Taste Radio

An innovative brand of high-protein, low-carb and vegan ramen, immi defines disruption. Known for its neon-yellow branding and unconventional social marketing, immi launched in 2021 and has developed a loyal community of consumers who view it as a healthier option than traditional ramen. Available in six varieties, immi is currently sold in over 2,000 retail locations nationally, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, HEB, The Fresh Market and Wegmans. Immi has pulled in nearly $14 million in outside capital, including funding from R&B icon Usher and professional tennis star Naomi Osaka. It might be easy to view immi’s rapid start and assume that its founders have done most things right. But as with many young brands, a lot of things went wrong before immi eventually found its footing. Patience, the founders’ overarching vision to “create a nourished and happier world,” and consistently reminding themselves that challenges may lay ahead have been keys to the company’s current trajectory. In this episode, co-foun

Mushrooms are having more than a moment. But how far can fungi go? The hosts discuss the potential for “magic” and functional forms of the trendy ingredient. They also riff on a prediction that cannabis drinks could be “the most common weed consumption method in the next 5-10 years,” deride overly enthusiastic terms on LinkedIn and Instagram, and share their respective takes on snacking pasta and Ritz “White.”  We also feature an interview with Amy Racine, the beverage director for New York-based hospitality group JF Restaurants, about the evolution of on-premise drinking culture. Amy speaks on how current trends in wine and spirits influence beverage strategy, the impact of consumers becoming more educated and informed about higher quality adult beverages and why she compares growing demand for no and low-alcohol drinks to that of vegetarian food. Show notes: 0:43: Dr. Evil Craven. Jacqui Uses Eventbrite. Mike Is A Propaganda Hunter. Cannabis On Tap? Crunch Time – John was out of town, but his presence – and

If it feels like you’re navigating constant shifts in how retailer buyers measure traction and determine metrics for success, you’re not alone. Jason Burke, for one, has been wrestling with the issue for years. Jason is the founder of The New Primal, a better-for-you meat snack brand that debuted in 2013, and also sauce and seasoning brand Noble Made, which launched in 2023. The New Primal is best known for its 100% grass-fed beef sticks, along with all-natural chicken and turkey varieties, and is carried at retailers nationwide including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Giant, The Fresh Market and Lazy Acres. Noble Made markets a range of clean ingredient products including reduced-sugar BBQ sauces, dairy-free buffalo sauces, meat seasonings and a “Sloppy Joseph” skillet sauce, many of which are available at the same retailers as The New Primal. Although Jason and his team have built The New Primal into one of the best-selling natural meat snack brands in the U.S., he is consistently evaluating its retail strategy and

On the heels of its well-received Super Bowl ad, Poppi is getting a lot of attention. According to a report in Bloomberg, the mid-calorie, prebiotic soda brand is rumored to be an acquisition target, a topic the hosts discussed in the episode. They also chatted about Coke’s new Gen Z/TikTok-inspired “Tears Of Joy” soda, a trio of “loaded” cereals and meat sticks inspired by ancestral lifestyles, among other recently launched products. This episode also includes an interview with Ross Iverson, a managing partner with private equity firm Manna Tree and Gotham Greens co-founder and CEO Viraj Puri and who discuss their relationship as mission-driven investor and entrepreneur. Show notes: 0:35: Super Ad. John & Jacqui’s CPG Adventures. Expo West VIPs. Ray Rants. Fruitcake & Liver. – The show opens with a review of Poppi’s “Big Game” commercial and why AriZona Beverages has never produced one. John and Jacqui spoke about attending a trio of recently held industry events in San Diego before the hosts collect

“The more things change, the more they stay the same” would be an apt slogan for indoor farming pioneer Gotham Greens.  Launched in 2011, the New York-based company operates a nationwide network of 13 high-tech hydroponic greenhouses and markets premium, hyper-local leafy greens, herbs, salad dressings, dips and cooking sauces. The products are sold at over 3,000 retail stores including Whole Foods, Kroger, Albertsons, Sprouts and The Fresh Market. According to the company, Gotham Greens’ farms use up to 95% less water and 97% less land compared to conventional farming as a way to provide “sustainable supply chain solutions to its diverse retail and foodservice customers.” Investors have bet big on Gotham Greens’ business strategy and vision: since 2009, the company has raised $440 million, including a $330 Series E round that was announced in September 2022.   The funding has helped Gotham Greens grow from a single urban rooftop greenhouse in Brooklyn to one of the largest hydroponic leafy green producers in

