Just A Taste

For new and emerging brands in the food & beverage CPG industry, finding success means setting yourself apart and filling a hole in the market. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Founder of Hillside Harvest, Kamaal Jarrett, about their line of Caribbean-inspired hot sauces. In this episode, we discussed why it is important for emerging food & beverage brands to find their niche within the industry. Kamaal gave us some background into why and how they selected the flavor profiles for their line of hot sauces, and how they overcame challenges with scaling their brand. We also discussed his experience on Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch.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 is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage CPG industry, including founders/CEO’s

As the world's first eCommerce platform for health & sustainability-conscious shoppers, Thrive Market has helped make healthier and more sustainable food & beverage, and grocery items accessible across the country. This week on Beyond the Shelf we spoke with the Director of Merchandising of Thrive Market, James Ren.  On this episode, James shared with us how he and his team curate the eCommerce platform's selection of over 5500 products to align with what their customers care about most. We discussed some of the tools and guidelines the company uses to select new brands for the eCommerce platform to partner with, and how organizing their products into categories helps customers find products that align with their personal preferences. James also shared his thoughts on current food & beverage trends, including the increased interest in convenience, flexitarian diets, and the rise of functional foods/ingredients.To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spoti

Plant-based meat alternatives have been one of the fastest-growing trends in food & beverage for the past several years. However, with plenty of brands in the market, standing out takes careful planning and innovative products. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with Aakash Shah (CEO & Co-Founder) and Damian Felchlin (COO & Co-Founder) of High Time Foods, creators of innovative plant-based meat alternatives for foodservice. Aakash and Damian shared with us why it was important for them to create a shelf-stable product that would give chefs the freedom to create interesting and diverse dishes. We also discussed how their product helps ease chefs' and consumers' concerns about traditional meat 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.Beyond the Shelf is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from

This week on Beyond the Shelf we spoke with Isabelle Steichen (Co-Founder & CEO) and Allie Dempster (Co-Founder & CMO) of Lupii. In this episode, Isabelle & Allie shared some insights into how they are utilizing the mighty lupini bean to create a line of protein- and fiber-rich plant-based products. We discussed some of the barriers that come along when using an ingredient that is mostly unknown in American food products. Isabelle & Allie also discussed why introducing a line of pasta products was a natural next step for the brand, and they shed some light on how they hope to expand their business and spread the word about the power of the lupini bean in the future.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 is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industr

Although coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, there's a lot that most consumers don't know about the powerful bean. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with Michael Sharon & Kal Freese, the Co-Founders of Taika - makers of a line of coffee and caffeinated beverages designed to address some of the common concerns about traditional coffee drinks. In this episode, Michael and Kal gave us some valuable insights into the coffee industry including why/how coffee can affect everyone differently, and why it was important for them to create a line of products that utilized adaptogenic ingredients. We also discussed how the brand has used innovative tech to create a loyal and engaged community, and how their partnership with Friends with Benefits is helping to fuel creativity.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 is a food

Once dominated by a handful of national brands, the beverage category has grown exponentially in the past few years. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Director, Flavor Architect and COO of Flavorman, Tom Gibson and Scott Weddle. Flavorman helps beverage brands formulate and develop products, ranging from energy drinks, seltzers, RTD cocktails and more. In this episode, Tom and Scott shared with us how recent innovations and advancements in technology have helped to create more space for unique beverage products. We also discussed why and how flavor is so personal to each and every consumer, and how their process helps brands create scalable beverage 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.Beyond the Shelf is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industry, inclu

Functional ingredients are not new to the food & beverage world - but over the past few years, an influx of consumers are showing a growing interest in food & beverage products that don't just taste great but also serves a functional purpose. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Brainiac Foods, Jonathan Wolfson. Focused on promoting brain health, Brainiac Foods has a line of snack products for the whole family that is loaded with better-for-you ingredients. In this episode, Jonathan gave us some insights into the ever-growing better-for-you market, and we discussed why brain health is often left out of the conversation when discussing health & wellness in food & beverages. We also discussed how the past three years have shifted consumers' understanding and interest in functional ingredients.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

Better-for-you variations of traditionally indulgent food & beverage products have the unique challenge of overcoming shoppers' misconceptions about the quality n and taste of "healthy" products. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the founders of TiDBiTS Candy, Kristi and David Vartanian. On this episode, David and Kristi gave us some insights into what led them to create a line of better-for-you candy. We also discussed why candy was late to the better-for-you trend, and why it's extremely important for them to highlight their product's simple ingredient lists and great flavor in their marketing efforts.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 is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industry, including founders/CEO’s, marketers,

Most modern food & beverage brands utilize organic social marketing to some extent, but how many are actually getting the most out of their efforts? This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with Vasa Martinez of Perfy, growthbuster, and Outer Aisle. In this episode, Vasa gave us some background into his extensive history in the food & beverage industry, including what led him to create growthbuster and Perfy. We also discussed what modern brands often misunderstand about organic social marketing, and why building a community is the best way to hit all points in a customer's journey.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 is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industry, including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influen

Now seen as a very competitive market, the protein/nutritional bar category has gone through many ups and downs. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Founder and CEO of JAMBAR, Jennifer Maxwell. As an industry veteran, Jennifer walked us through how the protein/nutritional bar category has shifted since she first created the iconic PowerBar brand several decades ago. She also gave us some insights into her latest brand, JAMBAR, including why it was important for them to create a nutritional and artisan product that gives back to their community.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 is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industry, including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics range from retail and pro

