Edacious Partners with Regenerative Organic Alliance to Uncover Nutritional Benefits of ROC Foods

Foodtech innovation is taking a significant leap forward as Edacious, a pioneering food technology company, has announced a strategic partnership with the Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA). This four-year collaboration is dedicated to evaluating the nutritional profiles of Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) foods and highlighting the importance of regenerative practices in agriculture.

The Essence of ROC Certification

The ROC certification builds upon the USDA’s Certified Organic standards by incorporating additional criteria centered around three vital pillars: soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Products that meet these pillars earn the right to display the ROC certification on their packaging, which signifies a commitment to holistic agricultural practices.

Utilizing Data for Nutritional Insights

In this partnership, Edacious will leverage its rapid testing and data analytics platform to assess over 200 food products that carry the ROC label. However, the initiative aims to transcend basic nutritional metrics.

“With Edacious and the Regenerative Organic Alliance, this data becomes more than numbers: it becomes a story about how regenerative organic systems deliver measurable nutritional benefits,” remarks Eric Smith, CEO of Edacious, in a statement to AgFunderNews.

Turning Data into Market Differentiation

Edacious has developed software that maps the nutritional density of various food categories—ranging from meat and dairy to fresh produce and grains. This technology allows producers to benchmark their products against industry averages and promote their superior nutritional value to consumers and buyers alike.

The platform meticulously measures macro and micronutrients, including essential fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and harmful contaminants like glyphosate and pesticides.

Impact on the Future of ROC Products

Earlier this year, during the RFSI Forum in Brussels, Smith noted that Edacious is “beginning to see strong, systematic evidence that shows how nutrition is mediated into the plant and into our bodies.”

The Edacious-ROA collaboration seeks to spotlight the unique nutritional profiles of ROC foods and demonstrate the additional advantages of adopting regenerative organic techniques. “Collective insights from this project could build a compelling narrative that these practices are advantageous not only for our planet but also for human health,” adds Smith.

Healthy Growth in ROC Food Products

The collaboration between Edacious and ROA was initiated at a pivotal moment in the organization’s evolution, coinciding with Christopher Gergen‘s appointment as CEO of ROA.

“Before joining ROA, I admired Edacious’ innovative approach. In my new role, I was keen to integrate their scientific process into the ROA community,” Gergen shared with AgFunderNews.

The Regenerative Organic Alliance comprises diversely-skilled farmers, business leaders, and experts committed to soil health and social fairness. Established by renowned organizations such as the Rodale Institute, Dr. Bronner’s, and Patagonia, the Alliance focuses on continuously refining the standards for ROC certification.

Gergen indicates that ROA has granted the ROC label to over 592 crops to date, resulting in more than 2,600 products ranging from coffee to eggs and grains. Recent statistics from SPINS show that ROC products have enjoyed a remarkable 22% growth year-over-year.

“As consumers grow increasingly aware of ROC products’ health benefits through our partnership with Edacious, we anticipate heightened demand for these products,” Gergen expresses.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Edacious and ROA

Over the next four years, Edacious and ROA will collaborate to analyze 200 ROC products at the Edacious Food Lab. Their assessments will not only cover nutritional quality but also toxic content versus organic, conventional, or non-organic regenerative methods.

Moreover, what comes after the analyses will be crucial. Gergen emphasizes the need for clear communication: “It will be vital to convey these findings in consumer-friendly terms to increase awareness regarding ROC products’ health benefits and boost demand.”

“ROA plans to collaborate closely with Edacious, our brands, and retail partners to launch a data-driven storytelling campaign that effectively highlights the nutritional advantages of ROC,” he concludes.