What happens when a professional actor decides to take on one of the toughest categories in beverage? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti sits down with Matthew Postlethwaite, Founder of Proda Soda, to discuss the journey from Hollywood to launching a nationally distributed protein soda brand. Matthew shares how a personal family health challenge sparked the idea, why he spent 18 months perfecting the formula, and how Proda Soda earned a nationwide launch across 487 Sprouts stores. From formulation challenges and sweetener debates to retail strategy and category disruption, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at building a modern beverage brand in one of the industry's most competitive spaces.

What does it take for a new beverage brand to get discovered by the people who actually make purchasing decisions? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti sits down with Michele Tell, Co-Founder of Proof Awards and Proof the Magazine, to discuss how one of the industry's most unique beverage competitions helps connect emerging brands with the buyers who can change their trajectory. Unlike traditional competitions, Proof Awards brings together up to 200 beverage buyers from across the country to evaluate more than 1,500 products spanning spirits, RTDs, non-alcoholic beverages, energy drinks, coffee, tea, water, wine, and more. Michele shares what separates Proof Awards from every other competition, the beverage trends she's seeing firsthand, and why authentic brand-building still matters more than ever. Whether you're a founder, retailer, distributor, or beverage industry enthusiast, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how products get discovered and where the industry is headed next.

What happens when you take one of Latin America's most iconic beverages and reimagine it for today's consumer? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti sits down with Fernanda Góvaz and Cat Sampson, co-founders of Celzo, to discuss how they're modernizing agua fresca with a functional, ready-to-drink platform built around flavor, culture, and community. Fernanda shares her journey from running marketing agencies in Mexico City to launching a beverage brand in the U.S., while Cat explains how her experience at Uber and other startups prepared her to help build Celzo from the ground up. The conversation explores retail strategy, cultural authenticity, shopper occasions, Latino consumer trends, fundraising, and why creating meaningful consumer connections is more important than ever.

What if you could enjoy the cocktail experience you love—without sacrificing the next day? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti sits down with Milan Martin, Founder & CEO of Free Spirits, to discuss the rise of non-alcoholic spirits, why most brands in the category have disappeared, and how Free Spirits has spent six years building one of the most recognizable names in mindful drinking. Milan shares his journey from a 25-year advertising career to launching a beverage brand, the lessons learned from surviving multiple near-death startup moments, and why the future of the category isn't just non-alcoholic drinks—it's giving consumers more control over how they drink. Whether you're sober-curious, a cocktail enthusiast, or a beverage entrepreneur, this conversation offers valuable insights into innovation, consumer behavior, and the evolution of drinking culture.

Is craft beer really declining—or are consumers simply drinking differently? In this episode of Pour Decisions, host Dan Weisbach sits down with Gray Bowditch, owner of Tradition Brewing Company, to discuss how the Virginia-based brewery has grown from backyard brewing sessions into a regional craft beer brand distributed across multiple states. Gray shares what he's seeing firsthand in today's beverage landscape, from shifting consumer preferences and the rise of RTDs to the growing demand for non-alcoholic options. He also explains how Tradition Brewing continues to innovate with new product launches, strong retail partnerships, and a unique community-focused wellness initiative called Tradition Life. Whether you're a beverage entrepreneur, retailer, brewer, or simply curious about where the industry is headed, this conversation offers valuable insights into building a brand that becomes part of consumers' lifestyles—not just another product on the shelf.

What does it take to build a category-defining brand that has stood the test of time for decades? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dan Weisbach sits down with Julie Smolyansky, President & CEO of Lifeway Foods, to discuss how her family introduced kefir to the U.S. market, built Lifeway into the leading kefir brand, and helped pioneer today's gut health movement. Julie shares the incredible story behind Lifeway's growth, why taste still matters more than hype, how probiotics impact everything from digestion to mental wellness, and what trends she's watching next—including creatine, collagen, and functional dairy innovation. Whether you're a founder, operator, retailer, or simply curious about the future of functional food and beverage, this conversation is packed with insights on building products that consumers come back to again and again.

What started as a near-death experience became the foundation for one of the most innovative functional beverage brands in the industry. Recorded live at Beverage Forum 2026 in Manhattan Beach, Dan Weisbach sits down with JP Francia, Founder of Life Cider, to discuss how a homemade apple cider vinegar remedy evolved into a rapidly growing beverage company with products in 1,300 Walmart stores, NFL athlete investors, and a growing innovation pipeline. JP shares the personal health journey that inspired the brand, why paraxanthine could be the future of energy drinks, how Life Cider X was developed alongside renowned formulator Shawn Wells, and what's next for the business as it expands across retail channels nationwide.

Plant-based may not be dominating headlines the way it did a few years ago—but according to Noah Hyams, the opportunity is far from over. In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dan Weisbach sits down with Noah Hyams, Founder of Vegpreneur, to discuss the current state of plant-based innovation, why many brands are struggling to connect with consumers, and how founders can build stronger businesses regardless of category trends. Noah shares how Vegpreneur has grown into a thriving community supporting founders across food, beverage, beauty, wellness, fashion, and technology, while offering practical advice for entrepreneurs looking to stand out in today's competitive market. Whether you're building a plant-based brand, launching a beverage company, raising capital, or simply looking for entrepreneurial inspiration, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.

What happens when you grow up surrounded by some of the biggest names in the spirits industry? In this episode of Pour Decisions Podcast, Dino Sarti sits down with Joey Pedone, founder of Cask420 and CaydCap, to discuss her family's deep roots in the liquor business, building her own path as an entrepreneur, and helping emerging brands navigate retail distribution. Joey shares stories from growing up in a multi-generational spirits family, launching an innovative hemp-infused rum, developing relationships across the industry, and creating a brokerage business that helps brands secure placements with major retailers.

What makes a beverage unforgettable? The flavor. In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dan Weisbach sits down with Tyrus Sciarra of Sensapure Flavors to unpack the world of flavor development, ingredient innovation, and how emerging beverage brands create products consumers keep coming back for. Tyrus breaks down what a flavor house actually does, how flavor systems are built, why natural flavors have become a hot topic in the industry, and how founders can protect their intellectual property while creating differentiated products. He also shares insights from working with innovative beverage brands and discusses the evolving future of flavor formulation.