Robert Chang

Some of you may recall back in March, I was in Taiwan and was raving about how amazing convenience stores are in Asia and how sketchy and unniviting they are in North America. I offered some theories why this was the case and suggested a complete brand overhaul to make them more like they are in Asia. Fast forward several months and this piece came out from The Wall Street Journal last week talking about 7-Eleven's plans to do just that. Called it! ✌️😎 #branding #marketing

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2024 Lu’an Gua Pian and Tai Ping Houkui green teas are now here. We always make a big deal about how unique these teas are. And it’s true, they’re thoroughly weird. Just from looking at the massive Houkui, or the dark leaf of Gua Pian, something is wildly different about them. You’ll find rich, full, smooth and brothy experiences in this year’s Tai Ping Houkui and toasty sesame in the Gua Pian punctuated with citrus notes. But the stories behind them are stranger, still. Somehow, these teas from the rural reaches of Anhui Province have an inexplicable knack for landing at the middle of geopolitical events. Americans probably first tasted Tai Ping Houkui in 1915, when it was the star of the massive Chinese pavilion in San Francisco’s World Fair—remarkable at a time the Chinese Exclusion Act was in effect. Gua Pian surfaced in the tumultuous early 20th century as a tribute tea for the first president of the Republic of China in 1911, Yuan Shikai. It was also the alleged favorite of Premier Zhou Enlai—the tea he drank with Henry Kissinger as they organized the Shanghai Communiqué in 1972. We’re not sure how these two rural teas became actors in 20th century diplomacy. But they survived the 20th century, and now they aren’t just for the elites of history and the world's fair. What’s more, US-Chinese relations have gotten good enough that we get the chance to enjoy them. Maybe those cups of tea have had something to do with it?

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🇧🇷 Good news from Brazil! I’m thrilled to see companies getting ahead of the curve—not only fulfilling their cage-free egg commitments but reaching their targets ahead of schedule! NISSIN FOODS DO BRASIL LTDA.'s recent announcement that they’ve achieved 100% cage-free sourcing well before the 2025 goal is a powerful reminder of what’s possible with dedication and proactive planning. 💜 Brazil will always hold a special place in my heart, as it’s where I began my journey working on cage-free initiatives. There are amazing individuals working in Brazil and across Latin America, and it's wonderful to see these commitments coming to fruition. 🤝🏽 Nissin Brazil’s achievement is a model for others to follow. Let’s keep working together to achieve cage free and animal welfare goals across industries and borders. #cagefree #cagefreebrazil #responsiblesourcing #sustainability #csr

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I am sharing my first AI written post for my last LinkedIn post of 2024, thanks to LinkedIn Rewind by Coauthor.studio. Eight years at Zespri taught me something powerful: Growing great fruit isn't just about harvesting crops—it's about cultivating connections that nourish people, communities, and our planet. 2024 was a year of transformative growth, where we proved that purpose-driven business isn't a nice-to-have, it's the only way forward. 🥝 Market Leadership: We didn't just grow sales, we redefined what's possible in agriculture. Our 2.1x sales growth wasn't about numbers—it was about bringing high-quality, sustainable nutrition to over 50 global markets. 🥝 Innovation: From our Effie Award-winning marketing (3 awards, including a silver!) to pioneering agricultural technologies, we showed that creativity solves real-world challenges. Our ZAG innovation fund isn't just investing in startups—we're investing in our collective future. 🥝 Sustainability: Being recognized by Xinhua.net's ESG enterprise excellence award wasn't just an honor. It was a commitment. At the UN Global Compact CMO Forum, I shared a belief that's driven everything we do: "Successful businesses operate at the intersection of People, Planet, and Prosperity." Three moments that capture our journey: 1. "8 Year Anniversary Reflection" Our sales grew 2.1x, average returns to NZ growers increased 1.8x, and our brand awareness expanded by over 1.5x. https://lnkd.in/ga-2eCf6 2. "Zespri's 25th AGM Address" We reminded ourselves: "As we enter a pivotal period... we need to remind ourselves who we are when we are at our best: market leaders, innovators, and never complacent." https://lnkd.in/gGe-qk67 3. "UN Global Compact CMO Forum" A powerful reminder that marketing can—and must—drive meaningful change. https://lnkd.in/gy2KNbcd Looking ahead to 2025: Our mission remains crystal clear. We'll continue pushing boundaries in agricultural innovation, sustainability, and creating value across our entire ecosystem—from passionate growers to health-conscious consumers. To our incredible team, our dedicated growers, and partners who share our vision of helping people and our planet thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit—thank you. Together, we're proving that business can be a powerful force for positive change. The best is yet to come. #SustainabilityLeadership #KiwifruitInnovation #AgriTech #LinkedInRewind #Coauthor #2024wrapped

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As investors, we’re fortunate to have the opportunity to engage with executives, sales teams, other investors, bankers, and consultants—each offering unique perspectives on trends shaping the food industry. Reflecting on discussions at #PLMA2024 in #Chicago earlier this week, I wanted to share three recurring themes that stood out. Over the coming days, I’ll be diving into each of them. Here’s the first: the connection between food and health. While this isn’t a new concept, the conversation is evolving into two distinct areas: personal and societal. 👫Personalized Nutrition: The customization of food and supplements to target specific health outcomes for individuals. 🌎Societal Impact: How food influences the overall health of a society or nation. As an investor, I believe personalized nutrition will drive a select few standout opportunities with outsized returns. On the other hand, societal discussions around food and health will catalyze systemic changes across major supply chains which all participants need to monitor. For example, seed oils are a hot topic, as is RFK’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, and protein remains top of mind. The rising prevalence of obesity across developed nations, in particular the 🇺🇸, underscores why this issue is so pressing. And the pace of change/disruption here has the potential to be high. The screenshot below highlights obesity trends, reinforcing why the intersection of food and health must remain a priority. What are your thoughts on these trends? Stay tuned for the next post in this series. Power Sustainable Lios PLMA - Private Label Manufacturers Association #food #privatelabel #health

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Curious about what is next for plant based foods in China? So am I. I am interested to learn more from this dynamic assortment of presenters at the @China Vegan Summit sponsored by the China Vegan Society | 华茻会 in Suzhou this week. Pet ownership is rising rapidly in China, what does that mean for plant based pet food? Andrew Knight chose this topic for his PhD. Forecast to grow to $26 billion dollar industry over the next 10 years. Thank you Kay Xu! Sebastian Joy! Conference overview and link to speakers in the comments.

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My journey from a teenage freelancer to building a $100 million restaurant brand has been featured by Asian Hustle Network. This piece captures the challenges and milestones along the way, highlighting the power of perseverance and innovation. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gVd7SEs2 #Entrepreneurship #Journey #ChubbyGroup

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What was the most important investment you made in 2024? ...…No, I’m not talking about buying Nvidia shares! 😉 For me, it was the 1:1 conversations I had with Matt Abrahams, lecturer of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University Graduate School of Business and host of the brilliant Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast. As senior executives in multinational companies, clear and authentic communication is already a cornerstone of our leadership. But even if you’re good, there’s always room to sharpen your skills. Matt was my bouncing board and we explored real-world scenarios, discussed nuanced responses, and unpacked the dynamics of impactful communication. These conversations reaffirmed that communication is not just about competence—it’s about constantly striving to connect and inspire more effectively. So, what’s the most impactful investment I’ll make in 2025? Time to start planning!

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Our CEO Hazim Mohamad recently sat down with CJ Sun from Finding Signal to talk about our platform designed to help people turn ideas into reality by finding the right cofounder. In the interview, Hazim shares the story of CoffeeSpace's inception, the challenges we’ve faced, and the key lessons we've learned along the way—from startup fundamentals to career growth insights. They also covered: - Persevering through startup curveballs - Tips for finding the right cofounder - Emerging trends in entrepreneurship Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to grow in your career, there’s something here for everyone! Check out the full interview for more insights. 👇 https://lnkd.in/gYrRnbNf #CoffeeSpace #FindingSignal #startups #cofounder #careergrowth

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In 2013 when I started nutpods I had never: -been a Founder or CEO before -been a part of the Food & Bev industry (other than a stint at #SubShop in high school) -raised capital or even created a pitch deck -known the differences in types of Investors (angel to PE) And yes, I was a #POC and a #femalefounder which made my odds* of success a bit harder. *According to PitchBook, only 4% of #VC funding and 2% of #PE funding goes towards Female Founded Businesses (nutpods went on to be both VC and PE-backed). Entrepreneurs accept daunting odds because we believe in what we are building. We learn fast because we have to: we are usually the first and only (typically unpaid) employee of our company handling all the departments of Sales, Marketing, Operations and Finance. Cash flow. Product Formulation. Route to Market Strategy. Finding a co-packer to produce our products. These are the chief challenges. #SeattleFreeze was not among them, respectfully. I get it. I do: it is lonely at the start-up phase when it’s just yourself. And frankly, it’s lonely at times as a CEO making all the decisions even at a thriving brand. I am eternally grateful to Morgen Newman who gave me wonderful advice early on: learn how to emotionally regulate yourself for this journey. GeekWire John Cook

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Excited to partner with BevNET.com to deliver exclusive data-driven insights! Big thanks to Danelle Kosmal for leading this from our Tokyo office.   🌱📚 Come Learn and Grow with Us! 🚀🌟 📈 Off-premise trends slightly improved in 52 weeks. 🥃 Spirits: flat dollars (-0.1%), volume up (+1.3%). 🍺 Beer steady in food (-0.1%), down in c-store (-1.8%). 🚨 Beer losing share to wine (+9.5%) and spirits (+8.6%). 🍷 Wine dollars down (-2.5%) overall. 🍹 Non-alc growth: double digits, led by craft/imports. 🛒 Mass/grocery channels growing. 🚫 Convenience/drug channels shrinking. 3 Tier Beverages works in partnership with NielsenIQ and VIP (Vermont Information Processing) providing exceptional service and industry expertise untilizing Byzzer powered by NielsenIQ and CGA by NIQ data platforms. 🌿📊 Beverage Insights, Built for You! 🔥✨

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🌍 5 Predictions on corporate sustainability for 2025 As we step into 2025, here are my five key predictions for the year ahead on corporate sustainability. 1. Accountability in ESG Reporting Intensifies Regulators and investors, (CSRD & State of California leading the way) will demand stricter reporting, with a focus on verified impact rather than just commitments. 2. Net-Zero Becomes Imperative Major corporations will accelerate pedal to the metal on their net-zero timelines. They'll feel the pressure to get moving to deliver tangible, measurable action plans. 3. Circular Economy Gains Momentum Circular practices—reuse, recycling, and upcycling—will move from niche strategies to core business models, particularly in packaging and consumer goods. 4. Climate Tech Booms Investment in climate tech, from carbon capture to data standardization to AI-driven sustainability solutions, will soar as businesses seek scalable, ratable ways to reduce their footprint. 5. Social Impact Takes Center Stage The “S” in ESG will gain importance, alongside climate goals to drive equity. 💡 Bonus! My Wish for 2025: That every business embeds climate equity into its strategy—ensuring vulnerable communities most affected by climate change are prioritized in sustainability initiatives. What do you think? What trends are you seeing? #Sustainability #CorporateLeadership #ESG #ClimateAction

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THE BRUTAL REALITY WHY 7-ELEVEN SHOULD SELL THE COMPANY I greatly admire the owner of the convenience retail company 7-Eleven, Seven & i Holdings, based in Japan. In 1991, Seven & i Holdings acquired a 70% stake in 7-Eleven’s parent. It bought the rest of the company in 2005 and they have watched as 7-Eleven has grown to over 84,500 stores in 19 countries. Lurking in the background has been the Canadian company Couche-Tard, owner of the Circle K convenience store chain that operates over 14,800 stores worldwide. Couche-Tard formerly made a bid to buy Seven & i for $39B. Seven & i rejected the deal, saying the offer “grossly undervalues” the company. Couche-Tard later raised its offer to roughly $47B. Note: Couche-Tard translated into English means, “the person who goes to bed late; a night owl.” Last week, Junro Ito, a Seven & i executive who is a son of late founder Masatoshi Ito, offered a proposal to take the company private. Although 7-Eleven operates stores in 19 countries, Seven & i, is first and foremost a Japanese company that would prefer to remain the owner of 7-Eleven. I understand how the family and executives feel. However, there is a sad and brutal reality that can’t be ignored - Japan is becoming a Dead Zone. A birth rate of 2.07 is considered necessary to maintain a stable population. Japan’s birth rate is 1.20; one of the lowest in any country. The current population of Japan is 124M people. Compared with the 63.5M working-age people in 2017, there will only be 52M in 2040. By 2050, Japan’s population will decrease to 103M people. By 2100, there will be less than 70M people living in Japan. The Japan that Seven & i is desperately trying to protect is disappearing - a civilization dwindling to the point of eventually becoming extinct. I strongly advise Seven & i to remove the emotions from the discussions, and base their decision on selling the company on the brutal reality facing Japan. Note: I’m not advocating that Seven & i sell the company to Couche-Tard, without first exploring bids from other companies. I understand why Couche-Tard wants to acquire Seven & i, however, I suggest that Couche-Tard also fully assess all of their options. For example, CAVA or Dutch Bros Coffee, are possible acquisition targets. I like this option as Cava and Dutch Brothers have exceptional growth potential that will generate significant value. An acquisition of Dairy Queen should be assessed. I won’t be surprised if Berkshire-Hathaway is ready to sell Dairy Queen. An interesting possibility is partnering with Berkshire-Hathaway to acquire Chipotle Mexican Grill. Couche-Tard should also assess an acquisition of Kroger or Ahold Delhaize. The Wild Card: Couche-Tard should seek a buyer for the company while the economics are favorable. Couche-Tard has a market cap of $56B USD. I think Couche-Tard is going to make a massive mistake if they don’t at least explore this option. #retail #future #population #socialmedia

