Ilay Karateke is the co-founder and CEO of Bezi, the labneh brand on a mission to make the Middle Eastern spreadable cheese a mainstream category in America. On this episode of ITS, Ilay walks Ali through the primary questions she continually asks herself as she's building Bezi, explains why she is turning down bigger distribution, and why slow and steady is key when you're working with constraints like the refrigerator and awareness.

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YC Cheng is the CEO of Hero Bread, the better-for-you bakery brand making low net carb, low sugar, high protein products that actually taste like real bread. On this episode of ITS, YC walks Ali through his experience investing, founding and scaling World Golf Tour, and how he's growing Hero.

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Andrea Hernández is the founder and author of Snaxshot, one of the most influential newsletters in food and beverage. On this episode of ITS, Ali and Andrea talk about where CPG is now, hypebeast grocery, colostrum snacks, suggestions for founders, and what to look out for in 2026.

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Rita Hudetz is the Chief Commercial Officer at Oishii, the vertical farming company behind some of the most talked-about strawberries in America. On this episode of ITS, Rita walks Ali through CPG and tech foundational theories and brand building and sales strategies she learned and developed at PepsiCo, Hu Kitchen and Milkbar.

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Pat Jammet is partner and VP of Growth at Promobile Marketing, the experiential agency behind memorable field campaigns from brands like Liquid IV, Truff, and AG1. On this episode of ITS, Pat shares what he's learned about field marketing at CPG brands including Honest Tea, Sir Kensington's, and Good Culture 

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Melanie Bartelme is the associate director and global food analyst for Mintel’s Premium Global Food & Drink Insights platform. On this episode of ITS, Melanie and Ali talk about food and beverage trends, what's happening with proteinification, what brands need to say out loud, and what consumers are looking for in today's uncertain world. Make sure to listen for a special discount at the end of the episode!

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Troy Bonde & Winston Alfieri are CEO, CMO and Co-Founders of SAUZ, the pasta sauce brand known for its bright colors and killer flavors. On this episode of ITS, Ali and the SAUZ guys talk about brand building, true differentiation in a massive, commodity category, and how they acquire and then keep consumers.

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Nick Wiseman is the CEO and Co-Founder of Little Sesame, a chef-founded, hummus brand rooted in sustainable farming and ingredient integrity. On this episode of ITS, Ali and Nick talk about self-manufacturing, hospitality-focused CPG, brand building, and why choosing the best chickpea in America makes all the difference.

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Emily Steele is the CEO and Cofounder of Hummingbirds, podcast sponsor, and a platform connecting everyday creators with CPG brands to drive awareness at retail. On this episode of ITS, Ali and Emily talk about how local content creators can support retail success, demographic differences, and the keys to a new launch (product, store or seasonal campaign).

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Sarela Herrada is the CEO and co-founder of SIMPLi, the leading maker of regenerative organic pantry staples in the US, with products available in over 3,000 stores and on the menus of more than 3,000 restaurants across the country. On this episode of ITS, Sarela explains her food-service first approach to CPG, how her experience in supply chain led her to solve a food systems problem, and what shifts SIMPLi is making as they expand out of the natural channel into more conventional stores.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support In The Sauce by becoming a member!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.