E61: Making more climate resilient chocolate with Kawa Project and CEO, Aaron Feigelman

Nick and Aaron Feigelman, the CEO of Kawa Project, dive deep on the world of waste-to-value alternatives to commodities like cocoa and palm oil. Specifically Nick and Aaron discuss why cocoa prices are soaring, how there’s a ton of ‘climate’ stories inherent to this dynamic, and the work Aaron’s company is doing to make cocoa alternatives that are sustainable and future-proof. In addition, Nick and Aaron walk through:

• All the climactic impacts inherent to supply chains for things like cocoa
• The benefit of waste-to-value approaches in climate tech and energy
• The nuts and bolts (or beans?) of the cocoa industry and Kawa Project’s business

Don't miss out on this podcast if you’re interested in learning more about the state of climate tech, food and agriculture, waste-to-value approaches, and more! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, Google, or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the latest episodes.

00:01:34 - Food Waste Statistics and Environmental Impact

00:04:51 - Challenges and Pivots in Business Model

00:08:05 - Kawa Project's Current Focus and Progress

00:13:43 - Impact Layers and Keeping Waste Out of Landfills

00:15:00 - The Iterative Process of Product Development

00:16:03 - The Economics of Waste Management

00:18:45 - Centralization of Cocoa Supply Chain

00:20:07 - Scale and Sales Cycle in B2B Ingredient Sales

00:23:59 - The Biggest Challenges for Kawa Project in 2024

00:27:38 - Aaron's Broader Thoughts on Climate and Industry

00:33:44 - The Free Market and Climate Solutions

Learn more about Kawa Project on their website: https://www.thekawaproject.com/

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Plus, stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool here: https://keepcool.co/ and follow Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasvanosdol/