Beyond the Shelf

In this podcast, we learn about stevia’s history, chemical properties, and relevance to sugar-related disease. Carol May, CEO/Chairman of Wisdom Natural Brands which produces SweetLeaf Stevia, enlightens us on the efforts of her late husband James to bring stevia to the US. Additionally, Carol discusses the long, yet rewarding journey from developing stevia product with her husband out of their garage to, now 35 years later, seeing wide distribution of SweetLeaf Stevia in over 30 countries. 

In this episode, we hear from Jeanne David who, in addition to being founder and president of Outer Aisle Gourmet, is an outstanding health advocate and humanitarian in her own right. Jeanne describes her and her husband’s journey into their permanent dietary change of cutting out breads and other foods with a high glycemic index and how they have shared their health passion with consumers. She also fills us in on some fun ways one can easily use cauliflower as a delicious bread alternative. 

Everybody has a story. Everybody has a start. In this episode with the private chef for Kevin Durant, Chef Ryan Lopez explains his evolution from teenage busboy to culinary graduate needing a job to, now, one of the key players in setting up the NBA Champion for success. Listen to learn Kevin’s favorite meal and what Chef Ryan might make if guests, like Kevin’s mom or teammate Steph Curry, were stopping by.

Would you have guessed that certified organic water might just be the next thing? What about certified organic water from maple trees? In this podcast with creative and sustainably-minded CEO of Asarasi, Adam Lazar, we learn why using water from maple trees can help protect our natural resources, provide increased market opportunities for maple tree farmers, and give consumers truly crisp and clean tasting water.

In this second part of our podcast with food industry trends expert Suzy Badaracco, host Scott Curry asks questions rapid-fire style about hot topics ranging from the obesity epidemic to a rising global population. Suzy informs us of current and future trends to expect on these far-reaching issues. We learn that Millennials want their kids’ menus to be mini-versions of adult menus, that Gen Z is more sustainably-driven than Millennials, that GMO’s will have to increase to meet global dietary needs, and much more.

Suzy Badaracco, a toxicologist, certified chef, and registered dietitian, specializes in forecasting and monitoring trends in the food industry. Using quantitative data from a broad range of sources, Suzy and her team are able to help brands make informed decisions on such topics as what new items to put on their menus, which age groups to target in their marketing, and when it’s time to end investment in a specific trend. In this first part of our conversation with Suzy, we learn how still-relevant food trends like street food and soul food were born. We also discuss some food trends that have no end in sight.

Co-Founder of Crunchsters, Frank Lambert, reveals the story behind his and his wife’s food startup, from experimenting with sprouted mung beans in their kitchen to partnering with food startup accelerator Accel Foods to strategizing retail penetration. In this podcast, we also learn why sprouted foods are so good for you and the ways in which technology has made starting a business much easier today.

Working nights and weekends at first while managing a separate day job, co-founder and president Sarah Chalos, alongside co-founder Ravi Jolly, built I Heart Keenwah on the desire to make quinoa, a versatile superfood, more accessible. The duo traveled to Bolivia to source top notch ingredients and tinkered with recipes in their own kitchen before partnering with food manufacturers, deciding on effective packaging, and eventually bringing their product to national retailers like Kroger and Safeway. Delve more into the story behind this food startup's success in this podcast episode.

Exo Protein may have started with a shipment of 2,000 crickets to a college dorm room, but Co-Founder Gabi Lewis has seen the startup through its questionable beginnings. Having recently raised over $5 million in capital, Exo is now making a bold statement in the sustainable and health foods market. The message is clear: Crickets are not only better for the environment and packed with nutrition; they also taste great in protein bars!

Sashee Chandra, founder and CEO of Tea Drops, may not have received professional training in food manufacturing, but she sure knows a thing or two about tea. After a couple years of experimenting with the different properties of tea leaves out of her apartment kitchen, Sashee developed the notion of a tea drop which combines ground tea, spices, and organic cane sugar into a fun shape that easily dissolves in hot water. In this podcast, we hear what inspired Sashee to branch out from eBay and start her own tea business, the food accelerator and people that have helped her accomplish her entrepreneurial pursuits, and the philanthropic work she is accomplishing through Tea Drops.