SPEAKERS
Lunch Keynote
Ben Moore, Founder & CEO of The Ugly Co.
Our story begins on the seat of a tractor in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. Ben Moore, affectionately known as "Big Ugly," is the visionary founder of The Ugly Company, a fourth-generation farmer with a mission to transform the perception of "Ugly" and combat food waste.
As a child, Ben would ride around the family farm with his father, eagerly anticipating the day he would have a farm of his own. After college, Ben served as the United States Army Infantry Officer Corp. He panned to make a career in the service but suffered a career ending injury. Ben returned home from the Army much soon than anticipated, but he was ready to embrace a new chapter and join rejoin the family farm. However, the farming landscape had drastically changed, with family farms struggling to survive. Undeterred by the challenges, Ben's determination led him to take on a new path – trucking.
Initially, Ben learned to drive truck, heavy hauling oversized loads of bulldozers and excavators for Reimer Transport located in Fresno. From there, Ben started his own trucking and bulldozing company. Ben hauled everything from dirt and asphalt in bottom dump trailers, to fresh fruit, wine grapes, raisins, almonds, and manure. His business also dozed vineyards and orchards for farmers redeveloping their land.
During this time, Ben also hauled “Ugly” fruit, that farmers couldn’t sell. While trucking up and down the Valley, Ben faced the harsh reality dumping 100+ loads of fruit a year in open fields. That’s 6-8 million pounds each and every year. This sparked a deep reflection on the wastefulness of such practices.
He became determined to find a better way, leading him to create a list of 200 potential uses for "funny looking" fruit. Inspired by his grandmother's roof-dried fruit, Ben chose dried fruit as the solution to save produce from going to waste.
Realizing that the complexities of starting and operating a consumer packaged goods business were daunting. Ben left the Valley again to attend the University of Notre Dame. Studying business and earning an MBA. Ben officially launched Ugly in 2018 while at school working full-time and studying as well.
During the summer of 2019, with a product in hand, Ben set out to create a brand that challenged stereotypes. The name "Ugly" was chosen to turn a negative word into a positive concept. By presenting "Ugly" fruit in beautiful packaging, Ben aimed to convey that it was just as delicious as perfect-looking fruit. His relentless efforts to share the story and sample the product led to initial distribution in 54 Whole Foods locations.
Fast forward to today, The Ugly Company has flourished in the town of Farmersville, boasting a state-of-the-art facility designed to process "Ugly" fruit. Ben’s journey took him from being a farmer, to a Soldier, to a truck driver, to now becoming the CEO of a multi-million-dollar Consumer Package Goods and Food Processing company. Ben is proud to be born here in the Central Valley of California and call this beautiful place home.
The Ugly Company’s Vision & Mission:
Driven by a mission to prevent 12 million pounds of food waste by 2025, The Ugly Company seeks to change people's perception of "Ugly" one pack at a time. Their vision is to achieve zero food waste at farms globally.
The Ugly Company’s Values:
The Ugly Company embodies the farmer mindset – taking initiative, cultivating good, and demonstrating determination. Their values include transparency, responsibility, a light-hearted spirit, and steadfast perseverance in the face of challenges.
Ben Moore's journey is a testament to the transformative power of determination and the ability to find beauty in imperfection. As a speaker, he shares a compelling narrative of cultivating beauty in imperfection and driving positive change in the fight against food waste.
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