Food Tank

Food Tank is a United States-based nonprofit organization and global community focused on improving the ways food is produced, distributed, consumed, and governed. Founded in 2013, it operates at the intersection of food-system research, journalism, public education, policy advocacy, and coalition building. Rather than functioning as a conventional consumer-food brand, Food Tank serves as an information and convening platform for farmers, researchers, chefs, businesses, government officials, activists, unions, nonprofit organizations, and other participants in the food economy. Its work covers sustainable and regenerative agriculture, food and nutrition security, food waste, climate change, biodiversity, urban agriculture, labor, Indigenous foodways, food policy, and the relationship between food and public health. The organization publishes news, analysis, interviews, and research-oriented material through its website, with the stated aim of creating a science-informed basis for practical change. It also highlights local and community-led solutions, seeking to amplify projects that are already addressing inequity, environmental degradation, and unhealthy food environments. A major part of Food Tank's public-facing activity is its event program. It launched the Food Tank Summit in Washington, D.C., in 2015 and subsequently held summits in cities including Boston, Chicago, New York City, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. These gatherings bring together participants from across the food system rather than limiting discussion to one professional sector. Food Tank has also developed recurring programming at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Climate Week NYC, London Climate Action Week, the Sundance Film Festival, and SXSW. These programs connect food and agriculture with climate policy, investment, technology, media, culture, and community resilience. Food Tank's advocacy has included work on federal food policy. In 2022, it convened an official listening session related to the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, focusing on coordination between nutrition and food-security research. It also participated in a coalition supporting the Food Donation Improvement Act, which became law in January 2023. In 2025, the organization convened a Capitol Hill discussion on ultra-processed foods and United States health policy, bringing together policymakers, public-health experts, and food-system researchers. The organization has expanded beyond written research and conferences. In 2014, it collaborated with the James Beard Foundation on the annual Good Food Org Guide, a directory of nonprofit organizations working on food-system improvement. In 2018, it launched the Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg podcast, featuring conversations with chefs, experts, and activists about their visions for a better food system. Food Tank has also used film, theater, live storytelling, and music to make food and climate issues accessible to wider audiences. Projects have included WeCameToDance, an interactive musical about the climate crisis; Little Peasants, an immersive play about workplace unionization; and farmer-storytelling programs centered on women, Indigenous producers, and other voices often underrepresented in mainstream food discussions. Food Tank's current identity is therefore that of a mission-driven knowledge and influence platform. Its outputs include editorial content, directories, podcasts, summits, policy sessions, cultural productions, and international partnerships. The available reference material does not establish a corporate parent, commercial ownership structure, public listing, or conventional product portfolio.

Food Tank was established in 2013 as a nonprofit research and advocacy organization concerned with the transformation of global food systems. Its work developed around the premise that food policy should be discussed as a connected system involving agriculture, health, labor, climate, economics, culture, and social equity. The organization combines original and curated research, editorial publishing, public events, partnerships, and advocacy rather than selling food products or operating a conventional commercial media business. In 2014, Food Tank partnered with the James Beard Foundation to publish the Good Food Org Guide. The annual directory was designed to identify nonprofit organizations working toward a more sustainable and equitable food system, extending Food Tank's role from commentator to connector and resource provider. The guide also reflected the organization's emphasis on distributed, local, and community-based solutions. Food Tank launched its first Food Tank Summit in Washington, D.C., in 2015. The summit format brought together people who are often separated by professional boundaries, including farmers, chefs, researchers, government representatives, business leaders, nonprofit advocates, and labor organizations. Later summits were held in several U.S. cities, including Boston, Chicago, New York City, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Seattle. These events became a central mechanism for public education and coalition building. In 2018, the organization introduced Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, a podcast in which its president speaks with chefs, academics, activists, and other practitioners about the food systems they want to build. The podcast broadened Food Tank's reach beyond conferences and written material while retaining its emphasis on practical examples and reform-oriented debate. The organization's international profile grew through recurring climate-related programming. Beginning in 2021, Food Tank hosted annual activities connected with the United Nations Climate Change Conference. At COP26 in Glasgow, it partnered with Aleph Farms and Nourish Scotland for a conversation on alternative approaches to meat. At subsequent conferences, including COP27, COP28, and COP29, it worked with organizations such as Compassion in World Farming, ProVeg International, CGIAR, and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. Topics included sustainable meat, climate finance, food security, and the contribution of agriculture to climate solutions. Danielle Nierenberg also participated in discussions in the COP Blue Zone. Food Tank has developed similar programming at Climate Week NYC and London Climate Action Week. These events have addressed food waste, climate-resilient agriculture, investment, technology, oceans, and the role of food in climate policy. The organization has collaborated with universities, environmental groups, companies, farmer organizations, and United Nations-related initiatives. Its event strategy treats food as both a climate issue and a cultural subject. Advocacy became particularly visible in 2022 and 2023. Food Tank convened an official listening session before the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, examining how research institutions and policymakers could better coordinate work on nutrition and food security. It also joined a coalition supporting the Food Donation Improvement Act, helping convene a Capitol Hill event with policy organizations, food-waste advocates, and industry participants. The legislation was signed into law in January 2023. Food Tank has also used creative media to communicate food-system issues. Its interactive musical WeCameToDance addressed the climate crisis and ran at the 2021 Edinburgh Fringe Festival before being associated with COP26 programming in Glasgow. Little Peasants, developed as an immersive theatrical work, explores a fictional coffeehouse unionization campaign and asks audiences to participate in a decision about whether the workers unionize. A one-act version appeared at SXSW in 2023, while a fuller production debuted in 2024. Food Tank later expanded into farmer-centered storytelling events, including international programs focused on women farmers and agricultural communities. By the latest material available, Food Tank remains an active nonprofit platform. Its activities span digital publishing, research communication, public policy, conferences, podcasts, climate programming, film-related events, and performance. The available sources do not identify a parent company, commercial owner, public listing, or financial information.

