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Artwork for The Food Chain

The Food Chain

BBC World Service
Ultra-Processed Food
Cooking From Scratch
Societal Challenges
Nutrition Labels
Nova Food Classification System
Health Issues
Public Health
Apple Industry
Chinese Cuisine
Child Nutrition
Pesticides
Mealtime Conversations
Global Food Traditions
Postpartum Nutrition
Cultural Food Practices
Maternal Health
Traditional Healing
Climate Change
Air Pollution
Mental Health

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes495Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureFoodArts

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Artwork for The Food Chain

Latest Episodes

How is artificial intelligence reshaping the global food industry? Rumella Dasgupta explores how AI is helping chefs experiment with new recipes, reducing food waste in factories and streamlining supply chains.

She speaks to Tamsin Deasey Weinsten, ... more

Our shops are full of products sourced from all over the world, and its someone’s job to find and secure them – at the right quality and quantity for the best price possible. In this programme Ruth Alexander speaks to three food buyers on three diffe... more

What it’s like for your child to be diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies? Ruth Alexander explores the realities of shopping, socialising and eating out with a food allergy, and discusses what needs to change to make food safer for everyone.... more

Does food have the power to send messages when words aren’t enough? This week Ruth Alexander finds out how food can sometimes speak much louder than words.

Lecturer in Chinese Cultural Studies Dr Zhaokun Xi explains why gifting a pear in China can ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Good FoodGood Food
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CrowdScienceBBC World Service
People Fixing the World
People Fixing the WorldBBC World Service

Recent Guests

Aglaia Kremezi
Food writer and cookery school owner on the Greek island of Kaia.
Episode: Let food do the talking
Dr. Zhaokun Xin
Lecturer in Chinese Cultural Studies at the University of Manchester.
University of Manchester
Episode: Let food do the talking
Aylin Oney Tan
Food researcher and writer.
Episode: Let food do the talking
Beejhy Barhany
Chef and owner of Sion Cafe, Ethiopian restaurant in Harlem, New York, and author of Gursha.
Sion Cafe
Episode: Let food do the talking
Rajita Sinha
Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Yale University School of Medicine, and director of the Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center
Yale University
Episode: Stress, eat, repeat?
Mithu Storoni
Neuroophthalmologist, author of Stress-Proof and Hyperefficient
Episode: Stress, eat, repeat?
Rhea Mazumdar-Singhal
Co-founder of EcoWear, India's first sustainable packaging company.
EcoWear
Episode: The packaging problem
Paul Jenkins
Founder and managing director of a packaging innovation consultancy.
Packhub
Episode: The packaging problem
Felix Ahlers
Chief executive of a frozen food company transitioning to eco-friendly packaging.
Froster
Episode: The packaging problem

Host

Ruth Alexander
Host of The Food Chain

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Pay an actual artist

    Love the show but not the recent ai slop cover “art”

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Leeroy1289
    United States6 months ago
  • Great

    I love this podcast, every episode is so interesting and Ruth Alexander is a fab presenter.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AnYaLt
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Food Chain

    One of my favorite podcasts! I love the variety of topics! Very good BBC production. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    757 Mum
    United States8 months ago
  • Still deciding if l want to listen or not.

    Just need a little more time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lfive3814
    United Statesa year ago
  • So well researched and interesting.

    For anyone who loves food and all things food this is the number one show. I particularly like Ruth Alexander's low-key style which never bores or frustrates me. Thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Thangboche
    New Zealanda year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the depth and variety of topics related to food, highlighting the insightful presentation and thought-provoking discussions.
Many find the host engaging and knowledgeable, making the content enjoyable and informative to listen to.
A few have expressed disappointment over recent shifts in episode themes, wishing for a focus more centered on food culture and its intricacies.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#60
United States/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#13
Canada/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#21
United Kingdom/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#71
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#161
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#36
France/Arts/Food

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

May contain: The food allergy risk
Q: What one change would make life with a serious food allergy easier?
Clear labeling and communication regarding food allergens would significantly benefit those in the food allergy community.
May contain: The food allergy risk
Q: What is food allergy?
Food allergy is an aberrant response of the immune system to something external to our body, where the immune system perceives the food as harmful.
Snackification: Our love affair with snacks
Q: What is your favorite snack?
Chipa, a small round bun made with cassava, cheese, butter, milk and salt.
Snackification: Our love affair with snacks
Q: What's your favorite snack?
Salted peanuts and a banana, preferably together.
Stress, eat, repeat?
Q: Can you be suffering from chronic stress without knowing it?
Yes, chronic stress can be subtle, with signs like rising blood pressure or cholesterol abnormalities that may not be apparent until checked by a doctor.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Food Chain

What is The Food Chain about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on the multifaceted world of food, extensive discussions cover themes of cultural significance, business dynamics, and scientific perspectives that shape the food industry. With episodes ranging from the intricacies of food branding and the art of crafting television cooking shows to the historical evolution of staple foods like rice and noodles, each episode highlights unique aspects of how food intertwines with our daily lives. Noteworthy features include expert guests from various sectors such as culinary arts, restaurant management, and academia, providing diverse insights and engaging narratives that underscore the importance of food beyond mere sustenance.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Food Chain?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Food Chain. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Food Chain and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Food Chain get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Food Chain, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Food Chain?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Food Chain, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Food Chain have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Food Chain has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Food Chain?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Food Chain:

1. The Food Programme
2. Good Food
3. Inside Health
4. CrowdScience
5. People Fixing the World

How many episodes of The Food Chain are there?

The Food Chain launched 11 years ago and published 495 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Food Chain?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Food Chain?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Food Chain from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Food Chain?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Food Chain. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Food Chain?

Recent guests on The Food Chain include:

1. Aglaia Kremezi
2. Dr. Zhaokun Xin
3. Aylin Oney Tan
4. Beejhy Barhany
5. Rajita Sinha
6. Mithu Storoni
7. Rhea Mazumdar-Singhal
8. Paul Jenkins

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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