Kipster: The World's Most Conscientious Egg Company
Many consumers today are eager to support ethical food brands — but they often face a barrage of vague claims about sustainability and humane treatment without any real substance behind them. With buzzwords outpacing transparency, how can people truly know whether a brand aligns with their values?
Olivier Wegloop, a creative strategist turned sustainable farming advocate, offers a radically different model rooted in ethics, transparency, and common sense. He explains how disillusionment with big-brand advertising led him to co-create a farm model that upcycles food waste for chicken feed, measures its carbon impact, and shares every aspect of its operations — good, bad, and uncomfortable. Rather than pandering to consumer misconceptions, Olivier advocates for standing firm in values, educating through storytelling, and building products that serve animals, the planet, and future generations.
In this episode of the Firebelly Social Show, Duncan Alney talks with Olivier Wegloop, Co-founder of Kipster, about reimagining the future of farming through transparency and ethics. Olivier also shares insights on fixed egg pricing models, consumer behavior myths, and lessons from his career shift from advertising to agriculture.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
[1:49] Olivier Wegloop discusses the fan culture around his early creative agency, Boomerang
[2:36] Why Olivier walked away from a successful career in advertising
[6:04] An overview of Kipster’s mission as the world’s most humane and sustainable egg farm
[6:40] How a meeting with a poultry expert sparked the idea for Kipster
[13:09] The importance of radical transparency in farming practices
[15:18] Why many Kipster leaders, including Olivier, are vegetarians or vegans
[20:03] Olivier talks about egg pricing, avian flu, and economic impacts
[22:49] The role of storytelling in brand building and consumer trust
[34:54] The vision for improving current practices and scaling Kipster globally
About Olivier Wegloop :
Olivier Wegloop is a Dutch entrepreneur, creative strategist, and Co-founder of Kipster, a pioneering farm known for producing the world’s first carbon-neutral eggs. Before entering sustainable agriculture, he built a successful career in advertising, working with major brands like Unilever, Coca-Cola, and Heineken. Driven by a desire to align his professional work with his personal values, Olivier shifted his focus to creating ethical, transparent, and environmentally friendly food systems. He also serves on the boards of animal welfare organizations Dier&Recht and Varkens in Nood, advocating for systemic change in the livestock industry.
Resources Mentioned in this episode
Quotable Moments:
"If we continue exploiting the Earth like now, there's an end to our resources; our approach is much more circular."
"We stand with our backs to the consumers, and we are facing the chickens."
"The CEO of our company is the chicken because they are the chief egg officers."
"Our price model is not connected to market price but to feed price, ensuring honest pricing for consumers and farmers."
"We don’t do it for the show, but we do it because we want to deliver."
Action Steps:
Practice radical transparency in your operations: Giving consumers access to your full process builds credibility, fosters trust, and sets you apart.
Align pricing with actual production costs: Linking prices to inputs like feed cost ensures fairness for farmers and stability for consumers.
Upcycle food industry byproducts for animal feed: Using leftover materials as feed reduces waste and gives animals a regenerative role in the food system.
Design ethical systems with animal welfare at the core: Humane farming practices meet consumer expectations and lead to healthier, more sustainable products.
Lead with values, not trends: Trusting your ethical compass can position your brand as a leader, even before consumers realize what they want.