About Us

We give food a second chance

Problem

The problem we're solving

Massive quantities of wasted food. Growing food insecurity. These shouldn't coexist—and they don't have to. We're building the connections that turn surplus into solutions.

47%

of Canadian food is never consumed

86%

is lost before reaching tables

45%+

of that waste is preventable

1 in 5

Canadians face food insecurity

Impact

The scale of what we've accomplished

At FoodMesh, we connect surplus food with those who need it most, creating measurable change across Canada.

70M

Meals provided

45M

Kgs of food diverted

$250M

In donated value

130M

Tonnes of CO2e avoided

Origins

Built on the belief that surplus is solvable

FoodMesh was born from a mission to combat food waste and food insecurity. In October 2015, co-founders Jessica and Francisco came across photographs of perfectly edible produce headed for landfills—discarded simply because it was too ripe for retail shelves. Unable to shake these images, they began investigating the root causes and true scale of the food waste crisis.

What they discovered was troubling: food businesses routinely sent overstock, near-expiry, cosmetically imperfect, and mislabeled products to landfills because it was easier and cheaper than finding alternative uses for them. This reality sparked the creation of FoodMesh—a platform designed to power a circular economy for surplus food, connecting those with excess to those in need.

People

Our team

We're driven by a shared belief that waste is a choice, not an inevitability.

Jessica Regan
Founder & CEO
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Jessica is an experienced entrepreneur and business leader in the social impact, agri-tech and start-up space. Over the past 15 years, Jessica has consulted for Fortune 500 corporations, small businesses, and all four levels of government, including the United Nations, in areas of economic development and sustainability.

As a former B Corp Ambassador, Jessica’s work concentrates on developing highly scalable startups using business as a vehicle for social change, including Social Impact Technology Accelerator (SITA).

Jessica volunteers as the Vice-Chair of KASOW, a Kenyan-based charity focusing on micro-enterprises, and is on the Board of Directors for the Gitga’at First Nation Economic Development Council in Hartley Bay.

She lives in Vancouver with her husband and two young children.

Erin Takeshita
COO
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Erin Takeshita has served in various executive and senior leadership roles in the aerospace and defence and software industries. Most recently Erin started and lead a Vancouver-based Consulting practice focused on digital transformations and strengthening engineering, operations and management for software companies large and small and served as Director of Engineering at MDA one of Canada’s iconic space companies.

As FoodMesh’s COO, Erin focuses on our customers, strategy and our team’s execution.

Erin enjoys exploring BC, travelling the world and volunteers at DASH BC, a BC-based non-profit focused on creating a future where all students are socially connected, engaged and flourishing at school and in their communities.

Andrew Palmer
Retail Program Trainer
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Andrew is a Bachelor of Business Administration graduate from the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) where he majored in marketing. He joined FoodMesh in 2024 and is committed to helping reduce food waste one visit at a time by overseeing store operations in western Canada.Erin Takeshita has served in various executive and senior leadership roles in the aerospace and defence and software industries. Most recently Erin started and lead a Vancouver-based Consulting practice focused on digital transformations and strengthening engineering, operations and management for software companies large and small and served as Director of Engineering at MDA one of Canada’s iconic space companies.

Outside of FoodMesh, you can find him setting up a laying drive on the golf course or staying active in the gym.

Brandon Adler
Sales and Business Development Manager
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Brandon has 10 years of sales experience working in industries ranging from food-tech to commercial real estate. In his previous food-tech roles, he has led initiatives in bringing in sustainable solutions within food packaging and waste reduction. He joined FoodMesh in a Sales and Business Development role in 2025.Andrew is a Bachelor of Business Administration graduate from the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) where he majored in marketing. He joined FoodMesh in 2024 and is committed to helping reduce food waste one visit at a time by overseeing store operations in western Canada.Erin Takeshita has served in various executive and senior leadership roles in the aerospace and defence and software industries. Most recently Erin started and lead a Vancouver-based Consulting practice focused on digital transformations and strengthening engineering, operations and management for software companies large and small and served as Director of Engineering at MDA one of Canada’s iconic space companies.

Outside of work, you can find Brandon listening to podcasts, hiking, trying new food spots, cooking, and spending time with his son. Brandon has a dual degree in Psychology and Business from Ivey Business School.

Claire Lustig
Operations Specialist
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Claire is a food sustainability and operations specialist with over 10 years experience in the aquaculture and sustainable seafood sectors.

After acquiring her Master of Science from Simon Fraser University, she specialized in ESG, project management, and consumer relationship management. She has enjoyed serving on the Board of Directors for the BC Seafood Festival and the Canadian Aquaculture Alliance’s Choose Canadian Seafood campaign.

In 2024, Claire joined FoodMesh’s Retail Team to go beyond seafood and continue her work in improving the broader food industry’s business practices.

Claire finds joy in hosting dinners, hiking, traveling, and all things oceanic.

Clea Wells
Retail Program Manager
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Clea joined the FoodMesh team in May 2019 to manage the new Retail Food Recovery Program. She was inspired to work for a team focusing on sustainability and community impact. Clea is responsible for helping food hubs become operationally ready, regional launches and ongoing operational support. Her aim is to ensure the program is implemented smoothly for all involved.Clea holds a law degree and has professional experience in legal operations management, paralegal and administration roles, procurement and hospitality.

She has a keen interest in nutrition, fitness, outdoor adventures, wellness, Spanish and travel.

