Taste Radio

Mushrooms are having more than a moment. But how far can fungi go? The hosts discuss the potential for "magic" and functional forms of the trendy ingredient. They also riff on a prediction that cannabis drinks could be "the most common weed consumption method in the next 5-10 years," deride overly enthusiastic terms on LinkedIn and Instagram, and share their respective takes on snacking pasta and Ritz "White."

We also feature an interview with Amy Racine, the beverage director for New York-based hospitality group JF Restaurants, about the evolution of on-premise drinking culture. Amy speaks on how current trends in wine and spirits influence beverage strategy, the impact of consumers becoming more educated and informed about higher quality adult beverages and why she compares growing demand for no and low-alcohol drinks to that of vegetarian food.

Show notes:

0:43: Dr. Evil Craven. Jacqui Uses Eventbrite. Mike Is A Propaganda Hunter. Cannabis On Tap? Crunch Time – John was out of town, but his presence – and tweets – were felt. Jacqui gives a rundown of a not-so-secret magic mushrooms convention, Mike gets mad at the government (again!), and the hosts collectively wonder about the potential for mushroom and cannabis drinks poured next to beer. They also share their takes on adaptogen-infused energy drink and soda brands and sampled S'noods, a new "chef-driven, globally-inspired noodle snack."

34:03: Interview: Amy Racine, Beverage Director, JF Restaurants – Amy oversees the beverage selection at all JF Restaurants properties, which are helmed by Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur John Fraser. JF Restaurants operates several fine dining destinations in New York, Los Angeles and Tampa and recently opened an innovative food hall in Downtown Boston. Amy leads new cocktail development and curates wine lists as part of an overall focus to present unique and well-paired options for guests.

Brands in this episode: Calexo, Magic Cactus, Wynk, Cann, Drippy, Poppi, Ritz, Melting Forest, Popadelics, Good Dirt, S'noods, Date Better, Brazi Bites, Nommii, Seedlip

If it feels like you're navigating constant shifts in how retailer buyers measure traction and determine metrics for success, you're not alone. Jason Burke, for one, has been wrestling with the issue for years.

Jason is the founder of The New Primal, a better-for-you meat snack brand that debuted in 2013, and also sauce and seasoning brand Noble Made, which launched in 2023. The New Primal is best known for its 100% grass-fed beef sticks, along with all-natural chicken and turkey varieties, and is carried at retailers nationwide including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Giant, The Fresh Market and Lazy Acres. Noble Made markets a range of clean ingredient products including reduced-sugar BBQ sauces, dairy-free buffalo sauces, meat seasonings and a "Sloppy Joseph" skillet sauce, many of which are available at the same retailers as The New Primal.

Although Jason and his team have built The New Primal into one of the best-selling natural meat snack brands in the U.S., he is consistently evaluating its retail strategy and ways to enhance its products' standing among buyers and consumers.

In this interview, recorded during a leadership event hosted by Manna Tree, a Vail-based private equity firm that led The New Primal's $15 million Series B funding round in 2021, Jason spoke about how to demonstrate incremental value during pitch meetings, the impact of mission as a differentiator, why he views multinational and legacy brands as his chief competitors and how he is increasingly using his personal platform to create and develop authentic relationships with consumers.

Show notes:

0:43: Jason Burke, Founder & CEO, The New Primal – Jason and Taste Radio editor Ray Latif chatted about their last conversation for Taste Radio before the entrepreneur discussed the decision to launch Noble Made. Jason also discussed how data influences The New Primal's retail strategy, how to establish a defensible position when competing against large CPG companies, how to generate brand enthusiasm to develop loyal consumers and how he's creating a more visible presence for himself and his brands via social media and podcasting.

Brands in this episode: The New Primal, Noble Made, Slim Jim

On the heels of its well-received Super Bowl ad, Poppi is getting a lot of attention. According to a report in Bloomberg, the mid-calorie, prebiotic soda brand is rumored to be an acquisition target, a topic the hosts discussed in the episode. They also chatted about Coke's new Gen Z/TikTok-inspired "Tears Of Joy" soda, a trio of "loaded" cereals and meat sticks inspired by ancestral lifestyles, among other recently launched products.

This episode also includes an interview with Ross Iverson, a managing partner with private equity firm Manna Tree and Gotham Greens co-founder and CEO Viraj Puri and who discuss their relationship as mission-driven investor and entrepreneur.

Show notes:

0:35: Super Ad. John & Jacqui's CPG Adventures. Expo West VIPs. Ray Rants. Fruitcake & Liver. – The show opens with a review of Poppi's "Big Game" commercial and why AriZona Beverages has never produced one. John and Jacqui spoke about attending a trio of recently held industry events in San Diego before the hosts collectively discussed the benefits that Taste Radio VIPs can encounter at Expo West, a diet soda intended to appeal to Gen Z consumers, and a new line of cereals launched by General Mills that got Ray standing on a soap box. They also munched on beef heart and liver-based meat sticks and chocolate-coated fruitcake and sipped on collagen tea.

30:44: Ross Iverson, Manna Tree & Viraj Puri, Gotham Greens – Manna Tree, a global investment firm that describes itself as "committed to improving human health through nutrition," led Gotham Greens' $87 million Series D round which was announced in 2020 and also participated in the indoor farming company's $330 million Series E round, completed in 2022. In this conversation, recorded during Manna Tree's Leadership Summit, held in January, Gotham Greens co-founder and CEO Viraj Puri joined Ross Iverson, a managing partner with Manna Tree, for a conversation in which they shared insights into a relationship in which both are aligned on mission, purpose and profit.

Brands in this episode: Gotham Greens, Poppi, Pepsi, Olipop, BodyArmor, AriZona Beverages, Huy Fong Foods, Safety Shot, Fishwife, Souzu, Cien Chiles, Mooski, Nguyen Coffee Supply, Coca-Cola, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Onyx Coffee Lab, Sweet Nutrition, Beatrice Bakery, Country Archer, Slim Jim, Moshi, Aura Collagen Tea, GT's

"The more things change, the more they stay the same" would be an apt slogan for indoor farming pioneer Gotham Greens.

Launched in 2011, the New York-based company operates a nationwide network of 13 high-tech hydroponic greenhouses and markets premium, hyper-local leafy greens, herbs, salad dressings, dips and cooking sauces. The products are sold at over 3,000 retail stores including Whole Foods, Kroger, Albertsons, Sprouts and The Fresh Market.

According to the company, Gotham Greens' farms use up to 95% less water and 97% less land compared to conventional farming as a way to provide "sustainable supply chain solutions to its diverse retail and foodservice customers." Investors have bet big on Gotham Greens' business strategy and vision: since 2009, the company has raised $440 million, including a $330 Series E round that was announced in September 2022.

The funding has helped Gotham Greens grow from a single urban rooftop greenhouse in Brooklyn to one of the largest hydroponic leafy green producers in North America. Yet while its operations evolve and footprint expands, Gotham Greens co-founder and CEO Viraj Puri says that the company remains rooted in its core principles and that his passion and conviction for the brand are as intense as ever.

In this podcast, recorded during a leadership event in Vail hosted by Gotham Greens investor Manna Tree, Viraj spoke about how he has maintained focus amid the company's evolution, managing new and complex responsibilities as CEO, assessing when to step on the gas (and when to release the pedal), and what he considers to be his biggest mistake and best decision.

Show notes:

0:43: Viraj Puri, Co-Founder & CEO, Gotham Greens – Viraj and Ray chatted about wearing beard nets and the entrepreneur's weekly consumption of Gotham Greens products before he shared his perspective on how the company has grown since 2011. He also explained the impact of trust and hiring his evolution as a CEO, how he communicates belief and scaling potential to employees, incorporating investor input on business strategy and why retailer strategy is tied to the geographical location of Gotham Greens' greenhouses. Viraj also discussed opportunities in foodservice and the company's partnership with Sweetgreen and why he encourages group thought, but errs on the side of satisfying customers.

Brands in this episode: Gotham Greens

Has Starbucks slipped on its own slick innovation? Why are spice-obsessed millennials grumbling about Huy Fong's famous sriracha? And is space a new frontier for food and beverage? The hosts shared their thoughts, opined on the food selection in a $2.5 million Super Bowl suite and sampled several innovative and new products including nacho-inspired chocolate, nitro-infused cinnamon tea and a sea moss-based chocolate pudding.

Show notes:

0:35: No Sun S.D. Yo, TCHO! Mike Is Stuntin'. Lots Of Selling. BFY Candy Bar FTW. – Jacqui and John shared deets from a recent Naturally San Diego community meetup, Mike and Ray showed two distinct ways of sampling sriracha and the hosts collectively wondered about the runway for olive oil-infused coffee. And while they didn't all love cheese-flavored chocolate and had different opinions on pop rock-infused Oreos, they showed love for two emerging brands with sweet sensibilities.

Brands in this episode: Chef's Life, TCHO, Jolly Moss, Starbucks, Huy Fong, Roland Foods, Oatly, Harney & Sons, Partanna, Evolution Fresh, Fireball, Coca-Cola, Oreo, Mountain Dew, Lesser Evil, Funyuns, Harken Sweets, Snickers, Mars Bar, Gigantic Candy

At one point during our conversation, Verde Farms CEO Brad Johnson expressed the simple, powerful value proposition that the organic, grass-fed beef brand offers to modern consumers.

"We're simply taking away all of the bad things that a broken food system introduced… to give you the purest version of something you already love."

That ethos has helped make Verde Farms into the leading U.S. provider of USDA certified organic, 100% grass-fed and 100% free-range beef, offering ground beef, steaks and stew meat. The Massachusetts-based brand sources beef from a network of family farmers in Uruguay, Australia and North America and touts its adherence to sustainable and substantiated business practices, including regenerative agriculture.

In 2020, Manna Tree, a Vail-based global investment firm whose mantra is to improve human health through nutrition, acquired a minority stake in Verde Farms for $15 million. At the time, Manna Tree noted that "consumers today are more keenly attuned to the impacts of their purchase decisions from a health and sustainability standpoint" and described Verde Farms as well-positioned to meet them where they shop. The brand is currently represented in several major retail chains, including Target, Harris Teeter, BJ's, The Fresh Market and Albertsons.

