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Portion Collaborative

@portion_collab

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🌱 Reimagining food systems for us and our planet
🤝 Skills and ideas to transform our food experiences
♻️ Design • Strategy • Education • Advocacy

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💰 How can we finance sustainable food production at scale?

💡 What can technology do for food innovation and collaboration?

🤝 How might we shift the power into the hands of indigenous communities?

📈 Why are we obsessed with growth for growth’s sake?

These were just some of the big questions we asked ourselves during a two day deep dive into doughnut economics for food systems and food policy development.

Convened by The American University of Rome @americanuniversityofrome and facilitated by the enigmatic Ilektra Kouloumpi on behalf of Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) @doughnuteconomics this gathering of food academic, practitioners and policymakers from around the world proved that while our food systems are incredibly complex and increasingly vulnerable, there are tools and frameworks that can help us work together to create better solutions for people and planet.

As we reflected on the enormity of the challenges of our world, one of the participants reminded us that there is so much to be hopeful about when we are willing to do the work and support each other.

So if you work in food and you’d like to redesign the system together, let’s chat.

#foodsystems #foodpolicy #doughnuteconomics #designforchange #slowfood by @portion_collab

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4 months ago

🌱 Portfolio highlight:

Here’s a glimpse of our ongoing collaboration with Future Food Movement UK.

Over the past few years, we’ve worked with FFM and their coach network to develop online masterclasses, events, and accelerator programmes.

Through these sessions, leaders from companies including Tesco, Lidl, Dairygold, Sainsbury’s, Birds Eye and more have engaged in systems thinking learning, climate change conversations, and sustainable diet practices.

FFM shows that when the industry comes together to share knowledge, gain new skills, and hold each other accountable then we can start moving the needle in the right direction!

#portioncollab #futurefoodmovement #futureoffood #systemsthinking #climatechange by @portion_collab

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8 months ago

What does it mean to design for a world in climate crisis — not just to reduce harm, but to regenerate, reimagine, and rebuild within planetary limits?

🌱 The G42 experts are doing just that — advancing Eco & Planetary Design across systems, sectors, and scales.

From food systems innovation to circular materials and systemic coaching, they’re proving that design isn’t just a creative force — it’s a planetary one.

🌍 Meet three of the minds shaping this transformation — more to come:
🔹 Lara Hanlon — Design strategist and founder of @portion_collab . She transforms food systems through creativity, collaboration, and systems thinking. Lara is also Project Director at @100archive and a founding member of @design_declares_ireland . @lara_hanlon
🔹 Laura Melissa Williams — Interdisciplinary strategist, artist, and A UK @designcouncil Expert. Laura blends foresight, facilitation, and art to reconnect people and planet.
🔹 Dries Laperre — Designer, researcher, and circular economy entrepreneur. Through ventures like Surplace and Vlastic, and research at @howestbe , Dries turns biobased materials and ecodesign into real-world solutions.

🔗 Discover all the experts on the MADres website via the link in out bio.

#EcoDesign #PlanetaryDesign #CircularEconomy #SystemicDesign #impactbydesign

Co-funded by the European Union | Powered by BEDA | Supported by Creative Europe by @portion_collab

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9 months ago

Another from our portfolio…

*Project Spotlight: STEAM-led learning modules for teachers and students*

We had such fun developing micro-modules, learning resources and classroom activities for @futurefocus21c_ / Múinín Catalyst Sustainable STEAM.

Our role involved the creation of modules on the topics of food waste, food sustainability, and the future of food that could be delivered to transition year students in Ireland.

The curriculum aligned with the UN’s sustainable development goals, and each lesson plan empowered both teachers and learners to practice research, active collaboration, and design thinking in various ways.

We loved this collaboration as it reminded us of the power and importance of creativity in the classroom!

#foodsystems #fooddesign #foodeducation #designthinking #systemsthinking #skillsdevelopment #design #STEAM by @portion_collab

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a year ago

Once again, we’re delighted to be coaching on Future Food Movement’s Healthy Sustainable Diets Accelerator – a hands-on, action-driven programme designed to equip food industry professionals with the tools to lead on health and sustainability.

💡 Why join?

✅ Network with a diverse mix of professionals, major players like Nestlé, Co-op and Premier Foods are already signed up!

✅Gain real-world skills - Master Health & Sustainable Nutrition, Systems Thinking, Net Zero Food Systems, Circular Economy, HSD Food Design and more to drive impact in your role.

✅ Stay commercially competitive - With demand for HSD expertise booming, this is your chance to future-proof your career and business.

✅ Turn insights into action - The programme isn’t just theory - it’s about delivering solutions that make a tangible impact.

Get an exclusive 3-month Future Food Movement membership to strengthen your new network, insights and growth strategies to stay ahead of market trends.

⚡ If you want to lead the change in health & sustainability, this is where you need to be. ⚡

📅 Next Accelerator starts 4th March 2025. Check out @futurefoodmovement for more details.

#futurefood #foodsystems #systemsthinking by @portion_collab

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2 years ago

*Project spotlight: Strategic workshop with Musgrave Wholesale Partners*

We had the pleasure of working with team members from sustainability, marketing, and customer experience at Musgrave — Ireland’s leading food retailer and wholesaler.

Our work involved facilitating research and collaboration to help leaders at Musgrave envision sustainable paths forward using design and systems thinking methods.

#foodsystems #wholesale #foodretail #strategy #customeresearch #designthinking #systemsthinking #irishfood by @portion_collab

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2 years ago

Snapshots from a recent pot luck dinner event where our menus prompted conversation and thought rather than edible dishes.

Everyone was invited to respond through verbal dialogue, illustration, mind mapping, and/or note taking. By the end of the evening we had captured a range of ideas and unique perspectives that we could visually record for future reference and research!

#foodsystems #research #portioncollab by @portion_collab

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2 years ago

*Project spotlight: Reimagining local food systems and community growing with Common Knowledge*

As part of Irish Design Week 2024, we partnered with the brilliant team @common_k_ to bring diverse collaboration, discourse, and creative problem solving to the West Clare community.

Over the course of two days, we hosted a panel discussion on the topic of local food systems and community gardens, a pot luck dinner, a site tour where we visited the permaculture gardens, and facilitated a workshop that asked participants to answer some big questions using design methods.

Seeing farmers, researchers, café owners, policy makers, and local residents come together to share their thoughts and ideas was such a highlight for us!

#foodsystems #communitygardens #localfood #irishfood #fooddesign #foodadvocacy #foodresearch #foodhospitality #theburren by @portion_collab

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2 years ago

What Are We Reading:

Ways of Eating: Exploring Food through History and Culture is exactly what it sounds like—an exploration into the past and present, into food and ways of life.

Authors Wurgaft and White share stories of their travels, of politics, and of their own personal memories.

If you’re interested in anthropology then this is definitely one to add to your collection!

Published by @uc_press

#waysofeating #booksaboutfood #foodstories #foodbook #foodwriting #history #food #foodculture by @portion_collab

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2 years ago

*Project Spotlight: Customer research for Airfield Estate.*

This was one of our very first collaborations! Through in-person interviews and online surveys, we worked with the Dublin urban farm to help them understand their customer base better.

The research specifically focused on customers’ concerns and actions around food sustainability. We tackled questions about the soil, composting, food waste, and packaging. Taking the findings, we provided Airfield Estate with strategic recommendations for building a more sustainable local and urban food system.

#userresearch #design #foodsystems #research #airfieldestate #urbanfarm #sustainability #portioncollab by @portion_collab

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2 years ago

What Are We Reading:

The Meat Paradox is a fascinating philosophical, scientific, and social deep dive into the world of animal consumption.

We haven’t finished this book yet but already we couldn’t recommend it enough for anyone who is interested in food culture, nutrition, animal welfare, and the future of food.

Authored by Rob Percival, Head of Food Policy @soilassociation UK. by @portion_collab

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2 years ago

Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing some of our past work. To get started, here’s a very recent one that wrapped late in 2024:

*Project Spotlight: Creative Boardroom with Creative Futures Academy*

Throughout 2024, we had the privilege of being part of a truly collaborative initiative that brought together academics, designers, business leaders, students, researchers, facilitators, and change makers to address climate challenges at the system level.

Creative Boardroom: Collaborate4Climate was a partnership project between @creativefuturesacademy, the Institute of Directors Ireland (IoD), and the Institute of Directors in Northern Ireland funded through Creative Ireland’s Climate Action & Shared Island fund @creativeireland.

Throughout the programme, our input involved workshop design, facilitation of design thinking and systems thinking activities, research and education in agri-food systems, student coordination, and content curation.

The project culminated in a public exhibition designed by @wovemind and held at @ncad_dublin at the end of 2024.

We loved being part of this inter-generational project and were inspired by everyone’s commitment to driving climate action.

#creativeboardroom #collab4climate #sharedisland #portioncollab #designthinking #systemsthinking #foodsystems #designforchange by @portion_collab

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2 years ago