Clifford Pollard has over a decade of experience working in the Bay Area food industry—from culinary arts to managing supply chain logistics. He became aware of several critical issues in the conventional meat industry, including biodiversity loss, high greenhouse gas emissions, animal welfare concerns, and a lack of transparency in marketing. Pollard wanted to address these problems and revolutionized the meat industry in 2016 when he founded Cream Co. Meats as a business providing direct marketing for small-scale producers.

By partnering with over 20 natural, sustainable, and regenerative farmers, Pollard and his team can ensure their livestock are raised without hormones or antibiotics on pastures that support biodiversity and minimize water and non-renewable energy use. His values-based supply chain model fosters relationships with producers, providing them with a stable income and fair compensation. I was drawn to Pollard’s commitment to sustainably sourced meat and focus on building relationships with farmers and consumers, and I was thrilled to speak with him about his food system journey.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the food industry?
“My family. Food was a big part of my experience growing up. Both my parents come from an agricultural background. My mother was born on this small, Portuguese island called Tessera, where her family had to raise their food for sustenance. My father grew up on a cattle ranch in Missouri where they raised cattle, sheep, hogs, and vegetables. As a kid, I would go back to the Missouri farm and we would feed the sheep and harvest tomatoes.”

Cream Co. values transparency and sustainable/regenerative farming practices. What challenges do you face when marketing this unconventional model?
“I do think a lot of consumers have certification fatigue. There are so many certifications out there. So, we like to say “certified by many but verified by us,” meaning that we’re working with the producers, verifying the practices, and building trust with our consumers. It’s a very tough industry. The margins are very slim and it’s all based on meat as a commodity.”

Can you describe your typical work day/week?
“Typically, I’m working six to seven days a week. And I don’t mean that from like, “Oh, I work so much.” I love what I do. My work spans all elements of the business, from finance to vendor and customer relationships, building new tools for various departments, working with teams, and making sure that the company vision is understood. When you’re paving a new path, it’s important to keep folks focused, because we don’t have a playbook. There’s not a whole lot of companies that have done what we’re doing before.”

Cream Co. focuses primarily on the back end of the food supply chain. How did you find your place in that part of the system?
“Having that critical infrastructure—processing, USDA regulation, inspectors, and food safety compliances. You can’t just be a brand outsourcing those elements to some random, conventional meat company who don’t share your values. We knew from day one that if we were going toe to toe with a large industry, we had to invest in the infrastructure that goes along with it.”

What advice would you give to students exploring careers in food systems?
“Try a lot of different things and have many experiences. On the meat side, in particular, a lot of folks are in the twilight of their careers. Not a lot’s changed, so a fresh approach to these problems and leveraging technology is needed.”