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Annie Fitzsimmons | Afar Advisor
We talk to Maryam Ahmed about the diversity problem in the food industry and how to create sustainable change, from early education and social equity in farming to how to solve overconsumption.
Maryam Ahmed is obsessed with food and wine. Sure, many of us may say the same, but our obsession likely stops at winetastings and dinner parties, while hers has bloomed into a career: from harvest intern at a winery to a Washington wine-making degree, on to five years at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Napa as director of public programs. California cooking demos? Italian food boot camps? Sheโs planned it all.
But the New Yorkโborn Napa resident now runs aย creative consulting companyย that takes what she learned in the food and wine industries and tries to upend it, with diversity and sustainability at the heart of what she does.
โFor the record, there is a huge diversity problem in the food industry,โ she says. โA lot of people think entry is where the issue is, but we donโt have mechanisms in place to elevate people of color to leadership positions in companies, where we have the biggest impact.โ
Ahmed thrives on bringing people together to talkโor more importantly, to listen, all while eating and drinking wellโand creating change in the industry through her vast network. Ultimately, she says, sheโs not a food or wine person, but a people person.
Her company also specializes in project management, community building, and identifying talent, where a lot of her diversity and inclusion work comes in. Itโs a big part of how she decides who to work with. โWe do say if youโre not committed to effectively serving marginalized communities or creating sustainability, come back to us in a year when youโve done more of the work.โย
Ahmed talks about all things California, the biggest challenges facing the food industry today, and the wineries and restaurants that deserve a bigger spotlight.
In this series, we are spotlighting a destination we loveโCaliforniaโthrough the experiences of people we admire who call it home.
How did you end up in California and working for the Culinary Institute of America?ย
I grew up in Binghamton, New York, went to Cornell, and didnโt want to work a corporate job, so I ended up at a winery to start. Eventually, I got my wine-making degree in Washington Stateย and ended up taking a consumer education position at the CIA in 2015 called โfood enthusiast manager.โ We planned anything from one-hour cooking demos to five-day Italian cuisine boot camps. We tripled the programs, added family programs, and did so much consumer research. I worked with chef Andrew Zimmern on Conversations at Copia. We talked about issues like equity, culture, cuisine. I loved being able to share something with the consumer thatโs really actionable and sticks with them, maybe challenges their perspective.
California is at the forefront of a lot of sustainability and diversity initiatives. Have you seen this part of the industry growing and actually creating change?
Yes, for sure. Starting with just the conventional farming methodsโweโre seeing a lot of change. The first 100 percent electric tractor,ย Monarch, started hereโwith that, youโre hugely reducing carbon emissions. Itโs lighter, so thereโs less soil impact and less impact on potential erosion, health of the microbes, and all of that. And there has been a huge consumer shift to shopping more at farmersโ markets during the pandemic, which directly supports the farmers and people who work there.ย
Then when you go to the social equity side, yes, things are changing. We cannot function in this state without our agricultural workers, fair wages, healthcare, housingโthe California housing market is insaneโand just general best practices. Itโs a difficult commitment for companies and contractors to make, but I was recently part of the working group for the social equity portion of theย Napa Greenย certification that was just released. The conversation centered around how we are going to create a bigger ripple within a much larger picture.ย
For organic food, I suggest you look at regenerative organic farming, which focuses on the health of the soil. This doesnโt speak to the social equity element of farming, though, and there isnโt enough being done there. The person that picks strawberries also picks grapes and lettuce. How do we push on agricultural contractors and make the biggest impact for workers across the board?
What can we be doing to support restaurants beyond eating there or ordering takeout?
The best restaurants in California rely on the farms they work with. As consumers, to help keep those farms in business while the restaurants ramp up again is really important. So youโre not just getting takeout, maybe youโre also getting a CSA box that works with your favorite local restaurant. Then Iโd say, share on social media what you hear from restaurants about specials, or new openingsโand help contribute to that community conversation.ย
What is some of the talent in California right now that you think deserves the spotlight?ย
In the East Bay, Tanya Holland from Brown Sugar Kitchen. I freaking love her. Sheโs committed to a plant-forward menu. Nyum Bai in Oakland is amazingโchefย Nite Yun is a community activist and just serves incredible food.ย
I loveย SingleThreadย in Healdsburg, with a husband-and-wife team. Andย La Tabernaย in Napaโitโs one of those places that locals love and tourists are lucky to discover. Itโs just very true to Spanish cuisine and beverages.
For wineries, I loveย Matthiasson,ย McBride Sisters,ย Corison,ย Artesa Winery, andย St. Clair Brown.ย
Do you think we can help solve the diversity problem in the food industry by focusing on primary education?
I think discovering your passion for food starts early. The question is: Are we creating access points for life-changing moments around food in early education?
There are two programs to look into that are doing amazing things for kids and students: theย Edible Schoolyardย Project by Alice Waters, which teaches children about where food comes from and how itโs grown, and theย California Restaurant Association Foundation, which empowers young people to work in the restaurant industry. But those are not part of primary education, theyโre nonprofits.
