The Food Startups Podcast

A discussion on mental health with our guests: Jeremy Smith - CEO of Launchpad Mark Samuel - Founder & CEO of iWON Organics Hugh Thomas - Co-founder & CEO of Ugly Drinks In this episode we trigger up some thoughts from three serial entrepreneurs who share their close encounter with it, how they crossed over to the other side and some daily best practices that keep your heart and mind healthy.

Tom Spier is the Founder and Managing Partner of Boulder Food Group(BFG), a venture capital firm that seeks partnerships with early stage food and beverage consumer product companies. Tom previously co-founded EVOL Foods and was the COO of Bear Naked Granola. Under Tom's management, both businesses were successfully sold to public companies. In addition to his role at BFG, Tom proudly serves on the board of directors of three non-profit organizations including Chef Ann Foundation, Just Label It and Growe Foundation. In this episode Tom talks about what BFG values in emerging partners and some of the ins and outs of how they operate.

Tom Spier is the Founder and Managing Partner of Boulder Food Group(BFG), a venture capital firm that seeks partnerships with early stage food and beverage consumer product companies. Tom previously co-founded EVOL Foods and was the COO of Bear Naked Granola. Under Tom's management, both businesses were successfully sold to public companies. In addition to his role at BFG, Tom proudly serves on the board of directors of three non-profit organizations including Chef Ann Foundation, Just Label It and Growe Foundation. In this episode Tom talks about what BFG values in emerging partners and some of the ins and outs of how they operate.

Jessica Levison is the Founder and CEO of Pekaboo Ice Cream. In her search to get veggies into her three toddlers, this lawyer turned Ice Cream Confectionist started infusing vegetables in ice cream and ended up starting a successful ice cream brand called Peekaboo Ice Cream. In this episode, Jessica talks about how she used her artisanal ice cream stores in Surfside and Wynwood to launch Peekaboo Ice Cream and how she managed to get the funding and exposure that brought Peekaboo Ice Cream to1300 stores in just 8 months.

Francisco Pavan is the Co-Founder of Kumana, a company that makes Avocado Sauces inspired by Venezuelan cuisine.  After traveling the world and experiencing different cultures through food, he decided to change career paths from being an automotive parts supplier, to a food startup entrepreneur. His passion and desire to bring light back to the image of Venezuela(Francisco's home country), led him to team up with Jeremy Smith(President of LaunchPad Group) and Eric Read(Founder & Creative Director of MarketBrand) to successfully brand and sell his Avocado Sauce. Here are some show notes: - 04:34 - Founder's story - why Francisco Pavan left his career with Toyota to start an avocado sauce company? - 11:14 - Early market testing - 13:51 - Locking in branding and "Go-To-Market" strategy. - 15:34 - A founder's mindset - 23:09 - How to combine all of the different design parts and pieces and make - a coherent and simple for the end user to understand. - 24:15 - How to define your "onlyness". How do you really stand out? - 28:49 - How the design team should be part of the soul and creativeness all the way throughout the brand's journey. - 35:00 - Early traction - 43:17 - What's next for Kumana?

Kenneth Park is the founder and CEO of Detoxwater, an Aloe Vera water brand that started as a home remedy that his mom used for digestive problems and other illnesses. Ken eventually introduced Aloe water to the market, originally branded as Superleaf Aloe Juice, selling from his dorm room and later on becoming a household name with a nationwide distribution. Detoxwater is now famously known to be an aloe drink offering the best of both worlds: great taste with health benefits. In this episode, he shares how he turned his mom's home remedy to a successful beverage brand. Some key takeaways from the interview: 1. Doing research on your competitors and incorporating what they can't provide to your brand in order to stand out. 2. Being open to collaborating or partnering with established manufacturers with the same vision or niche. 3. Executing a national distribution: finding a partner, getting a purchase order, hiring the brokers. 4. Presenting your brand through a personal experience or story which people will be able to relate to. 5. Exploring all your retailer options; don't be afraid to swim against the current when it comes to applying other people's advise versus what you really want to achieve.

Mark Cohen is the founder and CEO of Kidfresh, a food brand that was inspired by Matt's goal to provide a line of better-for-you and tasty kids meals to-go made with the same quality ingredients enjoyed by parents but for children. In this episode, he shares several key insights for shelf strategy, as well as the importance of perseverance and vision. A few other takeaways: Production and packaging: Find co-packers who are willing to work with you and your small margins. Develop an honest, straightforward and personal relationship with them. Pricing on shelf: Make sure that your product is affordable. Take note of where your product is being shelved, who your competitors are and what price point will work best in your category. Success of shelf: visibility is important. Start with minimum SKUs to put on a number of shelves, to be picked strategically depending on variety. Choose a number of stores which are representative enough, allowing you to do some marketing and promotion. Raising capital: For starters, go with investors whom you know personally or are introduced to you within your network. And many more such valued lessons!

Mark Cohen is the founder and CEO of Kidfresh, a food brand that was inspired by Matt's goal to provide a line of better-for-you and tasty kids meals to-go made with the same quality ingredients enjoyed by parents but for children. In this episode, he shares several key insights for shelf strategy, as well as the importance of perseverance and vision. A few other takeaways: Production and packaging: Find co-packers who are willing to work with you and your small margins. Develop an honest, straightforward and personal relationship with them. Pricing on shelf: Make sure that your product is affordable. Take note of where your product is being shelved, who your competitors are and what price point will work best in your category. Success of shelf: visibility is important. Start with minimum SKUs to put on a number of shelves, to be picked strategically depending on variety. Choose a number of stores which are representative enough, allowing you to do some marketing and promotion. Raising capital: For starters, go with investors whom you know personally or are introduced to you within your network. And many more such valued lessons!

Katie Katie Jesionowski is Co-Founder of MySuperFoods, a company that makes superfoods for kids. With three product lines distributed nationally via natural food channels, traditional grocery, food service, schools and export as well as online, they are a snack brand on the rise. Katie shares her journey, the impact of a good business partner, and how she mastered the eCommerce channel to get her products out to her consumers.

Sadie Scheffer is the founder and CEO of Bread Srsly, a wholesale sourdough bread company that wants to reunite gluten-free eaters with their beloved sourdough bread. All of their bread rises for more than 12 hours, breaking down hard-to-digest grains and plus, Bread SRSLY gluten-free sourdough contains a host of bioavailable nutrients, promoting digestive health and healing. Sadie has had a different approach to CPG via self-distribution. And she shares how they've made that work, and why it helps attain higher margins while maintaining product integrity. She shares their smart strategy on building long lasting effective relationships with buyers and how to maintain high re-order rate and shelf velocity.

Matt Bachmann is the co-founder of Wandering Bear Coffee, a company that produces and distributes cold brew beverages. The company started back in 2013 and is now sold in over 750 retailers, including Target, Costco and Whole Foods and is distributed nationally to offices via their website. Matt shares the experience of how an obsession with coffee ended up becoming a successful business. 3:18 How and why Matt Bachmann got into the food business. 7:35 The influence of university in entrepreneurship and starting a business. 13:31 The relevance of supplying direct office orders and wholesale orders. 18:17 Drawbacks and challenges 29:26 Key points to take into account in the early stages of a food business. 32:19 How Wandering Bear Coffee got on the shelves at Costco

Annie is an activist, writer, scientist, and marketing manager dedicated to environmental issues related to food, water, and agriculture. She works with consumers, suppliers, and purchasers to drive demand for regenerative products, transition farms to regenerative agriculture, and inspire brands to invest in regenerative supply lines. 5:00 - Overview of Kiss The Ground as an organization 7:30 - What damage have we done via farming practices and food waste 10:00 - What is regenerative agriculture 17:00 - How can small businesses identify regen ag based supply chain 19:50 - How can consumers get aware of composting and make a huge impact on the greenhouse gas emissions 21:08 - Vermiculture and how it can make your compost "stink-free", making it smell like fresh earth! 27: 40 - General Mills, Patagonia, and other major brands taking a stand on regen-ag farming

Don Morton is a bartender, WSET trained wine nerd, cocktail geek, fermentation enthusiast, and an eager host. After 10 years of working in public policy, Don founded Shrub District to bring a little more happiness into the world. Today, their cocktail vinegars (aka shrubs) and 'built cocktails' (A "built" cocktail is a cocktail you build in the same glass in which you serve it) are available online, restaurants and bars across the North East. With a keen focus on quality and sometimes, seasonal ingredients, Don is determined to provide an exceptional experience while making it convenient for consumers to make a cocktail. Some key takeaways from the interview: test the product after you have nailed down the formulation with real customers make sure that you have variety for folks otherwise you will leave money on the table finding partners that meet distribution challenges innovating in a category that's quite hot while not over extending on capacity and production For more information, visit:  www.shrubdistrict.com

John "Sonic" Ban has worn many hats, is a serial entrepreneur and shares valuable lessons from his experience, in this episode. Also known as DJ Sonic, due to 10+ years in a hip hop radio station, his first brush with starting his own business was with the Indianapolis food truck scene and becoming one of the first successful food truck business owners. Grass Fed Coffee began in 2014 when John "Sonic" Ban experienced incredible gains in mental clarity, energy, and fat burning, from just one daily cup of butter coffee. After recommending butter coffee to all his friends and family, he was dismayed that many couldn't experience it because they were too busy to brew it every morning themselves or didn't know where to purchase the ingredients and equipment. John talks about his faith in the ketogenic diet, and how he, along with Mark You, who is a principal at Grass Fed Coffee, raised $86K on a Kickstarter Campaign in December 2015 and broke the record for "Highest Funded Non-Alcoholic Project on Kickstarter, ever." Episode index: 5:15 - the journey from food truck into food 8:29 - bio hacking as a trend 9:48 - the kickstarter project for Grass Fed Coffee - lessons learned always have a well produced video one minute or less what makes videos viral, compared to other kickstarter video raised $86K in 2 months without anyone tasting the product keep it simple, down to 1-2 takeaways for your target audience 15: 45 - the challenges of taking a concept to production 18:00 - go-to-market strategy, channel strategy 21:00 - marketing approach and focus on education, and content A few pointers: https://grassfedcoffee.com https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1431509519/introducing-the-worlds-first-ready-to-drink-butter Book recommendation: Contagious: Why Things Catch On - Jonah Berger A message to this podcast listeners from Hema Reddy, the new host of the show: "Thank you all for listening. Please share your feedback on the show and help us get better! We want to bring you value and content that's helpful to you. I am so excited to continue this journey with you!"

Hema Reddy is the Founder & CEO of Crafty Counter, an innovative packaged food products company, and their first product line is available in the market today, and they called Wundernuggets. She is also the Founder & CEO of Epicurate Media - a digital marketing firm that is hyper-focused on helping food & beverage brands achieve their growth targets via carefully designed marketing blueprints & processes. Prior to her entrepreneurial ventures, she was Program Director for Worldwide Systems Marketing at IBM Corporation. Hema is a public speaker, and has been featured on several TV & media outlets.

There is no denying the inventory and logistics benefits of Whole Foods being purchased by Amazon. Any spreadsheet or report can show that. But what is often overlooked in the history of acquisitions is culture. Jeremy Smith believes there is a high probability that Whole Foods will fail post-Amazon purchase because of it. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, has already acknowledged the cultural challenges. We talk about Online vs Retail, what the future holds, and what food startups can do to best compete moving forward.

In just a few years, nutpods is on fire. A dairy-free coffee creamer, they have passed Coffee Mate on Amazon.com for # of reviews. Talk about "review capital"! She entered the food space as an outsider. With a beginner's mindset and the ability to develop die-hard fans, nutpods has become a great success. Awarded as "Editor's Pick" at the Natural Products Expo in her debut year, nutpods has quickly grown online and in traditional brick and mortar business and is now available nationwide. Madeline Haydon is open and engaging. We tell her incredible story.

Andrew Lynch is co-founder and president of the Zipline Logistics, an award-winning North American 3PL that specializes exclusively in the transportation of retail consumer goods and food and beverage products. Zipline Logistics works with popular brands such as Vita Coco, Chameleon Cold Brew, Avitae Water, Vegan Rob's, and Barney Butter. Starting his career in carrier procurement and management within a Fortune 100 logistics company, Lynch has held positions of responsibility in all areas of third party logistics. He is currently responsible for relationship management, data analysis, organizational alignment, and overall strategic direction for his company and its client base.

Jeanne David has created a company by taking a long-used veggie as a replacement for pizza crust and bread. By cutting out refined carbs, one can transform health. We talk about the anti-inflammatory diet, getting on restaurant menus, dealing with unexpected sales spikes via a popular blog, and more. More about Jeanne: Jeanne David is the Founder, Head of Product Development and President of Outer Aisle Gourmet, LLC. Jeanne is a born entrepreneur and loves creating ideas for new products. She started her first business at the age of ten. Jeanne founded several small businesses, the most successful of which brought a line of natural food products to market in Louisiana.

Mindset, packaging, food labeling, logistics, innovation, systems thinking, sustainability, traceability, and big e-commerce in the delivery space. This episode has it all. I don't say this lightly, but this episode should be listened to by all food entrepreneurs. Michael Joseph is the CEO of Green Chef, his 3rd food startup. Green Chef is a a USDA-certified organic meal kit company. They work with farmers to source sustainable, non-GMO ingredients. A fun and insightful episode.

Steve Broad is on his second startup in the food space. He previously had Co-Founded and was CEO of Annie Chun's Inc. with his wife, Annie Chun. They started at the Farmer's Market in 1992 and built it into a national brand, then sold the company in 2008 to CJ Corp, Korea's largest food company. They began gimMe in 2012 and the brand has quickly become the #1 seaweed snack. We talk seaweed and Steve's ideas on how to thrive in the natural foods space.

Sam Lillie is the founder/CEO of Vinder, a peer-to-peer marketplace for homegrown produce that connects home gardeners who hate seeing their excess veggies go to waste, with fellow community members looking to buy local produce. Sam graduated from San Jose State in 2015 then solo-hiked from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail (2,658 miles) which took 5 months to complete. While hiking, Sam faced extreme weather conditions from 105+ degree heat in the desert with 20-30 miles distances between water sources to snow storms and lightening storms. After 3 months he figured he'd put his degree to good use and applied to 106 jobs across 4 states but only received one offer. He turned it down, moved to the small town of Port Townsend, Washington and launched Vinder. I am so excited about this startup and cannot wait to follow this over the years. This episode talks about how developing personal strength can assist in startup perseverance and much more: Sam's 5 month journey on the Pacific Crest Trail Adapting to "real life" post hike How to deal with challenges that come your way Conceiving the idea and starting Vinder Creating the AirBnB of homegrown produce Pivoting an idea and winning the Silicon Valley business plan competition The viral coefficient for your startup Community building via Vinder Plans for expansion across the United Statse The disaster relief program

"I had a lot of experiences where I truly manifested my reality. And those experiences continue." Joshua Mchugh has been at this for 13 years. Not many startups make it to the decade mark. How did he do it? Starting out, he would spend endless hours reading recipe books with the intention of understanding how he could take standard comfort foods and turn them into nutritional powerhouses. Living Intentions has formulated multiple lines of products, from gourmet sprouted nut and seed blends to superfood cereals, sprouted superfood seasonings, sprouted trail mix, superfood smoothie blends, and more. We talk about the philosophy of slow growth and activated foods: How Joshua started the company The path to going from small, local distribution to nationwide Managing a high # of sku's Live and breathe what you are doing Creating your reality Sprouted vs Activated vs Raw Separating the craft from the business

Hi all! In today's brief episode, I evaluate the success of the past 50 guests on the show and synthesize it into 3 steps.

"Back the jockey, not the horse." At early revenue stages, the founder is crucial when deciding whether or not to invest. Out of every 100 or so food startups Accel Foods invests in just 1. What makes them say yes to this small handful of companies? Cofounder Jordan Gaspar and I dive into her perspective of food startups and how they can prosper: How Jordan left the legal space and ended up with an investment fund The size of the companies and the investments they make Common mistakes food startups make that affect their long term success Advice for companies in "launch mode" Mentoring: is this a value-added service that Accel offers all brands? Legal guidelines to keep in mind for your company How long it takes from meeting a founder to making an investment

Reza Mirza has an exciting job: CEO of Icelandic Glacial. A premium brand, they control the sole commercial rights to bottle and sell water from the legendary Ölfus Spring. In 21 countries with only 40 total employees, they are organized, efficient, and growing.  Their U.S. distribution is handled by Anheuser-Busch, which took a 20% ownership stake in the company in July 2007. Reza recently served as President of Activate Drinks where he grew the company in key markets through increased distribution while driving double digit same store sales and increased brand awareness. We go behind the scenes of their fascinating company and, of course, water: The vision of Icelandic Glacial Keys to leadership Let's talk water... Global distribution strategies into new countries What it means to be carbon neutral Marketing in the United States compared to China? Logistics, sending product to various countries around the world How he grew Activate same-store sales numbers Think global; act global Only 40-50 employees.Just for export. Becoming a distributor. What type of marketing, what message are you trying to send to people? As the CEO of a large food company (many are smaller in nature) what is your day-to-day like? Expanding to other countries you brought Blaupunkt audio into India, what's the plan here? Unique selling positions between different brands of water

When I asked Alex how they came up with the idea for an energy shot. It was simple: Our customers told us. Before the interview, I thought: "Why would anyone start a cold-brew coffee company? There are so many on the market already." I quickly learned the unique value proposition of Bizzy Coffee from a product and brand perspective. The co-founder, Alex French sat down to talk with me on the final leg of their East Coast #vanlife tour. And it was quite the success: they were able to sell into 200 new stores with 500 prospects in the pipeline. There is a lot we can learn from Bizzy Coffee: Ranking #1 in amazon for cold brew coffee Finding product opportunities using internet metrics A/B testing and online customer feedback How to run a successful promotion tour Door-to-door retail sales tips Navigate the chicken and egg problem with distributors and retail The National Coop Grocers association Key metrics that many founders overlook Buying and equipping a van for your brand Why you need company "gear" Understanding why customers use your product

For Steven, it's all about patterns. He has spoken to over 1,000 founders and has developed a sense for which startups are going to flourish. He focuses on sourcing and evaluating premier brands and coaching entrepreneurs through the fundraising process at CircleUp. CircleUp is the platform providing capital and resources to innovative, early-stage consumer brands, and opportunities for sophisticated investors to participate in their growth. From machine learning data to predict CPG success to the do's and don'ts of fundraising, we cover a lot: The fallout from Amazon's purchase of Whole Foods An 18 billion dollar shift from large brands to small brands in the consumer space from 2011-2015 Is there a "too early" for Circle Up? Characteristics of good brand communication Helio - machine learning for the CPG space How to attack a trade show. Trends Steven sees in 2017 The 5 buckets of entrepreneurs Why some companies can raise money and others can't

Most Americans are sick. Alex Bayer saw it first hand, dealing insurance policies for AFLAC in southern California. Born and raised in Palos Verdes, he has followed an extremely healthy and active lifestyle from an early age. In his 20's, he became 'too busy' and was always on the go, never having time to cook a meal or prepare food, and smoothies became a way of life for him. When the coconut craze hit, he discovered that coconuts were a great source of nutrients and benefits, and he always wondered why the full coconut meat was never included in coconut drinks. He started cold blending coconut water and coconut meat in his vitamix blender, eventually giving birth to the Genius Juice formula with coconut milk. Alex has persevered through a lot. Now, in over 400 stores, he is ready to take it to the next level: Finding simplicity The shocking things Alex witnessed at AFLAC A lot of times we are "experts" without even knowing it. Why did coconut milk receive very little attention in the U.S. coconut craze? Subtle changes and market impact Sourcing coconuts 101 Why will Genius continue to succeed once others copy it?

Imagine if, in 1996, you knew that the internet was going to be the next big thing. In hindsight, it seems obvious, but it wasn't at the time. Now we are on the brink of a new technology that can be as monumental to the world as the internet: the blockchain. Food and Ag is just one of many industries that will evolve with the technology. Emma Weston of AgriDigital is applying blockchain technology to transform global agricultural supply chain. She breaks down the blockchain and how it will change food forever: What is the blockchain? Current state of international food trading Tokenizing physical assets Smart contracts Making trust a commodity Why did Emma's pitch win? The three main problems the blockchain can solve in agricultural trading Traceability, the blockchain, and IoT Additional uses of the blockchain in food Why CPG brands should learn about the blockchain Food marketing potential of the blockchain

Jeremy Smith is back. If you haven't heard the first interview, listen here. There is trouble in the food broker space. The market has changed dramatically. Based on listener response to the first episode and Jeremy's intuition, we continued the conversation on Costco, brokers, and how to adapt to the evolving food space: Costco pitches: phone vs in-person. Can you do it on the phone?: "Does a founder have to live the messaging of the brand before he/she communicates it to the consumer?" Hershey's and Nestle are not driving the categories anymore .. Thoughts on Whole Foods "decline" .. Why the food brokerage business is broken. The challenge, how is it impacting companies? Your broker is not doing a good job it could be you. Can you be a food broker? Should you sell directly to Costco or use a broker. Why do some buyers say you should work directly with them and not use brokers? What are Costco Buyers like? Why brands fail at Costco? "Flavor Fatigue" Channel protectors should not sell to Costco. Is there a right time for a brand to go to Costco? Raising money: How Circle Up has evolved

In the last episode, we spoke with the founder of B'More Organic. This week we interview their secret weapon, Amanda Sains. Amanda was in the corporate world and wanted a change. She started as a brand ambassador, doing product demos on her lunch break. She has since rebranded the company, supported growth into over 3000 stores and has gotten placement for B'more on The Rachael Ray Show, collegiate sponsorships, secured NFL athlete endorsements with VaynerSports and coaching from entrepreneur, Barbara Corcoran. We find out what drives Amanda and how she has been able to excel at B'More Organic: What she learned running an Etsy store Her decision to go to grad school Advice for young people who are unsure of their career path What "the hustle" means to Amanda Getting the attention of a food company How she proved herself to B'more Organic Getting in front of superstar entrepreneur Gary Vee Landing endorsements with NFL players Life on the road.. Guerrilla marketing

"Necessity creates opportunities in my life." Andrew Buerger was in his 40's and stuck in a declining industry. He had to find something new. While mountain climbing in Iceland, tried their traditional yogurt, Skyr. Even though he is lactose-intolerant, Andrew loved the yogurt and felt great after eating it. He came back to Maryland and figured out how to turn this into a real business. In 2015, they became the fastest growing yogurt company in the U.S. And the yogurt sales spur Jodi's Climb for Hope, which has  raised over $750,000 to funding promising research on breast cancer and MS at Baltimore's John's Hopkins University. They are in over 3,000 stores and growing strong. Andrew and I had an enlightening conversation: Converting limitations into opportunities Making a career transition What is Skyr? How the product evolved to a yogurt smoothie Turning a cause into a business Aligning the "why" with the product and charity Goals for 2020 Consultation with Barbara Corcoran Andrew's life mission The opportunities available in Baltimore

In the space Andy Ellwood plays in, every few years you need to be prepared to start over. On his dynamic career "path", Andy has become a high-performer in business development with a track record to back it up. He helped Gowalla through its acquisition by Facebook in 2011, Waze through to its acquisition by Google in 2013, and Bond which was acquired in 2016 by Newell Rubbermaid. Now he is on his next venture. As Cofounder and President of Basket, Andy leads a community of shoppers committed to never over paying for groceries again. Some retailers and brands have resisted the app, but it is becoming an unstoppable force with over 300,000 users. And as Andy will explain, the users always come first: What is business development? The ups and downs as an entrepreneur Why you should play on the edges The variation of grocery prices Celebrity driving directions with Waze The hipster effect The key moment that marks the success of any product/service Grocery shopping behavior Gamified data collection How they overcome obstacles with retailers and brands Business development philosophy (way more than "tips")

He started Mikey's Muffins as a side hustle to pay the rent. As of today, his products are in more than 4500 retailers nationwide. Michael Tierney began working in professional kitchens at the age of 13 and followed his passion to The Culinary Institute of America, where he earned his degree in Culinary Arts Management. He went on to work in the kitchens of world-renowned restaurants, including 3 michelin star The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California and Eleven Madison Park in New York. Not happy with his future prospects in the restaurant industry, he left it all behind and ended up in the food CPG space. Mikey's started out with paleo, gluten-free english muffins and they are growing their product offerings. We cover a diverse set of topics: How he decided to leave the restaurant industry The skills he picked up grinding away in top restaurant kitchens His proprietary candy product that will launch this summer How Mikey revised his strategy for investment / fundraising tips The keys to scaling quickly Understanding the long-term effects of margins On having a lean staff The two types of white space in the marketplace Integration of your fans in social media Book recommendations (linked below)

He thought he was going to be a diplomat. While gaining international experience in Medellin, Colombia, he fell into a circle of entrepreneurs. And everything changed. Robbie Thomas teamed up with another expat and launched Just Panela, a true raw cane sugar. The company has grown fast. 18 months later, the organic sweetener is in many parts of the United States. Robbie has helped Just Panela get slotted in accounts like Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, and Wegmans, as well as build out the food service/bulk side of the company's business. Robbie and I talk about the art of the launch with a product unknown to the North American consumer: Advice to younger listeners who want to start a business with little to no money Creating serendipity What is panela? How is panela different from Turbinado sugar? The sales pitch for panela What they would have done differently knowing what they know now How to use food brokers Strategic distribution partnerships Retail versus food service Conventional vs specialty grocers Running a U.S. focused business from South America Why finding a great fulfillment/warehouse partners is important Colombian musings Bonus: Robbie attempts to eloquently pronounce "terroir"

Tobias Peggs understands how to pivot; how to evolve. He has primarily operated in venture-backed tech startup environments (twice as CEO w/exits to Walmart and Adobe). He has led companies across various domains including mobile, search, social, e-commerce, ad-tech and speech rec. Now, with Kimbal Musk, he is spearheading Square Roots Urban Growers - a farming accelerator based out of Brooklyn. Think of a 2 acre farm inside a 40' shipping container. Tobias imparts wisdom on how to have a fulfilling career, urban growing and more: Understanding real food Working alongside Kimbal Musk What he has learned about leadership Why the accelerator model is so powerful Keys to being an effective CEO Tobias's process for changing career/industry The creative-active phase How to get involved with Urban Roots accelerator Advice to those who are starting out in food