• 2024

  Little Peasants debuts as an immersive production

  [1]Food Tanken.wikipedia.org

  Food Tank presents an immersive theater project about workers organizing at a fictional coffeehouse chain.

• 2023

  Food Donation Improvement Act becomes law

  [1]Food Tanken.wikipedia.org

  Food Tank participates in a coalition supporting legislation intended to reduce barriers to food donation; the act is signed in January.

• 2022

  White House conference listening session

  [1]Food Tanken.wikipedia.org

  The organization convenes a listening session on nutrition and food-security research ahead of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.

• 2021

  Annual COP programming begins

  [1]Food Tanken.wikipedia.org

  Food Tank begins recurring programming at United Nations climate conferences on food, agriculture, and climate solutions.

• 2018

  Food Talk podcast launches

  [1]Food Tanken.wikipedia.org

  Food Tank launches Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, extending its research and advocacy conversations into podcasting.

• 2015

  First Food Tank Summit

  [1]Food Tanken.wikipedia.org

  The inaugural summit is held in Washington, D.C., establishing a recurring cross-sector convening format.

• 2014

  Good Food Org Guide partnership

  [1]Food Tanken.wikipedia.org

  Food Tank partners with the James Beard Foundation on an annual directory of nonprofit organizations working on food-system improvement.

• 2013

  Food Tank is founded

  [1]Food Tanken.wikipedia.org

  Food Tank begins operating as a nonprofit research and advocacy organization focused on transforming food systems.

A nonprofit food-system knowledge, media, convening, and advocacy platform that connects evidence, policy, culture, and practical community solutions.

• Conference series · 2015

  Food Tank Summit

  Food Tank's principal conference format brings together farmers, chefs, researchers, policymakers, businesses, unions, nonprofits, and other food-system participants. Launched in Washington, D.C., in 2015, the series has subsequently been held in multiple U.S. cities and focuses on sustainability, equity, health, and practical solutions.

• Directory and publication · 2014

  Good Food Org Guide

  An annual directory produced with the James Beard Foundation that identifies nonprofit organizations working toward a better food system. It functions as a mapping and discovery resource for advocates, funders, researchers, and members of the public.

• Podcast · 2018

  Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg

  Food Tank's original podcast features conversations led by Danielle Nierenberg with chefs, experts, activists, and other practitioners. Episodes explore proposed food-system futures and the projects being used to make those futures more attainable.

• Musical and cultural program · 2021

  WeCameToDance

  An interactive original musical about the climate crisis, developed for Food Tank by creative producer Bernard Pollack with choreography, original language, and music from collaborating artists. It debuted at the 2021 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and was connected with COP26 programming.

• Immersive theater · 2023

  Little Peasants

  An immersive production about baristas at a fictional coffeehouse chain attempting to unionize. Audience members participate in a meeting and ultimately decide whether the fictional workplace unionizes, making labor relations and food-service work part of the performance.

• 2025Ultra-processed foods and U.S. health policy

  United States

  Food Tank and the Tufts University Food is Medicine Institute convened a Capitol Hill luncheon on ultra-processed foods, health policy, and possible bipartisan approaches to improving the food supply.

  Source
• 2024Food, technology, investment, and climate programming

  United Kingdom · United States · International

  Food Tank used London Climate Action Week and related events to discuss the connections between food technology, investment, climate policy, and the future of the food system.

  Source
• 2023Food Donation Improvement Act advocacy

  United States

  Food Tank joined organizations and companies supporting federal legislation intended to improve food donation and reduce food waste. Its work included a Capitol Hill event with advocacy and policy partners.

  Outcome. The Food Donation Improvement Act was signed into law in January 2023.

  Source
• 2022Dismantling Silos to Strengthen Nutrition and Food Security Research

  United States

  Food Tank convened an official listening session ahead of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The discussion examined how research institutions and policymakers could coordinate more effectively on hunger, healthy eating, physical activity, and disparities.

  Outcome. The session's takeaways were compiled for consideration in the development of a federal strategy.

  Source
• 2021Food and agriculture at COP

  International

  Food Tank began annual programming connected with the United Nations Climate Change Conference, presenting food and agriculture as central components of climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

  Outcome. The programming continued across subsequent climate conferences, including COP26, COP27, COP28, and COP29.

  Source

• 2021

  Expansion into climate-conference programmingStrategy

  Background

  Food and agriculture were increasingly discussed as both contributors to and potential solutions for the climate crisis.

  Action taken

  Food Tank began recurring programming at the United Nations Climate Change Conference and related climate events.

  Aftermath

  The organization developed partnerships and panels addressing sustainable meat, food security, climate finance, and food-system transformation.

  Source

• 2018

  Launch of Food Talk with Dani NierenbergProduct launch

  Background

  Food Tank sought to extend its food-system conversations beyond physical conferences and written publications.

  Action taken

  The organization launched an original podcast hosted by Danielle Nierenberg.

  Aftermath

  The podcast became an additional channel for discussing food policy, farming, health, and reform-oriented projects.

  Source

• 2015

  Establishment of the Food Tank Summit formatOther

  Background

  Food-system debates often involve disconnected professional communities, including farmers, policymakers, businesses, advocates, and chefs.

  Action taken

  Food Tank launched a cross-sector summit in Washington, D.C., and expanded the format to additional cities.

  Aftermath

  The summit became one of the organization's principal public convening and education activities.

  Source

1. 1Food Tanken.wikipedia.org
2. 2Food Tank official websitefoodtank.com