My Food Job Rocks!

Stacie Waters is the CEO and owner of Bilinski’s Sausage company. A Multi-generational sausage company that thinks about sausage a bit differently. Instead of the standard beef or pork sausages, Bilinski’s focuses on chicken and plant-based sausages. This wasn’t always the case, and there is a bit of an unorthodox legacy in how Bilinski innovates. There is always a struggle when it comes to keeping or breaking legacies and there are a ton of examples in this episode of keeping legacies and breaking them and it’s very fascinating all of the strategies Stacie used to build Bilinski’s This includes considering a name change to a family company, or growing the chicken sausage as their most valuable product, or how to properly try and introduce a plant-based line. One of the most powerful messages in this interview is changing the legacy of leadership. When Stacie joined Bilinski’s, all of the old management didn’t like her and left and Stacie had to work hard to not only right the ship, but to accelerate it. Not

Today we have Marie Wright, President, Creation, Design & Development and Chief Global Flavorist at ADM Nutrition That’s a long title, but Marie knows literally everything I just mentioned. I think the best part about Marie is just how easy it is to talk to her about the complex world of flavors. The bulk of the interview is a break down on how we as food scientists collaborate to talk about what flavors we want in our products and the best practices to convey this information effectively. The best way to do this is to perhaps meet with them face to face which in our current climate is a bit hard, but we go through a lot of strategies. Marie resonates a sort of raw passion when it comes flavors and it shows in how driven she was in her career and how she doesn’t let the corporate ladder drive her for doing good work so we have a great discussion about this and about the reputation you have in the industry might actually matter more than the title you get. We also get into a bit of interesting talk about f

Prime Roots is an innovative alternative meat company in the Bay Area that just launched a bacon made out of Koji, the same stuff that ferments soybeans into soy sauce Being in the alternative meat circle in the Bay Area, I’ve been pretty much in touch with the Prime Roots team since the beginning. They are a really fun, quirky group of young scientists and entrepreneurs so I get along with them well and that’s why it was a delight to finally interview John Frelka, their food scientist on the show. John is very active in the Food Science community. His involvement in IFT in college focused mainly on food science communication including telling Food babe to stop spreading misinformation and setting up the popular page, Don’t Eat the PseudoScience. He also founded a group called Citation Needed in Ohio State and when I went there to do a seminar about podcasting, people always mentioned if I knew John which shows the impact that he has there. John and I dive into a lot of subtle tricks and tips on how to explor

Minh Tsai started Hodo Foods with a simple farmer’s market stand after finishing up a wealthy career in investment banking and I asked him, why? His answer surprised me, but within context, it makes sense. Minh is someone who’s addicted to learning and solving problems and the intricacies and growth of the business has kept him in the tofu business for a little less than 16 years. Not only can you buy Hodo tofu in places in Whole Foods, Safeway and Target, but they also supply to Chipotle! We go through a variety of topics in this episode ranging from how Hodo’s factory is dealing with the pandemic, Asian humility, Minh’s incredible journey at Hodo as well as its challenges and innovations which pair in hand with some interesting tofu science facts. We also get into a very passionate discussion on blending plant-based meat and animal-based meat, and if you follow this podcast often, know about my experiences with that, and also talk about partnerships. Namely how Minh helped get a well-known upcycling company

I first interviewed Weber Stibolt in episode 92, when he was a Quality Assurance Specialist at Eight O Clock Coffee. A couple of years later, he’s now at one of the most talked-about food startups at the moment: Beyond Meat. The last interview we’ve had from Beyond Meat was episode 24 with one of their food engineers so it’s good to get an update on what’s happening there. So I ask Weber about his transition over there. From applying to the job, moving to the new town, and progressing through the ranks. We talk a lot about one of our favorite programs in IFT, the Emerging Leader’s Network as we were both participants in it. Weber went a little bit farther and became a peer mentor. Probably the best part of this interview was that Weber made his role by presenting a need and making a case. This is a great example that if you’re in the right company, and if you can identify a potential opportunity, you can actually carve out your own unique path. Show Notes A year ago, I was working in coffee and I got an oppo

With all that’s going on, will all the tension in the air, and with all the systemic issues that are being talked about, what if the main solution was to just have dinner with someone of a different perspective? After all, everyone is human and everyone eats and I felt the best way to understand someone is through a good dinner? Eric Adams, Borough President of Brooklyn, New York, believes that a simple dinner can solve a lot of our problems. We’ve had this episode in the bag since March, as in right as everything was locking down, things have changed a lot and there’s no better time to launch it than now because it deals with a lot of issues that is currently affecting the United States. Eric’s had a tough life. Eric didn’t know he was going to be a politician but a terrible string of events changed his life. Eric wanted to be in the computer industry but after he was beaten by the police, he decided to be a police officer and now he’s the President of the Brooklyn Borough pushing a ton of initiatives to mak

Kris Theodorakos is the Business Development Manager at Webber Smith Associates, a firm that builds and designs manufacturing plants specifically for the food industry. If you ever wanted to know what goes into planning actually building a facility, Kris gives a nice rundown on what you need to prepare, what you should consider, and some strategies on how to build them out. Another topic we get to is career advice. Kris originally had a degree in communication, but when she started her masters in nutrition, found out about food science on the first day of class and switched over and the rest was history. Though she started out as a product developer for Nestle, she ended up with a pretty interesting career trajectory by getting involved in the Naturally Network and IFT.   Show Notes What is Webber Smith?: Engineering and Design firm that specializes in food industry buildings What makes a good prospect for someone who wants to build food manufacturing facilities?: It’s a very long process, longer than usual.

NOSH writer Carol Ortenberg captured a written article with Neal Gottlieb about how he had to shut Three Twins Ice Cream down after 15 years of being in business and I found the article (which now behind a paywall) very reflective. So I got Neal on the show to talk about the really crunchy details about the direction of Three Twins Ice Cream. From its beginning in an ice cream shop, to raising money, to battling the brutal retail space. We talk about some really tactical stuff, but the ending is something that gives me a lot of hope. Not just for Neal, but for everyone. This episode is a bonus episode because it doesn’t follow our regular format. There’s no script on this one, just going through the journey and talking to some key points. For those in the food business, I think it’s extremely useful information. Information that might help you in your food business such as financing debt versus equity, manufacturing decisions, and figuring out the retail space. I just wanted to capture Neal’s lessons while i

Blake Thomas, the founder of Tiny House Coffee Roasters, was one of my first contacts in Austin, Texas and I had a lot of fun getting to know him and drinking his coffee every day when I was working at WeWork. Blake’s story is super impressive and he works really hard at his job. Learn how Blake jumped on board selling coffee during the end of his Peace Corps stint and how he built up a nice little coffee company in Austin. One of the biggest growth opportunities that Blake was able to get was working with the regional team at WeWork to supply his coffee into their offices. The business relationship was so good, that Blake was able to open a coffee shop at a WeWork location on Barton Springs Road. We also get Blake’s perspective on how he’s handling on the pandemic and it’s really tough, but Blake is using his time wisely by innovating new drinks so he can adapt in trying times. The good news, is that this isn’t the first time Blake had to innovate on the fly. Show Notes How did you start Tinyhouse?: Through

Whenever I move to a new city, I try and contact the local IFT section in the area and connect with them saying I’m a new food scientist looking to get involved. Natalie Roesler, the VP of Surlean Foods and the section leader at Alamo IFT welcomed me with open arms. Actually, everyone in the Austin Texas area is well connected and super welcoming. It’s one of the friendliest places I’ve ever been to. So to return the favor, I interviewed Natalie. Though there are tons of amazing lessons in this interview, a lot of the episode is about working with people empathetically and efficiently. You can tell Nathalie is really passionate about understanding how to really make people happy in the workplace and how focusing on people’s happiness can actually allow you to innovate faster as a company. This episode was recorded right before everything started to shut down, but a lot of the forecasting here is still pretty on point and it’s always funny to see what still holds during this time. About Natalie Natalie current

Today's episode is with Jaime Snydel, Founder of Simplified Superfoods. A direct to consumer smoothie pack business where you can enjoy a delicious smoothly with just ice, fresh fruit, and a pack of Simplified Superfoods. After the pandemic hit, I started to post in a few food startup groups if they’d like to be interviewed. It was my impulsive way of giving back. My Food Job Rocks now does have a bit of a barrier of entry just because I get so many PR inquiries so this was an opportunity to ask businesses who might not have made it, about what’s going on in their world. So I have a couple of interviews where I talk to businesses that are a bit new and interview them. This is one of them and I learned a ton from this. I think it’s always refreshing interviewing people who’ve just started because the idea of how they started and what resources they use is just so fresh in their head. One of the most valuable things in this interview is where Jaime talks about her time in the Hatchery, one of Chicago’s best foo

After the pandemic hit, I started to post in a few food startup groups if they’d like to be interviewed. It was my impulsive way of giving back. My Food Job Rocks now does have a bit of a barrier of entry just because I get so many PR inquiries so this was an opportunity to ask businesses who might not have made it, about what’s going on in their world. So I have a couple of interviews where I talk to businesses that are a bit new and interview them. This is one of them and I learned a ton from this. I think it’s always refreshing interviewing people who’ve just started because the idea of how they started and what resources they use is just so fresh in their heads. Today we have Michael Mitchell, from Acari Fish. This is a bit of a short episode but it brings some interesting perspectives. How do you turn trash into treasure? In this case, Michael shares with me the devil fish of Mexico and how he found an opportunity to turn it into Jerky. Properly named, El Diablito Jerky. I also found it fascinating the g

Sari Kimbell is a food business consultant who helps people from the idea stage to getting into retail channels. She runs the website, food business success. Sari's experience being a broker at Whole Foods and running a commissary kitchen makes her an expert in understanding the challenges and needs to starting a food business so I ask her some pretty real questions. I try to ask super blunt question like how much money do you need to start and Sari does an excellent job really honing in on the endgame, or goal. We take a dive deep into maximizing margins before even launching your product, sell sheets and price sheets and how to use them properly, and things like that. A disclaimer is that this interview is before the pandemic and we talk about ecommerce! Though the game has changed, I think Sari’s advice is still very valid. Perhaps the only outdated thing is something I’ve said. There’s a comment that I don’t buy food online and IT’S STILL TRUE. I might have bought maybe a couple of food items from Amazon,

For those of you who don’t know Gary Nowacki, he built TraceGains, a very popular supply chain management software that allows you to digitize your documentation. For those of you in product development, you can see how useful this is. But TraceGains does so much more than just digitize paperwork, it’s a network, so it becomes valuable when it comes to understanding how to navigate through the pandemic. You’ll learn a lot more about TraceGains during this interview. Learn about how Gary found the opportunity of digitizing the spec sheets, about how Gary transitioned from programmer to Sales Manager, and also some sage career advice on how to find what you’re good at. It’s more about doing something than saying something. Also note, My Food Job Rocks has had several collaboration opportunities with TraceGains. I was a guest on Gary’s own podcast where he interviews experts in the food industry, I’ve had the VP of marketing Mark Simony, and we've collaborated on several guest posts. Collaborations with TraceGai

Today we have Christine Rico, the consulting CFO for CFO on Speed Dial equips business owners and entrepreneurs with the accounting and financial strategies needed to maximize both profit and social impact. We dive into what loans are good and what loans are bad and how to really think about it. You’ll learn some cool resources like the Small Business Development Centers, or KIVA, or what a bridge loan is. We also talk a lot about Business Plans and current events. How did Christine spend time with her clients during the great shutdown in New York? Though this episode was recorded a week ago, I’ve asked Christine to give me an update today. So if you’re a small business struggling in this environment, stay toward the end. We frontload this episode with the strategies first, and then learn a bit more about Christine! About Christine Christine Rico is a financial consultant, business growth expert and social entrepreneur who got her start in financial management while keeping the books for Cooperative Home Car

We have returning guest Cesare Varallo, an Italian lawyer who is the global advisor on food safety, food labeling, and food regulatory issues talk about what's happening right now. More specifically, he’s a crisis consultant for food and one would say we’re in a crisis. I wanted his perspective on the pandemic because well, he’s in Italy, and also because Cesare interacts with so many global players. Though I learn a bit about what’s happening in Italy, for my own curiosity, this episode shines from a systems point of view. When the pandemic happens, what are the chain reactions that happen> And how many are driven by fear? We dive into that and it’s quite interesting. A quick disclaimer is that neither of us are experts on COVID from a health perspective so our point of view is just our observations. Please do your part in researching things in terms of news of the pandemic. This is considered a piece of knowledge, specifically, economically. Enjoy and stay safe out there. General Topics Include -How are you

This is a crossover episode Don Schaffner and Ben Chapman, host of the Food Safety Talk Podcast have both been busy doing interviews about well, COVID-19. Everyone from popular national news, to local news, to celebrity chefs are asking about how coronavirus will affect food. Mainly, can it survive on food in any way, shape or form? Don and ben tell us what they’ve found.  Ideally, the lessons for this episode is how you can make informed decisions using science. I’m really glad they both took the time to do this episode with me. I ask them a lot of questions on what’s happening right now as I feel they are one of the most knowledgable food industry experts on the topic. So questions like who we should follow and what are the best practices to be comfortable about it, are all answered in this podcast. A disclaimer, if you’re never heard of the Food Safety Talk podcast, take a listen. We have a lot of their energy in this podcast. Mainly the fact that they sometimes go off really funny tangents. If you want to

I was first introduced to Burlap and Barrel when my friend Phil Saneski told me about them at MISTA. All the way in California. The next time I heard of them, I met Ori sitting down working at the WeWork Food Labs in New York, when I was doing my orientation. We chatted, knew a few common friends, and then he invited me to a Rabobank mixer. So if you’ve noticed a pattern with our entrepreneurial guests, the best way to get on the show is to know someone I think is cool, meet me in person, and take me out to drinks. Joking aside, Ori is a wealth of knowledge and I didn’t even know he built and sold a mortgage company! He used this experience to really shape Burlap and Barrel and with his cofounder Ethan, they make an unstoppable team with a variety of unique products. If you go to Burlapandbarrel.com, you’ll see a variety of spices you’ve probably never heard like Urfa Chili or ground Black Lime. As you’ll see in the episode, Ori took a lot of care in crafting the site to be as user friendly as possible. Plent

You might not have heard of Curion Insights. That’s because their job is to help big fortune 500 companies innovate. A lot the top food companies can get stuck in a rut and need services like Curion to test things using methods like sensory testing and category reviews. Keren Novack herself has an interesting background and uses her psychology degree often as she climbed up the career ladder to be a VP of Curion. We also go through an interesting section about the challenges new and innovative CPG products have when it comes to competing in the store. Also, we get a sneak peek on one of the hottest potential trends and how big companies are looking at it: Sustainable Packaging. Enjoy! About Keren Keren takes complex research initiatives at all stages of the project life cycle and utilizes a research-based psychology background to apply an insightful understanding of consumer behavior behind perception. Prior to joining Curion Keren worked for L’Oreal USA as a Sensory Research Scientist. Her 12 years of sensor

We’re introducing something called the Pantry Podcasts, which is basically an analogy that these podcasts, like your pantry items, are practically timeless but eventually, you have to create something with them! Don’t think of this as year-old pasta, but rather that special bottle of bourbon you’ll open on special occasions or perhaps to reward yourself from surviving the tough period we’re all going through now. These interviews are timeless and get better with age. This was recorded a little bit less than a year ago back when I was planning another podcast but life changes and I just have been swarmed. During my time trying to make a new podcast, I had a ton of really amazing guests, but I didn’t have the capacity to make another, short-form podcasts. You’ll hear clapping in the background because I do this face to face at Food Funded, an amazing Entrepreneur and Investor Fair. I actually went to my first one to meet Paul and Joanna, the founders of Better Meat Co for the first time. The second time, I had