Youโre passionate about solving food waste and overconsumption. Why?
Hereโs why food waste is a problem: There is too much food for certain people and not enough food for certain people. We have a consumption-driven environment in the U.S., so weโre buying more than we need and weโre incentivized to buy in bulk. Food waste is a huge contributor to global warming. When we put vegetables into a plastic bag rather than compost, and seal it upโthat creates an anaerobic environment that takes way longer to decompose than in open air. But itโs really hard for people, and itโs regulated county by county here.ย
The city of Napa has an amazing compost programโI put [my compost] out every week. But itโs not that way for everyone. There are companies likeย Rethink Foodย repurposing food excess and creating meals for people who donโt have access. Excess into access.ย ย
But hereโs how you solve it: Buy and use less. Itโs really important that you donโt buy more than what you need.
About Napa Green: The Napa Green 501c3 is a global leader in sustainable winegrowing, setting the highest bar for sustainability and climate action in the wine industry. Napa Green facilitates whole system soil to bottle certification for wineries and vineyards, and provides the expertise, boots-on-the-ground support, and resources to continually improve. Learn more atย https://napagreen.org/participating-members/.
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Napa Green
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โญ๏ธ Steal this itinerary!
Cheers to Climate Smart Wines Month is back this July and we couldnโt be more excited!
We have built some truly fabulous and sustainable experiences which you can find on www.napagreen.org and this year we have included hotels as well!
Tag us in your posts when you visit our amazing Napa Green Certified wineries so we can share your Green adventures!
Team Green is thoroughly enjoying visiting a few of our Napa Green Certified wineries today! ๐ฑ
Pictured here are the STUNNING new Sky Lofts at @rutherfordhillwinery. We strongly recommend a visit, itโs spectacular!
Wondering what this sign hung outside of the winery that you work at means? Want to be able to talk more about what it means to be @napagreen certified??
Join the Napa Green Ambassador training at Clos du Val on Wednesday, June 25 from 9-11 am to learn the answers and more.
Tickets are free but space is limited so reserve your spot from the Workshops & Events link in our bio.
#climateaction #napagreen #napagreencertified #climatesmartwinery #regenerativeag #regenerativefarming
๐ Do you want to learn more about what it means to be a Napa Green Certified Vineyard or Winery?
๐ Do you have new team members who still arenโt sure what that Napa Green Certified sign hanging out front actually means?
๐ Are you curious about this term thatโs suddenly popping up everywhere โ regenerative?
๐ Want to know what exactly does it mean to be climate smart?
Join us Wednesday, June 25, 2025 @closduval to learn how to talk about being @napapagreen certified.
Use the event link in our bio to register.
#climateaction #wineindustry #wineindustryleadership #climatesmart #sustainablewine #sustainablewinery #regenerativevineyard #regenerativeag
๐ข Attn Wineries!! Today is last day to sign up for the Cheers to Climate Smart Wines this July!
Email winery@napagreen.org to sign up today!
Thank you all for making RISE Climate & Wine Symposium a success! We 70 powerful speakers and 650 guests across the six events, dozens of commitments to action, and a flood of positive, heartfelt feedback.
Letโs keep the momentum going!
๐ธ: @briana_marie
Congratulations to Napa Green Certified @cliffamily for winning the RISE Leadership Award for Supply Chain & Waste Management Excellence!
Clif Family attended our first conference & committed to reducing their bottle weight and waste. They set upon an inspiring journey to change their packaging based on their outdoors loving and mountaineering inspired founders. They were able to..
โข lighten the weight of a case of their wine by almost 8 lbs!
โข reduce their carbon output by 42 metric tons!
โข institute fully recyclable, bio based shippers that keep wine cool!
โข eliminate all foils!
โข eliminate all plastic & metal moving fully to renewable cork enclosures!
Their customers responded with absolute enthusiasm.
โThis story is not just about wine packaging or supply chain decisions. Itโs about how we do business. Itโs leading with values. Itโs about remembering that the best way to climb higher.. is to carry less.โ - Sarah Richmond, Clif Family Winery.
Take action this Earth Month with Napa Green. Our team of experts is ready to assist you in achieving your climate action goals for both your vineyard and winery, no matter where you are in your sustainability journey.
๐ฅ @robot_productions
#earthday #earthdayeveryday #earthmonth #climateaction #sustainabilty #climatesmart #regenerativeag
๐ดWednesday April, 23rd is the day NOT to miss lunch at @cliffamily!!
Come enjoy delicious food while supporting Napa Green! See you there.
Uniquely, Napa Green isnโt just a roadmap of leading practices. Napa Green provides an expert, boots-on-the-ground consulting team that develops:
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Regenerative Carbon Farm Plans (to enhance soil health, biodiversity, resilience, and carbon storage)
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Irrigation Distribution Uniformity Assessments (to maximize water efficiency)
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Integrated Resource Assessments (to reduce energy, water, waste and emissions in production)
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Action Plans for continuing improvement (tailored to the opportunities and goals of each vineyard or winery)
Additionally, we support soil sampling and analysis, provide resource assistance, run practical training and education workshops throughout the year, and provide valuable, hands-on guidance in meeting your climate action goals.
โ
Napa Green members implement over 120 best practices in both the Vineyard and Winery. This Earth Month, learn about 21 of them with โ21 Days, 21 Waysโ counting down to Earth Day.
๐ท @buddsocial
๐ @tressabores
#21days21ways #earthmonth #earthday #climateaction #regenerativevineyard #climatesmart #sustainablewine #regenerativeag #environmentalleadership #wineindustry #winebusiness
Napa Greenโs vineyard team is trained to develop regenerative, whole-farm Carbon Farm Plans (CFPs). These plans review all of the current beneficial practices that are increasing soil and ecosystem health and storing carbon, and identify additional opportunities to regenerate the soil and vineyard ecosystem and simultaneously maximize carbon capture in a given property. Each vineyardโs goal is to become carbon neutral (or negative) and increase the resilience of vineyards, businesses, and our community.
โ
Napa Green members implement over 120 best practices in both the Vineyard and Winery. This Earth Month, learn about 21 of them with โ21 Days, 21 Waysโ counting down to Earth Day.
๐ท @soilrainandhope
๐ @tressabores
#21days21ways #earthmonth #earthday #climateaction #regenerativevineyard #climatesmart #sustainablewine #regenerativeag #environmentalleadership #wineindustry #winebusiness
Clear pathways for employee advancement are essential for a thriving workforce and driving success. They boost retention, job satisfaction, productivity, and attract top talent. Napa Green Certified members develop pathways for growth, discussing career goals and progress with employees during reviews.
โ
Napa Green members implement over 120 best practices in both the Vineyard and Winery. This Earth Month, learn about 21 of them with โ21 Days, 21 Waysโ counting down to Earth Day.
๐ท @briana_marie
๐ @dominusestatewinery
#21days21ways #earthmonth #earthday #climateaction #regenerativevineyard #climatesmart #sustainablewine #regenerativeag #environmentalleadership #wineindustry #winebusiness
Forests are not only our largest terrestrial carbon sink, they are also home to 80% of the worldโs on-land diversity. We need healthy forests, which means a balanced density of native trees and plants. Healthy forests experience lower intensity fires with less tree mortality, meaning higher carbon retention and ecosystem function.
โ
Napa Green members implement over 120 best practices in both the Vineyard and Winery. This Earth Month, learn about 21 of them with โ21 Days, 21 Waysโ counting down to Earth Day.
๐ท @abrittain
๐ @seaveyvineyard
#21days21ways #earthmonth #earthday #climateaction #regenerativevineyard #climatesmart #sustainablewine #regenerativeag #environmentalleadership #wineindustry #winebusiness
Napa Green Certified Wineries benefit from an on-site Integrated Resource Assessment (IRA) led by our experienced engineers and winemakers. This IRA evaluates resource metrics, monitors progress, and identifies areas for improvement to increase efficiency and save $$$.
โ
Napa Green members implement over 120 best practices in both the Vineyard and Winery. This Earth Month, learn about 21 of them with โ21 Days, 21 Waysโ counting down to Earth Day.
๐ @materrawines
#21days21ways #earthmonth #earthday #climateaction #climatesmart #sustainablewine #regenerativeag #environmentalleadership #wineindustry #winebusiness
All of our members are committed to using at least 60% renewable energy, whether through on-site solar and other renewable sources or by working with @mcecleanenergy to access clean power through the grid. The impact? Over 1.2 million pounds of CO2e saved by wineries and vineyards in just one year. To put that into perspective itโs the equivalent to offsetting the emissions from driving over 1.5 million miles in a typical gas-powered car!
โ
Napa Green members implement over 120 best practices in both the Vineyard and Winery. This Earth Month, learn about 21 of them with โ21 Days, 21 Waysโ counting down to Earth Day.
๐ท @love.dream.breathe
๐ @corisonwinery
#21days21ways #earthmonth #earthday #climateaction #regenerativevineyard #climatesmart #sustainablewine #regenerativeag #environmentalleadership #wineindustry #winebusiness #renewableenergy #greenpower #greenenergy
As part of their commitment to sustainability, Napa Green Certified Winery members collaborate with key suppliers and utilize their purchasing power to support eco-friendly practices. In the same way, we can make a difference at home by choosing materials made from post-consumer recycled materials, and selecting reusable, recyclable, compostable, biodegradable, and non-toxic products.
โ
Napa Green members implement over 120 best practices in both the Vineyard and Winery. This Earth Month, learn about 21 of them with โ21 Days, 21 Waysโ counting down to Earth Day.
#21days21ways #earthmonth #earthday #climateaction #regenerativevineyard #climatesmart #sustainablewine #regenerativeag #environmentalleadership #wineindustry #winebusiness #greenpurchasing #supplychain
