[00:00:00] Speaker: you
[00:00:05] Ray Latif: Hey folks, I'm Ray Latif, the editor and producer of BevNET's Taste Radio podcast, and you're tuning into the latest episode of Elevator Talk, a series that profiles early stage and disruptive brands from across the food and beverage industry. Today's episode will focus on five food brands whose entrepreneurs will have an opportunity to hear feedback and advice from our co-host today. That's Yola Blake Page, the founder of Violet Thread Strategy. Yola, it's great to see you.
[00:00:33] Yola Blake Page: Good to see you, Ray.
[00:00:35] Ray Latif: How are things in Austin, Texas?
[00:00:38] Yola Blake Page: They're hot. They're beautiful. They're great.
[00:00:41] Ray Latif: That all sounds good. You visited our Taste Radio Meetup in Austin, which was held a couple of months ago. You've been involved and worked with many, many early stage brands and have a pretty significant background working for Whole Foods as well. I'm not going to let the entire cat out of the bag. So for folks who aren't familiar with you or your work at Violet Thread Strategy, please tell us about yourself.
[00:01:04] Yola Blake Page: Absolutely. So I'm an independent brand strategy consultant, and I primarily work with food, beverage, hospitality, retail, and other consumer brands. And my perspective is a unique one in that half of my career was spent in creative advertising agencies, agencies that had different specialties, creative shops, digital shops, as well as an SEO shop. And then most recently, was a PR firm where I was a brand strategy director. So that's half of my experience there, having that really good lens into omni-channel marketing and advertising and touching pretty much every side. And then I also spent six years at Whole Foods Market, three years pre-acquisition, three years post at the global headquarters. And that was a really, really a master's degree in grocery retail and also being a brand strategist there working on our seasonal campaigns and seasonal briefs and leading that for our marketing team and working cross-functionally with merchants and other food brands and cross-functionally across other parts of the business in Whole Foods. And then also at the retail level as well, when I worked also in the Southwest region, which is a part of my chapter there too, really taking that like big focus that is also marketing and advertising from an agency perspective, and then going through the looking glass and being a client to an agency of record at the Whole Foods market level. And then the third layer is that I practically grew up in a grocery store. My mom is a retired butcher. She worked for over 30 years at a grocery store in Houston, Texas. And so my childhood is spent in a grocery store. And I've been very, very, very excited about that since a very young age. And also there was a moment around 2022 when my husband was working at H-E-B Digital. I was working at Whole Foods, my mom was working at Randall's at that time, and my brother, who works at Costco and still works at Costco. So we're a retail family, and I'm a nerd through and through.
[00:03:14] Ray Latif: You're a nerd who belongs on this program, and we're really lucky to have you as a co-host, Yola. So thank you so much again for joining us. You've touched so many different aspects and so many different areas of this industry. In 2026, more specifically August of 2026, where do you see brands needing the most help, early stage brands in particular? Where are they tripping up and how would you advise them to prepare themselves for the remainder of this year and beyond?
[00:03:42] Yola Blake Page: Brand storytelling, very, very important. Also, something that's unique to August 2026 and earlier this year, although I'm seeing the pendulum swing a little bit, is an over-reliance on AI. I think now we're getting more mature into understanding what it can help with and what it can't really help with on a creative side and from a messaging standpoint, really just thinking about what makes you distinct in a very crowded category. And also knowing that we have these tools, still remembering the authenticity and that strategic center that you have as a brand before going into the learning models.
[00:04:27] Ray Latif: Yeah, I would 100% agree with you about AI. It definitely feels like it's pretty obvious when someone is using AI because the content feels pretty bland and hackneyed. But to differentiate, you do need something that is kind of special about your brand. And sometimes AI can highlight what's special about your brand, but in your experience, Is it the founder? Is it the product? Is it the packaging? Is it the origin story? What really stands out to most consumers about that differentiation that's so important in our industry?
[00:05:02] Yola Blake Page: I think it all comes, all of those things are very, very important. I think being very clear and distinct about what you are, whether you're D to C, which is where many people start now, or in app shelf, really, really making it abundantly clear who you are. I spend a lot of time with on-pack mess messaging hierarchy and thinking about it in context of being in a retail environment and just making sure that your story is super, super clear. You can't, and especially in 2026, rely on shelf talkers, especially if you go into national retailers and you really need to be able to tell that story and be very clear about who you are and why to buy. And I think sometimes we can get lost in the sauce.
[00:05:51] Ray Latif: Hi, as I mentioned, I'm super excited for this episode of Elevator Talk. We have an all-female brand owner group here, which is I think a first for the show, which is pretty awesome. And I'm really excited to meet all these founders because they are bringing just really incredible innovation to this industry. Are you ready to meet our first entrepreneur of the show? Yay, let's go. Let's go indeed. That person is Sophia Chang, who's the founder of Oddball. Sophia, it's great to see you. Great to see you as well. Oddball is a fantastic name for a brand. I always wonder how founders are able to land the trademark for a name that's as great as Oddball. But before we even get into that, tell us all about what you do.
[00:06:43] Speaker 1: So I'm Sophia, I'm the founder of Oddball, and we make snacks made of real fruit for the modern families. Our first product line is a new type of jiggly fruit cup. So think of a kind of a better for you jello that had a baby with, you know, the everyday Dola Del Monte cut fruit cups. We don't use any dyes, no artificial ingredients. So I started Oddball, honestly, because I'm just someone that loves to eat junk food. anything that's like, you know, the Lunchables, the Gushers, like all that stuff, like, just give it to me and I will devour it. I think it's because I grew up in Asia, I grew up in Singapore, where like, I just didn't grow up with these snacks. And when I came to the US, I was like a kid in a candy store again. Growing up in Asia, and growing up in Singapore, fruit wasn't like a healthy choice, right? It was cultural, it was family. It was how we showed love, it was what we ate for dessert, what we ate for our snacks. And Eventually I got to a point where I was eating so much junk food that I noticed all the weight gain, the acne, the cavities as an adult. None of that I had as a kid, right? And so I was like, all right, I guess I need to start eating like an adult. And so when I went out there and I tried to find a replacement for my love for junk food, I kind of felt like I was getting catfished by my food, right? Because it was a lot of like bars that's pretending to be a cookie dough or like milkshake that's like actually like a protein shake, like, you know, no shades to that. But like, sometimes I just want to eat for the sake of eating and like eat for the sake of joy, right? Um, so yeah, I saw a gap which between what I grew up eating for snacks in Asia are mostly very minimally processed and made a real fruit. So like, you know, fruit, seaweed, right, like beans, all those stuff. And it's delicious. And when I saw that gap here, I just couldn't unsee it. Right. So yeah, I decided to really go for it. And here we are today. The first product line is a type of jiggly fruit cup, as I've mentioned. And I really saw the gap there because, you know, in the US, when I first came here, I was kind of shocked that the only brand of jelly was jello, right? If you look at any other cultures, there's panna cotta in Italy, right? Like France, there's flan, right? In Asia, there's agar and canton. And in Asia, it's just grown to be this like really massive category because it's a very easy food with mass appeal, right? And so I always say, like, you think about like, why, like, you know, in hospitals, they still serve jello. And that's because like any age from zero to 100 years old, you can be eating that, right? Any dietary restrictions, any allergens, anything like that. So today, we are nationwide in Target as of two weeks ago. Um, and yeah.
[00:09:14] Ray Latif: Sophia, that was great. I only have about 10,000 questions to ask you, but before we even get to my ridiculous questions, which are probably not as good as Yola's, I just want to ask about the refrigeration versus ambient. Where are you sold in stores, particularly in Target?
[00:09:30] Speaker 1: We're sold in a lunchbox set in the fruit cup aisle. Okay. Ambient.
[00:09:35] Ray Latif: Ambient. Okay. Yola Jiggly Fruit Cup. It's the first time I've heard of a product described as a jiggly fruit cup, but I like it. I like it a lot. What are your thoughts?
[00:09:44] Yola Blake Page: Yeah, I've been following y'all since you were featured in Snack Shots a couple by Andrea Hernandez for a couple years ago, and I love your brand story and very excited to talk with y'all today. Now, these days in 2026, I'm hearing you're calling it a fruit cup. It's not a gelatin dessert. You're not going after Jell-O. I love that positioning that it's a fruit cup. Was that always intentional? What made you decide that this was the category you wanted consumers to find you in and really get laser focused in that way?
[00:10:17] Speaker 1: Yeah, no, I think that's a great question, right? We've had, I think this is one of our biggest hurdles, honestly, when it comes to brand positioning and like messaging to consumers, et cetera, right? Because we are in a unique place where just like Kleenex and Clorox and Xerox, right? Like the brand is the category and most consumers don't understand that. And it's just not, the term that is used to describe the category, it's not something that we can use. And so in the beginning, like we're really positioned as like an alternative for Jell-O, but I think like as we, you know tested and like move along and started being in retailers we realized that it's both inaccurate from a product standpoint given like we don't use any gelatin right like we don't have any of the ingredients essentially that a jello has but it's actually closer to a fruit cup the other side of this is understanding where we should be placed within a retail store right because we're retail first and so for us like it took a lot for us to produce and create and invent a product that is made with real fruit with a shelf life that's ambient, right? And that's not where we started off in the beginning. We started off in refrigerated and gradually were able to develop that formulation that can withstand the ambient nature that we believe that we should be part of, right? And so I think like that is both from a supply chain perspective, right, a cost perspective, but also needing to understand how to win on shelf as an ambient product in the fruit cup because that ultimately is where we believe we have most similarities in, right? And we want to exist in the broader lunchbox category that is more available within center store versus refrigeration.
[00:11:57] Yola Blake Page: Absolutely. And with that, like what occasions are being are proven to be the biggest growth drivers for you? You know, back to school, which is upcoming seems like or back to routine is what we called it at Whole Foods seems to be like an obvious one. But I was just wondering if there's been any surprises, as you've thought about where what occasions you clip into the most for people?
[00:12:20] Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's also another great question. We are very focused on the millennial families and the lunchbox kid. We are hitting a point where millennial parents grew up with the most joyful snacks of all time, the stuff that I was obsessed with. The Gushers, the Dunkaroos, the Lunchables, all of that. We love those colorful, playful snacks. I believe the millennial parents just want the same thing, the same joy for their kids, but with ingredients that they actually trust, right? So to your point, back to school, which is like our season right now, that's our Super Bowl. I would say like new year, new me, right? That's also another key moment where parents are making deliberate choices into what to add to their lunchbox. I would say the lunchbox moment is very key, right? I think after school sports is also a very, very key moment for us. But yeah, I would say like, we're very much, you know, an all day snack, like whether it's a breakfast, you know, snack, lunchbox snack, or like after school sports snack or car snack, right? Yeah.
[00:13:15] Ray Latif: What's your price point, Sophia? And what's your pack size?
[00:13:18] Speaker 1: So right now we sell $4.99 at Target for a four pack.
[00:13:22] Ray Latif: Okay. Do you think that's going to remain consistent at other retailers?
[00:13:27] Speaker 1: I think pricing is a very tricky thing to do, right? And especially like we are at a moment in time where the consumers are really looking for better ingredients, right? Like new type of food, new type of snack. And so like that pricing analysis and pricing exercise, I think is a lot more complex, but I do think that, you know, premium stores will have a little more premium pricing. But I think, you know, it's a broader exercise of like, beyond just like our category or like our fruit snack, but also just like, you know, broader in the lunchbox category or other types of snack, right? Like that, what is that premium threshold that consumers are willing to pay for?
[00:14:06] Ray Latif: Yeah, especially in 2026 when people are very price sensitive and trading down in some cases because they can't afford the premium products, it's a real concern. Yola, where do you see that $44.99 price point fitting into consumers' lives and who's buying this product in particular?
[00:14:26] Yola Blake Page: I can see definitely that I feel like is a good price point for a better for you without saying, I know that that's not where you're leaning into, but it is a better for you snack in that way. And to me, I feel like it's a, it's a good, it's a good trade up to something that's even more delicious and nutritious at the same time and can fit alongside those snacking occasions. But yes, I know that. August 2026 in the year of our Lord, 2026, where that is price is a sensitive point, but I do feel like it's one that I feel like people would drive trial. And that kind of leads me into a question of like how you get people to try this product when it's maybe different than what they're used to with a quote unquote jello, even though that's not what y'all are.
[00:15:15] Speaker 1: Yeah, no, I think, again, another great question, right? It's like, how do you get people and especially parents and kids to try something that's so new to the world and kind of foreign, right? I think texture is a big thing, right? And I think we're hitting a moment where we're seeing those trends, right? Like in like mochi and bubble tea, etc. I would say for us, we have to be very, very surgical in how we deploy our resources, especially in marketing, given we are in 2,000 stores in Target nationwide. We've done a lot of marketing testing that's ring-fenced. For us, it's very simple. It's taste to lip. People need to try it. Kids need to try it. Parents need to watch their kids try it. When parents watch their kids try it and they watch their kids finish it, That's when they know, right? They know that their kids are going to finish it. They don't have to choose between good and between joy and between fun for their kid. So I would say that combined with very, very targeted and, honestly, aggressive POS and in-store and secondaries. So I think that brand awareness combined, most importantly, with taste to lip, meaning sampling, is very key to a new-to-the-world, new invention product today.
