Rooted

In this episode of Rooted, I had on Jess Brondo Davidoff, founder of Cob, a snack brand going “retro,” as Jess describes, tapping into sorghum, an ancient grain, and an ancient way of processing their products. 

What started with Jess trying to find a snack her sons could eat because of their corn allergy turned into a much bigger opportunity to bring sorghum, an ancient grain, to the mainstream. From her extensive startup background, to bringing Novak Djokovic on as a co-founder, to hitting $400K in sales in their first month, Cob is a company to be watching. 

In the episode, we get into:

• The genesis of Cob and how Jess’s sons’ corn allergy sparked the idea

• Why sorghum, an ancient grain, is at the center of the brand

• How Jess’s previous startup experience and the way she was raised is shaping the way she is building Cob

• What drove $400K in sales in month one

• Bringing Novak Djokovic on as a co-founder and what he unlocked beyond awareness

• Convincing consumers to switch from something familiar like popcorn to something completely new

• Who is actually buying Cob and how they think about their consumer

• Building community around a CPG brand

• Jess’s perspective on wellness and how it shows up in her life

• What’s next for Cob + the long-term vision

• Trends she’s seeing in food, wellness, and CPG

If you haven’t tried Cob yet, definitely check them out and follow along with what Jess and Novak are building!!

In this episode of Rooted, I had on Kiki and Elan, best friends and co-founders of Sourmilk, a brand rethinking one of the most established categories in the grocery store: yogurt.

From selling out of bright blue backpacks, hand delivering until being in retailers, to building in public, Sourmilk is taking a very different, community-first approach to creating a food brand.

Today we get into:

• The genesis of Sourmilk and both of their backgrounds

• Why they believe the yogurt aisle needs to change

• What actually makes Sourmilk different (and why consumers will switch)

• Their “do things that don’t scale” approach to distribution

• Building in public: benefits, tradeoffs, and lessons

• Community-first distribution and ambassador programs

• What’s next for Sourmilk + long-term vision

• Trends they’re seeing in food, wellness, and CPG

Highly recommend checking them out if you are in NYC (and as they expand) and following along with their content!!

In this episode of Rooted, I sat down with Steven Rofrano, Co-Founder of Ancient Crunch (parent company of MASA Chips and Vandy Crisp). Ancient Crunch focuses on bringing back traditional ingredients and methods to everyday snacks using real food and a more ancestral approach.

Steven shares how what started as a bet in Miami led him to make a chip himself made from tallow and corn and how that quickly turned into building out production from scratch. We also get into how his vision has expanded beyond one product into a portfolio of brands, and what it looks like to build what he calls the “LVMH of food” and the FritoLay of Real Food

In just three years, they’ve scaled to over 400,000 bags per month, and are projected to continue on this growth path.

We also discuss:

• What gave them the conviction to go all in early

• Why they’re building multiple brands instead of one

• How they’re making ancestral eating feel modern and aspirational

• What’s next for Ancient Crunch and the future of food

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you haven’t tried either MASA Chips or Vandy Crisps, go check them out! They're sold

In this episode of Rooted, I sat down with Colton and Zack Troyer, co-founders of Folkland Foods. Folkland is a farmer-founded food company built around regenerative agriculture, reconnecting people to where their food comes from, and doing things differently from the ground up.

These two brothers grew up farming, traveling, and being shaped by a family that never followed the status quo. Colton and Zack share how their “maverick” grandfather, exposure to different cultures and flavors, and a deep connection to the land influenced both who they are today and the genesis of Folkland. We talk about how being literal boots-on-the-ground farmers gave them a unique advantage when starting a CPG brand and why that perspective shapes the decisions they make.

We explore how Folkland is working to rebuild a connection to food for consumers and why now is the perfect moment to be building this type of company. We also dive into what they’ve learned since launching in Sprouts and how retail has shaped their growth.

We also discuss:

• What “doing things differently” looks like beyond just the business

• How being farmers influences product quality and brand trust

• What’s next for Folkland and their long-term vision

• Where they see the future of food, health, and CPG heading

I hope you enjoy this episode and if you care about where your food comes from, Folkland is a brand worth paying attention to. I personally can’t wait to check out their new tater tot this week!

In this episode of Rooted, I sat down with Michael Tashman, founder of Churn. Churn is a butter company bringing excitement back to one of the most basic foods by focusing on quality, simplicity, and fun flavors, like Four Herb, Garlic & Shallot, Maple & Cinnamon, and more.

Churn is built around 100% grass-fed butter made with no fillers, no shortcuts, and no BS. Michael shares his unconventional journey from playing football at the University of Miami, to attending culinary school and working at Blue Hill NY, to starting a CPG business. 

We explore why Churn is winning in a category that isn’t typically seen as “innovative,” from making butter cool for the everyday consumer (not just chefs), to embracing the idea that we’re “getting back to our roots with our fats.”

We also discuss:

• How and where Churn sources its ingredients

• Building a brand that is chef-inspired, healthy, and approachable

• The story behind Churn’s Anchovy & Lemon Butter collaboration with Fishwife

• What’s next for Churn and Michael’s long-term vision for the company & a lot more

I hope you enjoy this episode and absolutely give Churn a try! You can find them in Target, Whole Foods, Costco, and more!

In this episode of Rooted, I sat down with Lily Rivkin, founder of Rooted Restaurants. Yes, this is a Rooted x Rooted episode, because we share the same exact philosophy.

Rooted is a fast-casual restaurant based in NYC built around transparency, simplicity, and trust in our food. Each meal uses seven ingredients or less, with every ingredient, down to the oils and spices, listed on their public-facing menu. Lily shares her journey from Yale, to working as a trader, to realizing through a series of experiences that food was her true passion. That realization ultimately led her to pursue an MBA at Wharton with the goal of opening Rooted.

We explore why Rooted has gained traction so quickly, from Lily building in public on social media, to early partnerships with Alo, a Forbes feature, and well-known voices like Melissa Wood Health and Gary Brecka sharing the brand.

We also discuss:

• Sharing the behind-the-scenes realities of restaurant ownership on social media

• How transparency builds trust and community

• Where Rooted’s menu ideas come from and how Lily’s culinary background influences the food

• Building community beyond the plate through events, partnerships, and catering

• Lily’s long-term vision for Rooted and where she sees the future of food and wellness heading

I hope you enjoy this episode and if you’re in NYC, make sure to check out Rooted.

In this episode of Rooted, I spoke with Bill Creelman, the founder of Spindrift, the first sparkling water made with real squeezed fruit.

Coming from a farming background, Bill has always had a respect for food, the land, and the people who grow it. That lens shaped everything about Spindrift. Long before “clean label” or “real ingredients” became industry buzzwords, he set out to create a beverage with complete transparency and simplicity, no natural flavors, no added sugars, just sparkling water and real fruit.

He launched Spindrift right after graduating college with no safety net, no corporate training, just an entrepreneurial instinct and a desire to make something truly different. Over the years, he’s built not only a product people trust, but a brand that deeply connects with its community, from farmers in Sicily to loyal fans known as “Drifters” across the U.S.

We talked about so much in this conversation, including:

• His farming roots and early entrepreneurial mindset

• The sourcing journey behind every ingredient

• Strategic partnerships with places like Sweetgreen and Cava

• How he’s creating a brand that leads with integrity, even in a saturated space

• Spindrift’s collaboration with Kiss the Ground and passion for regenerative agriculture

• The future of Spindrift and where Bill sees the wellness space heading next

Bill’s commitment to doing things the right way, not just the easy way, is what makes Spindrift so special. I hope you enjoy it!

In this episode of Rooted, I interviewed Katlin Smith, the founder of Simple Mills, the natural food company that’s redefined clean-label snacking and baking with products made from simple, nutrient-dense ingredients. What started in Katlin’s kitchen with almond flour muffins has grown into a household staple nationwide, recently joining forces with Flowers Foods from an ~800M acquisition to expand its impact even further.

Katlin’s journey is a testament to building a business rooted in values while navigating growth in an industry that’s fast-paced and constantly evolving. From the early days of prioritizing ingredient integrity, to leading with education and transparency, she’s remained focused on using food as a vehicle for positive change.

In this conversation, we talked about:

• The genesis of Simple Mills and its mission to make real food simple and accessible

• What innovation looks like post-acquisition with new R&D and distribution power

• The opportunities and risks for purpose-driven brands scaling under corporate structures

• Simple Mills’ commitment to regenerative agriculture and how she vets ingredients today

• Why education and transparency have been central to building consumer trust

• Her perspective on emerging trends in wellness and what’s next for Simple Mills

This episode is full of insight into scaling with intention, staying true to your mission, and leading with authenticity in an industry where it’s easy to lose sight of what matters. Hope you enjoy! Highly recommend trying Simple Mills if you haven’t already. You can find them in most grocery stores across the country.

For more updates, please follow @themarleemethod on Instagram.

Co-Founder of Spring & Mulberry, Kathryn Shah: Reimagining Sweetness, Storytelling Through Ingredients, and Returning to the Earth Through Food

In this episode of Rooted, I had the chance to sit down with Kathryn Shah, the co-founder of Spring & Mulberry, a brand that’s redefining what indulgence means by creating chocolate sweetened only with dates and inspired by nature’s pantry.

Kathryn’s journey into wellness and clean eating started with a deeply personal health scare. In Dubai, she had a seemingly simple encounter with dates, which completely shifted her view of natural sweetness and planted the seed for what would become Spring & Mulberry.

Her chocolate bars are unlike anything else on the market, not because they’re chasing a “better-for-you” trend, but because they return to the basics: no refined sugar, minimal ingredients, and an intentional use of botanicals and spices that make each bar feel like a sensory journey. Whether it’s lavender, bee pollen, or rose petals, there’s a story behind every choice and that storytelling is a big part of Kathryn’s mission to create a deeper relationship with our food.

We talked about so much, including:

• How her health journey shaped her approach to food and wellness

• The beauty of dates and why she chose them as the only sweetener

• Her mantra of “eating as close to the Earth as possible”

• How Spring & Mulberry thinks through their customer profile

• How she’s choosing unexpected but thoughtful retail partners like Nordstrom and Crate & Barrel

• Her vision for human connection through food

• What’s next for Spring & Mulberry and what trends she’s watching in the CPG space

This conversation was so grounding and inspiring,  especially if you’re interested in how nature, wellness, and intentional living can intersect through food. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I highly recommend trying Spring & Mulberry. I love the pure dark and pecan date flavors! You can find them in some Whole Foods, Amazon, Nordstrom, and more!

Follow along @themarleemethod on Instagram for more!

In this episode of Rooted, I sat down with Pete Maldonado, the co-founder of Chomps. Chomps is the grass-fed meat stick brand that’s become a household name among health-conscious eaters, busy moms, athletes, and college students alike.

Pete’s story is such a powerful reminder that there’s no one path to building a successful company. He didn’t come from a flashy corporate background or a fancy business degree. He left college early, got certified as a personal trainer, worked in real estate, and even went bankrupt. What Pete has is a relentless entrepreneurial mindset, shaped by his Colombian immigrant family and a strong instinct for what people actually wanted in a snack, even before it was trendy.

In this conversation, we talked about:

• Pete’s unconventional path and his continued relentless attitude

• Taking action vs overthinking and getting nowhere

• His insights on building trust and changing behavior across different consumer groups, especially women

• Why he stepped down as CEO and what’s next for him personally

• His honest take on the grass-fed and regenerative space today and what’s real vs. marketing

• The long-term vision for Chomps and what trends he’s watching in food and wellness

This episode is packed with wisdom for anyone who’s ever questioned whether they were “qualified enough” to start something meaningful. Pete’s story proves that belief, persistence, and integrity can take you further than any title. Hope you enjoy! Also highly recommend trying Chomps, for anyone that hasn’t already! They can be found in various retailers across the country. 

For more updates, please follow @themarleemethod on instagram!