Episode #231
Danny Leckie: Scaling a Mission That Matters
Join our champion program: mark@themomentumcompany.com Attend a Thriving Leader event: https://www.themomentumcompany.com/thriving-leader Instagram: @the.momentum.company LinkedIn: /momentum-company In this special CEO Season episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast , Mark welcomes back Danny Leckie, CEO of Hatch, for a conversation about explosive growth, bold vision, and what happens when intentional leadership is tied to a mission bigger than yourself. Hatch has grown from a regional nonprofit into a national organization working to close a critical gap in the food bank system: access to high-quality protein. Today, Hatch operates across 42 states, has worked with more than 178 food banks, and has delivered over 350 million meals in the last decade—including 100 million in the past year alone. From 5 Million to 100+ Million Meals When Danny took over leadership of Hatch five years ago, the organization was distributing roughly 80,000 dozen eggs each month. Today, that number has grown to more than 1.5 million dozen eggs per month, along with more than 2 million pounds of meat. In just four years, Hatch grew its annual impact from approximately 5 million servings of protein to 102 million. Now Danny and his team have planted an even bigger flag: 30X the organization over the next decade. Danny shares the story behind one of Hatch's biggest initiatives yet: a coalition designed to close the protein gap in America's charitable food system. What began with a bold "what if?" conversation grew into a collaboration involving major agricultural companies, protein organizations, hunger advocates, and government leaders. Within 90 days, the effort helped mobilize $40 million toward the mission, with a long-term goal of providing 3 billion servings of protein annually. Tony Robbins also joined the mission, committing up to $8 million in matching funds toward Hatch's national crowdfunding campaign. For Danny, it's an example of what becomes possible when people truly believe in a mission—and are willing to lead from the front. Getting protein into the charitable food system isn't simply about having enough food. It's also an infrastructure problem. Many food pantries don't have the refrigeration, freezer space, or transportation needed to accept fresh protein. Over the past two years, Hatch and its partners have delivered more than 300 coolers to food pantries. One properly supported cooler can help move roughly 8,000 pounds of food per month. That's why Danny's team is intentionally working on both sides of the equation: creating a dedicated protein supply chain while building the infrastructure communities need to receive and distribute it. Growth at this scale comes with criticism, politics, and plenty of competing opinions. Danny's response is to keep returning to the mission. Hatch's North Star is clear: Close the protein gap and provide 3 billion servings of protein each year. Every partnership, dollar, and decision should move the organization closer to that goal. And even if they don't hit the full target? If millions more people gain access to nutritious food because they were willing to aim big, the effort still matters. Toward the end of the conversation, Danny shares something that's easy to lose sight of when talking about millions of meals and 30X growth. The numbers aren't the real story. The people are. The real impact happens at the neighbor level—in families gathering around a table, children gaining access to better nutrition, and communities becoming healthier and stronger. As Danny puts it, they're not building Hatch for Hatch. They're building it for the people who need it. It's a powerful reminder that intentional leadership isn't simply about setting bigger goals. It's about remembering who those goals are meant to serve. Listen if you are: Leading an organization through rapid growth Building toward a bold, long-term vision Trying to create partnerships around a meaningful mission Working in agriculture, food, or the nonprofit sector Looking for ways your business can make a tangible difference Committed to leading with purpose and measurable impact Think bigger, stay anchored to your North Star, and never let the size of the numbers distract you from the individual lives you're working to change.
