Bruce Friedrich

Summary

Bruce Gregory Friedrich[1] (born August 7, 1969) is co-founder and president of The Good Food Institute (GFI),[2] a Y Combinator funded non-profit that promotes plant- and cultivated meat alternatives to conventional animal meat.[3][4] He is also a co-founder of the alternative protein venture capital firm New Crop Capital.[5] Friedrich previously worked for PETA and Farm Sanctuary.

Bruce Friedrich
Born
Bruce Gregory Friedrich

(1969-08-07) August 7, 1969 (age 54)
EducationGeorgetown University Law Center (D.Jur.)
Johns Hopkins University (MA in Education)
London School of Economics and Political Science (Economics)
Grinnell College (BA in English, Economics, and Religion)
OccupationNonprofit executive
SpouseAlka Chandna
Children1

Early life and education edit

Friedrich was born in West Lafayette, Indiana on August 7, 1969.[6] In 1987, he graduated from Norman High School in Norman, Oklahoma.[7] In 1996, Friedrich graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Grinnell College with a B.A. in English, Economics, and Religion.[6][8] He holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the London School of Economics, and received his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center, graduating magna cum laude, Order of the Coif.[9]

Career edit

Friedrich served as Director of Policy for four years at Farm Sanctuary.[10] Prior to that, he worked at PETA for 15 years. As Head of Public Campaigns, he led many of the organization's highest-profile campaigns,[11] including one from the early 2000s when PETA asked the Green Bay Packers football team to change its name, which had originated from a defunct meat packing plant in the Green Bay area.[12][13]

Friedrich worked with senior leaders at Mercy For Animals to launch The Good Food Institute (GFI) with the goal of transforming the food system by promoting price- and taste-competitive alternatives to animal products.[14][11] In recognition for his work at GFI, Friedrich was named an "American Food Hero" by the Eating Well magazine in 2021.[15][16]

Friedrich is a co-founder of New Crop Capital; a venture capital firm for funding the development of alternative proteins.[5]

Friedrich is a TED fellow;[9] in 2019, he gave a TED Talk that has since been viewed more than 2.3 million times and translated into more than 30 languages arguing that plant-based and cultivated meat have the potential to transform the global meat industry, preventing climate change, mitigating pandemic risk, and decreasing the prevalence of antibiotic resistant pathogens.[17]

Philanthropy edit

As an effective altruism advocate,[18] Friedrich is a member of Giving What We Can, a community of people who have pledged to donate a portion of their income to effective charities.[19]

Personal life edit

Friedrich is Christian and has been vegan since 1987.[20] He is married to Alka Chandna,[21] who works for PETA.[11]

Works edit

  • Friedrich, Bruce (2005). "Effective Advocacy: Stealing from the Corporate Playbook". In Singer, Peter (ed.). In Defence of Animals: The Second Wave. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4051-1941-2.
  • Ball, Matt; Friedrich, Bruce (2009). The Animal Activist's Handbook: Maximizing Our Positive Impact in Today's World. Lantern Books. ISBN 978-1590561201.
  • Freston, Kathy; Friedrich, Bruce (2018). Clean Protein: The Revolution that Will Reshape Your Body, Boost Your Energy—and Save Our Planet. Hachette Books. ISBN 978-1602863323.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Friedrich, Gustav W. (October 1, 2020). "National Communication Association Heritage Project". Review of Communication. 20 (4): 398–432. doi:10.1080/15358593.2020.1827495.
  2. ^ "Bruce Friedrich". The Good Food Institute. April 12, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  3. ^ Peters, Adele (August 21, 2018). "Y Combinator is funding a nonprofit that advocates for meat alternatives". Fast Company. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  4. ^ "About | The Good Food Institute". The Good Food Institute. January 5, 2021. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Burwood-Taylor, Louisa (March 17, 2016). "New Crop Capital Closes $25m Fund, Invests in Beyond Meat". AFN. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "[Unknown title]". The Des Moines Register. March 7, 2004. p. 34. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016. Bruce Friedrich Director of vegan campaigns, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Born: Aug. 7, 1969, West Lafayette, Ind. Education: High school, Norman, Okla.; Grinnell College, 1996 graduate, Phi Beta Kappa in English and economics
  7. ^ Tyree, James S. (September 15, 2010). "PETA vice president brings message home to Norman". The Oklahoman. Archived from the original on March 26, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2014. the Norman High School class of 1987 member
  8. ^ "Bruce Friedrich". AngelList. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016. Grinnell College economics, English, religion Phi Beta Kappa
  9. ^ a b "Bruce Friedrich". TED. Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  10. ^ Reese, Jacy (2018). The End of Animal Farming: How Scientists, Entrepreneurs, and Activists Are Building an Animal-Free Food System. Beacon Press. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-8070-1945-0.
  11. ^ a b c Popper, Nathaniel (March 12, 2019). "This Animal Activist Used to Get in Your Face. Now He's Going After Your Palate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  12. ^ "PETA has issues with Green Bay nickname". ESPN. June 26, 2000. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  13. ^ Addis, Don (July 16, 2000). "What a pick: PETA wants Green Bay Pickers". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  14. ^ Bowie, Richard (March 4, 2016). "MFA Launches New Sister Organization". VegNews. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  15. ^ Kauffman, Jonathan (June 8, 2021). "Meet the Innovator Behind the Plant-Based Meat Movement". EatingWell. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  16. ^ "The GFI's Bruce Friedrich is Named an "American Food Hero" For His Work in Alt Protein". vegconomist - the vegan business magazine. June 17, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  17. ^ Friedrich, Bruce (April 2019). The next global agricultural revolution.
  18. ^ "Bruce Friedrich: From Agitator to Innovator". Effective Altruism. October 2, 2018. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  19. ^ "Our Members". Giving What We Can. Archived from the original on April 14, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  20. ^ "Could Humane Food Ever Become the Norm?". Sarx. August 1, 2016. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  21. ^ Cooperman, Jeannette (August 29, 2008). "Bruce Friedrich, vice president of PETA". National Catholic Reporter. Archived from the original on October 10, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2021.

External links edit

  • Bruce Friedrich on The Good Food Institute's website
  • TED Talk: The next global agricultural revolution (2019)
  • Interviews with Bruce Friedrich:
    • Making Sense podcast with Sam Harris (2021)
    • 80,000 Hours podcast (2018)