Shows
The Mary Jane Society Podcast130_BevNET Founder, John Craven Shares Beverage Industry InsightsBevNET is a media company focused on the mainstream beverage industry that includes producing one of the country's top beverage industry trade shows in Los Angeles and NYC each year. BevNet also creates CPG food and drink-focused podcasts, networking events, and a print magazine. I interviewed BevNet's founder, John Craven, to get insights into the mainstream beverage industry that might be applied to cannabis beverages. If you are thinking of launching a cannabis beverage or want insights into the sector-- listen in. John is a sought after expert on beverages and drops knowledge worth listening to. https://w...2025-01-2740 min
Taste RadioWhy Winners Win (And Will Continue To Do So)The grind is real. And fun as heck. Exhausted, but buoyant, the hosts recap NOSH and BevNET’s just-concluded winter events and specifically highlight the three pitch slam competitions and how each respective winner successfully communicated the traction and potential for their brands. Show notes: 0:25: Bowels & Beer. The Squish Wins. Viviana Approves. R Roll. Swag & Walnuts. NA FTW. Ask Away. – In the Taste Radio studio at the Marina Del Rey Marriott, the hosts chat about NOSH Live Pitch Slam winner Mochi Love and how differentiation made difference in the competition. They also talk about soju-based RTD...2024-12-1624 min
CPG Week by BevNET & NoshBevNET Live TeaserIn this episode: It’s that time of year and the red-and-white is not in honor of Santa’s impending sleigh ride around the world. It’s time for BevNET Live and the CPG Week podcast team took some time out of preparing for both Nosh Live and BevNET Live to discuss some of the exciting speakers and panels taking place Dec. 8 and 9 in Marina Del Rey, Calif. Along with respective speaker discussions focused on retailing THC beverages and innovative marketing strategies, the team also talks about buying expensive Erewhon smoothies and getting tattoos. For listen...2024-12-0507 min
Nombase PodcastWhile We're Away at BevNET Live, Nosh Live, and Brewbound LiveIf you're headed to Nosh Live, BevNET Live, and/or Brewbound Live, we've got a GREAT show lined up for you. Make sure you come say hello and introduce yourself! And, if you're at home this year, catch the free livestream on Nosh.com, BevNET.com, and Brewbound.com 2024-12-0402 min
Nombase PodcastOnce Upon a Time in a Boston College Dorm Room...BevNET started in Boston as an idea fueled by Mountain Dew and Snapple in a college dorm room, back before Mark Zuckerberg was just a twinkle in his parents’ eyes. In this episode, COO Carolyn Craven shares the story of BevNET’s 20-year journey. As we prepare for BevNET Live, NOSH Live, and Brewbound Live this December, we reflect on the trials and milestones that come with building a brand.2024-11-2726 min
CPG VibesEpisode 85 with Ray Latif - Editor and Podcast Host at BevnetBevNET.com is the leading beverage-oriented media company, producing a web site, print magazine, and live conference series. The company was founded in 1996 by John Craven, with its mission to offer, through products in a variety of media, the best, most comprehensive forum for news coverage, expertise, partnership and support for all members of the beverage community.Since its inception, BevNET.com has become a recognized authority on the beverage industry. BevNET.com and its employees are often used as sources for media publications looking for industry information, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Detroit Free Press...2023-09-181h 05
Taste RadioCan Tesla Conquer CPG? It’s A Community Call.When car companies start making tequila and beer, all bets are off. In this episode, the hosts banter about Tesla’s foray into beverage alcohol, what happens when the boss visits a satellite office (tip: don’t call it a “headquarters”), a sneak peek at the new digs for BevNET’s winter events, how entrepreneurs can get inside the minds of investors and why we’re big on packing vacation snacks and drinks. Show notes: 0:43: Happy Freaking Bastille Day. MTN DEW On Tap? Ray-Man And His Bev Chopper. – The episode featured a quintet of hosts, as J...2023-07-1431 min
Taste RadioIdentifying Next-Gen Prime Time Brands. It Starts Here… And There.Taste Radio’s hosts discussed the value of attending CPG-centric community events and BevNET’s new series of interactive open meetings that address common questions and current issues impacting food and beverage entrepreneurs. They also explained how Expo West 2023 exhibitors can best advise our editorial teams about their presence at the upcoming event, highlighted recent capital raises for two beverage brands and riffed on several new products and brand extensions from two Mexican-inspired food brands and a trio of innovative energy drinks, among several others. Show notes: 0:45: BevNET Day Is Feb. 31. Jacqui, The Californian. Not Even...2023-02-1631 min
Taste RadioThe Common Threads Of Competition Winners. And, The Community That Bolsters Us All.Taste Radio’s hosts reflected on the BevNET’s Winter 2022 events through the first day of BevNET Live, and highlighted the winners of various competitions held throughout the week, community as a key theme in panels and presentations and the fuel that kept Ray, John, Jacqui and Mike going amid a whirlwind schedule. Show notes: 0:39: Spiked Coconuts, Bleary Eyes, Chez Jay, Ray’s Llama – The episode kicks off with Mike as Ray’s literal echo, before the hosts congratulated two brands with sun-inspired names and Jacqui noted two well-received speakers. They also shared a few extensive t...2022-12-0915 min
Taste Radio(We’re) Back in New York, And Loving Every Minute Of ItTaste Radio’s hosts reflected on the return of BevNET and NOSH’s summer events to New York City, the accessibility of admired brand leaders and top retail executives at NOSH Live, the camaraderie among entrepreneurs meeting each other for the first time in person at BevNET Live and why taste and story inspired the strongest reactions for judges in the events’ brand competitions. Show notes: 0:40: Chelsiron, Jacqui’s A Pitch Slam Pro, Content Is Still King, Brownies Are The Best – Convening on the stage after day one of BevNET Live, the hosts chatted about Jacqui’s f...2022-06-1716 min
The Boozebuddy UpdateTuesday November 23 2021 - #BCBS #Bevnet #Bestof #awards #CBW #MilwaukeeToday I’m drinking a Noble Vines 667 Pinot Noir 2019 https://www.noblevines.com/global/wines/667-pinot-noir.html
Goose Island’s Bourbon County beers hit shelves on Black Friday, but some people reported seeing the seven variants popping up already From Reserve to Classic Cola to Proprietor’s stout the complexity and craftsmanship of these beers have proven to be an annual favorite of craft beer lovers! https://www.chicagofoodmagazine.com/news/goose-islands-2021-bourbon-county-stout-release-on-black-friday
Another Annual ritual, the Bevnet “Best Of” Award Nominee is out - a way to honor the companies, brands, individuals, products, ideas, and trends...2021-11-2402 min
Greenberg Traurig's Legal Food TalkEpisode 05: Breaking Down the Beverage World with BevNETIn this episode of Greenberg Traurig’s Legal Food Talk, host Justin Prochnow is joined by Ray Latiff, Managing Editor/Producer at BevNET and host of BevNET’s Taste Radio podcast, to talk about the world of beverages. They first break down the recent travails of their favorite English Premier League football club, Manchester United, and the Marvel universe before diving into beverage talk. Justin and Ray talk about the progression of the Taste Radio podcast, how BevNET has pivoted during the pandemic, and trends in the beverage industry. Pop open your favorite beverage, settle back, and listen in.2021-03-2546 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 90: It Takes A Certain ‘Touch’ To Make Distributors Love YouHow do distributors evaluate emerging brands? And how can those brands best position themselves to succeed once they’re part of a distributor's route? We explore both questions with Chuck Casano, the founder of Pitaya Foods, a brand of superfruit-based frozen smoothie packs, and HiTouch Distribution, a Southern California-based direct store distributor focused on healthy refrigerated brands. In a conversation focused on how Casano has navigated the food industry on two fronts, first on the brand side and later as a distributor, he discussed how a social mission guided his foray into the food and beve...2020-06-191h 02
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 87: Winning Over Investors Is Step One. Step Two Is About This.If you’re a regular BevNET reader, you might recognize Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, co-founders of prebiotic soda brand Poppi, who triumphed in BevNET’s New Beverage Showdown 12 competition. Or you might recall them from their 2018 appearance on the reality TV show “Shark Tank,” in which they received a $400,000 investment from beverage industry luminary Rohan Oza. In both appearances, the brand was known as Mother Beverage and positioned as a line of sparkling apple cider vinegar drinks. The “Shark Tank” deal elicited additional funding via CAVU Venture Partners, the private equity firm co-founded by Oza, an investment that contrib...2020-05-2937 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 77: A Bloom Is On The Horizon. Here’s How To Prepare For It.This week’s episode focuses on ways that the BevNET and NOSH teams are working with entrepreneurs to support their businesses during these uncertain times, and also includes an interview with Candice Crane, founder/CEO of botanical drink brand Petal Beverage, who spoke about how she is navigating a challenging environment for small food and beverage companies. Founded in 2017, Petal has won plaudits for its organic sparkling beverages which are formulated with a range of botanical essences, including rose water, lychee and elderberry, among others. The brand is distributed in 1,000 locations, including at Gelson’s, Jimbo’s, Albert...2020-03-2025 min
RE-Focus: The ADHD Podcast with Angela Stephens8: BevNET's Jeffrey Klineman Discusses Managing ProductivityJeffrey Klineman, Editor-in-Chief of BevNET joins Angela to discuss his role at BevNET, how he decided to become an Editor, how he manages his productivity, the best ways to get noticed in the beverage industry, and his thoughts on getting a career in media. Find him and his team at bevnet.com, nosh.com, and brewbound.com.2020-01-2745 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 65: The News, Trends & Innovation That Shaped 2019This week, members of the BevNET and NOSH editorial teams joined us for a discussion of some of the major news stories, trends and topics affecting the food and beverage industry in 2019. Show notes: 0:57: Sustainable Shots, Inter-senal, Send News Now! -- The episode’s hosts open the show with a chat about meeting Taste Radio fans at BevNET Live Winter 2019 and a brand revamp for ginger and turmeric juice brand Monfefo. They also munched on a cornucopia of gourmet cookies from Milk Bar, riffed on Marty’s love for Italian soccer giant Inter Milan and expla...2019-12-201h 08
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 62: How To Get Ahead By Going Back To The BasicsIn this episode, we’re joined by the founders of two U.K.-based companies, each of whom have built successful brands by adopting a back-to-the-basics approach to product development and marketing. Launched in 2014, The Primal Pantry is a paleo-inspired snack brand that markets plant-based protein and energy bars made with just a handful of ingredients, including tree nuts and fruit. Suzie Walker, a former nutritionist and executive with Nestlé, founded the company on the belief that the bar category was lacking a product made with high quality, whole food ingredients. In our interview, Walker spoke about how...2019-11-2952 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 61: There’s White Space For The Taking. Here’s How To Find It.In this episode, we’re joined by the founders of two innovative U.K.-based companies, cold brew coffee and oat milk brand Minor Figures and non-alcoholic brewery Infinite Session, who detailed their respective strategies for winning at home and abroad. Launched in 2014, Minor Figures is known for its super-premium beverages, pastel packaging and playful illustrations. The brand is widely available in the U.K. and has a significant foothold in Australia along with a small, but expanding, presence in the U.S. In our interview, co-founder Stuart Forsyth spoke about why he describes the package design as...2019-11-2250 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 59: The ‘Slightly Out Of Control’ Growth StrategyJames McMaster, the CEO of Huel, a fast-growing brand of nutritionally complete meal replacement powders and RTD beverages, doesn’t mind a little chaos. At the helm of a brand whose products are sold in 80 countries and are expected to generate over $50 million in sales in 2019, McMaster compares the U.K.-based company’s growth to that of an amusement park ride. “You’re on this roller coaster and you’re trying to keep it under control, but you like it being slightly out of control so it can breathe and reach its potential,” McMaster said in an in...2019-11-0833 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 55: The Profitable Way To Build a Disruptive BrandThe tagline for Ithaca Craft Hummus is simple and direct: “This Hummus Tastes Fresh.” For founder/president Chris Kirby, the mission to build a disruptive yet profitable brand is just as clear cut. Launched in 2013, Ithaca’s ultra fresh flavor -- derived from cold-pressed ingredients and non-thermal pasteurization -- has helped the brand build a consumer following and gain placement in thousands of retail stores across the country, including Wegmans, The Fresh Market and Publix. Throughout Ithaca’s development, Kirby has emphasized a scrappy approach to growth that’s based on strong relationships with his co-packer...2019-10-111h 05
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 23: How Successful Entrepreneurs Network, Use Equity & Partner With CelebsOver the course of his career, Ryan Lewendon, a partner with influential CPG law firm The Giannuzzi Group, has worked with hundreds of CPG brands, including Vitaminwater, Krave Jerky, Vita Coco and BodyArmor. His experience has provided him with a window into how successful entrepreneurs think and operate. In an interview included in this episode, Lewendon offered his perspective on the elements of a winning brand and what it takes to succeed. As part of our conversation, he discussed how to avoid some of the early mistakes that can haunt entrepreneurs down the line and the keys...2019-03-0150 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 19: Think You’re Outworking Your Competition? Try Knocking on 500 Doors in 25 Days.Two years after launching their loose leaf tea company, Tiesta Tea co-founders Patrick Tannous and Dan Klein arrived at a crossroads. Amid slumping sales, their advisors exhorted the young entrepreneurs to find new retail accounts. Tannous and Klein replied that they’d already visited hundreds of retailers throughout their home market of Chicago and other cities in the Midwest. “What do you want us to do?” Tannous recounted. “And they looked at us and said, ‘Did you guys go door-to-door in New York?’” Tannous and Klein hit the road with a “play the numbers” strategy and goal: knock on...2019-02-0149 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 13: The Keys to Creating a New Category; How This Nation Won It All“I’m starting a new category.” It’s a familiar refrain often heard in the food and beverage industry, even if most times what’s spoken isn’t necessarily true. But in the rare cases in which an entrepreneur is indeed breaking new ground, the challenges are plentiful. GT Dave, the founder of GT’s Living Foods and a pioneer in packaged kombucha, has experienced firsthand the difficulties of introducing an entirely new category to the market after launching his brandin 1995. For years, GT’s was the singular bottled kombucha brand and paved the way for what is now a thriving...2018-12-2149 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 12: On The Brink of Collapse, How Aloha Found Its Footing; Why Tea + Hops = VictoryAloha, a brand of organic, plant-based protein bars and powders, almost said goodbye to the market. Serial entrepreneur Constantin Bisanz created the company in 2014 with grand aspirations to democratize access to organic, healthy and better-for you food. At launch, the brand’s direct-to-consumer platform featured a wide variety of products, including snack bars, elixirs, vitamin supplements and teas, that were promoted as nutritious and made from sustainably-sourced ingredients. Although Aloha came out of the gate with considerable hype and funding and later secured a national distribution deal with Target, the brand’s development was stunted by a...2018-12-1342 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 11: We’re Talking BevNET Live, British Booch & Moju JuiceIn this episode of Taste Radio Insider, we continued our exploration into the evolving food and beverage market in the U.K. from the perspective of two London-based entrepreneurs: Jarr Kombucha co-founder Adam Vanni and Moju Drinks co-founder Rich Goldsmith. Each discussed how they are scaling their brands in the emerging categories of kombucha and cold-pressed juice in the U.K., and what they view as the biggest opportunities for their respective companies. Note that our interview with Vanni came prior to the announcement that beer giant Duvel Moortgat had acquired a 60 percent majority stake in Jarr Kombucha, a...2018-12-0737 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 9: Barnana’s Co-Founder Explains Why Package Design Is Everything; Beyond The Headlines: Nootropics and CBDNik Ingersöll spends a lot of time thinking about ugly bananas. The co-founder and CMO of Barnana, a fast-growing producer of snack foods made from imperfect and misshapen bananas, Ingersöll is responsible for the brand’s marketing and design strategy. To put it another way, his job is to get people excited about snacks that might not be the most visually appealing. And he’s been lauded for his efforts; Barnana is known for its bold packaging and quirky promotions, which includes the Barnana Car, which, as you may have guessed, is a big banana on whe...2018-11-2346 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 4: How Sandows Is Using the Power of Design to Pave a Path for Cold Brew Across the PondWhile cold brew has been the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. coffee business in recent years, it’s just now starting to heat up across the pond. London-based Sandows is one of a handful of British coffee companies paving a path for cold brew in the U.K. and was first to market in the country, according to co-founder Hugh Duffie. Taking their cue from speciality coffee brands in the U.S., Duffie and co-founder Luke Suddards created a foundation for Sandows based on direct trade sourcing and ultra-high quality brewing. But Duffie and Suddards knew th...2018-10-1937 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 2: Want Brand Loyalty? ‘Be Consistently Great,’ Says Uncle Matt’s Founder; Insight Into the KDP/Core DealMatt McLean, founder and titular figure of organic beverage company Uncle Matt‘s, is fond of saying that orange juice is ounce-for-ounce the most nutritious beverage on the market. He might be a little biased; after all, orange juice is the brand’s flagship line. There are, however, a few qualifiers to his promotion of orange juice, notably organic sourcing and high quality standards, each of which are rooted in Uncle Matt’s business philosophy. “We want to be consistently great at everything we do,” he said in an interview included in this episode. “We don’t skimp...2018-10-0540 min
Taste RadioInsider Ep. 1: How Country Archer Turned Rejection Into a Multi-Million Dollar IdeaIt would be fair to say that things are going well for Country Archer. But it wasn’t always that way. A maker of clean-label meat snacks, the brand’s flagship jerky line is the fastest growing in its category among natural retailers, and the company recently announced $10 million in new funding from its primary investor, Monogram Capital. Nevertheless, not too long ago, Country Archer faced rejection in the very retail channel in which it’s now the fastest growing; in fact, it had been written off as a “convenience store” product. Yet, tenacity, innovation and a litt...2018-09-2843 min
Taste RadioEp. 123: How The Millennial Masterminds Behind Yasso Created An $80 Million BrandStop us when this sounds familiar: two young entrepreneurs have an idea for a disruptive food concept, but lack experience and need help -- with everything. In the case of Amanda Klane and Drew Harrington, who together launched frozen Greek yogurt brand Yasso while fresh out of college, identifying and aligning with the right partners meant building around their vision of success. “When we started the business, we were 23,” Klane said in an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio. “We clearly knew we didn’t know everything. It was ‘how do we find people that are smarter than us and can...2018-08-0750 min
Taste RadioEp. 120: Banza Co-Founder Rudolph: ‘Be Polite, But Be Relentless’; Energized With MatchaBarBrian Rudolph is a big believer in cold calling. The co-founder and CEO of Banza -- a brand of chickpea-based pasta that’s promoted as a protein-rich, gluten-free and nutritious alternative to traditional varieties -- said that while rejection is to be expected with unsolicited outreach, persistence and civility have led to big wins for the company. “We got rejected all the time,” Rudolph said in an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio. “Sometimes people just don’t answer, but you have to recognize that it’s okay to follow up. And a lot times we wouldn’t get a response...2018-07-1758 min
Taste RadioEp. 116: Secrets of a Perfect ‘Overnight Success’; Successful Habits of a Kombucha QueenWhen it debuted in 2005, Perfect Bar was a tough sell to retailers unfamiliar with the concept of a refrigerated protein bar. But Leigh and Bill Keith, who co-founded the brand along with four other siblings and developed the products based on a family recipe that uses healthier ingredients, slowly achieved traction for Perfect Bar through persistence and a focused business strategy. The brand is now carried at thousands of retail chains across the country and is the leader of the blooming set. We caught up with Leigh and Bill at NOSH Live Summer 2018 and discussed the company’s journey to be...2018-06-191h 06
Taste RadioEp. 112: Pirate’s Booty Founder: ‘Don’t Focus on The Money. Focus on Yourself.'Pretty much everyone has heard of Pirate’s Booty, the ubiquitous puffed cheese snack known for its quirky branding and eat-the-whole-bag appeal. If you’re in the food and beverage business, you might have heard of Robert Ehrlich, the creator of Pirate’s Booty. But to know the name is not necessarily to know the man. Inventive, eccentric, fearless, creative, and above all fun, Ehrlich has been extremely successful as a food entrepreneur; the sale of Pirate’s Booty netted him over $70 million. Money, however, hasn’t changed his passion for new and innovative ways to disrupt the food business. Inthis epi...2018-05-2256 min
Taste RadioEp. 111: Sweet Leaf/Deep Eddy Co-Founder: 'You Can’t Read The Book. You Gotta Live It.'When it comes to entrepreneurship, Clayton Christopher believes that “you can’t read the book; you gotta live it.” And live it he has; Christopher is best known as the co-founder of Sweet Leaf Tea, acquired by Nestlé Waters in 2011, and Deep Eddy Vodka, which just five years after its launch was sold to Heaven Hill Distilling for a reported $400 million. Yet even as a highly successful entrepreneur and investor, Christopher, currently the co-founder and managing director of private equity firm CAVU, has always looked beyond simply achieving a desired end result. In an interview included in this episode of Tast...2018-05-151h 10
Taste RadioEp. 110: Foodstirs Founders Explain Importance of Indulging 'Personal Mission'If you are going to have the occasional indulgent dessert, at least make sure it’s worth indulging on. Greg Fleishman, a veteran CPG executive and co-founder of organic baking kit brand Foodstirs, has made that the simple guiding principle of Foodstirs, the organic baking kit brand he helped launch alongside co-founder Galit Laibow and actress Sarah Michelle Gellar in 2014. Launched as a direct-to-consumer subscription service before expanding into retail, the brand has set out to disrupt a sleepy baking mix category with innovative products that merge high-quality, sustainable ingredients and indulgent flavors. In an interview with the Foodstirs founders in...2018-05-081h 07
BRAND SECRETS AND STRATEGIES The Retail Solved BlueprintGrow Sustainable Sales With Expert Advice, John Craven With BevNET & Project Nosh & Taste RadioSavvy entrepreneurs look to industry leaders to help guide, mentor, and inspire them. They know and appreciate learning ways to avoid common pitfalls and accelerate their growth. This shortens their learning curve helping them grow sustainable sales. This episode's FREE downloadable guide Real shopper loyalty is earned not found on plastic cards. Your brand’s real strength is its ability to convert casual customers into brand ambassadors. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE STRATEGIC GUIDE: Merchandising Checklist To Grow Sales and Shopper Loyalty Savvy entrepreneurs look to industry leaders to help gui...2018-04-1855 min
Taste RadioEp. 103: Why The Success of Spartan Race Should Matter To You; It’s High Nuun For HydrationOver 200 times a year, Spartan hosts grueling, endurance-testing obstacle races that often leave its participants muddy, bloody and exhausted -- and they happily fork over hundreds of dollars for the privilege. The man behind this Spartan mask is Joe De Sena, a former Wall Street trader and extreme athlete who launched the company in 2007 after deciding he needed to start his own competition in order to satisfy his fitness goals. With over one million annual participants, Spartan has grown beyond the races themselves and into a platform brand that encompasses a lifestyle, philosophy and training and nutrition program, an evolution...2018-04-031h 01
Taste RadioEp. 93: Project 7’s Tyler Merrick Is Trying to Save the World, One Pack of Gum at a TimeTyler Merrick is attempting to save the world, one pack of gum at a time. A serial entrepreneur, Merrick is the founder and CEO of Project 7, a premium gum, mint and candy brand built around a core social mission. Launched in 2009, the company donates a portion from each purchase to support seven areas of need in the U.S. and across the globe, including hunger, homelessness, clean water, and anti-bullying initiatives. Merrick initially envisioned Project 7 as a “Newman’s Own 2.0” brand for commodity goods, including bottle water, coffee and snacks, each aligned with tangible giveback. In an interview included in this e...2018-01-231h 08
Taste RadioEp. 92: How This Brand Is Trying to Become the 'Coke of the Kombucha World'Sean Lovett had a serious Coke habit -- until he found kombucha. That change had been long in the making. Like many other consumers, Lovett remained a loyal Coke drinker for years, despite creeping concerns about its high sugar and calorie count. Seeking a soda alternative with a healthy halo, he took his first sip of kombucha nearly a decade ago and has never looked back. It was an experience that launched a mission: create a brand that could serve as “the Coke of the kombucha world.” In 2010 Lovett founded Revive Kombucha, a Sonoma-based company whose focus is to “sustainably produc...2018-01-1653 min
Taste RadioEp. 90: Chameleon Cold-Brew's Campbell: 'Humility Has Been Incredibly Helpful For Us'Cold brew won’t save the world. Just ask Chris Campbell. The co-founder and CEO of Chameleon Cold-Brew, Campbell is well aware of cold brew’s vaunted status as one of the hottest trends in food and beverage. He’s also extremely proud of Chameleon’s commitment to quality, its devoted consumer base and its leadership position within the space, all of which were key elements to its recent acquisition by Nestlé. Yet, in a conversation included in this episode of Taste Radio, Campbell stressed that a healthy sense of humility has helped steer the ship and been critical to the co...2018-01-021h 04
Taste RadioEp. 85: Honest Tea Co-Founder Barry Nalebuff: 'Focus on Solving a Real Problem'Barry Nalebuff believes that food and beverage entrepreneurs should focus on solving what he calls “a real problem.” When he co-founded organic beverage brand Honest Tea 20 years ago, that meant delivering healthier bottled drinks to consumers at a time when few such options existed. Nalebuff has since integrated that philosophy into other ventures, including alcoholic kombucha company Kombrewcha and Maker Oats, a new brand of organic overnight oats that he developed in partnership with Quaker Oaks. The ultimate goal, he says, is to transform an industry laden with unhealthy ingredients and formulations. “If you think about what people have put in our...2017-11-241h 04
Taste RadioEp. 83: How Saffron Road Excels At Meeting Millennial Mouths; Forto Takes Its Best ShotAdnan Durrani was once known as “The Suit.” A former Wall Street executive, Durrani’s first experience at a natural foods show was a clash in styles: a buttoned-up banker dressed in Brooks Brothers amid hippie entrepreneurs clad in raggedy jeans and sandals. Despite the difference in style, Durrani found himself embraced by the community and in particular by Stonyfield Farm co-founder Gary Hirshberg, for whom Durrani served as a board member and investor. Durrani is currently the CEO of American Halal, the company behind halal-certified frozen food and snack brand Saffron Road, which he founded in 2009. In this week’s episod...2017-11-101h 07
Taste RadioEp. 78: Four Loko/Koia Co-Founder On Why Branding Is The Key to WinningEpisode 78 of BevNET’s Taste Radio podcast features a conversation with Chris Hunter, the co-founder of plant-based protein drink brand Koia and a co-founder of Phusion Projects, the Chicago-based alcoholic beverage company best known as the maker of Four Loko. In our interview, recorded at Natural Products Expo East 2017, Hunter discussed the remarkable rise (and notorious reputation) of Four Loko and why a focus on branding and merchandising was key to its success. Hunter also explained his belief that the natural food and beverage industry is “the most exciting space out there,” his role in reframing and positioning Koia as a bran...2017-10-0654 min
Taste RadioEp. 77: Bleeding Edge Innovation With Impossible Foods’ Founder Pat BrownIn this week’s episode of BevNET’s Taste Radio, we’re joined by Pat Brown, the founder and CEO of Impossible Foods, a food tech company focused on the development of meat, dairy and fish products derived from plant-based material. Best known as the maker of the Impossible Burger, a juicy, meatless patty that’s served in trendy restaurants nationwide, the company has reportedly raised over $300 million to date, including investment from GV and Bill Gates. Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and BevNET sr. brand specialist Jon Landis recently spoke with Brown about the origins and business strategy behind Impossib...2017-09-2959 min
Taste RadioEp. 76: Bill Creelman Discusses Spindrift’s Crafty Strategy; MCT’s MomentEpisode 76 of BevNET’s Taste Radio podcast spotlights a wide-ranging conversation with Spindrift founder and CEO Bill Creelman. Recorded at Spindrift headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Creelman waxed about cutting his teeth in the beverage business and the launch, development and sale of his first company, Stirrings, a maker of premium cocktail mixers. He also discussed how the origins of Spindrift, a fast-growing brand of fruit-infused sparkling water, continue to play a critical role in the brand's evolution and remarkable growth, why the brand is pursuing a “craft” identity in the sparkling water category, and how the company has taken a carefu...2017-09-211h 03
Taste RadioEp. 75: Grandy Oats’ Founders on Why Authenticity Matters; Evolution of Plant-Based MeatTaste Radio episode 75, presented by Virun, features a compelling conversation with Aaron Anker and Nat Peirce, who are the co-founders of Grandy Oats, a maker, wholesaler and retailer of organic granola. BevNET editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman met with Anker and Peirce at Grandy Oats’ headquarters in Hiram, Maine, where the trio spoke about the company’s development and evolution since its launch in 1979. Over the past two years, Grandy Oats, which has remained independent since its founding, has invested in improvements to its manufacturing facility, greening its factory and adding capacity, as it moves closer to national expansion. The upgrades come as t...2017-09-151h 02
Taste RadioEp. 74: How Matt Thomas Built One of The Fastest Growing Kombucha Brands in the U.S.In this week’s episode of BevNET’s Taste Radio, we’re joined by Matt Thomas, the founder and CEO of Townshend’s Tea Company and Brew Dr. Kombucha. In a conversation with BevNET assistant editor Marty Caballero, Thomas discussed the origins of Townshend's, a premium tea retailer based in Portland, Ore., and its development of Brew Dr., which has become one of the fastest-growing brands in the breakout kombucha category. Thomas explained how a tea-forward approach to formulation continues to resonate with new and consumers and has positioned Brew Dr. to achieve explosive growth at retail. The brand is represen...2017-09-0859 min
Taste RadioEp. 73: How Can Premiumization and Portland Define a Rich Career? Ask Joth Ricci.This week’s episode of Taste Radio features a captivating interview with veteran beverage executive with Joth Ricci, a veteran beverage executive Joth Ricci with one of the most diverse, interesting and impactful track records of anyone in the industry. Over a 17-year career, Ricci has held roles as president of Stumptown Coffee, president and CEO of Jones Soda and managing director with beverage investment and advisory firm First Beverage Group. BevNET assistant editor Marty Caballero recently traveled to Portland, Ore. to meet with Ricci, who is currently the president of Adelsheim Vineyard, a pioneering winery in Oregon's Willamette Valley, an...2017-09-011h 03
Taste RadioEp. 72: Biena Bets on Big Future for Whole Food Protein; High Brew Takes Us For a RideIn episode 72 of Taste Radio, we feature a conversation with Poorvi Patodia, who is the founder and CEO of Biena, a fast-growing maker of roasted chickpea snacks. Just five years since its launch, Biena is distributed at 15,000 locations across the U.S. and available at Whole Foods, Target, Sprouts and Stop & Shop. Patodia outlined her vision for roasted chickpeas and how the combination of familiar snack flavors and a healthy, whole food option continues to win over investors, distributors, retailers and consumers. She also discussed why Biena attempts to operate more like a tech firm than a food company and...2017-08-251h 02
