Full Stack Food

On the face of it, the problem James Rogers was trying to solve for as a grad student is pretty simple: how can you get produce to last longer? Once the materials science PhD student started digging, he found out that nature already solves the problem…fruits and vegetables already have a natural protective coating to shield them from the elements and the effects of aging. Rogers has taken that principle and used it to come out with a natural coating that extends the shelf life of produce, all in the name of reducing food waste in the global supply chain. He named his Santa Barbara-based company Apeel, which today is worth more than 2 billion dollars. Apeel's retail partners include Costco and Kroger and its investors include Katy Perry and the one-and-only Oprah Winfrey. In this episode, Rogers explains why it took him years to develop his product, how he convinced skeptical grocers to buy it, and what it was like to pitch Oprah.