I Moved to California for Patagonia Provisions!

Negative Foods Newsletter Readers!

I’ve taken a job!  I started May 16 as the General Manager of Patagonia Provisions, the food business within Patagonia. 

Readers of this (former) newsletter will recognize that this had not been my plan.  I intended to spend the rest of my career investing in food brands that help reverse climate change by sourcing from farms relying on regenerative agricultural practices. 

The Patagonia opportunity struck me like lightning.  From the very first interview, I said I’d take the job if I got the offer.  My family agreed to move (in batches) from our 20-year home in New York to Marin County, CA. I’m feeling lucky and grateful.

Patagonia Provisions was founded on the idea that food has a unique power to make positive change. Everyone needs to eat every day, and the simple choice of what to eat can make our world better. Food can be grown and produced in ways that draw down carbon from the atmosphere, help soils absorb and store water, and improve biodiversity. And, of course, this kind of regeneratively grown food can improve the health of people who eat it. 

In its first several years, Provisions created innovative supply chains that built a foundation for the future.  Our mussels help restore the ocean, and our wild salmon, mackerel and anchovies are harvested in ways that protect the health of those populations. Our buffalo jerky and our perennial-grain Kernza® beer and pasta help restore the Great Plains. Kernza® is steadily gaining ground in the food industry because of Patagonia’s pioneering work. 

Our mandate is to build upon this powerful foundation and scale the business to impact the way humans eat and help shift the food industry from an extractive to a restorative model. 

And I’m loving it.  What do I love?

The People.  I’m surrounded by people who care about the planet, who love the outdoors, and who aren’t afraid of unconventional strategies.  I’m energized and inspired by my colleagues at Provisions and the rest of Patagonia.

The Mission.  At Patagonia, we are in business to save our home planet.  Food is a powerful lever to fulfill this mission.  Today, agriculture emits more than a quarter of global greenhouse gases. Today’s food system harms human health and the environment. We are changing the way people eat to fight the environmental crisis and improve the human condition.  Having purpose in one’s work is IMO the key factor that makes a job great, and I’ve found that here. For that I’m REALLY grateful.

The Opportunity.  The public’s growing awareness of food’s role in the environmental crisis gives us a ripe market opportunity.  The rise of farms following regenerative practices makes this the right time.  And doing all of this from within Patagonia, the only brand I’ve ever truly loved, is a dream. 

Marin County.  I’m loving the Marin lifestyle.  I’m scrambling up Mt. Tam (on foot and bike) multiple times per week, learning to “surf”, devouring the terrific food and enjoying the time I’m spending with like-minded change makers. 

What do I need from you?  We are looking for farms and manufacturers to supply Patagonia with foods we can bring to market that help reverse climate change and fight the environmental crisis. Share your ideas please!

We now know that foods grown in ways that regenerate the environment, that promote biodiversity, that deliver the most nutrition, are one and the same. And the best part of it all, at least for me, is that these are also the foods with the most spectacular flavors.

Yvon Chouinard, January 2020, Ventura, CA

Of course, we’d love to have you as a customer as well. Check us out at Patagonia Provisions. Please send feedback on your customer experience.

- Paul