When Dave and Jan Marson sold their wildly successful food brand Nature’s Bakery to Mars, they didn’t rest on their laurels. Instead, they rolled up their sleeves and founded another company: Marson Foods, a producer of waffles, pancake bites, and other items for retail, foodservice, and other clients. The couple shares their fascinating history and shares insights about running not one, but TWO successful food empires.

Since this snack company appeared on the cover of our September 2023 issue it's gone through some impressive growth. According to Marino (president and CEO of the company), it's just getting started. Listen to hear about how the sweet potato chip purveyor has innovated, and how it's planning for an even brighter future.

Jeff Nichols, vice president of supply chain and grower relations with Nichols Farms, knows a lot about pistachios; his family has been in the business for more than six decades, so you might say it's in his blood. He discusses the company's long history, growth, product innovation, and being a good steward of the land and planet.

Love + Chew started out in founder/CEO Lauren Chew's San Francisco apartment, with the idea of crafting plant-based snacks that tasted good but also fit in with her aim of eating better. The idea took off, and now the line of vegan, gluten-free cookies are found on the shelves of thousands of stores, including Whole Foods Markets, Costcos, and other big names. Chew tells us more about the company's healthy mission and growth.

Nearly every consumer that has had taken bread home also has brought a Kwik-Lok product into their household. The company's distinctive tags and closures are used to close up a significant share of bread bags sold in the U.S. Karen Reed, global director of marketing and communications, shares with SF&WB the company's history, recent innovations, and work on sustainable solutions.

Multimedia Specialist Brett Parker sits down with Melissa Miranda, vice president of marketing for Frito-Lay North America, as they discuss a cross-promotional collaboration this past spring between Frito-Lay and Hasbro that treated consumers to a multi-platform game bringing families closer together with the power of snacks and board games.

Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and other drugs aim to help people manage their weight as well as their diabetes symptoms. Denisse Colindres, manager of nutrition communication, North America, Beneo, discusses a recent study that indicates a certain ingredient that stimulates the release of the hormone that helps the drugs work their magic, and what that might mean for snack and bakery producers.

Calbee has been operating in the BFY snack space since its founding in 1949 and has continued to innovate ever since. Calbee America President Tim Bateman sat down with us to discuss the company's history, foundation in better-for-you bites, and plans for the future.

Chicagoans may be more familiar with the sweet and savory Asian treats produced by the Wow Bao restaurant chain than the rest of the country. However, as the company grows and expands the reach of its retail offerings, that awareness is spreading beyond the windy city. Here, President and CEO Geoff Alexander talks about the company's history and growth strategy.

U.S. consumers are more interested than ever in buying breads, snacks, and other foods with labels that read as ‘natural’ and ‘free from’ certain ingredients. It’s up to producers to deliver such products while also offering items that taste great, have sufficient shelf life, and can be economically produced. Jerry Savino, technical services manager with Kemin Food Technologies, discusses the challenges producers face, what consumers are looking for, and solutions available to make it all happen.

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