Episodes

This week, the hosts discussed the relevance and sustainability of consumer trends and how to identify fads versus enduring concepts, extolled the virtues of Taste Radio VIP and highlighted two upcoming can’t-miss industry events. This episode also features an interview with Honest Tea/Eat The Change co-founder Seth Goldman, who discussed lessons learned from 25 years as an entrepreneur.

Applied Food Sciences is the leader in innovation for functional, organic ingredients in the natural products industry. Quality is transparent from seed to label through organic farming, ethical sourcing, and sustainability.

Culinary icon Padma Lakshmi, who is an investor in lassi brand Dah!, spoke about why she doesn’t make a distinction between delicious and better-for-you food, how her role in the company aligns with her advocacy for ethnic cuisine and her criteria for investing in consumer brands. This episode also features an interview with Sanzo founder Sandro Roco who shared what he’s learned about leadership, raising growth capital and working with mass retailers like Target.

A bursting-at-the-seams episode of Taste Radio includes the hosts’ arguments for and against online grocery shopping, a brief report on a permanent pop-up, a candy brand’s unrecognizable revamp and why they’re bullish on banana flavor, but not blue colored beverages. The team also shared their take on seed-centric sweets, cascara’s communication breakdown and their enthusiasm for ethnic drinks and snacks.

Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali, the co-founders of better-for-you meat snack brand Chomps, discussed how their consistent emphasis on strong unit economics and profitability, along with an ambition to thoughtfully and patiently develop a billion-dollar brand, have positioned Chomps to become a prime-time player in healthy snacking and how the pandemic impacted their decision to bring in an institutional investor, despite their long reluctance to do so.

An immune activator, IMMUSE helps get and keep your immune system ready and functioning optimally for year-round health when taken regularly.

Back home and in the studio, the hosts shared additional highlights — and unexpected sights – from Expo West 2023, including introductions to several innovative and early-stage brands. Also, Mason Dixie Foods founder/CEO Ayeshah Abuelhiga discussed lessons learned as an entrepreneur, including those about raising capital, customer service, and sexism and bias in the food industry, among other topics.