By Jeff Simmons, President & CEO at Elanco
Hunger. It's a word that defines my "why."
Our latest Shared Table guest has spent his life unleashing the "hunger" inside people to chase their potential. But when New York Times Best-Selling Author, Entrepreneur and Hunger Advocate, Tony Robbins, and I sat down, we focused on a different kind of hunger - the physical kind. The lack of meals that should never happen.
We explored the threads that connect a rainy night in Brazil to a Thanksgiving door in California - and how those moments turned into a movement. From the Protein Revolution to the three decisions that shape every leader's life, this is a conversation about what happens when you stop managing circumstances and start creating the future.
Moments Matter: Two Doors, A Common Thread
I'm a firm believer that moments matter. They create threads in you that never go away.
For me, that moment was April 4, 2000, in Brazil. A security guard named Joaquin knocked on my door. He worked in the community where I lived as an expat and had become a bit of a language mentor. That night, Joaquin arrived with his young daughters, who hadn't eaten for two days. That night changed my life. My family and I still fast for 48 hours every January to keep that memory and mission alive.
Tony's moment came when he was 11. Thanksgiving Day. His family was eating crackers and peanut butter for dinner. A stranger knocked on the door with groceries and a turkey. Tony's father, driven by pride, tried to slam the door. The stranger stopped him with a line Tony never forgot: "Sir, don't let your family suffer because of your ego." The meaning behind that event - that the world was full of strangers who cared - changed Tony's world and drove his commitment to pay it forward. Just seven years later, he delivered his first two Thanksgiving meals to families in need.
It turned a moment into a movement and ultimately, Tony's creation of the 100 Billion Meals initiative.
Best Quote: "I realized that my worst day was my best day. Because if my father had not left, would I be out here feeding people? I don't know."
The Protein Gap - and the Coalition to Close It
Hunger can't be solved with carbs and day-old bakery goods. Tony learned this through his own health journey - moving from years as a vegan, often supplementing with highly processed foods, to vegetarian, to ultimately, coming full circle back to animal protein.
This shared conviction led us to the Coalition to Close the Protein Gap. Protein is the most requested food in the charitable food system, but only 14% of food is distributed, leaving many without access to this essential nutrient. The biggest barrier to closing the gap is improving accessibility and logistics to support distribution.
Alongside Tony, the USDA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), CDC Foundation and U.S. farmers and protein producers, we've launched the Coalition to Close the Protein Gap. Our goal? 3 billion protein-rich meals a year.
The Coalition will provide $40 million in funding to expand cold storage and infrastructure. In addition, America's farmers and protein producers are stepping up to bridge the 800-million-pound gap. HATCH will operationalize the effort, providing infrastructure and logistics. The best part? HATCH isn't charity; it's a sustainable system, using a cost-plus model where farmers sell high-quality, lower-demand protein at a small margin. This allows food banks to stretch their budgets further while providing families with consistent, nutritious protein.
Stat to Remember: If hunger were a country, it would be the third-largest country in the world. We have the resources to address hunger, but it requires all of us to come together to serve and give.
The Power of Impossible Goals
When I first met Tony in 2024, HATCH delivered about 20 million meals a year. He shook me up and insisted 100 million meals were possible. He didn't want incremental improvement, but massive action. His belief: impossible goals force creative thinking and eliminate mediocre options. The Coalition was born from Tony's challenge. A huge thank you to the American farmers and protein producers who answered the call to take massive action. Coalition members include: Cargill, Case Farms, Inc., Elanco, Hilmar, Koch Foods, Inc., Mountaire Farms, MPS Egg Farms, Perdue Farms, Rose Acre Farms, Sanderson Farms, Simmons Foods, and Tyson Foods, with the support of the American Egg Board, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National Chicken Council, National Milk Producers Federation, National Pork Producers Council, National Pork Board and National Turkey Federation.
When we provide the right fuel, we change health and well-being forever.
The Number to Remember: 9
- 9 Amino Acids: Protein delivers the nine essential amino acids often called the building blocks of life.
- Age 9: If we can create the right dietary habits by age 9, we can permanently change a child's health and cognitive trajectory.
- Genesis 9: The verse where God grants man the liberty to consume animal protein for nourishment.
The Hunger in Us: Focus, Meaning, Action
Our focus shifted from physical hunger to our hunger to unleash people's potential and leadership. Tony shared the three decisions we unconsciously make multiple times a day that change everything when you intentionally consider them:
- What are you going to focus on? (What's wrong or what's possible?)
- What does it mean? (Events are neutral; the positive or negative emotion we assign to them creates the meaning.)
- What are you going to do? (Consistently acting in support of your goals strengthens belief in your capability.)
Tony, thank you for the partnership, the push and for being one of those rare people who take others to places they wouldn't go on their own. Your lifelong dedication to feeding billions is more than philanthropy - it is a masterclass in turning a personal "why" into a global "how."
Big Takeaway: A meal is more than just food - it's the connection that happens when we come together around the table. We aren't just filling plates; we are fueling the human potential that builds healthy communities.
Will you join our table? We've launched 'The Missing Piece' crowdfunding campaign. Tony has committed $8 million in matching funds. Your support builds the infrastructure to connect animal protein - meat, eggs and dairy - to families in need.
Donate to The Missing Piece here.
