Episodes

Olivia Ferdi, the co-founder of calming beverage platform Trip, discusses how the brand’s philosophy of “product obsession” gave it a fast start and keeps it building towards a more promising future. She also explains why “the customer is sacrosanct” and how the company is applying lessons learned from success in e-commerce to its brick and mortar business.

Another episode, another billion-dollar deal. In this case, the buyer (KDP), if not the brand (Ghost), is somewhat surprising. The hosts have their say. They also highlight a couple spicy collaborations, but are divided on one of them. We also speak with Lexy Prosszer, an investment principal at U.K.-based venture capital firm Btomorrow Ventures, which is focused on investments in innovative, functional brands.

Ben Branson, the trailblazing founder of non-alcoholic spirit brand Seedlip and innovative venture studio Pollen Projects, shares his perspective on an evolving market for zero-proof beverages, why “the best” non-alcoholic products are not analogs of legacy spirits and why he’s betting big on an unusual sourcing and production model.

The hosts chat about actor Tom Holland’s foray into CPG with NA beer Bero, before riffing on an enlightening collaboration between an up-and-coming wine company and personal care brand. We also feature an interview with Megan Klein, the founder and CEO of Little Saints, an innovative brand of non-alcoholic cocktails infused with functional mushrooms, who recently appeared on “Shark Tank.”

Poorvia Patodia, the founder and CEO of pioneering chickpea snack brand Biena, talks about how a “build to win” philosophy influenced key decisions during a challenging period. She also defines and explains the value of “true differentiation” and shares her take on when founders should raise capital and how to identify distributors with aligned values.

How do U.K. CPG brands compare to their U.S. counterparts? On the ground in London, the hosts discuss their experience at last week’s Cheers! The Drinks Summit event and highlight innovative snacks and beverages they encountered at visits to local retail chains and specialty stores.

In an interview framed as a series of true or false questions, Peter Rahal, the co-founder of protein bar brands RXBAR and David, reflects on his obsessive work ethic and leadership style. He also talks about “the best business strategy” and what he means when he says that happiness is “irrelevant.”

With Taste Radio’s London meetups on the horizon, the hosts have their say on trendy brands, new products and the coming crush of seasonal LTOs. They share their respective takes on David, the high-profile protein bar brand launched by RXBAR co-founder Peter Rahal and whether decaf coffee is about to take off. They also get giddy about green cocktails and a record-breaking advent calendar.

Beth Buckner and Blake Layfield, who lead the innovation unit for iconic Kentucky bourbon brand Maker’s Mark, talk about how the standards set by its founder are integral to new product development and why they eschew trendy concepts in favor of nuanced expressions of the bourbon.