Taste Radio

Aloha, a brand of organic, plant-based protein bars and powders, almost said goodbye to the market.

Serial entrepreneur Constantin Bisanz created the company in 2014 with grand aspirations to democratize access to organic, healthy and better-for you food. At launch, the brand's direct-to-consumer platform featured a wide variety of products, including snack bars, elixirs, vitamin supplements and teas, that were promoted as nutritious and made from sustainably-sourced ingredients.

Although Aloha came out of the gate with considerable hype and funding and later secured a national distribution deal with Target, the brand's development was stunted by a number of missteps and stumbles that eventually threatened its survival. Enter Brad Charron, who was tapped as the company's new CEO in 2017 and tasked with revitalizing the company and brand. Prior to joining Aloha, Charron had shepherded the turnaround of four sports nutrition brands as the SVP/GM of the Nature's Bounty Company, in addition to previous work experience at Under Armour, Chobani and Kind Snacks.

In an interview included in this episode, Charron discussed the challenges facing Aloha, and noted that a lack of focus was chief among its problems.

"If you try to bite off more than you can chew, if you not choiceful in the prioritization of your resources, you can find yourself in a heap of trouble quickly," he said.

As part of our conversation, Charron discussed his belief that upon his arrival Aloha hadn't yet passed the proof of concept stage, as well as how the brand is refining its product portfolio. He also spoke about his approach to formulating and executing a turnaround strategy for the brand, and why addressing issues with company culture was critical to his mission.

Also included in this episode: an interview with Dean Eberhardt and Andrew Markley, the co-founders of HopLark HopTea, a new brand of sparkling, non-alcoholic hop-infused teas. The brand claimed victory in BevNET Live's New Beverage Showdown 16, and in our conversation, we discussed the origins, formulation and positioning of HopTea and what's next for the brand.

Show notes:

1:39: Landis Lives! Blurring Lines Amid Scenes of a Showdown -- The hosts welcomed back Jon Landis, who fell ill at BevNET Live and also discussed the final round of BevNET Live's New Beverage Showdown 16 and why it was challenging for the judges to pick a winner. They also spoke about blurring lines among non-alcoholic beverages and beer, cannabis at the conferences, and how BevNET CEO John Craven busted a pinata. Lastly, they thanked Mike Dunford, the co-founder of chocolate beverage brand Coco Metro and Patrick Tannous, the co-founder/president of tea company Tiesta Tea for visits to BevNET HQ and noted that the Nov/Dec 2018 issue of BevNET magazine, which includes features on kombucha, hard cider and dairy alternatives, is now available online.

16:44: Interview: Brad Charron, CEO, Aloha -- Charron joined BevNET's Ray Latif for an interview recorded in the Taste Radio studio in Watertown, Mass. where he discussed the process of reinvigorating Aloha, which had been mired in problems before he joined the company in 2017. Among the topics discussed: Aloha's complicated mission, why he decided to focus on selling powders and bars, changing company culture to achieve "a team of equals," lessons from Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya and Kind Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky.

36:53: Interview: Dean Eberhardt and Andrew Markley, Co-Founders, HopTea -- Victorious in New Beverage Showdown 16, HopTea beat out 11 other early-stage brands over the two-day competition, which was held on Dec. 3 and 4 in Santa Monica. Shortly after their big win, Eberhardt and Markley sat down with BevNET CMO Mike Schneider and spoke about their journey as early-stage entrepreneurs.

Brands in this episode: Aloha, HopLark HopTea, Willie's Superbrew, Joybird Wellness, Mother Matcha, Hubble, Riff Cold Brew, Zest Tea, Kiva, EvoHemp, DRNXMYTH, BTL SVC, My B Sweet, Coco Metro, Tiesta Tea, Health-Ade Kombucha, Chobani, Kind Snacks, Under Armour

Aloha, a brand of organic, plant-based protein bars and powders, almost said goodbye to the market.

Serial entrepreneur Constantin Bisanz created the company in 2014 with grand aspirations to democratize access to organic, healthy and better-for you food. At launch, the brand’s direct-to-consumer platform featured a wide variety of products, including snack bars, elixirs, vitamin supplements and teas, that were promoted as nutritious and made from sustainably-sourced ingredients.

Although Aloha came out of the gate with considerable hype and funding and later secured a national distribution deal with Target, the brand’s development was stunted by a number of missteps and stumbles that eventually threatened its survival. Enter Brad Charron, who was tapped as the company’s new CEO in 2017 and tasked with revitalizing the company and brand. Prior to joining Aloha, Charron had shepherded the turnaround of four sports nutrition brands as the SVP/GM of the Nature’s Bounty Company, in addition to previous work experience at Under Armour, Chobani and Kind Snacks.

In an interview included in this episode, Charron discussed the challenges facing Aloha, and noted that a lack of focus was chief among its problems.

“If you try to bite off more than you can chew, if you not choiceful in the prioritization of your resources, you can find yourself in a heap of trouble quickly,” he said.

As part of our conversation, Charron discussed his belief that upon his arrival Aloha hadn’t yet passed the proof of concept stage, as well as how the brand is refining its product portfolio. He also spoke about his approach to formulating and executing a turnaround strategy for the brand, and why addressing issues with company culture was critical to his mission.

Also included in this episode: an interview with Dean Eberhardt and Andrew Markley, the co-founders of HopLark HopTea, a new brand of sparkling, non-alcoholic hop-infused teas. The brand claimed victory in BevNET Live’s New Beverage Showdown 16, and in our conversation, we discussed the origins, formulation and positioning of HopTea and what’s next for the brand.

Show notes:

1:39: Landis Lives! Blurring Lines Amid Scenes of a Showdown -- The hosts welcomed back Jon Landis, who fell ill at BevNET Live and also discussed the final round of BevNET Live’s New Beverage Showdown 16 and why it was challenging for the judges to pick a winner. They also spoke about blurring lines among non-alcoholic beverages and beer, cannabis at the conferences, and how BevNET CEO John Craven busted a pinata. Lastly, they thanked Mike Dunford, the co-founder of chocolate beverage brand Coco Metro and Patrick Tannous, the co-founder/president of tea company Tiesta Tea for visits to BevNET HQ and noted that the Nov/Dec 2018 issue of BevNET magazine, which includes features on kombucha, hard cider and dairy alternatives, is now available online.

16:44: Interview: Brad Charron, CEO, Aloha -- Charron joined BevNET’s Ray Latif for an interview recorded in the Taste Radio studio in Watertown, Mass. where he discussed the process of reinvigorating Aloha, which had been mired in problems before he joined the company in 2017. Among the topics discussed: Aloha’s complicated mission, why he decided to focus on selling powders and bars, changing company culture to achieve “a team of equals,” lessons from Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya and Kind Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky.

36:53: Interview: Dean Eberhardt and Andrew Markley, Co-Founders, HopTea -- Victorious in New Beverage Showdown 16, HopTea beat out 11 other early-stage brands over the two-day competition, which was held on Dec. 3 and 4 in Santa Monica. Shortly after their big win, Eberhardt and Markley sat down with BevNET CMO Mike Schneider and spoke about their journey as early-stage entrepreneurs.

Brands in this episode: Aloha, HopLark HopTea, Willie’s Superbrew, Joybird Wellness, Mother Matcha, Hubble, Riff Cold Brew, Zest Tea, Kiva, EvoHemp, DRNXMYTH, BTL SVC, My B Sweet, Coco Metro, Tiesta Tea, Health-Ade Kombucha, Chobani, Kind Snacks, Under Armour

Organic snacks are commonplace these days, but that wasn't the case just a few years ago. Nicole Dawes is one of a handful of entrepreneurs who helped who helped usher in the current golden era for organic products, having launched Late July, a brand of organic tortilla chips and crackers, in 2003.

During an interview included in this episode, Dawes explained that the company was born of necessity and a heritage of entrepreneurship: at the time, there were no organic crackers, one of Dawes' favorite foods and her father was the founder of Cape Cod Potato Chips, while her mother had once owned a natural food store. Over the past 15 years, Late July has grown to become a staple in the snack aisles of grocery stores across the U.S. and today pulls in over $100 million in annual revenue.

Steady growth attracted the attention of snack giant Snyder's Lance, which had been an early investor in Late July and in 2014 acquired a majority stake in the brand. Snyder's Lance was acquired by The Campbell Soup Co. last year.

Listen to our full conversation with Dawes, which chronicled her entrepreneurial journey from childhood to her decision to launch Late July Snacks to its eventual sale. She also explained why staying independent early on and maintaining voting control of her company saved it from potential downfall, discussed the keys to a good working relationship with your spouse and told a remarkable story about her first sales call. This episode is presented by Blue Pacific Flavors.

Show notes:

3:40: Interview: Nicole Dawes, Founder, Late July Snacks -- Recorded at NOSH Live Winter 2018, Dawes joined us for an interview shortly after a presentation that she gave at the conference. She delves into her family's heritage of entrepreneurship, how she identified an opportunity for organic snacks, and how Late July became a national brand shortly after its first trade show. She also explained why "understanding your velocity is the entire game," discussed the risks of giving up too much equity and spoke about how she navigated her way through a personal tragedy and a problem that could have cost her control of Late July. Dawes also talked about working with her husband and how they delegate family and work responsibilities and the upcoming launch of Nixie, her new sparkling water brand.

Brands in this episode: Cape Cod Potato Chips, Late July Snacks, Snyder's Lance, Chatham Village Croutons

Organic snacks are commonplace these days, but that wasn’t the case just a few years ago. Nicole Dawes is one of a handful of entrepreneurs who helped who helped usher in the current golden era for organic products, having launched Late July, a brand of organic tortilla chips and crackers, in 2003.

During an interview included in this episode, Dawes explained that the company was born of necessity and a heritage of entrepreneurship: at the time, there were no organic crackers, one of Dawes’ favorite foods and her father was the founder of Cape Cod Potato Chips, while her mother had once owned a natural food store. Over the past 15 years, Late July has grown to become a staple in the snack aisles of grocery stores across the U.S. and today pulls in over $100 million in annual revenue.

Steady growth attracted the attention of snack giant Snyder’s Lance, which had been an early investor in Late July and in 2014 acquired a majority stake in the brand. Snyder’s Lance was acquired by The Campbell Soup Co. last year.

Listen to our full conversation with Dawes, which chronicled her entrepreneurial journey from childhood to her decision to launch Late July Snacks to its eventual sale. She also explained why staying independent early on and maintaining voting control of her company saved it from potential downfall, discussed the keys to a good working relationship with your spouse and told a remarkable story about her first sales call. This episode is presented by Blue Pacific Flavors.

Show notes:

3:40: Interview: Nicole Dawes, Founder, Late July Snacks -- Recorded at NOSH Live Winter 2018, Dawes joined us for an interview shortly after a presentation that she gave at the conference. She delves into her family’s heritage of entrepreneurship, how she identified an opportunity for organic snacks, and how Late July became a national brand shortly after its first trade show. She also explained why “understanding your velocity is the entire game,” discussed the risks of giving up too much equity and spoke about how she navigated her way through a personal tragedy and a problem that could have cost her control of Late July. Dawes also talked about working with her husband and how they delegate family and work responsibilities and the upcoming launch of Nixie, her new sparkling water brand.

Brands in this episode: Cape Cod Potato Chips, Late July Snacks, Snyder’s Lance, Chatham Village Croutons

In this episode of Taste Radio Insider, we continued our exploration into the evolving food and beverage market in the U.K. from the perspective of two London-based entrepreneurs: Jarr Kombucha co-founder Adam Vanni and Moju Drinks co-founder Rich Goldsmith. Each discussed how they are scaling their brands in the emerging categories of kombucha and cold-pressed juice in the U.K., and what they view as the biggest opportunities for their respective companies. Note that our interview with Vanni came prior to the announcement that beer giant Duvel Moortgat had acquired a 60 percent majority stake in Jarr Kombucha, a deal that he alluded to during the conversation.

Also in this episode: the hosts discussed notable moments and presentations from day one of BevNET Live Winter 2018, held in Santa Monica on Dec. 3 and 4.

Show notes:

1:41: You Can See The Pacific From Our Room: Recorded at the Taste Radio studio at BevNET Live Winter 2018, BevNET's Ray Latif, John Craven, Mike Schneider and Jeff Klineman riffed on day one of the conference. The conversation included discussion about the semifinal round of New Beverage Showdown 16, notable presentations by GT's Living Foods founder/CEO GT Dave and Fiji Water president Elizabeth Stephenson, a breakout session on CBD beverages, BevNET's Cannabis Forum and our Best of 2018 awards. A big thanks to the sponsor of the Taste Radio studio at BevNET Live, Blue Pacific Flavors, which makes authentic fruit and sweet flavors for global food and beverage brands.

13:45: Interview: Adam Vanni, Co-Founder, Jarr Kombucha -- On location in London, BevNET CEO John Craven sat down with Vanni, who discussed the launch of Jarr and its development and compared the market for kombucha in the U.S. and U.K. He also offered insight into the evolution of the kombucha category, why it's picking up traction in British bars and restaurants and the usage occasions for British consumers. Finally, Vanni addressed capacity constraints for Jarr and funding an expansion of its facility.

25:57: Interview: Rich Goldsmith, Co-Founder, Moju Drinks -- Goldsmith spoke about the founding story for Moju, which was launched in 2015, its product portfolio and brand positioning. He also discussed the evolution of the market for cold-pressed juice in U.K., how the country "cherry picks" and adopts emerging trends from the U.S., and continued challenges in communicating the meaning of cold-pressed. Goldsmith also spoke about British consumers' growing concerns about sugary drinks, differences in U.S. and U.K. palates, and what he views as the biggest opportunity for Moju.

Brands in this episode: GT's Kombucha, Fiji Water, Jarr Kombucha, KeVita, Remedy Kombucha, Go Kombucha, Equinox Kombucha, Love Kombucha, J2O, Moju Drinks

In this episode of Taste Radio Insider, we continued our exploration into the evolving food and beverage market in the U.K. from the perspective of two London-based entrepreneurs: Jarr Kombucha co-founder Adam Vanni and Moju Drinks co-founder Rich Goldsmith. Each discussed how they are scaling their brands in the emerging categories of kombucha and cold-pressed juice in the U.K., and what they view as the biggest opportunities for their respective companies. Note that our interview with Vanni came prior to the announcement that beer giant Duvel Moortgat had acquired a 60 percent majority stake in Jarr Kombucha, a deal that he alluded to during the conversation.

Also in this episode: the hosts discussed notable moments and presentations from day one of BevNET Live Winter 2018, held in Santa Monica on Dec. 3 and 4.

Show notes:

1:41: You Can See The Pacific From Our Room: Recorded at the Taste Radio studio at BevNET Live Winter 2018, BevNET’s Ray Latif, John Craven, Mike Schneider and Jeff Klineman riffed on day one of the conference. The conversation included discussion about the semifinal round of New Beverage Showdown 16, notable presentations by GT’s Living Foods founder/CEO GT Dave and Fiji Water president Elizabeth Stephenson, a breakout session on CBD beverages, BevNET’s Cannabis Forum and our Best of 2018 awards. A big thanks to the sponsor of the Taste Radio studio at BevNET Live, Blue Pacific Flavors, which makes authentic fruit and sweet flavors for global food and beverage brands.

13:45: Interview: Adam Vanni, Co-Founder, Jarr Kombucha -- On location in London, BevNET CEO John Craven sat down with Vanni, who discussed the launch of Jarr and its development and compared the market for kombucha in the U.S. and U.K. He also offered insight into the evolution of the kombucha category, why it’s picking up traction in British bars and restaurants and the usage occasions for British consumers. Finally, Vanni addressed capacity constraints for Jarr and funding an expansion of its facility.

25:57: Interview: Rich Goldsmith, Co-Founder, Moju Drinks -- Goldsmith spoke about the founding story for Moju, which was launched in 2015, its product portfolio and brand positioning. He also discussed the evolution of the market for cold-pressed juice in U.K., how the country “cherry picks” and adopts emerging trends from the U.S., and continued challenges in communicating the meaning of cold-pressed. Goldsmith also spoke about British consumers’ growing concerns about sugary drinks, differences in U.S. and U.K. palates, and what he views as the biggest opportunity for Moju.

Brands in this episode: GT’s Kombucha, Fiji Water, Jarr Kombucha, KeVita, Remedy Kombucha, Go Kombucha, Equinox Kombucha, Love Kombucha, J2O, Moju Drinks

As a co-founder of Method, Adam Lowry helped marry ultra-stylish packaging and environmentally friendly cleaning products to create one of the world's most iconic consumer brands. After selling the company in 2015, however, Lowry wasn't content to simply sail off into the sunset.

In his next act, he's trying to revolutionize the way people think about dairy alternatives with Ripple Foods, a maker of pea-based protein beverages and foods. Ripple has gotten off to a fast start, having captured the attention of consumers, retailers, and investors -- the company has pulled in $110 million in capital since 2014 -- with an array of innovative and nutritious alt-dairy products such as milks, creamers and yogurts.

In an interview included in this episode, Lowry explored the development of both Method and Ripple and how lessons from the former factored into the foundation for the latter. He also shared his perspective on how the funding environment for CPG brands has changed, why it was important to hire a CEO early into Method's life cycle, how the company attracted world-class designer Karim Rashid to its team, and how he manages work-life balance.

Show notes:

3:12: Adam Lowry, Co-Founder, Ripple Foods/Method Products -- In a call with BevNET's Ray Latif, Lowry explained how passion for environment led to the creation of Method, how the brand's first meeting at Target didn't go so well (the buyer gave Method "a snowball's chance in hell") and how the company persevered through constant challenges. He also discussed Ripple's mission and its innovative technology, its potential interest in partnerships with large food companies, the brand's edgy marketing initiatives, and why he believes that "raising money is not an indicator of success."

Brands in this episode: Ripple Foods, Method Products

As a co-founder of Method, Adam Lowry helped marry ultra-stylish packaging and environmentally friendly cleaning products to create one of the world’s most iconic consumer brands. After selling the company in 2015, however, Lowry wasn’t content to simply sail off into the sunset.

In his next act, he’s trying to revolutionize the way people think about dairy alternatives with Ripple Foods, a maker of pea-based protein beverages and foods. Ripple has gotten off to a fast start, having captured the attention of consumers, retailers, and investors -- the company has pulled in $110 million in capital since 2014 -- with an array of innovative and nutritious alt-dairy products such as milks, creamers and yogurts.

In an interview included in this episode, Lowry explored the development of both Method and Ripple and how lessons from the former factored into the foundation for the latter. He also shared his perspective on how the funding environment for CPG brands has changed, why it was important to hire a CEO early into Method’s life cycle, how the company attracted world-class designer Karim Rashid to its team, and how he manages work-life balance.

Show notes:

3:12: Adam Lowry, Co-Founder, Ripple Foods/Method Products -- In a call with BevNET’s Ray Latif, Lowry explained how passion for environment led to the creation of Method, how the brand’s first meeting at Target didn’t go so well (the buyer gave Method “a snowball’s chance in hell”) and how the company persevered through constant challenges. He also discussed Ripple’s mission and its innovative technology, its potential interest in partnerships with large food companies, the brand’s edgy marketing initiatives, and why he believes that “raising money is not an indicator of success.”

Brands in this episode: Ripple Foods, Method Products

Veteran CPG executive Arnold Ventura cut his teeth in food and beverage as the founder of bottled aguas frescas brand Coba. While ultimately unsuccessful, his experience as a beverage entrepreneur laid the foundation for his career, as he went on to take leadership roles at PepsiCo as part of its emerging brands unit and at Califia Farms, where he spearheaded the company's business development and e-commerce divisions.