In an interview recorded during Manna Tree's recent leadership summit in Colorado, Brad spoke about how Verde Farms is attempting to democratize access to organic and grass-fed beef, why consumers view brand attributes in a holistic way, weighing investor expectations vs. mission-based goals, and why the company invests significantly in customer and consumer service.

0:43: Brad Johnson, CEO, Verde Farms – Brad spoke with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif about his background in Colorado and the meat business, Verde Farms' origin story and how the company attempts to communicate feeling and emotion. He also discussed Verde's pricing strategy, competition within the premium meat segment, why education and branding are the keys to its marketing strategy and how the brand is assessing opportunities in foodservice and growing consumer demand for clean label protein. Brad also explained how the company defines success and its role in promoting regenerative agriculture.

Brands in this episode: Verde Farms, The New Primal

In this special presentation of our sister show, the Brewbound Podcast, Naomi Neville, who is departing Allagash Brewing after 14 years of leading and building its sales team, shares her experience with the brand, reflects on the last decade-plus of craft and dishes on where she sees the segment going and what's next for her.

In food and beverage, innovative brands often get the most attention. Novel ingredients, formulations and flavors draw crowds. And, yet, products that are positioned as incrementally better-for-you than existing options might have more runway over the long-term. The hosts discussed the topic in this episode, which highlights several new products and brand extensions launched in recent weeks.

This episode also features a conversation with Good Culture co-founder and CEO Jesse Merrill and Steve Young, a managing partner with private equity firm Manna Tree, about the synergy between profit and purpose.

0:35: Jan, We Hardly Knew Thee. Expo What? VIPs Always Get Perks. Granola, Beans, Oats & Vibes. – Upon the arrival of a new month, the hosts looked ahead to Expo West 2024 and noted benefits that Taste Radio VIPs can receive at the event. They also chatted about Poppi's new TV advertisement, sampled a new line of "cookie granola," spoke about why a "basic" oat milk might resonate with Gen Z consumers and lauded luxury brownies and cold-brewed tea.

31:54: Interview: Steve Young, Managing Partner, Manna Tree & Jesse Merrill, Co-Founder/CEO, Good Culture – During Manna Tree's Leadership Summit in Vail, Colorado, Steve and Jesse sat down with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif for a conversation that began with a review of morning routines and why the Good Culture CEO no longer wakes up with anxiety. The discussion shifted to the interaction between investor and entrepreneur, balancing core values and business fundamentals, and why patience is a key aspect of their relationship. Jesse also explained why Good Culture prioritizes "consumer love and consumer demand" and why they both agree that "mission drives return" on investment.

Brands in this episode: Good Culture, Poppi, Olipop, Culture Pop, Pepsi, Coke, Athletic Brewing, Ithaca Hummus, Nature's Bakery, Fig Newton, Somos, Heyday Canning, A Dozen Cousins, Purely Elizabeth, Oatly, MALK, Lexington Bakes, Honey Mama's, Erva, Weekday Vibes

Ten years ago, few believed that an upstart brand could revolutionize the sleepy category of cottage cheese, and, by extension, dairy-based foods as a whole. Good Culture co-founder Jesse Merrill was part of that small cohort, and his steadfast belief that consumers want better-for-you and better tasting options in the dairy case defines his company, one some have described as "the next Chobani."

Launched in 2015, Good Culture markets a variety of cultured dairy products, including its flagship line of certified organic, pasture-raised, stabilizer and additive-free cottage cheese, along with sour cream, cream cheese and milk. A certified B Corporation and partner of 1% for the Planet, Good Culture products are sold nationally at Whole Foods, Target, Ralphs, Walmart, Sprouts and Kroger.

In 2022, the company completed a $64 Million Series C funding round led by mission-driven private equity firm Manna Tree which also included investment from actress Kristen Bell. At the time, Good Culture was generating $70 million in annual retail sales and targeting $100 million in sales for the fiscal year.

In this episode, Jesse spoke about how Good Culture aligns mission and values with business fundamentals, why proof of concept and velocity are keys to its growth strategy, being maniacal about delivering on the products' key attributes and how the best advice he ever received has benefited the company.

Show notes:

0:43: Interview: Jesse Merrill, Co-Founder & CEO, Good Culture – Jesse spoke with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif amid Manna Tree's Leadership Summit in Vail, Colorado and discussed his transition from the beverage industry into food, how he addressed early naysayers of Good Culture, holding ground on mission and values with retail partners and investors and why timing is critical when saying "yes" or "no." He also explained why non-promotional "velocity is the number brand health metric," why the company waited until it had established enough equity with its core business before innovating in other categories, how he views realistic versus ambitious goals and how both the worst and best advice he ever received impacted Good Culture's development.

Brands in this episode: Good Culture, Annie's

In this special presentation of our sister show, BevNET & NOSH's Community Call, industry veteran Arnulfo Ventura shares his winning blueprint for achieving exponential growth in CPG. Discover the tactics to propelling growth and strategically positioning a brand for acquisition.