In this special edition of the podcast, we feature highlights from interviews with seven innovators, leaders and disruptors who joined us on the show during the second half of 2024. Our guests include Ben Goodwin and David Lester, the co-founders of Olipop; Poorvi Patodia, the founder and CEO of Biena; Charles Coristine, the CEO of LesserEvil; Peter Rahal, the co-founder of RXBAR & David; Olivia Ferdi, the co-Founder of Trip; and Justin Rosenberg, the founder and CEO of Honeygrow. Show notes...
Dec 31, 2024•46 min
We’re not prognosticators. But we are a hopeful bunch. With a new year on the horizon, the hosts share five (actually, six) wishes for the food and beverage industry in 2025. Swift progress is unexpected, but these are reasonably achievable goals. Show notes: 0:25: Upstarts, Assemble! Cann Do. Deal Us In. More NA, Please. Outrageous = 1.7%. – Ray wonders if the team should consider living bi-coastal before encouraging more collaborations between emerging brands. John opines on the huge opportuni...
Dec 27, 2024•28 min
For a brand with a diminutive name, Small Town Cultures has big ambitions. Based in upstate New York, Small Town Cultures was founded by entrepreneur Cori Deans in 2017. The company uses regional ingredients to make fermented foods that contain no vinegar nor added sugar. Packaged in clear glass jars with minimalist labels designed to showcase the vegetables’ natural color and crispness, Small Town Cultures sells a variety of probiotic-rich products, including its Red Onions, Turmeric Kimchi and...
Dec 24, 2024•35 min
We also speak with Steffin Oghene and Tony Salles, the vice president and third-generation master distiller, respectively, of awarded tequila brand El Tequileño along with Davide Segat, the bars manager at the city’s NoMad Hotel, for a conversation about the creation of a limited-edition tequila, the Side Hustle Select Barrel Double Añejo. Show notes: 0:25: So Dark. Timing & Negotiations. Best Of. Tokyo Twinkies. AM Greek Cocktails. – Ray is a hot mess, but it’s fine because Donnie Darko and...
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Being “basic” has long been a theme of Trey Kennedy’s popular standup routine and sketch comedy. He recently introduced the perfect pairing for his humor, Basic Cellars. An Instagram sensation with over three million followers, Trey debuted Basic Cellars in October. Created in partnership with premium wine producer In Good Taste, the brand is designed to appeal to modern consumers who love wine, but are often put off by complicated and confusing verbiage. Basic Cellars sells two wines, a Califor...
Dec 17, 2024•33 min
The grind is real. And fun as heck. Exhausted, but buoyant, the hosts recap NOSH and BevNET’s just-concluded winter events and specifically highlight the three pitch slam competitions and how each respective winner successfully communicated the traction and potential for their brands. Show notes: 0:25: Bowels & Beer. The Squish Wins. Viviana Approves. R Roll. Swag & Walnuts. NA FTW. Ask Away. – In the Taste Radio studio at the Marina Del Rey Marriott, the hosts chat about NOSH Live Pitch...
Dec 16, 2024•25 min
How do you simultaneously operate one of the world's most awarded bars and a local drink hangout in London? If you're Monica Berg, you serve every customer with the same level of respect, passion and enthusiasm. An award-winning mixologist celebrated for her distinctive and innovative approach to cocktails, Monica is one of the world’s most respected figures in the business of spirits and hospitality. She is the co-owner of Tayēr + Elementary in London, a dual-concept drinking establishment whic...
Dec 11, 2024•35 min
When in Los Angeles, you know the hosts are making an Erewhon run. As they sift through bags of new, innovative and unusual beverages and snacks purchased at the high-end retailer, the hosts discuss Erewhon’s reputation as a launching pad for emerging brands. We also sit down with Nicola Hart and Leon Pullin of Agua De Madre, a London-based brand of water kefir and other functional beverages. Show notes: 0:25: Marina Del Ray. We Drank Pizza Wine. Next Stop… Walmart? Protein Everything. – As the ...
Dec 06, 2024•52 min
Six years after Justin Rosenberg opened the first location of Honeygrow, the fast-casual restaurant chain was at a crossroads. Its growth strategy, he says, was “too entrepreneurial.” Founded in 2012, Honeygrow, which is short for “honest food, grown locally,” sells stir-fry meals, salads and desserts made with fresh and better-for-you ingredients. The Philadelphia-based company currently operates over 50 restaurants in seven states with plans to open several more in the coming months. While Hon...
Dec 03, 2024•41 min
Days away from BevNET’s winter events in Marina Del Rey, the hosts discuss the legal battle between lifestyle fitness brands Prime and Mas+ by Messi and why it may help one company more than the other, regardless of the outcome. They also sample a big brand’s take on an ethnic classic and explain their love/hate relationship with an emerging brand. Show notes: 0:25: When Ray’s Away… So Many Meetings, Plenty Of Time. Ignore The Script. Blow Up The Box. – With Ray OOO, Mike takes the reins and doe...
