Episodes

Protein soda and hard sports drinks are making moves—but is either category built to last? With protein soda betting on big demand for functional fizz and hard sports drinks racking up eye-popping sales, we debate which category has the bigger upside. We also discuss what Constellation Brands’ $75 million acquisition of Spikedade signals for beverage alcohol and the news that Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have joined protein soda brand Proda as co-founders. This episode also revisits two interviews from Taste Radio’s San Diego meetup, featuring Maddie Serviente, a partner at early-stage investor network The Angel Group, and Chuck Casano, founder of fast-growing Pitaya Foods and distribution company Hi-Touch Libations.

Building a $100 million CPG brand without venture capital takes more than a great product — it takes conviction, discipline, and a willingness to play the long game. In this episode, Loren Castle, the founder and CEO of better-for-you refrigerated dough brand Sweet Loren’s, breaks down how she built a profitable business by challenging category conventions, winning over major retailers, and refusing to compromise on taste. 

In this Taste Radio interview, Ray sits down with Nicole Staniec, VP of Beverage Products at Virginia Dare, a 103-year-old flavor company rooted in Brooklyn and now based in New Jersey. Long known for its vanilla extracts, Virginia Dare has become a key partner for brands developing functional beverages. Staniec leads the company's beverage strategy and returns to Taste Radio to discuss flavor trends, formulation pitfalls, and what's next for functional beverage innovation.Staniec points to nostalgic, dessert-inspired, cocktail-forward, and global citrus flavors like yuzu and calamansi as key trends shaping the category. She advises founders to start with a clear consumer need, not the ingredients, and to confirm retailer compliance early to avoid costly reformulation. She also stresses that masking and modulation must be built into formulation from day one, not bolted on later, especially as brands combine multiple functional ingredients. Looking ahead, Virginia Dare is investing in multi-functional formulation research to get ahead of these complexities. Listeners can learn more and connect with the Virginia Dare team by visiting virginiadare.com and completing the flavor information form.

Can Coke become the new… Poppi? The beverage giant is testing prebiotic versions of its stalwart brands, raising questions about the next phase of functional soda — and what it could mean for Olipop. The hosts dig into the launch, consider whether mineral water is finally having its mainstream moment, and examine the rise of dynamic grocery pricing and new laws aimed at putting guardrails around it. 

Grocery store aisles are inundated with claims, benefits and buzzwords. Amara has taken a different approach: start with whole-food ingredients, use proprietary food technology to make them snackable, and let consumer needs drive what comes next.

In this Taste Radio interview, Ray Latif sits down with Maddie Serviente, a partner with The Angel Group, a private network of accredited investors focused on food and beverage. Recorded at BevNET's San Diego office, the conversation covers the group's organic growth from about 150 members when Maddie joined in 2024 to nearly 400 today. Many of those members are former CPG operators, experts and founders who bring introductions, connections and strategic guidance along with their checks.Maddie explains how The Angel Group evaluates brands. It starts with product samples, because taste comes first. From there the team digs into velocity data and gets to know the founder, which she calls "the jockey." She describes the group's podcast-style pitch calls, where members opt in individually after hearing from the founder. She also names a common mistake: founders who don't leave themselves enough time to raise. Founders who want to pitch, or investors who want to join, can apply at TheAngelGroup.com or look for the team at industry trade shows.

One misleading social post can spark a frenzy – but can brands keep playing with consumer trust? We unpack the curious ruse of a beloved emerging brand and the growing debate around “rage bait.” We also dig into Whole Foods’ latest LEAP cohort and what its emerging-brand picks reveal about the next wave of CPG.