NOSH Podcast - presented by BevNET

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg chats with two recently minted NOSH Notables – Chris Lansing, CEO of Health Ade, and Miguel Leal, co-founder and CEO of Somos Foods. Reflecting on their decades in the industry, these two CPG executives share the advice (good, bad and even ignorable) that has shaped their leadership styles today and recount important lessons any emerging business builder can learn from. 

Show Highlights:

06:12: Early experiences set the foundation for what comes next, including the development of these two CEO’s leadership styles. While Chris claims to bring clarity to her team, Miguel said he prioritizes calm. Find out why both believe it’s integral to develop your own approach. 

11:53: How do you develop a cross-functional team and what’s the value? When it comes to CPG, Miguel and Chris said common goals are particularly valuable when it comes to motivation, but creativity is fostered when employees spanning a range of functions work together. 

35:03: Within big companies you have politics, and within small ones you have personalities. Chris shares why this advice has stayed with her throughout her CPG career and how it continues to influence the way she approaches nearly every new project.   

“Creating a vision that everyone can anchor to and see how all their work fits into it can add tremendous clarity to the organization. Ultimately, my job is to create an environment to allow people to be successful, to put just enough structure and just enough data [in place] and then strive for collaboration across all the groups… working towards achieving these goals.”

-Chris Lansing 

“You have to find a leadership style that works for you…it's not only going to drive the success of what you do, but it's gonna make you a lot happier. [By] finding your place and finding what works, all the other stuff takes care of itself.”

-Miguel Leal

About The NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week on the NOSH Podcast, NOSH editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman, editor Carol Ortenberg and reporters Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard discuss the recent acquisition of Sovos Brands by Campbells. Sunrise Strategic Partners’ Peter Burns and Coefficient Capital’s Franklin Isacson join Carol in the interview to talk about the current climate for investment in CPG food, their recent induction to the NOSH Notables list and explain why the investor-brand relationship should be treated like a marriage.

In this episode:

1:00 - Campbell’s buying up Sovos marks a major shift in the world of Big CPG. According to the NOSH team, owning multiple product tiers across a single category has been a successful strategy for Campbell’s in the past. How could this new relationship shape the sauce shelf?

19:15 - How does being on the investment side of the CPG food industry differ from being a founder or operator? Burns and Isacson weigh in on how investors think differently about building a successful brand and share insights about how their respective firms assess potential investments.

22:00 - There’s no doubt the current climate around venture investment is tough, but difficult investor-brand relationships can make things even trickier. Burns and Isacson give advice on how founders can help make their brands more attractive to potential investors and possible exits.

40:55 - Investors may not favor influencer-led brands, but the added celebrity doesn’t hurt. Hear why these two venture capitalists believe PRIME cannot be ignored but remain cautious around typing a brand too closely to its social media stars..

“Choosing an investor is very much like a marriage, for the most part these are long-term partnerships…it is very important that there is alignment.”

-Franklin Isacson, Coefficient Capital managing partner

“Good businesses will be able to go through the good times and the bad times… it's hard and you're going to have to grind. And if you don't know how to grind, you better learn fast.”

-Peter Burns, Sunrise Strategic Partners managing partner

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week on the NOSH Podcast, NOSH editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman, editor Carol Ortenberg and reporter Lukas Southard discuss the recently published NOSH Notables 2023 List. Carol and Jeff explain their process for developing the list and how current industry trends are reflected by the executives selected and list categories.

In this episode:

1:07 - Lukas asks Carol and Jeff about the impetus for the project and the process for selecting the 50 notable individuals.

8:25 - The team discusses the list structure and why the categories of Backers, Connectors, Gatekeepers, Quarterbacks, Spark Plugs and Superheroes ended up being the framework for the Notables list.

11:00 - Jeff and Carol review some of the notable Notables on the list and why NOSH feels they deserve recognition for their impact on the CPG food industry.

16:25 - Jeff and Carol describe how inclusivity played a role in their decision making, sharing how diversity and representation were important in both the makeup of people and in CPG.

24:45 - The three discuss why among a list of 50 influential people in CPG the three familiar faces of Snoop Dogg, Barbie and Gum E. Bear made the list.

“It's how NOSH sees the industry and some of the key currents that run through it. To define places like leadership and connection, investment and encouragement, and innovation.”

-Jeff Klineman, BevNET Editor-in-Chief

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg, reporter Adrianne DeLuca and editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman drum up some girl dinner alternatives and run down recent legislative and M&A news from the plant-based sector. Later, Adrianne chats with Tony’s Chocolonely Mission Guardian Anne-Wil Dijkstra about why the company put a new corporate structure in place to protect its mission. Dijkstra also provides advice about how emerging impact-driven brands can take steps to secure the success of their own mission. 

Show Highlights:

01:05: Girl Dinner or Dad Bod Dinner? Hear the NOSH team’s take on the new TikTok trend, how it is showing up on e-commerce platforms and the opportunities they see for CPG brands to latch onto.

07:33: Between the introduction of the PLANT Act to Congress and the sale of Alpha Foods, plant-based industry news has been plentiful this week. The team runs through some highlights of the new legislation and key details about Alpha’s sale.

18:19: It's been two months since Tony’s Chocolonely implemented an independent, legally binding corporate structure to protect its mission to improve the cocoa supply chain. Anne-Wil explains the motivation behind that effort and how it will evolve as Tony scales its impact.

28:16: Open-sourced processes and ideas are also at the heart of the chocolate maker’s mission. Listen in to hear Anne-Wil’s take on when emerging brands should look to lock in their impact goals and why she believes they can do so even with limited resources.

“You need growth to inspire others – for that you need to have a commercially successful business case. It doesn't have to be “or”... Money is a means to go towards your vision. We need a world with profitable organizations that have a positive impact. That's how we change the world for the better.”

-Anne-Wil Dijkstra

About The NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg, reporters Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard and editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman advocate for year-round pumpkin spice products and then run through some key trends surrounding grains and sugars spotted at recent trade show IFT First. The group also discusses Perfect Day’s presence at the show as well as recent changes to the company’s strategy.

Later, Adrianne chats with Chubby Snacks co-founder and CEO Dillon Ceglio about how the brand developed and evolved its production process. He explained that building the business, and working in it, had a positive impact on both team building and the bottom line.

Show Highlights:

05:20: How has regenerative agriculture helped generate a new wave of support for ancient grains? What sweeteners are shaking out to be the most versatile, and budget-friendly for brands? The team talks through insights gathered and ingredient trends observed at the IFT First show.

19:00: Precision fermentation company Perfect Day was also spotted at the show, which sparked a discussion about the recent news regarding the animal-free dairy producer’s CPG businesses. The team talks through how those changes fit into the broader landscape and strategy shifts often taken by tech and innovation-focused companies. 

27:39: Dillon explains why the sandwich brand gravitated towards self-manufacturing and how developing its own production process gave them the ability to build towards automation. 

36:31: Self-production also meant self-fulfillment in Chubby Snacks’ early days. Dillion shares the company’s tips and tricks, and why the team had to fight it out in their walk-in freezer with FedEx. 

“We learned how to problem solve, very efficiently. We raised a decent amount of money, but [not] a lot so we had to make a little go a long way… We were forced to be in line working in the business with our staff and that went a long way in building rapport and trust … they gained a lot of respect for us and that respect went a long way.”

-Dillon Ceglio

About The NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week on the NOSH Podcast, Nosh editor Carol Ortenberg, Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman and reporter Lukas Southard sat down to talk about THC-infused snack brand knockoffs, CPG food products cashing in on popular entertainment properties (IE Barbie and Yellowstone) and the WHO’s ruling on artificial sweetener aspartame.

In the featured interview, Lukas speaks with Every Body Eat co-founders Trish Thomas and Nichole Wilson about how they strategize using inclusive innovation and how the strength of the business comes from its use of the “concept of mattering” in its production stream.

In this episode:

2:23 - Carol tells Jeff and Lukas what she picked up at the local grocery stores and ate while visiting Montreal. (Spoiler: There are words exchanged about bagels)

5:40 - The team discusses why products such as Trips Ahoy and Stoneos have found themselves in hot water with the  FTC and FDA.

12:33 - Carol asks Jeff and Lukas about what they think of the recent CPG foods capitalizing on trending television show Yellowstone and movie release Barbie. Jeff and Lukas have a beef about a popular TV show’s signature dish. 