Dec 02, 2024•24 min
“Walked out this morning, I don't believe what I saw. Hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore.” Those lyrics from the hit song “Message In A Bottle” by The Police probably touched a nerve with Josh White. The young British DJ had become increasingly dismayed by the sight of throngs of single-serve plastic water bottles appearing on exotic beaches. As he considered the problem, one solution came to the forefront: aluminum. Josh is the co-founder and CEO of Cano Water, a trailblazing water ...
Nov 25, 2024•30 min
Collaborations – the good, the strange, and the wow – anchor this episode. The hosts debate whether a tomato-based wine co-created by Pizza Hut can help change the fortunes of a sluggish industry and discuss an unusual, but effective, marketing campaign featuring a partnership between sex workers and non-alcoholic spirits. This episode features an interview with Bella Hughes and Semira Nikou, the co-founders of better-for-you gummy brand Better Sour, which recently collaborated with Disney on a ...
Nov 22, 2024•47 min
Luke Boase launched Lucky Saint in 2018, but he says the brand’s potential for an iconic future has always been top of mind. As the leading dedicated non-alcoholic beer brand in the U.K., Lucky Saint is sold in over 10,000 points of distribution in the country, including more than 1,000 pubs and restaurants. That number includes its own bar in London, aptly named The Lucky Saint, which operates at the base of a building that also houses the company’s office. Last year, the company raised a £10m ...
Nov 19, 2024•29 min
Innovative protein brands and proactive meetings. The hosts advocate for both in this episode, which also features an interview with Trey Zoeller, the founder of pioneering whiskey maker Jefferson’s Bourbon, a brand recognized by and awarded for its Ocean Aged At Sea expression, a whiskey matured on ships that travel around the world. Show notes: 0:25: Bag It. Face To Face > Email. Take A Minute. The Liver! Fridge Pop. Beard Scoby . – Less than three weeks away from BevNET’s winter events, Ra...
Nov 15, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Most Americans eat cold bread. Ismail Salhi and Johanna Hartzheim are changing that dynamic one loaf at a time. Ismail and Johanna are the founders of Wildgrain, a subscription-based service that ships boxes of par-baked frozen sourdough, pastries and hand-cut pasta to customers across the country. The married couple and business partners came to the U.S. after years of living in Paris and wanted to give people access to the same warm loaves of artisanal breads, flaky croissants and chewy dinner...
Nov 12, 2024•51 min
The world needs plant-based spam. Nootropic beverages will make a comeback in 2025. T-shirts are the best brand swag. It’s buy-or-sell time, and the hosts transact in opinions. This episode also features interviews with the leaders of two fast-growing U.K.-based CPG companies: Jack Scott, the co-founder of flavored sparkling water brand Dash, and Kathryn Bricken, the founder of Doughlicious, a brand of frozen cookie dough and gelato bites. Show notes: 0:25: No Results. We’re Available. Mindcraft...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Olivia Ferdi is obsessed with the details. The co-founder of Trip, a U.K.-based brand of lightly sparkling functional beverages intended to help people relax, Olivia says that a passion for the particulars is a key reason why Trip is the fastest-growing soft drink brand in the U.K. and currently preparing for a major expansion of its retail presence in the American market. Trip debuted in 2019 and markets two product lines: one infused with CBD and adaptogens and the other, called Mindful Blend,...
Nov 05, 2024•39 min
Another episode, another billion-dollar deal. In this case, the buyer (KDP), if not the brand (Ghost), is somewhat surprising. The hosts have their say. They also highlight a couple spicy collaborations, but are divided on one of them. We also speak with Lexy Prosszer, an investment principal at U.K.-based venture capital firm Btomorrow Ventures, which is focused on investments in innovative, functional brands. Show notes: 0:25: Who Bailed Mike Out? Elektra x Nosh. Scary Deal. A Wonky Pad. Where...
Nov 01, 2024•55 min
Ben Branson is not the kind of person you’d find at a cocktail party. In fact, he loathes socializing. And, yet, he’s deeply invested in its future. Ben is best known as the founder of Seedlip, the pioneering nonalcoholic spirit brand that was at the forefront of the now burgeoning category of zero proof beverages. In 2019, Ben sold a majority stake of Seedlip to beverage alcohol conglomerate Diageo, which, at the time, described the brand as “a global drinks giant of the future.” While Ben is s...
Oct 29, 2024•51 min
It turns out that superheroes and ‘saints’ enjoy beer and cocktails, particularly when the libations are of the non-alcoholic variety. The hosts chat about actor Tom Holland’s foray into CPG with NA beer Bero, before riffing on an enlightening collaboration between an up-and-coming wine company and personal care brand. We also feature an interview with Megan Klein, the founder and CEO of Little Saints, an innovative brand of non-alcoholic cocktails infused with functional mushrooms, who recently...
Oct 25, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Biena was at a crossroads. Five years ago, the brand’s popular roasted chickpeas were widely distributed at natural and conventional grocery chains, including Walmart, Whole Foods and Target, and the brand was making significant headway in travel retail stores. That year, Biena also completed an $8 million Series B funding round and launched an innovative line of chickpea puffs that helped establish the company as a snacking platform. The pandemic, however, forced founder Poorvi Patodia to adjus...
Oct 22, 2024•44 min
How do U.K. CPG brands compare to their U.S. counterparts? How do the two markets differ? On the ground in London, the hosts discuss their experience at last week’s Cheers! The Drinks Summit event and highlight innovative snacks and beverages they encountered at visits to local retail chains and specialty stores. Show notes: 0:25: What Day Is It? Possessive Peeve. Jacqui x Ox Heart. Club Soda. Irony, Sir. Magnesium FTW. Cosmo John. The Nuances & Inspiration. – Jet lag and full days make the ...
Oct 21, 2024•28 min
How do you top a $600 million exit? If you’re Peter Rahal, you aim for one that’s four times bigger. Anything less, he says, would be a failure. Peter is one of the co-founders of RXBAR, a platform brand of clean ingredient protein snacks created in 2013. Four years after the brand’s debut, it was acquired by Kellogg for the aforementioned nine figure sum. Earlier this year, Peter launched David, which is positioned as “a rigorously perfected protein bar.” Each bar contains 28g protein, 150 calo...
Oct 14, 2024•33 min
With Taste Radio’s London meetups on the horizon, the hosts have their say on trendy brands, new products and the coming crush of seasonal LTOs. They share their respective takes on David, the high-profile protein bar brand launched by RXBAR co-founder Peter Rahal and whether decaf coffee is about to take off. They also get giddy about green cocktails and a record-breaking advent calendar. Show notes: 0:25: A “Man Cold”? An English Itinerary. Let’s Eat David. Welcome Back, Pop. TUR-meric. Jacqui...
Oct 11, 2024•31 min
For the first 65 years of its existence, Maker’s Mark had no innovation department. The legacy whiskey brand, known for its red wax coated bottle necks and premium, yet approachable, bourbon, had long focused on quality and consistency in favor of new product development. The spirits industry, however, is evolving. Consumers are placing greater value on innovative concepts and embracing creative offerings. Meanwhile, Gen Z drinkers are consuming less alcohol than previous generations, but also e...
Oct 08, 2024•35 min
What is the impact of PepsiCo’s $1.2 billion acquisition of Siete Foods on emerging food and beverage brands? Will the deal entice investors to make more bets on new and innovative concepts? Will everyday Americans benefit from the deal? Lots of questions, and the hosts answer them all. They also discuss upcoming Taste Radio meetups in London ( and how to register for them ), a budding partnership between nutritional supplement brand AG1 and Starbucks and sample several new products, including a...
Oct 03, 2024•37 min
Jeff Church knows the highs and lows of brand-building like few do. A serial entrepreneur, Jeff co-founded cold-pressed juice pioneer Suja and led its development to a $100 million brand. Jeff also lost over $4 million of his own money in Rowdy Energy, a now defunct energy drink challenger he co-founded with NASCAR driver Kyle Busch. Jeff’s experience and perspective on how brands succeed – and the reason they don’t – is why we asked him to join us for a live interview as part of an industry net...
Oct 01, 2024•31 min
The gang’s all here… in San Diego. The hosts convene at BevNET’s west coast office where they talk about how Fly By Jing nailed its foray into a popular food category and also highlight the debut of a convenient ethnic comfort food brand and Olipop’s upgrade on a legacy soda flavor. Show notes: 0:25: “You Know Things.” Saucy Stains. - Jacqui kicks things off with her favorite daily affirmations, before Mike explains why food prep got the best of his outfit. The hosts fork and slurp Fly By Jing’s...
Sep 27, 2024•32 min
How do you convince investors to bet over $100 million on your innovative beverage company? If you’re Matt Roberts, you start by making them a great cup of coffee. Matt is the founder of Cometeer Coffee, which markets innovative frozen coffee capsules crafted using premium coffee beans sourced from leading specialty roasters. The single-serve capsules can be used to make hot or cold coffee, and are produced using a proprietary process in which fresh beans are ground, brewed and flash-frozen to p...
Sep 24, 2024•35 min
When worlds collide, do consumers benefit? The hosts weigh in on Lunchly, the much hyped new Lunchables competitor launched by uber influencers and entrepreneurs Mr. Beast, Logan Paul and KSI. They also highlight unusual collaborations between fashion and consumer brands, and reach for healthy soups and shots. Show notes: 0:25: LOUIE-ville? Church Time. The Kids Are Not Alright. Breakfast Totes. Maker’s Mahk. The Perfect Collab. – Ray returns from Kentucky and gets schooled at home, before the h...
Sep 20, 2024•31 min
