Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG)

By Gage Mitchell of Modern SpeciesBusiness Health & Fitness Nutrition Arts Marketing Food

Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG) episodes

April 19, 2024147 - Not Potato Chips with Betty Lu of Confetti Fine Foods
Do you find yourself craving the crunch of potato chips but worry about their health and environmental implications? In this episode, we are joined by Betty Lu, Founder and CEO of Confetti Snacks, to delve into the world of sustainable snacking. Confetti Snacks specializes in creating delicious gourmet snacks using nutrient-rich vegetables infused with unique flavors from around the world. In our conversation, we discuss her experience traveling the world looking for unique flavors, her creative process behind the idea for a colorful veggie chip, how she acquired funding to test the concept, and how Confetti Snacks is making a positive impact on people and the planet. She also shares why authentic, genuine connections with end consumers are essential for success and answers our round of rapid-fire questions. Join us as we unwrap the story behind Confetti Snacks and explore the delicious possibilities of mission-driven snacking for a healthier, happier world. Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:
Her motivation for traveling the world and what she learned from the experience.
Betty’s idea of “travelpreneurship” and the value of traveling for entrepreneurs.
Why she founded Confetti Snacks and what she hopes to achieve with the company.
How she was able to acquire her initial investment from the Singapore Government.
Learn about how she was able to enter the US market and her plans to scale.
The company’s product range and why they are better for people and the planet.
Ways her products stay true to its cultural inspirations while communicating its mission.
Upcycling and how Confetti Snacks is helping the fight against food waste.
Opportunities sustainability offers and reasons why companies should embrace it.
Confetti Snacks’ ColorForHunger program and the impact it is making.
She shares lessons from her career and valuable advice for budding entrepreneurs.
Explore the real value of a brand and how to build a loyal customer base.
Hear how listeners can support Confetti Snacks in achieving its mission.
Rapid-fire questions: her favorite vegetable, country, impact-driven leader, and more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Betty Lu on LinkedIn
Confetti Snacks
Confetti Snacks on Instagram
Confetti Snacks on LinkedIn
Confetti Snacks on Facebook
Confetti Snacks on X
Confetti Snacks on Amazon
ColorForHunger
Do the KIND Thing
KIND Snacks
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1 hr 3 min
April 12, 2024146 - Inclusive Baking with Kimberle Lau of Bake Me Healthy
How can we bake a better world, one delicious bite at a time? Join us as we delve into the world of sustainable and inclusive baking with plant-based baking mama Kimberle Lau, Founder of Bake Me Healthy. Bake Me Healthy is a company that specializes in providing baking mixes crafted with clean, plant-based ingredients. It is more than just a baking mix company; it's a movement toward inclusive, sustainable, and convenient baking that prioritizes health, taste, and the planet. In our conversation, we discuss her entrepreneurial origins in skincare, how her food intolerances motivated her to start a plant-based, gluten-free, and allergen-free baking business, the importance of supporting women-owned companies, and why her products are better for people and the planet. She also shares valuable lessons from her entrepreneurial journey and indulges us with our rapid-fire question round. Join us as we delve into the sweetness of conscious baking to a healthier, happier planet, one delectable treat at a time with Kimberle Lau of Bake Me Healthy. Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:
Hear about her start in skincare and why she pivoted to plant-based baking.
The opportunity she saw for an inclusive, healthy, and sustainable baking business.
Why she finds the food industry more exciting than the beauty and skincare industry.
Discover how she transitioned from baking for herself to developing a baking brand.
She shares details about her research and development process.
The role Drexel Food Lab played in creating the Bake Me Healthy product range.
How her company champions upcycling techniques to combat food waste.
Explore her passion for women-owned businesses and sustainability.
Ways the Certification for Women-Owned Businesses offers support.
Uncover her journey to sourcing sustainable packaging for her products.
Unpack the hurdles and limitations of making compostable packaging.
She shares the biggest lesson from her professional career.
Gain insights into her approach to innovation and customer feedback.
Find out how listeners can support Bake Me Healthy.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kimberle Lau on LinkedIn
Bake Me Healthy
Drexel Food Lab
The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
Certification for Women-Owned Businesses
Upcycled Food Association (UFA)
1% for the Planet
Food Rescue
Outcast Foods
Humble Chips (Humble Snacks)
Nowhere Bakery
Just Date
Pallavi Pande
Dtocs
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
58 min
April 05, 2024145 - Be Willing to Lose Everything with Adam Hiner of Pacha
Setting out and starting a business takes courage, determination, and the ability to learn as you go. It also requires a certain commitment to the foundational causes of the work. For Adam Hiner, our guest on today's show, combining his passion for food and regenerative agriculture with his work ethic and growing knowledge of the entrepreneurial landscape has enabled him to build two really inspiring and conscientious brands. Adam is the CEO and Founder of Pacha, a gluten-free, grain-free, sprouted, fermented, paleo, and plant-based bread company, as well as the Co-Founder of Boochcraft, through which he and his team introduced the market to organic hard kombucha! In our chat, we get to hear from Adam about the important steps on his evolving path, the morals that ground his work, and some of the challenges he has faced and overcome so far. If you would like to hear about true innovations in the food sector, how Adam approached business during the pandemic, and the power of intuition in a data-filled world, listen in with us!

Key Points From This Episode:
Adam talks about regenerative agriculture and how Pacha is involved and supports this movement.
Challenges in the baked goods space: distribution, freshness, packaging, and more.
The environmental and social initiatives that Adam and Pacha have linked with so far.
A little about the organic, hard kombucha company that Adam started called Boochcraft.
Advice from Adam for aspiring CPG business owners on the realities of running a business and using intuition.
How Pacha was birthed at the beginning of the pandemic and Adam's attitude towards riding that wave.
Demand for kombucha and the surprising demographics that gravitated towards the products.
Adam's journey before launching Pacha; selling mortgages, restaurants, catering, and more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Adam Hiner ob LinkedIn
Pacha
Boochcraft
Rate Rabbit
Unity Vibration
JuneShine
Trilogy Sanctuary
1% for the Planet
CCOF
Episode 31 - Cultivating Heartset with Linwood Paul & Matt D'Amour of Subtle Distinctions
Episode 37 — Nailing The Pitch with Kayla Castañeda of Agua Bonita
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1 hr 1 min
March 29, 2024144 - When Everything Goes Wrong with Sadrah Schadel of No Evil Foods
No entrepreneurial journey is without its challenges, but even the biggest ones can be overcome with enough passion, drive, and support. Today’s guest is Sadrah Schadel, founder and CEO of No Evil Foods, a nationwide plant based protein company which she and her life partner started in their kitchen in 2014 with just $5000. After a few major hurdles which we discuss during today’s episode, they got to a point where they were weeks away from running out of money and having to shut their doors. Tune in to hear about the rise, fall, and recent rebrand of No Evil Foods!

