Taste Radio

By BevNET Inc.Business Entrepreneurship

Taste Radio episodes

April 06, 2018 Ep. 104: JUST Why Are Will & Jaden Smith Invested in This Water Brand?
Will and Jaden Smith are global icons who’s popularity transcends both film and music and across multiple generations of fans. So why have they taken a cautious approach to promoting JUST Water, the sustainable water brand co-founded by the Smiths in 2015?
“This was a brand that was missionized and born of a child’s care. We wanted to make sure that wasn’t something that was overshadowed by celebrity endorsement,” Will Smith said in a recent interview included in this episode of Taste Radio.
As
50 min
April 03, 2018 Ep. 103: Why The Success of Spartan Race Should Matter To You; It's High Nuun For Hydration
Over 200 times a year, Spartan hosts grueling, endurance-testing obstacle races that often leave its participants muddy, bloody and exhausted -- and they happily fork over hundreds of dollars for the privilege. The man behind this Spartan mask is Joe De Sena, a former Wall Street trader and extreme athlete who launched the company in 2007 after deciding he needed to start his own competition in order to satisfy his fitness goals. With over one million annual participants, Spartan has grown beyond the races themselves and into a platform brand that encompasses a lifestyle, philosophy and training and nutrition program, an evolution that feeds into De Sena's overriding mission. "If I want to change 100 million lives, I've got to change lives of people that don't do the races, that are sitting on the couch but somehow get our message," he said. In an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio, we spoke with De Sena about Spartan's origins, its emergence and rapid growth and how it has cultivated meaningful relationships with its followers and sponsors. As Spartan, as well as its cultural counterparts CrossFit and Tough Mudder, have emerged, their participants and active consumers as a whole have increasingly sought convenient sources of nourishment and hydration. Nuun, a fast-growing maker of hydration tablets and powders, has become part of the fitness routines for many athletes, drawn by the products' portability and fast-acting benefits. This episode includes a conversation with Nuun CEO Kevin Rutherford, who spoke about its development as a company and brand and its approach to marketing and innovation. Episode 103 is presented by Ruby Rockets. Show notes: 1:52: A Whole Lotta Hydrogen -- Project NOSH recently reported on news that Whole Foods Market has laid off a swath of store level and regional marketing teams. Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg, who wrote the story and once worked at Whole Foods, offers her perspective on the layoffs and how they will affect customers' in-store shopping experience and impact brands. On the BevNET front, assistant editor Marty Caballero discussed his in-depth article on hydrogen water and how brands are presenting the functional attributes of their respective products, as well as their packaging and retail strategies. 11:43: Interview: Joe De Sena, Founder/CEO, Spartan -- A lot of food and beverage entrepreneurs are refugees from other careers who get into the business because they're seeking nutrition for their extreme sports activities. Well guess what -- so are the founders of those extreme sports, like Joe De Sena. Jeff Klineman, the editor-in-chief of BevNET and Project NOSH, recently met with De Sena to discuss his creation: Spartan, the world's largest obstacle race and endurance brand. Spartan runs more than 200 grueling races a year, it's got a television contract with NBC, and has become a fitness and lifestyle movement that's attractive to participants and consumer brands alike. 37:19: Interview: Kevin Rutherford, CEO, Nuun -- Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and BevNET assistant editor Marty Caballero recently sat down with Rutherford, who spoke about the evolution of Nuun, which launched 14 years ago. Rutherford discussed Nuun's innovation strategy and company culture, in which he noted "I think you need diversity of thought, but it shouldn't be inconsistent with your mission and what you believe as a company." Brands in this episode: HFactor, HTwo, Dr. Perricone's, HyVIDA, GT's Kombucha, FitAID, SmartWater, Clif, Nuun
1 hr 2 min
April 03, 2018 Ep. 103: Why The Success of Spartan Race Should Matter To You; It’s High Nuun For Hydration
Over 200 times a year, Spartan hosts grueling, endurance-testing obstacle races that often leave its participants muddy, bloody and exhausted -- and they happily fork over hundreds of dollars for the privilege.
The man behind this Spartan mask is Joe De Sena, a former Wall Street trader and extreme athlete who launched the company in 2007 after deciding he needed to start his own competition in order to satisfy his fitness goals. With over one million annual participants, Spartan has grown beyond the races
1 hr 2 min
March 27, 2018 Ep. 102: How To Create an Iconic Brand -- The Lessons of Shots, Cults and Kale
In the decades since its introduction in 1935, Jägermeister has earned a reputation as an iconic staple of boozy nights out and hard partying. So why is the German liqueur brand now embracing a softer side of its heritage and history? In an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio, Jeff Popkin, the CEO of Mast-Jägermeister U.S., explained why the brand, while still wildly popular as a shot, is attempting to win over new consumers, broaden its appeal and, ultimately, generate new sales by reframing itself as a high-quality liqueur that can be enjoyed in a variety of occasions. Popkin, who's been at the forefront of several emerging non-alcoholic beverage trends as an executive with Red Bull and Vita Coco, is leading a careful effort to maintain Jägermeister's valuable core identity during the repositioning. "If there's a party, Jägermeister is there in the U.S. today -- no question about that," he said. "There's no white knuckles to get the story out there and change it. It's all going to happen within the natural footprint of Jägermeister." Also included in this episode: An interview with Jeanette Ogden, a food blogger and social media maven known for her popular Instagram account, Shutthekaleup. We sat down with Ogden at Natural Products Expo West 2018 and discussed her journey as an influencer, how she cultivates her online personality and her approach to building an authentic relationship with natural food and beverage brands. This episode also includes an interview with the co-founders of The Coconut Cult, an acclaimed vegan coconut-based yogurt. Noah Simon-Waddell and James Harkin spoke about their approach to building a lifestyle brand and how they've established a thriving community of supporters and followers via social media. This episode is presented by Symrise Califormulations. Show notes: 1:35: Potent Potables -- The hosts chat about interesting libations and and tasty treats sent to the office over the past couple weeks, including Spindrift, Smart Sweets, Mike's Mighty Good Craft Ramen, CideRoad, Hello Water, Hal's New York Seltzer and Alter Eco. 10:53: Interview: Jeff Popkin, CEO, Mast-Jägermeister U.S. -- A veteran beverage executive who led sales for Red Bull and was the CEO of Vita Coco - U.S., Jeff Popkin is currently at the helm of another iconic brand: Jägermeister. In an interview recorded at its headquarters in White Plains, N.Y., Popkin discussed the company's efforts to spur new sales by reframing Jägermeister as a brand to "celebrate the best moments of your life," while maintaining its core identity and the importance of innovation for CPG brands, noting that "when you look at the attention span of a consumer… you've got to be quick and you've got to be dynamic." 38:32: Interview: Jeannette Ogden, Founder, Shutthekaleup -- A leading influencer in the worlds of fitness, wellness and natural foods, Jeannette Ogden has over 260,000 followers of her Instagram account, Shutthekaleup. The platform is where she, her husband AJ and son Elliot -- aka "Bub" -- share their daily eats, drinks, workouts and adventures. Along the way, she shares recommendations of brands and products and explains how they fit into a healthy lifestyle. We sat down with Ogden at Natural Products Expo West 2018 and talked about her journey as influencer, how she cultivates her online personality and her approach to working with natural food and beverage brands. 1:02:39: Interview: Noah Simon-Waddell & James Harkin, Co-Founders, The Coconut Cult -- A darling of the influencer world, The Coconut Cult markets a vegan coconut yogurt that's stocked at high-end health food stores along the coasts. Despite its premium price -- $25 for a 16 oz. jar -- the brand has amassed a cult-like following among its consumers. Co-founders Noah Simon-Waddell and James Harkin explained how their efforts to create experiential moments for consumers fits with their intent "to create a religion, essentially," out of the brand.
