{"id":10733,"date":"2020-10-31T10:13:51","date_gmt":"2020-10-31T17:13:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=10733"},"modified":"2020-10-31T10:13:51","modified_gmt":"2020-10-31T17:13:51","slug":"apeels-santa-barbara-appeal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=10733","title":{"rendered":"Apeel’s Santa Barbara Appeal"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Apeel's<\/a>

Apeel’s Megan Opp, photo by Daniel Dreifuss for Santa Barbara Independent.<\/p><\/div>\n

In a creation story fit for a feel-good film,\u00a0the food-preservation company Apeel Sciences<\/a>\u00a0was founded by UCSB<\/a> grad student\u00a0James Rogers<\/a> when he heard a radio story\u00a0about global hunger while driving through\u00a0California\u2019s lush farmlands. He wondered\u00a0how so many could be so hungry when there\u00a0was much food around.<\/p>\n

Upon learning that the culprit is spoilage,\u00a0the materials science PhD candidate developed\u00a0a product\u2014made entirely from natural\u00a0things in the food we already eat\u2014that\u00a0slowed down the rotting of various fruits and\u00a0vegetables. Rogers won UCSB\u2019s New Venture\u00a0Competition<\/a>, and the seeds of Apeel quickly\u00a0began to sprout, funded in part by the Bill &\u00a0Melinda Gates Foundation<\/a> due to the promise\u00a0of fighting malnourishment around the\u00a0world.<\/p>\n

That was around 2012. Fast forward to\u00a0today, and Apeel, which is headquartered in\u00a0Goleta and employs nearly 200 \u201cApeelers,\u201d is\u00a0growing like crazy, developing products for\u00a0dozens of produce categories and working\u00a0with a range of partners, from small organic\u00a0growers to the world\u2019s largest food brands.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0late August, Apeel, which is currency valued\u00a0at more than $1 billion, announced a partnership\u00a0with the largest German retailer that will\u00a0put Apeel-treated avocados and oranges in\u00a0more than 11,000 EDEKA and Netto stores<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And they\u2019re just getting started.\u00a0I spoke with \u201cChief People Officer\u201d Megan\u00a0Opp<\/a> about Apeel\u2019s appeal.<\/p>\n

WHY IS EVERYONE SO EXCITED ABOUT YOUR\u00a0<\/b>COMPANY? <\/b>The technology and product are\u00a0so innovative and world-changing. We are\u00a0thankful for UCSB for providing a strong\u00a0pipeline of incredible talent, which of course\u00a0includes our founders. People have the opportunity\u00a0to positively change how the world\u00a0accesses and enjoys fresh produce. What\u2019s\u00a0exciting is that it all started in this beautiful\u00a0community of S.B. and has grown very\u00a0quickly into a global company.<\/p>\n

Most of our R&D happens right here at\u00a0headquarters, but innovations can come from\u00a0any part of the world. You can be based in\u00a0Santa Barbara but also have opportunities to\u00a0travel and work in new places. This is one of\u00a0the most globally mobile companies I\u2019ve seen,\u00a0where we\u2019ll give these opportunities as a way\u00a0of sharing our company values and culture in\u00a0different locations and also as a way to grow\u00a0in one\u2019s career and skills and global mindset.<\/p>\n

WHAT ARE SOME HIGH AND LOW POINTS OF BEING\u00a0<\/b>A BIG EMPLOYER HERE? <\/b>We\u2019re extremely fortunate\u00a0to have great access to top tech talent who\u00a0have chosen to study and live in the Santa Barbara\u00a0area. We\u2019ve also been able to attract talent\u00a0from surrounding metro areas, including L.A.\u00a0and the Bay Area. We always notice an uptick\u00a0in applications from the East Coast and Midwest\u00a0during winter months! Like any region\u00a0for tech talent, Santa Barbara isn\u2019t without its\u00a0challenges. Santa Barbara\u2019s cost of living and\u00a0housing availability is one.<\/p>\n

WHAT ARE SOME CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN\u00a0<\/b>SANTA BARBARA COMPARED TO OTHER TECH\u00a0<\/b>HUBS? <\/b>Our employees are very philanthropic,\u00a0connected with nature, and embrace all of the\u00a0outdoor adventures and amenities this area\u00a0has to offer.<\/p>\n

DOES BEING A HUMANITARIAN-FOCUSED COMPANY LEAD TO A CERTAIN TYPE OF EMPLOYEE? <\/b><\/b>We are\u00a0a global company that hires talent based not\u00a0only abilities but the aligned belief in our\u00a0mission\u2014enabling a world that works with\u00a0nature; we use food to protect food\u2014and\u00a0wanting to be part of something that will\u00a0change the world. We hire and reward people\u00a0with strong alignment with our values, which\u00a0include humility and teamwork. We support\u00a0each other and want to see us all succeed so\u00a0that Apeel produce will be available throughout\u00a0the world.<\/p>\n

HOW ARE YOU HANDLING HIRING DURING COVID?\u00a0<\/b>Food waste is a global crisis, and we are continuing\u00a0to aggressively staff up to be able to\u00a0tackle this issue head-on. Even through this\u00a0challenging time of COVID, we\u2019ve come up\u00a0with creative ways to create a welcoming\u00a0virtual environment for candidates and new\u00a0hires. We always put people first and have\u00a0created additional programs to support our\u00a0working parents and caregivers and all of our\u00a0employees during these challenging times.<\/p>\n

We feel so fortunate to be based in the Santa\u00a0Barbara area with so many benefits within\u00a0our reach! \u00a0\u00a0 apeelsciences.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Tech<\/a>

Tech Talk Special Issue for Santa Barbara Independent, published October 1, 2020.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tech Talk Special Issue<\/a> for the Santa Barbara Independent<\/em><\/a>, originally published on October 1, 2020.<\/p>\n

To read the issue as it appeared in print, please click here, Tech Talk 768_10_01_20<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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