Taste RadioEp. 68: Talking Innovative Ventures and Investments with Owl’s Brew and 301INCThis week’s edition of Taste Radio features an interview with Jennie Ripps, the co-founder and CEO of Owl’s Brew, a maker of tea-based cocktail mixers and tea-and-beer Radlers. In our conversation, Ripps spoke about the development of Owl’s Brew, which has been at the forefront of the premium cocktail mixer category since its launch in 2013. She also discussed the company’s relationship with Zx Ventures, the global incubation arm of Anheuser Busch, which is an investor in the brand, including how Owl’s Brew evaluated the opportunity to work with a strategic partner and what Zx brings to...2017-07-2855 min
Taste RadioEp. 67: Sir Kensington's Scott Norton Talks Condiments and CultureOn this week’s episode of Taste Radio, Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and BevNET’s Jon Landis are joined by Scott Norton, founder of natural condiment brand Sir Kensington’s. Fueled by a mission to create “condiments with character,” the New York-based company, which was acquired by food and consumer product giant Unilever in April, is using a commitment to clean ingredients and responsible sourcing to reshape how consumers think about ketchup, mayonnaise and the entire condiment category. In our conversation, Norton discusses the company’s “inside-out” approach to marketing, how a strong company culture can bring tangible business results, and how...2017-07-211h 05
Taste RadioEp. 62: KeVita Co-Founder Moses Is Investing; Trendspotting at NOSH/BevNET LiveKeVita co-founder and former CEO Bill Moses is keeping busy. In the seven months since PepsiCo’s acquisition of KeVita, a maker of probiotic drinks and kombucha, Moses has been actively investing in and advising a range of early-stage food and beverage companies. This edition of the Taste Radio podcast features an interview with Moses, who discussed the key elements of his investment philosophy and his work with upstart brands, including Koia and ChiaViva. Recorded at the NOSH Live Summer 2017 conference, held earlier this week in New York City, Moses also reflected the growth and development of KeVita and the tr...2017-06-1636 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 60: Bob Burke on Keys to The Kingdom; Recapping The Sweets and Snacks ExpoOver his three decades as an executive and consultant in the natural products industry, Bob Burke has been recognized as one of the foremost experts in the space. This episode of the BevNET Podcast features a wide-ranging conversation with Burke, whose career includes 11 years in sales and marketing at organic dairy giant Stonyfield Farm and nearly 20 years as an advisor to early-stage and entrepreneurial food and beverage companies. Along with a discussion about the evolution of the natural foods industry and its transformative impact on the grocery business, Burke shared his thoughts on the keys to success for startups and...2017-06-021h 08
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 59: Margaritas, Mezcal and MoneyIn this episode of the BevNET Podcast, we sat down with Mark Mahoney, the co-founder and CEO of premium cocktail mixer brand Powell & Mahoney, who joined us for a discussion about his background as a beverage entrepreneur, the rapid development of the premium mixer space and what's next for the thriving category. This episode also includes a segment with BevNET editor-in-chief Jeffrey Klineman, who examined recent investment deals in the food and beverage industry, including First Beverage Ventures’ investment in a mezcal company, Castanea Partners’ acquisition of a majority stake in craft brewery The Bruery and a new round of fund...2017-05-2656 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 58: Why Juice Press is 'Constantly Reinventing the Wheel'; The Soylent PhenomenonEarlier this month, BevNET CEO John Craven met with Juice Press founder Marcus Antebi and chairman Michael Karsch at the cold-pressed juice chain’s Long Island City headquarters and production facility, where the trio recorded a wide-ranging interview for this episode of the BevNET Podcast. Antebi, who launched Juice Press in 2010 and now presides over a chain of 62 stores across the Northeast, explained his belief that “common innovation is complete” and that it’s incumbent upon food and beverage manufacturers to up the ante with nutrient-dense ingredients and formulations. That mindset is the overarching mantra at Juice Press and the driv...2017-05-1959 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 57: Whole Foods Fights to Remain RelevantTim Sperry spent nearly 25 years as an executive at Whole Foods and was a key figure in the company’s ascent from a small grocery chain to a household name and natural foods powerhouse. Eleven years removed from his role as the company’s director of grocery, Sperry is concerned that Whole Foods’ merchandising prowess and brand identity have fallen into neglect -- and he’s not alone. The retailer has lost some of its luster with customers, suppliers and investors, and the news is filled with talk of a shakeup of the company’s business strategy or an outright takeover...2017-05-121h 03
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 56: Going Next Level With FoodFutureCoIn an interview recorded for this edition of the BevNET Podcast, we sat down with Gigi Lee Chang, the managing director of cause-oriented food business accelerator FoodFutureCo. Chang, who also founded baby food brand Plum Organics, explained FoodFutureCo’s work in advising and supporting early- and mid-stage food and beverage companies, particularly those that are providing unique products and solutions for the food system. Chang also offered her perspective on how the opportunities and challenges for food entrepreneurs have evolved since Plum launched in 2005. Also included in this episode of the podcast: the first edition of “Elevator Talk,” a new series...2017-05-0547 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 55: Juicero Jeopardy, Sour Soylent, and Avoiding the Bottle BluesIn this episode of the podcast, BevNET’s John Craven and Jeff Klineman discussed some of the big stories in the food and beverage business, including tough press for Juicero, operational issues for brands like Soylent and Reed’s, and the ways the largest, publicly-traded food and beverage companies are attempting to refresh their lineups through transactions -- and through change at the top. Also included in this edition of the podcast: a chat on packaging trends and innovation with Zuckerman Honickman executives Michael Zuckerman and Adam Dorfman, and a “What are you drinking?” segment with BevNET’s director of sales, Joh...2017-04-2859 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 54: Fixing The Disconnect Between Functionality and Brand StoryLivio Bisterzo thinks millennials are the new hippies. And he’s got just the snack for them. A longtime entrepreneur, Bisterzo is the founder and CEO of Green Park Brands, a self-described “food innovation company” based in Los Angeles. Approximately 18 months ago, the company launched its first brand, Hippeas, a line of organic chickpea puffs available in six varieties. The vegan snacks are high in fiber and protein and sold in wide range of natural and conventional grocery retailers; they’re also carried nationally at Starbucks cafes. In a recent interview recorded for this edition of the BevNET podcast, Bisterzo credited...2017-04-2152 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 53: IRI CEO on How Artificial Intelligence Will 'Automate The Simple'Last week IRI, a global market research firm based in Chicago, held its annual “Growth Summit,” a three-day conference designed to help CPG manufacturers, retailers and media industry executives understand the opportunities and challenges presented by big data. The event, held in Nashville’s Opryland district, included a range of educational and strategy-oriented sessions on cross-category dynamics, fragmented media, consumer personalization, digital marketing and e-commerce. Amid the sprawling conference, which was attended by executives from across the CPG spectrum, BevNET sat down with IRI CEO and president Andrew Appel and recorded an interview for this edition of the podcast. Appel...2017-04-141h 05
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 52: How To Revolutionize, Democratize Healthy Food? Chew On It.Adam Melonas has a pretty simple mission: he wants you to eat tasty, healthy snacks. The Australian-born chef and entrepreneur is the founder and CEO of Chew LLC, a Boston-based food incubator focused on recreating legacy snack brands. Melonas said the products are being renovated from “the ground up, inventing new processes to make them more nutritious and delicious every time.” BevNET recently visited Chew’s new innovation lab in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood where we recorded a wide-ranging interview about the launch and development of Chew for this edition of the BevNET Podcast. Surrounded by a shimmering kitchen outfitted with sta...2017-04-0754 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 51: Ripe Opportunities to Win in BeverageMining trends at the recently held Natural Products Expo West 2017, Howard Telford, a senior beverages analyst with market research firm Euromonitor, said he saw the event as the embodiment of the health and wellness movement that has reshaped the beverage industry in recent years. In an interview recorded for this edition of the BevNET Podcast, Telford shared his thoughts on pertinent trends affecting new product development as viewed at Expo West and beyond. Telford, who is an expert on the global soft drink market, explained that concerns over added sugars are changing the ways companies are formulating new and existing...2017-03-311h 06