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Top Ramen manufacturer’s new CHRO wants to enrich company culture Karen Robinson hopes to keep a local flavor in the culture at each of Nissin Foods’ U.S. sites. Two months ago, Karen Robinson left the education space to tackle a spicy new challenge: Lead the people teams at Nissin Foods USA, maker of Top Ramen and Cup Noodles. QUESTION: What are your goals in this position? Nissin is really looking to drive a lot of growth … and innovation, both in our product line and in our packaging. Of course, with that comes a need for an elevated people strategy. We’re really focused on capability and capacity-building from the human capital side. Even just looking at our plant in Greenville, it should hopefully come close to doubling our capacity for manufacturing here in the U.S. That means we’re going to be hiring hundreds of new positions and really expanding our team in a new market and a new community. One of the things we’re really focused on as part of that Greenville expansion is learning about that local community and really making sure that we’ve got the right connections with the community, so that we can not only open the new plant and be successful on the business side but also be good stewards of that community. From our perspective, we’re really looking to not only grow our business but grow our positive impact as well. QUESTION: What are the emerging challenges in the HR industry? Manufacturing, in general, has been challenging from a labor perspective for some time. That goes from things like the lack of STEM education and the ability to bring critical skills, like engineering and technology skills, into the organization, to front-line labor. It’s really hard to compete for talent, particularly at that entry level. That’s something I think manufacturing is going to continue to struggle with. The other challenge is the evolving relationship that people have with their employer. As you have newer generations coming into the workforce, the expectations are very different than they were when I was coming into the workforce. Really balancing that out and making sure that we’re, from an HR perspective, working to create a culture, a benefits plan and development opportunities that cater to all of those different expectations is a huge challenge. #karenrobinson #nissinfoods #chro #hrchallenges #manufacturing https://lnkd.in/g5WeQ4TE

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What changes are taking the food and beverage industry by storm? Offhand, one of the biggest innovations that come to mind is AI or automation – “AI is already speeding up scientific research, streamlining stock management, and supporting regenerative agriculture through the evolution of green technology. It's also improving the consumer experience through functions such as product recommendations.” But what do you think? Which disruption is changing food for the better… Or the worse? #Food #ChangeManagement #FutureOfWork

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The most important impact living in Hawai'i had on my life was the way it changed my relationship to food (making me more attentive to what I eat 🥥, and strengthening the connection between what I eat and how I feel 🤸‍♀️). This happened first by accident, just by adapting to the way of life there (compared to life in New York City), and later became intentional as I started noticing the difference. Today food is about the biggest lever I use to positively impact my mental health on a daily basis (and I believe this potential is present for many). ☀️ That's why I’m pursuing certification in Nutritional Psychology via The Center for Nutritional Psychology (CNP) - an organization working to support the development of a nutritional component to mental healthcare by 2030. 🙌 Their curriculum introduces the science behind how nutrition influences every aspect of psychological functioning - including psychological, behavioral, cognitive, sensory-perceptive, interoceptive, and psychosocial - in order to address the Diet-Mental Health Relationship. 🧠 For anyone who's interested, here’s the link to explore further: https://lnkd.in/eimXRVRb 📸 by Anna Rooney

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Super excited to share that I will be speaking at the FoodNavigator Climate Smart Food Digital Summit on September 24-26, 2024. My presentation will focus on EO & Food Supply Chain, addressing the challenges of food insecurity due to climate change. Earth observation (EO) is a key innovative tool in the Food & Ag ecosystem, helping mitigate risks from climate change by tracking critical variables like weather, soil moisture, and water. Click below to learn more ⬇ https://lnkd.in/efUXPqnM #FoodNavigatorSummit #earthdaily #EObuiltforAI

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It's on! #today #live Special Guest, CEO Maria Cho of Triplebar talks about the strength of precision fermentation in the marketplace and how it will impact protein diversification. Don't know when precision fermentation is....take a deep dive with me on today's The Plantbased Business Hour with Elysabeth Alfano at 1p PT...right here! Join us and bring your questions. #ferementation #protein #plantbasedbusinesshour #innovation

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Move over Beer flights, we are all about Egg flights 🥚 ✈ Eggs are incredibly versatile, and now TikTok is elevating our dining experiences with a viral foodie trend. Led by content creator Alice Choi, whose video has garnered over 1.5 million views, the trend reimagines the classic deviled egg with gourmet ingredients such as kimchi, jalapenos, bacon, pesto, avocado, chili oil, salmon, and pickles. This creative twist begs the question: could we see this upscale version of deviled eggs available in convenient, ready-to-eat packages? It’s an exciting possibility for quick service restaurants like Starbucks or JOE & THE JUICE, tapping into the demand for unique, premium snacks.

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