Jordan Rubin @ Ancient Nutrition
Saving The World With Supplements
Jordan Rubin is a Co-Founder and the CEO of Ancient Nutrition. Ancient Nutrition is supporting regenerative agriculture with its superfood supplement products sourced from their regenerative organic certified farms in Missouri and Tennessee.
The Brand
Ancient Nutrition offers a wide range of superfood supplements including protein and collagen powders, probiotics, vitamins, herbals, and SuperGreen product lines. Consumers can purchase Ancient Nutrition products directly from their website, as well as retailers including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Natural Grocers. Ancient Nutrition also has partnerships with healthcare practitioners who recommend their products to patients. The brand focuses on using high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients produced through regenerative agriculture practices.
Wasting Away
Looking at Jordan today, it’s impossible to believe that nearly three decades ago he weighed 104 pounds, was bound to a wheelchair, suffering from Crohn’s Disease and 18 total illnesses. After conventional and alternative medicine failed, Jordan healed himself through the power of food as medicine.
His health transformation inspired him to launch Garden of Life, a leading brand of dietary supplements, and to write numerous books including The Maker’s Diet, Patient, Heal Thyself, and The Probiotic Diet. Fast forward, sitting on a tour bus somewhere between Nebraska and Iowa, Jordan woke up to the realities of modern agriculture.
“I remember looking and seeing green plants and thinking, wow, that's a beautiful field. As I rolled closer, I saw mono crops, genetically modified corn and soy. And I said, this isn't beautiful, this is my grandchildren's stolen future. And immediately from there, I made a commitment or I should say a recommitment to be a part of the solution. I'm going to become a farmer.” – Jordan
In 2016, while recovering from a major knee injury, Jordan discovered bone broth and the lightbulb went off to create high-quality, nutrient-dense supplements and functional foods made from regeneratively produced ingredients. And with the combined passion of his friend, Dr. Josh Axe, Ancient Nutrition was born.
Down on the Farm
In 2009, Jordan started purchasing property. Inspired by Blake and Stephanie of Alexandre Family Farm, he committed to building a regenerative farming system. Today, Ancient Nutrition has two Regenerative Organic Certified® farms in Missouri and Tennessee where they grow ingredients for their supplements.
The Tennessee farm, now 133 acres, started out as an organic hemp genetics farm which they quickly pivoted into a more biodiverse operation and home for regenerative agriculture focused on serving the brand. The Missouri farm covers 4,000 acres, and it includes a full-scale dietary supplement manufacturing facility. These two operations, with support from Rodale Institute scientists, are conducting a 14-year research study looking at their impact on soil and human health.
“We have orchards. We’re raising exotic livestock like water buffalo and yak. We have cows, sheep, chickens, ducks and turkeys. We're doing research into pet nutrition, human nutrition, organs, the whole shebang. We're on a mission and taking no prisoners when it comes to creating the highest standards on the planet.” – Jordan
Animals Matter
Jordan acknowledges that the health food movement has been too focused on a plant-based message. Animals play a critical role in regeneration, and animal impact is the start and finish of creating a healthy ecosystem.
On their farms, they’re constantly rotating their seven plus species of animals across more than seventy 0.7-acre paddocks, where they’re eating different things, stressing the plants, and leaving nutrition in waste. As Jordan explains it, building soil is like building muscle, needing lots of pressure and lots of stress, followed by lots of nutrition and rest.
“This notion of farming the vegan way, it's not possible. Insects are animals. Look at your biological kingdoms. I can't tell you how dealing with 26 years of idiocy has made me now listen. Animals are integral to building the ecosystem and our entire fertilization process comes from water buffalo, cows, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens, and turkeys. When you see eggs at a health food store labeled 100% vegetarian fed, know that it’s forced. Our ducks, chickens, and turkeys – they're like T-Rexes. They eat meat and vegetable scraps. You get a snake or a mouse in their paddock. Gone in seconds.” – Jordan
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The Certification Debate
Jordan speaks candidly about the challenges around regenerative certification and labeling, starting with Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC), which is the protocol they are most aligned with. He stressed how much time it takes to grow crops to these standards, and how ROC standards work better for single-ingredient foods than for foods and supplements with more complexity in their sourcing. Despite these challenges, the leadership behind the certification has worked closely with Jordan and his team to develop the first ROC protocols for medicinal mushrooms and supplements.
Jordan is concerned that the “bottom of the barrel” regenerative certifications could ultimately do more harm than good, particularly for those brands that have worked so hard and need credit for all they’ve done. He believes there has to be a balance between protecting the integrity of certification and not making certification an obstacle for brands wanting to adopt more regenerative practices.
“If you don't have something to strive for, you're not going to hit anything meaningful. I am going to be a big voice against greenwashing because I am risking a lot, betting a lot, and making a stand that if we don't make great progress, our grandchildren may not be able to eat. Not everybody has to be ROC, but don't give up on the highest standard because if you do, all of your competitors who are greenwashing are going to come and take your market share. Eventually, you have to stand for something.” – Jordan
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Our Path to 50% Market Share 4 Regen
Jordan puts the onus on retailers to step up and fulfill their regenerative commitments. When a consumer walks into Whole Foods or Sprouts and sees a brand being promoted, their subconscious tells them to trust the store’s recommendation. If these retailers really believe in this movement, they need to prioritize regenerative brands and subjugate those that aren’t.
“As I like to say, wake up and smell the hummus…as long as it's made with regenerative chickpeas. As soon as Whole Foods said that the butterfly Non-GMO Verified was the key to everything, not only did it stimulate brands and consumers, it stimulated competitive retailers. The butterfly was everywhere. If we can do that and get leadership from Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, HEB, and even Publix, that's the fastest way to make change.” – Jordan
You can check out the full episode with Jordan from Ancient Nutrition HERE.
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This ReGen Recap was produced with support from Kristina Tober