Has Starbucks slipped on its own slick innovation? Why are spice-obsessed millennials grumbling about Huy Fong’s famous sriracha? And is space a new frontier for food and beverage? The hosts shared their thoughts, opined on the food selection in a $2.5 million Super Bowl suite and sampled several innovative  and new products including nacho-inspired chocolate, nitro-infused cinnamon tea and a sea moss-based chocolate pudding. Show notes: 0:35: No Sun S.D. Yo, TCHO! Mike Is Stuntin’. Lots Of Selling. BFY Candy Bar FTW. – Jacqui and John shared deets from a recent Naturally San Diego community meetup, Mike and Ray showed two distinct ways of sampling sriracha and the hosts collectively wondered about the runway for olive oil-infused coffee. And while they didn’t all love cheese-flavored chocolate and had different opinions on pop rock-infused Oreos, they showed love for two emerging brands with sweet sensibilities. Brands in this episode: Chef’s Life, TCHO, Jolly Moss, Starbucks, Huy Fong, Roland Foods, Oatly,

At one point during our conversation, Verde Farms CEO Brad Johnson expressed the simple, powerful value proposition that the organic, grass-fed beef brand offers to modern consumers. “We’re simply taking away all of the bad things that a broken food system introduced… to give you the purest version of something you already love.” That ethos has helped make Verde Farms into the leading U.S. provider of USDA certified organic, 100% grass-fed and 100% free-range beef, offering ground beef, steaks and stew meat. The Massachusetts-based brand sources beef from a network of family farmers in Uruguay, Australia and North America and touts its adherence to sustainable and substantiated business practices, including regenerative agriculture. In 2020, Manna Tree, a Vail-based global investment firm whose mantra is to improve human health through nutrition, acquired a minority stake in Verde Farms for $15 million. At the time, Manna Tree noted that “consumers today are more keenly attuned to the impacts of their purchas

In this special presentation of our sister show, the Brewbound Podcast, Naomi Neville, who is departing Allagash Brewing after 14 years of leading and building its sales team, shares her experience with the brand, reflects on the last decade-plus of craft and dishes on where she sees the segment going and what’s next for her.

In food and beverage, innovative brands often get the most attention. Novel ingredients, formulations and flavors draw crowds. And, yet, products that are positioned as incrementally better-for-you than existing options might have more runway over the long-term. The hosts discussed the topic in this episode, which highlights several new products and brand extensions launched in recent weeks. This episode also features a conversation with Good Culture co-founder and CEO Jesse Merrill and Steve Young, a managing partner with private equity firm Manna Tree, about the synergy between profit and purpose. 0:35: Jan, We Hardly Knew Thee. Expo What? VIPs Always Get Perks. Granola, Beans, Oats & Vibes. – Upon the arrival of a new month, the hosts looked ahead to Expo West 2024 and noted benefits that Taste Radio VIPs can receive at the event. They also chatted about Poppi’s new TV advertisement, sampled a new line of “cookie granola,” spoke about why a “basic” oat milk might resonate with Gen Z consumers and laude

Ten years ago, few believed that an upstart brand could revolutionize the sleepy category of cottage cheese, and, by extension, dairy-based foods as a whole. Good Culture co-founder Jesse Merrill was part of that small cohort, and his steadfast belief that consumers want better-for-you and better tasting options in the dairy case defines his company, one some have described as “the next Chobani.” Launched in 2015, Good Culture markets a variety of cultured dairy products, including its flagship line of certified organic, pasture-raised, stabilizer and additive-free cottage cheese, along with sour cream, cream cheese and milk. A certified B Corporation and partner of 1% for the Planet, Good Culture products are sold nationally at Whole Foods, Target, Ralphs, Walmart, Sprouts and Kroger. In 2022, the company completed a $64 Million Series C funding round led by mission-driven private equity firm Manna Tree which also included investment from actress Kristen Bell. At the time, Good Culture was generating $70 mil

In this special presentation of our sister show, BevNET & NOSH’s Community Call, industry veteran Arnulfo Ventura shares his winning blueprint for achieving exponential growth in CPG. Discover the tactics to propelling growth and strategically positioning a brand for acquisition.

Has “organic” lost its sheen? Based on Nielsen IQ data presented by Whipstitch Capital’s Nick McCoy, it would appear so. A veteran food and beverage investment banker, McCoy spoke at a recent event in Vail, Colorado hosted by private equity firm Manna Tree. As part of a presentation on deal flow and trends in the natural products industry, he revealed a shift of the most important product attributes for consumers of natural brands, and how Gen Z and Alpha’s current spending patterns can inform brands about where to invest their resources. The Manna Tree event also featured fireside chats with General Mills M&A director Andrew Petz and Holly Adrien, who leads natural and organic strategy for Kroger and is the retailer’s innovation manager, each of whom shared insights about their respective roles amid an evolving landscape for natural products. Ray attended the event and shared takeaways in this episode, which also includes the hosts’ assessment of Nutrabolt’s investment in supplement brand Bloom Nutrition

By his own admission, Will Nitze doesn’t give great advice. His nearly 41,000 Linkedin followers, however, likely have a different opinion. Will cut his teeth in CPG in 2017 when he launched IQBAR, a pioneering brand of protein bars infused with adaptogenic ingredients that are said to improve cognitive function. The company has since created a portfolio of brain health-centric product lines, including zero–sugar hydration powders and instant mushroom coffee. IQBAR is carried in over 10,000 locations, including Walmart, Sprouts, Wegmans, BJ's Wholesale, Vitamin Shoppe and H-E-B. Over the past six years, Will has chronicled his experience as an entrepreneur via daily posts on Linkedin where he shares words of encouragement and lessons learned from building an upstart brand. But he’s careful to contextualize insights and advice – including those about IQBAR’s successful ecommerce strategy and its unorthodox approach to financing – as specific to his business and not necessarily applicable to other brands. Never

Trademarks are important. Just ask MrBeast. The hosts discussed how a permanent injunction against the YouTuber’s Feastables brand could have been avoided. They also spoke about the impact of Uber’s shocking decision to shut down alcohol delivery service Drizly, a notable take on ultra-processed food, and the divide between those that crunch beer mints and those who don’t. Yes, beer mints. This episode also features an interview with Mike and Janell Bass, the co-founders of Ponyboy Slings, a brand of ready-to-drink craft bourbon cocktails, who shared insights and advice on how to prepare for and win a pitch slam competition. Show notes: 0:41: New Cap. $1.1 Billion - It’s A Writeoff! The Demonization Of UP Food. Snackable Croutons. – Ray’s new hat went unnoticed, but Drizly’s looming closure was anything but. Jacqui commented on an eye-opening take on ultra-processed food penned by Nosh’s Monica Watrous and the hosts collectively said the phrase “Deez Nuts” approximately 50 times. They also snacked on croutons

What compelled Diageo, one of the largest CPG companies in the world, to invest in non-alcoholic spirit brand Ritual Zero Proof, which at the time of the funding deal was pre-launch and operating in a nascent category? The short answer is that it gave them — and, more importantly, their consumers — options. Launched in 2019, Ritual Zero Proof is a brand of non-alcoholic spirits crafted from natural botanicals and designed to mimic the flavor and burn of a classic spirit. The brand markets gin, whiskey, tequila, rum and aperitifs and is available nationally at retailers including Total Wine and Binny's Beverage Depot, as well as select Kroger banners and Hy-Vee locations.  Shortly before the debut of Ritual Zero Proof, the brand received a minority investment from global beverage alcohol company Diageo via its partnership with Distill Ventures, a venture capital firm and accelerator that invests in disruptive distilled spirit companies and non-alcoholic beverage brands.  In a press release about the deal, Ritu