In July Ventura was tapped as the CEO of bean snack brand Beanfields and in an interview included in this episode, he explained how each stop along his career has refined his perspective on business and leadership style.

"I think in many ways, it's getting more swings of the bat in different situations and ultimately resulting in confidence," he said. "I can sit here today, make decisions on the fly on a daily basis and it comes from a pattern recognition because [I've] looked at so many different things."

The one constant, he noted, is his approach to sales and marketing, which he described as "old school."

"Whether it's food or beverage, in our world, in the CPG world, it's a romance industry," he said. "And you win a consumer one bag at a time, one bottle at a time."

Listen to our full interview with Ventura which includes his take on the evolution of e-commerce and why product attributes that were once considered "holy grail" are now "table stakes" for brands. He also discussed the importance of ingredient transparency and differentiation being in lockstep.

Show notes:

1:48: Whoa, We're Halfway There -- Recording from the Taste Radio studio in the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, the hosts riffed on the recently wrapped Brewbound Live Winter 2018 conference and day one of NOSH Live Winter 2018, which included an expanded Sampling Experience and Expo. Next up… Cannabis Forum and BevNET Live Winter 2018.

8:04: Interview: Arnold Ventura, CEO, Beanfields -- A Stanford MBA and former beverage entrepreneur, Ventura led the business development and e-commerce divisions at Califia Farms prior to joining Beanfields and previously worked at PepsiCo as part of its emerging brands unit. In an interview with John Craven and Mike Schneider, Ventura explores the development of his professional life amid the rapidly evolving food and beverage industries and how lessons gleaned from each role have molded his perspective on business and his leadership style.

Brands in this episode: Beanfields, Naked, Izze, Califia Farms, Coba

Veteran CPG executive Arnold Ventura cut his teeth in food and beverage as the founder of bottled aguas frescas brand Coba. While ultimately unsuccessful, his experience as a beverage entrepreneur laid the foundation for his career, as he went on to take leadership roles at PepsiCo as part of its emerging brands unit and at Califia Farms, where he spearheaded the company’s business development and e-commerce divisions.

In July Ventura was tapped as the CEO of bean snack brand Beanfields and in an interview included in this episode, he explained how each stop along his career has refined his perspective on business and leadership style.

“I think in many ways, it’s getting more swings of the bat in different situations and ultimately resulting in confidence,” he said. “I can sit here today, make decisions on the fly on a daily basis and it comes from a pattern recognition because [I’ve] looked at so many different things.”

The one constant, he noted, is his approach to sales and marketing, which he described as “old school.”

“Whether it’s food or beverage, in our world, in the CPG world, it’s a romance industry,” he said. “And you win a consumer one bag at a time, one bottle at a time.”

Listen to our full interview with Ventura which includes his take on the evolution of e-commerce and why product attributes that were once considered “holy grail” are now “table stakes” for brands. He also discussed the importance of ingredient transparency and differentiation being in lockstep.

Show notes:

1:48: Whoa, We’re Halfway There -- Recording from the Taste Radio studio in the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, the hosts riffed on the recently wrapped Brewbound Live Winter 2018 conference and day one of NOSH Live Winter 2018, which included an expanded Sampling Experience and Expo. Next up… Cannabis Forum and BevNET Live Winter 2018.

8:04: Interview: Arnold Ventura, CEO, Beanfields -- A Stanford MBA and former beverage entrepreneur, Ventura led the business development and e-commerce divisions at Califia Farms prior to joining Beanfields and previously worked at PepsiCo as part of its emerging brands unit. In an interview with John Craven and Mike Schneider, Ventura explores the development of his professional life amid the rapidly evolving food and beverage industries and how lessons gleaned from each role have molded his perspective on business and his leadership style.

Brands in this episode: Beanfields, Naked, Izze, Califia Farms, Coba