Episodes

In this edition of the podcast, we sit down with Mark Rampolla, the founder of Zico and the co-founder and managing partner Powerplant Ventures. As part of a broad-ranging discussion, Rampolla explains why food and beverage investors are embracing ideas that meld idealism and technology and what’s driving systematic changes in the food industry.

As part of a wide-ranging discussion, Scott Uzzell, the president of Coca-Cola's Venturing and Emerging Brands (VEB) unit, discusses the three pillars of VEB's investment strategy and why he views modern marketing and integrated technology as critical to the future of the beverage industry.

After a few weeks on the road, the podcast team finally made it back in the conference room at BevNET HQ, where we recently chatted about our travels. The discussion leads to one about BevNET’s product review process and the elements that make for a top-rated beverage.

For this week’s episode of the BevNET podcast, we’ve crossed the Atlantic to explore a beverage market that’s outside of our usual coverage area: London. Joining the podcast are Hugh Thomas and Joe Benn of Ugly Drinks, which is a U.K.-based startup that produces unsweetened flavored sparkling water.

In this edition of the BevNET podcast, we’re joined by Gerry Khermouch, a longtime beverage reporter and the editor of email newsletter Beverage Business Insights. Khermouch shares insights from over two decades as a beverage journalist, including what he calls the “dirty secret” about successful beverage brands.

Trevor Nelson, the co-founder and managing partner of private equity firm Alliance Consumer Growth shares some details about the firm’s approach to evaluating investment opportunities. In particular, Nelson explains why ACG, which closed on a new $210 million fund in February, doesn’t “make bets” when it comes to funding decisions.

BevNET’s podcast team met with Rovell at his home in New Jersey for a broad discussion on the current state of the sports beverage category, one that offers an insider’s take on the segment’s gatekeepers, from boardrooms to locker rooms.

BevNET's podcast team recently sat down with John Haugen, the vice president and general manager of General Mills’ 301 Inc. incubation unit. In this edition of the podcast, Haugen discusses how 301 evaluates opportunities for investment in emerging trends and early-stage companies and why finding “natural ways for food to work harder” is an important consideration in the unit's investment strategy.

Goldberg, a former Wall Street executive, told our team all about his journey from antidepressants to clean-living organic foodie and media figure, with conversational stops along the way on the offerings at Expo East, the difference between Ripple Foods and almond milk, and, most importantly, what he’d do if faced with the choice of eating Arby’s or a bag of organic palm sugar.

This week, the podcast team is joined by veteran entrepreneur, investor and advisor Tom First who offers his take on emerging trends in the beverage business, including why he sees a big future for gut health and protein. First also shares his thoughts on the kind of beverage companies that are primed to become billion dollar brands.