Ben Kuethe Oaks grew up in a small town in Wisconsin and dreamed of becoming a dairy farmer. He spent his youth helping out on nearby farms, but he brought home more than just milk. He saw firsthand the challenges, decisions, and hidden factors that influence how we produce, buy, and consume food. This experience inspired Ben to embark on a quest to uncover the hidden costs of cheap food. From Pittsburgh food deserts to food waste in grocery stores, Kuethe Oaks takes us on a journey to rethink the true cost of what’s on our plates. Ben Kuethe Oaks is a principal at Divert Inc., an impact technology company dedicated to Protecting the Value of Food™. He has spent most of his life immersed in our food system, whether it’s a dairy farm in Wisconsin, a food desert in Pittsburgh, or a restaurant in Maine. For the past eight years, Ben has focused his attention on grocery stores and solving our national food waste problem. He also works with organizations like Slow Food and MIT Solve to support food businesses and entrepreneurs in the Northeast. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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