“The food business is unlike any other business,” says Dr. Tim Ryan, CMC, president of the CIA. “There are tremendous opportunities ahead—all unfolding in a fast and dynamic environment. The CIA is proud to provide its special talents and resources to create world-class programs that will support a diverse community of innovators as they acquire the practical skills, knowledge and networks needed to be successful in the broader food business."

Led by accomplished entrepreneur, investor and educator William Rosenzweig, The Food Business School plans to provide executive courses and degree programs that deliver cutting-edge, practice-based business education. Students will be guided by leading food-industry practitioners and professors from the nation’s top business schools, who will join forces with CIA faculty to provide a dynamic and rigorous new curriculum in a nontraditional learning environment.

“The food sector is attracting new talent, technologies and capital that are being driven by the pressing issues of personal and planetary health and sustainability,” says Rosenzweig, The Food Business School’s co-founder and executive director. “Our expert faculty, innovative curriculum and unparalleled professional network will lead the way in inspiring, empowering and equipping the next generation of cross-disciplinary innovators to be successful and make a difference.”

Rosenzweig is managing partner at Physic Ventures, the first venture capital firm dedicated to investing in keeping people healthy. He was founding CEO of The Republic of Tea, and has been involved in growing the health and sustainability sectors through his work as an entrepreneur and venture investor at many food-related companies, including Revolution Foods, Odwalla, Stonyfield Farms, Hambrecht Vineyards, GoodGuide and Yummly. Rosenzweig has been on the faculty at the Berkeley Haas School of Business since 1999 and is regarded as a pioneer in the field of social entrepreneurship. He is recipient of the 2010 Oslo Business for Peace Award and co-author of the bestselling book The Republic of Tea: How an Idea Becomes a Business (Doubleday 1992), named one of the 100 best business books of all time.

Course offerings, faculty and registration for The Food Business School’s Spring 2015 session will be announced January 2015. Visit www.TheFoodBusinessSchool.org for more information, to receive updates and to join the FBS@CIA network.