Taste Radio

How does an industry insider gauge the viability of up-and-coming trends? Well, if you’re Bill Weiland, you draw upon decades of experience... and you absolutely consult with your dogs. A veteran of the natural food business for nearly 40 years, Weiland is the founder and CEO of Presence Marketing, the largest independent broker for natural and organic brands in the U.S. He’s also the co-founder of BIGR Ventures, a growth equity fund focused on promising early-stage natural and organic products, and whose portfolio includes fast-growing brands REBBL, High Brew Coffee and Bonafide Provisions. In an conversation recorded at BevNET Live Summer 2018, we spoke with Weiland about cutting his teeth in natural foods, his perspective on how the industry has “grown up,” how he identifies disruptive brands and concepts and, as noted, why his dogs play such an important role in cultivating the product mix for Presence. Also in this episode: An interview with Alex Whitmore, the founder and CEO of premium chocolate maker T