Do you know where your food comes from?

We've been working with client Whole Foods Market to launch a series of panel discussions aimed at answering that question through broader conversations about some of today’s most important food-related issues.

The inaugural event last month focused on animal welfare. While Whole Foods Market’s recent launch of a revolutionary 5-Step Rating system for meat was part of the inspiration behind this first discussion, we never envisioned this event as merely a promotional opportunity. Instead, we wanted to curate a conversation between thought leaders such as Salon.com’s Francis Lam and chef/restaurateur Tom Douglas, rancher Dan Probert and Whole Foods Market’s Elizabeth Fry. We invited KPLU environment reporter Liam Moriarty to moderate the discussion.

The goal with the series is to provide a platform for open dialogue on issues that are important to Whole Foods Market. Over time, these events will provide an opportunity for Whole Foods Market to go into depth on the different topics, share their perspective and glean feedback from key stakeholders in the community.

It goes without saying that we loved seeing a full house of bloggers, chefs and consumers, as well as having our hashtag trending on Twitter that night. But beyond that, it was most rewarding to see a rich, through-provoking conversation come out of that night’s panel, one that continued throughout the week on social media and beyond.

The next event in the Whole Foods Market Speaker Series will be June 21, tackling the critical issue of sustainable seafood and the future of the planet’s oceans. We’re in the planning process now – who would you like to see on that panel? What questions do you feel need to be addressed?