I absolutely love this photo! Let me take you behind the scenes of how it came to be.
For years, I’ve been a fan of Foodmaker. I first met Lieven Vanlommel many years ago at an event where he spoke about the journey leading up to building Starmeal and Foodmaker. He captivated a room full of corporates with his fresh energy and crisp humour, down-to-earth and focused on one mission: good food for everyone. Years went by. He kept building his dream, while I started my side project with Fruit & Veggie Brigade for Food Banks. Our paths crossed again when I invited me to the first edition of Love Tomorrow in 2022. At the time, I was writing a book on Food Innovation for university students and thought, one day I want to be involved with Foodmaker, but I don’t yet know how. Two years later, I was preparing for the international version of Mastering Food Innovation, my very own book, self-published, with people I admire for who they are and what they do in the food system. I call them Design Fools.
DESIGN FOOLS
These are people, I count myself among them, who believe they can change the world. Even crazier, they actually try to do it. So I asked Lieven to contribute to my book. His story, his enthusiasm, his time, our conversations, our combined energy, I can harldy describe it. Let’s try: imagine those bouncing balls that, when together, bounce even higher, talking about various topics: from purchasing to marketing, from production staff to daughters, from starting at the bottom to suddenly being at the top, from dishwashing and high school to business school and university, from zero to one hundred and back, from osteopath to obesity, Ironman to tattoos (photo). Know that feeling? Now picture it and multiply it by ten: that’s the energy when you bring Design Fools together!
INVINCIBILITY & LEGACY
Last week, I personally delivered the book to Lieven. Why? He is not able attend my book launch due to his personal challenge: completing the Ironman. His participation at Ironman brings me to the topic of invincibility and legacy, because they are closely intertwined. The Ironman is about physical and mental invincibility: the willpower to keep going, even when every muscle in your body screams to stop. It’s not about defeating others, but overcoming yourself. That same strength is what I see in Foodmaker: years of building, falling, getting back up and still standing by their powerful mission. That’s what makes a brand not just strong, it makes it truly meaningful.
Legacy is what comes after. It’s what remains, what is passed on even when you’re no longer there. A company like Foodmaker leaves that legacy in every salad, every wrap, every plate, and every meal that helps people live healthier lives.
Invincibility & Legacy
Invincibility and legacy fuel each other. First, you must find the strength to keep going, against the current. Only then can you leave something bigger than yourself.
Mastering Food Innovation is my legacy. Not just a collection of stories and insights, but also a compass for the next generation of food innovators. It’s written to be shared: the lessons, the inspiration, the energy of all those Design Fools who refuse to give up. Legacy emerges when invincibility is shared. When your personal strength translates into something that helps others. For Lieven, that’s Foodmaker. For me, it’s this book. For readers, I hope it serves as encouragement to stay invincible in their own mission and build their own legacy.
Ultimately, that’s the essence of food innovation: not just making an impact today, but creating a legacy that’s even stronger tomorrow.
Get ready for the launch: BOE* – BOOK – BUBBLES
On Wednesday, 24 September, I will officially launch my book. A festive afternoon of inspiration, connection and the unveiling of the exclusive special edition of the book. We will celebrate at a place where innovation literally floats on water: Floating Farm Rotterdam. We will dive into the story of Minke & Peter van Wingerden and their circular, climate-adaptive urban farm. I had the privilege of capturing their unique innovation journey in the book!
BOE* is MOO in Dutch, in case you wondered.