As you may have noticed, the podcast has a new name: Taste Radio! Why the change? Because Taste Radio encompasses our company’s coverage of the food and beverage industry, which extends across BevNET and its two sister sites, Project NOSH and Brewbound. It’s also a reflection of feedback from listeners and ideas that we have on how to continuously evolve the podcast to make it useful for all kinds of entrepreneurs.
Included in our first episode as Taste Radio is a conversation with the founders of venture capital fund AccelFoods, Jordan Gaspar and Lauren Jupiter. Launched in 2013, AccelFoods invests in early-stage and innovative food and beverage companies and operates a portfolio that includes aloe water brand Aloe Gloe, cold-brew coffee company Wandering Bear and Exo, a maker of supplements and bars made with cricket-based protein. Gaspar and Jupiter discussed the evolution of AccelFoods’ investment and business strategy and shared their take on nascent trends in food and beverage and their potential to become mainstream concepts.
Also included in this episode: BevNET senior brand specialist Jon Landis and senior staff reporter Marty Caballero examine the emerging market for nitro-infused beverages. Landis and Caballero discussed the origins of the trend, new ways that nitro is being formulated into beverages and how the addition of nitro is being marketed and communicated to consumers.
Show Notes:
0:00 – Into with hosts Ray Latif, Jon Landis, John Craven and Mike Schneider. Rebrand from BevNET Podcast to Taste Radio.
5:36 – Interview: Jordan Gaspar and Lauren Jupiter, Co-Founders, AccelFoods. Ray interviews Co-Founders of AccelFoods Jordan Gaspar and Lauren Jupiter. Accel is an entrepreneurial company helping entrepreneurs. The pair discuss their interest in early stage brands, Accel’s business strategy and how it has evolved over the years. Gaspar and Jupiter explain Accel’s role as both an investor and accelerator of brands, particularly for those that have passed the incubation stage and have an established footing on the market (i.e. Aloe Gloe). Ray asks the pair about emerging trends in food and beverage and their potential as mainstream concepts. Children’s nutrition is a big interest for both.
36:20 – Why Is This A Thing: Jon Landis and Martin Caballero discuss why is Nitro a Thing? How far can nitro go? How will the winners and losers be determined? What are the origins of nitro in non-alcoholic (craft beer, on-premise coffee)? Where is nitro emerging beyond coffee (tea, lemonade)? In what ways is nitro is being formulated into beverages? How is it being communicated to consumers?
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