Key Points From This Episode:
Factors that inspired Sadrah and her life partner, Mike, to found No Evil Foods.
An overview of the journey of No Evil Foods from Sadrah and Mike’s kitchen in upstate New York to a nationwide plant based meat provider.
Factors that are foundational to the company culture at No Evil Foods, and the award they won as a result!
Major hurdles that No Evil Foods has been presented with over the past few years.
Sadrah shares the challenges they experienced during the process of scaling their manufacturing.
How No Evil Foods differs from many other plant-based protein brands.
Lessons that Sadrah learned through dealing with her employees' desire to form a union.
The value of being transparent and showing vulnerability as a leader.
The rebranding that No Evil Foods has recently undergone.
Valuable advice for other entrepreneurs.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Sadrah Schadel on LinkedIn
No Evil Foods
No Evil Foods on Instagram
No Evil Foods on Facebook
No Evil Foods on Twitter
Climate Designers
Climify Podcast on Instagram
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1 hr 5 min
March 22, 2024143 - Shifting Toward Sustainability with Alicia Lahey of Humble Snacks
Conscious consumerism has grown exponentially in recent years, with shoppers expecting more transparency and less waste from the brands they choose to support. While shifting towards more sustainable business practices obviously has a positive impact on the environment, there are also a number of benefits for your brand, which you’ll learn more about in today’s episode! To help us explore this topic, we are joined by Alicia Lahey, Co-Founder and CEO of Humble Snacks, Canada’s first organic potato chip packaged in 100% plastic-free, compostable bags. We discuss Alicia’s experience in big food, why she and her husband made the shift to a more sustainable lifestyle, and why she didn’t want to launch her own brand unless it came in better packaging, plus so much more. To find out how you can continue to innovate in the natural and organic snack category and ensure that your packaging mirrors the philosophy of your brand, you won’t want to miss today’s episode of EvolveCPG!

Key Points From This Episode:
Some of the challenges that come with adopting sustainable packaging solutions.
Why Alicia and her husband were so committed to creating eco-friendly bags.
Lessons learned from SunChips’ infamously noisy packaging.
A look at Humble’s partnership with A Plastic Planet to develop their plastic-free bag.
The importance of investing in plastic-free or plastic-neutral initiatives.
Limitations of compostable packaging and how Humble seeks to solve them.
How proving sustainable packaging successful will move the needle for larger brands.
Alicia’s take on the future of better snacking (and where there’s room for innovation).
Other product categories that Humble will expand into in the future.
The inspiration behind their ‘humble’ brand name.
Why communication is key when working with your spouse in your family business!
Hurdles Alicia and her husband had to overcome to get their product on shelves.
Valuable fundraising tips for other purpose-over-profit founders.
Identifying (and filling) a gap in the market for organic, light, crispy, skin-on potato chips.
Insight into Alicia’s research and development process for Humble Snacks.
How Alicia found her way into the CPG industry, starting with driving a truck!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Humble Snacks
Alicia Lahey on LinkedIn
Alicia Lahey on Instagram
A Plastic Planet
rePurpose Global
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
53 min
March 15, 2024142 - The Keys to Success with John Foraker of Once Upon a Farm
To make a true impact, your mission needs to be baked into the DNA of your brand from the get-go. Joining us today to share the keys to the success of an impact-driven brand is John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of nutrition-focused kids’ food brand, Once Upon a Farm. In this episode, we discover the most valuable lessons John learned from scaling Annie’s Homegrown, how he came to partner with actress and Once Upon a Farm co-founder, Jennifer Garner, and how he weaves impact into the brands he builds. Tune in for this revealing episode on scaling without compromising culture, and committing to making an impact.

Key Points From This Episode:
Introducing John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of Once Upon a Farm.
John’s advice for scaling an impact-driven brand.
The importance of baking impact into the DNA of your brand.
The three most valuable lessons John learned from scaling Annie’s Homegrown.
How and why both John and actress Jennifer Garner got involved with Once Upon a Farm.
The fundamental belief that drives John to use business as a force for positive social change.
The benefits of the public benefit corporation model.
Hiring advice and criticism of the historical corporate mindset.
The importance of authenticity as a leader (and the danger of imitation).
Reframing the term “organic”.
How John married his passion for food and farming with business.
The value of graduate studies and continuous learning in business.
Once Upon a Farm’s purity promise and their partnership with Save the Children.
The evolving nature of B Corp.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
John Foraker on LinkedIn
Once Upon a Farm
Once Upon a Farm on Instagram
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner on Instagram
Annie’s Homegrown
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1 hr 2 min
March 08, 2024141 - Organic Trade Shows with Jamie Lamonde of Kindship Group
When you have a greater diversity of people at the table sharing their voices and insights, you inevitably get better solutions. Joining us today is Jamie Lamonde, CEO and Founder of Kindship Group, whose core mission is to scale and grow businesses for good. We talk with Jamie about her recent trip to Germany to attend BIOFACH, the world’s leading trade fair for organic food, how the experience compares to Natural Products Expo West, and her top tips for getting the most out of any trade show experience. Our conversation gets into some of the key differences between American and European food industries, the state of the organic movement and its relationship to non-GMO, regenerative, and biodynamic movements, and Jamie’s hopes for the future of these industries. Join us for an expansive conversation on global food industries, trade shows, and why greater inclusion and diversity are essential for a better world!

Key Points From This Episode:
The upcoming Natural Products Expo West trade fair.
What we are most excited about for Expo West.
Tips to help get the most out of Expo West.
An overview of BIOFACH, the world’s leading trade fair for organic food.
How BIOFACH compares to Expo West.
Jamie’s takeaways from her first trip to BIOFACH in Germany.
The diversity of businesses that Jamie saw at BIOFACH.
Some notable differences between the US and European food industries.
Key insights from conversations on organic farming and regenerative agriculture at BIOFACH.
Embracing how the regenerative movement can enhance organic, not compete against it.
How bad actors and infighting within the movement can discourage consumers.
A reminder of the concerted efforts being made to prevent organic fraud.
Jamie answers our rapid-fire questions on favorite foods, impact-driven leaders, and more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jamie Lamonde on LinkedIn
Kindsdhip Group
IFOAM
Regeneration International
Natural Products Expo West
BIOFACH
Episode 10: Mission and Marketing with Jamie Lamonde of Kindship Group
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
52 min
March 01, 2024140 - Feel Good Snacks with Laurel Orley of Daily Crunch
There is a certain magic in creating a tasty snack that instantly fills one with joy, and when others are battling to match your experience, you know you’ve birthed something truly special! Daily Crunch is a nut-snacks unicorn and today, we are joined by its co-founder and CEO, Laurel Orley, who explains what makes her brand different from the rest and why its competitors struggle to keep up. Our conversation explores the value of being Women-Owned certified, how Daily Crunch prioritizes mental health, the power of upcycling, and so much more. Tune in to discover the difference between learning in corporate and learning on-the-go, and how ruined plans may actually be a saving grace for budding entrepreneurs. Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:
What makes Daily Crunch unique, and why other nut companies struggle to keep up.
Daily Crunch’s highest-performing products and flavors.
Laurel defines “upcycled” and explains why we should all be excited about it.
Why Daily Crunch prioritizes mental health and how this manifests throughout the brand.
The value and impact of being certified by Women Owned.
How the company navigates brand partnerships.
The advantages of throwing out the playbook and embracing the pivot.
How Laurel’s background and skills in media have helped her as a CPG entrepreneur.
Her biggest wins and struggles since co-founding Daily Crunch during the pandemic.
Cashew nuts, Japan, self-care, hot yoga, Daniel Lubetzky, and sustainability.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Daily Crunch
Daily Crunch on Instagram
Laurel Orley on LinkedIn
Natural Products Expo West
Upcycled Food Association
Cleveland Kitchen
Women Owned
‘Episode 124 - Women-Owned with Elizabeth Walsh of WBEC East’
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
52 min
February 23, 2024139 - Future Proof Foods with Adam Maxwell & Kelsey Tenney of Voyage Foods
Are you ready to sink your teeth into the future of food? In this episode, we are joined by Adam Maxwell, CEO, and Kelsey Tenney, VP of R&D, from Voyage Foods, to discuss future-proofing the food industry with sustainable and delicious alternatives. Voyage Foods is a food technology company on a mission to create a future where sustainability, accessibility, and flavor go hand in hand in our food. In our conversation, we delve into their motivation for crafting tasty alternatives to ingredients with vulnerable supply chains, how they are changing lives with allergy-free peanut butter, their goals for expanding beyond their existing products, and their approach to future-proofing the food industry. Finally, we wrap up with a rapid-fire food-themed question round. Tune in and discover how to make food better for people and the planet with Adam Maxwell and Kelsey Tenney of Voyage Foods!

Key Points From This Episode:
How Adam and Kelsey met and their motivation for starting Voyage Foods.
Uncover the supply-chain issues associated with our favorite foods.
Discover how their mission with chocolate extends to other products, like coffee.
Their approach to tackling food industry problems before they happen.
Unpack their goal of making sustainable food accessible to everyone, forever.
Learn how crafting allergin-free products forms part of their mission.
How their food science backgrounds inform their future-proof approach.
Mentoring and helping other food companies to grow along the way.
Balancing transparency with protecting their R&D developments.
Hear about the initial powerful reactions from customers to their products.
What aspect of Voyage Foods people resonate with the most.
Insights into the challenges and hurdles of working in the food CPG space.
The future vision of the company and the impact it hopes to create.
Their commitment to incorporating upcycled ingredients.
A food-theme round of rapid-fire questions for Adam and Kelsey!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Voyage Foods
Voyage Foods on LinkedIn
Voyage Foods on X
Voyage Foods on Facebook
Voyage Foods on Instagram
Adam Maxwell on LinkedIn
Kelsey Tenney on LinkedIn
Alter Eco
Tony's Chocolonely
Upcycled Food Association (UFA)
Indra Nooyi
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
57 min
February 16, 2024138 - Super Kale with Lisa Curtis of Kuli Kuli
Kale is often considered the go-to green superfood. In the Battle of the Supergreens, however, moringa (or “super kale”) is a formidable opponent! While working with women farmers in West Africa, Lisa Curtis was introduced to the profound healing and energizing powers of moringa. Out of that experience, Lisa created Kuli Kuli, a Certified B Corp that allows Americans to experience the power of superfoods like moringa while also empowering farmers around the world. Today, this award-winning entrepreneur and thought leader joins us to share the incredible health benefits of moringa, Kuli Kuli’s journey from Peace Corps to grocery store, and some of the strategies the brand uses to educate consumers about its nutritious superfood products. We also touch on how Kuli Kuli is pioneering the future of food, delicious ways to add moringa to your diet, and so much more. To find out how Lisa is aligning mission and product to revolutionize the superfood industry, be sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:
The incredible health benefits of moringa compared with kale.
Building a brand that empowers farmers and delivers nutritious superfood products.
How Kuli Kuli is pioneering the future of food through the plants of the present.
When Lisa first learned about moringa as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger.
Tactics that Kuli Kuli uses to educate consumers about the power of moringa.
Certifications and business initiatives that make Kuli Kuli a force for good.
The combination of luck and preparation that launched the success of Kuli Kuli.
Ways that regenerative agriculture can be more profitable than conventional agriculture.
How you can use moringa to boost energy, reduce blood sugar, and more.
Different ways to consume moringa, whether fresh, powdered, or frozen.
Where you can get your hands on Kuli Kuli’s products (at a discounted rate!)
Lisa’s favorite superfoods, indulgent snacks, impact-driven leaders, and more.
What “better for the world” means for communities, packaging, and consumers.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Lisa Curtis
Lisa Curtis on LinkedIn
Lisa Curtis on X
Kuli Kuli Foods
20% Discount Code for First-time Customers: MODERNSPECIES
‘Battle of the Greens: Moringa vs. Kale’
MUD\WTR
Alter Eco Truffle Thins
Jacqueline Novogratz
The Blue Sweater
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
50 min

About Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG)

From the publisher's feed

We're bringing you the stories behind the people and products building a more just, healthy, and regenerative future for us all. Tune in weekly and together, we’ll learn about why these better…

Share Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG)

Sign up to save your podcasts

Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG)

Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG) episodes

About Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG)