Unreasonable Fellows
Mike Zelkind
CEO, cofounder at 80 Acres Farms
Mike is an Unreasonable Fellow. Mike has participated in 3 programs, including Unreasonable Food 2024.
At the age of 12, Mike Zelkind immigrated to the United States, speaking no English with no money to start his new life. Eight years later, he put himself through college working at Honeywell 30 hours a week. Mike began his food career at General Mills, during which he graduated first in his Emory MBA class and earned the prestigious John Robson Scholar leadership award. For over 25 years, Mike has been working with top-tier food companies including Del Monte, Bumble Bee and ConAgra Foods, and began turning around food businesses, first through his work at ATKearney. He has worked with Private Equity to drive over $3 billion of shareholder value. While President and CEO at Sager Creek Vegetable Company, Mike became determined to fix the food supply chain and found a way to reconnect people to their food. In 2015, he co-launched 80 Acres Farms with Tisha Livingston with the goal of feeding our communities local, nutritious food. Mike’s career is a testament to hard work, passion, and the will to succeed.