19:30 - Jeff explains the potential impact WHO’s ruling on aspartame and why it might change the strategy for companies who already make or intend to release sugar-free products in the future.

27:05 - In the interview, Lukas sits down with the co-founders of allergen-friendly brand Every Body Eat to talk. CEO Trish Thomas and President Nichole Wilson explain how they define inclusive innovation and how they approach in-store growth

33:38 - Thomas and Wilson discuss how they prioritize being female founders and a Black-owned business when seeking investment.

41:50 - The two women share details about Every Body Eat’s production model and how the “concept of mattering” is used to empower their workforce.

“The team who understands that they matter understands that good ideas come from anywhere and sees their ideas become best practice. And [they] take our cost of manufactured goods down 50% in the span of a year, because they know that they're the ones that do it.“”

-Nichole Wilson, co-founder and president of Every Body Eat

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg, reporters Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard and editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman continue their food emojis crusade, while also highlighting some meal news from Tattooed Chef and Kevin’s. Later, Carol and Immi co-founder Kevin Lee talk through the brand’s approach to funding announcements, the leg up celebrity-backing has given its retail and marketing efforts and how the brand “embraced the cringe” to build community.

Show Highlights:

01:31: Jeff recounts his trip to Greece – which included many cephalopod meals and maybe a Pita Party upon return. The team then turns back to emojis with much debate over the origin and availability of these coveted digital creatures, and how the New York Times is trying to bring them on board. 

10:28: The team talks through top headlines from the week spanning the sale of meal brand Kevin’s to the bankruptcy announcement from Tattooed Chef and how the different paths these brands took toward growth may have impacted their respective fates.  

27:44: What is the value of publicly announcing a funding round? According to Lee, maybe not a lot. He shares insight on why he believes having to ride the media cycle wave doesn’t benefit early stage brands and why the team ultimately made the announcement post-seed stage. 

48:17: Tweeting about a fundraise and your company’s valuation goes against Lee’s advice, but building the brand in a public way most definitely does not. Listen in to hear his argument for why every founder should “embrace the cringe,” and the benefit Immi has seen within its core community.  

“You generally don't want to shine a spotlight on your fledgling startup when there are plenty of incumbents out there who would love to eat your lunch, and can probably build your product in a couple of months. There's also obviously the risk of inviting new entrants into the industry… and the last thing is – it's really just a distraction.”

-Kevin Lee

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In a special dispatch from the World Business Chicago/Chicago Venture Summit, on this week’s NOSH Podcast Lukas talks to Midwest-based brands and investors about the advantages and challenges of being located in the middle of the country. Recorded in May, these executives share why Chicago’s proximity to manufacturing and distribution hubs can be a benefit in developing an inside-out nationwide growth strategy.

In this episode:

1:20 - What unique opportunity does the Windy City offer to CPG brands? Bluestein Ventures managing partner Ashley Hartman and senior associate Amira Khatib break down the Chicago-based firm’s investment strategy and discuss where it looks for innovation.

6:00 - Then, Annie Slabotsky and Morgan Lerner, the co-founders of banana bread mix company GoNanas, dive into the benefits a certain incubator program had on the brand’s community building efforts. The pair also highlight how its network of Midwestern investors and founders helped the company to create a successful brand. 

15:05 - Monique Hypes, co-founder of regenerative tomato soup brand Tomato Bliss, explained how the company’s mission to improve soil health in Michigan has been its biggest strength in growing the brand in both foodservice and retail.

21:32 - How can a little Midwestern kindness can be used as a strength in the food industry? Audre Kapacinskas, principal at S2G Ventures, shared why the VC firm is focused on funding sustainable companies and why Chicago’s centrality provides CPG brands with a manufacturing boost.

“If you’re building a CPG brand today and you’re thinking about how to differentiate, I think Chicago – and the Midwest in general – presents a lot of opportunity with which you could explore some of those different levers to differentiate yourself with.”

“Generally in the Midwest, you have the typical Midwestern attitude of helpfulness and openness to collaborate than perhaps you would have in some of the more competitive markets.”

-Audre Kapacinskas, principal at S2G Ventures

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week on the NOSH Podcast, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg; reporters Lukas Southard and Adrianne DeLuca; and editorial assistant Shauna Golden discuss the team’s trip to the Specialty Food Association’s Summer Fancy Food Show. The foursome talk about spicy trends in condiments, the role wholesaling is playing for CPG brands and some shocking new products seen on the show floor.

