Let's Talk About Food

What Let's Talk About Food does

Let's Talk About Food is a Boston-based food education and community engagement organization operating as a registered trademark and program of The Food Voice Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2010 by Louisa Kasdon. The organization convenes public conversation around the food system through a portfolio of programming: large-scale annual festivals (drawing 7,500+ attendees at the 2011 inaugural event and held at venues including Copley Square and Harvard Science Center Plaza), the Healthy Food Fuels Hungry Minds school food stakeholders conference, the Readable Feast cookbook festival and awards (entering its 5th year in 2020), the School Food Breakfast Club advocacy initiative, and the Kitchen Conversations traveling pop-up recording booth.

The core technology stack is lightweight: a first-person storytelling podcast launched in 2020 and distributed through Heritage Radio Network, a website with content management and a community story-submission form, and standard social media distribution (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr). There is no proprietary software, API, or AI/ML infrastructure; differentiation rests on programming, storytelling craft, and institutional access rather than technology.

The business model is non-profit and grant-dependent. Revenue derives from charitable donations, foundation grants (including the Eos Foundation), and a tiered corporate sponsorship portfolio led by Whole Foods Market as presenting sponsor, supplemented by Stop & Shop, Hunger to Health Collab, Black Math, City Winery, and Edible Boston. Most events are free and open to the public; the Readable Feast awards ceremony charges $50 per ticket. The organization serves three customer segments: food enthusiasts and the general public (primary, persona-level), school food professionals and advocates (secondary, business-unit), and culinary industry professionals (secondary, persona-level). Geographic scope is regional, concentrated in New England with primary operating partnerships anchored in Greater Boston institutions.

Name

Let's Talk About Food

Legal name

The Food Voice Inc.

Website

https://letstalkaboutfood.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Let's Talk About Food is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that convenes public conversation around the food system through annual festivals, a podcast on Heritage Radio Network, school food conferences, and a cookbook awards program, primarily serving New England food enthusiasts, school food advocates, and culinary professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Education & Community Events

NAICS

Special Food Services (7223)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Congresses (THAHAJAI)

Keywords

• Food education events
• Culinary storytelling podcast
• Community food festivals
• School food conferences
• Food system advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization under The Food Voice Inc., the organization relies on charitable donations and grant funding to support operations.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from food industry companies including Whole Foods Market (presenting sponsor), Stop & Shop, Hunger to Health Collab, Black Math, City Winery, and Edible Boston.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from festival participation, conference registrations, and events. Some events are free while others may have ticket prices (e.g., Readable Feast awards ceremony at $50).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Let's Talk About Food is a non-profit food education organization that convenes the public around food literacy through a portfolio of programs: an annual large-scale public festival featuring cooking demonstrations and exhibitors, a first-person storytelling podcast distributed through the Heritage Radio Network, a regional cookbook festival and awards program (The Readable Feast), an annual school food stakeholders conference (Healthy Food Fuels Hungry Minds), a traveling pop-up audio recording booth installation (Kitchen Conversations), and a school food advocacy working group (School Food Breakfast Club). Operations are based in the Greater Boston area and target food enthusiasts, culinary professionals, and school food stakeholders.

Product overview

Let's Talk About Food is a food-focused media and events organization that operates as a unified portfolio of educational programs centered on food literacy and community engagement. The core offerings include a first-person storytelling podcast distributed through the Heritage Radio Network, large-scale public festivals featuring cooking demonstrations and exhibitors, an annual cookbook festival and awards program (The Readable Feast), and an annual school food stakeholders conference (Healthy Food Fuels Hungry Minds). Additional initiatives include Kitchen Conversations, a traveling pop-up audio recording booth, and the School Food Breakfast Club advocacy initiative. All programs share the mission of convening communities around food education, sustainability, health, and policy issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Let's Talk About Food Podcast: A first-person storytelling podcast series where food plays a pivotal role in personal narratives.
• Healthy Food Fuels Hungry Minds
• The Readable Feast
• Kitchen Conversations

Products and services

• Let's Talk About Food Podcast A first-person storytelling podcast series where food plays a pivotal role, featuring guests sharing personal stories centered on food experiences and culinary journeys. Distributed through the Heritage Radio Network and accessible to the general public.
• Let's Talk About Food Festival Annual large-scale public festival events featuring cooking demonstrations, edible gardens, exhibitors, and educational programming about food, cooking, and nutrition. Events held at locations including Copley Square and Harvard Science Center. Free and open to the public.
• The Readable Feast

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,500 attendees at inaugural festival (2011)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Museum of Science, BostoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Founding partner and initial host of the Let's Talk About Food initiative. Collaborated with food writer Louisa Kasdon to develop the festival concept and multi-year programming. Museum continues to work in partnership with the organization on food-related programs and exhibits.
• Heritage Radio NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProud member of the Heritage Radio Network, described as the world's pioneer food radio station. The organization's podcast is distributed through this network, providing reach to food-interested audiences nationally.
• Harvard University Dining ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partner co-hosting annual food festivals since 2018 and collaborating on school food initiatives. Managing Director David P. Davidson is a regular conference speaker.
• Whole Foods MarketflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the Let's Talk About Food Festival. Provides sponsorship support and participates in festival programming with cooking demonstrations.
• The Food Voice Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLet's Talk About Food is a registered trademark and program of The Food Voice Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to convene, connect, educate and advance the community around food issues.
• Boston Public MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosted Brown Bag Lunch programming and Readable Feast cookbook festival events at the Boston Public Market location, providing venue and community access.
• OldwaysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in Episode 24 of the podcast. Non-profit focused on improving public health through cultural food traditions, credited with bringing the Mediterranean Diet to prominence and championing whole grains.
• Community ServingsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in Episode 18 of the podcast. Non-profit that has made and delivered over 9 million medically tailored meals to homebound people with severe and chronic illnesses since the AIDS crisis.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oldways: Non-profit focused on improving public health through cultural food traditions (Mediterranean diet, whole grains). Directly comparable as a mission-aligned food education non-profit featured on LTAF's podcast.
• Food Tank: Non-profit food think tank producing research, summits, and editorial content on the global food system. Comparable as a food-system education and convening non-profit.
• The Splendid Table: Long-running public radio food storytelling program. Directly comparable as a food narrative media property with audio distribution and a public-engagement mission.
• Community Servings: Boston-based non-profit delivering medically tailored meals. Featured on the LTAF podcast and comparable as a mission-aligned food non-profit operating in the Boston region.
• Civil Eats: Independent food policy journalism outlet covering sustainability, health, and food justice. Closely comparable in its food-system education mission and editorial coverage that overlaps with LTAF's programming themes.
• Slow Food USA: National non-profit advocating for good, clean, and fair food. Comparable as a national food education and advocacy non-profit whose mission closely overlaps LTAF's sustainability and food literacy focus.
• Heritage Radio Network: Non-profit food radio network and distribution partner that hosts the Let's Talk About Food podcast. Operates a similar food-storytelling media model targeted at food-interested audiences and is the most direct peer in mission and format.
• ChopChop Magazine: James Beard Award-winning non-profit cooking publication for families. Directly comparable as a mission-driven food media non-profit featured on the LTAF podcast.

Regional players

• Edible Boston: Regional food media publication covering the Boston/New England food scene and listed as an LTAF sponsor. Comparable as a regional food media outlet in the same geography.

Others

• Boston Public Market: Year-round indoor market featuring local food vendors and host of LTAF's Readable Feast and Brown Bag Lunch programming. Comparable as a Boston-based food community venue and channel partner.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ltafood
• Facebookfacebook.com/LTAFood
• Instagraminstagram.com/LTAFood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/let's-talk-about-food

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Let's Talk About Food