[00:16:22] Ray Latif: Sophia, this has been so great. Thank you so much for taking the time. I really appreciate it. Please stay in touch. Obviously, you want to know how you're doing in Target, what other retail chains you're getting into, investment, what have you. Let us know. We want to write about it on Nosh. We want to talk about it on Taste Radio. And one of the most important things that founders can do is to let media companies know what you're doing so that we can broadcast it to the rest of the world. So thank you once again for being on Elevator Talk today. And let's stay in touch.
[00:16:51] Speaker 1: Absolutely, would love to stay in touch and a big fan of all what you guys are doing here. So thank you again for having me. Bye-bye.
[00:16:56] Ray Latif: Thank you. All right, outstanding start to the show. Let's keep things going with our next founders. We have Kajal Purnik and Radha Patel, the co-founders of the Spice Drops. Radha, Kajal, how's it going?
[00:17:18] Speaker 2: Good, how are you guys doing? So thank you so much, first of all, for having us on this show. This is such an honor. I'm really glad to meet you guys.
[00:17:25] Ray Latif: Tell us all about the Spice Drops.
[00:17:28] Speaker 3: Hi, Ray. Hi, Yola. Nice to see you, Ray, again. Nice to meet you. So Spice Drops genuinely started with necessity and out of frustration in my life. I like food. but I like really spicy foods. And most hot sauces or chili oils or chili crunches out in the market, either they were not spicy enough, or if they were, they would introduce a lot of other strong flavors that I didn't like or didn't want in my food, like garlic or vinegar or crunch, other things. When I lived alone, practically all my life, I've cooked most of my meals. And when I lived alone and I was cooking for myself, it was fine. I could make the food as spicy as I wanted it. But after getting married and having kids, I found that I was eating bland foods just out of convenience and having not enough time. And I realized I'm like, this is not what I enjoy. I don't enjoy this level of spice in my foods. And that's when I started experimenting in my kitchen. It took me a couple of years to figure out a formula that worked, which was all clean ingredients, all real ingredients, no preservatives and shelf stable. And that's when I brought Radhan. We found something that you know as the spice drops now. It's a way for everyone to enjoy their own heat level at the table.
[00:19:05] Speaker 2: Yeah, and if I might just kind of encapsulate what the spice drops is, it is a concentrated chili oil in the form of a dropper bottle and it lets you add clean heat or just spiciness to your food without changing the flavor of it. So to Kajal's point, you see a lot of things in the market that are going to enhance the flavor, honestly. So if you're looking for a hot sauce and you want to make your food spicier, you have to kind of go to the hot sauces of the world. And those generally are gonna have, you know, as she mentioned, a lot of the garlicky flavors. There's always something in them. And then, you know, to Kajal's point, she didn't want to change the flavor of her food. She's a huge foodie. She's like, I just wanna make this spicier without messing it up in any way, because this food is so good, but I just wanna make it spicier. So yeah, after, you know, a couple of years of just kind of tinkering in the kitchen, she was able to create this all natural, ultra concentrated chili oil. Because again, there are other concentrated chili oils in the market that do do this, but they do it through a chemical process of extracting a capsation and that always just leaves like a bittery, metallic E kind of taste. So we wanted to make sure that we were mindful about the ingredients that we put inside and just how it's formulated. Because again, it's for families and you know her kids actually will tell you they they like a little bit of spice and they'll say, I'll take one drop in my noodles. Mine don't. But yeah, so it's interesting how it can really be super versatile. And we love where it's at now.
[00:20:45] Ray Latif: Yeah, I can vouch for the flavor. It's fantastic. And it does exactly what it says it does. It adds heat. It doesn't add anything else. And it adds heat in a really authentic, beautiful way. It doesn't feel like it's overly processed. It's a really easy way to add your own personal level of spice to any food. So now I haven't had it with all different kinds of foods. I think I had it with a couple of different bites. But Yola, I got to ask, you know, at a time when it feels like U.S. consumers in particular are embracing spice in everything. I mean, you're seeing spice in candy now. What are your thoughts on the spice drops and how do you authentically tell this story, given the fact that there is so much competition and frankly clutter in the spice aisle?
[00:21:35] Yola Blake Page: Absolutely. Well, there's two strong differentiators. One is the form factor of the dropper, which I think is genius. And also the two sizes that you have. And particularly the small size, I'd like to keep in my purse and bring with me. And also not have it like that's just completely genius to think about like having just a little bit that you can put on your eggs. And just that form factor is really very interesting. And And I always think about longevity of form factor, because it's cool to be the Graza of spice drops and of spice, but also I always think about, okay, but four years from now, if someone really loved that dropper bottle component, they can replicate, right? But what they don't have is the second differentiator of it being just straight heat without vinegar, without any other thing. things so that if you do keep it in your purse and you want to put it on pizza or you want to put it on a toast or something along those lines, you can have this one size fits all. And so I think those two things make it very, very distinct and also set you apart from traditional what you see in a grocery store. And honestly, the one thing that I find it most similar to, which I think is a wild take, but is liquid smoke. It's kind of a similar thing, but you're doing that for heat. And so I find the whole concept of it really very interesting. Thank you.
[00:23:07] Ray Latif: Yeah, if I were going to an Austin barbecue and I felt like the spice level wasn't just enough, you just got a couple drops on your ribeye, not your ribeye, your brisket or whatever it is that you're eating and you can enjoy yourself.
[00:23:21] Yola Blake Page: Wow, that is a great idea. As a Texan, I'm like, yes.
[00:23:27] Speaker 3: We see it as salt, pepper, and then the spice drops on the table, dining table, because everyone can just literally everyone's salt preference is different. So we think everyone's spice preference is different, too. And you can customize it the way you want it.
[00:23:40] Speaker 2: Yeah, and then as we think about kind of who is this good for in terms of like who is that perfect customer? I think we we've settled on, you know, and would love your thoughts on this. Yola just we've settled on a few, but one is just going to be that home chef or home cook. Or maybe it's a mom and she's really just looking to make things easier, right? Maybe it's her. Maybe it's her husband. It really one of them like spicy food, but she's really tired of just having to make different batches. of whether it be the chili or whether it be the tacos or the meat, right? So this is kind of her savior and it's almost like a relief factor for her where she's like, okay, you know what? This is gonna make my life easier. I've got this one thing. I'll just add a few drops to mine and then I won't add any to his or hers, right? And then the other one is just someone, you know, who likes to travel with it too. And it could be that same person. They go to a restaurant and they really like the food as it is, but they just want, wish it was a couple, you know, a little bit spicier so they can take it out of their purse, take it out of their pocket, and then just add a few drops in their tacos or enchiladas or eggs, what have you be. And then, you know, just a gifter. We see a lot of traction from farmers markets. Just, I know the perfect thing. And now I'm going to give this to my one friend or my one family member and they love it. So, you know, that's the one thing I guess we'd love your thoughts on. You know, do you feel like that would resonate?
[00:25:08] Yola Blake Page: Absolutely. And I also like the idea of it going into a gift box or there's a lot of, I think of a few people in my life that love heat and I'm like, wow, that would be a really good idea. And I also then think about other small gift shops, the unique local shops that have different, have a small CPG set. I could also see it living there. My one question to those about considering you have such differentiation in both the form factor and the product itself. I'm wondering how you're thinking about like the visual brand identity, where that is on on your list of all the bajillion things that that CPG founders have to think about. How are you seeing that evolving as the Brandt Gehrs over time?
[00:25:58] Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, it's funny that you ask. We're actually doing a lot of work, or soul searching, I'll call it internally right now, just around kind of what is the brand, what is the product, what are the feelings that we want to evoke in someone, and how do we tie it to the functional benefits of it to each customer. So honestly, that's something that we're currently working through around what is that visual identity? What is that branding going to look like? How do we make sure? Because it is a new product. And I think we're building a category to some extent. So there's just so much education that we need to do. And how do we do it in a way that's succinct, that's really going to get directly through all the noise, right? Because when you walk into a store shelf and you have no idea what you're looking at, You don't have a minute or two minutes like you do on a website or on a TikTok video or anything to really explain what it is. You really have to rely on the packaging doing all the work. So I guess we don't really have a good answer aside from the fact that we're working on it and would love any feedback.
[00:27:04] Ray Latif: Again, we're out of time and I'm going to blame our producers for this because they never give me enough time or never give us enough time. But Yola, if you're looking at front of pack here, I imagine you are looking at the bottle. What's one thing that you think really needs to be amplified?
[00:27:17] Yola Blake Page: I think that what I think maybe some of the messaging could be thought about more strategically in that chili oil already gives a connotation, but you are a spice drop. So it almost feels like the spice drop is the differentiator. And maybe with time, there could be a name that is the above that. And then the spice drops being the actual like differentiator, because It makes you zig and zag away from being a chili oil, which people think of crunch, they do think of garlic, they have a certain thing in their mind. So I wonder if there's ways in which you can think about setting yourself apart entirely from the set. Not so much that a buyer wouldn't be like, where does this go? Because it's very obvious it would be near all of the hot sauces in that category. That's where they would put you, is really thinking about that messaging hierarchy and those words being very clear to drive connotation with your brand. And also too, it is a chaotic aisle. There's classic brands, there's ones that have all different kinds of colors, there's all kinds of fonts there. So just really thinking about probably standing in a store as you're concepting brand identity and thinking about who you're going to be around as you're creating that more bold packaging that will kind of break through in the set. I know that we're out of time, so I'm like, I have so many thoughts.
[00:28:50] Ray Latif: I was just going to say That this conversation doesn't need to end here you guys should continue this conversation for sure offline And I think that Yola obviously you're offering some great advice and feedback We're gonna share Yola's information at the end of the show and you guys already have it from our prior email communication, but Radha and Kajal, thank you so much for being with us on the show today. I really love your brand and your product, and I think you've got a long runway here. Just in terms of where you go next, retail, distribution, or otherwise, please keep us in the loop. Let us know what's going on, and perhaps Ciola might be able to get a sample of your product so that when it ends up at that Texas barbecue, it also ends up on Instagram.
[00:29:40] Speaker 3: Yep, I will post that. For you and your friends that you thought of when you thought about spicy fish. All right, it's going to Hawaii.
[00:29:47] Yola Blake Page: We're going to Hawaii. To my country.
[00:29:51] Ray Latif: Outstanding. All right. Once again, thank you guys so much for being on the show.
[00:29:55] Yola Blake Page: So nice to meet y'all.
[00:29:57] Ray Latif: Let's keep the show going with our next guest, Alana Pekov, who is the co-founder of GoodGreed. Alana, it's great to see you.
[00:30:05] Speaker 4: Hello. Nice to meet you, Ray. Thanks so much for having me on.
[00:30:09] Ray Latif: Good Greed. It kind of reminds me of a Peanuts cartoon, except that's Good Grief, right? That's what Charlie Brown always says. But Good Greed, I like the name of this. What do you guys do?
[00:30:20] Speaker 4: Yeah, so GoodGrid is a low-sugar, gut-friendly gummy candy made with nothing artificial, prebiotic fiber, and real fruit. So we launched in 2026 at the beginning of this year. It feels like we've already been in the market for a while, but we're a baby brand. And our whole mission really started because we wanted a better option for candy on the market. I started this with two friends from college actually, and we both have, we all have gut health issues. And a lot of the better for you candy on the market really upset our stomach and we're health conscious. We were so excited to try a bunch on the market, but yeah, it really reaped havoc on our gut and we love candy and we wanted to change that. So We spent about two years formulating with one of actually the top dieticians. We convinced Abby Sharp, who's an amazing dietician, to work with us to formulate a product that, number one, tastes good. Taste is so important to us. We wanted to make sure it tasted good. Two is gentle on your gut. We wanted to avoid some common gut offenders like allulose and sugar alcohols, artificial colors. We just wanted candy that was actually good for you and tasted good. So after two years, we built Good Greed. So we launched with two different flavors, sour cherry and peach. And we're now in about 60 plus stores in New York and beyond, which is amazing. And the feedback has been so incredible. When people come to us and say that the candy tastes amazing and it tastes like candy, that makes us really happy.
[00:31:55] Ray Latif: You are right place, right time, right? Because it feels like Better For You Candy is all the rage. There was just a New York Times article about all the Better For You Candy that's coming to market. And I feel like just Good Greed is a great name. But also what you do, and how you explain the brand as being gut-friendly, I think really speaks to a lot of people. I also saw a twinkle in Yola's eyes when you talked about the brand, because it feels like, maybe I'm wrong, Yola, are you a candy lover? Do you like a good gummy?
[00:32:28] Yola Blake Page: Love, love a good gummy and a big candy lover.
[00:32:32] Ray Latif: Yeah. So, you know, again, going back to what you originally talked about and having to differentiate yourself and, and, and focus on something that is going to resonate with a broad set of consumers in a increasingly crowded set, um, good breed is the positioning something that you think speaks to a lot of people?
[00:32:55] Yola Blake Page: I definitely think it does, actually. I saw you in Pop-Up Grocery when I was in New York earlier this summer, and I went back through my camera roll as I was preparing for this conversation, and there you were. And I realized, oh, I almost brought you guys with me, but I was going to the Whitney, it was raining, it was all the things, so I actually didn't get anything there, but it spoke to me. from being so simple in your pack and delicious looking. I love the way that it looked and it kind of zags where a lot of candy brands are zigging at the moment where it's like loud packaging and I like how sleek it is and so yeah I definitely think there's so much room to play here especially even with the Swedish candy trend, which I'm super into at this moment in time, there's so much room to play and I think that consumers have an appetite, pun intended, for this type of brand.
[00:33:52] Ray Latif: Yeah, for sure. Alana, I'm looking at your packaging and the gut friendly button on the front of pack is relatively small. And I think that's great actually, because you don't want to be so focused on, you know, just that one set of consumers who's concerned about gut friendly, even though it probably affects a lot of people. But what were you really trying to communicate on front of pack? What did you really want to shout to that consumer such that they want to try and hopefully buy your product?
[00:34:22] Speaker 4: Yeah, exactly. We wanted to appeal to a couple of different target markets. The people who care about gut health, that's important, which is why that's on there. But we also want to just convert people who are traditional candy eaters to candy. Like my job in marketing is to make healthy candy cool. And I don't think it needs to be boring. So I wanted it to be chic. I wanted it to be easy to read. And the main call-outs there were really gut friendly, because we think there's going to be a huge rise in gut health. I mean, we're already seeing it. The articles are coming out. Look at what Poppy has done. Poppy's a great example to learn from. They took prebiotic soda and made it mainstream, which is exactly what we want to do in the candy space. So gut health was really important to us. Having hyper-realistic, really juicy imagery to attract the consumer to our brand was really important. And having simple call-outs. It doesn't need to be complicated. We have simple ingredients, we have simple packaging, and we have a simple product that tastes good and will make you feel good.
[00:35:24] Ray Latif: Yeah, I love the way the fruit pops in the packaging and it definitely evokes taste and flavor and juiciness, all the things that you talked about. Yola, again, this is a category that's really growing up and emerging before our very eyes. And there's a lot of brands in the space. I feel like some are trying to go the younger route where it's a little bit of positioning that might appeal to a, you know, 20 and under crowd. And then there's the approach where you are speaking to adults. It's very clear. I feel like good greed is kind of speaking to that slightly older consumer. What do you think about the direction that they're going in terms of that positioning and who they're trying to appeal to?
[00:36:14] Yola Blake Page: I think that is smart at this moment in time. I think there needs to be all shades of different candy. And also the fact that you're leaning into being the dietitian, working with the dietitian, being 90 calories per bag. I know that you're going after a person that is sensitive to macros and thinking about where this fits into their entire day. And that's smart. And there's real sugar, all of those types of things. And so it seems, though, you're trying to be a smart snacking choice, something that you that is kind of a pick me up in the day versus like and well, it also is an indulgence, all of those things. But the way I see it, and I think the way that it resonated with me, who might be someone in your target market, is that this is a way to have a pick me up in the middle of the day. That is a sweet treat that isn't going to, you know, make all of my macros out of balance for the day type of thing. And I think that that's a smart, clean angle.
[00:37:18] Speaker 4: Yeah, exactly. That's exactly what we're doing. And we're all about balance. This doesn't need to be a perfect treat. It's not like you're eating an apple, but it is a really good choice. It's made with simple ingredients, and it's going to make you feel good after eating it. The biggest thing is that it won't make you feel bloated or uncomfortable, because when you're looking for a snack and you're looking for a pick-me-up, like you said, in the middle of the day, you want to feel good after eating it.
[00:37:44] Yola Blake Page: I think one of the things too, as I, as I look, I love the visual and how simple, um, or how dialed in each part of your messaging call outs are on your bag. Um, I wonder too about. This is my whole foods hat coming back on online here is thinking about words like gut friendly and the meaning behind them. And so. there's probably potential to go levels deeper and to probe deeper on what that means and how it can be articulated in that gut friendly is starting to become more of like, it's natural, like kind of a sort of a, it's has less tangible meaning in the mind of the consumer. And I think I think probably each of those call outs that you have to knowing that gut friendly can be subjective. Plant based is likely a given when it's a gummy. Those just those thinking about like that real estate is so valuable on the bag and you have such beauty. Like I love the the graphic of the cherry and the peach. making sure that each of those messaging call-outs are just ways you're reinforcing the sale from someone.
[00:39:01] Ray Latif: We talked about price point earlier in this episode and how important that is to everyday consumers. Alana, what are you selling a good grade of per bag? What's the price point?
[00:39:12] Speaker 4: Absolutely. Each bag is $5.99 and we sell them in cases of six.
[00:39:17] Ray Latif: And is the serving size one bag?
[00:39:20] Speaker 4: The serving size is one bag, correct.
[00:39:22] Ray Latif: Yeah, so again, a slightly elevated price point for candy, you know, better for you candy. I feel like there is that tier right now that people are paying for. Is there a target price point that you're envisioning? I mean, is there a place where you say, okay, at this price, you know, target might start looking at us or, you know, a slightly larger retailer that is a little bit more price sensitive.
[00:39:45] Speaker 4: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, every day we're looking for ways to lower our price. It's the joy of a startup. But once we get economies of scale and once we get those supply chain efficiencies, that's the goal. We just launched. This was really just a test to see if we had product market fit. And now that we know that we have that, we're ready to scale quick. which is why we have two new flavors coming out in September or October. Don't want to put a straight date on it, but coming out in the fall. And once we start getting those economies of scale, we will definitely be lowering our prices. We just need to survive as a startup, as many of the other startups on this call probably understand. But we've just been so grateful for the feedback in the market and prices will hopefully come down soon.
[00:40:28] Ray Latif: Alana, thank you so much for taking the time to be with us on Taste Radio's Elevator Talk. I really appreciate it. And please keep us in the loop about what's going on, what new stores you're getting into, and we'd love an exclusive on the two new flavors that you're launching in October. So please let us know when you can.
[00:40:45] Speaker 4: Awesome. Thanks, Ryan. Thanks, Yolanda. So great to meet you.
[00:40:47] Ray Latif: All right, our next guest is Dahlia Rubin. She's the co-founder and CEO of Little Twists. Dahlia, it's great to see you.
