Taste Radio

In the latest episode of Taste Radio's Elevator Talk, leaders from four emerging CPG brands -- Noodo, Ciao, Beest Snacks and Guac Shop -- introduce their businesses, share what's changed since launch and offer a look at where they're headed next.

Joining regular host Ray Latif, editor and producer of Taste Radio, is Rick Field, the founder of CPG consultancy Pickles & Soup and food brand Rick's Picks, who brings sharp questions, candid feedback and founder's perspective to each pitch.

Want to put your brand in front of experienced CPG operators and investors? Applications are open for future episodes of Elevator Talk. Participation is free, interviews are conducted remotely, and founders get the chance to pitch their products, share company news and get unfiltered feedback from industry leaders.

Apply now to be featured in an upcoming episode.

Growth can expose every weakness in a business, from cash flow and hiring to product focus and decision-making. For founders, knowing how to scale without losing control may be the hardest part of building a brand.

In this episode, Celsius CEO John Fieldly shares hard-won lessons from helping transform the energy drink brand into a nearly $3 billion beverage platform. He explains why founders shouldn't scale too quickly, how to evaluate new opportunities without losing sight of the core business, and where AI can make a meaningful operational difference. He also reflects on missteps, the importance of financial discipline, and the leadership changes required as a company grows.

Show notes:

0:20: John Fieldly, CEO, Celsius – John reflects on his nearly 15 years at Celsius, emphasizing the importance of building emotional connections with consumers, maintaining distinct brand identities and adapting operations as the company approaches a $3 billion run rate and expands internationally. John discusses balancing growth with financial discipline, empowering experienced leaders and learning from past positioning decisions, including Celsius Vibe's expansion away from the brand's fruit-forward, fitness-oriented roots. He cautions founders against scaling too quickly and describes Celsius's disciplined approach to innovation, using a stage-gate process to evaluate consumer demand, category potential and repeat purchases. The conversation also explores how Celsius is applying AI to sales routing, supply-chain reporting, freight logistics and demand forecasting, accelerating some analyses from weeks to hours through employee training and tools including ChatGPT and Claude. Finally, John addresses the pressures of leading a public company with nearly 1,500 employees and outlines his ambition to grow Celsius Holdings' energy drink market share from approximately 20% to 25% and eventually 30%. He underscores the importance of accountability, open communication, constructive disagreement, financial discipline and learning from experienced mentors.

Brands in this episode: Celsius, Alani Nu, Rockstar

Can a brand be too good at being disruptive?

Liquid Death built a billion-dollar business by challenging convention, but as its collaborations multiply and its products move beyond water, some are questioning whether the brand has lost its edge. We debate whether Liquid Death is evolving or jumping the shark, and what its journey reveals about building a brand that stands out and stays relevant.

Plus, we dig into Jetty, the new hydration brand from Poppi founders Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, unpack its mysterious early appearance at Whole Foods, recap our London meetup and sample several new products riding the apple flavor wave.

Show notes:

0:20: English Evening. More Meetups*. JettSetters. Death By 1,000 Collabs? Apple, Not Autumn. – The hosts recap Taste Radio's London meetup, discuss the strength of the U.K.'s emerging CPG community, highlight several participating brands and thank the event's hosts and sponsors. They also look ahead to the 2027 meetup series and preview the upcoming Nosh Live, BevNET Live and Brewbound Live events in Marina del Rey. The conversation then turns to Jetty, the new hydration and electrolyte brand from Poppi founders Allison and Stephen Ellsworth. The hosts examine the brand's early product and packaging imagery amid reported sightings at a Whole Foods in New York City. They discuss the brand's positioning as an everyday hydration product, its formulation and design, and whether the attention surrounding its initial reveal is intentional marketing or simply an unconventional product rollout. The hosts then debate whether Liquid Death is losing some of its edge, prompted by a recent essay questioning the brand's cultural relevance and its recent collaboration with Pop-Tarts. They consider whether the brand's shock-driven marketing has begun to lose its impact and the challenge of maintaining a distinctive identity. They also highlight Liquid Death's lasting influence on CPG branding, particularly its willingness to draw inspiration from outside the industry. Finally, the hosts sample several new products, including Journee energy drinks, Spindrift Fuji Apple sparkling water, Halfday Crisp Apple prebiotic iced tea and Day Out's limited-edition Apple Pie and Pumpkin Cheesecake protein bites.