1 hr 23 min
March 27, 2018 Taste Radio Ep. 102: How To Create an Iconic Brand -- The Lessons of Shots, Cults and Kale
In the decades since its introduction in 1935, Jägermeister has earned a reputation as an iconic staple of boozy nights out and hard partying. So why is the German liqueur brand now embracing a softer side of its heritage and history?
In an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio, Jeff Popkin, the CEO of Mast-Jägermeister U.S., explained why the brand, while still wildly popular as a shot, is attempting to win over new consumers, broaden its appeal and, ultimately, generate new sales by reframi
1 hr 23 min
March 20, 2018 Ep. 101: You Might Be Surprised By What This Insider Says About Big Money in Food & Bev
Ryan Caldbeck has two words for brands planning to raise capital in 2018: be careful. With billions of dollars in play in the red-hot CPG space, Caldbeck, the co-founder and CEO of funding platform CircleUp, is advising brands to take extra caution when vetting potential investment partners. He believes that while funding opportunities for food and beverage companies are the most abundant since launching the firm in 2013, he's concerned about the lack of a strategic component in the money that is currently flowing in from large private equity firms and tech-focused venture capital firms. "They will pay close to zero attention from the $2 billion fund that just invested $10 million; they won't know their name," Caldbeck said of some large investors. "Now you've partnered with someone that's not going to give you the support beyond capital." In an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio, Caldbeck noted that "the tailwinds and the structural dynamics for early-stage consumer companies -- call it $1-$15 million in revenue -- are extremely attractive" for investors of all kinds. Yet, he urged fast-growing companies to "think about the incentives of the investor or the partner that you're working with" and ask "who else have you worked with that looks like me?" "And when you can drill down on who else they've worked with that has similar growth drivers of your business, you'll find an investor or a partner that's right for you," he said. Within the food industry, few categories are attracting more investment than plant-based and lab-grown meat. The Good Food Institute (GFI), a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of plant-based meat brands, is helping to support the growth of many companies in the space. This episode includes a full-length conversation with GFI co-founder and executive director Bruce Friedrich, who details the origins of the organization (it was "literally a religious calling," he said) and how it supports scientific research and investment in the clean meat space. In this week's edition of Elevator Talk, we meet with Nansee Kim-Parker, the founder and CEO of Yoot, a brand of ready-to-drink herbal root teas made with herbs and spices. This episode is presented by Saffron Road. Show notes: 2:05: Waxing on West -- The hosts chat about their biggest takeaways from Expo West 2018, including how the show reflected a shift in the retail landscape and route-to-market for natural brands and showcased the sophistication and rapid maturity of many early-stage/pre-launch companies. 16:47: Interview: Ryan Caldbeck, CEO/Co-Founder, CircleUp -- We sat down with Caldbeck at the 2018 Winter Fancy Food Show, where he offered his perspective on the landscape and climate for CPG investment. 42:28: Interview: Bruce Friedrich, Co-Founder/Executive Director, The Good Food Institute -- Also joining us at the Fancy Food Show was Friedrich, who spoke about the the rapidly emerging plant-based meat space and where the category is headed. In our conversation, he detailed a clash in perspective with some in vegan community, why GFI is stressing "clean meat" as the preferred nomenclature versus "lab-grown," regulatory hurdles for clean meat and how improved technology and taste is helping to win over consumers. 1:13:26: Elevator Talk: Nansee Kim-Parker, Founder, Yoot -- Inspired by the traditions of Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine and Chinese Herbal Medicine. Yoot is a brand of herbal root teas brewed from superfood herbs. We caught up with founder Nansee Kim-Parker who dug into the roots of her brand in this edition of Elevator Talk. Brands in this episode: Beyond Meat, JUST, Impossible Foods, Tyson Foods, Maple Leaf, Field Roast, Tofurky, Boca, Memphis Meats, Gardein, Finless Foods, Good Catch Foods, Yoot Tea
1 hr 19 min
March 20, 2018 Ep. 101: You Might Be Surprised By What This Insider Says About Big Money in Food & Bev
Ryan Caldbeck has two words for brands planning to raise capital in 2018: be careful.
With billions of dollars in play in the red-hot CPG space, Caldbeck, the co-founder and CEO of funding platform CircleUp, is advising brands to take extra caution when vetting potential investment partners. He believes that while funding opportunities for food and beverage companies are the most abundant since launching the firm in 2013, he’s concerned about the lack of a strategic component in the money that is current
1 hr 19 min
March 13, 2018 Ep. 100: How The Future of Food Will Be Shaped by Blockchain, Brokers & Beer
Mike Lee once helped organize a multi-course tasting dinner on a New York City subway car -- while it was in transit. As much as the encounter taught him about operational efficiency (i.e. service in 43 minutes flat, don't get arrested) Lee, the founder of food incubation and product development firms Alpha Food Labs and Future Market, absorbed the value of creating experiential moments. "A lot of the stuff we're doing today -- consulting with big food companies -- is not arguably doing dinners like we used to," he said in an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio. "[But] I think that sense of thinking of the experience holistically, has definitely influenced how we market and engineer products." A former executive with Chobani's Innovation & New Ventures unit, Lee launched Alpha Food Labs and Future Market with the goal of understanding and executing upon a food system that is expected to look dramatically different in the decades to come. In a wide-ranging interview, Lee discussed how personalized nutrition and experiential marketing will shape the future of the food industry. Also included in this episode: A conversation with Jeremy Smith, the CEO and founder of LaunchPad Group. A longtime executive in the food and beverage industry and expert on food retailing at Costco, Smith shared his keys to success in the club channel. We also spoke with the man casually known as Mr. Guinness, Fergal Murray. A former master brewer and ambassador of the iconic Irish beer brand, Murray, now a consultant in the beer and spirits industry, shared his perspective on the future of craft beer over pints. In this week's Elevator Talk, we chatted with Michael Kurson, the co-founder of Briggs Original, a brand of a spiked sparkling waters made fresh-pressed cranberries. This episode is presented by Top Health Ingredients. Show notes: 0:52: The Evolution of Expo West (in Five Minutes or Less): Natural Products Expo West 2018 has concluded and the hosts had just enough gas in the tank to reflect on the remarkable event and the changing landscape for natural brands. 8:07: Interview: Mike Lee, Founder, Alpha Food Labs and Future Market -- In an interview recorded at the 2018 Winter Fancy Food Show, Lee discussed the origins and missions of his two companies and how his experience as former executive at Chobani has helped shape their development. He also opined about the value of using fleeting experiences and the scarcity as a way to drive excitement and how he and his team are identifying new need states for consumption. 35:24: Interview: Jeremy Smith, Founder/CEO, LaunchPad Group-- We hear from a lot of young brands that want to break into the club channel. Well, we recently spoke with an expert on the business. Smith is the CEO and founder of Launchpad, a firm that works with emerging food brands on business and branding strategies and specializes in representation services for Costco. In our conversation, Smith explained when brands need to start planning for Costco and why you should always be in the room when your broker is presenting to a retail buyer. 56:51: Interview: Fergal Murray, Former Master Brewer, Guinness -- We recently sat down with Murray, a man many know as "Mr. Guinness," a title bestowed for his prowess as a master brewer of the famous stout and custodian of the mythical brand. Now a consultant to beer and spirit brands, Murray,in the Boston area following his work with Wachusett Brewing Company in Westminster, Mass., joined Brewbound editor Chris Furnari for a conversation about how brands can stay top of mind with consumers and why the beer industry is embracing simpler styles. 1:17:23: Elevator Talk: Michael Kurson, Co-Founder, Briggs Original -- Kurson visited BevNET HQ for a introduction to Briggs Original, a brand of spiked seltzers made with freshly pressed fruit. Brands in this episode: Avoluv, Chobani, Wachusett Brewing, Briggs Original.
1 hr 24 min
March 13, 2018 Ep. 100: How The Future of Food Will Be Shaped by Blockchain, Brokers & Beer
Mike Lee once helped organize a multi-course tasting dinner on a New York City subway car -- while it was in transit. As much as the encounter taught him about operational efficiency (i.e. service in 43 minutes flat, don’t get arrested) Lee, the founder of food incubation and product development firms Alpha Food Labs and Future Market, absorbed the value of creating experiential moments.