Tero Isokauppila, the founder of Four Sigmatic, is on a mission to make medicinal mushrooms, some of the world's most researched superfoods, more accessible to everyone. Born in Finland to an agronomist father and nursing teacher mother, Tero grew up on a farm his family has owned since 1619. There, he foraged for mushrooms and other wild foods while learning about the natural food space at an early age. A world traveler, Tero has created a powerful business that matches his lifestyle and values. Tero was also chosen as one of the world's TOP 50 Food Activists by the Academy of Culinary Nutrition. An engaging, wise Scandinavian dude: How to find your optimal breakfast Connecting with Tim Ferriss and his podcast Online marketing thoughts Customer service strategies Entering the U.S. market Becoming ritual-focused Advice for those who want to bring an unknown superfood to market Sleeping on a nail mat and other wellness tips

Jeremy Smith is fed up with the food brokerage industry. There are a shortage of great food brokers. And grocery buyers have noticed. That's why he is back in the game. He previously sold his food brokerage, Level One, and is back with an innovative Food Brokerage and Consultancy: LaunchPad. Over his career in food, design and advertising, Jeremy has worked with iconic brands. Think Chobani, Apple, 5Hour Energy, popchips, EVOL Foods, Promax, Pure Foods, Krave Jerky and Bob's Red Mill. His relationships with buyers and marketers, strategists and designers presents enviable connections in the food industry. Jeremy sheds all kind of golden advice: How to sell to Costco Becoming multi-talented - design, advertising, copywriting, business strategy, etc. What he learned from Steve Jobs On selling his brokerage to Advantage Sales and Marketing The lack of great food brokers in 2017 Questions that you should ask a food broker What makes Chobani special? The "Secret Sauce" of Chobani Helping Chobani thrive at Costco How much does a food broker charge a food brand? Why founders shouldn't stay on after an acquisition "Im scared of losing Whole Foods business if I go to Costco" Various Costco tips and insights (pack size, behavior etc.) Some top emerging food brands to look out for

I thought I knew a decent amount about how to connect with buyers. I was wrong. Alli Ball has all the secrets I wanted to know. She has successfully opened several retail locations, including the Bi-Rite Divisadero location as store manager. She is a rockstar.  Listen to this episode and you'll agree: Opening Bi-Rite in Divisadero Why they rejected Runa, who is doing great today and was recently on the podcast. The right way to cold call on new stores How to send information to buyers Understanding category performance Do buyers like being acknowledged as "busy"? Can you send a text message to a buyer? Constant, gentle pressure Demystifying the business plan The future of online vs in-person retail

When David Woodburn was asked to be the CEO of Blue Prarie, he didn't know what chicory was. Now, he is leading the charge developing prebiotic, chicory-based ingredients that help maintain a healthy gut environment for beneficial bacteria while replacing fast-digesting starches. David is pleased to announce that Blue Prarie has completed a $6 million Series A Investment round. While the nutrition space highlights probiotics, prebiotics should arguably be the #1 focus. Learn about prebiotic nutrition, chicory, and an awesome biotech company: Chicory definition and history Prebiotics vs probiotics Inulin and soluble fiber Understanding the giant market opportunity B2B relationship building The biggest challenges/opportunities of their business model What they are looking for in a VP of Sales + Marketing

He founded GoodPop on a ramen noodle budget in 2009 and hasn't accepted investments since. College student at the time, Daniel couldn't find an all-natural popsicle, snow cone or frozen treat to beat the Texas heat. Daniel Goetz decided to quit his advertising internship to launch GoodPop with his first retailer, Whole Foods. GoodPop has since seen triple digit growth every year, revenue in the millions and recently received a loan from Whole Foods. Now, at the age of 30, Daniel has transformed GoodPop from its humble beginnings as a popular, local Austin brand to a nationally-recognized leader in the natural frozen novelty category. Daniel radiates positive energy and perseverance. Learn about: His initial market research when GoodPop a dorm room startup The long-term goal of the company Creating customer experience How did you get a loan from Whole Foods? Moments of struggle/perseverance What makes GoodPop successful? How do you manage hiring/growth? Working with seasonality and different regions of the United States Channeling nostalgia and improving access to food

Cookies in Saudi Arabia, pomegranates in Croatia, bananas in Ecuador, Olive oil in Georgia. Tim has done it all. In the food business since 1988, he helps companies add thousands of retail locations, millions of dollars in revenue, and millions of capital investment. Tim has worked with large and small companies from all around the world. With experience working at the big boys (Unilever and Nestle), he applies their advanced, proven practices to smaller ones. Fun stories and practical advice for all: Georgia Olive Farms story How he brought Keebler to Saudi Arabia without permission Food Network endorsements + PR tis The 4-5 key metrics you must pay attention to How to recognize the key issues during growth 9 pillars of successful food brands The retail index coefficient Bananas, Ecuador, and Whole Foods Results-based consulting pay Tips for raising capital

Scott Jensen is Co-Founder and CEO of Rhythm Superfoods, a manufacturer of organic plant-based superfoods snacks. I am snacking on their delicous broccoli bites as we speak! He is the former CEO & President of One World Foods (Stubb's Bar-B-Q), which he co-founded 20+ years ago with C.B. Stubblefield and two close friends. One World Foods was successfully sold to McCormick & Co. in 2015. Scott led Stubb's in its national and international expansion to be the largest SuperPremium Bar-B-Q and Marinade brand in the country. Scott is personable, intelligent, and happy to impart his wisdom from his many years of success in the food industry. From marinades to superfood snacks: The Stubbs BBQ story How they came across the Kale chips idea Working with co-founder Clayton Christopher (of Sweet Leaf Tea and Deep Eddy Vodka) Why did Kale become popular? (19:30) Moving production facilities 3x Handling demand spikes in the Kale dehydrating niche business Becoming a produce buyer Sourcing and supply chain tips Benefits of working with General Mills - 301 INC.

Everything changed on his visit to the Central Market in Valencia, Spain: Victor Friedberg realized that food is a system. He returned to the U.S. and dove head first into learning about food systems. At S2G Ventures, Victor and his team invest in innovative food startups. Many of the startups have been guests on our show, including Maple Hill Creamery, TerraMera, Myco, Mercaris, Kuli Kuli, Back to the Roots, Shenandoah Growers, and SVO. S2G has built an amazing community and portfolio. Victor is sharp and insightful. We talk about: Victor's diverse work and life background His trip to Valencia, Spain The different stages of investing Investing in great "systems" What he sees in some of the food startups that he has invested in Synergy between his food startups Creating alpha How they advise their portfolio of companies The advisors to Victor and his fund (an impressive group)

Dan MacCombie is the co-founder and former Co-CEO of Runa, an Amazonian social enterprise and beverage company supporting indigenous farmers sustainably growing guayusa tea in the rainforest.  He and the Runa team developed relationships with indigenous farmers and built a supply chain into nationwide distribution in Whole Foods and other U.S. chains. Starting in 2009, it has been a fun, challenging adventure. Dan tells us how they got to where they are today: A" listening tour" in Ecuador Introducing an unknown food (guayusa) to the U.S. market Highlights of their growth On strategic relationships How they stayed on the shelves Musings on the food industry Keys to sampling your product Analyzing the social investment landscape Bonus: Matt and Dan rant on "New Vendor Packets"

It all started 12 years ago in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Today, it is a nationwide brand based out of Southern California. Christian Bunte started Cabo Chips in college and has been doing it ever since. In 2012, he made the decision to focus on the natural retail channels. A pivotal shift that changed everything. He is very savvy on the food industry, production, sales and marketing. We tell his story: Why Christian decided to launch Cabo Chips Launching a business in Mexico versus the U.S. Comparing conventional vs natural channels The 2012 company shift How he works with his mentors Managing production - quality control Dealing with a seasonal product Tips for hiring On hiring a C.E.O. to run his company The biggest mistakes Christian How has the industry changed since you started?

Doing research for this interview, I quickly realized that this is no ordinary baby food. It utilizes start of the art technology. And adults love it too! Cassandra Curtis is a nutrition fanatic foodie with an extensive background in the health and wellness spheres. Her deep understanding of business operations, nutrition and food, combined with the experience of being a mother to two little ones, led her to pursue her ultimate passion: to create a one-of-a-kind HPP baby food line that would become the gold standard in childhood nutrition. In this episode, we talk all things nutrition, health, caffeine and more: Experiences at the Optimum Health Institute Moving from a kitchen startup to a co-packer How Matt would react if he was diagnosed with cancer Did drinking copious amounts of soda as a child ruin my adult health? How nutrition affects mood and psychology Two things you can subtract from your diet for a healthier, better life. What is epigenetics? Packaging tips -- Phthalate and BPA free The Magic HPP - High Pressure Processing (photos below) The dangers of "shelf stable" food Matt's 3-day coffee rule Sourcing produce from the West Coast Michael Pollan's Rules of Food Packaging tips As promised: HPP Machine - High Pressure Processing:       E

Douglas Coombs decided it was time for a change. He left a tech startup in a South American city of 9 million people and moved to a small college town in Oregon to start a brewery. Why and how did he do it? We have a fun conversation about his journey and current venture: Alesong Brewing interacting with customers? Their mid-term and long-term goals