In any new or up-and-coming categories within the food & beverage industry, a certain amount of brand education is necessary. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Director of Brand Education at Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Éva Pelczer. In this episode, Éva took the time to clarify what the difference is between mezcal and tequila, and to debunk common misconceptions about the popular spirit. Éva also gave us some much-needed background on how mezcal is made, and why it's important to honor the indigenous communities in Mexico where the spirit is produced. As Director of Brand Education, Éva took the time to explain why it's important for Del Maguey to educate retailers and bartenders about the history and complexities of their products and how that benefits 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.Beyond the Shelf is a food &

For many food & beverage brands, finding success on Amazon can be a hit or miss. This week on Beyond the Shelf we spoke with the Co-Founder and CEO of Bizzy Coffee, Alex French. Bizzy Coffee is a top-selling brand on Amazon, and they just recently launched their coffee products in brick-and-mortar grocery retailers. In this episode, Alex shared with us how their brand found success on Amazon and gave us an invaluable playbook on how to improve your SEO to become a top-selling brand on Amazon and improve your organic reach. They also shared with us how they used Google Analytics to understand the demand for cold brew coffee to formulate a plan as to how Bizzy Coffee could fill a void within 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 beverage industry is an incredibly crowded market. Standing out on shelves takes more than just having a great-tasting product. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Co-Founder and CEO of Aura Bora, Paul Voge. In this episode, Paul shared some of the common struggles that brands in the beverage industry face, and how their creative branding and flavor profiles are filling a void within the market. They also gave us some insights into their long-term goals which include getting into larger national grocery retailers and competing against legacy soda 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 founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics range from retail and production trends to expert tips on ma

With the current state of the global supply chain, having accurate and real-time data is important for any food & beverage brand when managing their ag-operations. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Chief Operating Officer of AgriTask, Amit Noam. In this episode, we discussed how AgriTask's innovative data-driven solutions help food & beverage companies manage their supply chains across the world. Amit also shared with us how data can be used to increase precision and predictability with resource and agriculture management and gave us some insights into the current state of the global supply chain.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

Sensory testing is a vital aspect of any food & beverage brand's research and development process - but how can brands utilize their employees, their most trusted asset, to help with sensory testing and product development? This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Business Development Manager at Silver Spring Foods, Shawn Kapanke. Founded in 1929, Silver Spring Foods is one of the largest producers of horseradish in the United States. In this episode, Shawn gave us some background into the family-owned business, and how the market for horseradish has shifted since the start of the company. We also discussed their Zing Master program, which consists of a collection of employees that help develop and conduct sensory testing on their 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.Beyond the Shelf dives into the food & beverage industry with guests fr

Co-branded products can be a valuable tool for many food & beverage brands. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Founder & CEO of A-Sha Noodles, Young Chang. Young shared with us how his previous experience in the computer sciences and tech world allowed him to think outside the box in the food & beverage industry. We also discussed what the process was like in bringing an iconic Tawaineese brand to the United States, as well as what sets their products apart from other noodles on the market. Young also gave us some valuable insights into A-Sha Noodles' co-branded products with companies such as Sanrio and Momofuku.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 influ

This week, on a very special episode of Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with Chris Fardiniya, ChefsBest's Chief Business Development Officer. Last month, Chris had the pleasure of attending and representing ChefsBest at the 2022 Velocity Institute Innovation Expo + Conference, one of the largest gatherings for private brands, manufacturers, agencies, and other service providers. We sat down with him to discuss what leading experts in the private brand industry are discussing and what he learned from attending the conference. He shared with us why private brands are pushing the boundaries of the food & beverage industry by being bold and innovative, as well as what the future has in store for the growing market.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 fo

This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Director of Syndicated Research at Murphy Research, Sarah Marion. Murphy Research's State of our Health (SOOH) series is the largest syndicated health and wellness data tracker. They have been collecting data on consumer behaviors and attitudes around health & wellness, fitness, and nutrition since 2018, and have helped some of the largest food & beverage CPG brands make informed and data-driven decisions. Sarah gave us some valuable insights into the SOOH series and how the data has changed within the past few years. We also discussed some of the biggest trends in health & wellness, including consumers' growing holistic approach to food and diets.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

Gut health is a huge hot topic in the food & beverage industry. Kombucha and cultured products can be found in many different grocery aisles. However, a consistent hurdle for brands in this space is taste. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Founder & CEO of wildwonder, Rosa Li. wildwonder has created a line of delicious, gut-healthy, immune-supporting prebiotic/probiotic beverages with complex and interesting flavor profiles. In this episode, Rosa shared her story of how the brand came to be and gave us some valuable insights into how gut health is a huge factor in our overall well-being.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 an

Terms such as "organic", "grass-fed", and "natural" are used a lot in food & beverage marketing and branding - but what do these terms actually mean? This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Co-Founder and Head of Creative & Branding at Maple Hill Creamery, Julia Joseph. In this episode, Julia broke down the differences between "organic" and "grass-fed" meat and dairy, and explained why grass-fed dairy products are often considered higher quality. We also discussed some of the issues that the dairy industry is facing, and what the future of the industry may look like.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. Topi