In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff is joined by Keith Seiz of the California Walnut Board and Kartik Das, founder of the emerging snack brand Dusra.

The conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how commodity boards can play a critical role in supporting food and beverage startups — not just through marketing, but via product innovation, R&D resources, and industry connections. Keith shares how the California Walnut Board helps brands unlock the full potential of walnuts, from selecting the right varietals to facilitating prototyping and sourcing. Kartik discusses how this partnership enabled the successful development of Dusra’s newest snack mix — a modern take on Indian flavors featuring skinless California walnuts, chickpea puffs, and vegan dark chocolate.

This episode is a must-listen for founders looking to leverage underutilized industry resources, enhance product development, and build thoughtful partnerships that fuel growth. 

Tune in now!

The California Walnut Board would love to hear from anyone out there interested in their resources or education, you can email them at [email protected]

Listen in as they share about:

• Commodity Boards and Their Role
• California Walnuts in Product Innovation
• Dusra’s Product Development Journey
• Partnership Between Dusra & the California Walnut Board
• Product Development and Strategy
• Trends in Walnuts and Nuts in General
• Strategic Growth and Go-To-Market Planning
• Advice to Other Founders

Episode Links:
Website: http://walnuts.org 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithseiz/
Website: https://eatdoosra.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daskartik/ 

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's Linkedin 
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics