0:00:16.213,0:00:19.233
Sometimes, it really does feel like[br]we need a revolution

0:00:19.233,0:00:22.661
when we think about[br]the challenges we face today:

0:00:22.661,0:00:25.883
debt crisis, political stalemates,

0:00:26.523,0:00:29.463
energy, the environment,

0:00:29.803,0:00:32.353
the food we're feeding our families.

0:00:32.963,0:00:35.613
But I don't think[br]we should be discouraged.

0:00:35.623,0:00:38.813
And today I'm going to talk[br]about the story of BrightFarms.

0:00:38.813,0:00:41.783
But I also want this to be an example -

0:00:41.783,0:00:46.273
an example for us as leaders,[br]as activists and as citizens,

0:00:46.273,0:00:48.743
an example for how we can think about

0:00:48.743,0:00:52.583
how some of our generation's[br]greatest problems, greatest challenges

0:00:52.583,0:00:56.963
can be converted into some[br]of our greatest business opportunities.

0:00:57.543,0:00:59.640
I want to start[br]by looking back a little bit.

0:00:59.640,0:01:02.927
I want you to raise your hand[br]if you were working in the food industry

0:01:02.927,0:01:04.067
five years ago.

0:01:05.232,0:01:06.883
Wow! A lot - more than half.

0:01:06.883,0:01:08.673
We're going to need that experience.

0:01:08.681,0:01:09.881
Five years ago, I wasn't.

0:01:09.881,0:01:12.911
Five years ago, I was running a business

0:01:12.911,0:01:18.151
that improved the supply chains[br]of big retailers and their suppliers.

0:01:18.151,0:01:19.807
I had a singular goal

0:01:19.807,0:01:25.817
which was to maximize the efficiencies[br]of systems that brought goods to stores.

0:01:26.088,0:01:31.348
And let me tell you, I am programmed[br]to live, breathe and, yes, eat efficiency.

0:01:31.348,0:01:33.731
I have a license plate[br]that reads "Efficient."

0:01:33.731,0:01:34.781
(Laughter)

0:01:34.781,0:01:36.211
It's true. I do.

0:01:39.166,0:01:43.646
When I followed my passion[br]and came into the food industry

0:01:43.646,0:01:46.856
and dug into the produce supply chain,

0:01:46.856,0:01:51.455
I encountered a system[br]that was at odds with itself.

0:01:51.741,0:01:57.751
Our produce supply chain[br]is incredibly efficient and inefficient

0:01:57.751,0:01:59.571
all at the same time.

0:01:59.571,0:02:02.221
First, here's how it's efficient.

0:02:02.221,0:02:06.221
It produces huge quantities[br]of food at low prices.

0:02:06.659,0:02:09.009
And here's how it's inefficient.

0:02:09.009,0:02:13.536
Our fresh produce[br]holds up to travel great,

0:02:13.536,0:02:17.276
but it can't uphold taste at all.

0:02:17.276,0:02:21.116
In fact, we grow produce for travel[br]and not for eating.

0:02:21.467,0:02:27.477
The system breeds foodborne illness,[br]and it's killing our environment.

0:02:27.989,0:02:32.779
Our fresh produce supply chain[br]is industrialized and centralized

0:02:32.779,0:02:38.999
to the point that it's an enormous[br]consumer of land, of water, of crude oil

0:02:38.999,0:02:40.579
and natural gas.

0:02:40.579,0:02:43.429
The more I learned,[br]the more I came to realize

0:02:43.429,0:02:46.370
that for all the good intentions[br]to feed the world,

0:02:46.370,0:02:50.210
parts of our food supply chain[br]aren't merely inefficient -

0:02:50.210,0:02:51.690
they're toxic.

0:02:52.100,0:02:56.310
If TED is about inspiration -[br]well, I was inspired.

0:02:56.312,0:02:59.892
I was inspired to rethink[br]the produce supply chain.

0:02:59.892,0:03:01.088
I was more than inspired.

0:03:01.088,0:03:05.148
I was compelled to develop[br]an alternative supply chain:

0:03:05.526,0:03:07.936
one that eliminated these inefficiencies

0:03:07.936,0:03:14.836
and that prioritized farmers,[br]quality food, our health, the environment

0:03:16.066,0:03:20.066
and still produced large quantities[br]of food at low prices.

