In the last episode, we spoke with the founder of B'More Organic. This week we interview their secret weapon, Amanda Sains. Amanda was in the corporate world and wanted a change. She started as a brand ambassador, doing product demos on her lunch break. She has since rebranded the company, supported growth into over 3000 stores and has gotten placement for B’more on The Rachael Ray Show, collegiate sponsorships, secured NFL athlete endorsements with VaynerSports and coaching from entrepreneur, B...
Jun 01, 2017•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Necessity creates opportunities in my life." Andrew Buerger was in his 40's and stuck in a declining industry. He had to find something new. While mountain climbing in Iceland, tried their traditional yogurt, Skyr. Even though he is lactose-intolerant, Andrew loved the yogurt and felt great after eating it. He came back to Maryland and figured out how to turn this into a real business. In 2015, they became the fastest growing yogurt company in the U.S. And the yogurt sales spur Jodi's Climb for...
May 25, 2017•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the space Andy Ellwood plays in, every few years you need to be prepared to start over. On his dynamic career "path", Andy has become a high-performer in business development with a track record to back it up. He helped Gowalla through its acquisition by Facebook in 2011, Waze through to its acquisition by Google in 2013, and Bond which was acquired in 2016 by Newell Rubbermaid. Now he is on his next venture. As Cofounder and President of Basket, Andy leads a community of shoppers committed t...
May 18, 2017•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast He started Mikey's Muffins as a side hustle to pay the rent. As of today, his products are in more than 4500 retailers nationwide. Michael Tierney began working in professional kitchens at the age of 13 and followed his passion to The Culinary Institute of America, where he earned his degree in Culinary Arts Management. He went on to work in the kitchens of world-renowned restaurants, including 3 michelin star The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California and Eleven Madison Park in New York. Not...
May 11, 2017•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast He thought he was going to be a diplomat. While gaining international experience in Medellin, Colombia, he fell into a circle of entrepreneurs. And everything changed. Robbie Thomas teamed up with another expat and launched Just Panela, a true raw cane sugar. The company has grown fast. 18 months later, the organic sweetener is in many parts of the United States. Robbie has helped Just Panela get slotted in accounts like Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, and Wegmans, as well as build out the food se...
May 04, 2017•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tobias Peggs understands how to pivot; how to evolve. He has primarily operated in venture-backed tech startup environments (twice as CEO w/exits to Walmart and Adobe). He has led companies across various domains including mobile, search, social, e-commerce, ad-tech and speech rec. Now, with Kimbal Musk, he is spearheading Square Roots Urban Growers - a farming accelerator based out of Brooklyn. Think of a 2 acre farm inside a 40' shipping container. Tobias imparts wisdom on how to have a fulfil...
Apr 27, 2017•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tero Isokauppila, the founder of Four Sigmatic, is on a mission to make medicinal mushrooms, some of the world’s most researched superfoods, more accessible to everyone. Born in Finland to an agronomist father and nursing teacher mother, Tero grew up on a farm his family has owned since 1619. There, he foraged for mushrooms and other wild foods while learning about the natural food space at an early age. A world traveler, Tero has created a powerful business that matches his lifestyle and values...
Apr 20, 2017•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jeremy Smith is fed up with the food brokerage industry. There are a shortage of great food brokers. And grocery buyers have noticed. That's why he is back in the game. He previously sold his food brokerage, Level One, and is back with an innovative Food Brokerage and Consultancy: LaunchPad. Over his career in food, design and advertising, Jeremy has worked with iconic brands. Think Chobani, Apple, 5Hour Energy, popchips, EVOL Foods, Promax, Pure Foods, Krave Jerky and Bob’s Red Mill. His relati...
Apr 13, 2017•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast I thought I knew a decent amount about how to connect with buyers. I was wrong. Alli Ball has all the secrets I wanted to know. She has successfully opened several retail locations, including the Bi-Rite Divisadero location as store manager. She is a rockstar. Listen to this episode and you'll agree: Opening Bi-Rite in Divisadero Why they rejected Runa, who is doing great today and was recently on the podcast. The right way to cold call on new stores How to send information to buyers Understandi...
Apr 06, 2017•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast When David Woodburn was asked to be the CEO of Blue Prarie, he didn't know what chicory was. Now, he is leading the charge developing prebiotic, chicory-based ingredients that help maintain a healthy gut environment for beneficial bacteria while replacing fast-digesting starches. David is pleased to announce that Blue Prarie has completed a $6 million Series A Investment round. While the nutrition space highlights probiotics, prebiotics should arguably be the #1 focus. Learn about prebiotic nutr...
