Just A Taste

The online grocery delivery market has grown exponentially since 2020. With more shoppers discovering the convenience of home grocery delivery, there's a growing interest for online grocers who provide sustainably sourced and local food & beverage products. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the CEO of Good Eggs, Bentley Hall. Good Eggs is a California-based online grocery delivery service that provides shoppers with access to local and sustainably sourced food & beverage producers. In this episode, Bentley gave us some background on Good Eggs' quality standards for producers and growers and why it's important for them (and their customers) to partner with sustainable and equitable companies. We also discussed their recent expansion into the Los Angeles market, and what the future has in store for their online grocery delivery services.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget

In the past few years, artisan ice cream brands have leveraged their unique and innovative flavor profiles and high-quality products to become a massively growing market across the country. This week on Beyond the Shelf presented by ChefsBest, we spoke with the Founder & CEO of Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, Ben Van Leeuwen. In this episode, Ben gave us some background as to how driving an ice cream truck as a teenager led him to open a fan favorite ice cream brand.  He also shared with us some of the lessons he learned along the way, including how creating a line of vegan ice cream flavors differs from traditional dairy flavors.To learn more about his innovative ice cream brand, please visit vanleeuwenicecream.comTo stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Beyond the Shelf dives into the food & beverage industry with guests from all corners of the business includin

Creating a plant-based meat brand that not only fills a void in the market but also serves a larger purpose, is the goal for many modern food & beverage brand managers.  This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Co-Founder & CEO of Nowadays, Max Elder. In this episode, Max shared with us how his background and experience in the Humanities helped him gain a different perspective on the plant-based meat alternative market. We discussed how the market has shifted in the past 10 years, and why it was important for them to create a plant-based meat brand with minimal ingredients that could be scaled as the brand grows.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Beyond the Shelf dives into the food & beverage industry with guests from all corners of the business including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics r

There is a growing appetite for socially conscious brands. Shoppers want great products that support their communities and initiatives that they care about. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Co-Founder of the socially conscious brand BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages, Rod Johnson. In this episode, Rod shared with us how he and his friend/business partner, Pernell Cezar, created a line of specialty beverages that gives back to communities across the nation and internationally. He also shared how in just a few years their brand gained quite a bit of traction, which landed them partnerships with the NBA and Ben & Jerry's, as well as why he believes there should be more socially conscious brands.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Beyond the Shelf dives into the food & beverage industry with guests from all corners of the business including

Accessing fresh produce is a constant struggle for many Americans. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the CEO of Eden Green Technology, Eddy Badrina. In this episode, we discussed their greenhouse systems and vertical farming technology that are helping to bring nutritious, fresh, and safe food to communities across the country. Eddy shared with us how their technology differs from traditional greenhouse and vertical farming systems, why shortening the supply chain benefits retailers and consumers, and how their technology can produce fresh fruits and vegetables year around.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Beyond the Shelf dives into the food & beverage industry with guests from all corners of the business including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics range from retail and production trends to exp

The food & beverage industry needs to talk about water conservation. Every year, massive amounts of water are used in the agriculture industry. Typically, this water is viewed as a byproduct of traditional food manufacturing methods, but a few brands are helping to change the way we view water conservation. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Founder of Kazoo Snacks, Josh Death. In this episode, Josh shared with us how each bag of their upcycled corn tortilla chips saves 20 gallons of water. He also gave us some insights into their patent-pending manufacturing process and the importance of brands pushing for sustainability and transparency in all areas of the food & beverage industry.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

The plant-based meat industry has grown exponentially within the past few years. With a few brands entering the foodservice space and releasing innovative new products - there's no doubting that the market will continue to grow. This week on Beyond the Shelf we spoke to the Co-Founders of Hungry Planet, Jody & Todd Boyman. In this episode, we discussed how Jody's decision to go plant-based as a teenager prompted them to create a line of truly plant-based meat alternatives that are meant to be used as direct substitutions for traditional meat products. Todd & Jody shared why they believe it's important to appeal to flexitarians (those who are looking to cut down on their meat consumption), and how entering the foodservice industry has helped grow their business.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Is your brand ready to handle a crisis? It's a bridge that we never want to cross, but a crisis management plan is an extremely valuable tool that all brands should have. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Owner & Principal of TexHahn Media, Jeff Hahn. Jeff provided us with some valuable insights into what food & beverage companies should know about crisis management, including why it's important to have an established crisis response team, who should be on that team, and what steps should be made when responding to a crisis. We also spoke to Jeff about his new book Breaking Bad News: 12 Essential Crisis Communication Tools, and discussed a few fascinating case studies.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. And to learn more about Jeff Hahn's book please visit breakingbadnewsbook.com

As we enter 2022, sustainability in the food industry is a huge hot topic. This week on Beyond the Shelf we spoke with Kathryn Bernell, the CEO & Founder of reHarvest Provisions. Kathryn shared her journey to create a line of smoothie pops made from whole fruits and veggies that would otherwise be considered "waste". She gave us some valuable insights into how much waste is created by the food industry, and how organizations such as The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation are to improve sustainability in the food industryTo stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

 Gut-friendly products have been on the rise for the past few years. With shoppers increasingly interested in improving their wellness through food, many have turned their attention to their gut health. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Founder of Alex's Awesome Sourdough, Alex Corsini. In this episode, Alex gave us a rundown of how they created a line of delicious gut-friendly sourdough pizzas, and how his experience in the tech space and personal health journey led to the creation of his brand. Alex also shared a few tips for emerging entrepreneurs in the food & beverage industry. To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. 

The growing popularity and success of the private label industry are changing the way that shoppers view grocery stores. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the President of the Retail Brands Institute, Christopher Durham, who gave us some invaluable insights into the world of private brands/private labels/store brands. In our interview, he shared how the past two years have dramatically shifted the goals and needs for many private labels. We also discussed how the next few years will be extremely monumental for the private label industry, and how the Retail Brands Institute is helping to create an opportunity for industry leaders to network and grow.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Curating unique customer experiences is a vital marketing tactic for most modern brands. Virtual and in-person events help brands create stronger and lasting relationships with customers. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with Daniel Yaffe, the Co-Founder and COO of AnyRoad. In our interview, Daniel shares how experiential marketing is changing the way that customers interact with brands. He gave us some insights into the often misunderstood and underutilized power of experiential marketing, as well as how AnyRoad is helping brands track and analyze valuable data from curated customer experiences.  To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Maneuvering through the food & beverage industry as a small family business is extremely tricky. It takes practice and sometimes failure to really find your space and your market. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Founder & CEO of Six-Point Creative, Meghan Lynch. In this episode, Meghan shares some valuable insights into what they believe can help and hinder new small family businesses' growth and development. They also explained why sometimes it's best for business owners to say "no" to opportunities, and why more is not always better.To learn more about Six-Point Creative, and to access information for small businesses, please visit sixpointcreative.com/beyondtheshelfTo stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Despite being considered a bar staple, bitters are often a very misunderstood product. What exactly are they? And how has the market for them changed over the past ten years? This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Co-Founder and CMO of The Bitter Housewife, Genevieve Brazelton. In this episode, Genevieve gave us some much-needed insights into the bitters market, as well as walked us through the process of how they are made. We also discussed the ever-growing non-alcoholic spirits/beverage market, and how consumer interest in better-for-you options is changing the industry.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

 The recent cocktail boom has marked a significant shift in the beer, wine, and spirits industry. Focused on complex flavor profiles and international-inspired ingredients, this recent resurgence has been a long time in the making. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with author, journalist, and cocktail connoisseur, André Darlington. His latest book, Booze Cruise: A Tour of the World's Essential Mixed Drinks, chronicles his travels across the globe to the world's top cocktail destinations. In our interview, we discussed what he learned along his travels as well as how the world of cocktails and mixology has changed in the past 20 years. We also talked about what has caused the recent cocktail boom, and what he really thinks about celebrity-backed spirits. You can order his latest book Booze Cruise: A Tour of the World's Essential Mixed Drinks on Amazon.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t for

Nutritional labels are not only an extremely important resource/tool for consumers but also for food manufacturers. With a growing demand for more transparency in the food & beverage industry, having access to thorough nutrition analysis can help companies better inform their customers. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with Sonia Couto, the Founder of MenuSano. They've created an online nutrition analysis software that helps restaurants and food manufacturers create accurate nutritional labels. In this episode, Sonia shared with us how they created the software and why software like this is important to consumers.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

The protein bar category has always been a challenge for brands to enter. Between finding space on overcrowded shelves, and the challenge of keeping up with consumer interests - the protein bar category is increasingly tough to stand out in. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Founders of Buddha Brands, Mark Cigos and Christopher Magnone. In this episode, Mark & Chris share how they came to create a protein bar that is free from GMOs, palm oil, sugar alcohols, dairy, and soy. They also explain why it was so important for them to create a clean-label protein bar, and gave us some insights into how innovation is challenging the protein bar category. To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Typically, better-for-you products are often characterized by their functional properties but often aren't seen as indulgent. Although great strides have been made in the industry to make better-for-you products that taste great, overcoming that long-standing stereotype is a battle that many brands are tackling. This week on Beyond the Shelf presented by ChefsBest, we spoke with the Founder of Chasin' Dreams Farm, Sydney Chasin. In this episode, Sydney gives us some background into the farming and production of sorghum, an ancient grain that is extremely versatile and is considered to be environmentally sustainable. She also shares how Chasin' Dreams created a popped sorghum product that is helping to fill the market of indulgent better-for-you products. To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging u

In this very special 100th episode of Beyond the Shelf presented by ChefsBest, we spoke with the Marketing Director of Vitamins, Minerals and, Supplements at Church & Dwight, Michael Vercelletto. In this episode, Michael shared with us how Vitafusion and L'il Critters have continued to share their core value of providing delicious vitamins for all. We also discussed how the last year has shaped the vitamin and supplement industry, as well as how their partnership with the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is helping to bring fresh affordable food options to underserved communities.  To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Creating a social strategy that works for your brand takes quite a bit of trial and error.  This week on Beyond the Shelf we spoke with Nicole Hamzeloo, Founder and CEO of Thrive Collective Co. In this episode, Nicole shared her best practices for emerging food & beverage brands that are looking to create a social strategy to help drive traffic to their eCommerce sites. We also discussed the importance of finding what works best for your brand, and why you don't necessarily have to be active on all social media platforms. To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn