Episodes

You might recognize Tony’s Chocolonely by its quirky labels and comic font logo. Behind the Dutch brand’s playful vibe, however, is a profound mission to end the use of child labor within the cocoa industry. Ynzo van Zanten, the company’s Chief Evangelist, spoke about how Tony’s has navigated the development of a premium brand while staying focused on its overarching social mission.

Gabrielle Union, Maggie Patton and Alex Buckley, co-founders of better-for-you kid’s snack brand Bitsy’s, spoke about the company’s mission to make nutritious snacks accessible to all families, communicating the brand’s healthy halo to children and parents, why asking for help has to be a priority for entrepreneurs and how the food industry can work together to mainstream healthy food for kids.

This special episode of Taste Radio features highlights from interviews with six entrepreneurs who joined us on Taste Radio during the first half of 2020. Our guests include Siete Family Foods co-founder and CEO Miguel Garza; Nick & Elyse Oleksak, the co-founders of Bantam Bagels; Miyoko’s founder and CEO Miyoko Schinner; Ben Van Leeuwen, the co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen’s Ice Cream; Orgain founder and CEO Andrew Abraham; and Gail Becker, the founder and CEO of Caulipower.

Jim, Jake and Jordan DeCicco, co-founders of surging “Super Coffee” brand Kitu Life, explained why success is as much about avoiding the wrong moves as it is about making the right decisions. They also discussed the role of mentors in steering strategy, adjusting their management style to meet the needs of an evolving workforce and their perspective on raising capital and aligning with strategic investors.

Henry Chen, founder/CEO of SPI West Port, the owner of ALO Drink, ALO Snacks, Jen Collagen and Woodridge Snacks, spoke about the importance of staying true to the company’s core focus, who he views as the ultimate industry gatekeeper, how the company strategizes around retail placement and the key element entrepreneurs can’t overlook when scaling.