Refreshing How Georgia Tackles Food Insecurity and Waste
What problem is your business uniquely positioned to solve? Kashi Sehgal, founder of Retaaza, was exposed to the crisis of food insecurity and waste in Georgia. In turn, she seized the opportunity to connect hyper-local supply with state-wide demand. Today, their successful business model increases demand for Georgia’s number one industry while simultaneously caring for hungry Georgians.
In our interview Kashi Sehgal, we refresh our perspective on how business acts as a force for good and the importance of listening to those you are trying to serve.
What’s the problem Retaaza solves?
The name Retaaza means “refresh.” Retaaza was founded to refresh everything about the food system in Georgia and how we think about where our food comes from.
Georgia has a $75 billion dollar agriculture industry, and yet 2 million tons of food is wasted in Georgia every year and 1 in 8 Georgians are hungry. These are not statistics that I could live with.
Retazza is part of the solution by helping farmers find new outlets for the food that they currently can’t sell. We create new markets from local customers so that there is increased demand for local food. For Georgia farmers that don’t have an outlet for the excess food that they’re growing — this beautiful, nutritious food — we find an outlet for them.
Most people don’t have to think about the supply chain that brings their food. With the rise of global connectivity, hyper-local distribution can be lost. Retaaza’s business is about creating an economic, dignified solution to a problem and as a result we’re able to feed people with the local food that’s being grown.
What do you think is the secret to your success?
I don’t think enough emphasis is placed on listening and asking questions, and I think that is a very powerful tool. Ask the right questions at the right time, and you can move mountains.
At Retaaza, we start with the idea that…
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