Mar 30, 2017•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast He founded GoodPop on a ramen noodle budget in 2009 and hasn’t accepted investments since. College student at the time, Daniel couldn’t find an all-natural popsicle, snow cone or frozen treat to beat the Texas heat. Daniel Goetz decided to quit his advertising internship to launch GoodPop with his first retailer, Whole Foods. GoodPop has since seen triple digit growth every year, revenue in the millions and recently received a loan from Whole Foods. Now, at the age of 30, Daniel has transformed ...
Mar 23, 2017•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Cookies in Saudi Arabia, pomegranates in Croatia, bananas in Ecuador, Olive oil in Georgia. Tim has done it all. In the food business since 1988, he helps companies add thousands of retail locations, millions of dollars in revenue, and millions of capital investment. Tim has worked with large and small companies from all around the world. With experience working at the big boys (Unilever and Nestle), he applies their advanced, proven practices to smaller ones. Fun stories and practical advice fo...
Mar 16, 2017•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Scott Jensen is Co-Founder and CEO of Rhythm Superfoods, a manufacturer of organic plant-based superfoods snacks. I am snacking on their delicous broccoli bites as we speak! He is the former CEO & President of One World Foods (Stubb’s Bar-B-Q), which he co-founded 20+ years ago with C.B. Stubblefield and two close friends. One World Foods was successfully sold to McCormick & Co. in 2015. Scott led Stubb’s in its national and international expansion to be the largest SuperPremium Bar-B-Q and Mari...
Mar 09, 2017•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Everything changed on his visit to the Central Market in Valencia, Spain: Victor Friedberg realized that food is a system. He returned to the U.S. and dove head first into learning about food systems. At S2G Ventures, Victor and his team invest in innovative food startups. Many of the startups have been guests on our show, including Maple Hill Creamery, TerraMera, Myco, Mercaris, Kuli Kuli, Back to the Roots, Shenandoah Growers, and SVO. S2G has built an amazing community and portfolio. Victor i...
Mar 02, 2017•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dan MacCombie is the co-founder and former Co-CEO of Runa, an Amazonian social enterprise and beverage company supporting indigenous farmers sustainably growing guayusa tea in the rainforest. He and the Runa team developed relationships with indigenous farmers and built a supply chain into nationwide distribution in Whole Foods and other U.S. chains. Starting in 2009, it has been a fun, challenging adventure. Dan tells us how they got to where they are today: A” listening tour” in Ecuador Introd...
Feb 24, 2017•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast It all started 12 years ago in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Today, it is a nationwide brand based out of Southern California. Christian Bunte started Cabo Chips in college and has been doing it ever since. In 2012, he made the decision to focus on the natural retail channels. A pivotal shift that changed everything. He is very savvy on the food industry, production, sales and marketing. We tell his story: Why Christian decided to launch Cabo Chips Launching a business in Mexico versus the U.S. Compar...
Feb 16, 2017•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Doing research for this interview, I quickly realized that this is no ordinary baby food. It utilizes start of the art technology. And adults love it too! Cassandra Curtis is a nutrition fanatic foodie with an extensive background in the health and wellness spheres. Her deep understanding of business operations, nutrition and food, combined with the experience of being a mother to two little ones, led her to pursue her ultimate passion: to create a one-of-a-kind HPP baby food line that would bec...
Feb 09, 2017•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Douglas Coombs decided it was time for a change. He left a tech startup in a South American city of 9 million people and moved to a small college town in Oregon to start a brewery. Why and how did he do it? We have a fun conversation about his journey and current venture: Alesong Brewing & Blending. They are focused on small batched beers aged in oak barrels, out of Eugene, Oregon. Alesong recently took home a couple medals last weekend at The Best of Craft Beer Awards. Bronze for Saison du Vin ...
Feb 02, 2017•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Once you have the chance to eat organic chicken, it is difficult to return to the conventional. I say this from experience. Jefferson Heatwole and Shenandoah Valley Organics (SVO) are trying to affordably provide organic chicken. They have an innovative, farmer-focused business model and encourage healthy eating and cultural awareness. The company is growing in number of farms, chickens, and sales. In fact they have an exclusive brand developed just for Costco. SVO operates out of the beautiful ...
Jan 26, 2017•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast It started off as an Amazon.com side business. Now it is one of the fastest growing companies in the United States. But Courtney Gould had to evolve as a person and leader in order to make SmartyPants Vitamins a successful AND healthy company. They have disrupted the vitamin industry. The company's products are top ranked on Amazon and sold everywhere from Whole Foods and Target to Costco and beyond. Courtney is sharp and agile. A talented CEO. Learn about business and personal development: “I l...
Jan 19, 2017•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast “ And I asked him: Why are you doing this? Your grandchildren won't have to work.. ” -Greg to his co-founder Wade who owns more than 50 Papa John's pizza franchises. Greg Sausaman has worked in food since the 1980's. By the time he was 30 years old, he owned eight Domino's pizza locations. Then he transitioned to Allied Domecq, one of the largest food/liquor conglomerates in the world. Now he is cofounder of Topper's Creamery, a custard franchise currently in Florida. Upon the company’s inceptio...
Jan 12, 2017•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Turning the tables to end the year, this time I am the interviewee. Laura Coe, of The Art of Authenticity, and I talk about Money, Pressure, and Passion. Copying the show notes from Laura's episode page here: Matt’s background and what inspired him to become an entrepreneur [4:20] The background on his podcast, The Food Startups Podcast [7:50] How the reception has been to his podcast [10:17] Why he wanted to talk about money, pressure, and passion [11:45] Dispelling myths about passion [14:40] ...
Dec 29, 2016•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dear listeners, You know me from my podcast. I've spoken to over 100 experts and I always try to get advice. Ask questions that we can learn from. You know this. But did you know that I am in the food business as well? Where do I want to go with my business. Today I am going to share more about me. What I do, mistakes I made in 2016, things that went well, plans for 2017. From these reflection combined with learnings from the many founders I spoke with this year, I'll go in depth on Peter Drucke...
Dec 22, 2016•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Eric De Feo grew up in New York, the son of Italian immigrants. As a child, he learned about design, building, and community. He also learned that living in a big house means a lot of work! As an adult, Eric has combined his experience and interests in design, architecture, environmental conservation, and food. Eric has experience in designing projects for informal settlements abroad, including working with the Kounkuey Design Initiative in Nairobi to build sanitation blocks and a playground, al...
Dec 15, 2016•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast You don't HAVE to follow the cookie-cutter retail sales model. An entrepreneur can feel powerless when they are 100% dependent on one or two large grocery buyers for the success of their food startup. Hotels, catering, and local cafes are a few examples of local businesses that may be interested in carrying your brand. But they need a way to find out about your product. Kim Bryden is doing just that with Cureate Connect. She has a network nearing 250 food startups in DC and Baltimore with access...
Dec 08, 2016•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast " I attribute my success to my numerous beloved mentors and getting up early in the morning to play and work harder. " Nicolas Warren is relied upon for action, leadership, strategy, sales, energy, and smiles. Learning, competition, and positivity are driving forces in his life. He has significant experience in several capacities across multiple industries including tourism, food /hospitality, computer/software tech, marketing, and advertising. Nicolas recently sold his dark chocolate energy bar...
Dec 01, 2016•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy thanksgiving to all! In this episode we pay thanks to and learn from the all-stars of food. Learnings from five of the most innovative and successful entrepreneurs in the game: Tim Joseph of Maple Hill Creamery (episode link) Tim Heydon of Shenandoah Farms (episode link) Susan MacTavish Best of Living MacTavish (episode link) Andrew Chae of YinYang Naturals (episode link) Seth Goldman of Honest Tea (episode link) Selected links from the episode: The War of Art and Turning Pro by Steven Pre...
Nov 24, 2016•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Recognized as one of Zagat’s 30 under 30 in 2013, Tim West is a Slow Food chef turned Social Entrepreneur. He is a Culinary Institute of America (CIA) graduate and grandson of Arch West, the inventor of Doritos®. Tim cut his teeth in the the kitchens at The St. Regis Hotel in New York and the Facebook headquarters in California before entering the world of entrepreneurship. Tim co-created The Food Hackathon + Forum as a business plan competition and alternative educational experience to encourag...
Nov 17, 2016•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast He is the founder of Yin Yang Naturals, a food brokerage focused on the natural retail channel. Andrew Chae worked in his family’s food manufacturing business since his teenage years. In 2004, he oversaw the organic certification of two production facilities, and built a new Asian organic brand, Ohana House, from the ground up. Ohana House went national with distribution into all Whole Foods and other major natural chains. Andrew also oversaw the entry of Ohana House into Costco and initiated pr...
Nov 10, 2016•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Featuring cameos from Keely Gerhold of Tinyfield Roofhop Farms and Corey Wood of Elixir Kombucha . My favorite charity*, Kiva, is a micro-finance platform based on Nobel-prize winner Muhammad Yunus's Grameen Bank. On their platform, over $924,000,000 has been lent to over a million borrowers in 82 countries from over a million lenders! Kiva's awesome international work has a lot of publicity. But small U.S. businesses can also receive loans of up to $10,000 with 0% interest! We talk with their U...
Nov 03, 2016•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