[00:40:55] Speaker 5: So good to see you. Thank you so much for having me here. Also, Yola, so nice to see you too. As you mentioned, I'm the founder of Little Twist. We just launched a month ago. We're a new baking mix brand that makes it really easy to bake your favorite desserts. And our Little Twist is that it's allergy friendly. So all the products are top nine allergen friendly. The main ones that most people would think of are gluten free. It's also dairy free. It's not free, so it's naturally school safe. And the whole idea came from that I've been gluten free and dairy free for over 10 years. I have a lot of stomach issues. And then I've always been a baker. I went to culinary school. I grew up baking, loved baking. What's funny is as I got older, it just became more tedious. and annoying. So I only tried to do what was really quick. And then I would find myself hosting, I'd host like, I'm Jewish, so I have a lot of Shabbat meals. And I'd host, let's say, my husband at the time when we were dating his roommate who was vegan, and another person was not free, and I'm gluten free. And I just didn't have time to make dessert for everyone, as much as I'm a recipe developer, like there's just no time. So After like a couple of years of thinking, what product do I want to start? It finally clicked. I'm like, why don't I just make baking dessert easy for everyone so that everyone can enjoy it. It's really simple to make and it uses real ingredients and not a bunch of artificial stuff that I see at the store a lot of the time. So we launched Little Twists with three SKUs. All baking mixes, we have banana bread baking mix, chocolate cookie baking mix, and fudgy brownie baking mix, all made with basically under 10 ingredients. You add water, oil, and vanilla extract. You also add bananas to the banana bread baking mix. But the whole idea is it's super easy. It's straightforward. Our packaging is meant to be bold and exciting and not over-communicate the allergy-friendly aspect. So the goal is to appeal to that allergy mom who I know is going to turn the package anyways to look for the certifications, which is we pulled a bunch of them and that was what we were told. And then also to just appeal to the host or the millennial who wants something with simpler, cleaner ingredients that they could share with their friends or just enjoy at home. So that's the gist on Little Twists.
[00:43:05] Ray Latif: I'm having trouble speaking right now because that fudgy brownie baking mix is making my mouth water so much that...
[00:43:11] Yola Blake Page: It's such a good one.
[00:43:12] Ray Latif: I'm just going to kick it to Yola. Yola, Little Twists.
[00:43:16] Yola Blake Page: Um, it's so nice to meet you. And I really, I've been, I kind of definitely did my homework and I've followed you online and started to see how you're building how you've been building this brand because one month in your launch really just feels remarkably well considered for a brand that's only been on the market for a month and for people at home. The packaging, it looks like it's the third redesign and it's the first iteration of it. You're really telling your story well along the way. And I know that you also have a background too in food photography and recipe testing, that kind of thing. You're bringing a lot of things from your past experience. Like it's been a long journey. It's like, we're seeing you today, but you're like the product of like 10 years. And so in thinking about that, what experiences, that you have had along this journey because you launched a month ago, but in your mind, you've definitely, this was years in the making. Like what experience gave you the most headstart when you like reflect and look back as it came time to build your own brand? I know you're in it and it's only been a month and it's hard to reflect, but I definitely think that other founders would definitely love to hear how your unique perspective has brought you to what it looks, it looks, it looks like it's fully formed in air quotes.
[00:44:39] Speaker 5: I mean, I genuinely think it starts from when I was 13 years old, when I wanted to make money in the summer, but I didn't want to be working at a summer camp like all my friends were. I'm like, I could just do this in a week. And I could do something I'm passionate about. It wasn't just about the business, but it was like, what can I do that I love, but also make $1,000 in a week as a kid? So I would host baking camps. And just from there, I figured out, oh, I had very little money. I was so young. But I'm like, I have this little money. I'm doing something I love. And I could now double it. And I didn't know what a margin was or anything like that then, but that slowly started making it easier for me to think about, oh, how can I take my passion and turn this into a business? And then, I don't know, I just did little things over the years to... get more knowledge and feel more comfortable to start something, because I always knew I would start a food brand. I just didn't know what it would be and what I could love. So I dabbled in content creation, went to culinary school, all while also sprinkling in the business aspects throughout. And I don't know, just all those different experiences, I guess, brought me here today and meeting a lot of people and asking questions. I always say, like, everyone should ask so many questions. Like, don't be shy about that.
[00:45:54] Yola Blake Page: What have you found is the most surprising thing you've learned in getting to this launch last month along the way?
[00:46:02] Speaker 5: I guess how much time something can take and how much, I mean, I knew I didn't know a lot of things, but how much you don't know and how much you learn along the way, it's just a matter of like, Talking to a lot of people doing an insane amount of research and also oh, I guess the biggest thing is Realizing that like everything is gonna go wrong for the most part and you have to like quickly pivot like every day I'm like, oh shoot. This thing is not right or whatever, but it's not that it's not right I just have to change the way I approach it whether it's Whether it's getting product feedback and realizing, oh, I have to actually bold certain things on the package, let's say, in terms of the directions, because this is a product that people have to try at home, I have to make at home. So certain things I'm learning along the way of like, OK, this is how we're going to do it differently next time. Or even financially, not even realizing how expensive it is to start a brand early on and just figuring that out along the way. And you feel like you're stuck in a place, and then you're just like, I just figure out, okay, how do we get around this? So that's that. That's my perspective on it.
[00:47:07] Ray Latif: Dahlia, since you advocated for people asking questions, I'm going to jump in with a question of my own here, which is about price point, which I've mentioned a number of times in this episode. On your website, uh... each box whether it's the chocolate chip cookie the baking bread excuse me the banana bread or the fudgy brownie it's sixteen dollars and forty nine cents per box which is a significant premium To be honest with you, that would probably keep me at bay in terms of buying this product, even as amazing as it looks. And I do have people that I know who are very sensitive to nuts and other things like that. So how are you going to convince people? How do you plan on talking to people about that price point and why your products are worth it? And I know it's really early on and your prices will come down at some point, but right now just getting to trial is really important in getting people to buy your product for the first time, feels like that price is a big barrier.
[00:48:08] Speaker 5: Now, I 100% hear what you're saying. I will add two things. First off, on shelf in a store, we're $14.99 always. The idea of the $16.49, which we're still going back and forth with what feels right right now, comes from we want to draw people in early on with a discount. And in order to get to our $14.99, which is what's giving us a healthy margin as an early start of company, that's the price before any discount is applied. So basically, almost everyone gets it for $14.99. We might change that up very soon, actually, because I was just talking to somebody who has been growing their DTC brand, and he gave me a ton of advice on pricing, so that might be changing a little bit soon. In terms of convincing people, though, $14.99 is also still a high price point. The way that we approach it is that as someone who's been gluten-free and dairy-free for years, I think about how many times I've gone to the store to get a bunch of different specialty gluten-free flours, and then if I'm making something for a vegan person, get the flax, which the bag itself could be like $6 to $10. And then honestly, I only use these things so many times. I literally just had my kitchen assistant go through my cabinet and she threw out so much old baking supplies. I felt so bad about it. And that was like hundreds of dollars. So the idea is that so many parents will go to the store spend 50 to $70 on one really specialty recipe. First, and then doesn't always come out good. It's like hit or miss versus like a mix that you trust that you just add water, oil and vanilla to and it is expensive, but it's still not the cost of buying a million specialty ingredients that you might not use again. So that's one part of it. I guess the other side of it is that though we do plan to get our price point down, when I think about the mom of an allergy kid, that's one of our target customers, I know my mom, she was a single mom on a huge, huge budget. When it came to trying to find things that I can eat, those are the things she splurged on. It was like, will Dahlia even like this food? Let me try. And half the time, I didn't want to buy it again. So it's the fact that early on, we do know that those moms will buy it. Not all of them, but a lot of them will. And then obviously, our goal is to get that price down a lot. We do want to be competitive on the shelf once we're in a mainstream grocery store.