Brands in this episode: Poppi, Jetty, Liquid Death, Pop-Tarts, Grillo's Pickles, Red Bull, Monster, Death Wish Coffee, Sailor Jerry Rum, Hendrick's Gin, Rotten Candy, Lucky Energy, TRIP, Chili Maven, Living Things, Superfoodio, Kwenched, Feisty Drinks, Dash, Agua de Madre, Moju, Mother Root, Noot, Bellydance, Everystate, Journee, Spindrift, Halfday, Culture Pop, Day Out, Lemon Perfect, Recover180, David, Fly By Jing, Sparkling Ice, Weird Beverages, Rockstar

For CPG founders, growth isn't always about launching more products. Sometimes, it's about doing one thing exceptionally well.

In this episode, Big Mozz founder and CEO Matt Gallira explains how that focus helped build a premium frozen food brand now sold in 7,000 retail locations, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans, H-E-B, Kroger, Meijer and Target.

He explains how food service became a critical engine for retail growth, how the company built distribution across restaurants, college campuses, sports venues and more, and why founders should resist the urge to chase every new product opportunity. Matt also shares how Big Mozz is earning a premium in a price-sensitive category and expanding its reach through a new collaboration with Sauz at Target.

Show notes:

0:20: Matt Gallira, Founder & CEO, Big Mozz – Matt explains how consumer feedback at New York City's Smorgasburg market led him to transform a fresh mozzarella concept into a premium frozen food brand. After testing the concept at Smorgasburg, he expanded into festivals and events before growing Big Mozz into a manufacturer serving food service and retail customers. He reveals that food service accounts for 80% of the business, spanning restaurants, college campuses, cruise ships and entertainment venues, where partnerships drive consumer trial and support retail expansion. Having largely bootstrapped growth with limited friends-and-family and angel investment, Big Mozz relies on food service to help fund retail expansion and trade spending. Matt also discusses the brand's packaging refresh, designed to communicate quality through bold colors, appetizing imagery and recognizable ingredient cues. He outlines the company's measured approach to innovation, including spicy and ranch varieties, and its nationwide Target collaboration pairing Big Mozz Mozz Nuggets with Sauz's creamy Calabrian vodka sauce in approximately 1,500 stores. As Big Mozz expands into a broader premium frozen appetizer brand, Matt emphasizes understanding customers, delivering value and listening to feedback.

Brands in this episode: Big Mozz, Sauz

What does a retail tour of London reveal about consumer trends at home and abroad? From surprisingly familiar better-for-you candy to date-filled pastries finding new life as mainstream snacks, we sample the products, packaging and positioning catching our attention across the UK market. Along the way, we explore what U.S. and British brands can learn from each other about flavor, functional innovation and retail strategy — and why even a great product can get lost on the bottom shelf.

This episode also features an interview with James Clark, the founder of San Francisco-based craft distillery Brucato Spirits. James shares how he's building a California-born amaro brand rooted in local ingredients, radical transparency and sustainable growth – without chasing rapid expansion or an eventual exit.

