Growing Toward A Sustainable Future
A Conversation with Ben Zehr, Co-Founder of Kisano
“As we move toward a future with a shifting climate, increasingly scarce water, and less arable land, agriculture has to evolve,” says Ben Zehr, decked out in his company t-shirt complete with miniature doodles of kale and collard greens. This 25-year-old grew up shuttling between the midwestern United States and the Indian state of Maharashtra, and is the co-founder of Kisano, a vertical farm that supplies organic produce to some of Mumbai’s most frequented restaurants. “India’s food system is fractured — due to a poorly managed supply chain, the equivalent of $9 billion of harvested food is wasted before it reaches your plate. Heavy pesticide and chemical usage is the norm, tons of produce rot in improper storage, while fruits and vegetables are sold in unsanitary conditions. All of this means that less clean, less transparent, and less nutritious food makes it onto the urban Indian table.”
I had the chance to interview Ben about life as a young startup owner leading a quickly growing company that aims to transform the way food is grown in India. Read on to learn about his journey as one of the first in the space, and his vision for the future of his organization and career.
What is Kisano’s mission?
“Our mission is to create technology that makes clean, delicious produce more accessible than ever before. By developing precision indoor, vertical farms that control everything our plants need, we can reach people around the world with nutrient-rich food that consumers will actually want to eat.”
Kisano saves, on average, 35 liters of water per packet of lettuce sold, around 27 liters of water per pack of kale, and around 22 liters per box of tomatoes. The size of the farm is 1,500 square feet.
How did your journey to start Kisano begin?
“Though I studied economic development and food systems in college, I took a fairly ‘traditional’ path after graduation,” Ben shares. “Unsure of exactly how to best direct my education and motivation, I was drawn to management consulting thanks to its promise of building a broader and non-specific skill set quickly. This was definitely not a false promise.”
“That said, working at a consultancy in North America didn’t mesh with my long term goals of working directly in a field related to food systems or development.”
“It was something I knew but wouldn’t act on without at least the beginnings of a plan in place. After evaluating some ideas, my brother Brian and I decided to start a company that could influence the agricultural status quo India and beyond — thus Kisano was born. We started from the idea that we need new, technology-driven approaches to food security and nutrition. Through Kisano’s indoor, soilless growing systems, we can slash land and water requirements by 90 percent, provide just-harvested, never sprayed veggies directly to people’s homes, and do so 365 days a year.”
What do you think has allowed you to gain so much traction and support?
“Most importantly, we have focused on growing memorable produce — produce that people want to eat. Historically, our brains have evolved to associate flavor with nutrients — and many processed foods are engineered to have the flavors our brains crave, but lack the nutrients that our bodies need. As a result, our bodies are not nourished or satisfied and we continue to consume more calories that fail to deliver nourishment.”
“Our technology has focused heavily on delivering flavor. We analyze thousands of data-points, constantly gather feedback from some of the brightest culinary minds in the country and optimize recipes for each crop to make that bite memorable. In this way, we’re rebuilding the connection between flavor and nutrition.”
“Kisano would not be what it is today without the tremendous support and enthusiasm that restaurants and consumers have shown over the past months during our soft launch. People from all backgrounds are increasingly passionate about clean and sustainable eating, which has been a huge source of encouragement for us.”
What does Kisano’s culture look like?
“At Kisano, you’ll find people who are obsessed with the pursuit of perfect produce. We’re laser-focused on the details, doing things the right way and constantly improving. What we love to see are the ideas and process improvements that come from our team.”
“Fundamentally, our team understands that this isn’t just a story about hydroponics, lights, or automation. It is truly a technological opportunity to revolutionize the way we feed people and to repair people’s trust and relationship with food. We find this to be quite inspiring and feel a greater sense of responsibility for it.”
What is the most exciting challenge you’ve faced as a leader?
“The most daunting task as an entrepreneur is finding the right people, instilling the company’s values in them, and giving them space to grow into their role. This is particularly important as the company grows and all team members must take on greater responsibility to keep the business humming along.”
What are your plans for the future of Kisano?
“Our goal is to see our ever-improving farming systems operating across India and APAC in the next few years, while also developing downstream technologies that every new-age farmer can benefit from.”
What advice do you have for other young people looking to start a social enterprise?
Ben urges young people considering a career in entrepreneurship to start by asking themselves an important question: “What is the final impact I want to achieve through my work?” Ben stresses, “The answer to this question will be more valuable than any one specific startup idea you may have. Remembering your answer to this will be your best guide as you go through the inevitable ups and downs of starting a business.”
“If you have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, just take the plunge! In doing so, you will already be ahead of everyone else still stuck on the sidelines contemplating the possibility.”
What strikes me after my conversation with Ben is the importance of starting from a place of passion — of honing in on the questions that keep you up at night, and building both a career and a lifestyle around those.
Ben’s passion for plants is palpable. “If I could, I’d grow everything I consumed,” he said to me recently. Right down to the way he thinks about his own consumption, Ben lives the mission of Kisano through his actions every day.
What is the big question about the planet that’s been keeping you up at night? What are the values that you want to embody through your career?
