Shows
Food Chain WarsSales lessons from the 7-figure snack stick farmer (John Arbuckle).John Arbuckle and his wife Holly have landed their pork snack sticks in over 600 retail stores nationwide! Their key accounts include the likes of Sprouts Market, Natural Grocers, HEB, and others. Securing this kind of shelf space is a tough uphill battle... It's low-margin, hyper-competitive, and it feels like the buyer commands all the negotiating power. That's why we were thrilled when John agreed to join the show and share what he knows. If you've ever wondered what it takes to scale a wholesale business, you won't want to miss their s...
2024-12-061h 27
Food Chain WarsNick Carter & the rise of Market Wagon An "online farmers market" that connects consumers & farmers within a shoppable platform is a business model many have attempted, but few have accomplished. Nick Carter and the team at Market Wagon are one of the few! They've hit the INC 5000 list twice during their quick expansion to serve 30+ markets across the Midwest & East Coast. Marketing, tech, and logistics are typically the most difficult parts of the supply chain for farmers to solve, and this is where Market Wagon shines. Nick is a friend, and this industry needs more innovative people like h...
2024-10-111h 20
Food Chain Wars7 figures in agri-tourism with Ryan MacKayRyan MacKay is the owner of Lilac Hedge Farms. Their primary sales outlet is DTC eCommerce, but they also operate a 7-figure agri-tourism enterprise consisting of: A cozy farm store & ice cream bar. A full-service kitchen & stage for live music. Multiple Air BNB rentals. A giant inflatable jump pad for the kids. And of course, they host farm tours & all kinds of community events. While this is a lot to manage, there's a reason Ryan has been able to scale his eCommerce business with a hyper-regional customer base. Even as they expand to serve customers...
2024-09-1159 min
Food Chain WarsThe farmers co-op that's scaled beyond 8-figures!Cody Hopkins is the CEO and founding farmer of GrassRoots Co-Op, and has led the company to become one of the more successful D2C farm-to-fork brands sourcing regenerative products from farms in the US. Here's where we went with the interview: Cody's journey from teaching to 1st gen farming. Their early funding journey for launching the co-op. The pros/cons of the co-op business model. Their transition from wholesale to DTC. *Nerdy tactics on digital marketing tactics & data. One other thing that's easy to admire about Cody is his knack for networking. ...
2024-08-221h 21
Food Chain WarsCan paid ads skyrocket your growth?In this episode, Blaine and Brooks share their experience acquiring new customers by advertising on platforms like Facebook and Google. With their brand Seven Sons, the brothers are acquiring hundreds of new customers every week, with paid advertising being the key strategy to produce those results. But will their strategy work for you? The key is having the right business model in place before you start writing checks to the big tech giants. What does that model look like? Listen to learn more!
2024-06-0630 minFood Chain Wars5 ways to increase margins (without adding to your workload) In this episode, you'll hear us (Blaine and Brooks) break down their top strategies for high leverage ways to increase your product margin. We're talking about solutions you can implement once, and retain more 💰 with every order you receive, or every animal you process. Regardless of how long you've been in direct marketing, I'm confident there's a new idea in this episode that you can take action on this week!
2024-05-1626 min
ReGen Brands Podcast#67 - Blaine & Brooks Hitzfield @ Seven Sons - Scaling Regen Meat To 75,000 DTC Orders A YearOn this episode, we have Blaine & Brooks Hitzfield from Seven Sons. Blaine is the CEO while Brooks serves as the COO.
Seven Sons is supporting regenerative agriculture with its direct-to-consumer meat business that sells regeneratively raised beef, bison, pork, and chicken as well as seafood and other snack items.
Seven Sons sources their regeneratively raised meat products from their own 550-acre farm in Roanoke, Indiana, and from other regenerative farmers around the Midwest.
In this episode, we hear how the family farm transitioned from a conventional hog oper...
2024-04-121h 19Food Chain WarsGrazeCart POSNationA full episode to break down the acquisition announcement of GrazeCart by specialty retail point-of-sale provider, POS Nation. On this episode Blaine and I unpack common questions like: Why did we decide to sell GrazeCart? Who is POS Nation? (you'll hear from their team) What will our involvement be going forward? What did we learn through this process? and what we’re most excited about for GrazeCart’s future! As passionate founders, we're thrilled to have found a partner who is excited about the future of GrazeCart and has the expertise to expand its' position in th...
2024-02-2131 min
Food Chain WarsThe perfect team meeting agenda for your farm!Team meetings are tough to get right... Whether you work with a few family members or a full-blown team, you've probably left meetings feeling more confused and discouraged than you came in. Some of us get so fed up that we attempt to steer the organization without meetings altogether. After all, between producing livestock and packing orders, who really has time for formal meetings anyway? However, this only leads to more chaos and sideways energy. So what's the answer? In our experience, the key to having really...
2023-07-2732 min
Food Chain WarsFrom Zero to $600M: The Incredible Rise of ButcherBox!According to a few recent interviews from CEO Mike Salguero, ButcherBox has scaled beyond $600m in revenue. In this episode, Blaine and I share our reactions to ButcherBox's remarkable growth, a breakdown of the strategies they leveraged, as well as what their market position means for the everyday farm-to-fork producer.
2023-06-2931 min
Food Chain WarsCreative ways we're using AI to save time!There's a lot of buzz floating around about AI and how it's disrupting countless industries. But are there actually any practical applications to use to help run a farm-to-fork business? We answer that question in today's episode by showcasing some of the ways we're using AI to save time while producing better results!
2023-06-1520 min
Food Chain WarsTwo SIMPLE ways to increase AOV by next week!Increasing your AOV (avg. order value) not only increases revnue and margin, but it also reduces your operational headaches... Why? Because every order you receive comes with a similar level of overhead and risk. Basically as your order count increases, so increases: customer complaints packing mistakes no-shows & restocking failed deliveries declined payments bad checks ... Shall I go on? This simple lesson is easy to overlook, and it's the inspiration behind this week's episode – Two EASY ways to increase AOV by next week!
2023-03-0929 min
Food Chain WarsDon't Screw Up: YOUR LOGOIt's something rarely talked about, but your brand name and logo does have an impact on the future of your business. Fun fact, Steve Jobs paid the renown designer Paul Rand, $100k to create the logo for NeXT, Inc. Now, I'm not saying you need to drop a large % of your startup capital on your logo, especially in the freelance-art world we live in today. However, it is important that you get the basics right because a bad name and/or logo, can be a ball and chain for a new farm-to-fork startup...
2023-02-2820 min
Food Chain WarsDon't Screw Up: CASH FLOWA common killer of healthy businesses is poor cash flow. This is like a predator that always strikes when you're not expecting it. It doesn't matter if you have a great product, happy customers, or even healthy profit margins... It only takes one bad cash crisis to cause it all to fall apart. The good thing is that you can protect yourself from this fate! In this episode, Blaine and I break-down the most common mistakes that create cash flow disasters and how to avoid them.
2023-02-2423 min
Food Chain WarsShipping vs Pickup: Which is better for you in 2023?To ship, or not to ship? 8 years ago, that's the big question Blaine and were battling with at Seven Sons... Up to that point, we had built a very successful buying club model, delivering to 50+ pickup locations throughout our region. Shipping always felt WAY too expensive, and a bad value proposition for our customers. Fast-forward to today, and we've closed all 50+ pickup locations and now exclusively ship door-to-door. What changed, and is a buying club program something you should even consider today? Those are the question we answer in today's episode: Shipping vs Curb...
2023-02-0930 min
Food Chain WarsRetail vs Wholesale: Who wins?Retail vs wholesale... Which is most relevant for you in 2023? The short answer is that it depends! In this episode we unpack the pros & cons of both channels in order to help you determine where both fit into your 2023 strategy. Click for website & show notes
2023-01-2537 min
Food Chain WarsCracking the code to subscriptions!There's a lot of power in understanding your customers' buying psychology... Without a subscription, your customer has to let your know when they want their next order. With a subscription, your customer has to let your know when they DON'T want their next order. It's amazing how much value is tied up in that subtle, but distinct difference. Catch this episode to learn more about the tips, data, and pitfalls of this innovative strategy. Click for website & show notes
2023-01-1147 min
Food Chain WarsDon't Screw Up: PRICINGAre your priced stay profitable in 2023? According to the USDA, consumers paid 12.4% more at the grocery store in Oct, 2022, vs Oct, 2021. As we continue through a season of unpredictable inflation, the consequences for neglecting price corrections has never been higher. At best-case, unsustainable pricing suffocates your ability to invest in growth. Maybe that's how you feel now... We've all been there. The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way. In today's episode of Food Chain Wars, Blaine and I unpack the thinking & systems we use stay on top of...
