From Nuclear Submarines to Produce Tech: Chip Starns on Food Safety, Shelf Life & Leading with Purpose
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In this special Viva Fresh 2025 edition of The Fresh CrEd, we sit down with Chip Starns, Executive Vice President and Founder of Reveam, for a conversation that’s part tech deep dive, part founder origin story — and all heart.
Recorded live at the Marriott Marquis in Houston, TX, Chip shares how his journey from Navy diver and nuclear engineer led him to pioneer electronic cold pasteurization — a breakthrough solution that’s helping extend shelf life, eliminate harmful pathogens, and rethink how fresh produce moves across borders.
We explore:
• How a $2M grant from the State of Texas helped launch Reveam
• Why methyl bromide is outdated — and what’s replacing it
• The science behind their proprietary accelerator and clean tech process
• Expansion into the Port of Miami and their newest facility
• A mobile unit built in partnership with DARPA for global food safety
• Chip’s reflections on team-building, purpose, and engineering for impact
• What’s next: proteins, exports, partnerships, and international opportunities (hello, Fiji)
Whether you’re in food safety, logistics, retail, or just enjoy a well-told story — this one delivers.
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🎧 Recorded at Viva Fresh 2025
📍 Marriott Marquis, Houston, TX
🫶 Special thanks to our sponsors:
SunFed, IFCO, Monterey Mushrooms, Exp. Group, Anavale, ArtMx Produce, Agro Gonzámex, Agrival, ATHOS, and the Texas International Produce Association
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📲 Subscribe to The Fresh CrEd for more produce industry leaders, origin stories, and the innovations shaping what ends up on your plate.
100 episodes