Randall Hom is the Co-Founder of Hostie, an AI-based customer experience platform that centralizes a restaurant’s calls, texts, and emails into a single system. In this episode, we’ll talk about how Hostie is saving restaurants countless hours in redundant phone calls, how it integrates with reservation and POS companies to automate 80% of inquiries, and the impact of AI on the restaurant workforce. Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter Check out Hostie...
Jun 23, 2025•52 min
This is a special edition of HNGRY Live, conversations with the paid HNGRY Trends community. Last week, the group came together for an hour-long discussion about personalizing menu data to individuals' dietary and allergy profiles, and eventually our nutritional needs. Join in on future live discussions by becoming a paid HNGRY Trends member Check out Foodini...
Jun 16, 2025•56 min
Jonathan Wolf is the Co-Founder & CEO of ZOE, a personalized nutrition platform running the world’s largest nutritional study through its app and clinical trials. In this episode, we’ll chat about how ZOE applies machine learning to health data to predict what we should eat, the power of the gut microbiome, and ZOE’s new strategy to tap into a wider audience of participants. Subscribe to HNGRY Trends Join ZOE...
Jun 09, 2025•59 min
This is a special edition of HNGRY Live, conversations with the paid HNGRY Trends community. Last week, the group came together for an hour long discussion about DoorDash's latest acquisitions of UK-based Deliveroo for its international expansion and SevenRooms for its 1p commerce platform. Join in on future live discussions by becoming a paid HNGRY Trends member. Learn more & join HNGRY Trends
May 12, 2025•1 hr
Young Stowe is the Co-Founder & CEO of Unified Ferments, a beverage company leveraging fermentation to express the world’s best teas. In this episode, we’ll talk about how Unified Ferments is combining culinary wisdom of age-old tea production and fermentation, its parallels to fine wine, and the rise of non-alcoholic beverages in retail and foodservice. Subscribe to the HNGRY Newsletter Unified Ferments...
May 05, 2025•51 min
Tom Shea is the co-founder & CEO of Adgile Media Group, an out of home media startup transforming how consumer brands advertise on moving trucks. In this episode, we’ll talk about Adgile’s innovative use of geofencing, how it attributes offline ad impressions, and the future impact of AI on growth marketing. Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter Adgile Media Group website
Apr 14, 2025•57 min
Delanie Thurlow is an account executive leading US sales at Grounded Packaging, a sustainable packaging design and consulting firm helping CPG brands meet their environmental goals. In this episode, we’ll talk about the current state of recycling and composting, the nuances of different packaging approaches, and the future of the circular economy. Subscribe to the HNGRY Newsletter Grounded Packaging website...
Apr 07, 2025•51 min
Kasia Bednarz is the Co-Founder & CEO of FARE, a Chicago-based fast casual that prides itself on seasonal, wholesome ingredients without sacrificing on comfort or taste. In this episode, we’ll talk about FARE’s new expansion strategy, how it leverages technology inside and outside the kitchen, and how it’s uniquely positioned from its salad peers.
Mar 31, 2025•52 min
Taylor Sewell is the Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer of Hippie Water, a low-dose THC-infused social tonic. In this episode we’ll talk about how functional beverages like Hippie Water pose a threat to traditional beverage alcohol, how hemp-derived THC extraction opens up a massive market into foodservice and retail, and behavior shifts these beverages are starting to create. Use code HNGRY20 for 20% off of Hippie Water Subscribe to the HNGRY Newsletter...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr
Vivien Sin is the Co-Founder & CEO of The Third Place, a software platform empowering independent hospitality businesses to layer new recurring revenue streams on top of their four walls. In this episode, we discuss the current state of subscriptions and memberships of platforms like Table22 and Dorsia, and how restaurants can tap into these activities to cover their fixed costs. To join future live events and participate in Q&A, become a paid member. Join HNGRY...
Mar 17, 2025•47 min
Ayesha Abuelhiga is the Founder & CEO of Mason Dixie Foods, a scratch made frozen breakfast brand centered around biscuit sandwiches. In this episode, we’ll talk about the whitespace for better-for-you brands to disrupt the frozen aisle, the innovations in high-speed ovens for foodservice, and the future of nutrition and convenience. Sign up for the HNGRY Newsletter
Mar 10, 2025•52 min
This is a special episode of HNGRY Live, conversations with members of the HNGRY Trends community that analyze industry news in real-time. We discuss live the current state of third and first-party restaurant catering and its massive whitespace. To join future live events and participate in Q&A, become a paid member. Join HNGRY
Mar 03, 2025•46 min
Aaron Gatti is the Founder & CEO of BRAMI, a next-gen pasta and snacking brand that leverages the power of Italian lupini beans. In this episode, we’ll talk about the war against pasta, how our mass industrialized food system has contributed to this stigma, and the future of stealth health products that provide nutritional and taste upgrades to age-old categories like pasta. Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter
Feb 24, 2025•56 min
This is a special episode of HNGRY Live, conversations with members of the HNGRY Trends community that analyze industry news in real-time. We discuss the current landscape of D2C meal players like CookUnity, Wonder, and Blue Apron, the recent M&A activity, and analyze business models. To join future live events and participate in Q&A, become a paid member here.
Feb 17, 2025•50 min
This is a special episode of HNGRY Live, conversations with members of the HNGRY Trends community that analyze industry news in real-time. We discuss Brandon's latest trip to KFC's new chicken tender concept Saucy and what it means for the QSR chain. To join future live events and participate in Q&A, become a paid member here.
Feb 10, 2025•32 min
Avi Goren is the co-founder & CEO of Marqii, an online platform that helps local businesses like restaurants, bars, and cafes manage their listings and reviews across a multitude of platforms. In this episode, we’ll talk about the importance of platforms like Google and Yelp, how Marqii is leveraging AI for its reviews, and the future of digital hospitality.
Jan 27, 2025•47 min
Max Barbier is the Co-Founder & CEO of Timeleft, an app That helps connect strangers in cities across the world over weekly dinners. In this episode, we’ll talk about the growing loneliness problem, how Timeleft leverages technology to pair diners, and how our society can create hybrid online and offline experiences that optimize for our sense of belonging.
Jan 20, 2025•45 min
Heidi Diestel, fourth-generation family farmer at Diestel Turkey Ranch, a regenerative organic Turkey Farm based in Northern California. In this episode, we talk about what it means to apply regenerative farming practices to poultry, the application of technology, and how policy can better align incentives between farmers, consumers’ health, and the environment. Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter Diestel Family Ranch...
Jan 13, 2025•52 min
Eli Feldman is the Partner & Co-Founder of Shy Bird, a two-unit fine casual rotisserie concept in Boston. In this episode, we chat about Shy Bird’s exciting co-working program, how restaurants can reframe themselves to capitalize on higher margin revenue streams, and the promise of AI to uncover and execute new ideas inside and outside their four walls. Subscribe to Eli's Newsletter Subscribe to the HNGRY Newsletter...
Dec 16, 2024•59 min
Alice Cheng is the Founder & CEO of Culinary Agents, a job marketplace, applicant tracking system, and career resource for the hospitality industry. In this episode, we’ll chat about its latest site for career insights and salary data, how technology can help with career development, and what the industry can do to attract higher talent. Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter
Dec 09, 2024•51 min
Missy Bradley is the Chief Revenue Officer and Co-Founder at Caliper Holdings. In this episode, we’ll talk about its water soluble cannabis powder that can be used in foods and beverages, the various legal hurdles in the category, and the new types of cannabinoids that the company is bringing to market. Sign up for the HNGRY newsletter
Dec 02, 2024•57 min
Nick Wiseman is the Co-Founder & CEO of Little Sesame, a next-generation hummus brand born out of the eponymous Washington DC restaurant. In this episode, we’ll talk about the advantages of leveraging restaurants as a CPG test kitchen, how to build a differentiated brand, and the complexities of scaling and manufacturing. Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter
Nov 25, 2024•52 min
Jose Alonso is the Co-Founder & CEO of Caldo, a robotic restaurant assistant helping with kitchen prep. In this episode, we’ll talk about Jose’s culinary background, how restaurants prep today, and the opportunity to improve COGS and labor efficiency with automated portioning. Sign up for the HNGRY newsletter
Nov 18, 2024•55 min
Drew Arentowitz is the Co-Founder & CEO of 50/50 Foods, the parent company behind the BOTH Burger made with a blend of 50% meat and 50% veggies. In this episode, we talk about how water scarcity could create price shocks in conventional meat, the rise of flexitarians, and the promise of the burgeoning blended meat category as a pragmatic solution to our health and climate needs.
Nov 11, 2024•56 min
Neil Thompson, Chief Strategy Officer at NextGen Kitchens, a software platform powering on and off premise digital transactions for multi-brand foodservice operators. In this episode, we’ll cover Neil’s 30-year career at brands like Tim Hortons and HMSHost, the complexities of multi-brand food halls, and how his technology is helping landlords and operators create frictionless guest experiences.
Nov 04, 2024•55 min
John Thorp is the Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Aerflo, a refillable, on-demand CO2 water bottle that aims to become a circular platform for sparkling beverages. In this episode, we’ll talk about the sustainability issues for single-use beverages, Aerflo’s fully circular system, and its potential beyond seltzer water.
Oct 28, 2024•48 min
Johann Moonesinghe is the Co-Founder & CEO of inKind, a marketplace that provides restaurateurs with non-dilutive financing and unlocks deals for local diners. In this episode, we’ll talk about why restaurant funding is broken, inKind’s unique approach to capital, and its recent venture into restaurant M&A.
Aug 12, 2024•59 min
Ofek Ron is the Co-Founder & CEO of Oshi, an Israel-based startup creating fish fillets using only plants. In this episode, we’ll talk about the sustainability and health challenges of traditional fish farming, the benefits of Oshi’s clean ingredient label, and its proprietary technology used to recreate layers of whole-cut salmon.
Aug 05, 2024•51 min
Cristina Berta Jones is the Director of Marketing & Growth at Picnic, an affordable and sustainable online grocer operating in the Netherlands, Germany, and France with over €1.3 billion in capital. In this episode we’ll talk about why profitability in online grocery is so difficult, the unique differentiators in Picnic’s tightly optimized model, and the future of the weekly online grocery shop.
Jul 29, 2024•58 min
Ville Lehto is the Co-Founder and Head of Product at Huuva, a Helsinki-based ghost kitchen startup that brings together the best local restaurants under one roof into a single order. In this episode, we’ll talk about the success Huuva is seeing in the European delivery market, the unique software it’s built, and analyze some of the larger American players with similar models.
Jul 22, 2024•55 min