[00:50:26] Ray Latif: I'm excited to see and follow the future of this brand, because I think you're doing some amazing things. And I love the name. I love your packaging. Just echoing what Yola was saying, it feels like a brand that's already a big brand in a lot of ways. It feels like it's got something about it that is recognizable and relatable. And yeah, you just nailed the packaging from the get-go. So well done on that front.
[00:50:50] Speaker 5: Our designer, she's amazing.
[00:50:53] Ray Latif: OK.
[00:50:54] Speaker 5: Yeah.
[00:50:55] Ray Latif: Okay. Dahlia, thanks so much for being on the show today. Please stay in touch. Let us know if there's anything we can help with as you continue along your journey.
[00:51:02] Speaker 5: Thank you so, so much. It was so great meeting you guys.
[00:51:07] Ray Latif: All right. On to our final guest for this episode of Elevator Talk. We have Ruby Saenz, who's the co-founder of Gamsa Foods. Ruby, it's great to see you.
[00:51:17] Speaker 6: Hi, Ray. How are you doing?
[00:51:19] Ray Latif: Doing very, very well. Thank you so much for being on the show. Thanks so much for sending samples of Gamza. I feel like this was a brand that I was introduced to at the Summer Fancy Food Show and just made my head explode in terms of what it is and how delicious the products that you sell are. Tell us all about what you do.
[00:51:39] Speaker 6: Yeah, so I am one of the co-founders of Kamsa Foods, and we are a Korean-American food brand. And right now, we make a savory Korean-inspired oatmeal. And we have two versions of it. We have one that comes in a box format, and then also one that's in a cup, which is brand new. Our first flavor is sesame garlic. So it's very warm, very comforting. My other co-founder, Sarah, she's Korean-American, and she grew up having Korean rice porridge called juk. And so we were very influenced by that and her mom's recipe. And I'm Mexican American, I grew up on savory breakfast as well. And we just realized, we didn't see representation within breakfast within the US. Honestly, global flavors have touched everything from lunch to dinner and snacks but breakfast was really like untouched and we also were very frustrated with a lot of the convenient breakfast options everything was like a sweet bar and granola you have juices and yogurts and obviously other sweet oatmeals and we just weren't satisfied there and obviously like now not everyone has time to make eggs or prep breakfast to have more of that savory bite in the morning. So we were like, why don't we do this? And we literally started in a commercial kitchen trying to work on this recipe together. The base is very unique. It has oats, puffed rice, and quinoa. So we very much try to differentiate in terms of that texture. So it's more like a rice porridge versus an actual oatmeal. And a lot of people that are, hey, I actually dislike oatmeal. I'm not the biggest fan. They end up being converted by that aspect. And then obviously like the flavors really won them over. We've been in business for about a year now. We launched last fall and we really started on direct to consumer and Amazon. And the goal really was trying to learn as much from our customers as possible. We started with a five pack of our oatmeal, which had like five pouches in a box. And honestly, that was great. And it really replicated the feeling of let's say Quaker or other types of instant oatmeals on the market. But we quickly realized after a few months that starting with like five different servings in one type of product was like not the best way in order to incentivize trial. And so we just launched with the cups. And that's what I think you saw, Ray, at Fancy Food. That was kind of our debut. And right now we're really pushing into retail, because it's the best way for people to try. And then once they do, we really see a high return purchase rate. But that's really where we're at. We're really trying to define what breakfast means in America.
[00:54:07] Ray Latif: Yola, I like a savory breakfast. When I first tried this product at the Summer Fancy Food Show, I hesitated a little bit, because I was thinking oatmeal. When I try oatmeal, I want brown sugar and berries and things like that. So what would make me, what would compel me to eat a product like this? Now, if you're at the Summer Fancy Food Show, you're going to try everything. The opportunity is really why people get excited, especially investors. So, you know, where do you think the opportunity is for a brand like this? What do you think of the size of that opportunity?
[00:54:44] Yola Blake Page: I definitely think that it's very interesting and differentiated that you're going savory in the breakfast aisle. And I imagine, too, you're wanting to be, when you go into retailers, to be put among the Purely Elizabeths and all of the Bob's Red Mill, all of those brands there, too. And in preparation for this, which I always do when I work with new food brands, as I go straight to the store, and I went into that breakfast aisle, and there was not a single savory option. There's protein, there's collagen, there is plain flavors like flax, but there is not the savory option. And I think that it would be very interesting for y'all to and differentiated and quite yummy to be in that area. On the other side too, I went into the International Aisle and I noticed something that y'all probably already know is that there's no breakfast food there in the ready-to-eat, like there's it's, you know, lots of ramen and lots of different flavors there, but they're not breakfast adjacent. I think that it's interesting and also great that y'all are leaning so much into breakfast and want to get into that set because I do think that you're bringing something truly differentiated. I have not tried your brand. I would love to because I think that it's such an interesting way of doing breakfast.
[00:56:04] Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, we've been thinking about it from essentially like doubling the breakfast category, like everything right now leans very sweet. So I think when we have conversations with retailers, they're incredibly excited of the potential where it literally could be, you know, twice that size. At some point, we love to have like savory pancakes. And so there's that whole realm. And that's how we're positioning the product. We have thought long and hard about do we sit and breakfast or in global flavors and Honestly, within the global flavor aisle, whether it's like at Whole Foods or other more independent grocery stores, there is a little bit less traffic. And also, I think people come with something in mind, like they want ramen or they want some cooking sauces. So it just didn't feel like the authentic place for us. And we keep thinking of, you know, breakfast is something you have every day. And there's this type of ritual and comfort from having it. And also, once you're in someone's routine, you're really something that they buy every single day, every single week. And so we very much feel like that's the best place for us. And on the note of the lack of breakfast within Global Flavors, I think in some cultures, there's less differentiation between what you have for breakfast and lunch and dinner. Like I myself, I grew up having pozole, which is like this savory stew, and I'd have that as a breakfast item. And also there's like breakfast tacos. My co-founder, Sarah, she often would make like spam and eggs for breakfast. That's very savory. And she would have that, you know, breakfast, lunch or dinner. And so there was kind of less of a, this is a breakfast food. I think that is, in some ways, a little bit more of a Western concept. And so that's something we're trying to change. But You know, we did have conversations with retailers like Target and Whole Foods about where it is we should be. And we're obviously very receptive. A big reason why we held off about like the last eight to 10 months about going into retail, because we wanted to have enough data that showed them like, hey, at this store, we actually were in both places. And we were also in like specialty off display or off shelf displays. And here's how things worked. And here's also the customer like repurchase rate. And so here actually you should put us within breakfast. And that's really driving forward a lot of our conversations.
[00:58:15] Yola Blake Page: It seems very intuitive to have that savory option. Is that in your conversations with potential consumers, any testing that you've done, any anecdotal research, have you, how have people been receptive or what has been the perception of someone who's thinking about savory breakfast? just so that I don't lead the witness, because I think it's amazing. And I think that it's I think it's something that feels very natural. But what but what have you found in the trenches of asking people if they would be considering a savory oatmeal?
[00:58:53] Speaker 6: We've built this concept of savory breakfast club. And so we realized there's so many people that love having eggs, or even they make their own version of savory oatmeal. Sometimes it's just oatmeal with eggs and olive oil and cracked black pepper. And so this actually exists a lot, and people have it in different ways. But normally, it's very cooking intensive or prep intensive. I think we often saw that consumers were honestly skipping breakfast as a whole because they didn't want to spend the time for that savory option. They didn't want to also buy something like an egg sandwich that was refrigerated or something at the deli because it didn't feel like the most wholesome way to start their day. And so a lot of people have been like skipping breakfast. And so we really can see this like incremental way of changing the changing what breakfast means. But honestly, people have not been fully satisfied, especially those on the go or looking for a convenient breakfast.
[00:59:48] Ray Latif: Ruby, I'm curious about your initial consumers in the demographics. Are you finding that people who are familiar with Korean food or maybe familiar with other types of ethnic foods are most interested in a brand like this? Or are you seeing something different? Are you seeing what you expected in terms of consumers?
[01:00:13] Speaker 6: It's super interesting because we first had a consumer in mind and we named her Emily Kim and she was someone like Asian American or like an immigrant American that really wanted this lack of like savory breakfast option like challenge just solved for her. And we realized after maybe three months that that is a consumer. But honestly, a lot of people from middle of Oklahoma and Arkansas were buying our product because they are an oatmeal consumer. There's someone that wants like the same type of item every day. They're a little bit more health conscious. So having like honestly oats for breakfast and something very comforting is something they enjoyed. And also, I think there's the concept of grits and, you know, there's a few other like more savory options. And so I think we've learned that our initial, let's say, inclination of who our consumer was just varies. I think it's great when someone has an understanding of what juk or Chinese congee or even like Filipino arroz caldo, which are all rice porridge. They have that concept. They, you know, say it's very comforting and reminds them of having like their mom's homemade meal, but just much faster. That's wonderful. But then also people that have never had it. Honestly, those are the ones that have become these repeat customers for us and really fans of Kamsta and savory oatmeal.
[01:01:33] Yola Blake Page: I went to y'all's website and I loved the Persimmon Diaries. It looks like y'all have not written on it for a while, but as someone, I love Substack. I write on Substack. It feels very much like a really interesting way of pulling people into your brand story. And it feels very ripe for something like a Substack or something along those lines. And I really enjoy going through those past diaries. And maybe it's because it's the food nerd in me, but I love that you're showing how you're growing along the way and sharing that with your audience. Has that been something that you've thought about more as you've been starting to tell that story since you're such a different and unique brand?
[01:02:13] Speaker 6: Yes, 100%. Honestly, the persimmon diaries is something that I often wrote with my co-founder, Sarah, and we obviously were very, very personal and honestly, very sincere. I don't want to say the word authentic, but I think we're just very open. These things are hard and it was often very pre-launch. I think we're trying to understand how that story and our founder voices fit within the entire, the rest of the product. and brand messaging. So we will be bringing it back very soon, hopefully this September. So appreciate you pointing it out.
[01:02:47] Yola Blake Page: Yeah, you have a new subscriber.
[01:02:50] Ray Latif: Love that. It's a cool name for a blog. I think we'll call it a blog. Is that appropriate?
[01:02:56] Speaker 6: Yes, at some point we rebranded. Our logo was a persimmon and in Korean it begins like the core root word was like Kamsa. And so we kind of took it. We've changed so much. At some point we really thought about having like a persimmon type of logo, but that's where it comes from. I think our first entry will be about kind of the evolution of what the persimmon diary is, but that's the whole story.
[01:03:21] Ray Latif: Ruby, thank you so much. This has been so great. We really want to have this be a continuing relationship with brands and founders. This isn't a one-time thing where you're on the show and then you're off the show and then we have no more contact. That's not how this works. We really try to be as much about the community and supporting brands as much as we are reporting on brands. So if there's anything we can do for you, just let us know and we'll do our best to help.
[01:03:46] Speaker 6: Appreciate that so much. Thank you both for having me.
[01:03:49] Ray Latif: Yola, as advertised, a fantastic group of founders and brands, some really innovative concepts and ideas. We gotta have you back on the show, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
[01:04:00] Yola Blake Page: Be happy to come back.
[01:04:02] Ray Latif: Yes, there are a lot of people who are listening and watching that are like, hey, how do I get in touch with Yola? What's the best way to connect with you?
[01:04:09] Yola Blake Page: Well, I have a very unique name, Yola Blake Page. There's only one of me. My website is YolaBlakePage.com. I'm on LinkedIn talking about CPG and giving more of my perspective there. So you can find me there. And then Instagram as well. Although I am a musician, I talk more about music on my Instagram and everything too. So both my website and LinkedIn are a great way to connect with me.
[01:04:36] Ray Latif: Yes, as soon as you type in Yola into the search bar on LinkedIn, I think you're pretty much the first name that comes up, so.
[01:04:42] Yola Blake Page: Thanks, mom, for giving me this name.
[01:04:46] Ray Latif: Thank you so much once again for being on Elevator Talk today. And thank you to all the founders who joined us. Thanks to everyone watching or listening. And thanks to our amazing team at BevNetNosh and Taste Radio, the best in the business. Signing off for everyone, I'm Ray Latif, and we'll talk to you next time.
[01:05:07] Speaker: you