Eric Douglas
Business Analyst
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Eric is a network builder and technologist with a background in biology and data science. His involvement with food systems began during university where he conducted research on the economics of community-based agriculture, food waste and food security. He has been involved and led multiple projects aimed at reducing food waste and promoting food security at UBC.

Eric is entrepreneurial minded with experience managing small teams and high impact projects. His hobbies include rock climbing, alpine skiing, mountain biking, gardening and contemporary dance.

Dheeraj Bharat Sethi
Full Stack Developer
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Dheeraj has been developing web and mobile software for several start-ups since 2012. He is always willing to take the initiative to help teams succeed. He joined Foodmesh in 2022 to develop the DiversionTracker app.

Mental health is a priority for Dheeraj, and he enjoys learning about the “self” by studying Yogic science. Follow him on social media at @UrbanPraani for life-related content and @TechPraani for software tutorials. He also loves to counsel friends and relatives.

Diana Scott
Head of Customer Success
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Diana has over 25 years of experience working in the waste and recycling industry. She has held senior positions in procurement and account management as well as roles in operations and IT development. Her role at FoodMesh is to assist in the creation of new products.

In her spare time, Diana loves being active, getting out on long rides on her bike and travelling with her family to remote destinations. She volunteers her time to teach a weekly spin class as well as an English conversation class for new Canadians.

Fiona Sham
Executive Assistant
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Fiona’s career has been shaped by a passion for helping purpose-driven organizations thrive through strong executive and administrative support. With over 10 years of experience in administration, operations and project management, she brings an eye for detail, strong organizational skills, and a proactive approach that allows leaders to stay focused on vision and growth while she supports the details behind the scenes.

At FoodMesh, Fiona assists the leadership team and organization with coordination, organization, and reliable day-to-day support that contributes to the company’s mission.

Outside of work, Fiona enjoys cooking, playing board games with friends and family, spending time with her corgi, Nala, and finding inspiration in new cities and landscapes.

Haley Everitt
Food Waste Research Manager
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Haley is a food waste expert, educator, and storyteller. She has extensive experience consulting, managing projects, and leading research on waste reduction, pro-environmental behaviour change, and circular economies. With a Ph.D. from Western University in consumer-level food wasting, Haley joined FoodMesh to grow the Love Food Hate Waste campaign and support the reduction of food waste generation across Canadian households.

Outside the office, you can find her at the beach, on the field hockey pitch, or at a pottery wheel.

Laura Mercy
Head of Finance
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Laura has over a decade of experience supporting the financial operations of various organizations in North America and France, with a focus on startups and social enterprises in recent years.

Her interest in sustainable food systems, and particularly food waste reduction, brought her to join Foodmesh in 2021 to lead the finance function.

In her spare time, Laura likes to volunteer at the local community garden, ride her bike, and explore the spectacular BC waters by stand-up paddle board.

Megan Czerpak
Head of Communications
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Megan has been providing communications counsel to organisations in North America and Europe since 2006, including the University of British Columbia and HSBC Bank. She joined FoodMesh in 2020 to lead its communications function. Since January 2025, she also oversees the national Love Food Hate Waste campaign on behalf of FoodMesh.

When she’s not helping to reduce food waste at work, Megan likes to spend her time hunting for treasures to rescue at local yard sales and thrift shops. She also enjoys crafting, designing, travelling and playing in nature.

Nikki Mertens
Operations Specialist
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Nikki’s impact-driven career began by diverting waste at events to recycling used chopsticks at ChopValue by leading their operations and administrative functions. Nikki is now proud to be supporting FoodMesh’s retail team with client success and data management.

Beyond reducing waste, Nikki enjoys spending her time trying out new recipes, reading books, and going for hikes in our beautiful mountains. Keen to learn new languages, she also likes to study and travel.

Pia Nagpal
Campaign Strategist
Love Food Hate Waste
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Pia Nagpal is a seasoned strategist with 19 years of experience in marketing communications and program management. She has led major social and behavioural change initiatives for organizations including FoodMesh, BC Hydro, YVR, and the National Zero Waste Council. Over the past nine years, she has helped bring Love Food Hate Waste to Canadians, reaching more than 20 million people. Known for her collaborative leadership, Pia builds strong partnerships and designs programs grounded in understanding human motivations and removing barriers to change. Outside of work, she can be found playing soccer with her three boys or immersed in a good book.

Teddie Geach
Operations System Specialist
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Teddie has over eight years of experience working in environmental conservation leading the scientific direction of the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program, Canada’s leading sustainable seafood program.

Her interest in sustainable food systems lead her to complete the Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture at UBC farm, where she witnessed firsthand wasted food at the farm level. She is excited to be working with Food Mesh to help divert edible food that would otherwise be wasted to those in need of food.

In her spare time, she is a board member with the Cedar Cottage Food Network which is dedicated to creating sustainable and just food systems at the neighbourhood level. Teddie has a Masters of Environmental Science from the University of Toronto.

People

Board of Advisors

We're driven by a shared belief that waste is a choice, not an inevitability.

Tom Urban
David Van Seters
Leilani Latimer
Alan Albert

Certified for impact

B Corps are businesses that balance purpose and profit, and are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on people and the planet.

As a long-standing, top-performing B Corp, FoodMesh is committed to maintaining the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility in everything we do.

Ready to reduce waste and feed communities?

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