ShelfSense: Stories Behind Our Stuff

Ever wonder how a new flavor goes from a spark of an idea to a can on your grocery shelf? This week on ShelfSense, we’re going behind the bubbles with Lexi Beranger, Senior Manager of Innovation & Commercialization at Spindrift, the sparkling water brand known for using real squeezed fruit. Joined by Gen Z voice Nikoletta Tsantes, we explore how consumer insights, creativity, real ingredients, and teamwork come together to bring new flavors to life. From unexpected challenges to the excitement of seeing a new product hit the shelves, Lexi reveals the fascinating world of food and beverage innovation. Next time you crack open a Spindrift, you might just taste it differently!

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What started with a food processor in a Boulder, Colorado, kitchen became one of the most recognizable brands in the natural foods aisle. Justin Gold turned his homemade nut butters into Justin’s, a company known not only for its delicious products and innovative packaging, but also for its commitment to responsible sourcing and sustainability. After selling the company to Hormel in 2016, Justin stepped away from the brand he created—but plot twist, now he’s back! Today on ShelfSense, Marigold and I talk with Justin about those early kitchen experiments, the remarkable journey of building a brand and what brought him back...on The Justin's Back - Story!

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What does Fair Trade really mean when we see it on the shelf—and how much difference can one little label actually make? In this episode, Cynthia is joined by Paul Rice, founder of Fair Trade USA and author of the new book Every Purchase Matters: How Fair Trade Farmers, Companies, and Consumers Are Changing the World. Joining us is my sustainability marketing Gen Z voice, Ruby Adamowicz, bringing the questions and perspective of a generation that wants its purchases to reflect its values—but also wants to know which claims and labels it can trust. Together, we unpack what Fair Trade actually guarantees, who benefits, and what we should look for when we’re standing in front of the shelf trying to make a better choice.

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At a time when food recalls are making us think more about where our food comes from and how far it travels to reach us, this episode of ShelfSense looks at a different model. I talk with Kristin Howard, General Manager of Real Pickles, a company that has spent 25 years building a regional food system around local farms, shorter supply chains, and the community it serves. We’re joined by Shannon Largey, a young local-food entrepreneur committed to building her own business within that same regional model. Together, we explore what can happen when food stays closer to home—from stronger relationships among farmers, makers, retailers, and eaters to greater connection with where our food comes from. Because “local” can mean much more than geography—it can be a way of building a food system that works 

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David Bronner shares with Cynthia and Gen Z Voice Emma Cosaboom how one family-owned soap company became a powerful model for purpose-driven business. From fair trade and regenerative organic sourcing to living wages, refill systems, Magic Chocolate, community engagement, and the Purpose Pledge, Dr. Bronner’s shows what it looks like when a company uses its products — and its power — to help change the world.

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IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) has been a short series of episodes to answer questions listeners and my students have had. in this episode, I share the context for decisions about who and what companies to have on the show. No Surprise - our first guest is with Time Magazine's Most Influential Company 2026, Dr. Bronner's on Tuesday, September 8. My hope is to bring the most inspiring, passionate and principled brands to help make sense of the stuff on our shelves...together!

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IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) is a new series of short episodes where I answer some of the questions I’ve been asked since launching ShelfSense. In this episode, I share my  journey into the natural and organic products industry from my own discovery of a broken food system, thanks to my dog, to taking students to Expos for 27 years.  Hopefully, you'll hear my passion for contributing to a better, healthier, safer and more ethical world in my own small way. For the final IMHO on September 1, we'll share a preview of the inspiring guests coming in Season 2 after Labor Day.

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IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) is a new series of short episodes where I answer some of the questions I’ve been asked since launching ShelfSense. In this first episode, I share the real reason I started the podcast—and why I believe purpose-driven entrepreneurs have so much to teach us, especially the next generation. Their stories have become a powerful way to bring passion, values, and possibility into my classroom and beyond. Next week, I’ll share my own unexpected journey into the natural and organic products industry, followed by a preview of the inspiring guests coming in Season 2 after Labor Day.

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Wild-harvested ingredients are found in everything from herbal teas and supplements to skincare—but how do you know they were gathered in a way that protects both nature and the people who harvest them? In this episode, Sarah Vito of the FairWild Foundation joins Gen Z voice Yasha Devate to explain the FairWild certification and why it matters. Together, we explore how responsible wild harvesting helps conserve biodiversity, supports local communities, and ensures that valuable plant species can thrive for generations to come.

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Healthy skin starts with what you put on it every day. In this episode, Cynthia is joined by annmarie Skincare CEO Rachel Pachivas and Gen Z voice Izzy Desrosiers to explore clean skincare, mineral vs chemical, and the thoughtful ingredients behind the new Salt + Blue sunscreen. Discover how to better protect your skin while supporting a healthier future for people and the planet, and especially our oceans.

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