A Pioneer Who Changed the Way the World Thinks About Food Leaves a Lasting Legacy
(SANTA CRUZ, CA, June 11th, 2025) – John Robbins, bestselling author, activist, and co-founder of Food Revolution Network, has passed away from complications of post-polio syndrome. A visionary in the movement for healthy, ethical, and sustainable food, John dedicated his life to transforming lives with his message of caring for our health, the planet and all life on Earth with the power of the plate. His work sparked a global shift, influencing public policy, scientific research, and the personal choices of millions worldwide.
John’s groundbreaking book, Diet for a New America, published in 1987 and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, exposed the health, environmental, and ethical consequences of industrialized animal agriculture. It inspired a new era of conscious eating and advocacy that continues to shape the food revolution today. Over his decades-long career, he authored several bestsellers, including The Food Revolution and Reclaiming Our Health, and became one of the most respected voices in the fight for a healthier food system.
John’s impact extended beyond his books and public speaking. As a humanitarian and board member of numerous nonprofit organizations, he worked to combat food insecurity, raise awareness about factory farming’s impact on animals and the planet, and support initiatives that empower communities to make healthier food choices. He was honored with dozens of awards, including the Rachel Carson Award, the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Award, and the Green America Lifetime Achievement Award. His work has been featured in numerous major media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, and on Geraldo, Donahue, Today, and Oprah. He was a celebrated speaker at many global venues and conferences including the United Nations, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and UNICEF. John’s insights on food and sustainability have influenced policymakers, scientists, doctors and thought leaders alike. His life and work were also featured in the 2024 documentary Love Over Money, which chronicles his radical decision to walk away from the Baskin-Robbins empire in pursuit of a more meaningful path.
John met life’s challenges with courage and persistence. At the age of five, he contracted polio and was told he would never walk again. Through perseverance and healthy living, he defied the odds, becoming an accomplished yogi, marathon runner and triathlete. In 2019, John was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS), a condition that can emerge in polio survivors later in life, typically between 15-40 years after initial polio infection, affecting mobility, breathing, sleeping and energy levels. Remarkably, he lived vibrantly for more than six decades before experiencing PPS symptoms, leading post-polio specialists to believe that his diet and lifestyle choices played a key role in delaying its onset.
John Robbins’ work will continue through the organization he co-founded with his son, Ocean, Food Revolution Network (FRN), and the nonprofit Food Revolution Alliance, both of which remain committed to the vision he championed.
“John Robbins was not only my father but also my greatest mentor, dearest friend, and a boundless source of inspiration,” said Ocean. “His wisdom, courage, and profound love for his family and for this world touched countless lives. Even as I grieve, I feel immense gratitude for every moment spent walking the path of life with him, for his unwavering dedication to showing us the transformative power of food, and for the legacy of justice and compassion he leaves behind. Now, it is up to all of us to carry that light forward.”
Food Revolution Network shared the following in a statement. “John Robbins dedicated his life to the belief that our food choices can make the world a better place for all. With courage, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to truth, John challenged the status quo, urging us to see food not just as fuel but as a powerful tool for healing our bodies, our communities, and our planet. While we feel his absence deeply, his vision lives on in every meal chosen with care and every voice raised for a healthier, more just world. At Food Revolution Network, we remain steadfast in carrying his mission forward—to educate, inspire, and empower on behalf of healthy, ethical, and sustainable food for all—ensuring John’s legacy thrives for generations to come.”
John’s family also shared their deep appreciation for the outpouring of love:
“We, the family of John Robbins, ask for privacy as we grieve our beloved husband, father, brother, and grandfather. John overcame many hardships with tenacity and resilience, always learning, growing, and sharing his love with the people close to him. Never did he waver from that, maintaining an attitude of gratitude, humility and curiosity until the very end of his life. His wisdom, playfulness and loving heart blessed us in immeasurable ways that will be with us for the rest of our lives. We feel blessed by his continuing presence with us, guiding us, comforting us, and we believe that one day he will greet us at our own journey’s end.”
In honoring his life and his enduring legacy, John’s family invites donations to be made in his honor to the Food Revolution Alliance (FRA), a newly established nonprofit created to carry forward John’s work in advocating for grassroots initiatives that advance the systemic change John championed, and to expand efforts to make healthy, ethical, and sustainable food accessible for all. To find out more, or to donate in John’s honor, please visit foodrevolutionalliance.org.
Tributes From Leaders and Visionaries
Senator Cory Booker: “He is one of my life’s heroes, and I know I’m not alone in saying that. Thank you, John, for living such a meaningful life, for planting seeds that are going to reap harvest for generations yet unborn.”
Marianne Williamson: “When John was talking about diet and food and agriculture, there was no systematic resistance to his message. Now, there are forces actively trying to squash some of the most important conversations. To continue his legacy will involve courage. The greatest honor we can give him is to live up to the task — because no matter who we are or when we live, it’s our turn now.”
Tony Robbins: “John Robbins had the guts to walk away from a family fortune to do what’s right. He dedicated his life to saving other people’s health and teaching that food choices are the most powerful decisions we make. So let’s honor him and these principles — let’s wake up, take control of our own health, read his books, spread his message. Remember, what you put on your plate determines what the world will be like tomorrow.”
A Message from John (written in spring, 2025)
“To all who long for a world with less pain and more love, and to all who are doing what you can to make a difference—thank you. You have been an inspiration to me. And now, I hope I can offer something in return.
If you feel a spark of hope, a sense of possibility, I want to encourage you: Hold onto it. Nurture it. Let it take root in your life. Share it with others who may need it, just as I have sought to share my own hope with you.
