Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies

What Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies does

The Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies (RFI) is an interdisciplinary academic institute within UCLA's Division of Undergraduate Education, founded in January 2022 through an anonymous $13.5 million gift and named after benefactor Marcie Rothman, whose family has supported more than 60 UCLA departments over nine decades. RFI serves as a coordinating hub for food studies research, teaching, and community engagement, connecting over 35 affiliated UCLA faculty across departments ranging from public health and anthropology to law, geography, and engineering. The institute operates with no proprietary technology and runs no commercial product; its output consists of educational programs (an undergraduate Food Studies Minor, a Food Studies Graduate Certificate, Global Engagement Programs including Travel Study and the UC Education Abroad Program), research support via the Marcie H. Rothman Presidential Term Chair, and community programming such as the 'IN HONOR' Black foodways series and the Closing the Circle conference.

RFI's business model is non-commercial. It is funded primarily through the $13.5 million founding endowment and ongoing charitable donations processed via UCLA's giving platform, including dedicated funds such as the Rothman Food Institute Travel Grant. Programs are offered at no direct cost to UCLA students beyond standard university fees, and the institute generates no tuition or licensing revenue. Leadership comprises Marcie Rothman as Founder, Jack Bobo as inaugural Executive Director (appointed October 2024, previously director of the University of Nottingham's Food Systems Institute and senior advisor for food policy at the U.S. State Department), and Amy Rowat as inaugural Faculty Director holding the Marcie H. Rothman Presidential Chair in Food Studies. Operational staff includes an Associate Director of Development, an Assistant Director, a Culinary Arts Coordinator, and Alexandra Solodkaya as the first university-endowed food studies librarian in the United States.

The institute's go-to-market is community-led, relying on UCLA institutional channels, a website, Instagram, YouTube, and an email mailing list, supplemented by in-person public events such as film screenings and book talks at UCLA-affiliated venues including the Hammer Museum and Fowler Museum. Distribution of educational programs runs through UCLA's Division of Undergraduate Education, Fielding School of Public Health, and International Education Office, while community-facing work is co-hosted with LA food organizations such as FoodCycle LA, End Hunger LA, the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, Food Access LA, the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund, and the Hollywood Food Coalition. The institute's competitive position rests on its endowed status, its first-mover identity as the West Coast's first university-endowed food studies institute, the breadth of its interdisciplinary faculty network, and its embeddedness within UCLA's institutional infrastructure.

Name

Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies

Legal name

Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies

Website

https://rothmanfoodinstitute.ucla.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies is a UCLA interdisciplinary academic institute founded in 2022 that coordinates food studies research, undergraduate and graduate education, global engagement, and community programming for UCLA students, faculty, and the Los Angeles community. It is funded by a $13.5 million endowment and charitable donations rather than commercial revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Academic Research (Food Studies)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Community Food Services (62421)

akta.pro primary industry

Nutrition & Dietetics Services (EDALAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrition, Dietary Management & Allergen/Accommodation Services (EDALADAJ), School Feeding & Social Protection Partnerships (Conditional Cash Transfers, etc.) (EDADALAL), Meal Program Compliance & Administration (NSLP/SBP, Reimbursements) (EDAEAEAC)

Keywords

• Food studies education
• Interdisciplinary research
• Academic programs
• Community food networks
• Global food engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Gift Funding: The institute was established through an anonymous $13.5 million gift to UCLA, which funds operations, programs, research, and educational initiatives.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: RFI accepts charitable donations through UCLA's giving platform to support the institute's mission, educational programs, and global engagement initiatives including the Rothman Food Institute Travel Grant.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies is an interdisciplinary academic institute at UCLA that delivers food studies education through an undergraduate minor and graduate certificate program, supports cross-disciplinary food-focused research via endowed term chairs and affiliated faculty, runs global engagement programs (travel study, internships, education abroad), and convenes public community programming and events. Programs are available at no direct cost to UCLA students, and the institute operates as a hub connecting UCLA departments and the Los Angeles community around food culture, policy, sustainability, and food justice.

Product overview

The Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies is an interdisciplinary academic institute at UCLA offering a comprehensive portfolio of food studies programs. The institute provides an undergraduate Food Studies Minor and a Graduate Certificate Program in Food Studies, alongside experiential learning through the UCLA Teaching Kitchen and Global Engagement Programs (travel study, internships, and education abroad). Research initiatives are supported through the Marcie H. Rothman Presidential Term Chair position. The institute also hosts community programming including the 'IN HONOR' series celebrating Black foodways, the Closing the Circle conference on food waste, and partnerships with local food organizations. The portfolio is unified by the institute's mission to transform understanding of food through education, research, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Studies Minor (Undergraduate) An interdisciplinary undergraduate minor in Food Studies at UCLA, administered through the Division of Undergraduate Education, designed to enhance students' undergraduate experience and help them cultivate careers in food through interdisciplinary coursework.
• Food Studies Graduate Certificate Program An interdisciplinary graduate certificate program offering an in-depth examination of the food studies field for UCLA graduate students seeking academic or professional advancement in food studies.
• Global Engagement Programs International food studies programs including Travel Study (Atlantic Foodways: Culture, Science, Governance in Italy), Global Internships, and Education Abroad Programs through the UC system with more than 150 global partner institutions.
• Community Food Networks Program Community-facing partnerships with local and global food organizations including Food Access LA, Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund, Hollywood Food Coalition, and UCLA community garden initiatives, connecting the LA community with food networks.
• 'IN HONOR' Series A recurring public event series honoring the complexity, innovation, and brilliance of Black foodways through film screenings, discussions, and tastings featuring artists, scholars, and activists, including the 'Finding Edna Lewis' film screening at the Fowler Museum.
• Closing the Circle Conference An annual conference addressing food waste and food insecurity, co-hosted by RFI with FoodCycle LA, End Hunger LA, and Los Angeles Food Policy Council to highlight food recovery work and build stable food networks in Los Angeles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 35 affiliated faculty from diverse UCLA departments
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Marcie Rothman (Founder)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Marcie Rothman, UCLA alumna ('68, '79), founded the institute with her family's multi-generational support of UCLA. Her family has supported more than 60 UCLA departments over nine decades. The institute is named after the Rothman family in recognition of their philanthropy and commitment to food studies education.
• Semel Healthy Campus Initiative Center at UCLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRFI partners with Semel HCI, which comprises seven pods including EatWell that consolidates food-based programs around campus including the community garden, Teaching Kitchen, and CPO Food Closet. The partnership enables collaborative food systems initiatives and research.
• UCLA Teaching KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at the Los Angeles Tennis Center as part of FITWELL/UCLA Recreation, the Teaching Kitchen works with RFI to support food studies curricula. It bridges academia and recreation with cooking workshops for students, medical students, and community.
• UCLA Resnick Center for Food Law and PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBased at UCLA School of Law, the Resnick Center serves as a think tank for food law and policy. RFI collaborates on food systems research and policy initiatives, with Michael Roberts serving as RFI Institute Council member.
• UCLA LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlexandra Solodkaya serves as RFI's dedicated food studies librarian based at the Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library. She curates food studies research guides and provides resources across UCLA disciplines.
• UCLA DiningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCLA Dining partners with RFI on initiatives like 'Recipes from Home' bringing student cultural recipes to campus dining. The collaboration supports food access and cultural food education for UCLA students.
• Food Access LAminorOthersNon-profit dedicated to promoting equitable access to fresh foods in Los Angeles County through farmers' markets, benefits programs, nutrition education, urban agriculture advocacy, and the Seasoned Accelerator.
• Anne Saxelby Legacy FundminorOthersProvides month-long paid apprenticeships for young adults on sustainable farms, connecting participants to agriculture and food production to inspire change in food systems.
• Hollywood Food CoalitionminorOthersServes hot meals seven nights a week since 1987, recovering approximately 2.5 million pounds of food annually and distributing to unhoused and food insecure Angelenos in Los Angeles.
• FoodCycle LAcoreOthersRFI co-hosted the 'Closing the Circle: From Excess to Access' conference with FoodCycle LA, End Hunger LA, and Los Angeles Food Policy Council to build food networks and address food waste and insecurity.
• Los Angeles Food Policy CouncilcoreOthersCollaborated on the Closing the Circle conference to highlight food recovery work and discuss strategies for building stable food networks in Los Angeles.
• End Hunger LAcoreOthersPartnered with RFI to host the Closing the Circle conference addressing food insecurity and food systems transformation in Los Angeles.
• UCLA International Education OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers global engagement programs including Travel Study (Atlantic Foodways in Italy), Global Internships, and the UC Education Abroad Program with 150+ global education partners.
• Hammer MuseumminorOthersRFI hosts film screenings and events at the Hammer Museum's Billy Wilder Theater, including the Superfish: Salmon film screening and Food and Film with Alice Waters events.
• Fowler Museum at UCLAminorOthersRFI partners with Fowler Museum for events including the 'Finding Edna Lewis' film screening as part of the 'IN HONOR' series celebrating Black foodways.
• Teaching Kitchen CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of 60+ institutions with teaching kitchens enabling UCLA's Teaching Kitchen to participate in national and global research initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Food Tank: Global nonprofit think tank focused on food systems, sustainability, and policy — overlaps with RFI's research themes around sustainable production, disparities, and food systems innovation.
• Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture: Nonprofit working at the intersection of agriculture, food systems, and education through a working farm and programming — adjacent to RFI's mission with overlap on food education and systems change but operating outside academia.

Direct peers

• UC Berkeley Food Institute: University of California-wide interdisciplinary institute addressing food systems, sustainability, and justice. Directly comparable peer within the UC system with overlapping research themes and a similar convening model.
• NYU Steinhardt Food Studies: NYU's Food Studies program offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in food studies with an interdisciplinary lens covering culture, policy, and health — directly comparable to RFI's undergraduate minor and graduate certificate in food studies at UCLA.
• Yale Sustainable Food Program: Yale's university-wide initiative supporting sustainable food systems through research, education, and on-campus food programming. Comparable in mission to RFI's food studies and sustainability research themes.
• University of Nottingham Food Systems Institute: UK-based interdisciplinary institute focused on food systems research and policy, formerly directed by RFI's inaugural executive director Jack Bobo. Directly comparable in mission, interdisciplinary structure, and food-policy emphasis.
• Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future: Academic center at Johns Hopkins focused on food systems research, public health, and policy. Comparable to RFI in addressing food insecurity, sustainability, and disparities through interdisciplinary academic work.
• Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic: University-based clinic addressing food law and policy through research, advocacy, and student training — overlaps with RFI's partnership-driven food policy work via UCLA's Resnick Center.
• Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy: Premier U.S. graduate school focused on nutrition science and food policy with degree programs and policy research — comparable to RFI's graduate certificate and food-law/policy research agenda.

Regional players

• Los Angeles Food Policy Council: Regional policy council for Los Angeles addressing food access, equity, and systems. Directly comparable to RFI's community and policy engagement work in the LA region and a confirmed RFI collaborator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0gETKSqu6_kARKiDJhDkSA
• Instagraminstagram.com/rothmanfood
• Xx.com/UCLARothmanFood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ucla-rothman-family-institute-for-food-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies