Journey Foods
Journey Foods

The Pie: AI is Ghetto: Year close out

New Podcast alert, Will Trump embrace the small business needs on Tik Tok? Viral foods, and future trends.
Journey Foods
13 mins
December 18, 2025
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The Pie
Quick Answer

Plant based reformulation is growing because it now wins on economics, not just values across Journey Al data it moves the nutrition score +26.9%, cuts cradle to  gate CO2e -42% per serving, and lowers raw material cost  -6.5% versus an animal protein control while cutting supplier lead times from 14 weeks to 6.

Key takeways
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It's an economics story. Plant-based now hits four reported metrics at once margin, scope-3, nutrition, and traceability.
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The supply base caught up. Tier-1 pea, faba, and chickpea isolates reached spec parity with whey this year.
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Speed is the unlock. A three-week supplier email chain becomes a four-minute query with ingredient intelligence.

Hey Pies –

As we wrap up a strong product year and many great stories. We have to say thank you for being a part of our increased engagement and 28% subscriber growth. From groundbreaking conversations about the future of food to exploring AI's role in sustainability, your engagement has fueled our mission.

Take a moment to dive into this Pioneers of AI interview on YouTube below. And then take a moment to indulge on why we think AI is a ghetto promise. Just ponder: Ghetto culture exemplifies raw, resourceful innovation—turning scarcity into sustainability, flavor, and resilience, much like the way AI is built from raw, unstructured data refined into transformative solutions. Both rely on repurposing the overlooked to create value, blending authenticity with adaptability. As AI evolves, it mirrors the ingenuity of ghetto traditions: starting from the margins and redefining the center of possibility.

Wishing you a great last 15 days of the year! 🌱

Pioneers of AI

As consumers increasingly shift towards healthier and more sustainable food options, the pressure is on food brands to meet these evolving demands—with varying levels of success. The team asked to sit down with me to discuss the intersection of food and technology. As the CEO and founder of Journey Foods, Riana has developed an AI-powered platform that combines a patented recipe generator with innovative supply chain solutions to empower brands to create health-forward products and drive sustainable change.

Riana’s journey and insights were recently featured on Pioneers of AI. In this episode, she delves into her inspiration for creating Journey Foods, her entrepreneurial experiences, and how artificial intelligence is transforming the food industry. From sourcing smarter ingredients to developing products with purpose, AI is proving to be a powerful tool for crafting a sustainable and nutritious food future.

Highlights from the Episode

  • 00:00 How college athletics shaped Riana’s entrepreneurial mindset
  • 02:24 The business of food: Why innovation is essential
  • 05:42 Leveraging AI for product and supply chain development
  • 09:00 Creating more nutritious food with AI
  • 13:27 Food industry trends to watch
  • 17:24 Turning data into actionable insights
  • 21:28 Data as a driver for purpose and profit
  • 25:56 Embracing diversity in AI development

🎵 Listen to the Podcast

Explore the cutting-edge work happening at Journey Foods and more about Pioneers of AI: www.pioneersof.ai

About Pioneers of AI
Each week, host Rana el Kaliouby dives into the latest advancements in artificial intelligence with innovators, critics, and visionaries shaping the field. From ethics to groundbreaking tech, Pioneers of AI helps you understand how AI is transforming our world.

Love what you're reading? Click to subscribe here so you never miss an update!

About the Author
Journey Foods

Frequently asked questions

Structured Q&A  marked up with FAQ Page schema so it can be surfaced and cited by Al engines and search.

Is plant based reformulation actually cheaper than 
animal protein?

In Journey Al's 12 month dataset, the median plant protein reformulation came in -6.5% on raw material cost versus an animal protein control the first year that line went negative, driven by Tier 1 isolate suppliers reaching spec parity.

How much does plant based reformulation improve 
nutrition scores?

In Journey Al's 12 month dataset, the median plant protein reformulation came in -6.5% on raw material cost versus an animal protein control the first year that line went negative, driven by Tier 1 isolate suppliers
reaching spec parity.

What's the supply chain risk of switching?

In Journey Al's 12 month dataset, the median plant protein reformulation came in -6.5% on raw material cost versus an animal protein control the first year that line went negative, driven by Tier 1 isolate suppliers
reaching spec parity.

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