Episodes

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.

What is the impact of PepsiCo’s $1.2 billion acquisition of Siete Foods on emerging food and beverage brands? Will the deal entice investors to make more bets on new and innovative concepts? Will everyday Americans benefit from the deal? Lots of questions, and the hosts answer them all.

Serial entrepreneur Jeff Church talks about how he navigated Suja’s early development and rapid growth and what he believes was the most impactful decision in determining the brand’s success. He also discussed the failure of Rowdy Energy, which launched in 2020 and shut down less than four years later.

The gang’s all here… in San Diego. The hosts convene at BevNET’s west coast office where they talk about how Fly By Jing nailed its foray into a popular food category and also highlight the debut of a convenient ethnic comfort food brand and Olipop’s upgrade on a legacy soda flavor.