Episodes

Evergreen founder and CEO Emily Groden arrived at Expo West 2026 leading one of the fastest-growing brands in frozen breakfast. But just a few years earlier, she was hand-making waffles in a shared kitchen and pitching corner stores with a toaster tucked into a duffel bag.

David Protein just got hit with a lawsuit claiming its macros don’t add up, raising familiar questions about labeling, ingredients, and what happens when a fast-growing brand lands in the legal spotlight. The team breaks down the claims, why brands become litigation magnets, and whether consumers will care. Plus:  a readout from Seafood Expo North America and Stiller Soda’s attention-grabbing social push.

Gary Vaynerchuk believes the future of CPG might look a lot more like Pokémon than packaged goods.We met up with Gary at Expo West 2026, where the entrepreneur and marketing powerhouse discussed Very Luckee, his new better-for-you gummy brand that pairs the promise of ultra-clean ingredients with collectible stickers from his VeeFriends character universe. 

Target is expanding its food and beverage footprint with new store concepts and larger grocery sections – potentially creating more space for emerging brands. In this episode, the hosts discuss what it means for startups and also spotlight notable trends and brands from Expo West. We also revisit interviews from our Miami meetup, including a conversation with angel investor Spencer Slaine on what he looks for in early-stage brands.

In this Taste Radio interview, Ray Latif speaks with Scott Florentino, Chief Commercial Officer of Bio-Botanica, about how botanical extracts are powering innovation across today’s beverage landscape. Florentino explains how the 50+ year-old, family-run company works with brands to develop high-quality, made-to-order botanical extracts, helping founders bring differentiated products to market with ingredients like green tea, yerba mate, ginseng, and functional mushrooms. The conversation also explores growing demand for cognitive and functional ingredients, including lion’s mane and other mushrooms, as well as Bio-Botanica’s unique cold-extraction process designed to preserve the natural balance of plant compounds. With trends often emerging first in supplements before moving into beverages, Florentino shares how Bio-Botanica helps brands stay ahead of the curve. To learn more about their ingredients or connect with the team, visit the Bio-Botanica website at bio-botanica.com.

Eight years after his first appearance on Taste Radio, Nick Green, co-founder and CEO of pioneering online grocer Thrive Market, returns with a clear message: the future of healthy living will be shaped less by trend-chasing and more by trust, technology and simplicity.

Expo West 2026 made one thing clear: food and beverage brands are racing to add function, but the ones that nail flavor have the best chance of winning. The hosts break down the show’s biggest trends, from protein-packed everything to standout brands in candy, beverages, frozen treats, and snacks, while sharing the products and ideas that reinforced a simple truth: in modern CPG, taste still comes first.