Gina Asoudegan is the Vice President of Mission and Innovation Strategy at Applegate, the nation’s leading natural and organic meat company. In her role, Asoudegan oversees product innovations that are designed to create a consciously-scaled supply chain. When she joined Applegate in 2006 as director of communications, Asoudegan worked closely with NGOs to raise awareness of food-system issues, including antibiotic resistance and GMOs.
Asoudegan began her career as a food entrepreneur, operating a bakery and later a café and catering business in Philadelphia. As a cook, she believed that fresh, seasonal food tasted better, and she loved working with and supporting farmers. But when she saw that they were struggling, she formed the Bucks County Food Shed Alliance in 2005 to develop new farmers markets to support small, sustainable producers. And so when Asoudegan joined Applegate in 2006, it was with the same mission in mind: to create new markets for farmers and bring better food to all Americans.
Asoudegan is a member of the advisory board at the Sustainable Food Lab and holds a position on the advisory council for The National Young Farmers Coalition. She was instrumental in securing Applegate as a founding partner for the Savory Institute’s Land to Market™ Program, the world’s first regenerative sourcing solution for livestock-derived meat, dairy, wool and leather.