and cultures, breaking down barriers by aligning us through taste and putting smiles on our faces even if we can’t communicate through language. All really nice and important sentiments, but let’s take that idea to next stage.

Let’s talk about food being something that brings us together and connects us at the system level. Let’s bring more clarity around what’s really going on and more inspiration to make better decisions. I think that’s where art, design and branding play a huge role.

Wherever we find ourselves within food systems, there is important impact to make. Thinking critically about the values, power structures and opportunities for connection that surround what and how we eat is essential to feeding the future. We know today’s movers and shakers are driven by an eye on what’s ahead, and responding to the challenges we face must be a creative and collaborative effort.

For brands, this means considering what will add the most value to the lives of their consumers, now and for years to come. There is an enormous opportunity to innovate and expand in the interest of the greater good, aligning brand offerings with their audiences’ ethical considerations while strengthening the longevity and purpose of their own products and services.

At ThoughtMatter, we are eager to support the brands and organizations leading the charge for this kind of thoughtful intervention. With an artful perspective and a deep investment in unmet needs, our studio of hungry creatives is the place for those looking to create change. Through food and other cultural mediums, we believe deeply in the power of design to respond to the world thoughtfully, crafting a better future together.

Does your brand have work of this kind in mind? Reach out to us today to collaborate!

This post was written by Shanti Basu with thinking contributed by the ThoughtMatter staff. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on Twitter.