Episodes

On the cusp of our Winter 2021 events, Taste Radio’s hosts discussed the speaker agendas for NOSH Live and BevNET Live and highlighted several notable new brands and products, including wellness shots, vegan snacks, an innovative “shimmering sparkling water,” and the largest peanut butter cup in the world. We also feature an interview with Dave Carpenter, who is the master blender for Redemption Whiskey, a brand promoted as “leading rye’s revival” in the U.S.

J.R. Simich, co-founder of leading wellness shot brand Vive Organic, spoke about why the company’s consistent focus has been critical to its development, how staying on message helped land a long-term partnership with Whole Foods, the impact of its creative and efficient trade show strategy and why aligning with founders of like-minded brands has benefited Vive’s ability to land new distribution and retail placement.

Beckon co-founders Gwen Burlingame and Katy Flannery explained how they aligned patented innovation with addressable opportunity to launch their fast-growing brand of lactose-free ice cream, why respect and humility were keys to a successful brand revamp and why the entrepreneurs are encouraging industry professionals to get mad when presented with a shocking statistic.

This week, Taste Radio’s hosts discussed one of the biggest deals in beverage history and what it might mean for future entrepreneurial drink brands, how a David rose up against a Goliath and notable products to cross our desks over the past week. This episode also features an interview with Kyle Peters, who recently made the gut-wrenching decision to shut down his high protein ice cream brand.

Erewhon Chief Growth Officer Kabir Jain discussed the upscale grocer’s emphasis on being first when it comes to carrying new and unique concepts, how it defines innovation and why he describes brand selection as both “an art and science.” He also discussed the throughline for fast-growing food and beverage categories, and how the chain is supporting brands with highly actionable sales data.

A film actor and active investor in several high-profile brands including Super Coffee, NUGGS and Blaze Pizza, Patrick Schwarzenegger recently added the title of entrepreneur to his resume as the co-founder and CEO of brain health brand MOSH. In our interview, Schwarzenegger spoke about why MOSH broke every traditional rule for developing and launching a CPG brand, his investment philosophy and the value of company management when making funding decisions.

In this episode, Taste Radio’s hosts discussed the significance of great taste for functional products, a highly effective way for entrepreneurs to get their brands in the hands of industry gatekeepers and debated on whether the rise of RTD cocktails will impact the premium mixer segment. We also feature interviews focused on trends and innovation with Bonnie Shah, the VP of marketing and innovation for L.A. Libations and Sunanda Patel, the founder and CEO of TumiBee.

Omsom co-founder/CEO Vanessa Pham spoke about the company’s vision to break long-standing barriers in the ways ethnic food is perceived and sold, and how the brand became one of the most publicized startups in recent memory. We also feature an interview with Caroline Cotto, co-founder/COO of Renewal Mill, an upcycled food brand that markets ingredients and finished products.

NuttZo founder/CEO Danielle LiVolsi recalled the creative ways that she won over the nut butter and snack brand’s first retail buyers, why she adheres to the Nordstrom model of customer service and why she has consistently turned down outside investment. We also sat down with Kun Yang, the co-founder/CEO of cactus water brand Pricklee, who discussed the impact of localized social marketing.

This episode highlights notable news and new products from the perspective of Taste Radio hosts Ray Latif, Jacqui Brugliera and Mike Schneider, a recap on beverage-related innovation, news and trends observed at the recently held 2021 NACS trade show and interviews with the founders of emerging brands Retreat Foods and Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop.