Episodes

If you’ve ever seen an episode of ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” chances are that John Brenkus is a familiar face. The Emmy Award-winning creator/host of “Sport Science,” and Chief Brand Officer of natural energy drink brand Kill Cliff, Brenkus joined us to discuss the origins of his work, his process for evaluating functional ingredients, including CBD and navigating pitfalls in consumer education.

Kimbal Musk, co-founder & chairman of The Kitchen Restaurant Group, Big Green and Square Roots, spoke how his urban farming venture, a food literacy project for children and a restaurant chain focused on accessible, healthy meals are contributing to his mission of ‘real food for everyone’ and the advancement of the food system.

We spoke with Vincent Kitirattragarn, co-founder/CEO of Dang Foods, about why he thinks the company is well-positioned to tap into one of the most overlooked and influential minority groups in the U.S. He also explained how Dang communicates its brand story across product lines, why he keeps a tight grip on innovation strategy and his relationship with investment firm Sonoma Brands.

Ben Van Leeuwen, co-founder & CEO of super-premium brand Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, spoke about how why running a lean and profitable company is a core element of its business strategy, how the brand has bucked the trend toward healthy eating, promoting brand pillars through packaging and the synergistic relationship between its stores and wholesale business.

We spoke with Marco Canora and Andrew Garner, the founder and CEO, respectively, of pioneering bone broth company Brodo about communicating its value proposition to consumers, how Canora attempts to use his influence as an award-winning chef as to support better-for-you brands and why he believes the steepest part of the learning curve in CPG is also its most frustrating.