Quench

Growth can be exciting, but without the right financial foundation, success can create as many problems as it solves. Jenn Palmer, founder and CEO of JPalmer Collective, has spent 20 years in the financing industry helping growing consumer brands access the capital they need to scale. Today, she specializes in food, beverage and wellness brands, with a particular commitment to expanding access to capital for women-led businesses.

In this episode of Forktales, Jenn explores why rapid growth and major retail wins can put unexpected pressure on cash flow, the financial metrics more founders should be watching and why sometimes the smartest move is saying no to a big opportunity.

Some of the hardest brands to grow are the ones consumers already think they know. Amit Pandhi has spent his career taking on that challenge, building, fixing and scaling food businesses across categories. Now President and CEO of Westminster Cracker Company, Amit brings experience as a founder, operator and turnaround leader to a heritage brand with roots dating back to 1828.

In this episode of Forktales, Amit shares why he believes the right people are the key to transforming a business, how leaders can identify the overlooked “culture carriers” who influence an organization and why established brands can be harder to reinvigorate than new ones.

The grocery store may still be where the purchase happens, but the decision increasingly starts somewhere else. Paul Hemingway, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Litehouse Foods, brings 25 years of CPG experience to marketing and innovation for the employee-owned company behind the nation’s leading refrigerated salad dressing brand.

In this episode of Forktales, Paul discusses how social media and AI are changing food discovery, the impact of GLP-1s on food trends and how economic pressures are reshaping value. He also shares how employee ownership shapes Litehouse’s culture and why strong retailer relationships are built on true partnership.

For nearly 80 years, Herr’s has remained a family-owned snack company by staying rooted in its values while continuing to evolve. Jim Herr, Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and R&D, represents the third generation of the Herr family and oversees the consumer-facing side of the business, helping guide everything from product innovation to marketing and growth.

In this episode of Forktales, Jim discusses the opportunities and challenges of leading a multigenerational family business, building brand loyalty through authenticity and maintaining Herr’s deep connection to Philadelphia. He also shares how consumer feedback influences flavor innovation, why accepting occasional failures encourages bolder ideas and how Herr’s balances research and data with entrepreneurial instinct when developing new products.

From J.P. Morgan to mushroom and cannabis beverages, Pete Olander has taken an unconventional path into one of the fastest-growing spaces in food and beverage. As founder of Happie, Olander has built a vertically integrated wellness beverage company focused on hemp-derived THC drinks and functional mushroom products designed to offer consumers approachable alternatives to alcohol and traditional energy drinks.

In this episode of Forktales, Pete discusses the realities of bootstrapping a cannabis brand, the growing sober-curious movement among younger consumers, and why functional ingredients like lion’s mane and cordyceps are reshaping the beverage industry. He also shares insights on branding, consumer trust and navigating the complex regulations surrounding cannabis beverages.

In a category everyone thinks they understand (like dairy and cheese), the real challenge isn’t the product, it’s staying relevant. Jenny Mehlman is Senior Marketing Director at Dairy Farmers of America, a farmer-owned cooperative representing more than 9,500 dairy farmers, bringing a sharp perspective on marketing dairy aisle staples.

In this episode of Forktales, Jenny explores dairy’s resurgence, the role of storytelling in earning attention and why small, everyday moments drive connection. She also shares how authenticity builds trust and how DFA’s farmer-owned model shapes a more long-term approach to innovation.

Great creative doesn’t start with execution, it starts with a point of view. Chuck Meehan is Chief Creative Officer of Pavone Group and a veteran creative leader with decades of experience building bold, culture-shaping work for some of the world’s most recognizable brands. A four-time Super Bowl creative, Chuck has a reputation for ideas that break through pressure, complexity and noise.

In this episode of Forktales, Chuck pulls back the curtain on what defines a truly “big idea,” why the Super Bowl is both the most exhilarating and punishing creative arena in advertising, and how protecting an idea is often harder than coming up with it.

Season 9 of Forktales brought together visionaries redefining what it means to lead, create, and serve in the food and beverage world. From heritage duck farms to plant-based dairies, family restaurants to city-shaping pubs, every guest offered a story rooted in passion and purpose.

Joey Jurgielewicz kicked off the season with a lesson in legacy and sustainability from Tasty Duck. Tom Moffitt explored the science and spirit behind plant-based dairy innovation. Edward Medina shared how Ramona’s Food Group turned a 78-year-old family brand into a modern Mexican food powerhouse. Sameer Malhotra revealed how Café Spice brought authentic Indian cuisine to America’s mainstream, while Elliot Nelson showed how restaurants can revitalize an entire city. And Curtis Chin closed the season with heart, reflecting on growing up in his family’s Chinese restaurant and why small, family-run eateries are still the glue of communities everywhere.

From growing up in his family’s New York restaurants to leading a $50 million food company, Sameer Malhotra has built Café Spice into one of the most recognized names in Indian cuisine. What began as a single bistro-style restaurant is now a nationally distributed brand supplying Whole Foods hot bars, private-label products, and ready-to-eat meals across the country.

In this episode of Forktales, Sameer shares how Café Spice made the leap from restaurants to large-scale manufacturing, the importance of balancing authenticity with approachability when introducing Indian flavors to American consumers, and why food demos are more powerful than discounts.

Edward Medina is at the helm of Ramona's Food Group, steering the company with both tradition and innovation in mind. When Edward joined in 2012 as director of finance, Ramona’s was losing hundreds of thousands each month. By 2014, as CEO, he led a dramatic turnaround—streamlining operations, cutting costs, and standing firm on product value—which transformed the struggling company into a profitable, respected brand.

In this episode of Forktales, Edward shares engaging stories about Ramona's colorful journey, from delivering tortillas on buses to becoming a staple in the frozen food aisle. He talks about the importance of keeping things authentic and the unique perks of being a family-owned operation.