About the Guest Maude Manoukian is the Chief Community Officer at Forager Project, a US-based company redefining dairy through plant-based innovation. With a background spanning Odwalla and Whole Foods Market, Maude brings deep experience in natural foods, supply chains, and conscious consumerism. Her long-standing collaboration with Forager Project founder Stephen Williamson has shaped a shared philosophy grounded in sustainability, community engagement, and continuous improvement. At Forager Project, she leads both community programs and the human-centric culture that drives the company’s mission. Episode Summary In this episode of Shape the System, host Vincent Turner sits down with Maude Manoukian to explore how Forager Project is reimagining dairy through cashew-based alternatives. Maude outlines the fundamental resource problem in traditional animal-based dairy — an industry now 8–10 times more resource-intensive than plant-based options — and why scaling that model for a planet of eight billion people is no longer sustainable. Their conversation traces the historical reasons dairy became dominant, what’s changed, and why a rethink is overdue. The discussion then turns to cashews — Forager Project’s “star ingredient” — and why they are uniquely suited as a dairy alternative due to their creamy texture, neutral flavour and minimal ecological footprint. Maude explains how cashews grown in places like Côte d’Ivoire are naturally rain-fed, resilient to poorer soils, and part of reforestation efforts rather than deforestation risk. She walks through the surprisingly complex journey from cashew apple to packaged yoghurt, highlighting the critical roles of farming practice, processing, fermentation, and product consistency. Beyond the product itself, the episode delves into Forager Project’s broader philosophy: a commitment to community-centred supply chains, regenerative thinking, and multi-year programs training 10,000 cashew growers. Maude also reflects on packaging challenges, their shift to recycled plastics, and the belief that improving systems requires both experimentation and humility. Ultimately, the ambition is to “flip the script” — shifting dairy consumption from 80% animal-based to 80% plant-based — a move driven by taste, accessibility, and cultural change as much as sustainability. Key Takeaways Traditional animal-based dairy now requires 8–10 times the resources of plant-based alternatives, particularly land and water. Cashews offer a uniquely low-impact, creamy, neutral-flavoured base for dairy alternatives and can thrive with no irrigation in suitable climates. Forager Project is investing in a multi-year training program for 10,000 cashew growers in Côte d’Ivoire to improve yields, livelihoods and regenerative practices. Taste and price remain the two biggest levers for shifting consumers towards plant-based dairy; flavour consistency is critical to behaviour change. The company is transitioning its packaging to rPET and continues to explore next-generation sustainable formats as technology matures. Notable Quotes “Conventional animal-based dairy requires a lot more resources… between eight and ten times more demanding than plant-based options.” — Maude Manoukian “Our star ingredient is the cashew… we think they’re the best comparison to what people currently know as a dairy product.” — Maude Manoukian “You can’t just say, ‘Great, these can grow here — let’s cut down stuff and plant cashew trees.’ Nature doesn’t like that.” — Maude Manoukian “It’s all connected… the way you do stuff is as important, if not more important, than what you’re doing.” — Maude Manoukian “We’re trying to flip the script — from 80% animal-based dairy to 80% plant-based.” — Maude Manoukian Resources Forager Project — https://foragerproject.com/?utm_source=shapethesystem.org Shape the System is  an independent podcast with support from KPMG High Growth Ventures More about KPMG High Growth Ventures Scale up for success. We’re here for that.
We navigate founders and their teams to the services they need to reach their next milestone.  From startup to scale and beyond. No matter where you are right now, we’ll get you the help you need to drive your business forward. We help founders fully realise their potential, as well as the potential of their team and their business, by connecting them to the expertise, skills and resources they need at every stage of their growth journey. Our extensive experience in partnering with evolving businesses means that we can provide you with tailored support as well as independent and practical insights.  Whether you are looking to refine your strategy, establish your operations, prepare for a capital raise, expand abroad or simply comply with regulatory requirements, we are here to help. Links: Website: About (highgrowthventures.com.au) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/kpmg-enterprise-high-growth-ventures/ Contacts: highgrowthventures@kpmg.com.au Shape the System is  an independent podcast with support from KPMG High Growth Ventures   More about KPMG High Growth Ventures Scale up for success. We’re here for that. We navigate founders and their teams to the services they need to reach their next milestone.  From startup to scale and beyond. No matter where you are right now, we’ll get you the help you need to drive your business forward. We help founders fully realise their potential, as well as the potential of their team and their business, by connecting them to the expertise, skills and resources they need at every stage of their growth journey. Our extensive experience in partnering with evolving businesses means that we can provide you with tailored support as well as independent and practical insights.  Whether you are looking to refine your strategy, establish your operations, prepare for a capital raise, expand abroad or simply comply with regulatory requirements, we are here to help. Links: Website: About (highgrowthventures.com.au) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/kpmg-enterprise-high-growth-ventures/ Contacts: highgrowthventures@kpmg.com.au