2022-12-2819 minFood Chain WarsSeason 2 TrailerWith season 2, we're relaunching the show under a new name (Food Chain Wars). Our vision is to grow the show into the most valuble free resource for farm2fork marketers (regardless if you use GrazeCart or not). We're here to help you climb the value-chain and reclaim your rightful market-share from big-ag and greedy 'greenwashing' corperations. That's what this show is about! Sound interesting? Catch the trailer to learn more about what to expect out of season 2!
2022-12-1507 min
The Good Life#9 - The Highs & Lows of Being an Entrepreneur w/ Brooks HitzfieldCEO & Co-Founder of industry changing technology, Brooks Hitzfield joins The Good Life to discuss the many highs and lows, successes and failures of being an entrepreneur. Brooks has grown his company, GrazeCart to be a 6-figure company that is changing the way farm2fork suppliers grow online with the right tech & strategy.
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2022-12-141h 03
Can We Feed the World with Regenerative Farming?Daily Life of the Seven BrothersHitzfield Brothers: Seven SonsEat with confidence while you enjoy pasture-raised meats delivered to your door direct from our Indiana farm. https://sevensons.net/ 🚚 In this episode we will take an inside look into the lives of all seven brothers (yes, there really are 7 brothers) and their roles on the farm! The Hitzfield brothers have adopted Michael Hyatt’s (Founder of Michael Hyatt & Co / leadership speaker and book author) philosophy on how to identify one’s unique strengths, weaknesses, passions, and drudgery zones, and how to incorporate those characteristics into a fulfilling career to match each in...
2022-08-0820 min
Food Chain WarsThree Simple Tips to Improve Email Copy Today!Want to generate more engagement, clicks, and revenue with every email you write? We've brought Chad Graue (Director of Digital Marketing for Seven Sons) back on the show to help you do just that! In this episode, Chad will share three tips you can use to improve your email copywriting. Each tip is simple enough, you can put them to work in the very next email you write!
2022-03-1033 minFood Chain Wars3 Promotions Ideas to Implement this QuarterIn the 'expert interview, you'll hear from Chad Graue (Digital Marketing Director at Seven Sons) share three proven promotion strategies that you can use to drive revenue growth this quarter. If you're looking for growth strategies, and have yet to offer your customer the occasional promotion or incentive to buy, then I guarantee you're leaving low-hanging fruit on the tree.
2022-02-2547 min
Food Chain WarsGrowing a Social Following with Five Marys Farms5 Marys Farms are doing a lot of things right and we've yet to see anyone leverage Instagram better. Their account is up to 200K+ followers, and they've used that audience to grow one heck of an eCommerce business. Catch our interview with Mary Heffernan to get their full story and advice for fellow farmers!
2022-02-101h 02
Food Chain WarsMastering Video to Build Customer RelationshipsWith any business, it is vital that your customers know and trust your operation which helps build a long-term customer relationship. In this episode, listen as Blaine and I discuss the importance of mastering video to build trust with your customers!
2022-01-2722 min
Food Chain WarsThree Affordable On-Sight Freezer OptionsOur three favorite walk-in freezer solutions you can buy for up to ten times less than the price of buying new! This episode is the perfect resource to bookmark and refer back to the next time you're in the market for additional freezer square footage, (and need to do so on a budget).
2021-12-3023 min
Food Chain WarsSetting SMARTER Goals in 2022This episode is for anyone who's ever been discouraged by failing to achieve their goals. In this episode, we show you how to use the SMARTER goals framework to increase the probability of goal achievement, and give you confidence that you're setting the right goals in the first place.
2021-12-1723 min
Food Chain WarsHow to Sell a 1/4th Beef on DemandIn this episode, you'll learn about how you can save time, and increase sales by dedicating a little upfront effort to simplifying the steps required to bring home a 1/4th cow!
2021-12-0316 min
Food Chain WarsFrom Scratch to Scale with Jordan & Laura Green!Looking for a great example of an operation that's scaled completely from scratch? In this interview, we unpack Jordan and Laura Green's story and the key ingredients that have led to their success. If you dream about scaling a viable farming enterprise, you will benefit from being introduced to this couple.
2021-11-181h 00
Food Chain WarsThree Questions to Ask Before You HireIn today's episode, Blaine and I discuss the three critical questions to ask before expanding your workforce!
2021-11-0416 min2021-10-2117 min
Food Chain WarsHow to Raise Prices and Retain Your CustomersRolling out a much-needed price increase, but aren't sure how your customers will take it? In this episode, we share a formula you can use to communicate major price changes in a way that will maintain trust with your customers (vs deteriorate it).
2021-10-0716 min
Food Chain WarsThree Keys to Quality Grassfed BeefListen and learn as we sit down with Dr. Allen Williams to discuss the importance of quality grassfed meat, soil health, plant species diversity, and more!
2021-09-2228 min
Food Chain WarsSubscribe & Save is Coming SoonWe're officially building a robust subscription module to accompany GrazeCart's eCommerce platform! This has been nearly a year in the making, and we've decided to record an official announcement video to share more about what to expect, as well as what makes our approach to subscriptions unique.
2021-09-0909 min
Food Chain WarsTactics for Scaling Your BusinessHow to scale your business by increasing product turnover. The final episode of a three-part series called the Three Levers of Profit. Watch or listen for tangible tactics on increasing AOV, customers LTV, and more!
2021-08-2626 min
Food Chain WarsThree Tips to Improve Gross MarginA small improvement to gross margin can have a HUGE profit impact on established businesses. E.g. a 5% margin improvement for a $1M business will double your profit. This episode is all about margin-boosting tips to help you discover the compounding impact a healthy margin can have on your business.
2021-08-1321 min
2021-07-2924 min
Food Chain WarsThe Three Levers of ProfitNo matter your business type, or what industry you're in, there are only three core ways to improve your year-end profit. 1. Increase gross product Increase turnover Reduce overheads Learn how each one works, as well as how to identify your weakest link!
2021-07-1516 min
Food Chain WarsBehind White Oaks Pastures with Will HarrisIf there's anyone who's been able to seriously scale a farm-to-fork business, it's Will Harris and his team at White Oaks Pastures. It's run by a staff of 180 strong, and I've always been curious about how it all works! Which is why we decided to invite him on for an interview to get a closer look. For your benefit and ours. Tune in, to learn more about the business side of this fascinating ranch. I'm sure the conversation will leave you as inspired as it did me!
2021-07-0158 minFood Chain WarsMistakes to Avoid When Choosing Your ProcessorIf you're seeking a more reliable processing arrangement, learn more about the mistakes to avoid in this GrazeCast episode!
2021-06-0320 minFood Chain WarsThree Tips for Scaling Curbside PickupIn this episode of GrazeCast, Brooks and Blaine will answer three major questions for anyone looking to scale their curbside pickup.
2021-05-2026 minFood Chain WarsThree Tips for Keeping Pickup Day Stress-FreeIn this episode of GrazeCart, Brooks and Blaine reminisce about some of their biggest pickup day goof-ups and reveal three systems they developed that helped curbside-pickup run smoothly.
2021-05-0624 minFood Chain WarsThree Tips for Operating a Self-Service StorefrontIn this episode of GrazeCast, Brooks and Blaine unpack what made the Seven Sons farm-store such a success and help you identify if this model is a good fit for you!
2021-04-2216 minFood Chain WarsThree Keys to Rock Perishable ShippingIn this episode, Brooks and Blaine will share the three most important lessons they've learned during their 4-year journey of transforming into a farm delivery business.
2021-04-0825 minFood Chain WarsIntroduction to I.C.E.In this episode of GrazeCast, Brooks and Blaine unfold a simple framework to help you prioritize where you should be spending your time.
2021-03-2513 minFood Chain WarsThree Tips to Amaze Every CustomerIn this episode, you'll hear Blaine and Brooks provide their take on Shep Hyken's book Amaze Every Customer, Every Time. They'll unpack their biggest breakthroughs and ways the book has changed their approach to customer service.
2021-03-1130 minFood Chain WarsTop 3 Marketing Metrics (to know if you're going in the right direction)In this episode of GrazeCast, Blaine and Brooks reveal the top marketing metrics they watch at Seven Sons.
2021-02-1917 minFood Chain WarsThe Top SEO FundamentalsIn this episode, you'll learn a handful of ways you can improve your search rankings, by implementing the foundational things Google & other browsers look at when determining your SEO value.
2021-02-0521 min
My Digital Farmer Podcast93 Three Tips to Rock Door to Door Shipping & Delivery with Brooks Hitzfield of GrazeCartIf you're a farm looking to scale into regional or national shipping, then today's episode is for you. I've got Brooks Hitzfield from Seven Sons Farm, who has helped his little farm scale to 6 figures, by leveraging the power of online marketing, e-commerce and shipping. Brooks shares the 3 secrets to building an effective shipping and delivery system for your farm using Grazecart. He is a great example of a farm that has embraced online marketing to increase their profits.
2021-02-031h 25Food Chain WarsTop Three Tech Tools to Increase ProductivityLeveraging technology is one of the most effective strategies for getting more done, with less effort! In this episode, our goal is to help you do exactly that, by reviewing a few of our favorite tools, that have helped us do exactly that.
2021-01-2221 minFood Chain WarsBuilding an Effective TripwireIn this episode, you'll hear Blaine and Brooks unpack their experience using Tripwire Offers, as well as an overview of: How the customer decision-making process works Why the Tripwire makes it easy for them to say YES The 7 attributes of an irresistible Tripwire Offer What products your Tripwire Offer must include.
2021-01-0920 min
Food Chain WarsTop 3 Changes our Farm is Making in 2021If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. The goal of this episode is to help kick-off your 2021 goal setting by sharing the top changes & opportunities our farm is pursuing to make 2021 a home-run year!
2020-12-2629 min
Food Chain WarsTop 3 Ways to Grow Your Email List (with Chad Graue)Email lists are one of the greatest assets to online brands, which is why we've invited our email-marketing domain expert; Chad Graue, to share his advice on how to grow your email list.
2020-12-1232 minFood Chain WarsState of Regenerative Ag (with Gabe Brown)In this episode, we explore the latest trends, opportunities, & challenges Gabe Brown & his team at Understanding Ag are seeing in the growing practice of Regenerative Agriculture.
2020-11-2845 minFood Chain WarsThe Most Overlooked Way to Grow RevenueIn this episode of GrazeCart, Brooks and Blaine encourage listeners to spend LESS time focusing on acquiring new customers, so that you can spend more time focusing on the most overlooked revenue expansion strategy.
2020-11-1328 minFood Chain WarsTop 3 Beef Cuts You Probably Aren't SellingIn this episode of GrazeCast, Dr. Allen Williams is in the studio to share three value-adding beef cuts that you should be selling that you probably aren't.
2020-10-3023 minFood Chain WarsTop Three Tips for Establishing & Maintaining Producer PartnershipsIn this episode of GrazeCast, we're talking with special guest Johnny Wood of US Wellness Meats about the power of producer partnerships. He'll share his top three tips for establishing and maintaining meaningful partnerships to help you keep up with demand and diversify your offerings.
2020-10-1638 minFood Chain WarsTop 3 Most Important Things You Should Include on Your HomepageThe team at Seven Sons has been refining their homepage since 2005. Why spend so much time focusing on a homepage? Your homepage is your first impression, and it's often the gatekeeper between a brief online visitor and a loyal customer. In this episode of GrazeCast, Brooks and Blaine will share three key attributes to make an engaging homepage.
2020-09-3024 minFood Chain WarsTop 3 Email CampaignsWhether you're a startup or simply new to marketing, you may feel overwhelmed with a torrent of tools you can use to promote your business. It can be difficult to know where to focus your energy. In this episode, we'll explain why email is king at Seven Sons, even in today's world of social media and influencers. Brooks and Blaine will each share their three favorite emails they use at Seven Sons, and they'll talk about the impact these emails can have on your customers.
2020-09-1633 minFood Chain WarsThree Strategies to Retain More Customers OnlineCOVID19 has gained most online food brands a lot of exposure and new customers (which was likely a lot of work to keep up with). In this episode, we talk about tangible strategies you can implement to retain as much of that exposure as possible so that your hard work doesn't go to waste.
2020-08-2740 min