BevNET’s Taste Radio is the podcast for food and beverage professionals, where we talk trends, interview the leaders and rising stars in the industry and discuss knowledge and topics that we hope entrepreneurs and pros everywhere find useful.
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Mushrooms are having more than a moment. But how far can fungi go? The hosts discuss the potential for “magic” and functional forms of the trendy ingredient. We also speak with Amy Racine, the beverage director for JF Restaurants, about the evolution of on-premise drinking culture.
Jason Burke, founder/CEO of clean ingredient meat snack and sauce brands The New Primal and Noble Made, spoke about how he navigates constant shifts in how retailers measure traction and determine metrics for success, and how to demonstrate incremental value during pitch meetings.
Poppi is getting a lot of attention, particularly as an acquisition target, a topic the hosts discussed in the episode, along with Coke’s new TikTok-inspired soda and a trio of “loaded” cereals. This episode also includes a conversation with executives from Manna Tree and Gotham Greens who discuss their relationship as mission-driven investor and entrepreneur.
Gotham Greens co-founder and CEO Viraj Puri spoke about how he has maintained focus and managed new and complex responsibilities amid the development of the pioneering urban agriculture company, assessing when to accelerate growth and what he considers to be his biggest mistake and best decision.
Has Starbucks slipped on its own slick innovation? Why are spice-obsessed millennials grumbling about Huy Fong’s famous sriracha? And is space a new frontier for food and beverage? The hosts shared their thoughts and also opined on the food selection in a $2.5 million Super Bowl suite.
Brad Johnson, the CEO of Verde Farms, a pioneering brand of grass-fed, pasture-raised and organic beef, spoke about why consumers view brand attributes in a holistic way, weighing investor expectations vs. mission-based goals and how investing in customer and consumer service pays off.
In food and beverage, innovative brands often get the most attention. But do products that are positioned as incrementally better-for-you than existing options have more runway? The hosts discuss. This episode also features a conversation with Good Culture’s Jesse Merrill and Manna Tree’s Steve Young about the synergy between profit and purpose.
Jesse Merrill, the co-founder and CEO of better-for-you dairy brand Good Culture, spoke about why mission and values dictate every aspect of business strategy, why proof of concept and velocity are keys to brand development and being “maniacal” about delivering on the products’ key attributes.
Ray shared takeaways from a recent event hosted by private equity firm Manna Tree, including a shift in most important product attributes for consumers of natural brands, and how Gen Z and Alpha’s current spending patterns can inform brands about where to invest their resources.
Will Nitze, the founder and CEO of brain health-focused CPG brand IQBAR, shared candid takes on how to scale a food and beverage company, including his perspective on fundraising (“Bootstrapping is the worst thing you can do.”), staffing (“How can we build a $50 million brand with a staff of six?”), and retail strategy (“Choose channels that scale well.).