0:03:21.211,0:03:23.330
I want to make a full stop[br]here for a second.

0:03:23.330,0:03:27.535
I want to ask each one of you[br]to visualize the best tomato

0:03:27.535,0:03:29.195
you've had in the last year.

0:03:29.675,0:03:31.005
Do you have it?

0:03:31.185,0:03:35.715
I want you to raise your hand[br]if it came from a supermarket.

0:03:36.778,0:03:38.098
(Laughter)

0:03:39.481,0:03:41.451
I can't believe that there's really zero.

0:03:41.451,0:03:42.461
(Laughter)

0:03:42.461,0:03:45.901
Although I am not surprised that it[br]would've at least been close to zero.

0:03:45.901,0:03:48.771
People typically visualize[br]the tomato from farmers' markets -

0:03:48.771,0:03:49.921
probably a lot of that -

0:03:49.921,0:03:51.891
gardens and restaurants.

0:03:51.891,0:03:57.451
Virtually nobody, or perhaps in this case,[br]literally nobody says supermarkets,

0:03:57.451,0:04:01.841
even when I asked that question[br]of supermarket executives.

0:04:01.841,0:04:03.251
(Laughter)

0:04:04.607,0:04:06.007
I'm serious.

0:04:06.571,0:04:11.251
The tomato I visualized[br]was produced by a six-year-old,

0:04:11.251,0:04:14.991
my beautiful daughter Emilia,[br]in our kitchen garden.

0:04:15.460,0:04:22.090
Emilia and I like to discuss how the most[br]important ingredient in food is love

0:04:22.600,0:04:26.270
and how you find love in the food[br]that someone grows or prepares

0:04:26.270,0:04:29.300
for someone they care about personally.

0:04:30.770,0:04:36.880
Emilia's tomato that I'm visualizing[br]and the tomatoes she grows in the garden

0:04:36.880,0:04:39.180
look a lot like this tomato.

0:04:39.180,0:04:42.730
And the tomato I visualized[br]was bursting with flavor;

0:04:42.730,0:04:44.680
it was bursting with love.

0:04:45.000,0:04:46.412
And this tomato?

0:04:48.777,0:04:50.037
Sucks!

0:04:50.037,0:04:51.377
(Laughter)

0:04:54.535,0:04:56.815
I'm serious. That tomato was awful.

0:04:56.815,0:04:58.685
(Laughter)

0:05:00.363,0:05:03.713
It was organic. It was expensive.

0:05:04.253,0:05:08.363
We bought it at a fancy supermarket[br]not far from here.

0:05:08.920,0:05:11.330
So why does it lack taste?

0:05:11.330,0:05:13.770
And nutrition too, by the way -[br]they run together.

0:05:13.770,0:05:18.200
And what does that tell us about[br]the supermarket tomatoes and lettuces

0:05:18.200,0:05:21.600
that we're buying[br]and feeding to our families?

0:05:22.505,0:05:26.125
These tomatoes[br]are international travelers.

0:05:26.125,0:05:30.337
They bounced here to New York[br]from Mexico in a 53-foot truck.

0:05:30.617,0:05:32.117
No wonder they suck.

0:05:34.607,0:05:38.007
That's typical, by the way,[br]for US supermarket tomatoes in the winter.

0:05:38.007,0:05:43.597
Did you know that nearly 100 percent[br]of supermarket lettuces in the US

0:05:43.597,0:05:45.197
come from just two places?

0:05:45.197,0:05:49.987
Near Salinas, California, in the summer[br]and Yuma, Arizona, in the winter.

0:05:50.411,0:05:54.771
These lettuces travel 3,000 miles[br]to reach the local grocery store here.

0:05:54.771,0:05:59.051
It's no surprise that lettuce is prone[br]to rotting before it's purchased

0:05:59.051,0:06:01.121
or right when people bring it home.

0:06:01.121,0:06:03.821
This causes huge losses for supermarkets,

0:06:03.821,0:06:08.021
and it makes my wife,[br]who loves fresh baby spinach, unhappy,

0:06:08.021,0:06:09.411
which makes me unhappy.

0:06:09.411,0:06:10.521
(Laughter)

0:06:10.907,0:06:15.387
Produce executives, produce buyers,[br]they don't want this.

0:06:15.387,0:06:19.027
They've actually got families of their own[br]that they're feeding with produce,

0:06:19.027,0:06:20.187
and they're good people.

0:06:20.187,0:06:22.957
But they're not just good people -[br]they're business people.

0:06:22.957,0:06:25.367
They want to bring you quality produce,

0:06:25.367,0:06:29.757
but they need to buy large quantities[br]of produce at low prices.

0:06:29.757,0:06:32.237
And right now, there's only[br]one option for that,

0:06:32.237,0:06:36.007
which is our industrialized[br]and centralized food system.

0:06:37.247,0:06:41.297
Incrementalism isn't going to do it.

0:06:41.677,0:06:45.462
Moving food faster or better[br]through this system

0:06:46.302,0:06:48.027
isn't going to solve these problems.

0:06:48.027,0:06:52.497
It's time for a revolution[br]in the produce supply chain.

0:06:52.497,0:06:59.387
Can you imagine a revolutionary new system[br]that had fewer miles, fewer trucks,

0:06:59.387,0:07:01.627
fewer tasteless tomatoes,

0:07:01.627,0:07:07.277
that had less foodborne illness,[br]less crude oil and less rotting lettuces?

0:07:07.279,0:07:09.989
Can you imagine[br]a revolutionary supply chain

0:07:09.989,0:07:12.059
where we went back to our roots

0:07:12.059,0:07:15.649
and grew and sold produce[br]in the same community

0:07:15.649,0:07:21.069
by a farmer who, like Emilia,[br]grew for taste instead of for travel?

0:07:21.069,0:07:23.129
And maybe even with a little bit of love.

0:07:23.129,0:07:24.759
You think that'll be better?

0:07:25.579,0:07:27.054
Do you think that'll be better?

0:07:27.054,0:07:28.189
(Audience) Yes.

0:07:28.189,0:07:29.725
We think so at BrightFarms too.

0:07:29.725,0:07:31.045
And you know who else does?

0:07:31.045,0:07:33.755
Produce buyers[br]at supermarkets, they do too.

0:07:33.755,0:07:36.585
In fact, nearly 20 percent[br]of the top 50 US supermarkets

0:07:36.585,0:07:38.515
are already working with BrightFarms

0:07:38.515,0:07:42.015
to try to make this revolutionary[br]new system a reality.

0:07:42.235,0:07:45.855
The industry is reacting[br]with huge enthusiasm.

0:07:45.855,0:07:51.415
Produce buyers sincerely want to bring [br]great food at great prices

0:07:51.415,0:07:52.465
to their customers.

0:07:52.465,0:07:54.375
They just need a better option.

0:07:54.847,0:07:57.917
So, how is BrightFarms going to do this?[br]What are we doing?

0:07:57.917,0:08:01.617
How are we going to bring[br]large quantities of food at low prices

0:08:01.617,0:08:04.447
that's better quality[br]and better for the environment?

0:08:04.447,0:08:07.077
It sounds hard, but the answer[br]is surprisingly simple.

0:08:07.077,0:08:09.777
We're building greenhouse farms,

0:08:09.777,0:08:13.147
but it's how we're building them[br]and where we're building that matters.

0:08:13.147,0:08:14.944
We're building them at supermarkets,

0:08:14.944,0:08:17.594
on their roofs,[br]at their distribution centers

0:08:17.594,0:08:20.544
and always in their communities.

0:08:20.544,0:08:22.974
BrightFarms provides a turnkey solution.

0:08:23.434,0:08:28.864
We finance it, we build it, we manage it[br]for our supermarket clients

0:08:28.864,0:08:33.394
in a way that cuts time, distance[br]and costs from the produce supply chain.

0:08:33.394,0:08:37.004
We're building hydroponic,[br]recirculating greenhouses

0:08:37.004,0:08:41.954
and recruiting farmers across the country[br]to bring better produce to everybody.

0:08:42.624,0:08:43.904
Here's how the deal works.

0:08:43.904,0:08:47.644
We put up the money,[br]we build the facility,

0:08:47.924,0:08:51.814
we find, we nurture, we support,[br]we train the local farmer.

0:08:51.814,0:08:55.814
The supermarket is required[br]to put up zero investment.

0:08:55.814,0:08:59.424
They merely commit to buying[br]produce that's better.

0:09:00.138,0:09:01.778
That's not enough, by the way.

0:09:01.778,0:09:06.088
Zero investment[br]and better produce on their own

0:09:06.088,0:09:07.768
doesn't satisfy their requirements.

0:09:07.768,0:09:09.808
There's another factor,[br]which is the price.

0:09:09.808,0:09:12.448
If we can't meet or beat[br]current market pricing,

0:09:12.448,0:09:15.418
this is going to remain[br]a fringe initiative.

0:09:15.418,0:09:17.178
And I'm not interested in the fringe.

0:09:17.178,0:09:19.338
I am interested in making a difference.

0:09:19.338,0:09:22.288
But we can meet or beat existing prices.

0:09:22.288,0:09:26.188
We do it by having a shorter[br]and simpler supply chain.

0:09:27.407,0:09:33.354
More than half the cost[br]of this lettuce isn't the lettuce -

0:09:33.354,0:09:38.294
it's the long and complex supply chain[br]that gets it to your local grocery store.

0:09:38.294,0:09:41.754
We simply operate without that long[br]and complex supply chain,

0:09:41.754,0:09:45.924
so we have lower operating costs[br]than the traditional industry.

0:09:45.924,0:09:50.684
We can sell at low enough prices[br]to meet or beat current market prices.

0:09:51.169,0:09:55.169
This is a case where less is truly more.

0:09:56.188,0:09:58.112
So, is our business model working?

0:09:58.112,0:09:59.132
It is.

0:09:59.132,0:10:00.832
We actually just recently announced[br]

0:10:00.832,0:10:03.302
the industry's first[br]long-term produce agreement.

0:10:03.302,0:10:06.252
It's with a great supermarket[br]called McCaffrey's.

0:10:06.252,0:10:10.132
We're building them a greenhouse[br]at their store in Yardley, Pennsylvania.

0:10:10.132,0:10:12.842
And I want all of you to go there[br]and check it out.

0:10:12.842,0:10:16.406
Jim McCaffrey, like many[br]supermarket executives,

0:10:16.406,0:10:19.166
cares deeply about his customers.

0:10:19.756,0:10:22.696
He's not just a great businessman.

0:10:22.696,0:10:24.326
He's a visionary as well.

0:10:24.326,0:10:28.519
And he had a vision to commit[br]to a revolutionary new system

0:10:28.519,0:10:33.189
that's bringing better tomatoes[br]and consistent, fantastic lettuces

0:10:33.189,0:10:36.339
to his store shelves[br]on the day that they're picked.

0:10:37.003,0:10:41.473
And by the way, we care[br]about McCaffrey's customers

0:10:41.473,0:10:42.873
as much as Jim does.

0:10:42.873,0:10:46.433
We're not going to be anonymous,[br]3,000 miles away.

0:10:46.433,0:10:49.243
Our farmer won't be 3,000 miles away.

0:10:49.243,0:10:52.313
He'll be three blocks away from the store.

0:10:52.313,0:10:53.463
He'll be living,

0:10:53.463,0:10:58.103
sending his kids to school,[br]creating jobs and growing produce

0:10:58.103,0:11:00.852
in the same community[br]as McCaffrey's customers

0:11:00.852,0:11:04.412
and shopping in the same produce aisles[br]right there with them.

0:11:05.652,0:11:11.152
When we started - earlier, I said[br]that TED Talks were about inspiration.

0:11:12.180,0:11:15.450
I've been inspired by many of you here[br]today, and I thank you for it.

0:11:15.450,0:11:18.955
And I hope I've had the chance[br]to inspire some of you as well,

0:11:18.955,0:11:23.805
inspire you to not be discouraged[br]by the problems you're facing

0:11:24.246,0:11:27.126
with the supply chains[br]in which you feel like you're stuck,

0:11:27.126,0:11:29.746
but instead, to think[br]about these challenges

0:11:29.746,0:11:32.796
as opportunities to start[br]your own revolutions.

0:11:32.796,0:11:34.136
And in our case,

0:11:34.136,0:11:38.516
a revolutionary opportunity[br]to bring our society produce

0:11:38.516,0:11:42.906
that's safer, healthier, tastier,[br]better for the environment

0:11:42.906,0:11:46.896
and bursting with the most important[br]ingredient of all: love.

0:11:46.896,0:11:48.716
(Applause)