IAS Distinguished Lecture - How to Save the World, One Burger at a Time

Abstract

Based in California’s Silicon Valley, Impossible Foods makes delicious, nutritious meat and dairy products from plants - with a much smaller environmental footprint than meat from animals. The privately held company was founded in 2011 by Dr. Pat BROWN, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry at Stanford University and a former Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator. 

Impossible Foods first launched in Hong Kong in April 2018. As one of Asia’s most prominent crossroads of ideas and influences, Hong Kong immediately became home to some of the most innovative Impossible Meat recipes. Today, Impossible Meat is served in nearly 15,000 restaurants across the US, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore - and this number continues to grow. 

Mr. Nick Halla, Senior Vice President for International, Impossible Foods joins us at HKUST to discuss sustainability, science and the future of food.

About the speaker

Mr. Nick Halla joined Impossible Foods as its first employee and has helped build the company from the ground up. Mr. Halla has held numerous senior executive roles at Impossible Foods and currently serves as Senior Vice President for International. He oversees the company’s growing presence around the world, including overseas business development and operations.

Before joining Impossible Foods, Mr. Halla was an expert in food commercialization at General Mills, where he developed and launched several new product lines and designed large-scale food manufacturing systems. He also has experience in agriculture, having grown up on a family dairy farm, and commercializing new technologies such as solar, energy storage and biofuels.

Mr. Halla holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and an MS in Environment and Resources from the Stanford School of Earth Sciences.

Note

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the original speaker Dr. Pat Brown is unable to come to HKUST.

For attendees’ attention

• Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Online registration is closed. Walk-ins are welcome while admission will be subject to the availability of seats at the venue.
• HKUST undergraduate students may attain 1 hour credit for the HLTH1010 Healthy Lifestyle Course after attending the event. 
• Light refreshments with Impossible Sliders will be served from 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm.