In this episode, we sit down with Laurie, co-founder of BeLov, to uncover the inspiring story behind creating nutritious, better-for-you baby foods. What began as two friends trying to feed their little ones wholesome meals quickly grew into a bold mission: redefining the baby food aisle.

Laurie shares:

• How BeLov started with textured meals and expanded into cereals and snacks

• The reality of pivoting from commercial kitchens to co-manufacturing — and calling 30+ facilities before finding the right fit

• The patience and grit it took to wait 24 months before seeing their first product on shelves

• The incredible journey of acquiring Mother Hen, a legacy baby food brand, less than a year after launching

• Lessons on resilience, partnerships, and staying true to your vision when the industry — and even family — doubt your choices

Laurie’s story is one of heart, hustle, and holding onto a vision bigger than yourself. Whether you’re a parent, an entrepreneur, or a founder scaling your food brand, you’ll walk away inspired and armed with insights on how to grow with purpose.

Schedule a free hot seat strategy call here

https://camaresearch.com/resources to Download resources including "Questions to Ask Potential Co-Manufacturers" to help you as you grow your better-for-you food brand.

When your food brand starts to grow fast, it’s exciting — but it also comes with hidden risks.

The recent Dubai Chocolates recall is a powerful reminder that when exponential growth happens, you can’t afford to drop the basics: compliance, product safety, and operational checks.

In this episode, I break down:

• ✅ What went wrong in the Dubai Chocolates recall

• ✅ The key blind spots that many food founders miss during rapid scaling

• ✅ How to apply the ETS Method (Step 3: Scale with Confidence) to avoid costly mistakes

If you’re a food founder aiming to grow into retail and beyond, this episode is a must-listen to ensure your business scales safely, sustainably, and profitably.

Schedule a free hot seat strategy call here

https://camaresearch.com/resources to Download resources including "Questions to Ask Potential Co-Manufacturers" to help you as you grow your better-for-you food brand.

Is your food business ready to scale — or are you about to hit avoidable roadblocks?

Scaling isn’t just making more product. It’s about producing at a larger scale while protecting your quality, profit margins, and brand reputation.

In one of my recent projects, a founder rushed into large-scale production without the right systems in place. The result? Delays, quality issues, and thousands in lost revenue. With a few strategic changes — including choosing the right co-manufacturer and refining their distribution plan — they turned things around and hit their biggest retail order yet.

This week on the podcast, I’m diving into Step 3 of the ETS Method — Scale & Sell, where we focus on building a production and distribution system you can trust.

If you’re a food founder who wants to grow without losing control of your product (or your sanity), this episode is for you.

Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss all upcoming tips and visit

https://camaresearch.com/resources to Download resources including "Questions to Ask Potential Co-Manufacturers" to help you as you grow your better-for-you food brand.

I recently joined OnPod Studios’ Expert Seat to share my insights on scaling better-for-you food products from recipe to retail. We covered what it really takes to get a product retail-ready — from perfecting the recipe for shelf stability and scaling production, to navigating co-manufacturing and meeting buyer expectations. I shared practical tips for founders looking to move from the kitchen to national retailers, while keeping quality, profitability, and brand integrity intact.

If you want to watch the video on Youtube- You can watch it here

Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss all upcoming tips and visit

https://camaresearch.com/resources to Download resources to help you as you grow your better-for-you food brand.

How do we replace a bad habit with a good one?

That single question drove Leila to create Healtea — a refreshing, functional tea brand she co-founded with Francesco.

What started as an idea during a car ride became a shelf-stable, better-for-you beverage stocked in 1,500 stores across Canada.

In this week’s Founder Spotlight episode of Scaling Your Healthy Food Product, I sit down with Leila to unpack their journey — from bootstrapping beginnings to national growth.

💡 What we covered: – Turning values into a brand mission – Navigating early challenges in formulation – Going shelf-stable without compromising quality – Finding the right co-manufacturer – Lessons learned while scaling fast

If you're building a food or beverage brand, this episode will spark fresh ideas and give you a look behind the scenes of scaling a health-focused product.

Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss all upcoming tips and visit

https://camaresearch.com/resources to Download resources to help you as you grow your better-for-you food brand.

In this week’s episode of the Scaling Your Healthy Food Product podcast, we’re diving into Step 2 of the ETS Method: Test & Improve.

If your goal is to bring a consistent, high-quality product to market — one that customers love and retailers trust — testing and improving your product is not optional. It's a critical step that can reveal hidden weaknesses before they show up in distribution, production, or on the shelf.

I share how founders I’ve worked with were able to catch costly mistakes early and turn their product into a stronger contender by running the right kinds of tests — from sensory trials and process tweaks to packaging evaluations and shelf-life studies.

What you’ll learn:

✅ The real reason product testing isn’t just for big brands ✅ How small changes can unlock major improvements in quality and cost ✅ The types of tests every founder should run before scaling ✅ What testing reveals about your brand promise and product performance ✅ How to use feedback to strengthen both your product and your confidence

Got a question, comment, or just want to say hi? I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a quick voice message — it might even be featured on a future episode. Just head to [Voicemail Link] and share your thoughts

To grab a copy of the Food Business Growing & Scaling up Guide

In this episode, we kick off the E.T.S Method Series with the most overlooked but crucial step: Evaluate Your Product.

After years of working with food founders, I’ve seen a clear pattern — many of the failed or struggling food businesses had one thing in common: they skipped this step or didn’t do it well. They rushed to scale without knowing if their product was actually ready.

In this episode, I’ll break down the four essential areas every food founder must assess before thinking about scaling:

• Market Readiness — Is there a proven demand beyond your friends and local market?

• Margin — Are you priced for profit once you factor in manufacturing, distribution, and retail markups?

• Scalability — Can your product be produced consistently at larger volumes without sacrificing quality?

• Shelf Life — Does your shelf life support distribution and in-store sell-through?

Before you take on more stores or increase production, make sure your product can support your growth goals.

🎧 Tune in to learn how to set your product up for profitable, sustainable growth and avoid the hidden traps that derail many early-stage food brands.

Got a question, comment, or just want to say hi? I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a quick voice message — it might even be featured on a future episode. Just head to [Voicemail Link] and share your thoughts

Scaling your food product isn’t about rushing to retail — it’s about building intentionally so you don’t burn cash, compromise quality, or stall your growth.

In this episode, I’m introducing the E.T.S. Framework, a 3-step roadmap designed to help early-stage food founders grow with strategy and confidence. Whether you’re still in your kitchen or prepping for co-manufacturing, this framework will help you ask the right questions, run the right tests, and scale at the right time.

This episode is for you if:

• You feel overwhelmed by what it takes to scale your product

• You’re not sure if your recipe, process, or packaging are ready

• You want a roadmap that helps you scale without guesswork

   

  Got a question, comment, or just want to say hi? I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a quick voice message — it might even be featured on a future episode. Just head to [Voicemail Link] and share your thoughts

  To grab a copy of the Food Business Growing & Scaling up Guide

   

   

   

You don’t have to look far to find powerful support for your food business—sometimes, the best resources are right in your backyard.

In this episode, I’m sharing 3 local gems that every food founder should know about. These are community-based resources, programs, and partners that can help you grow, scale, and stay inspired—whether you're still making products at home or prepping for retail.

If you're building a better-for-you brand and want support that’s accessible, affordable, and aligned with your mission, this episode will help you tap into what’s already around you.

Got a question, comment, or just want to say hi? I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a quick voice message — it might even be featured on a future episode. Just head to [Voicemail Link] and share your thoughts

To grab a copy of the Food Business Growing & Scaling up Guide

In this inspiring Founder Spotlight episode, I sit down with Yohannes Petros, founder of Hanes Hummus, to unpack his journey of turning a simple, better-for-you product into a beloved brand. From making small batches at home to building his own manufacturing facility and navigating retail setbacks, Yohannes shares the real behind-the-scenes of scaling a food brand — the wins, the struggles, and the lessons learned along the way.

We talk about: ✅ What inspired Yohannes to start Hanes Hummus ✅ How he scaled from home kitchen to manufacturing and co-packing ✅ The importance of shelf-life in retail success ✅ Why building close relationships with retailers and customers is critical ✅ How to navigate rejection and bounce back stronger ✅ The mindset every food founder needs to thrive through challenges

If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to grow a food business — this candid conversation is a must-listen. Plus, Yohannes shares his best advice for any founder preparing to scale and insights you won’t hear anywhere else.

Got a question, comment, or just want to say hi? I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a quick voice message — it might even be featured on a future episode. Just head to [Voicemail Link] and share your thoughts

To grab a copy of the Food Business Growing & Scaling up Guide