Brent Drever and his co-founders at Manna Tree Partners invest in and actively partner with growth-stage companies. Brent takes us into the world of private equity decision-making and his deep desire to scale successful companies to a higher level of performance to maximize Manna Tree's mission. They believe the future of health, well-being, and longevity is attainable through innovation in food.

Connect with Brent Drever on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentdrever/

Manna Tree Partners: https://www.mannatreepartners.com/

Portfolio companies: https://www.mannatreepartners.com/investments

Need Fundraising help? https://www.mannatreepartners.com/investment-inquiry

To date, Manna Tree’s portfolio includes Evolve Biosystems, Gotham Greens, Health-Ade, Mycotechnology, Nutriati, The New Primal, Urban Remedy, Verde Farms, Vital Farms, Cheetah & Good Culture.

Co-Host and Natural Products, Foodservice expert Thaddeus Thorne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thaddeus-thorne/

Show Notes:

• Consumers want health and wellness products 

• "You can't get there with how you got here"

• What prevents this transition?

• Chief EVERYTHING Officer 

• They assess ~300 companies annually in need of fundraising

• Stop gravitating to C players

About your Host Tony Moore and the Winning at Work podcast:

• Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Music from Uppbeat:

Niall Phelan, Founder of The Naked Collective, joins me and special guest host, Kevin Scott the beverage expert, to get naked and expose how hard it is to put fewer ingredients into a beverage. TNC is powered by plants, people, and purpose as they aim to be the most transparent drinks company in the world. Check out their two new brands MUDE, a healthy functional drink with active ingredients to benefit your mood and SO. BEER, a non-alcoholic beer with benefits that supports your immune health with natural vitamins and minerals. 

You don't want to miss this thoroughly entertaining episode with Niall (10 bonus points awarded if you knew his name was Gaelic).

• Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Connect with Niall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niallphelan1976/

TNC: https://thenakedcollective.com/en-us/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mudedrinks/

Show Notes:

• Less is really bloody hard

Brands mentioned #poppi # olipop

Music from Uppbeat:

What happens when a local restaurant shuts down and with it, the famous local hot sauce? You start your own brand, of course! Drawing on his passion for cars and his automotive experience, John Stech and his co-founder Bernie Domingo the Chief Taste Officer are driving headlong into the niche world of hot sauce. Join us in the left lane as we speed ahead on uncharted roads.

Listen in as they discuss the $1.6 billion industry and what makes Left Lane Pepper different, better, and special.

John Stech on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-stech-drive-electric/

Bernie Domingo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadette-domingo/

Left Lane Pepper Company: https://www.leftlanepeppercompany.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leftlanepeppercompany/

🏆 Winning at Work has just been named one of the top 45 Learning and Development Podcasts! 🏆 Thank you Feedspot.

Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Hi, I’m Tony Moore, expert  F&B/CPG headhunter, and I interview the best heads in business. Discover how these executives are #winningatwork.

Episode 104 is sponsored by: Joynus Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, operations. https://www.joynussearch.com/

Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235.

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keepclimbing/

Music from Uppbeat:

So you want to start an alcoholic beverage brand? This episode is for you! John Behling is the President of JuJu Wine Labs and brings over 30 years of experience launching, developing, and running iconic brands. Mr. Mardi Gras Wine is a new brand with a long history. Tune in to hear the story and learn how to build your own brand.

• Who is Mr. Mardi Gras?

My special guest host, Kevin Scott, is a former Coca-Cola executive with more than 30+ years of experience in the beverage world. He is my resident beverage SME. Kevin's unique insights and curiosity cannot be heard anywhere else!

Kevin Scott on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-scott-14b14b7/

John Behling on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-c-behling-b876181/

JuJu Wine Labs Inc.:

https://www.facebook.com/mrmardigraswines

https://mrmardigraswines.com/index.html

🏆 Winning at Work has just been named one of the top 45 Learning and Development Podcasts! 🏆 Thank you Feedspot.

Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Hi, I’m Tony Moore, expert  F&B/CPG headhunter, and I interview the best heads in business. Discover how these executives are #winningatwork.

Episode 103 is sponsored by: Joynus Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, operations. https://www.joynussearch.com/

Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235.

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keepclimbing/

Music from Uppbeat:

Is it better to be first into a category or be second but best tasting? Backyard Soda has 'First Mover Status' and with a clean label and delicious ingredients, they can lay claim to both! The Farm Bill Act of 2018 removed hemp and hemp seeds from the DEA's schedule of controlled substances providing entrepreneurs another natural ingredient for their creative creations. Jonathan Schultz, CEO of Backyard Soda Co. is capitalizing on the novelty of CBD by offering an on-premises mixer and syrup for sophisticated craft cocktails. Can he parlay on-prem into greater retail distribution? That's the plan! Find out who his distribution partner is!

My special guest host, Kevin Scott, is a former Coca-Cola executive with more than 30+ years of experience in the beverage world. He is my resident beverage SME. Kevin's unique insights and curiosity cannot be heard anywhere else! 

Jonathan Schultz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmschultz74/

Backyard Soda Co: https://www.backyardsodas.com/

Kevin Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-scott-14b14b7/

• Mission and Purpose

🏆 Winning at Work has just been named one of the top 45 Learning and Development Podcasts! 🏆 Thank you Feedspot.

Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Hi, I’m Tony Moore, expert  F&B/CPG headhunter, and I interview the best heads in business. Discover how these executives are #winningatwork.

Episode 102 is sponsored by: Joynus Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, operations. https://www.joynussearch.com/

Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235.

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keepclimbing/

Music from Uppbeat:

Beef (and pork) sales skyrocketed in 2021, and the demand for animal protein reached 3X of supply. How does the Chief Growth Officer of a revolutionary plant-based food company compete against these trends? How can alternative meats find a place in the meat counter? In this episode, you will discover the dynamics at play and the shocking statistics of the plant-based industry here in the US and Europe. When will alternative protein be more readily adopted? What is the future of plant-based foods? Tune in to find out.

• Planterra Foods ownership

Connect with Jorge Azevedo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgeazevedo1/

OZO: https://ozofoods.com/

Planterra Foods: https://planterrafoods.com/

🏆 Winning at Work has just been named one of the top 45 Learning and Development Podcasts! 🏆 Thank you Feedspot.

Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Hi, I’m Tony Moore, expert  F&B/CPG headhunter, and I interview the best heads in business. Discover how these executives are #winningatwork.

Episode 101 is sponsored by: Joynus Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, operations. https://www.joynussearch.com/

Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235.

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keepclimbing/

Music from Uppbeat:

So you want to launch a purpose-based brand OR pivot an existing brand into a purpose? Manos Spanos helps you overcome the myths and preconceived notions surrounding this space. Our second fascinating topic is fasting mimicking technology (in other words - fasting with food!) with L-Nutra's breakthrough products. 

• Performance with a purpose

Connect with Manos Spanos on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manos-spanos/

Fasting Mimicking Technology: https://l-nutra.com/fasting-mimicking-technology/

Fast Bar: https://fastbar.com/

L-Nutra: https://l-nutra.com/

🏆 Winning at Work has just been named one of the top 45 Learning and Development Podcasts! 🏆 Thank you Feedspot.

Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Hi, I’m Tony Moore, expert  F&B/CPG headhunter, and I interview the best heads in business. Discover how these executives are #winningatwork.

Episode 100 is sponsored by: Joynus Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, operations. https://www.joynussearch.com/

Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235.

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keepclimbing/

Music from Uppbeat:

It's been said that location, location, location is the key to success but not in retail or restaurant. BUYK is betting on its technology to lead the revolution in the competitive ultrafast grocery delivery market. Discover the hottest trend in food tech in this episode with James Walker, the CEO of BUYK. James and his team at BUYK are poised to dominate the industry and give its customers real value by offering the highest quality goods in a way that is most convenient for their lifestyle. 

• Where did the founders of BUYK develop this idea and prove its worth?

Connect with James Walker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwalkermobile/

BUYK: https://www.buyk.com/

🏆 Winning at Work has just been named one of the top 45 Learning and Development Podcasts! 🏆 Thank you Feedspot.

Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Hi, I’m Tony Moore, expert  F&B/CPG headhunter, and I interview the best heads in business. Discover how these executives are #winningatwork.

Episode 99 is sponsored by: Joynus Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, operations. https://www.joynussearch.com/

Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235.

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keepclimbing/

Music from Uppbeat:

Recycling is a joke! 90% of plastics and glass etc. end up in a landfill or worse - the ocean. Only 10% is actually recycled!  Consumers are presented with no good solutions when it comes to reducing plastic waste while grocery shopping.

2 hip dadtrepreneurs have taken aim at the $130 billion condiment market with an "awesome" solution. Carl Starkey, co-founder of AWSM Sauce joins me to highlight the problems in traditional single-use plastic/glass consumer products, and he presents a unique, sustainable solution for a product category found in over 95% of all households.

Carl explains how he is building AWSM Sauce and points to a brighter future for consumers wanting to eliminate waste.

Connect with Carl Starkey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlstarkey/

AWSM Sauce: https://awsmsauce.co/

• Sustainability within reach

🏆 Winning at Work has just been named one of the top 45 Learning and Development Podcasts! 🏆 Thank you Feedspot.

Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Hi, I’m Tony Moore, expert  F&B/CPG headhunter, and I interview the best heads in business. Discover how these executives are #winningatwork.

Episode 98 is sponsored by: Joynus Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, operations. https://www.joynussearch.com/

Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235.

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keepclimbing/

Music from Uppbeat:

Connect with Samy Kobrosly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/snacklinsinyourmouth/

Eat the whole bag - https://snacklins.com/

Connect with Elena Rosenblum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-rosenblum-bb996982/

Union Kitchen (DC market): https://www.unionkitchen.com/

What started as a bar bet to a Muslim-American to make vegan pork rinds turned into a passionate obsession to make the best tasting low-calorie snack. With the guidance of Union Kitchen, a food brand accelerator based in DC, Snacklins founder Samy Kobrosly landed on Shark Tank and never looked back. Samy and Elena from Union Kitchen joined me for a spirited talk about how to launch a food brand.

🏆 Winning at Work has just been named one of the top 45 Learning and Development Podcasts! 🏆 Thank you Feedspot.

Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 

Hi, I’m Tony Moore, expert  F&B/CPG headhunter, and I interview the best heads in business.

Episode 97 is sponsored by: Joynus Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, operations. https://www.joynussearch.com/

Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235.

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keepclimbing/

Music from Uppbeat: