Brendon Krieg of Revol Greens: Five Strategies Our Company Is Using To Tackle Climate Change & Become More Sustainable
Engage in conversation — Talk to your kids about issues like climate change and how decisions we all make today can shape the future. Teach them to be leaders in the conversation with their peers and how collectively we can make an impact.
As part of our series about how companies are becoming more sustainable, we had the pleasure of interviewing Brendon Krieg Co-Founder & Vice President — Revol Greens.
Prior to joining the Revol Greens’ team, Brendon led sourcing for the leafy green and greenhouse categories for Target’s 1,800+ stores. Brendon managed a supply chain for a $230 million category driving over 100% growth in a 4-year period and began his career at C.H. Robinson where he managed a $180 million portfolio of fresh produce business and managed the sale of key vegetable categories to retail and food service customers. Brendon is a graduate of St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN with a major in management and minor in economics.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I’ve been in fresh produce/supply chain my entire career. Prior to Revol Greens I was working for Target Corporation responsible for sourcing vegetables for 1800+ stores. While there I experienced first-hand the challenges facing traditional agriculture models and the impact of climate change. What started as an interest in securing high quality, reliable fresh produce, turned into a passion for sustainable growing methods. Although I had been in the business for nearly 15 years, my knowledge was in retail supply chain and marketing. Building, growing and operating in a greenhouse is a totally different skillset. Through relationships and networking, Revol Greens was formed with an all-star team of like-minded individuals with a broad skillset across the entire fresh supply chain. Five years later, the broad experience and knowledge of our team remains our biggest competitive advantage and the main reason for our success.
What is the mission of your company? What problems are you aiming to solve?
Our mission is simple really — To provide the freshest, best tasting, sustainably grown lettuce and greens to consumers every day. The mission is simple but the challenges facing traditional outdoor-grown production are complex. A growing population and a changing climate mean the industry needs to adapt. We are seeing the impacts of extreme drought and volatile weather patterns on our food supply and it will only get worse. Our goal is to revolutionize the fresh food supply chain starting with lettuce and greens. Growing in regional greenhouses is a climate resilient, sustainable alternative using 90% less water and no pesticides, with up to 30 times more production output per acre. Growing closer to the consumer reduces long trucking routes and food waste while providing a fresher alternative to the end user.
Can you tell our readers about the initiatives that you or your company are taking to address climate change or sustainability? Can you give an example for each?
Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. Combining high tech greenhouses with traditional growing allows us to be incredibly efficient. In our greenhouse environment, there really is no waste. Water use is 1/10th of field production as the plant only takes what it needs, there is no run-off, and we harness the energy needs of the plant from direct sunlight. To grow year-round in nearly any climate, we supplement low winter light periods with high efficiency LED lighting and utilize hundreds of sensors to monitor climate and adjust to optimal growing conditions. Revol Greens operates 30 acres of greenhouse production with another 10 coming online late this year. This is equivalent to 1,200 acres of field production saving approximately 800 million gallons of water annually.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
I think the theme here that can translate to nearly any business is producing more with less. There is a cost to nearly every input whether producing a widget or growing lettuce. One of our biggest inputs is energy. 80% of our energy needs come from free natural sunlight. The remaining 20% are optimized efficiently through things like; climate screens to insulate and protect, ventilation for natural cooling, LED spectrum lighting specifically designed for lettuce, water filtration and reclamation systems, and high-efficient heating systems that convert CO2 emissions into natural fertilizer for plants. This all translates to lower production costs while greatly reducing our environmental footprint.
The youth led climate strikes of September 2019 showed an impressive degree of activism and initiative by young people on behalf of climate change. This was great, and there is still plenty that needs to be done. In your opinion what are 5 things parents should do to inspire the next generation to become engaged in sustainability and the environmental movement? Please give a story or an example for each.
Model Sustainable Behaviors — Kids are sponges and learn so much from their parents. Simple everyday decisions like recycling, reducing energy use, and choosing environmentally-friendly products are all important ways to show our kids we care about protecting the environment and the future of our planet.
Your purchase decisions are more powerful than you may think: There has been a tremendous growth of brands with a focus on sustainability in the last few years. As demand for sustainable and environmentally-conscious products grows, innovative companies emerge and existing industry leaders adapt. Take electric vehicles, for example. Tesla has led the charge with innovation; now nearly every car company is racing to release electric vehicles and increase production capacity due to huge consumer demand.
Learn together– Take advantage of learning opportunities together. Plant a garden, start a compost bin, research a company’s sustainability practices. Discuss what your kids are learning about in school on environmental issues and what changes you can make at home to do your part.
Encourage them to ask questions and challenge brands regarding their sustainability practices– There are so many forums to provide feedback to companies and these companies are all listening. We get a lot of feedback from consumers and its incredibly valuable. Whether it’s a new variety request or questioning our packaging strategy, it all helps to shape the direction of our company and where to focus our energy.
Engage in conversation — Talk to your kids about issues like climate change and how decisions we all make today can shape the future. Teach them to be leaders in the conversation with their peers and how collectively we can make an impact.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
Starting a new business is hard– We all know starting a new business venture requires a lot of hard work, but there will inevitably be setbacks and roadblocks that you don’t anticipate. We’ve faced a lot of unanticipated challenges along the way, and had to be resilient and adaptable in order to face them and move forward.
It will be a rollercoaster of ups and downs — There will times of “What were we thinking?” and times of “This was a great idea!”
Bring in the experts — No matter how much experience you have in a field, you will face challenges you haven’t faced before. Don’t be afraid to seek help from peers, mentors, or consultants.
Utilize your network — Your network of professional and personal contacts can be a powerful resource. Use it to seek connections and advice when needed.
5.Expect the unexpected — Always be ready to adapt your business to changing market conditions.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Definitely my wife, Sara. She has always supported and encouraged my “crazy ideas” while simultaneously building her own career. I think every entrepreneur needs a strong support system, both professionally and personally, and she definitely leads mine.
Do you have a favorite life lesson quote? Can you tell us how that was relevant to you in your own life?
I’m a big Pearl Jam fan and have always loved this lyric from their song “Release” — “I’ll ride the wave where it takes me”. To me it means being resilient and adaptable to changes that may be out of our control. The pandemic is a perfect example as it has impacted nearly every business model and required us all to adapt.
How can our readers further follow you or your company’s work online? (published articles, website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram)
Website: https://www.revolgreens.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RevolGreens
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revolgreens/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/revol-greens
Thank you for these great insights and for the time you spent with this interview. We wish you only continued success!
Brendon Krieg of Revol Greens: Five Strategies Our Company Is Using To Tackle Climate Change &… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.