Taste Radio

On the heels of the 2019 Summer Fancy Food Show, this week's episode explores new and innovative concepts in the food and beverage industries as viewed through the lens of the annual trade show. As part of our conversation, BevNET's John Craven, Mike Schneider, Jon Landis and Ray Latif discussed the event's "Incubator Village," which showcased a number of food and beverage incubators from across the U.S., including Chobani's unit, The Hatchery and Commonwealth Kitchen, along with several of their respective portfolio brands.

Later in the episode, we feature an interview with Smári Ásmundsson, the founder and CEO of Smári Organics, a maker of Icelandic-style skyr. Earlier this year, the company introduced Kaffi, an innovative line of cold brew coffee blended with Smari's protein-rich yogurt that is being positioned as a better-for-you energy drink. Ásmundsson spoke about how he assessed the opportunity to launch a beverage, the most challenging aspects in managing food and drink lines simultaneously and the unconventional path its coffee products have taken to profitability.

Show notes:

1:21: Important Changes to Your Account, Incubator Villages, and More -- We kick off the episode with an important note to our audience: going forward we'll be posting new episodes of Taste Radio Insider on the same feed as our flagship Taste Radio podcast. The Taste Radio Insider feed will be phased out next month, so if you're not already a subscriber of Taste Radio on your listening platform of choice, whether it be Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify, make sure you get on that.

Later in the show, the hosts discuss highlights and notable brands from an eventful 2019 Summer Fancy Food Show, as well as Jon Landis' upcoming move to San Diego, why you'll save money -- and get an amazing view -- by registering for BevNET Live and NOSH Live today, and a couple recent visits from the folks behind nitro coffee brand King's Row Coffee, and jun kombucha maker Wild Tonic.

17:56: Smári Ásmundsson, Founder/CEO, Smári Organics -- Ásmundsson sat down with Taste Radio editor/producer Ray Latif for a conversation about the yogurt brand's foray into beverages and how he's navigated production and distribution challenges along the way. He also explained why the coffee drinks are made with non-organic ingredients, the process of selling food and beverage lines to a single retail chain, and how the influence of Nordic culture on the brand.

Brands in this episode: Smari Organics, MudLrk, Lil Bucks, Blake's Seed Based, Seedly, Simply Soupreme, Jersey Barnfire, Straightaway Cocktails, Fire Brew, Superfrau, A Boring Life, Rind Snacks, Honey Mama's, UBU, King's Row Coffee, Wild Tonic, Steaz, Belgian Boys

On the heels of the 2019 Summer Fancy Food Show, this week’s episode explores new and innovative concepts in the food and beverage industries as viewed through the lens of the annual trade show. As part of our conversation, BevNET’s John Craven, Mike Schneider, Jon Landis and Ray Latif discussed the event’s “Incubator Village,” which showcased a number of food and beverage incubators from across the U.S., including Chobani’s unit, The Hatchery and Commonwealth Kitchen, along with several of their respective portfolio brands.

Later in the episode, we feature an interview with Smári Ásmundsson, the founder and CEO of Smári Organics, a maker of Icelandic-style skyr. Earlier this year, the company introduced Kaffi, an innovative line of cold brew coffee blended with Smari’s protein-rich yogurt that is being positioned as a better-for-you energy drink. Ásmundsson spoke about how he assessed the opportunity to launch a beverage, the most challenging aspects in managing food and drink lines simultaneously and the unconventional path its coffee products have taken to profitability.

Show notes:

1:21: Important Changes to Your Account, Incubator Villages, and More -- We kick off the episode with an important note to our audience: going forward we’ll be posting new episodes of Taste Radio Insider on the same feed as our flagship Taste Radio podcast. The Taste Radio Insider feed will be phased out next month, so if you’re not already a subscriber of Taste Radio on your listening platform of choice, whether it be Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify, make sure you get on that. 

Later in the show, the hosts discuss highlights and notable brands from an eventful 2019 Summer Fancy Food Show, as well as Jon Landis’ upcoming move to San Diego, why you’ll save money -- and get an amazing view -- by registering for BevNET Live and NOSH Live today, and a couple recent visits from the folks behind nitro coffee brand King’s Row Coffee, and jun kombucha maker Wild Tonic.

17:56: Smári Ásmundsson, Founder/CEO, Smári Organics -- Ásmundsson sat down with Taste Radio editor/producer Ray Latif for a conversation about the yogurt brand’s foray into beverages and how he’s navigated production and distribution challenges along the way. He also explained why the coffee drinks are made with non-organic ingredients, the process of selling food and beverage lines to a single retail chain, and how the influence of Nordic culture on the brand.

Brands in this episode: Smari Organics, MudLrk, Lil Bucks, Blake’s Seed Based, Seedly, Simply Soupreme, Jersey Barnfire, Straightaway Cocktails, Fire Brew, Superfrau, A Boring Life, Rind Snacks, Honey Mama’s, UBU, King’s Row Coffee, Wild Tonic, Steaz, Belgian Boys

Doss Cunningham was just a few years out of college when he was unexpectedly thrust into the role of CEO at sports nutrition company Nutrabolt in 2007. His primary focus: "don't screw it up."

Cunningham's transition was not only successful, he since transformed Nutrabolt from a middling category player into an industry-leading powerhouse. Anchored by best-selling pre-workout brand C4, Nutrabolt is the largest independently owned nutraceutical company in the world, with retail sales exceeding $650 million.

In an interview included in this episode, Cunningham spoke about his remarkable rise to the CEO role, and why focusing on premium as the guiding principle of the company's business strategy was key in the development of Nutrabolt and the genesis of C4. He also discussed the mission and focus of his venture capital firm LivWell Ventures and the lessons he hopes to impart to brand owners within its portfolio. This episode is presented by Flavorman, the beverage architects.

Show notes:

2:51: Interview: Doss Cunningham, Chairman/CEO, Nutrabolt -- In a conversation recorded at BevNET Live Summer 2019, Cunningham discussed the evolution of his role at Nutrabolt and his unusual path to becoming the company's CEO. He also spoke about the development of Nutrabolt's retail strategy and how it enabled company the company to grow without raising outside capital, and why the creation of C4 was a game changer for the sports nutrition industry. Later, Cunningham explained why he's focused on being a valued-added investor for early stage and innovative brands.

Brands in this episode: Nutrabolt, C4, Cellucor

Doss Cunningham was just a few years out of college when he was unexpectedly thrust into the role of CEO at sports nutrition company Nutrabolt in 2007. His primary focus: “don’t screw it up.”

Cunningham’s transition was not only successful, he since transformed Nutrabolt from a middling category player into an industry-leading powerhouse. Anchored by best-selling pre-workout brand C4, Nutrabolt is the largest independently owned nutraceutical company in the world, with retail sales exceeding $650 million.

In an interview included in this episode, Cunningham spoke about his remarkable rise to the CEO role, and why focusing on premium as the guiding principle of the company’s business strategy was key in the development of Nutrabolt and the genesis of C4. He also discussed the mission and focus of his venture capital firm LivWell Ventures and the lessons he hopes to impart to brand owners within its portfolio. This episode is presented by Flavorman, the beverage architects.

Show notes: 

2:51: Interview: Doss Cunningham, Chairman/CEO, Nutrabolt -- In a conversation recorded at BevNET Live Summer 2019, Cunningham discussed the evolution of his role at Nutrabolt and his unusual path to becoming the company’s CEO. He also spoke about the development of Nutrabolt’s retail strategy and how it enabled company the company to grow without raising outside capital, and why the creation of C4 was a game changer for the sports nutrition industry. Later, Cunningham explained why he’s focused on being a valued-added investor for early stage and innovative brands.

Brands in this episode: Nutrabolt, C4, Cellucor

In this episode, we're joined by Sebastian Dreher, the managing director of Dohler Ventures U.S., the Los Angeles-based venture capital arm of Dohler, a global supplier of natural ingredients for the food and beverage industry.

Dohler Ventures is specifically focused on investment in early-stage companies and its portfolio includes stakes in a number of fast-growing consumer brands. As part of our conversation, Dreher discussed Dohler Ventures' funding philosophy and why he believes that investing in emerging brands is more "art than science."

"There is so much risk involved in every single deal that I need to have the feeling that this company has the potential to… have a $100 million exit," he said. "It's a lot of gut feel, [but] you can argue that gut feel is actually a lot of internalized pattern recognition and learnings over time."

Dreher also spoke about how he evaluates scalable innovation, why category dynamics are crucial to Dohler's investment strategy, and why great founders are also great fundraisers.

Show notes:

1:48: Wilde On B -- Post-BevNET events, the hosts chewed on chicken in chip form (thank you Wilde Brands), sipped on sparkling rooibos tea, snacked on salmon jerky and chastised Jon Landis for his beverage hoarding. Of course, CBD is also the mix.

10:43: Sebastian Dreher, Managing Director, Döhler Ventures U.S. -- In an interview recorded BevNET Live Summer 2019, Dreher spoke with Taste Radio editor/producer Ray Latif about the mission and focus of Dohler Ventures and how his passion for innovation has helped shape his role with the venture capital firm. He also explained why a brand's potential to create a new category is a key component of Dohler's funding philosophy, the average size of an investment and the number of investments that Dohler Ventures makes in a calendar year, and his view that "Investors don't invest in products, but in businesses, businesses that get acquired." Later he discussed his expectations for ROI, red flags that preclude him from investing in a brand, and how he manages relationships with entrepreneurs and other investors.

Brands in this episode: Wilde Brands, BOS Tea, Fishpeople, Minna, Upwell

In this episode, we’re joined by Sebastian Dreher, the managing director of Dohler Ventures U.S., the Los Angeles-based venture capital arm of Dohler, a global supplier of natural ingredients for the food and beverage industry.

Dohler Ventures is specifically focused on investment in early-stage companies and its portfolio includes stakes in a number of fast-growing consumer brands. As part of our conversation, Dreher discussed Dohler Ventures’ funding philosophy and why he believes that investing in emerging brands is more “art than science.”

“There is so much risk involved in every single deal that I need to have the feeling that this company has the potential to… have a $100 million exit,” he said. “It’s a lot of gut feel, [but] you can argue that gut feel is actually a lot of internalized pattern recognition and learnings over time.”

Dreher also spoke about how he evaluates scalable innovation, why category dynamics are crucial to Dohler’s investment strategy, and why great founders are also great fundraisers.

Show notes:

1:48: Wilde On B -- Post-BevNET events, the hosts chewed on chicken in chip form (thank you Wilde Brands), sipped on sparkling rooibos tea, snacked on salmon jerky and chastised Jon Landis for his beverage hoarding. Of course, CBD is also the mix.

10:43: Sebastian Dreher, Managing Director, Döhler Ventures U.S. -- In an interview recorded BevNET Live Summer 2019, Dreher spoke with Taste Radio editor/producer Ray Latif about the mission and focus of Dohler Ventures and how his passion for innovation has helped shape his role with the venture capital firm. He also explained why a brand’s potential to create a new category is a key component of Dohler’s funding philosophy, the average size of an investment and the number of investments that Dohler Ventures makes in a calendar year, and his view that “Investors don’t invest in products, but in businesses, businesses that get acquired.” Later he discussed his expectations for ROI, red flags that preclude him from investing in a brand, and how he manages relationships with entrepreneurs and other investors.

Brands in this episode: Wilde Brands, BOS Tea, Fishpeople, Minna, Upwell

Thirteen years ago, Siggi Hilmarsson began selling the first versions of his Icelandic-style yogurt on the streets of Manhattan. At the time, the Siggi's brand he would eventually create didn't exist; the products were simply promoted as "really delicious thick yogurt" with "lots of protein," "low in fat" and "not so much sugar." While the marketing has since evolved, the company's core values remain unchanged, according to Hilmarsson; both were key to its development and eventual acquisition by French dairy giant Lactalis for a reported sum of $300 million in January 2018.

In a wide-ranging interview included in this episode, Hilmarsson spoke about the evolution of Siggi's, from his early days slinging street yogurt through to the sale of the brand. He also discussed his current role with the company and why he's stayed on after the acquisition, the important role basketball plays in his life, why he's a "maybe, sort-of perfectionist," and why he urges entrepreneurs to "plan for success." This episode is presented by Flavorman, the beverage architects.

Show notes:

2:57: Interview: Siggi Hilmarsson, Founder, Siggi's -- Hilmarsson sat down with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif for an interview recorded at Siggi's headquarters in New York City. Early into their conversation, Hilmarsson spoke about how he developed a passion for basketball, his recent work to open new international markets for Siggi's, and the influence of Nordic cuisine on American food. Later, he discussed his first year in business and why one of his professors at Columbia University was so eager to invest in the brand, how the brand got its name, and recalled the story about how Siggi's got into Whole Foods. Hilmarsson also explained why overwhelming demand for the brand almost doomed the company, the lessons he learned about building an infrastructure for success and whether launching a second brand is in his future.

Brands in this episode: Siggi's, Chobani, Stonyfield Farm

Thirteen years ago, Siggi Hilmarsson began selling the first versions of his Icelandic-style yogurt on the streets of Manhattan. At the time, the Siggi’s brand he would eventually create didn’t exist; the products were simply promoted as “really delicious thick yogurt” with “lots of protein,” “low in fat” and “not so much sugar.” While the marketing has since evolved, the company’s core values remain unchanged, according to Hilmarsson; both were key to its development and eventual acquisition by French dairy giant Lactalis for a reported sum of $300 million in January 2018.

In a wide-ranging interview included in this episode, Hilmarsson spoke about the evolution of Siggi’s, from his early days slinging street yogurt through to the sale of the brand. He also discussed his current role with the company and why he’s stayed on after the acquisition, the important role basketball plays in his life, why he’s a “maybe, sort-of perfectionist,” and why he urges entrepreneurs to “plan for success.” This episode is presented by Flavorman, the beverage architects.

Show notes:

2:57: Interview: Siggi Hilmarsson, Founder, Siggi’s -- Hilmarsson sat down with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif for an interview recorded at Siggi’s headquarters in New York City. Early into their conversation, Hilmarsson spoke about how he developed a passion for basketball, his recent work to open new international markets for Siggi’s, and the influence of Nordic cuisine on American food. Later, he discussed his first year in business and why one of his professors at Columbia University was so eager to invest in the brand, how the brand got its name, and recalled the story about how Siggi’s got into Whole Foods. Hilmarsson also explained why overwhelming demand for the brand almost doomed the company, the lessons he learned about building an infrastructure for success and whether launching a second brand is in his future.

Brands in this episode: Siggi’s, Chobani, Stonyfield Farm

This episode features an interview with Sisun Lee, the co-founder and CEO of More Labs, a next-generation maker of functional beverages best known for hangover relief supplement Morning Recovery. Launched in 2017 via an Indiegogo campaign, the brand was an instant hit; Morning Recovery pulled in $3 million in revenue in its first six months on the market.

Early success powered an $8 million Series A round -- based on a $33 million valuation -- in 2018 and new distribution at retailers like 7-Eleven and Urban Outfitters. In an interview with BevNET's John Craven and Mike Schneider, Lee discussed the factors and strategic decisions that led to Morning Recovery's rapid development, and how More Labs is attempting to create a platform for functional products.

Show notes:

1:16: Live from Live -- On location in New York City, the hosts discussed highlights from day one of BevNET Live Summer 2019 and the preceding NOSH Live conference, including the New Beverage Showdown along with presentations and stage talks with vitaminwater/BodyArmor co-founder Mike Repole, Presence Marketing founder Bill Weiland, Caluipower founder/CEO Gail Becker and Whole Foods Market co-founder Walter Robb.

13:17: Interview: Sisun Lee, Co-Founder/CEO, More Labs -- In an interview recorded at More Labs headquarters, Lee spoke about how his background in tech and the influence of Korean culture played into the creation of Morning Recovery. He also discussed how a popular funding campaign on Indiegogo and a widely read article about the brand catapulted sales just a few months after its initial launch. Later, Lee spoke about the value of qualitative data and intuition as the company grew, how it sources consumer feedback and incorporates into its innovation strategy and why high-quality, minimalist content attracts more interest than communicating the science behind product.

Brands in this episode: Vitaminwater, BodyArmor, Caulipower, Beckon Ice Cream, More Labs

This episode features an interview with Sisun Lee, the co-founder and CEO of More Labs, a next-generation maker of functional beverages best known for hangover relief supplement Morning Recovery. Launched in 2017 via an Indiegogo campaign, the brand was an instant hit; Morning Recovery pulled in $3 million in revenue in its first six months on the market.

Early success powered an $8 million Series A round -- based on a $33 million valuation -- in 2018 and new distribution at retailers like 7-Eleven and Urban Outfitters. In an interview with BevNET’s John Craven and Mike Schneider, Lee discussed the factors and strategic decisions that led to Morning Recovery’s rapid development, and how More Labs is attempting to create a platform for functional products.

Show notes:

1:16: Live from Live -- On location in New York City, the hosts discussed highlights from day one of BevNET Live Summer 2019 and the preceding NOSH Live conference, including the New Beverage Showdown along with presentations and stage talks with vitaminwater/BodyArmor co-founder Mike Repole, Presence Marketing founder Bill Weiland, Caluipower founder/CEO Gail Becker and Whole Foods Market co-founder Walter Robb.

13:17: Interview: Sisun Lee, Co-Founder/CEO, More Labs -- In an interview recorded at More Labs headquarters, Lee spoke about how his background in tech and the influence of Korean culture played into the creation of Morning Recovery. He also discussed how a popular funding campaign on Indiegogo and a widely read article about the brand catapulted sales just a few months after its initial launch. Later, Lee spoke about the value of qualitative data and intuition as the company grew, how it sources consumer feedback and incorporates into its innovation strategy and why high-quality, minimalist content attracts more interest than communicating the science behind product.

Brands in this episode: Vitaminwater, BodyArmor, Caulipower, Beckon Ice Cream, More Labs