Show notes:

0:20: London Bites. BFY Candy. Pick A Lane. Mo Matcha. Movin' On Up. So Fat. – The hosts sample emerging UK food and beverage brands, exploring trends in flavor, packaging, better-for-you positioning and product innovation. They begin with Yew Sparkling Water's yuzu grapefruit and pickle flavors, then try better-for-you candies Neat Sweets and Wild Thingz, noting the category's substantial retail presence. They also revisit True Dates and sample Datekind's individually wrapped, date-filled snack cakes, discussing how familiar product descriptions can make culturally rooted foods more accessible to mainstream consumers. The tasting continues with Marna's peach iced tea, prompting a discussion about how zero-sugar claims can create confusion around sweetness expectations. They praise Nudie's katsu curry cauliflower crisps and Mindfuel Flow's salted caramel mushroom latte, noting opportunities in flavorful better-for-you snacks and functional ready-to-drink beverages. They also sample Mano Massa's manchego, green olive and red bell pepper corn chips, suggesting the brand seek better shelf placement, and Kloudy's matcha lemonade, debating whether its lemon flavor justifies the name. Finally, the hosts try Fatso's thick Colombian chocolate bars with inventive inclusions and Serious Pig's truffle-flavored, high-protein snack, discussing distinctive formats and polarizing flavors.

27:53: James Clark, Co-Founder, Brucato Spirits – On location at Brucato's distillery in San Francisco's Mission District, James shares the origins of Brucato which was inspired by years lived in Italy and the flavors of Northern California. James explains how the company uses local ingredients, including California Blenheim apricots, to create distinctive spirits, while emphasizing ingredient transparency. James also discusses how consumer interest in ingredient sourcing informs the brand's marketing and innovation strategy, including limited-edition releases that showcase specific fruits and botanicals.

Brands in this episode: Brucato Spirits, TRIP, Olipop, Garage Beer, Mojo Mate, Yerba Madre, Momo Kombucha, Yew, Dash, LaCroix, Polar, Neat Sweets, Behave, Wild Thingz, Rotten, True Dates, Datekind, Bakeful, Hostess, Marna, Nudie, From the Ground Up, Mindfuel Flow, Four Sigmatic, Mano Massa, Fritos, Kloudy, Fatso, Serious Pig

In the latest episode of Taste Radio's Elevator Talk, leaders from five emerging CPG brands --Nomaro, Bare Brew, ZZAI, NuMuti and Aire -- introduce their businesses, share what's changed since launch and offer a look at where they're headed next.

Joining regular host Ray Latif, editor and producer of Taste Radio, is Claire Ridge, the founder of Ridge Consulting and co-founder of Luna Bay, who brings sharp questions, candid feedback and founder's perspective to each pitch.

Want to put your brand in front of experienced CPG operators and investors? Applications are open for future episodes of Elevator Talk. Participation is free, interviews are conducted remotely, and founders get the chance to pitch their products, share company news and get unfiltered feedback from industry leaders.

Apply now to be featured in an upcoming episode.

Nine years ago, ALOHA was effectively bankrupt despite having raised $70 million. Today, the protein bar brand generates more than $200 million in revenue. How did the company pull off one of CPG's more remarkable turnarounds?

In this episode, CEO Brad Charron reveals the strategy behind ALOHA's resurgence, from rebuilding its product and brand to spending years earning shelf space at Whole Foods and Target. He explains why repeat purchases matter more than distribution wins, how disciplined growth helped the company increase sales by 366% between 2022 and 2025, and why saying no to the right opportunities can be just as important as saying yes.

Show notes:

0:20: Brad Charron, CEO, ALOHA – Drawing on his experience at PepsiCo, Chobani and Kind Snacks, Brad explains how he rebuilt the brand by prioritizing taste, product quality and consumer trust before expanding distribution. He discusses ALOHA's positioning as a food brand rather than a supplement, its commitment to transparency and certifications, and its decision to become a certified B Corp in 2020. Brad describes the challenges of earning repeat purchases and retailer support, including years of rejection from Whole Foods and Target. He explains why sales velocity and consistent execution matter more than simply gaining shelf space, and how ALOHA built its digital business while carefully selecting retail partners. He also shares how disciplined growth helped the company expand without sacrificing product quality or profitability. Finally, Brad discusses ALOHA's competitive positioning, potential strategic partnerships and his approach to leadership as an operator rather than a founder. He offers advice to emerging CPG entrepreneurs on prioritizing opportunities, managing resources, seeking mentorship and building a sustainable business before chasing rapid expansion or an eventual exit.

Brands in this episode: Aloha, Chobani, Kind Snacks

Protein soda and hard sports drinks are making moves—but is either category built to last? With protein soda betting on big demand for functional fizz and hard sports drinks racking up eye-popping sales, we debate which category has the bigger upside. We also discuss what Constellation Brands' $75 million acquisition of Spikedade signals for beverage alcohol and the news that Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have joined protein soda brand Proda as co-founders.

This episode also revisits two interviews from Taste Radio's San Diego meetup, featuring Maddie Serviente, a partner at early-stage investor network The Angel Group, and Chuck Casano, founder of fast-growing Pitaya Foods and distribution company HiTouch Libations.

Show notes:

33:16: Taking A Trip. Celebrity Muscle. Hard To Watch. Which One Wins? Stick It. Seasoning. – The hosts highlight the upcoming Taste Radio London meetup at TRIP's Notting Hill headquarters and the rebranding of the Nombase Podcast as the CPG Operator Podcast. They then examine the potential of protein soda, prompted by Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel joining Proda as co-founders, and debate whether consumers will embrace protein in soft drinks. The conversation explores Timberlake's previous involvement with Bai and contrasts celebrity partnerships, from Kobe Bryant's active role at BodyArmor to Tom Holland's involvement with nonalcoholic beer brand Bero. The focus shifts to hard sports drinks, including Constellation Brands' acquisition of Spikedade and Super Lyte's projected first-year sales of four million cases. The hosts weigh the long-term potential of protein soda against hard sports drinks, questioning whether explosive early growth will translate into sustained consumer demand. They also spotlight emerging brands and products, including Suds, a hard soda boasting 10% ABV, oversized cans and playful branding; Waterboy's electrolyte hydration sticks; Dynasty Hydration's blend of electrolytes, vitamins and amino acids; and Freestyle Snacks, which offers olives and pickles in convenient pouches as a savory alternative to traditional snacks. Finally, the hosts sample Culture Pop's sparkling apple flavor, praising its balanced sweetness and seasonal appeal.

29:00: Interviews from Taste Radio's San Diego Meetup – The Angel Group's Maddie Serviente shares what investors look for in emerging brands, from standout products and passionate consumers to realistic valuations and the right strategic partners. Then, Pitaya Foods and HiTouch Libations founder Chuck Casano reflects on the failures, timing and hard-earned lessons that helped shape his entrepreneurial journey.

Brands in this episode: TRIP, Mojo, Noot, Everystate, Proda, Koia Protein Pop, Ono, Bai, Hippie Energy, Everystate, BodyArmor, Bero, Athletic Brewing, Spikedade, Pretzelized, From The Ground Up, OWYN, Super Lyte, Surfside, Rally Dog, White Claw, Refreshade, Suds, Jack Daniel's, Coca-Cola, Not Your Father's Root Beer, Waterboy, Dynasty Hydration, Freestyle Snacks, Culture Pop, Poppi, Olipop, Goodles, Mush, Pitaya Foods

Building a $100 million CPG brand without venture capital takes more than a great product — it takes conviction, discipline, and a willingness to play the long game.

In this episode of Taste Radio, Loren Castle, the founder and CEO of better-for-you refrigerated dough brand Sweet Loren's, breaks down how she built a profitable business by challenging category conventions, winning over major retailers, and refusing to compromise on taste.

She shares the pivotal decisions that fueled the brand's growth, why mastering just two SKUs helped pave the way, and how she's positioning Sweet Loren's for its next phase of expansion — without losing sight of what made it successful in the first place.

Show notes:

0:20: Loren Castle, Founder & CEO, Sweet Loren's – Loren explains why she included her name in the brand before discussing how Sweet Loren's grew out of her experience surviving Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 22 and her mission to create better-for-you cookies with simple, trustworthy ingredients. After launching in Publix and Kroger in 2016, consumer feedback prompted her to eliminate the top nine allergens from the product line. The allergen-free Chocolate Chunk cookie dough quickly became the brand's top seller, leading Sweet Loren's to transition its entire portfolio by 2018 and establish a strong point of differentiation. Loren discusses how prioritizing major retailers, maintaining healthy margins and staying lean helped the company achieve more than nine years of profitability. She emphasizes the importance of exceptional taste and explores how retail partnerships drive innovation, including Target's exclusive Snickerdoodle cookie dough. She also shares lessons on evaluating trends, focusing on core products and evolving packaging as Sweet Loren's expands into refrigerated puff pastry, oatmeal bar doughs and scone dough. Looking ahead, Loren outlines the brand's growth potential and advises emerging founders to master a few core products, understand their consumers and stay committed to their mission. She also reflects on navigating manufacturing disruptions and ingredient shortages, the value of mentorship, and how building a stronger leadership team helped her overcome burnout and balance business growth with family life.

Brands in this episode: Sweet Loren's, Toll House, Pillsbury, Purely Elizabeth

Can Coke become the new… Poppi? The beverage giant is testing prebiotic versions of its stalwart brands, raising questions about the next phase of functional soda — and what it could mean for Olipop. The hosts dig into the launch, consider whether mineral water is finally having its mainstream moment, and examine the rise of dynamic grocery pricing and new laws aimed at putting guardrails around it.

They also discuss Stride Consumer Partners' acquisition of Clio Snacks and spotlight a slate of new products, including Brica's verjus-based tonics, Alec's "Ice Cream For Breakfast" and Fight Club Energy shots.

Show notes:

0:20: Prebiotic Push. Mineral Mania. Price Games. Plainy Delicious. Punching Power. – The hosts preview Taste Radio London on October 21 at TRIP HQ in Notting Hill, highlighting a strong lineup of industry leaders and investors. They also promote the BevNET CPG Media events in Los Angeles this December, emphasizing the networking, dealmaking and practical connections available to founders. The conversation then turns to Coca-Cola's expansion into functional soda with prebiotic versions of Coke Zero Sugar, Sprite Zero Sugar and Fresca. The hosts discuss whether consumers are looking for functional benefits from familiar soda brands, how the popularity of GLP-1 medications and interest in fiber could influence demand and how Coke's move raises questions about what it means for Olipop and the possibility of a future acquisition. The discussion shifts to new launches in the mineral water category and whether it is poised for broader U.S. adoption. Next, the hosts examine the growing use of technology in grocery pricing, focusing on Maryland's new law restricting personalized pricing based on consumer data and New York's legislation targeting surveillance pricing. They also praise the acquisition of Clio Snacks by Stride Consumer Partners before turning to the latest edition of Elevator Talk and praise Brica's sophisticated alcohol-free drinks, which combine verjus, mineral water, fruit, roots and botanicals. They then sample several other products, including Alec's Ice Cream's new collaboration with Purely Elizabeth and why Ray calls it one of the best new products he's tasted in 2026. Mike spotlight's Perdi's protein-enhanced mug cake mix, made in collaboration with Koia; and Fight Club Energy, a new energy shot featuring lion's mane, guarana and ginseng.

Brands in this episode: Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, Sprite Zero, Fresca, Simply Pop, Poppi, Olipop, Topo Chico, Topo Chico Colección, Dasani, Rambler, Ferrarelle, AriZona Beverages, Clio Snacks, Nirvana, On The Brightside, Pini Sparkling Cider, Wook Water, Brica, Alec's Ice Cream, Purely Elizabeth, Perdi's, Koia, Fight Club Energy, Honey Mama's, TRIP, Noot, Everystate, Moju