Even the best product ideas need to be tested with research. The consumer feedback received from that research is invaluable. Does your product function the way it’s supposed to? Are your customers loving the flavors, the ingredients, the messaging, the packaging, etc.? Don’t skip out on this important part of the process.

In this episode, I’m interviewing Megan Klein, CEO and founder of Little Saints non-alcoholic plant magic mocktails. Megan shares how she became a food entrepreneur, how she incorporated adaptogens into her beverages, and why doing in-person research was so important in tweaking her products and ingredients. 

In this episode, you’ll learn…

[00:38] Megan’s nonlinear, 8-year journey from corporate lawyer to founder of Little Saints mocktails, plus the first steps she took to start her business

[07:30] What adaptogens are, how Megan incorporated them into her products, and how she did in-person research to tweak her offerings

[12:35] Megan talks about building her team and also shares her predictions for the mocktail industry

[16:41] How entrepreneurship and its challenges have changed her

Get full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep30/

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Many food business owners have made the jump from the corporate world into entrepreneurship. Some of the skills we’ve learned and contacts we’ve gained in our previous careers can be really helpful when starting a business, and we can pick out the best parts and use them to inform how we run our businesses. 

In this episode, I’m interviewing Christina Dorr Drake, CEO and founder of Willa’s Oat Milk. Christina shares how she made the transition from an ad agency to creating a CPG business with her sister, how she’s been able to market her products on a budget, and how she’s incorporated her grandmother’s values into the business and set it apart from the competition in the plant based milk industry.

In this episode, you’ll learn…

[00:44] Christina’s transition from the corporate world to starting a business with her husband and her sister around an oat milk product influenced by her grandmother

[06:05] How Christina was able to commercialize the product and get Willa’s Kitchen up and running, and her advice to anyone facing a personal setback in the midst of starting a business

[11:41] Christina shares how her oat milk is a shelf stable product and how she sets herself apart from the competition in her industry

[15:59] How her previous corporate experience at an ad agency has informed her current business, hiring a team, and marketing her products

Get full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep29/ 

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Partnerships are the key to success in business, especially in the CPG industry. We can’t do it all ourselves. Whether it’s hiring a team or finding investors or working with brands and retailers, partnerships truly help us to grow our businesses. 

In this episode, I’m interviewing Ibraheem Basir, CEO and founder of A Dozen Cousins, a natural food brand inspired by the flavors of his youth. Ibraheem shares the heartwarming story behind his brand, how he’s been able to leverage partnerships to grow his business (like partnering with Marvel!), and how to tune out the noise and focus on making the best product he can. 

In this episode, you’ll learn…

[00:39] The story behind the founding of A Dozen Cousins, Ibraheem’s natural food business, plus why he picked beans as their first product

[07:27] How partnerships and bringing in the right people are the secret to success in business, and how to find the right investors

[10:23] How to keep your head down in business and not focus on what others are doing, while still striving to make your product the best it can be

[12:28] Leveraging retail and brand partnerships 

[16:15] Wellness is important for all business owners and Ibraheem shares how he takes care of himself 

Get full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep28/ 

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

When it comes to naming your consumer-packaged goods (CPG) brand, you probably already have one in mind. But your customers might not love it as much as you do. It’s important to select a name that makes sense and is easy to remember – and is easy for consumers to find!

In this episode, I’m interviewing Alexandra Watkins, renowned authority on brand names and founder of Eat My Words. Alexandra shares her thoughts on what makes a strong brand name, why you shouldn’t name your business after yourself, and the biggest mistakes people make when naming their brands.

In this episode, you’ll learn…

[01:51] Why Alexandra says you shouldn’t name your business after yourself

[03:13] Alexandra’s thoughts on what makes a strong brand name and her “SMILE and SCRATCH” naming test

[14:01] The biggest mistakes people make when naming their business

[17:07] Common brand name misconceptions and tips for website domain names

[19:23] Alexandra’s advice on changing an already established brand name

Get full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep27/

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

If you have a CPG (consumer-packaged goods) brand, it can be hard to get the word out on your own, and often new businesses tend to think about public relations last when getting started. With some PR help, you can share compelling stories about your brand and increase consumer interest.

In this episode, I’m interviewing Sarah Maguire, a publicist with over a decade of public relations experience. Sarah shares why you need PR representation, what to look for when hiring a rep, and how you can DIY your brand awareness if you can’t afford to hire for PR quite yet. 

In this episode, you’ll learn…

[03:24] The importance of PR to your overall brand and why you should consider PR from the beginning

[06:10] What you should look for when hiring a public relations rep

[08:56] Sarah walks us through her process of pitching a client to a media outlet

[11:32] Sarah’s tips on how to get the word out about your brand if you can’t afford a PR rep right now and what you should put into a pitch

[15:45] What Sarah has seen in the industry on using PR for general brand awareness vs. a specific event/launch 

[17:13] Sarah’s advice for CPG owners on avoiding a PR crisis

Get full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep26/

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

There are so many things to keep in mind when building a brand, but here’s one you might not have considered: community. What would it feel like to crowdsource everything and end up with a fabulous product that everyone loves?  

In this episode, I’m interviewing Michelle Cordeiro-Grant, founder of LIVELY, and founder and CEO of Gorgie. Michelle shares how she built her brand with community, how she was able to fast track her energy drink from idea to shelf, and how she prioritizes self-care as a CEO. 

In this episode, you’ll learn…

[01:03] Michelle’s transition from corporate employee to starting two businesses

[06:46] How to use community to build your brand

[11:17] The 4 reasons Michelle was able to move from idea to selling product in stores so quickly with her energy drink, Gorgie

[14:40] How fashion has influenced Michelle’s business and who her target audience is

[18:30] How Michelle prioritizes self-care and how she was able to move through the fear of putting herself and her businesses out there

Get full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep25

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Summer Johnson is the co-owner of Zach and Zoë Sweet Bee Farm and started the business in 2015 with her husband, Kam.  Together, they began keeping bees in their backyard to use the hyper-local honey to alleviate their son's allergies. Today, their honey is retailed all over the world, and in dozens of specialty, mass, and boutique stores across the nation. They have expanded the brand's assortment to 20+ organic superfoods flavors blended with their raw honey and have plans to continue growing. 

During this episode of The Food Means Business Podcast, we discuss:⁠

• How Summer and Kam started with beekeeping and eventually turned it into a business
• Their Chase Business commercial, Shark Tank appearance and being selected for Oprah's Favorite Things 
• The importance of persistence and keeping the business a family-owned operation
• Lessons learned from their entrepreneurial journey 

Connect with Summer and Kam:

• Follow Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm on LinkedIn 
• Follow Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm on Instagram
• Visit Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm

Recommendations from the episode: 

• Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm on Shark Tank 
• Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm's Chase Commercial 
• Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm on Oprah’s Favorite Things 

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Dominique and Wendy (W.E.) Da’Cruz are a dynamic entrepreneurial couple. Together, they co-founded The Mushroom Angel Company, a plant-based CPG food business aimed at promoting healthier eating habits and environmental sustainability. Their first product, the Cruz Burger, is a mushroom burger patty that cuts and bites like meat but tastes like veggies.

During this episode of The Food Means Business Podcast, we discuss:⁠

• How inspiration from a Malawian chickpea meatball led to a unique mushroom patty
• The couple's journey from pescatarian to fully plant-based living
• Overcoming recipe scaling and packaging challenges during the early stages
• Utilizing online sales and farmers markets to gain initial traction
• Integrating work and family life for a wholesome entrepreneurial experience

Connect with Wendy and Dominique:

• Follow Wendy on LinkedIn 
• Follow Dominique on LinkedIn
• Follow The Mushroom Angel Company on Linkedin 
• Follow The Mushroom Angel Company on Instagram 
• Visit The Mushroom Angel Company 

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Lauren Handel is an attorney for food, beverage, and supplement businesses and entrepreneurs. Lauren helps clients with regulatory compliance and enforcement actions, risk mitigation, commercial contracts, intellectual property, recalls, and disputes.

Lauren has more than 20 years of experience as an attorney. She previously was a partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP where her practice concentrated on product liability and environmental litigation. After a decade of counseling and defending Fortune 50 companies, Lauren decided to put her skills to work for independent businesses that produce the things she is most passionate about − good food and drink.

During this episode of The Food Means Business Podcast, we discuss:⁠

• Lauren’s transition from a traditional legal career to specializing in food law and starting an independent practice
• Understanding the legal standards and regulations that apply to your products and marketing claims
• Being aware of potential legal risks, such as class-action lawsuits, ADA compliance, and Prop 65 
• Conducting a comprehensive trademark search and application as early as possible to ensure your brand is protectable and not subject to infringement liability
• Hiring a lawyer review or draft key contracts to avoid potential pitfalls

Connect with Lauren:

• Follow Lauren on LinkedIn    
• Follow Handel Food Law on LinkedIn 
• Visit Handel Food Law 

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Kun Yang is a recent dad and pharmacist-turned CPG entrepreneur. Kun grew up mostly in Canada but has spent his professional life in the US, where he now feels blessed to be building Pricklee Cactus Water with some incredible humans that want to make the world a better place.

Pricklee is on a mission to inspire people to be resilient like the cactus through health, happiness, and sustainability. Their refreshing cactus waters are made from the drought-tolerant prickly pear cactus and are packed with antioxidants, electrolytes, and vitamin C, with 50% less sugar than coconut water. It's 100% refreshing, with 0% pricks.

Kun is passionate about brand building, CPG, leadership, founder stories, futurism, mental health, and wellness. He looks forward to connecting and learning from others that build businesses through conscious capitalism!

During this episode of The Food Means Business Podcast, we discuss:

• The inspiration behind Pricklee, rooted in co-founder Mo Hasoun’s childhood memories of his grandmother's prickly pear cactus drink
• The process of starting a beverage line and building a supportive team
• The importance of simplifying brand messaging and aligning branding with product benefits
• The significance of authenticity in creating a successful CPG brand
• How an appearance on Shark Tank boosted Pricklee's social credibility and growth
• Kun's focus on personal values and family time as a means to become a better leader

Connect with Kun:

• Follow Kun on LinkedIn  
• Follow Pricklee on LinkedIn  
• Follow Pricklee on Instagram  
• Visit Pricklee 

To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.