Taste Radio Insider

Emily Kanter, co-owner and CEO of Boston-area natural products retailer Cambridge Naturals spoke about the history and evolution of the retailer and the factors that determine its unique product selection. She also discussed how she develops relationships with brand owners, evaluates emerging trends and why Cambridge Naturals was one of the first area stores to carry CBD-infused products.

This edition of Taste Radio Insider features highlights from interviews with six entrepreneurs and experts who joined us during the first half of 2020, including TRUFF hot sauce founders Nick Guillen and Nick Ajluni; Anouck Gotlib, CEO of Belgian Boys; Nona Lim, founder/CEO of Nona Lim; GT’s Living Foods founder/CEO GT Dave; Ashley Thompson, co-founder/CEO of MUSH; and Lee Robinson, director of dairy and beverage for Whole Foods Market.

Chuck Casano, founder of Pitaya Foods and HiTouch Distribution, spoke about navigating the food industry on two fronts, how a social mission guided his foray into entrepreneurship, the failure that propelled his decision to launch HiTouch, the elements of successful brand relationships and being on the front lines of food distribution during the pandemic.

Alex French, co-founder & CEO of Bizzy Coffee, spoke about how online research sparked the launch of Bizzy, how the company sourced data from retail partners and customers via its packaging, learnings from the failure of the brand’s coffee shots, why buyer presentations are as important as the product itself and valuable tips about how to stand out on Amazon.

Serial entrepreneur Ashley Rogers spoke how she has applied lessons from her first two businesses to the development of her current brand, Spudsy. She also shared the remarkable story about how she identified and partnered with a co-packer, why she is more thoughtful about retailer relationships than in the past and how outsourced staff has supported Spudsy’s rapid growth.

Allison & Stephen Ellsworth, co-founders of prebiotic soda brand Poppi, spoke about lessons learned from their first year in business, the keys to winning investment on “Shark Tank,” how they navigated a brand overhaul and maintaining their independence while aligned with influential and experienced strategic partners.

GT Dave, founder & CEO of GT’s Kombucha, spoke about the brand’s recent packaging refresh and what he viewed as significant problems in how consumers perceived each of the company’s product lines, how his perspective as a category creator impacted the moves, why he’s embraced a more public persona than in the past and reacted to the provocative “Forbes” profile of him.

Jessica Weiss Levison, founder/CEO of Peekaboo Organics, a maker of indulgent ice cream infused with hidden vegetables, spoke about the importance of identifying those who instantly “get” the concept, shared the unconventional way in which she met a Target buyer, her process for raising capital and a key way to avoid slotting fees.

Jamba Dunn, the founder and CEO of Rowdy Mermaid Kombucha discussed the duality of Rowdy Mermaid’s current trajectory and its long-term business strategy, the brand’s function-forward approach to formulation, why he was cautious about aligning with a private equity firm and how his role as CEO has changed over the years.

We spoke with Bubble founder & CEO Jessica Young about how she drew upon her experience as a chef and product developer to launch the health-focused online marketplace, how Bubble is enhancing visibility and sales for small brands via the platform and how she assessed opportunities and challenges for the company and thoughtfully communicated each to investors.