Cultivating Tomorrow’s Food Systems
FutureTable collaborates with impact-oriented leaders as an advising partner, using technology and innovation to build inclusive, regenerative and nutritious food systems
Our Services
Strategy
Thought Partnership to articulate visions, iterate strategy, and navigate decision-making
Strategic Intelligence on food system trends and breakthrough opportunities
Research and Communication to share key ideas and results
Innovation
Design Thinking to unleash creativity and foster possibility
Entrepreneurship Support through prize design, incubators and accelerators
Expertise on the frontier technologies for food and ecological systems innovation
Collaboration
Workshop Design and Facilitation toward meaningful interaction and results
Multistakeholder Partner Engagement across sectors, geographies and industries
Coalition Building for initiatives pursuing systems change on complex issues
Our Clients
Agriculture, food and beverage companies seeking pragmatic, profitable and effective strategies
Technology firms expanding customer reach and impact in the food and climate spaces
Mission-driven start-ups and investors pursuing “moonshot” ideas and incubating new technologies applicable to social goals
Foundations, NGOs and farmers exploring innovative business models and technology-enabled services in the agri-food sector
Academics and experts focused on the role of business in society and the risks and opportunities of technology for sustainable development
International organizations striving to address food security and ecosystem regeneration through programs and partnerships
FutureTable supports a diverse portfolio of clients:
Select Projects
Stanford University
Supported design and strategy for a new enterprise, Food Systems for the Future, addressing malnutrition for poor & underserved communities through market-based solutions
ReFED
Advised on stakeholder engagement strategy to pursue impact at scale on food waste
Generation Africa
Co-led visioning and implementation of a multi-year partnership initiative to strengthen the ecosystem for agri-food entrepreneurship across Africa
United Nations
Designed and managed a global competition for Small and Medium Enterprises leading into the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit
XPRIZE Foundation
Served as Lead Advisor on breakthroughs for the future of food systems, as conveyed in an Impact Roadmap, and serving as a stimulus to innovation prize design
EIT Food
Provided input on strategic priorities for the European Knowledge and Innovation Community
Mars Inc.
Supported the sustainability and sourcing teams with guidelines and diagnostic tools to increase farmer income in the company’s global supply chains
Wasafiri
Articulated a signature systems change framework, Systemcraft, for tackling complex challenges
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Co-developed a strategic framework and partnerships portfolio for the agricultural vertical of Tech Impact 2030, which puts technology to work to solve social challenges
Blue Climate Initiative
Co-created an organization focused on ocean-based solutions for the climate crisis, with contributions including strategic visioning, incentive prize design and implementation, and co-authorship of a book, Transformational Opportunities for People, Ocean and Planet
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Served as a writer for the COVID-19 Vital Supply Chains – Food System Security project as part of the organization’s COVID-19 Response Program
Circle of Blue
Served the Executive Director to design strategy and partnerships for Designing Water’s Future
Founder and Lead Partner
Lorin Fries
Lorin is an expert on the future of food systems with over 15 years of experience. Prior to founding FutureTable she served as Head of Food Systems Collaboration at the World Economic Forum. She has advised Fortune 500 businesses, start-ups, international organizations, family foundations and NGOs. She speaks regularly at conferences and has published insights including with the Harvard Business Review, Harvard Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative, and Forbes. Lorin serves as a mentor (Global Social Benefit Incubator, ReFED), on advisory boards and judging panels (Rockefeller Foundation, Culinary Institute for America, Food System 6), and as an active contributor to several communities (Google Food Lab, among others). Lorin received a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
