John Tyson on corporate venture capital

In 2022, John R. Tyson participated in a discussion at the Wall Street Journal’s annual Global Food Forum. During the forum, John shared how Tyson Foods chooses investments and discussed the influence of market dynamics on commercial relationships, environmental sustainability and related topics. During the discussion, John touched on the future-focused mindset of Tyson Foods, saying, “We’re making investments for the long-term... Sometimes I have to resist the temptation to say, ‘Hey, how can we get stuff that’s going to bring value now’ and think more about the future.” Later, speaking about the future of Tyson Foods, John said, “My great-grandpa started Tyson, call it 87 or 88 years ago. How do you have a business that lasts another 87 or 88 years? A lot of what we’re talking about today as it relates to climate, environment, nature … these are things we have to think about.” On support for team members at Tyson Foods, John said, “We assist with professional training certificates, English language classes, associate’s, bachelor’s, and master's degrees for our employees. And so this is the kind of thing people come to work at Tyson [for], because they see a company that’s investing in a way that’s aligned with its values and wanting people to feel like they can be part of a company and a family for a long time.” #TysonFoods #JohnRTyson #GlobalFoodForum #wallstreetjournal — About the Wall Street Journal Global Food Forum: The WSJ Global Food Forum is held annually in Chicago, Illinois. It brings together food experts from around the globe, including CEOs, investors and government officials, to discuss the biggest challenges facing the food industry—and their solutions. — About John R. Tyson: John R. Tyson is a board member of Tyson Foods, Inc. and Chair of its Strategy and Acquisitions Committee. Based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, John is focused on food security, sustainability and investing in and advancing solutions that strengthen global food systems. — Stay up to date with John’s work by following him on social media: LinkedIn:   / johnrtyson   X: https://x.com/JohnRandalTyson Instagram:   / john.r.tyson   — Discover more about John’s work and board memberships: Tyson Foods: https://www.tysonfoods.com/who-we-are... The Marque: https://www.themarque.com/profile/joh... Arkansas Cinema Society: https://www.arkansascinemasociety.org... Chapters 0:00 – Introduction 0:17 – Investing During a Volatile Economy 4:24 – Vetting Investment Opportunities 11:24 – M and A Activity Changes 12:13 – Biggest Challenges for Entrepreneurs 15:00 – Thinking Long Term 16:02 – How John R. Tyson Sees His Role Changing 17:37 – The Tyson Foods Workforce 19:20 – Food Company Predictions 20:32 – Opening up Audience Q&A 20:44 – M and A Driving Innovation 22:24 – Identifying Disruptors