It’s often said that compelling social media content is one of the most cost-effective forms of marketing for consumer brands. But the volume of videos and images posted daily on popular social platforms like Instagram and TikTok makes it challenging to capture users’ attention. In this episode, the hosts highlighted brands who create consistently authentic and entertaining content as a way to break through the clutter and develop a sustainable connection with their audiences. Show notes: 0:35: Wrestleball, X Ain’tThe Spot, Ray Loves Wendy’s, Dank & Dry, The Year of Better-For-You Chex Mix? – Within the first five minutes of the episode, John shared his strange social media habits, Jacqui said that she? likes “roughing people up” and Ray explained why he thinks Twitter (err X) is toxic. The hosts heaped praise on several brands whose social media strategies they admire, and pointed out specific posts as examples of how to generate humor and enthusiasm in authentic ways. They also sampled a Whistlepig’s no

When an entrepreneur sells their company, it’s usually a cause for celebration. But when Alix Peabody, the founder of pioneering canned wine brand Bev, sold her company to global wine and spirits conglomerate E & J Gallo, she knew that not everyone would be cheering. Launched in 2017, Bev is known for its chic label design, better-for-you positioning and promotion of “empowerment and inclusivity in beverage and beyond.” E & J Gallo obtained exclusive U.S. distribution rights for Bev in February 2021 and acquired the company last June. At the time, Peabody hailed “Gallo’s values and commitment to women and diversity in the industry [as] exemplary of the exact change we aim to create.” It seemed like an ideal partnership, but Peabody quickly found herself isolated from many of her closest friends, co-workers and advisors who were unhappy with her decision to sell Bev. In this episode, Peabody chronicled the three years leading up to Bev’s acquisition, how she analyzed the timing and opportunity to sell

When Target embraces emerging categories, we take notice. The hosts discussed the retailer’s new curated endcaps of non-alcoholic cocktails and wine and what it means for the nascent set of zero-proof beverages. They also spoke about why Nosh is broadening its coverage (and tapped a new leader to helm the vertical) and how a fast-growing hydration brand and popular sparkling water company have each taken a bigger-is-better approach to their packaging,  This episode also features an interview with Will Fabry, the master distiller for CraftCo, a Michigan-based portfolio company that owns several acclaimed spirit brands, including  Jos. A. Magnus and Fox & Oden. Fabry spoke about CraftCo’s distilling philosophy, how it operates at the intersection of production, consumer demand and pricing, and how he attempts to improve upon and become more proficient in his role. Show notes: 0:40: More Green Juice & THC. LinkedIn Loves Monica. A ‘Perfect’ Upgrade. Kids + Tuna… Hmmm. – The hosts shared their thoughts on

This special edition of the podcast features highlights from interviews with seven founders, creators and innovators who joined us on the show during the second half of 2023. Our guests include John Fieldly, the chairman and CEO of Celsius; Maya Kaimal, the founder and chief creative officer of Maya Kaimal Foods; Dan Aykroyd, the co-founder of Crystal Head Vodka; Allison Luvera and Lauren De Niro Pipher, the co-Founders of  Juliet; Tom Colicchio, a partner with Colicchio Kitchen; and Chris Hunter, the co-founder and CEO of Koia. Show notes: 0:31: Interview: John Fieldly, Chairman and CEO, Celsius – Let’s kick things off with John Fieldly, the chairman and CEO of fast-growing energy drink brand Celsius. In this clip, pulled from an episode published on September 19, John spoke about how financial discipline is embedded in company culture, why ambition is key to maintaining the brand’s momentum and how he navigates disagreements with investors and shareholders. 9:57: Interview: Maya Kaimal, Founder, Maya Kaima

What can BevNET and NOSH’s most-read news stories of 2023 inform us about the coming year? The hosts reflected on the sites’ top viewed articles from the past 12 months – including White Claw’s upcoming launch of a non-alcoholic line, the Erewhon NYC pop-up that never was and controversy over a kratom-infused shot brand – and what impact the news may have on trends, innovation and emerging categories in 2024.  Show notes: 0:35: B-Ball Brad. Mainstreaming Ultra. Who’s Gonna Drink That? Controversial Kratom. – Mike’s quick break from his soccer-themed brunch inspired us to learn more about Brad’s lifetime Celtics’ fandom. The hosts spoke about a news story that is featured in two of NOSH’s top 10 most read articles of 2023 before kicking the tires on White Claw 0%, who will be the likely consumers of the beverage and whether its arrival will be a boon to the emerging market for alcohol-alternative drinks. They also discussed the launch of a new entrepreneur-led venture fund, and the controversy surrounding the