In this episode:

3:17 - Carol and Lukas discuss the various versions of the chili crisp condiment seen throughout the show floor and what this means for growing the category across global food cultures.

7:00 - The team talks about how the viral YouTube show “Hot Ones” has been a boon to the hot sauce category, boosting sales for many brands who have been featured.

12:12 - Lukas tells the group about  various brands who are diversifying their retail portfolio by entering the foodservice channel.

20:30 - Adrianne asks everyone what were some of the off-the-wall and/or innovative CPG products they saw at Fancy Foods last week including Whale Sperm tortilla chips, celebrity sauces and an instant gelato dispenser.

“Everybody has different strategies for how to put the power of social media to work for their brands.”

-Carol Ortenberg

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and reporters Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard air grievances about the lack of natural product emojis, run down some ice cream deals from the past week and discuss the impact of pouched products on Stonyfield’s business. Later, Carol sits down with editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman to rehash key takeaways from BevNET Live last week, including how investors are assessing growth and how brands can use their online identity to generate insights. 

Show Highlights:

01:26: As the NOSH team tackles its (new!) newsletter format, we all have become keenly aware how scarce natural products emojis are and plan to use this platform to change that...or at least score a pickle emoji. The team also gives the scoop on some sweet deals that were announced this week.

11:30: How have pouched yogurt products changed the trajectory of Stonyfield’s business? The answer lies in a small consumer group – think kiddie-sized – and a big investment that will expand its production facility to punch out 46 million pouches per year.

19:35: Over the past 18 months, how investors assess growth has continually evolved. Jeff explained how at BevNET Live, many investors said they no longer care for ‘growth at all cost’ mindsets and rather, value a well-maintained balance sheet.

26:28: Later, the discussion turns to the state of direct-to-consumer sales. Jeff highlights key takeaways from his talk with Nik Sharma, CEO of Sharma Brand, where a “detailed set of instructions” for developing an online presence that generates brand insights, stole the stage.   

“[Retailer’s] are not just looking for new products for the shelves, they're looking for innovative products. They're looking for products that they can debut, but – this is the big divide – they're looking to share knowledge on how to succeed… But the basics remain… if you don't have the ability to do the run for product – you're not going to last very long.”

-Jeff Klineman

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week on the NOSH Podcast, reporter Lukas Southard speaks with Justin Pearson, senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, about how and when the First Amendment and the Constitution protects brands against food labeling regulations. Pearson describes some of the food labeling cases he has tried, how the industry can protect truthful speech on food labels, and why it is important to fight against unfair legislation and regulation that targets food makers.

In this episode:

1:03 - Justin tells Lukas about why he believes that a new law in Texas regarding labels on alternative meat products is just another attempt to make it more expensive and difficult to operate in the state.

3:25 - Justin explains the difference between food labeling legislation enacted in state and federal governments as opposed to regulatory rules enforced by the FDA and USDA.

12:25 - Justin describes a case he fought addressing how skim milk is labeled, using it as an example of just how long it can take to undo regulatory restrictions by the government.

16:28 - Lukas asks Justin to describe the lawsuit the Institute of Justice has recently filed against the FDA and USDA in defense of a low-FODMAP food maker.

24:42 - Justin explains how he uses the First Amendment and the Constitution to protect food makers against unfair legislation and regulations.

“These cases really boil down to whether you're looking at the information in context or out of context. Thankfully, because the First Amendment is pretty well respected by the courts, what the precedent says is that you have to look at it in context.”

“The First Amendment does not allow the government to ban truthful, factual, verifiable speech.”

-Justin Pearson, senior attorney at the Institute for Justice

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and reporters Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard chat about a recent move from Sonoma Creamery. The team also runs down some nutty news from Campbell’s and Orchard Valley Harvest. Later, Adrianne sits down with Neil Booher, VP of Crisis and Reputation Risk to learn how business leaders should navigate crises that enter the public eye. 

Show Highlights:

06:27: Why did Sonoma Creamery cut its fresh cheese business? Adrianne walks through the historic brand’s recent move to shift focus to snacks and how that emerging strategy will play out on the innovation end. 

