This week on the NOSH Podcast, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg, Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman and reporters Lukas Southard and Adrianne Deluca discussed mayo preferences in dating, olive oil brand Graza’s squeeze bottle controversy and Whole Foods Markets redraws its regional maps.

Then, Lukas gets Ithaca Hummus’ founder Chris Kirby and the brand’s natural channel sales  manager Aaron Wallace about how they strategized growing from regional to national distribution. The two gave advice about how to make the move as well as some cautionary tips about what a brand should or shouldn’t focus on when expanding its retail footprint. 

In this episode:

06:05: Carol and the group debate if a person’s love (or hate in the case of Adrianne) of mayo belongs on dating apps. 

08:38: Then, the NOSH team discusses the conversation about “copycat” culture in CPG that has erupted after olive oil brand Graza’s founder posted some inflammatory accusations about a competitor on LinkedIn.

16:18: Finally, Carol explains Whole Foods’ new regional maps and how that might impact the CPG food space.

21:19: For the interview, Lukas sat down with Ithaca Hummus to learn how to build an efficient national distribution model and how attention to detail can make a huge difference in being profitable as a brand grows. 

“Buyers have a lot of brands on their desks and they don't have the attention to spend on your business like you should and, ultimately, the key word in that is – it's your business. It's our business, we need to own it and not them.”

-Aaron Wallace, Ithaca Hummus Sales Manager  

About The NOSH Podcast

The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

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