Our North Star

Roughly two thousand years ago three travelers looked to the night sky for guidance along their long journey. There they saw a single star that sat immobile anchored amidst the rotating constellations. This star became their guiding beacon, and with it the three travelers found their way. Today Christians all over the world celebrate their meeting upon arrival as Christmas, bestowing gifts upon friends and family just as those three wise men presented gifts to a very special baby born in Bethlehem.



For many people around the world, regardless of religion, this holiday season is a time of immense reflection. Perhaps this year more than ever. Quiet has befallen the industry as the last set of deals were made and out of office messages turned on. At Glowlit, the silence is an opportunity to reflect on our own guiding principles. Since our launch, we have been driven by a mission to make our industry more effective through greater transparency. We are working each day to alleviate imbalances in supply and demand, promote market stability, and increase competition.



Part of this reflection is also a consideration of our path forward. We are reminded of a conversation with a wise man from the industry back in August of this year. He told us to “follow industry fragmentation as your North Star.” This person understood that Glowlit is needed most where the industry is most splintered and thus lacking in access to data. These fractured points would present our greatest opportunities to scale.



I am happy to report that Glowlit will be entering 2021 with our North Star clearly in view. In the last few weeks we have launched over 70 new products including grains, byproducts, and oilseed feed ingredients. All represent significant fragmentation at the base of the supply chain, where the need for information is strongest. The Glowlit team is proud to continue marching forward along our journey, assured by the fact that light is most transformative in darkness.

Happy holidays to those who celebrate and a Happy New Year to all.