09:21: Campbell’s Soup Company makes more than just soup, but no longer nuts. Lukas and Carol discuss the  company’s sale of Emerald Nuts to private label player Flagstone Foods and spotlights a unique nut-centric advertising campaign by Orchard Valley Harvest.

22:20: In times of crisis clarity is key, but how do you maintain a position of clear communication during a crisis? Neil talks about the evolution of positions brand leaders should take when they find themselves combating controversial company headlines.

30:29: According to Neil, influencer partnerships led companies into uncharted crisis and risk management territory during the pandemic. Listen in for his tips on how to avoid landing on the top of a tabloid’s to-do list.   

"The maximum often is ‘it's the tall blade of grass that gets cut.’ When it's an industry wide issue … [you have to weigh] what is the value of being out there and owning the issue publicly and the risks that go along with that are pretty significant.”

-Neil Booher

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week the NOSH podcast team revisits some important lessons and stories shared during NOSH Live Winter 2022. In this episode, you’ll hear from Suzie York, founder and CEO of The Better Chocolate and Matt Clifford, CEO of CanDo. After previously founding Love Good Fats and Barnana, respectively, Yorke and Clifford have moved onto their second endeavors in the world of CPG. In a conversation with NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg the duo share how they applied certain learnings from their first businesses, the second time around.  

Show Highlights:

03:00: Suzie discusses how she went from a first-time entrepreneur at age 50, to a second-time founder again at age 55. Matt then takes the mic to discuss why all founders should approach their business with a beginner’s mindset. 

11:18: Matt jokes about the leap of faith Barnana took to get its first big retail break. Suzie shares how her experience at large multinationals taught her the playbook and walks through how those rules morph in the startup world.  

18:39: The two founder’s trade tips from their past endeavors including approaches to team building, taking in investment and how the climate within the industry has changed for emerging brands.

“There's magic that happens when founders connect the dots, put a couple of things together and see what others don't see. Then, we're relentless. If you have a problem, you're gonna work through it. You want to keep all of that [energy] even though you have experience.”

-Suzie York

“So much of what we do here is luck. Right? I think it's dangerous when you try to figure out what is luck and what is skill. It's execution, and then the right time, right place and having humility.”

-Matt Clifford

About The NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week on the NOSH Podcast, Carol Ortenberg, Jeff Klineman, Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard sit down to discuss celebrity branded coffee, a resolution to Miyoko Schinner’s battle with her former company and new (but veteran) leadership taking over Ben & Jerry’s. In the interview, Carol speaks with Jorge Gaviria, CEO and founder of Masienda, and its creative director Daniel Klein about how the company’s focus on video and storytelling  has fueled new growth in customer acquisition and retail placements -- and led to several James Beard award nominations this year.

In this episode:

1:20 - The team starts the podcast with a conversation about celebrity-backed coffee brands in light of Millie Bobby Brown’s announcement that her cosmetics brand Florence By Mills had released branded coffee.

8:35 - Carol explains the recent update (and seemingly end) to the legal battle between Miyoko Schinner and her former vegan cheese brand.

10:50 - Lukas talks to the team about the leadership change at Ben & Jerry’s and what it says about the brand’s legacy and future in the premium ice cream category.

17:00 - In the interview this week, Carol spoke with CEO and founder of Masienda Jorge Gaviria, and the company’s creative director Daniel Klein about the company’s digital marketing strategy of focusing on film.

22:15 - Gaviria talks about how the brand’s change in content strategy to longer form videos helped build customer acquisition. 25:08 - Klein explains his journey with the company and how video became a big part of not only telling Masienda’s story but telling the story of scaling sustainability among farmers in Latin America.

34:00 - Gaviria discusses how the brand’s videos and D2C strategy has allowed Masienda to go nationwide in Whole Foods Market and establish its retail presence.

"This is a testament to how global of a culture we're in right now. Bad Bunny is the highest grossing artists of all time -- [and] he doesn't do interviews in English, he literally just speaks Spanish…The times have changed, and have really embraced this deeper dive into cultures that maybe don't reflect your own, but are fascinating and deserve representation."

-Jorge Gaviria, Masienda CEO and founder

"Masienda has always been a brand with a lot of integrity and beauty in the work that they do. And we try to make that clear also in the video that we present." 

- Daniel Klein, Masienda Creative Director of Film and Video

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and reporters Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard chat about viral candy trends, the U.S. Senate’s sweet tooth and how one CPG company is thinking about category expansion. Later, Carol sits down with Bain & Company VP of Consumer Products practice, Charlotte Apps, to discuss details from the firm's recent Insurgent Brands report. 

Show Highlights:

01:22: The team talks about social media-driven sweets from ice cream wrapped fruit roll ups to freeze dried gummies. Lukas also shares some details and history surrounding the U.S. Senate's candy desk, which recently saw a changing of the guard. 

10:24: Adrianne details some food trends she observed during a recent trip to London, including a vegan 3D printed steak, followed by Carol’s assessment of a recent category expansion from hot sauce maker Cholula.  

17:58: Charlotte talks Carol through the methodology for assessing insurgent brands and the upward trajectory Bain has observed tracking this category of brands over the years. According to Apps, these brands often grow on increasingly accelerated timelines

28:03: Despite their premium positioning, Apps explains how insurgent brands typically exist across categories and details how their growth models often enable the business to capture wider-spread appeal.

"I think [for] many of these brands it's tempting to say they're riding a wave of consumer trends, and taking advantage of that...But really the ones that end up making it or or sustaining their growth, or really finding traction in the marketplace, are the ones that are not starting with the consumer trend -- they're starting with consumer need."

-Charlotte Apps

About The NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week on the NOSH Podcast, the team begins by discussing the strategies brands use to boost perception of their sales strength as well as possible risks with this approach. Then reporter Lukas Southard describes what he saw and heard on his trip to Chicago, where he attended Naturally Chicago’s Pitch Slam and the Chicago Venture Summit: Future of Food, before  the team discusses the impact of SPACs in CPG.

In our featured interview FitJoy president Norman Taliaferro shares details surrounding the company’s recent $3.5 million fundraise, and the evolution of the company’s portfolio from protein bars to salty snacks. 

In this episode:

05:05 - Carol, Jeff and Lukas talk about “retail refereeing” when brands encourage consumers to buy up products in order to appear in a strong position with category buyers and managers. 

09:00 - Lukas tells Jeff and Carol about his trip to the Chicago Venture Summit last week and how the Midwestern CPG community is trying to gain recognition as a hotbed for food industry innovation.

17:45 - The team talks about SPACs in CPG food and how the current investment environment has impacted the landscape for “blank check” investment opportunities.

20:15 - Carol speaks with FitJoy president Norman Taliaferro about how the brand pivoted into a new and completely different category, its struggles to stay afloat during the pandemic, fundraising and new innovation.

“As everything goes in fundraising, it just takes twice as long as you think it will take.” 

“Getting on shelf – as hard as it is – is the easiest part of the process.”

Norman Taliaferro, FitJoy president 

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week on the NOSH Podcast, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg, Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman and reporters Lukas Southard and Adrianne Deluca discussed mayo preferences in dating, olive oil brand Graza’s squeeze bottle controversy and Whole Foods Markets redraws its regional maps.

Then, Lukas gets Ithaca Hummus’ founder Chris Kirby and the brand’s natural channel sales  manager Aaron Wallace about how they strategized growing from regional to national distribution. The two gave advice about how to make the move as well as some cautionary tips about what a brand should or shouldn’t focus on when expanding its retail footprint. 

In this episode:

06:05: Carol and the group debate if a person’s love (or hate in the case of Adrianne) of mayo belongs on dating apps. 

08:38: Then, the NOSH team discusses the conversation about “copycat” culture in CPG that has erupted after olive oil brand Graza’s founder posted some inflammatory accusations about a competitor on LinkedIn.

16:18: Finally, Carol explains Whole Foods’ new regional maps and how that might impact the CPG food space.

21:19: For the interview, Lukas sat down with Ithaca Hummus to learn how to build an efficient national distribution model and how attention to detail can make a huge difference in being profitable as a brand grows. 

“Buyers have a lot of brands on their desks and they don't have the attention to spend on your business like you should and, ultimately, the key word in that is – it's your business. It's our business, we need to own it and not them.”

-Aaron Wallace, Ithaca Hummus Sales Manager  

About The NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s NOSH Podcast, reporters Lukas Southard and Adrianne Deluca join NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg to consider Oatly’s new online marketing campaign, debate the implications of sesame seeds' new classification as a “Big 9” allergen and discuss Hershey’s decision to acquire two Skinny Pop co-packing facilities as the company puts more emphasis on its snacking portfolio.

Then, Carol hears from Coconut Cult CEO Ari Raz about how self-manufacturing might put increased pressure on a brand but in the end allows for more flexibility in production and the ability to remain true to core values. 

In this episode:

1:35 - Adrianne explains Oatly’s new online tongue-in-cheek website and the team discusses the impact of self-effacing marketing campaigns. 

4:12 - Lukas talks about how some companies are countering the FDA’s move in January to add sesame to the list of Big Nine allergens. Carol discusses the implications of companies adding an allergen to products that might not have previously contained it and how the allergen community is reacting.

9:43 - The team discusses Hershey’s move to acquire two production facilities from its Skinny Pop co-packer and the chocolate company’s focus on its snack portfolio.

16:40 - For the interview, Carol talks to yogurt brand The Coconut Cult’s CEO Ari Raz about co-packing versus self-manufacturing a product. Raiz discusses his change of heart when he took over the reins of  Coconut Cult and shares news regarding new manufacturing capabilities. 

“The process of being a self manufacturer went from being very scary, to extremely exciting. And now it’s going to become, as we continue to scale, a very lucrative operation for the brand.”

-Coconut Cult CEO Ari Raz

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and reporters Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard chat about recent news from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding functional food claims. Later, Adrianne sits down with Cynthia Cabrera, chief strategy officer at Hometown Hero CBD, and Bethany Gomez, managing director of The Brightfield Group to talk about the impact of hemp-derived THC has had on the CPG industry and how this unregulated space has contributed to consumer awareness of cannabinoid products. 

Show Highlights:

07:17: The team breaks down recent news from the FTC, which saw nearly 700 businesses receive warning letters regarding their use of certain functional food claims, and the challenges functional brands could face in the future.

15:24: In the spirit of 4/20, the topic turns to hemp-derived THC compounds including Delta-8 and Delta-9. Cynthia and Bethany talk through the regulatory nuances that have allowed this subset of the hemp space to grow and how the rules vary from those governing marijuana businesses. 

21:25: Cynthia and Bethany discuss the implications widespread distribution has had on these products and business and breakdown opportunities for growth – ranging from gas stations to grocery stores to e-commerce. 

32:13: The duo then shares their expectations for the upcoming farm bill reauthorization and the conversation centers around ramifications of state level legislation, rather than federal law, that have impacted the overall market’s performance.  

"Marijuana companies are not sure what to think about the whole hemp-derived THC space. Many of them are up in arms about it and really looking to view it as a threat and are combating against it, and others are viewing it as an opportunity."

- Bethany Gomez

"At the time [of the 2018 Farm Bill], nobody knew that a whole other industry could or would crop up -- that's the beauty of innovation. That's the beauty of an entrepreneurial market. They see an opportunity and they take it. The worst thing that could happen would be anything that tamps that down."

- Cynthia Cabrera

About The NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg sits down with President and CEO of Lesser Evil Snacks, Charles Coristine, to discuss how the brand approached raising funds as the fed lifted interest rates, what areas of the business Coristine prioritized during this economic uncertainty and why he expects the current operating environment to begin looking a little less bleak. 

Show Highlights:

01:25: Charles breaks down the snack brand’s fundraising history while providing some insight on what areas of the business he focused on during its respective life stages and how he approaches raising primary and secondary capital for CapEx. 

07:02: The conversation shifts as Carol and Charles discuss the operational changes he made to the business and how that impacted investor perspectives. 

16:03: Charles shares his advice on assessing and determining your business’ valuation and how staying close to the mark can help the brand draw in return investment.

20:57: To close out the conversation, Carol and Charles chat about why you should root your budget in uncertainty rather than lofty aspirations and how he finds joy in the capital raise process once the dust has settled.  

“As we focus on operational excellence, the nature of the brand is changing. A lot of what made us super successful at the beginning, isn’t what investors want us to focus on [now].” 

- Charles Coristine, Lesser Evil President and CEO 

About the NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts