Legacy brands are hard to replace. Consumers trust these products, often because flavor, texture and mouthfeel are known and reliable. And, yet, they’ve also shown an increasing willingness to swap familiar snacks and libations with those that are lower in calories or sugar and promoted as better-for-you. That dynamic is becoming even more significant among natural and organic brands that have developed products that taste remarkably similar to – and, in some cases, better than – the familiar it...
Mar 01, 2024•33 min
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 c...
Feb 27, 2024•38 min
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...
Feb 23, 2024•55 min
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 ...
Feb 20, 2024•23 min
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 ...
Feb 16, 2024•51 min
“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 u...
Feb 13, 2024•24 min
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 Selli...
Feb 09, 2024•34 min
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 a...
Feb 06, 2024•30 min
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.
Feb 05, 2024•1 hr 16 min
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 Yo...
Feb 02, 2024•51 min
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 ...
Jan 30, 2024•30 min
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.
Jan 29, 2024•39 min
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 b...
Jan 26, 2024•32 min
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 loca...
Jan 23, 2024•52 min
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 bra...
Jan 19, 2024•51 min
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, w...
Jan 16, 2024•30 min
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: ...
Jan 12, 2024•31 min
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 F...
Jan 09, 2024•47 min
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...
Jan 05, 2024•49 min
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...
Jan 02, 2024•46 min
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? Controversi...
Dec 29, 2023•29 min
Tony Burt has seen the light. But he’s rarely swayed by it. Burt is the founder and CEO of East Imperial, a New Zealand-based brand of upscale mixers inspired by a 1903 recipe for tonic water and made using natural and sustainably sourced ingredients. The brand markets several varieties of tonic water along with a grapefruit soda, ginger beer, ginger ale, soda water, lemonade and kola. A globally distributed brand, East Imperial is specifically focused on the on-premise channel. Its products are...
Dec 26, 2023•33 min
A $900 million M&A deal was a top talking point for the hosts, who also highlighted a $40 million private equity fund focused on investment in emerging brands and opined on both trendy concepts and those of cultural significance. This episode also features an interview with culinary expert and product developer Henry Hill, who is drawing on his experience as a Michelin-starred chef and beverage entrepreneur to help modern brands optimize flavor and texture. Show notes: 0:35: Doritos Divide U...
Dec 22, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Deux’s first three years in business reads like a case study on how to build an emerging brand: cultivate a community of loyal and engaged consumers who advocate for and frequently buy your products, and leverage DTC success to land distribution at national retailers. Leading with the tagline “the snacks you love with the ingredients you deserve,” Deux (pronounced DOUGH) markets refrigerated cookie dough, dessert spreads and donut holes, all of which are enhanced with functional nutrients and vi...
Dec 19, 2023•52 min
PRIME is a phenomenon. In the two years since its launch, the hydration and energy drink brand has risen to become a major player in both beverage categories and is generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. What makes it so special? The hosts unpacked PRIME’s appeal and remarkable success. They also discussed a head-scratching-yet-spectacular collaboration between Doritos and a Copenhagen-based spirit company, highlighted key details to include in investor pitches and featured a han...
Dec 15, 2023•34 min
They say that everyone loves a good comeback story. Rudi’s is writing the first chapter of a new one. Founded in 1976, the Colorado-based brand markets organic and gluten free breads, including sourdough loaves, English muffins, wraps and buns, and has fostered a loyal consumer following at natural and conventional retailers including Whole Market and Kroger. In 2014, natural foods company Hain Celestial acquired Rudi’s from private equity firm Charterhouse Equity Partners for $61.3 million. At ...
Dec 12, 2023•42 min
In the midst of our Winter 2023 events, the hosts highlighted the brands that triumphed in the NOSH Pitch Slam along with BevNET’s Cocktail Showdown and New Beverage Showdown. They also spoke about the palpable energy and enthusiasm at the events and why a new generation of THC-infused beverages indicates a promising future for cannabis drinks. 0:35: What Day Is It? Connections Aplenty. A Sitar Under The Stars. — Ray and the team spoke about their first week in Marina Del Rey, the events’ new ve...
Dec 07, 2023•22 min
It’s doubtful that Jimbo Someck would ever characterize himself as an influencer, but it’s an apt description given his passionate and effective advocacy for organic and natural foods over the past five decades. Someck is the founder of organic-centric grocery chain Jimbo’s, which operates four locations in the San Diego area. He opened his first store in 1984 and has long been a prominent figure in the development of the natural food industry. Jimbo’s standards for selling high-quality and nutr...
Dec 05, 2023•44 min
The hosts discussed a planned merger between upscale corner store retailers Foxtrot Market and Dom's Kitchen & Market, munched on international snack brands and recalled a time when BevNET briefly entered the bar business. 0:35: Review And We Shall Drape Thee. You Got Two Days. We Have The Munchies. – Ray reminded listeners of the value that comes with reviewing Taste Radio on Apple Podcasts , and the hosts collectively urged folks not to miss out on BevNET and Brewbound Live. They also refl...
Dec 01, 2023•23 min
In the two decades since launching her eponymous Indian-inspired food brand, Maya Kaimal has introduced zesty simmer sauces, spicy rice dishes and piquant condiments to millions of Americans. And while she achieved a level of scale and success that few thought possible, there were also challenging times, like when she faced the prospect of bankruptcy and selling her house. A former photo editor for Saveur magazine, Kaimal started Maya Kaimal Foods in 2003 behind the belief that Indian cuisine ne...
Nov 28, 2023•38 min