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 50: The Dirty Way To Disrupt Distribution; Why Change Is ProgressZak Normandin is a determinedly practical entrepreneur. As a new father, he was concerned that there were few companies selling organic foods for babies and toddlers. So he created his own: Little Duck Organics, a maker of USDA organic snacks. A few years after its launch, he sold the company. Although he had been successful in the food business, he wasn't satisfied with traditional distribution models. Seeing an opportunity to sell direct-to-consumer, two years ago Normandin launched Dirty Lemon, a brand of functional drinks that are sold via a text message-based ordering platform. Thomas Perez has similar views when it...2017-03-241h 16
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 48: When's The Right Time to Sell? Nick Giannuzzi Suggests a Heat Check.In this edition of the BevNET Podcast, we’re joined by prominent food and beverage attorney Nick Giannuzzi. The founder and managing partner of the The Giannuzzi Group, he has for over a decade provided legal representation to hundreds of small to mid-sized CPG companies and been involved in the biggest M&A deals in the space, including the sale of vitaminwater to The Coca-Cola Co., Krave Jerky to The Hershey Co. and KeVita to PepsiCo. Our conversation with Giannuzzi includes his take on how has the landscape for M&A in food and beverage has evolved in recent years, ho...2017-03-0952 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 47: Klocked In -- Why Sparking Ice Is Looking for a StablemateKevin Klock, the president and CEO of Talking Rain, believes that while timing and some luck played a role in the remarkable success of Sparkling Ice, execution is the primary reason that it’s currently a $600 million brand at retail. A focused business strategy and the development of a national DSD network and seasoned sales organization helped position Sparkling Ice for eye-popping sales growth -- 6,000 percent since 2010. But Klock, who joined Talking Rain in 2006 and took the helm four years later, isn’t ready to take a victory lap; instead, he sees the brand as ready for a running mate, or t...2017-03-0246 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 46: Why “You’re Your Own Best Salesman”; Protein’s PotentialIn this edition of the BevNET Podcast, we’re joined by Michael Schwartz, the co-founder and managing partner of Organic Food Incubator, a shared production facility and resource center for early-stage food and beverage companies. In our conversation with Schwartz, who is also the founder of BAO, a brand of fermented foods and drinks, we delved into the current landscape for start-up brands in metro New York, and discuss top-of-mind ingredient and formulations embraced by entrepreneurs in the region. Schwartz also shared his take on effective sales, retail and distribution strategies for new brand owners, including why “you’re your own be...2017-02-2447 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 45: How Reda Reigns As One of NYC’s Beverage KingmakersBig Geyser, the largest independent beverage distributor in metro New York, has played a critical role in the development of some of the most successful entrepreneurial beverage brands in recent years, including vitaminwater, Zico and Honest Tea. Jerry Reda, the company’s COO, oversees a distribution network that includes over 25,000 retail accounts -- and navigating the day-to-day challenges as Big Geyser’s trucks traverse the tri-state area brings an extra level of headache to the gig. In the city that never sleeps, it’s a 24/7 job, but Reda, who we recently interviewed for this edition of the BevNET Podcast, says that h...2017-02-171h 01
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 44: BodyArmor/Vitaminwater Co-Founder Mike Repole: “It’s Gold or Nothing.”Mike Repole, the co-founder of BodyArmor, is unsatisfied. Why? Because BodyArmor, despite its impressive growth in recent years, is not the world’s top-selling sports drink brand. Repole, who also co-founded vitaminwater and is a horse-racing magnate and billionaire, clearly does not lack ambition. As part of a wide-ranging interview recorded for this edition of the BevNET Podcast, Repole, who joined BodyArmor as a co-founder through an investment in the brand in 2012, said that despite Gatorade’s longstanding domination of the sports drink category, he believes the giant can be knocked off its pedestal. And for BodyArmor to replace it woul...2017-02-1054 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 41: Five Brand Attributes That Spell Success for Whipstich's Mike BurgmaierBevNET’s podcast team recently visited with Mike Burgmaier, the co-founder and managing director of Whipstitch Capital, an investment bank that provides mergers and acquisitions and private placement advisory services to consumer products companies. In this edition of the podcast, Burgmaier, who’s worked with several fast-growing and high-profile beverage brands, including Essentia, Spindrift and KeVita, discussed the current climate for CPG financing, competition for investment dollars and what he views as the key attributes for successful brands.2017-01-1336 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 40: The Trends to Watch in Beverage, Beer and FoodYear two of the BevNET Podcast begins with a discussion on trends to watch in the worlds of non-alcoholic beverages, craft beer and natural foods. In this edition, the podcast team is joined by BevNET editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman and the editors of BevNET’s sister sites, Brewbound’s Chris Furnari and Project NOSH’s Carol Ortenberg, each of whom offered their take on the most pertinent trends and issues within the industries they cover.2017-01-0645 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 39: What Happens at BevNET Live…It took us a couple of weeks to recover from the biggest BevNET Live conference yet, but in this edition of the podcast, we reflected on the three-day event, which was held from Dec. 4-6 in Santa Monica, Calif. With over 600 attendees and more than 150 beverage brands represented at the show, BevNET Live Winter 2016 showcased the breadth of cutting-edge trends and innovative beverage concepts, including many that appeared on the main stage during New Beverage Showdown 12. We discussed some of these nascent trends and their potential for mainstream adoption. We also examined the traction of well-capitalized ideas like high-tech cold-pressed...2016-12-2236 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 38: Mouthwatering Innovation? FoodMinds Says It’s In the Can.In this edition of the BevNET Podcast, the team is joined by Grant Prentice, the vice president of strategic insights for FoodMinds, a food nutrition communications and consulting firm. FoodMinds advises food and beverage clients on ways to enhance business and marketing efforts through scientific research and public policy efforts. Prentice and FoodMinds this year completed research and insights work on behalf of the Can Manufacturers Institute and as part of our discussion, he revealed and explained findings on how packaging can impact beverage drinkers’ experiences and reinforce or complement beverage brand equities.2016-12-1644 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 36: High-Stepping With L.A. Libations Co-FounderThe career of Danny Stepper, a co-founder of beverage incubator L.A. Libations, is one that comes with lot of stories -- and he's happy to tell them. BevNET's podcast team recently sat down with Stepper in his office at Relativity Media headquarters in Beverly Hills, which is a long way from his early days stocking beverage coolers for the Coca-Cola Co. Stepper worked his way into a variety of sales roles at Coke, building relationships that became the foundation for L.A. Libations' role as an incubator, guiding brands to placement at leading retailers in a variety of channels...2016-12-0232 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 35: Health-Ade Co-Founder -- Kombucha is Poster Child for “Real Food” MovementHealth-Ade’s new 50,000 sq. ft. production facility in Torrance, Calif. is impressive: state-of-the art equipment, automated technology, and plenty of room to make a lot of kombucha. We recently visited the new space and sat down with company founders Vanessa Dew, Daina Trout and Justin Trout who joined us on this edition of the BevNET Podcast. As part of our discussion, Health-Ade’s founding trio ruminated on the rapid evolution of the company, which launched in 2012 and is now one of the leading kombucha makers in the U.S. With the new facility in place, Health-Ade will look to ramp up d...2016-11-1826 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 34: Zico's Mark Rampolla -- Investors Love Brands Focused on Systematic ChangeThese days Zico founder Mark Rampolla spends most of his time thinking about transformative technology and better-for-you sweets. Three years removed from the sale of his coconut water brand to the Coca-Cola Co., Rampolla is now the managing partner and a co-founder of Powerplant Ventures, a private equity firm that invests in “visionary companies that are re-architecting” the food system via plant-based nutrition. He’s also the interim CEO of Hail Merry, a maker of plant-based snack foods, which counts Powerplant as an investor. We caught up with Rampolla last week in Los Angeles at the Project NOSH L.A. confer...2016-11-1119 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 32: Conveniently, a Conversation About BevNET’s Five-Star ReviewsAfter a few weeks on the road, the podcast team finally made it back in the conference room at BevNET HQ, where we recently chatted about our travels. In this edition, we look back at last week’s NACS 2016 show, which showcased the continuing evolution of the convenience store channel. Our discussion includes an examination of retailers’ and beverage suppliers’ efforts to adapt to growing consumer interest for healthier drinks in C-stores and our thoughts on noteworthy new products introduced at the show. Later in the podcast, the conversation turns to BevNET CEO John Craven’s recent trip to London. Craven s...2016-10-2837 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 31: What's Trending Among London's Libations?For this week’s episode of the BevNET podcast, we’ve crossed the Atlantic to explore a beverage market that’s outside of our usual coverage area: London. Joining the podcast are Hugh Thomas and Joe Benn of Ugly Drinks, which is a U.K.-based startup that produces unsweetened flavored sparkling water. Thomas and Benn, who met each other while helping to launch Vita Coco in the U.K., discuss, along with BevNET founder & CEO John Craven, their thoughts on a variety of topics, including beverage innovation in the U.K. health and wellness trends impacting their local marketing, and th...2016-10-2131 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 30: The Dirty Secret About Success in the Beverage IndustryIn this edition of the BevNET podcast, we’re joined by Gerry Khermouch, a longtime beverage reporter and the editor of email newsletter Beverage Business Insights. Khermouch, who also pens a column for BevNET Magazine, has been covering the non-alcoholic beverage industry for over 20 years, reporting on everything from the rise of new age brands like Snapple and AriZona to the meteoric success of vitaminwater to the fast-evolving trends of today. Khermouch shares insights gleaned from over two decades as a beverage journalist, including what he calls the “dirty secret” about success in the beverage industry, why he views curb appeal...2016-10-1430 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 29: Why ACG, An Early Investor In Suja, Doesn’t “Make Bets”Trevor Nelson, the co-founder and managing partner of private equity firm Alliance Consumer Growth (ACG) is admittedly gunshy about speaking to the media. It’s not that Nelson isn’t well-spoken; in fact, he’s quite articulate. It’s just that he’s wary of sharing too much information about the strategic insights and analyses that ACG, which was an early investor in cold-pressed juice Suja and Krave, a brand of meat jerky snacks, meticulously prepares and refines before making an investment. Nevertheless, Nelson recently hosted BevNET’s podcast team at ACG’s offices in Manhattan and shared some details about the firm...2016-10-1127 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 28: Gatorade and the Gatekeepers of Sports Drinks with ESPN's Darren RovellDarren Rovell, the veteran ESPN sports business reporter, wrote the book on Gatorade -- literally. His 2005 feature First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat Into a Cultural Phenomenon won acclaim among beverage industry observers and became the foundation for Rovell’s expertise in the business of sports drinks. Last week BevNET’s podcast team met with Rovell at his home in New Jersey for a broad discussion on the current state of the sports beverage category, one that offers an insider’s take on the segment’s gatekeepers, from boardrooms to locker rooms. Among topics covered: the value of...2016-10-0738 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 27: The Next Investment Target for General Mills’ 301 Inc. Unit Is...At Natural Products Expo East 2016, BevNET’s podcast team sat down with John Haugen, the vice president and general manager of General Mills’ 301 Inc. incubation unit. In this podcast, Haugen discusses how 301, which operates as a business development and venture capital arm of General Mills, evaluates opportunities for investment in emerging trends and early-stage companies and gives an update on the unit’s partnership with organic bottled soup brand Tio Gazpacho. He also explains why General Mills needs to redefine how it markets functional benefits and how finding “natural ways for food to work harder” is an important consideration in 301’s investment2016-10-0413 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 26: Blogging The Food Revolution with Max GoldbergInfluential blogger and organic food pundit Max Goldberg stopped by the BevNET Podcast home office this week for a discussion of the state of the organic food and beverage industry, the issues concerning the development of new products, and to preview his memoir, Finding Maxwell. Goldberg, a former Wall Street executive, told our team all about his journey from antidepressants to clean-living organic foodie and media figure, with conversational stops along the way on the offerings at Expo East, the difference between Ripple Foods and almond milk, and, most importantly, what he’d do if faced with the choice of ea...2016-09-3025 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 23: It’s Effectively Our Take on ProbioticsIn this edition of the podcast, we follow up on a recent BevNET Magazine article that examined a growing controversy regarding standards and regulation in the expanding world of probiotic beverages. BevNET Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman, who authored the article, joins us for a lively discussion on the topic.2016-09-0930 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 22: Milking It -- Alt-Dairy Continues to RollWith almond milk leading the charge, the dairy alternative category continue to impress. Recent retail sales data compiled by IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm, showed big gains for refrigerated almond milk in multi-serve format, sales of which were up 6 percent in a year-over-year comparison for the four weeks ending on July 10. The segment is nearing $1 billion in sales, and although Silk and Blue Diamond continue to dominate, Califia Farms once again proved it’s a force to be reckoned with; sales hit $42 million, up approximately 87 percent. Although dwarfed by the almond milk segment, refrigerated coconut milk also saw a le...2016-09-0226 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 21: Trendspotting -- Where’s the White Space?The cold brew coffee craze is sweeping through the beverage industry, and it seems like everyone’s trying to get a piece of the action. But we’ve seen this story before: companies flocking to a hot category, and often times ending up with a less-than-successful outcome (see: energy drinks, cold-pressed juice). “It’s just a sign of how this industry works,” BevNET CEO John Craven said in a new podcast. “When people see opportunity, you get the herd moving quickly trying to get their troops on the front line for this -- hopefully -- big surge in cold brew consumption...2016-08-2626 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 19: The Wind Up & The Pitch -- Talking to the MediaWe’re asked all the time: how can I get news about my brand featured on BevNET? Well, you can start by saying hello :) Certainly, there are time-tested and effective ways of communicating with trade media. Press releases and story pitches are two of the most common tools, but what are key components for each? How do position your news to stand out among dozens of pitches that we receive each week? In this week’s podcast, we discuss best practices for submitting news as a way to build a foundation for effective and consistent dialogue between supplier companies and trad...2016-08-1228 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 18: Cold Brew On FleekIn recent months, the cold brew coffee category has been inundated with dozens of new products. While most have been launched by regional-focused startup companies, major players Starbucks and Peet’s recently introduced bottled cold brew lines. Meanwhile, third-wave darling Stumptown has gradually expanded distribution of its RTD offerings, and Califia Farms, Chameleon and High Brew continue to introduce new varieties. As more cold brew products come to market, suppliers are doubling down on efforts to differentiate from the pack and appeal themselves to new consumers. In this edition of the BevNET Podcast, we discuss how brands are innovating in te...2016-08-0525 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 17: Entrepreneurship and The Roots of Our LaborYes, BevNET staffers have their individual quirks, mannerisms and styles, but it would be a bit of a stretch to describe the team as a motley crew; we prefer “wild bunch.” And, we get asked all the time: “So, how’d you land at BevNET?” Backgrounds are varied and, in many cases, seem like an unusual fit for a company that reports on the beverage industry. That said, there is a unifying strain to our stories: a passion for working with entrepreneurs. The usual suspects of this podcast -- John Craven, Ray Latif and Jon Landis -- discuss how their paths led...2016-07-2923 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 16: Honestly, Seth, This Was Beyond A Meaty VisitAh, to be in the Whole Foods Pentagon City. that’s where super-entrepreneur Seth Goldman — co-founder of Honest Tea and Current Chairman of Beyond Meat — has been trotting out products like Honest Sport and the Beyond Burger for consumers to test out. BevNET’s podcast studio last week became a mini-Pentagon City itself, with Goldman stopping by to let the team taste the new products. Goldman considers the Beyond Burger in particular as a transformational enterprise — the opportunity to create a viable branded plant protein at the meat counter. “It’s a huge opportunity,” says the longtime vegetarian. “The veggie burger is an evolu...2016-07-2240 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast 15: Chewing the Fancy Food FatThe combined forces of BevNET and Project NOSH descended on the Fancy Food Show in Manhattan a couple of weeks ago, and while the beverage team has already given its take, let’s face it — there’s a heck of a lot more solids on display in the aisle than liquids. And that means this edition of the BevNET Podcast is a perfect chance to throw Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and Marketing Specialist Jacqui Brugliera into the line of microphone fire alongside Jon Landis and Jeff Klineman to discuss the seismic changes overcoming this retail channel, which has so long b...2016-07-1525 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 13: Getting Fancy in The City That Never SleepsBack in the Big Apple for the third time in less than a month, the BevNET team rallied once more, this time to cover the 2016 Summer Fancy Food Show. Amid the vast halls of the Jacob Javits Center, the specialty food convention featured a broad and diverse range of beverage exhibitors at the event, including many based in metro New York. In this podcast, we examine how the Summer Fancy Food Show has evolved to become an important event for beverage brands seeking local and national retail opportunities. We also discuss a thriving scene for Brooklyn-based food and beverage companies...2016-07-0127 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 12: Talking Points, Insights from BevNET Live Summer 2016After a whirlwind eight days in which BevNET produced three conferences, we’ve taken some much needed time to sit down and reflect. Beginning in Brooklyn, where BevNET sister sites Brewbound and Project NOSH held business conferences focused on the business of craft beer and natural packaged foods, the team traveled uptown to Manhattan for BevNET Live Summer 2016, a three-day event that attracted 500+ beverage industry professionals. In this edition of the podcast, we discuss an overarching theme of health and wellness that linked the three conferences. We also examine the evolution of BevNET Live’s New Beverage Showdown competition and the...2016-06-2426 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 10: Keeping It Legal With Justin ProchnowIn Episode 10 of the BevNET Podcast, we sit down with Justin Prochnow, a partner at Greenberg Traurig, to discuss current legal and regulatory issues affecting the beverage industry. We spoke with Prochnow, an expert in legal requirements for labeling, about changes to the Nutrition Facts panel, which were revealed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May. Prochnow also discussed the FDA’s guidance on use of “evaporated cane juice” on ingredient labels, the agency’s view of the term being “false or misleading,” and what it means for food and beverage companies that are using the term.2016-06-1716 min
Taste RadioBevNet Podcast Ep. 8: How to Win Friends... and the New Beverage ShowdownWe're just a few days away from BevNET Live Summer 2016, and with it the eleventh edition of the conference's signature beverage brand competition, the New Beverage Showdown. The competition will feature 15 early-stage entrepreneurs who will take the main stage to present their brands and business plans to a panel of expert judges for a chance at a $10,000 grand prize. In this podcast, we look back at previous editions of the Showdown and identify key attributes of successful presentations and commonalities among winners. We also discuss where some brands stumbled and things to avoid while under the spotlight.2016-06-0337 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 7: Coffee With the Beverage WhispererThe team had a chance to evaluate some products with beverage industry investor, advisor, board member and raconteur Ken Sadowsky when dropped by the BevNET Podcast studio for an interview recently. Sadowsky has had a front-row view of the growth of groundbreaking brands like Vitaminwater and Vita Coco, joined BevNET’s Jeffrey Klineman and Jon Landis to talk about the strategic moves taken by successful beverage company leaders, some of the reasons that distributors can’t stop listening to Bruce Springsteen, and what it means to be characterized by so many in the industry as “The Beverage Whisperer.”2016-05-2733 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 6: The 2016 Craft Brewers ConferenceIn this edition of the BevNET Podcast, Chris Furnari, the editor of Brewbound, joins us to discuss his takeaways from the massive, 14,000-attendee Craft Brewers Conference and Brew Expo America, including some of the factors that are enabling massive growth in the craft beer category. We also discuss the increasing amount of merger and acquisition activity in the space, the prospect of 10,000 U.S. craft breweries, and the ongoing "craft vs. crafty" debate that just won’t die.2016-05-2533 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 5: Weighing in on Water’s Premium Set; To Build or Not to Build?In this edition of the BevNET Podcast, we discuss the swelling ranks of premium water brands and efforts by marketers to stand out from the pack. We also examine why a growing number of beverage entrepreneurs are bypassing co-packers and opting to build their own production facilities.2016-05-2028 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 4: Downloading With Doug Evans, The Founder of JuiceroIn this podcast, BevNET CEO John Craven interviews Doug Evans, the founder and CEO of Juicero, a new high-tech countertop juicing machine. Recorded in Calabasas, Calif., Evans discusses the development of Juicero, its introduction to the market and how it fits into the expanding landscape for cold-pressed juice. He also responds to criticism about the unit’s price tag ($700) and talks about his long-term vision for Juicero.2016-05-1321 min
Taste RadioBevNET Podcast Ep. 2: Juice Served Here, There and EverywhereIn this edition of the BevNET podcast, BevNET CEO John Craven sits down with Alex Matthews, the co-founder and CEO of Juice Served Here, a fast-growing cold-pressed juice chain based in Los Angeles. Founded in 2013, Juice Served Here launched 11 new locations in 2015 and plans to add three more this summer. As quickly as the company is expanding, Matthews and Juice Served Here executives recently pulled back on the reins as a way to reflect on operations, staff training and marketing campaigns for current stores. Matthews describes the initiative as “really healthy” and something that enabled for a clearer path forward. Matt...2016-05-0622 min