27: Get more press features without hiring PR

Getting your product into grocery stores takes time and requires networking with retailers & buyers in the food industry. Ashley Kirk, Founder of Planted Foods Co, a plant based food company walks us through:

• How to get your products onto store shelves by networking and other strategies
• The consumer research Ashley conducted to decide the products she would sell
• Her winding career path that led to going vegan and building a plant based food business

Full show notes at profoodmaker.com

You won’t be able to bootstrap your food business forever and might need investors, says Kai Nortey, co-founder & CEO of Kube Nice Cream. This Black owned vegan ice cream manufacturer explains:

• Why venture capital (VC) may not be right for you as a food business owner
• The types of conversations you might have with potential investors 
• Potential problems working with co-packers & getting into grocery stores

Full show notes at profoodmaker.com

Are you a food truck owner having trouble with marketing and keeping your social media pages updated? Ariel D. Smith, The Food Truck Scholar, has quick & easy tips for you. Ariel also chats about:

• How she created an audio diary for food truckers using her podcast
• Opportunities for current and future food truck owners
• The importance of insuring your deposit for events

Full show notes at profoodmaker.com

Interested in getting more press for your business? Mercedes outlines common mistakes we make when pitching to media outlets and tips on how to successfully pitch to journalists, podcasters, YouTubers, and bloggers.

Full show notes: https://profoodmaker.com/how-to-write-a-media-pitch

Geo Darwin, a Philadelphia-based food & lifestyle blogger and content creator, is on a mission to highlight underrepresented people in food & beverage. We chat about:

• Being consistent as a content creator
• Why blogging isn’t dead and the evolution of blogging
• The Philly food scene

Full show notes: https://profoodmaker.com/geos-table

Courtney Lindsay is the chef & owner of Houston Sauce Co, a super popular vegan food company in Houston, TX. Courtney shares:

• how a hot sauce turned into a food truck, BBQ trailer, storefront, and more
• what food truck owners need to do to grow their business and who they need to hire
• how much a food truck costs

Mentioned in this episode

• $2 tacos, Drippy Southwest Burger, the lump crab gumbo, and the garlic parmesan wangz
• Texas Southern University
• Food Network’s Chopped
• Max’s Wine Dive restaurant
• New York Film Academy 
• Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern
• DJ Reel Chill (Chasitie Lindsay)
• Pro Food Maker’s Instagram post about the $2 tacos
• Jarrett Milton, co-owner of Houston Sauce Pit 
• Sauce Co Shoppette provides grab & go items (non-fried) (cajun alfredo, gumbo, chik’n & mac, lemonade, etc)
• TRUE Laundry Detergent (Black owned). Order from TRUE’s website or Sauce Co. Shoppette.
• Tennessee Hot Tacos
• Big Hot Chik’n Sammich

Listen to this episode

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Subscribe to the RSS feed: http://profoodmaker.libsyn.com/rss

Connect with Courtney Lindsay & Houston Sauce Co.

Instagram: @houstonsauceco

Twitter: @houstonsauceco

Website: houstonsauceco.com

Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

How much does it cost to open a restaurant? A lot. Learn restaurant start up costs and best practices from Felicia Middleton, an architectural designer for food spaces, specializing in food service design. Hear about:

• The costs for equipment, renovations, etc
• How to open a restaurant: steps & tips
• Common mistakes & misconceptions about opening a restaurant

Listen to this episode

Apple Podcasts | Libsyn | Soundcloud | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Subscribe to the RSS feed: http://profoodmaker.libsyn.com/rss

Connect with Felicia Middleton & the Foodie Builder

Instagram: @foodiebuilder

Twitter: @foodiebuilder 

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/urbanaesthetics

Website: foodiebuilder.weebly.com

Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Meet Kyle Sexton, owner of Kyle’s Good Finds, a Black owned bakery in Tokyo, Japan. We chat about:

• How and why Kyle moved to Tokyo 30 years ago
• His bakery’s best sellers which includes carrot cake 
• The importance of having true friends who will support you

Mentioned in this episode

• Rhode Island School of Design - Photography
• Minshuku - Guesthouse accommodations that are family-owned and family-run
• Mandarake - popular used goods chain in Japan. Mostly known for their comics and toys.
• Nakano Sun Plaza - Hotel in the Nakano neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan that has a concert hall and several restaurants.
• Shinjuku Station
• Edogawa - neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan
• KitchenAid flour/grain mill attachment (affiliate link)
• Takkyubin - Shipping & delivery service in Japan
• JAFA: Japan African American Friendship Association

Listen to this episode

Apple Podcasts | Libsyn | Soundcloud | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Subscribe to the RSS feed: http://profoodmaker.libsyn.com/rss

Connect with Kyle Sexton & Kyle’s Good Finds

Instagram: @kylesgoodfinds

Facebook: @kylesgoodfinds 

Website: https://kylesgoodfinds.net/

Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Welcome to Season 2! Mercedes talks about highlights, media features, and collaborations from Season 1. She finishes the episode with an Ask Me Anything segment and a sneak peek for the new season.

Mentioned in this episode

• How to Support Black Owned Restaurants & Food Businesses Long-Term guide
• Ep 17: Improve your food photography skills with food blogger Anela Malik
• The Food Truck Scholar Podcast
• 20 Food Podcasts by Black Women on soulphoodie.com
• Pro Food Maker was featured in MOFAD, Food + Tech Connect, Washington City and more (Pro Food Maker Press page)
• Pro Food Maker was featured by Apple Podcasts
• Houston Sauce Co
• Favorite Black Owned Restaurants in Houston 2020 Edition on profoodmaker.com

Listen to this episode

Apple Podcasts | Libsyn | Soundcloud | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Subscribe to the RSS feed: http://profoodmaker.libsyn.com/rss

Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast 

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

The new season of Pro Food Maker launches this month! Find out how an extra 15 seconds of your time will lead to a bonus episode. Subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Instagram @profoodmaker. Thank you for listening and for your support.