Taste Radio

Miyoko Schinner literally wears her passion for veganism on her sleeve.  A few moments prior to our interview with Schinner, the founder of plant-based cheese and butter company Miyoko’s Creamery, she p revealed a large tattoo just below her right shoulder. Printed in block letters were the words “Phenomenally Vegan,” a credo that defines Schinner and her company, which was built on “the principle of compassion for animals and eliminating them from food production.” But she wasn’t always so upfront about her beliefs. As part of our conversation, Schinner explained that during the company’s first few years, she was concerned that its mission wouldn’t resonate with mainstream consumers and avoided speaking about it. Yet her perspective changed following an industry event in which she opened up about her convictions and received a  surprisingly positive response. “I finally realized at some point you have to stand for what you believe in,” Schinner said. “You have to be true to your nature, to your soul, to the

John Sorial admits that his company should have gone out of business -- several times. Sorial is the founder of TaDah Foods, a maker of plant-based, Mediterranean-inspired foods, including frozen falafel wraps and bite-size falafel poppers. Launched in 2011, TaDah was on an upward trajectory during its first five years, picking up distribution at retailers across the U.S. and generating annual sales of $2.3 million at its peak.  In 2016, however, TaDah’s co-packer became financially insolvent and sent Sorial scrambling to find a new manufacturing partner. Unable to fill retail orders, the company went into a tailspin and seemed unlikely to recover.  “You can weather a lot of difficulties and challenges, but having your product unavailable for several months, that’s almost the kiss of death,” he said in an interview included in this episode. Sorial hung on for three tenuous years and described the period as “the most lonely and challenging of my life… it was just one bad day after another.” A glimpse of hope a

There’s a phrase that comes up several times in our interview with Andrew Abraham, founder/CEO of protein-centric brand Orgain: cautiously optimistic.  A medical doctor turned entrepreneur, Abraham was inspired to launch Orgain in 2009 while recovering from cancer treatment and being frustrated with the lack of options for healthy, drinkable nutrition. Introduced as a first-to-market brand of organic protein beverages, Orgain has since grown into a thriving platform for protein drinks, powders and bars. During Orgain’s development, however, Abraham had concerns about the brand’s long-term viability, particularly within an increasingly competitive market for protein beverages. During our conversation, he noted that maintaining a positive and steadfast belief in the company’s mission and focusing on meaningful innovation were key to the brand’s eventual success. “There’s some dark times where you lock yourself in a room and ask yourself: ‘Is this really going to work?’ Abraham said. “But I was seeing the feedba

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by former NFL star Matt Light and Bill Dessel, the co-founders of sessionable spirit brand Keel Vodka. At 23.8% alcohol by volume and 58 calories per serving, Keel promotes itself as “the world's first premium light spirit.”  Prior to co-founding Keel, Light was key member of the New England Patriots’ offensive line in three of the team’s Super Bowl wins. Although he faced ruthless competition as a professional football player, Light explained in our interview that entrepreneurship “is more challenging than it ever would be on the playing field.” “There are so many variables that go into having success in the business realm,” Light said. “But some of the same [lessons apply]: Are you able to get up when you get knocked down? Are you really invested? What do you bring to the table and how can you do that better tomorrow than you did it today?” As part of our conversation, Light and Dessel discussed the origins of Keel, how they overcame initial regulatory hurdles and challe

It’s remarkable to think that Caulipower made its market debut just three years ago. Since its launch in January 2017, the vegetable-forward brand, best known for its gluten-free, cauliflower crust pizzas, has developed into one of the fastest-growing food companies in recent memory.  Caulipower, which also markets cauliflower-based tortillas and cauliflower-crusted chicken tenders, generated $45 million in revenue in 2018 and an estimated $100 million last year. Despite having no experience in the food industry prior to launching the company, founder and CEO Gail Becker has grown Caulipower into the fastest growing frozen pizza brand in America, available in over 25,000 retailers and 5,000 restaurants across the U.S. and Canada.  In an interview included in this episode, Becker spoke about the swift rise of Caulipower and why she felt compelled to leave behind a successful career to start the brand. She also discussed the value of taking risks, how she identified and partnered with early-stage investors and

In this episode, we’re joined by Matt Weiss, the founder/CEO of RIND Snacks, who discussed his approach to building the skin-on dried fruit brand while maintaining his full-time job. An investment analyst by profession, Weiss launched RIND in 2018. In our interview, he explained that, while he saw an opportunity to disrupt the dried fruit category with a premium brand, he was hesitant to quit his well-paying career and initially treated RIND as a “side hustle.” He noted, however, that regardless of the time and resources he was willing to devote to the brand, “it was very clear [he] had to put my best foot forward.” With that in mind, he crafted a thoughtful business strategy that helped guide RIND’s development over the next two years. “There really is an opportunity to develop and grow and get critical mass that doesn’t feel like you have to hedge your bets,” he said. “You don’t need a huge team to launch. You can rely and grow using a lot of outsourced partners in the beginning. And you actually can run a

Seven years ago, Josh Zad opened Alfred Coffee, a stylish cafe nestled among the luxury boutiques in the Melrose Place neighborhood of West Hollywood. Conceived with the intention of creating a comfortable space and “Instagrammable” moments for its customers, the store quickly became a popular destination among social and celebrity influencers. Alfred has since established itself as a prime example of how to marry brick-and-mortar retail with a memorable digital presence, having grown to 16 locations across the U.S. and Japan. In an interview included in this episode, Zad explained that Alfred’s success and appeal is derived from its foundation as “a creative platform” focused on customer experience, rather than as a coffee brand. “It’s about the lifestyle,” he said. “We have a broader message that goes in many different directions. The personality is there, and we try to reflect that on social media. It’s not about ‘Is this the perfect latte art, yes or no?’” Today, Zad is aiming to replicate Alfred’s succes

This special edition of Taste Radio Insider highlights actionable insights and advice from interviews with six founders, creators and investors who joined us on the show during the second half of 2019. Our guests include Zico founder and Powerplant Ventures co-founder Mark Rampolla; Zoe Feldman, the director of the Chobani Incubator; Rick’s Picks founder and CEO Rick Field; Mike Cessario, the founder and CEO of Liquid Death; Harbinger Ventures founder Megan Bent and Chris Kirby, the founder of Ithaca Craft Hummus. Show notes: 1:28: Mark Rampolla, Founder, Zico; Co-Founder, Powerplant Ventures --  We kick off the episode with Mark Rampolla, the founder of Zico coconut water and the co-founder of plant-centric CPG investment firm Powerplant Ventures. In the following clip, pulled from our interview with Rampolla in Ep. 53, he discussed how he sets and reviews long-term goals, why it’s critical to write them down and look at them daily, the importance of thoughtful communication and alignment with employees and

In this highlight episode culled from interviews with six of the leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs who joined us on the podcast during the second half of 2019, we examine the role that relationships play in the development of great businesses. Our guests include “The Beverage Whisperer” Ken Sadowsky, Whole30 founder and CEO Melissa Hartwig Urban, Grillo’s Pickles founder and CEO Travis Grillo, Veggie Grill co-founder T.K. Pillan, Dogfish Head Brewery founder Sam Calagione and Bev founder and CEO Alix Peabody. Show notes: 1:50: Ken Sadowsky, The Beverage Whisperer -- We kick off the show with Ken Sadowsky, who is affectionately known as “The Beverage Whisperer.” A longtime investor and advisor to many high-profile and category leading brands, including Vitaminwater, Vita Coco, Bai, Hint and Califia Farms, Ken is one of the industry’s best known and most respected insiders. In the following clip, pulled from our interview with Sadowsky in Ep. 174, he explained how he assesses opportunities to align with and

This week, members of the BevNET and NOSH editorial teams joined us for a discussion of some of the major news stories, trends and topics affecting the food and beverage industry in 2019.  Show notes: 0:57: Sustainable Shots, Inter-senal, Send News Now! -- The episode’s hosts open the show with a chat about meeting Taste Radio fans at BevNET Live Winter 2019 and a brand revamp for ginger and turmeric juice brand Monfefo. They also munched on a cornucopia of gourmet cookies from Milk Bar, riffed on Marty’s love for Italian soccer giant Inter Milan and explained why sooner is better when announcing news about new products that will be launched at Expo West 2020. 14:04: 2019 In Review -- BevNET managing editor Martin Caballero sat down with BevNET editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman to recap developments in the burgeoning cannabis CPG segment, and to analyze how investments and transactions from the past year will help shape the market in 2020. Later, they were joined by BevNET staff reporter Brad Avery to contextuali

Bryan Crowley’s path to the top spot at fast-growing “complete food” brand Soylent was years in the making. A veteran CPG executive, Crowley cut his teeth at Anheuser-Busch and held leadership positions at Mars, Pabst, Veev and KeVita before joining Soylent in 2017. In an interview included in this episode, Crowley spoke about how his career experience shaped his leadership style and helped frame his vision for the future of Soylent. He also discussed how the brand’s mission and growth strategy have each evolved, why it has embraced GMO ingredients and what the notion of “better for you” means for modern consumers. This episode is presented by Flavorman, the beverage architects. Show notes:  2:12: Interview: Bryan Crowley, CEO, Soylent -- At BevNET Live Winter 2019, Crowley sat down with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif to chronicle his career as a CPG executive. He explained why, shortly after earning a degree in journalism, he took a sales role with Anheuser-Busch, one that would serve as both a “rude awakening

This week, we’re joined by Megan Bent, the founder and managing partner of Harbinger Ventures, a specialized investment firm whose mission is to provide growth equity and strategic resources to the next generation of female entrepreneurs. In an interview included in this episode, Bent spoke about the creation of the firm, initial challenges of getting partners on board and how the impact of the #MeToo movement on the fund’s development.  She also explained why she returns a percentage of fund profits to her founder, how she vets potential portfolio companies and what listeners can do at their own companies to encourage diversity. Show notes: 1:23: Sugar, Honey, Iced Tea. Plus, Booch Bosses at BNL. -- On location at BevNET Live, the hosts chatted about the quality of brands participating in the New Beverage Showdown 18, why Ray was crushing organic energy shot brand Kafina during the show and how attendees responded to BevNET’s two-day takeover of the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. Mike also spoke about his i

When it launched in 2009, Purely Elizabeth was one of a handful of brands that shifted taste expectations for nutrient-dense foods. Known for infusing ingredients like quinoa, chia seeds and hemp into granola and snack bars, the brand’s focus on delivering great tasting food has remained constant. The execution, however, has evolved. In an interview included in this episode, founder Elizabeth Stein shared how the company has strategized around opportunities and challenges within a rapidly growing market for natural foods. Show notes:  2:46: Interview: Elizabeth Stein, Founder/CEO, Purely Elizabeth — Stein sat down with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif at NOSH Live Winter 2019 for an expansive conversation about the origins of Purely Elizabeth, beginning with her childhood ambition to become the CEO of Disney, and why she believes that that the brand “found her.” She also spoke about how the creation of the brand’s top-selling granola was “an accident,” lessons from going national in Target only to be pulled a few

In this episode, we’re joined by Zoe Feldman, the director of Chobani Incubator. Launched in 2014, the unit invests in and supports purpose-driven, early-stage companies that share Chobani’s philosophy of creating “Delicious, Nutritious, Natural, and Accessible” food.  Since joining the company in 2018, Feldman has emphasized the incubator’s focus on diversity as part of its selection criteria and “to give folks a seat at the table.” “I view my role now as a person who’s part of a marginalized community, as an LGBT person, to say ‘I understand how it feels to be viewed as the other,’” she said. “And I also understand  how it feels to be a woman in a room full of men, which was certainly the majority of my career in [venture capital], and have people make assumptions about you before they even talk to you.” As part of our conversation, Feldman spoke about how prior experiences as an executive at PepsiCo and in venture capital shaped her perspective on the importance of diversity in business and why “representa

It’s fair to say that Bev isn’t your average wine brand, and that Alix Peabody isn’t your average beverage entrepreneur.  Peabody is the 28-year-old founder of Bev, a wellness-focused canned wine brand that aims to change the narrative around how women are projected and perceived by the alcohol industry and redefine traditional ways of doing business in a space long dominated by men. Peabody launched Bev in 2017 after cashing out her 401K and buying 300 gallons of rosé wine. Despite her ambition, she had no prior experience in the beverage business and struggled early on; at one point Peabody was debt-ridden, broke and living on a friend’s couch. However, perseverance paid off and Bev eventually found its stride, along with a powerful partner in Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, which led a $7 million investment round in the brand earlier this year. In an interview included in this episode, Peabody spoke about about aligning mission and brand, staying the course during tough times, how the company strategizes arou

In this episode, we’re joined by the founders of two U.K.-based companies, each of whom have built successful brands by adopting a back-to-the-basics approach to product development and marketing. Launched in 2014, The Primal Pantry is a paleo-inspired snack brand that markets plant-based protein and energy bars made with just a handful of ingredients, including tree nuts and fruit. Suzie Walker, a former nutritionist and executive with Nestlé, founded the company on the belief that the bar category was lacking a product made with high quality, whole food ingredients. In our interview, Walker spoke about how she overcame early production challenges, effective ways of communicating with and learning from consumers and why it’s okay to make a mistake, as long as you don’t make it twice.  London-based Dalston’s is a brand of better-for-you sodas and sparkling waters crafted with real fruit, no artificial ingredients and low or no added sugar. The products are sold throughout the U.K. and have a growing presence

Like most people, Joel Warady, the General Manager and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of allergen-friendly brand Enjoy Life Foods, doesn’t like bland snacks.  He admits, however, that Enjoy Life didn’t always win on flavor and acknowledges the considerable challenge of creating delicious products without using dairy, gluten, nuts or other common food allergens. Nevertheless, he says that, for Enjoy Life to grow, the brand has to deliver just that to capture modern consumers expecting great-tasting food regardless of function or benefit. “If you taste [a product] and you have to convince yourself, ‘well, that’s not bad,’ that product’s not going to succeed,” he said in an interview included in this episode. A focus on flavor is one of the key reasons that Enjoy Life, which markets a range of sweet and savory snacks, has become the leading brand in the fast-growing business of “free from” foods. Warady has been with the company since its launch in 2001 and has played an integral role in the brand’s developme

In this episode, we’re joined by the founders of two innovative U.K.-based companies, cold brew coffee and oat milk brand Minor Figures and non-alcoholic brewery Infinite Session, who detailed their respective strategies for winning at home and abroad. Launched in 2014, Minor Figures is known for its super-premium beverages, pastel packaging and playful illustrations. The brand is widely available in the U.K. and has a significant foothold in Australia along with a small, but expanding, presence in the U.S. In our interview, co-founder Stuart Forsyth spoke about why he describes the package design as an “exercise in restraint,” and why Minor Figures takes a brand-first approach to marketing. He also discussed how the company is leveraging the U.S. coffee community to build awareness and distribution, and how it’s managing growth in three global markets. Later in the episode, we sit down with Chris Hannaway, the co-founder of Infinite Session, which was launched in 2018. The brand has won acclaim and built a l

Having founded the much admired and influential Dogfish Head Brewery nearly 25 years ago, Sam Calagione is known among his colleagues as one of the godfathers of craft beer. He’s also a highly respected businessman who has authored several best-selling books about entrepreneurship, including “Brewing Up A Business” and “Off-Centered Leadership.” In an interview included in this episode, Calagione reflected on his experience building Dogfish Head, which in May merged with Samuel Adams maker The Boston Beer Co. in a deal valued at $300 million. As part of our conversation, he spoke about the history of Dogfish Head, how he identified white space for the “off-centered” beer brand and what the threat of bankruptcy taught him about being prepared for down times. He also explained why the company eschews traditional advertising in favor of a dialogue-based marketing approach, why he urges entrepreneurs to write business plans about how “small their businesses can possibly be” and whether wealth has changed his per

This week’s episode features interviews with the leaders of four entrepreneurial companies -- PathWater co-founder and CEO Shadi Bakour, Lumi Juice founder/CEO Hillary Murray, Aloha CEO Brad Charron, and Origin Almond founder/CEO Jake Deleon -- reflecting on advice that, in hindsight, they should have avoided. Show notes: 1:21: Socks, Snacks, Pickles and Plant-Based Protein -- The episode’s hosts chatted about an upcoming movie featuring Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers, chewed on stuffed date snacks and discussed the emergence of snackable pickles. They also spoke about a proposed bill that would limit how brands can market plant-based meat and why the Livestream Studio at NOSH Live Winter 2019 might make you famous. 16:27: Interview: Shadi Bakour, CEO, PathWater -- Bakour, who co-founded reusable water bottle brand PathWater in 2015, reflects upon the variety of advice he’s received over the past four years, discussed why good advice and investment usually go hand-in-hand and urged entrepreneurs to vest their equi