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Chicago Harvest: Feeding Our Future Sustainably
Beyond Greenwashing
Scaling Real Solutions for a Sustainable Future
Tuesday, September 16 @ 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Sustainability is no longer a buzzword—it’s a mandate. But what does it take to move from rhetoric to measurable impact? This panel brings together leaders across food, energy, agriculture, and verification to explore how circular economies, upcycled ingredients, waste-to-value systems, and rigorous sustainability standards can reshape industries and communities.
From turning organic waste into renewable energy, to producing upcycled prebiotic fibers that reduce food waste and improve nutrition, to building resilient supply chains—these companies are pioneering tangible solutions that bridge environmental, social, and economic needs.
Chicago’s food system is ripe with innovation—from upcycled fibers to circular energy loops and urban fungi farms. This panel brings together trailblazers transforming how we grow, process, and power our food future.
Details
Join Dr. Lara Ramdin—scientist, innovator, and sustainability storyteller—as she moderates a lively discussion with:
This conversation will unpack how collaboration across sectors can accelerate climate action, food security, and equitable economic growth—while calling out greenwashing and ensuring that sustainability is both real and scalable.
Moderated by Dr. Lara Ramdin, this conversation will dig into:
How upcycling and circular systems are scaling in Chicago and beyond
The intersection of nutrition, carbon reduction, and community impact
Why ingredient innovation matters as much as packaging in the sustainability conversation
What collaborations and policies can accelerate these solutions
Come Early and Take a Tour of Four Star Mushrooms!
Join co-founder, Joe Weber, on a behind the scenes tour of Four Star Mushrooms, an urban, indoor, specialty mushroom producer. Be there for the 4:30 PM start!
Order a Box of Mushrooms!
As an attendee, you can take home a box of premium mushrooms for only $6.00. Order as part of your registration and pick up on your way out of the event!
Schedule
| 4:30-5:00PM | Tour Four Star Mushrooms |
| 5:00-5:30PM | Check-in, Networking, Food/Beverage |
| 5:30-6:00PM | About Four Star Mushrooms |
| 6:00-7:00PM | Panel Presentation |
| 7:00-7:30PM | Networking, Dessert |
Pricing
| $60.00 | Members *Unemployed Members Use Discount Code: UNEMP-1010050 |
| $70.00 | Non-Members |
| $30.00 | Student & Emeritus Members |
| $70.00 | After Sept. 12 & Walk-ins |
Location
Four Star Mushrooms
320 N Oakley Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60612
Parking Directions
Parking lot (Free)
- Enter off W. Fulton St. to N. Claremont Ave.
- Park, then walk through open pedestrian gate to sidewalk on N. Oakley, where you’ll be able to enter the main door for the event. (you’ll see a Four Star Mushrooms sign on the building).
Street Parking (Free)
- All street parking on N. Oakley is free. Do not park in front of fire hydrant.
- Main door for the event is on N. Oakley Blvd.
Speakers
Moderator
Dr. Lara Ramdin
IFT Sustainable Food Division Chair
Bio
Lara is a design and systems thinking leader working at the intersection of innovation and sustainability.
She has held diverse executive roles in Unilever, Estee Lauder, Molson Coors, Dole Sunshine Company and Upcycled Foods Inc.
Lara has long been a fervent advocate for shifting the food system from extractive to circular. She has made it her personal mission to accelerate progress at the nexus of food and climate and to empower consumers through education to make healthy nutrition choices for a longer life-span – demonstrating an unparalleled dedication to sustainability and food justice.
In her role on the Upcycled Food Foundation board, Lara drives the scientific understanding of upcycling, through her leadership of the Research Fellows Program and Chair of the Scientific Committee. She is also the Chair of the Sustainable Food Systems Division. Lara is committed, driven, and doesn’t shy away from a challenge or a good debate.
She jumps in headfirst and makes things happen and her can-do attitude has served her well, given the breadth and diversity of impact that she has had across multiple categories including personal care, prestige beauty, fine fragrance, food & beverage and ingredients.
Panelist
Joe Weber
President / Founder, Four Star Mushrooms
Bio
Joe Weber’s interests lie at the intersection of ecology, food, and design. He believes large-scale restoration of ecological processes, paired with controlled environment agriculture, is crucial to solving global issues like climate change, loss of biodiversity, feeding a growing population, food insecurity, and the diminishing relationship between humans and the natural world.
He thinks of creative ways to solve big problems. His passion for sustainable agriculture and ecosystem regeneration led to Four Star Mushrooms’ inception in 2019.
He believes that mushroom cultivation is the keystone process required to scale controlled environment agriculture and regenerative agriculture.
Panelist
Susannah Sun
Business Intelligence Manager, Green Era
Bio
Susannah Sun is the Business Intelligence Manager at Green Era, a sustainability campus on Chicago’s South Side that converts food waste into renewable energy, nutrient-rich compost, and local economic opportunity. She oversees cross-sector partnerships, data systems, and project development, with a focus on implementing strategies at the intersection of climate and environmental justice.
Her work supports Green Era’s model of circular infrastructure paired with direct community reinvestment. Through partnerships with community organizations, food system stakeholders, and community-led workforce programs, she helps design systems where environmental value flows back into historically disinvested neighborhoods.
Susannah holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BS from Northwestern.
Panelist
Jennifer Lott
Technical Development Manager, SGS
Bio
Jennifer Lott is the Technical Development Director – Certification and Tailored Solutions at SGS North America. She is passionate about helping companies grow and succeed.
Jennifer specializes in Food and Product Safety Management Systems; her expertise in all things associated with certification, including training and project management.
Panelist
Loula Merkel
CEO, COMET
Bio
Loula has over 15 years of experience in agribusiness and energy industries. Previously the Director of Project Development at Coskata, she was responsible for the development and financing of commercial projects.
She also spent 8 years at McKinsey & Company, serving clients at the intersection of chemicals and agribusiness industries, including multinational fertilizer, agrochemical and food companies.
Loula has an M.A. in Economics from John Hopkins University SAIS and a B.A. in Economics from Loyola University Chicago.
Loula, recently at IFT First, emphasized how sustainability should target ingredients—not just packaging.
She highlighted that using upcycled fibers like Arrabina in nutrition bars creates far more meaningful carbon reduction than eco-packaging alone.
A Co-Sponsored Event
Four Star Mushrooms
Four Star Mushrooms is a controlled environment agriculture company producing premium quality gourmet mushrooms in the heart of Chicago.
Four Star Mushrooms’ mission is to create a sustainable food system by leveraging mushroom cultivation to upcycle organic byproducts, grow superfoods, and build soil.
Our vision is a future where food is grown sustainably in and around urban centers, at scale, allowing our native ecosystems to become strongholds of biological diversity, sustainable food production, and carbon sinks.
We grow 7 varieties of mushrooms year-round and have acclaim from the best chefs in Chicago. Our values (innovation, sustainability, quality, transparency) are centered on our customers.
Additional info:
IFT Sustainable Food Systems Division
IFT Sustainable Food Systems Division: Exploring a food system that provides healthy food and creates sustainable environmental, economic, and social systems.
Chicago Section IFT
The Chicago Section IFT (CSIFT) is a section of IFT, serving as a hub of food science professionals in the Chicago area. It provides a platform for local The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a global organization dedicated to advancing the science of food. CSIFT contributes to the broader mission of IFT to advance the science of food on a local level.