And if you are struggling—whether with a challenge no diet or medicine can cure, or with the weight of the world’s pain—please know that I am with you. I offer you my heart, my understanding, and my love. You are not alone.
None of us know how much time we have left in these bodies. But what I do know is this: Every moment you have is precious. Every choice you make matters. Each act of kindness, each moment of integrity, each step you take toward aligning your life with your values—it all counts. It nourishes your own well-being, and it ripples out into the world in ways you may never fully see.
I have spent my life working for a world where food is a source of nourishment, not suffering. A world where we recognize that our health is inseparable from the health of the planet, and that all life matters. And now, I pass the torch to you.
I near the end of my time in this world with a heart full of gratitude—for the privilege of being part of this movement, for the joy of walking this path, and most of all, for each of you. The work continues now in your hands, in your choices, in your voice, and in your love.
I send you my deepest wishes for healing, for joy, and for peace—for you, for those you hold dear, and for our precious and hurting world.
And now, I leave you with the prayer that has guided my life, my work, and my hope for our shared future. It is short and simple, yet it carries all that I hold in my heart:
May all be fed.
May all be healed.
May all be loved.”
John Robbins, 1947–2025
About Food Revolution Network
Food Revolution Network (FRN) is a mission-driven organization dedicated to educating, inspiring, and empowering people to make food choices that support their health, protect the planet, and promote a more ethical and sustainable food system. Founded by Ocean Robbins and his father, John Robbins, FRN provides evidence-based resources, expert-led education, and community-driven support to help individuals and organizations move toward a diet centered on whole, plant-based foods.
Through online education, summits, courses, articles, trainings, and advocacy, FRN reaches millions of people worldwide, equipping them with science-backed information on nutrition, food policy, and sustainable living. FRN collaborates with leading doctors, researchers, and food industry experts to share actionable insights that can help prevent disease, improve well-being, and create a more just and resilient food system.
As a certified B Corporation, FRN is committed to integrity, inclusivity, and positive impact. The organization’s “big tent” approach welcomes people at all stages of their food journey, offering practical, accessible guidance without rigid ideology. By bridging the gap between cutting-edge nutritional science and everyday food choices, FRN empowers individuals and institutions to drive meaningful change in the way the world eats. Find out more at foodrevolution.org.
About Food Revolution Alliance
Food Revolution Alliance – Expanding a Movement, Establishing a Legacy
To carry John’s legacy forward, the Robbins family co-founded a nonprofit organization, Food Revolution Alliance, to be a living embodiment of the values he championed: love, justice, and integrity. Built on the foundation John helped to create, this new nonprofit exists to advance the systemic transformation he advanced for more than four decades: a world where healthy, ethical, and sustainable food is available to all, and where the choices we make about food nourish our bodies, uplift our communities, and help heal our planet.
We are profoundly grateful that Robyn O’Brien has stepped forward to serve as the founding Executive Director of Food Revolution Alliance. Robyn is one of the most trusted and visionary leaders in the food movement today. A bestselling author and Forbes Impact 50 honoree, she has worked at the highest levels of the food, agriculture, and finance sectors to create scalable, values-aligned impact. Her ability to build bridges across political, cultural, and economic divides is extraordinary, and she brings a rare combination of strategic brilliance, fierce compassion, and moral courage to everything she does. Like John, Robyn has dedicated her life and work to the health of people and the planet, and we are honored to have her guiding this next expression of the food revolution movement.
Food Revolution Alliance will create positive momentum and change in the food industry through masterminds, collaborative initiatives, and shared campaigns. The organization will uplift and connect the changemakers who are working across the country—and the globe—for a more just and sustainable food future. In time, the Alliance will expand into storytelling and media production, including filmmaking and digital content that amplifies voices of hope, innovation, and courage in the food movement—voices that too often go unheard but are leading the way to a more healthy, sustainable, and compassionate world.
Contributions to Food Revolution Alliance help bring John’s legacy and vision to life in real and lasting ways. Together, we can ensure that his legacy not only lives on—but grows stronger with every passing year.
Find out more at foodrevolutionalliance.org.
About John Robbins
John Robbins was a bestselling author, a speaker, and one of the most respected voices in food and health advocacy. His books, including Diet for a New America, The Food Revolution, and Reclaiming Our Health, have sold millions of copies and have been translated into more than 30 languages. Once positioned to take over the Baskin-Robbins empire, John walked away from immense wealth to follow his conscience, taking his own rocky road toward a life dedicated to health, sustainability, and social responsibility.
John was at the forefront of the food revolution for more than four decades. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and on Oprah, and he’s spoken at global conferences hosted by organizations such as Physicians for Social Responsibility, the United Nations, and UNICEF.
His impact goes far beyond books and speeches. As a humanitarian and board member of numerous non-profit organizations, John received many humanitarian and environmental awards, and his legacy continues to be a guiding force in the movement for healthy, ethical, and sustainable food.
John may have left behind an ice cream empire, but what he built in its place is far more meaningful—a global movement that has inspired generations to rethink their relationship with food and the planet. His advocacy has shaped policies, public awareness, and personal choices, empowering millions to live healthier, more conscious lives. His passion for truth and justice continues to light the way, proving that life’s sweetest rewards aren’t found in what we inherit or accumulate, but in the choices we make and the world we help create.
To learn more about John and his work, visit https://foodrevolution.org/john-robbins.
To access the media kit page, please visit: https://foodrevolution.org/john-robbins-mediakit/.
Contact
Name: Sierra Kohlruss
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Organization: Food Revolution Network
Website: www.foodrevolution.org
Email: [email protected]