An Interview With Martita Mestey
To be patient. We have many customers where it starts with curiosity, they ask basic questions, and then it begins to percolate. The sell-cycle can take a couple of years, so being patient, helping to educate, and creating a robust opportunity pipeline.
It has been estimated that each year, more than 100 billion pounds of food is wasted in the United States. That equates to more than $160 billion worth of food thrown away each year. At the same time, in many parts of the United States, there is a crisis caused by people having limited access to healthy & affordable food options. The waste of food is not only a waste of money and bad for the environment, but it is also making vulnerable populations even more vulnerable.
Authority Magazine started a new series called “How Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Supermarkets, Hospitality Companies and Food Companies Are Helping To Eliminate Food Waste.” In this interview series, we are talking to leaders and principals of Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Supermarkets, Hospitality Companies, Food Companies, and any business or nonprofit that is helping to eliminate food waste, about the initiatives they are taking to eliminate or reduce food waste.
As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Stephany, Senior Vice President of Sales at World Centric.
In July 2016, Mark Stephany joined World Centric, a leading manufacturer of plant-based, 100% compostable tableware sold in foodservice, retail, club stores and e-commerce across North America. World Centric is a Certified B Corporation, donating 25% of its profits to social and environment grass root organizations, and is committed to 100% carbon offset. The business exists to support the mission of improving the environment and easing social inequalities.
Prior to joining World Centric, Mark held various leadership positions at Kellogg Company from 2002–2016. In his last role he was Vice President, Commercial National Accounts, a business unit of Kellogg Specialty Channels. The scope of his leadership roles at Kellogg’s included commercial and non-commercial national accounts, foodservice, military, vending, and custom foods.
Prior to joining Kellogg’s he held various sales and customer marketing positions at Kraft Foods in the foodservice, retail, convenience and vending channels.
Mr. Stephany was a contributing member of the Marriott Foundation’s Bridges program, supporting young adults with disabilities. He was the recipient of the foundation’s 2014 Leadership Award and the 2016 National Leadership Award presented by Mr. Richard Marriott.
He was also honored as a leader in the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance. He was a supporter of KAPABLE, a Kellogg employee resource group that supports people with disabilities, and K Pride and Allies supporting the LGTBQ community in Chicago. Mark also supported Kellogg women’s career development through the Women of Foodservice Forum.
Mark is a native of Iowa, holding a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Iowa. His hobbies include reading, cooking, collecting vinyl records and traveling.
Mark resides in Spicewood, Texas — in the Texas Hill Country outside Austin with his wife Susan.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
It was more of a continuous journey than a specific “ah ha” moment. I’ve had a successful career at major CPG companies like Kraft/Heinz and Kellogg, but the one thing that was missing was the opportunity to make an impact, to do purpose-driven work. I was at Kellogg, really enjoyed my work, the company and my team when I was recruited by World Centric. World Centric offered the opportunity to build a small company into a large player in our space, which would magnify our giving and ability to make an impact on people and the planet. Our customers are curious about compostable packaging and most are passionate about improving the environment. It’s rewarding to help them on their journey. It’s been exciting to develop a great sales team whose primary function is to educate, more than traditional selling, all in an effort to support our customers’ journey to becoming more sustainable in their practices. Our passion builds as we see the impact we can make through others — as large operators and chains replace large amounts of styrofoam with compostable packaging that turns back to soil in commercial composting facilities. It’s a great feeling!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company or organization?
I recall one conversation with a customer, for example. He inquired about our products, but wasn’t necessarily on board with sustainability. He had said his customers wanted it, and you could tell that he didn’t necessarily understand why. I asked if he enjoyed any hobbies outdoors, and he said that he did — he loved fishing. Then, I asked how he felt about finding styrofoam in the lakes and streams. That’s when it clicked. It won him over and brought him into the fold. So it’s a learning curve that happens. Many people are on the very start of the journey towards sustainability, and to understanding how the environment impacts them. There is that moment on their journey where they start to realize that sustainability is important to our world, for all of us. World Centric was named World Centric to help people be more world-centric, and not just me-centric. Being part of that change in people is always very interesting.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Probably when I agreed to wear a skin-tight bodysuit in a skit as part of our national retreat. Someone thought it would be a good idea that I wear it and be part of a skit at the event. People were laughing. We have a great culture of people. I learned that it’s all in good fun, and that it’s good to be self-deprecating sometimes. And, not to wear that suit again! It’s an important lesson for a lot of leaders — to be a servant, to be willing to be a little self-deprecating, and to have fun.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
To me, leadership is investing and building into great people to where they are skilled, confident and empowered to take on problems and opportunities that are not only in their scope, but bigger than their domain, and to support their ability to accomplish their goals. I think about how to build my team’s confidence and capabilities so they can improve, to become better critical thinkers and problem solvers. Our collective teams have grown the company four fold — this only happens when you have great people who are empowered and equipped to do great things. The core of leadership is how you build into people to achieve their personal and professional goals, because both are important to their success and the success of our business. One of the greatest accomplishments is to see a staff member grow in their job, get promoted and succeed in bigger roles — knowing you played a small role in nurturing their development.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I have two. The first is, “A’s hire A’s, B’s hire C’s” and maybe even hire a few “D’s,” (attributed to Donald Rumsfeld). Sometimes, it’s easier for managers to not hire people who they feel may challenge their thinking and decisions. A’s don’t mind hiring A’s knowing that challenging their ideas is part of a healthy process. It’s having the confidence that you’re hiring top talent — and yes, they will occasionally challenge your ideas, thinking and plans, and perhaps someday they may replace you, but the betterment of the organization comes first — not personal security. The second is “It’s better to be interested than interesting,” (attributed to Dale Carnegie). Everyone wants to tell you things that are important to them. Most sales people fall into the trap of wanting to be interesting, when it’s better to be interested, authentically interested. With that comes truly consultative selling and interactions. To me, that’s the sales profession at its best. To genuinely care, ask probing questions, actively listen and then bring solutions. Resist the urge to start with ‘Let me tell you how great this or that is’.
OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Let’s begin with a basic definition of terms so that all of us are on the same page. What exactly are we talking about when we refer to food waste?
In a foodservice environment, food waste includes food from “back of the house”, from the prep and assembly kitchens, and food from “front of the house,” which is leftover food on your plate after the meal. Prior to arriving in a foodservice establishment there’s food waste that occurs along the supply chain — at the grower/producer, in transport, during warehouse and shipping, but for foodservice operators, it’s waste that occurs back and front of the house at their location.
Can you help articulate a few of the main causes of food waste?
Highly anecdotal, but there seems to be more waste at the front of house than back of house. But, it is significant on both ends. There is always going to be significant waste as long as we continue our current ways of doing things. Many products have a shelf life of only a few days, and there is waste from either over-production or poor rotation. These are examples of back of the house waste. Front of the house waste is exacerbated by America’s love with large portion sizes. According to a 2017 National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) report, average food waste is at 125 and 160 billion pounds of food a year. About 40% of our food supply goes uneaten, at a $218 billion value and makes up 20% of all landfill content. Foodservice waste specifically is 22 and 33 billion pounds annually. Patrons leave 17% of their meals unfinished, and less than half of those leftovers go home with them. The majority of this goes to landfills, breaks down and turns into methane, which is more toxic even though it has a shorter life in the atmosphere.
What are a few of the obstacles that companies and organizations face when it comes to distributing extra or excess food? What can be done to overcome those barriers?
For nearly all foodservice operators they strive to not run out of food for their menu items. They don’t know precisely how many people will come through their doors. So, they have to prepare for the number of patrons they think will walk in. They’re buying, prepping and storing food all before they unlock their doors. The inherent challenge is how well they can forecast, but it’s really difficult to get it 100% right every time. So, there’s a tendency to over-produce. If you don’t sell all that you prepared you may be able to carry it over to the next day. But, often there are limitations and waste occurs. One way to overcome this is to plan menu items with fewer ingredients, with more interchangeable ingredients that can be multipurpose . Another is to use items with a longer shelf life, though when using fresh ingredients this can be challenging. There are foodservice operators overcoming food waste by making “just-in-time” food, where it’s all about fresh-made without overpreparing. We make X amount and once it’s sold out, it’s gone. Customers learn to expect the limited quantity, they accept it and know that menu items will run out. It can be a positive part of your business model to create demand and urgency. Franklin’s BBQ here in Austin is a great example. They prep a limited amount of brisket and plan to run out daily. Smaller portions can help reduce food waste as well. Consumer behaviors can be changed based on accepting just-in-time food service, smaller portions, and taking home leftover food.
Can you describe a few of the ways that you or your organization are helping to reduce food waste?
Moving our culture and society to be more sustainable is a game of singles and doubles instead of home runs. World Centric is one part of a complex solution to improving the environment. Our goal as a company is to move restaurant operators from petroleum-based packaging to plant-based, compostable packaging. Compostable packaging helps divert food waste from the landfill to nutrient rich compost, where it ultimately turns to soil. That compost has value. At the lowest level, it gets sold and spread in landscape beds. At a higher level, it’s sold in stores or to farms to support food production — bringing food waste full cycle. We also advocate and create awareness with operators and consumers. The fact that they’re using food packaging that is better for them and the environment starts a conversation and creates awareness of other issues. Our society will likely never eliminate food waste, but we can all make strides and it starts with awareness.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help address the root of this problem?
One of the biggest is to support local composters. Many local composters are trying to get their businesses started, to stay viable. It’s a business with challenges, specifically a high amount of non-compostable materials that needs to be sorted out, as well the time it takes for the feedstock to fully compost. The more local communities can support these businesses the more we can move towards addressing landfill waste. Perhaps local governments can provide grants or subsidies to offset longer decomposition cycles. We need to raise awareness that we have better, more sustainable options to bury or incinerate everything we discard. In short, we need to be more patient with the composting process. That’s where governments and communities can help. An example of this are new laws in California to move people to composting. The infrastructure isn’t there to support it because composters are under pressure to turn their piles (feedstock organic waste) in 30 days. It’s barely enough time to effectively break most compostable waste down, so it’s forcing some composters to start rejecting some compostable materials that would otherwise be accepted. Another way is to help curtail misinformation and miscommunication, and get organizations and governments working together. For example, composters are put into a position where they can’t take compostable materials because the Organic Trade Association doesn’t consider plant-based plastic (PLA) organic. Getting everyone talking and working together to put systems and solutions in place starts at the top — new laws, bills, and incentives, and so on. The infrastructure is currently very spotty and it needs to support, and to be nurtured. Third, it’s helping consumers to start paying attention to foodservice operators and whether or not they’re using compostable materials. The more they pay attention to who they are opening their wallets to, and being mindful of the environment, the more they will help make change happen. Companies and communities will change when consumer demand is there.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- I grew up in the food industry, started in operations, then selling food products. Learning aspects about packaging was a learning curve. It’s a different category with a lot of nuances. There was a learning curve for someone steeped in food for their entire career.
- To understand the impact on the environment and the life cycle and components of using one type of packaging material versus another, and how to help a cost conscious operator move from using foam to compostable packaging. I credit our Marketing team with great information and materials that support educating the trade.
- To be patient. We have many customers where it starts with curiosity, they ask basic questions, and then it begins to percolate. The sell-cycle can take a couple of years, so being patient, helping to educate, and creating a robust opportunity pipeline.
- That schools are a powerful force towards sustainability. I never thought K-12 schools were a hotbed for helping to change the environment. School districts are now telling us that PTA parents are pressuring them to be more environmentally conscious. Schools are generally very price-conscious, but they’re listening to passionate PTA moms and dads that don’t want their kids eating food on foam or plastic. And a new generation is learning about the benefits of compostability and diverting waste from landfills.
- That sustainability awareness and practices are accelerating. It was still fairly niche when I joined World Centric five years ago. It was embraced by really progressive companies on both coasts, but now we have major clients all across the country, and projects under development with major QSR food chains. Their patrons are demanding more sustainable packaging. The adoption curve has moved from Early Adoption to Early Majority. It’s great news for the packaging industry as more consumers are demanding compostable packaging. It’s happening faster than ever, it’s great to see.
Are there other leaders or organizations who have done good work to address food waste? Can you tell us what they have done? What specifically impresses you about their work? Perhaps we can reach out to them to include them in this series.
One that I heard of is an initiative at Compass Group, one of the world’s largest foodservice contract management companies, to buy and use more fruits and vegetables that are traditionally considered imperfect. Imperfect produce can be a big contributor to food waste, and they set out to source and use imperfect produce as a way of reducing food waste. Additionally, we had a chain client that changed from mixing salads in mixing bowls to mixing in the serving bowl. That eliminated food left in the mixing bowl as well as the water used to clean the mixing bowl. It supported sustainability on two fronts. One other, I recall that Aramark had an initiative where schools weighed food waste after meal periods and shared it with their students. Just creating that awareness was enough to create change among the students to help reduce food waste.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
To create awareness that big substantial changes don’t require big substantial actions. It’s the series of small choices that we all make collectively, everyday, in our lives that have a huge impact. It starts with awareness, coupled with taking time to learn, influencing your friends and family, and the people you come into contact with. The more people who understand that we need to make changes, and that small changes can make a big impact, the more big changes occur. None of us should feel powerless, we can all make a positive impact.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I would love to share a meal with Pete Buttigieg. He is the face of progressive change in our country. He’s bright, intelligent and courageous. I think our country needs fresh thinking, and I admire him for his thoughtful, articulate approach. I would enjoy hearing more about his vision for the future and how to bring others along.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
They can follow us at worldcentric.com and on social media @worldcentric. We post about our impact and raise awareness on LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media platforms. Our Dirt blog on our website shares the impact that our company is making. Whenever you go to our website, or see any of our products and materials, our mission and impact is our biggest priority. Our products are always second to it.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much, and we wish you only continued success.
Reducing Food Waste: Mark Stephany Of World Centric On How They Are Helping To Eliminate Food Waste was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.