“A lot of the stuff we’re doing today -- consulting with big food companies -- is not arguably doing dinners lik
1 hr 24 min
February 27, 2018 Ep. 98: VMG Has Over a Half-Billion to Invest. Here's How to Get Its Attention.
VMG has invested in some of the hottest food and beverage brands in recent years, including Justin's, Kind, Humm Kombucha, Vega, Spindrift and Pirate's Booty, and the private equity firm isn't done -- not by a long shot. The San Francisco-based company last year closed its fourth fund, giving it $550 million to spend on promising CPG companies. In an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio, VMG Managing Director Wayne Wu spoke about the firm's funding philosophy, including why it's fundamentally opposed to "macro-trend" investing and how the team works with brands at various stages of development to drive scale and market value. "Ultimately we're a part of a community and an ecosystem, we want to help drive that forward," Wu said. "'How can we further build community and drive thought leadership within the space?' and from that it leads to investments." This episode also includes an interview with Lisa Curtis, the founder and CEO of Kuli Kuli, a brand based around the nutrient-dense leafy green moringa. Curtis, recently included in Forbes' 2018 list of "30 Under 30" Social Entrepreneurs, spoke about the origins of Kuli Kuli, its social mission, and how the company is attempting to promote moringa as the next great superfood. We also hear from longtime food and beverage investor and advisor Jim Tonkin, who offered advice on how entrepreneurs can best prepare their businesses pre-launch and opined on effective and ineffective ways to use capital. And in this week's edition of Elevator Talk, Michael Pan, the founder of Pan's Mushroom Jerky, spoke about the origins and vision for his innovative brand. This episode is presented by Attack! Marketing. Show notes: 1:33: Revamps on the Radio -- The hosts offered tips on how to navigate the upcoming 2018 Natural Products Expo West and discussed notable package revamps/rebrands introduced in recent weeks, including those from PopCorners, Bonafide Provisions and Diet Coke. 11:05: Interview: Wayne Wu, Managing Director, VMG -- In a conversation recorded at VMG's headquarters in San Francisco, BevNET CEO John Craven and Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg spoke with Wu about the private equity firm's approach to funding and why it considers the "whole ecosystem" when evaluating investment opportunities. 39:17: Interview: Lisa Curtis, Founder/CEO, Kuli Kuli -- Moringa. What is it? Why are people calling it "the new kale"? Lisa Curtis is here to help. The founder of Kuli Kuli spoke about the company's efforts to demystify moringa and how a partnership with The Kellogg Company has supported its development. 58:29: Interview: Jim Tonkin, Founder, Healthy Brand Builders -- An industry insider with over 30 years experience in the food and beverage space, Tonkin has supported thousands of early-stage companies with fundraising, branding, marketing, formulation and design efforts. In an interview recorded at the 2018 Winter Fancy Food Show, he spoke about how working with Arnold Palmer shaped his career, the right and wrong ways to use capital and important considerations when formulating a retail strategy. 1:11:39: Elevator Talk: Michael Pan, Founder, Pan's Mushroom Jerky -- He's the founder of eponymous brand Pan's Mushroom Jerky and a great guy to boot. We caught up with Michael Pan at the 2018 Winter Fancy Foods Show for a conversation about his innovative brand in this edition of Elevator Talk. Brands in this episode: PopCorners, Bonafide Provisions, Diet Coke, Justin's, Kind, Humm Kombucha, Vega, Spindrift, Pirate's Booty, Kuli Kuli, AriZona, Suja, Zico, Pan's Mushroom Jerky
1 hr 16 min

About Taste Radio

From the publisher's feed

The top podcast for anyone building a business in food or beverage, BevNET's Taste Radio features interviews with the leaders and rising stars of our fast-evolving industry. The shows also include discussion on emerging trends, innovation and news of the week from our regular cadre of hosts from the BevNET and NOSH teams.