Taste Radio

Jeff Church knows the highs and lows of brand-building like few do. 

A serial entrepreneur, Jeff co-founded cold-pressed juice pioneer Suja and led its development to a $100 million brand. Jeff also lost over $4 million of his own money in Rowdy Energy, a now defunct energy drink challenger he co-founded with NASCAR driver Kyle Busch.

Jeff’s experience and perspective on how brands succeed – and the reason they don’t – is why we asked him to join us for a live interview as part of an industry networking event in San Diego hosted by BevNET and Taste Radio on Sept. 25.

As part of an expansive conversation, Jeff spoke about how he navigated Suja’s early development and rapid growth and what he believes was the most impactful decision in determining the brand’s success. He also discussed the failure of Rowdy Energy, which launched in 2020 and shut down less than four years later. 

Jeff, who currently leads an accelerator program for emerging brands, also shared his take on the current landscape for early-stage food and beverage companies, weighing in on the value of innovation, high quality package design, profitability and staffing.

Show notes:

0:35: Jeff Church, Co-Founder & Former CEO, Suja – Jeff chats about his background in the beverage industry and why he has focused on building and working with startups. He also talks about the most challenging aspect of operating a food or beverage brand in the first two years of its development, why it’s critical to “over communicate” with family members about the hardships of entrepreneurship and why he crafts a business strategy by “starting from where you want to get to and working backwards.” He also talks about how skill sets of a brand founder are significantly different from that of a brand manager and why he encourages a “fake it till you make it” mindset. Jeff also discusses the problems that led to Rowdy Energy’s demise and why he believes that success is 25% luck and timing, before he answers a series of true or false questions related to early-stage entrepreneurship.

Brands in this episode: Suja, Rowdy Energy, Blueprint, Evolution Fresh, Pop & Bottle

The gang’s all here… in San Diego. The hosts convene at BevNET’s west coast office where they talk about how Fly By Jing nailed its foray into a popular food category and also highlight the debut of a convenient ethnic comfort food brand and Olipop’s upgrade on a legacy soda flavor.

Show notes:

0:25: “You Know Things.” Saucy Stains. - Jacqui kicks things off with her favorite daily affirmations, before Mike explains why food prep got the best of his outfit. The hosts fork and slurp Fly By Jing’s new chili crisp noodles and John explains why he is particularly impressed with the brand extension. They also sip on and praise a new instant matzo ball soup and follow up with a sampling of a better-for-you soda in the style of Mountain Dew. Ray highlights a recently announced speaker at the upcoming NOSH Live event in December and talks about its sister shows, BevNET Live and Brewbound Live, before the hosts discuss a new job for a prominent Linkedin personality.

Brands in this episode: Fly By Jing, immi, Omsom, Olipop, Nooish, Mountain Dew, Chobani, Avvika, Aloha, Iwon Organic 

How do you convince investors to bet over $100 million on your innovative beverage company? If you’re Matt Roberts, you start by making them a great cup of coffee.

Matt is the founder of Cometeer Coffee, which markets innovative frozen coffee capsules crafted using premium coffee beans sourced from leading specialty roasters. The single-serve capsules can be used to make hot or cold coffee, and are produced using a proprietary process in which fresh beans are ground, brewed and flash-frozen to preserve flavors and aromas. 

Launched in 2015, Cometeer was developed in partnership with coffee industry legend George Howell, who believes that the brand "will do for coffee what the bottle did for wine." He’s not alone in his lofty expectations for the Massachusetts-based company, which has raised venture capital funding from coffee and tech heavyweights, including the founder of Keurig Green Mountain, the former president of Nespresso and lead investors in Blue Bottle Coffee, among others.

Cometeer has built a thriving direct-to-consumer business and is gradually expanding distribution to brick-and-mortar retailers. The brand is currently available in over 500 stores nationwide including Sprouts, Central Market, New Season, and Gelson's.

In the following interview, I spoke with Matt about how he identified the opportunity to disrupt the instant coffee category by delivering a high quality drinking experience, how Cometeer has crafted an effective consumer education strategy and how his constant desire to learn more has helped him become a better leader.

Show notes:

0:35: Matt Roberts, Founder & CEO, Cometeer Coffee – Matt chats about growing up and launching Cometeer in Massachusetts, why the company is based in Gloucester and the city’s history as “Freezetown USA.” He also talks about the science and process behind Cometeer and why “brew tech” is the company’s stock in trade, what he considers to be the company’s “moat” and who its’ primary competitors are, and gives a brief, but informative, explanation as to how the company captures and preserves coffee at its peak form. He also discusses how scientific validation of the company’s processing methods attracted tech and consumer brand investors, why education and trial remains Cometeer’s biggest challenge, and its plans to create a mainstream offering. Matt also talks about Cometeer’s relationship with roasting partners and coffee farmers, why he’s bullish on climate-resistant coffee crops, how “the extended coffee TED talk” and the success of Nespresso have been effective in attracting new investors and how he talks to them about potential M&A deals, and how podcasts (like this one) have been instrumental in his personal education about business and leadership.

Brands in this episode: Cometeer Coffee, Blue Bottle, George Howell, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, James Hoffman, Onyx Coffee, Nespresso

When worlds collide, do consumers benefit? The hosts weigh in on Lunchly, the much hyped new Lunchables competitor launched by uber influencers and entrepreneurs Mr. Beast, Logan Paul and KSI. They also highlight unusual collaborations between fashion and consumer brands, and reach for healthy soups and shots.

Show notes:

0:25: LOUIE-ville? Church Time. The Kids Are Not Alright. Breakfast Totes. Maker’s Mahk. The Perfect Collab. – Ray returns from Kentucky and gets schooled at home, before the hosts highlight the Taste Radio Meetup on September 25 and an interview with serial entrepreneur Jeff Church at the event. They then turn their attention to Lunchly and whether the brand’s positioning as a healthier alternative to Lunchables holds water. Ray also reports on his experience visiting the Maker’s Mark distillery and the launch of the bourbon brand’s new cellar aged expression; Jacqui praises Heyday’s new soups; and the Newton-based hosts munch on a new line of crunchy, spicy cookies and sip on cold-pressed juice shots and guayusa-infused energy drinks.

Brands in this episode: Suja, Lunchly, Prime, Feastables, Jimmy Dean, Klondike, Good Humor, Popsicle, Maker’s Mark, Momofuku, Sunnie, Lunchables, Milk Bar, Momofuku, Heyday Canning, Sofresco, Ability Energy

Kaveh Zamanian is a cool customer. 

The founder of Rabbit Hole Distillery, Kaveh’s relaxed personality is immediately apparent. That’s not to say that he hasn’t felt the anxiety and strain of building a brand. As he tells it, Kaveh had spent many nights on his knees “praying to whoever would listen” that his vision for Rabbit Hole would come to fruition.

A former clinical psychologist, Kaveh launched Rabbit Hole in 2012. The distillery’s name is derived from Kaveh’s “passionate descent into the practice of distilling fine spirits,” specifically rye and bourbon. The whiskey is produced in small batches at Rabbit Hole’s state-of-the-art  55,000-square-foot distillery in Louisville, Kentucky, and presented in four core expressions along with the brand’s innovative Founder’s Collection series.

In 2019, French spirits giant Pernod Ricard acquired a majority stake in Rabbit Hole for an undisclosed price. The deal accelerated the brand’s U.S. distribution and helped it expand internationally. Kaveh has continued to helm Rabbit Hole and added a new title – Chief Whiskey Officer at Pernod – in the process.  

In this episode, Kaveh talks about how his passion for whiskey became an entrepreneurial journey, how he assembled a team of industry veterans early into the development of the company and why he credits a strong support network as key to his career transition. He also talks about pitching 1,000 investors over the course of two years and how he got 110 to say “yes,” and his current work developing new products and brands, including Mary Dowling Bourbon and Mash & Mallow Whiskey.

Show notes:

0:35: Kaveh Zamanian, Founder, Rabbit Hole Distillery – Kaveh speaks with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif about the Nulu neighborhood of Louisville, where Rabbit Hole is based, the construction and capacity of of its distillery and how his love of wine impacted his foray into whiskey. Kaveh also talks about the bourbon industry’s renaissance over the past decade and how distilling talent, if not funding, was plentiful; why he felt it was important to maintain his job in psychology early into the development of Rabbit Hole; and why he credits a strong support network as key to his career transition. He also explains why building a facility that matched his ambition was critical to his vision for Rabbit Hole, how the company forecasted demand and its capacity for contracting distilling and how he convinced investors with no experience in the spirits industry to back the company. Kaveh also talks about managing anxiety, the key elements of Rabbit Hole’s brand architecture, how he considered an exit strategy while building the company and which decisions he regrets most over the past decade.

Brands in this episode: Rabbit Hole Distillery, Maker’s Mark, Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, Nantucket Nectars, Culture Pop, Bardstown Bourbon

It’s another drag for canna-brands. The hosts discuss an emergency regulation in California that would remove food and beverage brands containing hemp-derived THC from stores in the state. They also wonder about the runway for a trendy flavor and highlight several new and unusual products.

Show notes:

0:25: Wine Under A Bridge. London Via San Diego. Explosive Ranch. Is It 1991? Dumplings & Drinks. – We get a debrief from John on his adventures in Copenhagen including sipping natural wine in a rather odd location and perhaps a bit of buyer‘s remorse. The hosts discuss their upcoming travel to California and England and invite listeners to meet up in both places. They also talk about everything bagel seasoning’s 15 minutes of fame and present ranch dressing in a less-than-pleasant light. Mike gets mad about Governor Newsom’s recent regulation and John breaks down the impact of the politician’s actions. They also chat about Ghia’s latest opus, a spicy ramen collaboration and a unique RTD latte.

Brands in this episode: The Laughing Cow, Coffeemate, Foodware, Ghia, Bonbuz, Little Saints, Dixie Grace’s Boiled Peanuts, Bezi, A-Sha, Laurel’s, Magna

At one point during our conversation with Four Sigmatic founder and CEO Tero Isokauppila, he recounts a story about playing golf with the CEO of a large and well-known U.S. retailer. The executive told Tero that Four Sigmatic wouldn’t be successful because of its esoteric brand name.

It’s fair to say that the CEO underestimated the trailblazing company.

Founded in 2012, Four Sigmatic pioneered the now thriving category of mushroom-centric food and beverages. The brand markets a platform of organic ground coffee, protein powders, creamers and supplements that are infused with functional fungi, including reishi, lion’s mane and chaga. 

Four Sigmatic’s flagship mushroom coffee is the leading ground coffee on Amazon, and is the anchor for its significant e-commerce business, which represents more than half of its sales. The brand is also represented at major retail chains, including Walmart, Whole Foods, Target, GNC, Albertsons and The Vitamin Shoppe and generates tens of millions of dollars annually.

In this episode, Tero talks about how his personal background as part of the 13th generation of a Finnish farming family influenced his decision to launch Four Sigmatic, navigating an ahead-of-its-time trend, how he overcame “making every mistake a founder can make,” and how the company aligns category insights and innovation.

Show notes:

0:35: Tero Isokauppila, Founder & CEO, Four Sigmatic – Tero and Ray kick things off with a brief chat about Kalsarikännit, a Finnish word with a very strange definition, before the entrepreneur talks about his family’s farm, the reason why children generally avoid mushrooms and whether “sigma” will show up more often in Four Sigmatic social posts. Tero also explains how his parents’ professions influenced his education and created a foundation for his foray into entrepreneurship, why he says “mushrooms chose me,” and how Four Sigmatic addresses consumer skepticism about fungi. He also talks about how the company planned and participated in sampling demos and events early into its development, the impact of sponsoring podcasts in the development of the brand, and how a boom in mushroom-infused food and beverages has affected awareness and misinformation about functional mushrooms. Tero also discusses the evolution of Four Sigmatic’s package design and why the brand emphasizes functionality more than it has in the past, why he doesn’t believe that great packaging is an indicator of potential success for early-stage brands, and why he views his brand’s name as “part of our journey.” He also talks about Four Sigmatic’s success on e-commerce and why the company needs to evaluate its strategy every 6-12 months, his perspective on investing time and resources on Amazon vs. DTC, why he advises new entrepreneurs that when it comes to product development “just do the one thing,” and why he describes category management as “both an art and a science.” Tero also explains how Amazon and Whole Foods are creating a synergistic omnichannel platform and talks about his funding strategy as an angel investor and how price and taste influence his perspective.

Brands in this episode: Four Sigmatic, Annie’s, Once Upon A Farm

Was Newtopia Now worth a visit? Why are founders flocking to San Diego? Is “Side Hustlers” the new “Shark Tank”? What’s going on with instant noodles? And, is drinking pastrami a real thing? All good questions. The hosts have answers.

Show notes:

0:25: Naked + Famous. Sippin’ In The CPH. Newtopia FOMO. Meet Up. Reese W. Instant Debate. Deli Drink. – Ray and Mike are back after a two-week hiatus and both praise Jacqui on her hosting skills during their absence. Ray chats about Craven’s Scandinavian consumption habits and everyone decides they’ll attend the next edition of a new trade show. The hosts also highlight the upcoming Taste Radio Meetup in San Diego on Sept. 25, before Mike talks about a new business pitch television show focused on female founders. Ray busts out a bunch of easy-prep noodles and Jacqui showcases a couple unusual collaborations.

Brands in this episode: Bonbuz, Brune Kitchen, Maruchen, Funyons, immi, Watcharees, Nomad Popcorn, Tru, Driftaway Coffee, Leisure Hydration, Spicewalla

He may be nicknamed “The Beverage Whisperer,” but when Ken Sadowsky speaks he’s heard loud and clear. 

A longtime industry advisor and investor, Ken is one of the most respected and influential voices in the beverage business.

Ken is currently the executive director of The Northeastern Independent Distributors Association, known as NIDA, a group of wholesalers that operate in states from Maine to Pennsylvania. He’s also a senior advisor with Verlivest, the Belgium-based investment holding company founded by the owners of Anheuser-Busch InBev, which holds stakes in Oatly, Vita Coco and Hint Water. Ken is personally invested in and an advisor to several beverage companies including LifeAid, Icelandic Glacial, Recess and Dyla Brands. 

This episode is the third of a trilogy with Ken, who also joined us for conversations in 2016 and 2019. Ken and Taste Radio editor Ray Latif sample drinks representing fast-growing, bleeding-edge and established categories, including better-for-you sodas, cannabis libations, nonalcoholic cocktails, and shots of the juice variety. As they sip their way through a mish-mash of beverages, Ken shares his perspective on trendy concepts, package design, formulation his investment thesis, and successful retail strategies.

Show notes:

0:35: Ken Sadowsky, The Beverage Whisperer – Ken and Ray engage in some Sox talk before they dive into a mass of beverages, foreign and domestic. Ken talks about cutting his teeth back in 1983 and his ability to understand what brands have what it takes to go from “the core consumer to the more consumer” and why he’s not bullish on non-nutritive sugar alternatives. They sip on some Chamberlain Coffee and chat about how the cold brew coffee category has morphed and whether non-alcoholic cocktails are – at this point – more sizzle than steak. Ken also explains why he’s a fan of entrepreneurs with industry experience and why it’s important to be nice to your distributors, before sipping on Olipop’s limited-edition Barbie collaboration and sharing his take on the future of better-for-you sodas. He also admits to being an “illegal cannabis consumer” (not really), why you should sample beverages warm, getting retailers to merchandise your brand in two locations and the Catch-22 of fundraising.

Brands in this episode: Mountain Dew, Chamberlain Coffee, Throne Sport Coffee, Vitaminwater, De Soi, Little Saints, Lapo’s, Seedlip, Parch, Honest Tea, Prime, Alani Nu, Olipop, Slim Fast, Poppi, Evolution Fresh, Nantucket Nectars, Nixie, Late July, Cape Cod Potato Chips, Milonga, Recess, Magic Cactus, Alldae, Guayaki, Yerbae, Louie Louie, Fhirst, Wunderground’s Brain Wash, Califia Farms, Starbucks, Loom, The Turmeric Co., Icelandic Glacial

A recent Linkedin post penned by an executive of online distribution platform Pod Foods ignited a passionate discussion about the limited routes to market for emerging brands and whether things might be changing for the better… or worse. Taste Radio’s hosts have their say on the matter.

Show notes:

0:35: JacquIC. Mayor Melissa. Peter’s Post. Call Her Sir. Church Beer. Hydrate, Then Hike. – Jacqui takes over primary hosting duties while Ray is OOO, and does a damn good job of it. Melissa has a new moniker, and it fits her well. Community Call is, in a sense, casting – email to learn more. The hosts all weigh in on Peter Gialansis’s scribe, why UNFI and competing brands may be unfairly cast as the villains and the upside to a long and arduous road. They also share their two cents on Queen B’s latest opus and talk about upcoming industry events in San Diego before John presents his spicy mashed potatoes. Melissa then shows a patriotic side and Jacqui explains how she’s preparing for a very steep journey.

Brands in this episode: Soom Foods, Hotpot Queen, SirDavis, Idahoan, Tapatio, Fly By Jing, Pistakio, United Sodas, Misfit, Only Hydration, Liquid IV