Nik Ingersöll spends a lot of time thinking about ugly bananas.

The co-founder and CMO of Barnana, a fast-growing producer of snack foods made from imperfect and misshapen bananas, Ingersöll is responsible for the brand's marketing and design strategy. To put it another way, his job is to get people excited about snacks that might not be the most visually appealing. And he's been lauded for his efforts; Barnana is known for its bold packaging and quirky promotions, which includes the Barnana Car, which, as you may have guessed, is a big banana on wheels.

In an interview included in this episode, Ingersöll spoke about how Barnana has won over consumers with an unique style that's focused on grabbing a consumer's attention from the first moment they see the brand and its snacks.

"[When] that consumer is going to see that product for the very first time, they're going to see the front of the package," he said. "And if you don't capture that, nothing else matters. Because they'll never pick it up, they'll never put it in the cart."

As part of our conversation, Ingersöll also discussed how the company determines what to include on front of packaging, and explained his perspective that brands have to take risks to move the market. He also spoke about how he balances internal feedback about design from investors, board members and co-workers.

Show notes:

1:27: New to Nootropics? We Got Ya. -- Please do us a solid and rate Taste Radio Insider on iTunes. And if you're a brand that markets a plant-based turkey, please send us a sample. In the meantime, listen to our conversation with BevNET reporter Brad Avery, who takes us beyond the headlines of two recent articles on nootropic drinks and CBD-infused beverages that he wrote for BevNET.com.

22:23: Interview: Nik Ingersöll, Co-Founder/CMO, Barnana -- Ingersoll, who was honored by Forbes as part of its 2016 "30 Under 30" list, was recently in the Boston area for an event celebrating this year's class. He graciously visited BevNET HQ for an interview with NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and BevNET CMO Mike Schneider which explored the branding and design strategy for Barnana, which recently underwent a rebrand. He also discussed the thought process for packaging of different product lines, why being too romantic about your story could hamper a brand's growth and the importance for designers to intimately know a brand's sourcing story.

Brands in this episode: LifeAid, Barnana