Shows
The Feed157- Live discussion on Amazon's omnichannel grocery strategyOn this episode of The Feed, I sat down with Amira Khatib of Bluestein Ventures and Marc Wulfraat of MWPVL for a special conversation about the future of Amazon’s grocery business. In this episode, we dive into the company’s latest test concept that seeks to combine the Whole Foods shopping experience with the convenience of 12k household essential items to consolidate trips while competing with larger big-box retailers.Sign up for the HNGRY newsletter
2025-12-0558 min
Hustle and Heart: Conversations with Culture CreatorsMatt Newberg - Founder of HNGRYJoin us on Hustle & Heart as we dive into the future of food with Matt Newberg, founder of HNGRY. Discover how Matt's passion for culinary innovation is reshaping the landscape of restaurants and grocery, from ghost kitchens to omnichannel experiences. Whether you're a food entrepreneur or a curious foodie, this episode is packed with insights on navigating the evolving food industry.Listen to Matt's awesome podcast, too: The Feed By HNGRYLearn more about how technology shapes the way people eat by visiting https://www.hngry.tv/
2025-10-3051 minHustle and Heart: Conversations with Culture CreatorsMatt Newberg - Founder of HNGRYJoin us on Hustle & Heart as we dive into the future of food with Matt Newberg, founder of HNGRY. Discover how Matt's passion for culinary innovation is reshaping the landscape of restaurants and grocery, from ghost kitchens to omnichannel experiences. Whether you're a food entrepreneur or a curious foodie, this episode is packed with insights on navigating the evolving food industry.Listen to Matt's awesome podcast, too: The Feed By HNGRY.Learn more about how technology shapes the way people eat by visiting https://www.hngry.tv/.
2025-10-1551 minThe Feed155- Building the infrastructure of food with Mott Smith of Amped KitchensMott Smith is the Co-Owner & CEO of Amped Kitchens, a commercial kitchen landlord in Los Angeles and Chicago that is home to large and small brands alike. In this episode we’ll talk about the ghost and commercial kitchen landscape, how they compare to other asset classes, and key drivers of success for emerging CPG businesses.Join the HNGRY Trends community to tune in live
2025-09-2954 minThe Feed153- Using GenAI for reservations with Sagar Mehta of OpenTableSagar Mehta is the Chief Technology Officer of OpenTable, a leading online restaurant reservations platform with over 60k venues worldwide. In this episode, we chat about the current restaurant reservations landscape, how the marketplace is uniquely leveraging generative AI, and the new types of products it’s building to help restaurants grow within their four walls.Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter
2025-08-0452 minThe Feed152- Centralizing restaurant comms with Randall Hom of HostieRandall Hom is the Co-Founder of Hostie, an AI-based customer experience platform that centralizes a restaurant’s calls, texts, and emails into a single system. In this episode, we’ll talk about how Hostie is saving restaurants countless hours in redundant phone calls, how it integrates with reservation and POS companies to automate 80% of inquiries, and the impact of AI on the restaurant workforce.Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletterCheck out Hostie
2025-06-2352 minThe Feed151- Live discussion on personalized menus with FoodiniThis is a special edition of HNGRY Live, conversations with the paid HNGRY Trends community. Last week, the group came together for an hour-long discussion about personalizing menu data to individuals' dietary and allergy profiles, and eventually our nutritional needs.Join in on future live discussions by becoming a paid HNGRY Trends memberCheck out Foodini
2025-06-1656 minThe Feed150- Building the future of personalized nutrition with Jonathan Wolf of ZOEJonathan Wolf is the Co-Founder & CEO of ZOE, a personalized nutrition platform running the world’s largest nutritional study through its app and clinical trials. In this episode, we’ll chat about how ZOE applies machine learning to health data to predict what we should eat, the power of the gut microbiome, and ZOE’s new strategy to tap into a wider audience of participants.Subscribe to HNGRY TrendsJoin ZOE
2025-06-0958 minThe Feed149- Live discussion on $DASH X $ROO & SevenRoomsThis is a special edition of HNGRY Live, conversations with the paid HNGRY Trends community. Last week, the group came together for an hour long discussion about DoorDash's latest acquisitions of UK-based Deliveroo for its international expansion and SevenRooms for its 1p commerce platform.Join in on future live discussions by becoming a paid HNGRY Trends member.Learn more & join HNGRY Trends
2025-05-121h 00The Feed148- Fermenting the world's best teas with Young Stowe of Unified FermentsYoung Stowe is the Co-Founder & CEO of Unified Ferments, a beverage company leveraging fermentation to express the world’s best teas. In this episode, we’ll talk about how Unified Ferments is combining culinary wisdom of age-old tea production and fermentation, its parallels to fine wine, and the rise of non-alcoholic beverages in retail and foodservice.Subscribe to the HNGRY NewsletterUnified Ferments
2025-05-0551 minThe Feed147- Bridging the offline media gap with Tom Shea of AdgileTom Shea is the co-founder & CEO of Adgile Media Group, an out of home media startup transforming how consumer brands advertise on moving trucks. In this episode, we’ll talk about Adgile’s innovative use of geofencing, how it attributes offline ad impressions, and the future impact of AI on growth marketing.Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletterAdgile Media Group website
2025-04-1456 minThe Feed146- Designing next-gen packaging strategies with Delanie Thurlow of GroundedDelanie Thurlow is an account executive leading US sales at Grounded Packaging, a sustainable packaging design and consulting firm helping CPG brands meet their environmental goals. In this episode, we’ll talk about the current state of recycling and composting, the nuances of different packaging approaches, and the future of the circular economy.Subscribe to the HNGRY NewsletterGrounded Packaging website
2025-04-0751 minThe Feed144- Creating new social tonics with Taylor Sewell of Hippie WaterTaylor Sewell is the Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer of Hippie Water, a low-dose THC-infused social tonic. In this episode we’ll talk about how functional beverages like Hippie Water pose a threat to traditional beverage alcohol, how hemp-derived THC extraction opens up a massive market into foodservice and retail, and behavior shifts these beverages are starting to create.Use code HNGRY20 for 20% off of Hippie WaterSubscribe to the HNGRY Newsletter
2025-03-241h 00The Feed143- Transforming restaurants into memberships with Vivien Sin of The Third PlaceVivien Sin is the Co-Founder & CEO of The Third Place, a software platform empowering independent hospitality businesses to layer new recurring revenue streams on top of their four walls. In this episode, we discuss the current state of subscriptions and memberships of platforms like Table22 and Dorsia, and how restaurants can tap into these activities to cover their fixed costs.To join future live events and participate in Q&A, become a paid member.Join HNGRY
2025-03-1747 minThe Feed142- Disrupting the frozen breakfast category with Ayeshah Abuelhiga of Mason DixieAyesha Abuelhiga is the Founder & CEO of Mason Dixie Foods, a scratch made frozen breakfast brand centered around biscuit sandwiches. In this episode, we’ll talk about the whitespace for better-for-you brands to disrupt the frozen aisle, the innovations in high-speed ovens for foodservice, and the future of nutrition and convenience.Sign up for the HNGRY Newsletter
2025-03-1051 minThe Feed141- Leaning into online catering with Peter Venti of FamilyMealThis is a special episode of HNGRY Live, conversations with members of the HNGRY Trends community that analyze industry news in real-time. We discuss live the current state of third and first-party restaurant catering and its massive whitespace.To join future live events and participate in Q&A, become a paid member.Join HNGRY
2025-03-0346 minThe Feed140- Reinventing pasta with Aaron Gatti of BramiAaron Gatti is the Founder & CEO of BRAMI, a next-gen pasta and snacking brand that leverages the power of Italian lupini beans. In this episode, we’ll talk about the war against pasta, how our mass industrialized food system has contributed to this stigma, and the future of stealth health products that provide nutritional and taste upgrades to age-old categories like pasta.Subscribe to the HNGRY newsletter
2025-02-2455 minThe Feed139- Dissecting the world of D2C food with Ellis McCue of MealogicThis is a special episode of HNGRY Live, conversations with members of the HNGRY Trends community that analyze industry news in real-time. We discuss the current landscape of D2C meal players like CookUnity, Wonder, and Blue Apron, the recent M&A activity, and analyze business models.To join future live events and participate in Q&A, become a paid member here.
2025-02-1750 minThe Feed138- Analyzing KFC's new Saucy offshoot with Brandon Barton of BiteThis is a special episode of HNGRY Live, conversations with members of the HNGRY Trends community that analyze industry news in real-time. We discuss Brandon's latest trip to KFC's new chicken tender concept Saucy and what it means for the QSR chain.To join future live events and participate in Q&A, become a paid member here.
2025-02-1031 minThe Feed135- Growing a regenerative poultry farm with Heidi Diestel of Diestel Family RanchHeidi Diestel, fourth-generation family farmer at Diestel Turkey Ranch, a regenerative organic Turkey Farm based in Northern California. In this episode, we talk about what it means to apply regenerative farming practices to poultry, the application of technology, and how policy can better align incentives between farmers, consumers’ health, and the environment.
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Diestel Family Ranch
2025-01-1351 minThe Feed134- Reframing the restaurant business with Eli Feldman of Shy BirdEli Feldman is the Partner & Co-Founder of Shy Bird, a two-unit fine casual rotisserie concept in Boston. In this episode, we chat about Shy Bird’s exciting co-working program, how restaurants can reframe themselves to capitalize on higher margin revenue streams, and the promise of AI to uncover and execute new ideas inside and outside their four walls.
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2024-12-1659 minThe Feed133- Building the LinkedIn of hospitality with Alice Cheng of Culinary AgentsAlice Cheng is the Founder & CEO of Culinary Agents, a job marketplace, applicant tracking system, and career resource for the hospitality industry. In this episode, we’ll chat about its latest site for career insights and salary data, how technology can help with career development, and what the industry can do to attract higher talent.
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2024-12-0951 minThe Feed132- Turning cannabinoids into ingredients with Missy Bradley of Caliper HoldingsMissy Bradley is the Chief Revenue Officer and Co-Founder at Caliper Holdings. In this episode, we’ll talk about its water soluble cannabis powder that can be used in foods and beverages, the various legal hurdles in the category, and the new types of cannabinoids that the company is bringing to market.
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2024-12-0256 minThe Feed131- Building a next-gen hummus brand with Nick Wiseman of Little SesameNick Wiseman is the Co-Founder & CEO of Little Sesame, a next-generation hummus brand born out of the eponymous Washington DC restaurant. In this episode, we’ll talk about the advantages of leveraging restaurants as a CPG test kitchen, how to build a differentiated brand, and the complexities of scaling and manufacturing.
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2024-11-2552 minThe Feed130- Automating kitchen prep with Jose Alonso of CaldoJose Alonso is the Co-Founder & CEO of Caldo, a robotic restaurant assistant helping with kitchen prep. In this episode, we’ll talk about Jose’s culinary background, how restaurants prep today, and the opportunity to improve COGS and labor efficiency with automated portioning.
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2024-11-1854 minThe Feed100- Digitizing local farms with Cole Jones of Local LineCole Jones is the Founder & CEO of Local Line, an e-commerce network connecting local farmers with restaurants and grocers. In this episode, we’ll talk about the importance of keeping food dollars within local economies, how large QSRs like Chipotle are using the platform to purchase tens of millions of pounds of local produce, and how farmers can tap into a marketplace of buyers looking for new suppliers.
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2023-12-1157 minThe Feed099- Automating grocery delivery with Ellen Brune of AutoStoreEllen Brune is the VP of Product Management at AutoStore, a warehouse automation system for online grocery and e-commerce fulfillment for brands like Best Buy, Puma, HEB, and Giant. In this episode, we’ll discuss the tradeoffs between manual and automated grocery fulfillment, how automation can deliver groceries faster and more accurately, and how it might transform the physical shopping experience of the future.
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2023-12-0454 minThe Feed098- Scaling digital hospitality with Sai Alluri of MomosSai Alluri is the Co-Founder & CEO of Momos, an all-in-one customer engagement platform that helps restaurants grow and retain their guests. In this episode, we’ll talk about how Momos is consolidating email marketing and feedback management, leveraging AI, and how restaurants are using it to identify key areas to delight their customers.
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2023-11-2752 minThe Feed097- Decentralizing local food with Michael Robinov of Farm To PeopleMicahel Robinov is the co-founder and CEO of Farm To People, a New York City-based grocery delivery service that procures fresh produce, meat, dairy, and more directly from local farmers. In this episode, we’ll talk about sourcing products from sustainably-grown purveyors, the unit economics powering its delivery service, and the future of hyperlocal, decentralized food production and distribution.
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2023-11-2058 min
Wisking it allMatt Newberg's HNGRY Approach to Food and TechEpisode Notes
In this engaging episode, we sit down with Matt Newberg, founder of HNGRY, to delve into the dynamic world where technology intersects with our food experiences. Matt shares the story behind HNGRY and discusses its unique position in the food-tech media landscape. We explore various facets of this intersection, including the impact of tech on the food industry, the balance between innovation and traditional dining values, and the future of sustainable food technologies.
The conversation also covers the challenges of building a niche media platform, community engagement strategies at HNGRY, and ethical considerations...
2023-11-1554 minThe Feed096- Putting food and beverage on-chain with Derek G Taylor of Happy Friday CoffeeDerek G. Taylor is the founder of Menotti’s Coffee Shop and The Park, a on-chain DAO powering food, beverage, and music projects like Happy Friday Coffee. In this episode, we’ll chat about the potential to move offline communities on-chain, how blockchain can create more equity within hospitality, and the pure espresso technology behind Happy Friday Coffee that enables espresso to be served without any machines.
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2023-11-131h 04
Der Frische-Podcast von Liebherr-Hausgeräte#13 Lebensmittelverschwendung reduzieren – mit der HNGRY-App
Was hat Lebensmittelverschwendung mit einer App und einer Kühlschrank-Cam zu tun? Und wie lässt sich dadurch dein Einkauf stressfreier gestalten und besser organisieren?
Das haben wir uns auch gefragt und stellen euch deshalb in dieser 13. Episode die Liebherr HNGRY-App genauer vor. Zu Gast bei den Hosts Charly Spilker und Martin Dambacher ist dieses Mal Lea Bausenhart, Product Owner der HNGRY-App bei Liebherr.
➡️ Wie genau reduziert HNGRY die Lebensmittelverschwendung? Wie vereinfacht sie den Einkaufsprozess?
➡️ Dank welcher Funktionen unterscheidet sich die HNGRY-App von anderen vergleichbaren Apps auf dem Markt?
➡️ Was hat es mit der int...
2023-11-0824 minThe Feed095- Scaling modern salad chains with Nick Kenner of Just SaladNick Kenner is the Founder & CEO of Just Salad, a fast casual salad chain on a mission to unlock everyday health and sustainability. In this episode, we’ll chat about technology’s role when it comes to nutrition, automation, and retention, its reusable bowl program, and the whitespace opportunity for salad to steal share away from fast food.
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2023-10-3050 minThe Feed093- Using generative AI in food with Kevin Brown of InnitKevin Brown is the Co-Founder & CEO of Innit, an AI platform purpose-built for large CPGs, grocers, and healthcare companies. In this episode, we’ll talk about the problems with off-the-shelf large language models in food, the future of personalized nutrition, and the promise of smart kitchens.
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2023-10-0953 minThe Feed092 - Building circular economies with Page Schult of Topanga.ioPage Schult is the co-founder & CEO of Topanga.io, a technology platform powering reusable container programs. In this episode, we’ll define what the circular economy really means, how it can help save businesses money in the long run, and talk about its deployments for meal delivery services, college campuses, and more.
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2023-10-0254 minThe Feed091- Redefining plant-based cooking with Matthew Kenney of AscentionMatthew Kenney is a world renowned plant-based chef, restaurateur, educator, and entrepreneur. In this episode we talk about Matthew’s launch of the first plant-based IP holding company, how he’s transitioned his restaurants from owned-and-operated businesses to asset-light franchises, and his thoughts on the future plant-based dining landscape.
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2023-09-2550 minThe Feed090- Powering next-gen CPG distribution with Arik Keller of MableArik Keller is the Founder & CEO of Mable, a next-generation wholesale technology platform for emerging food & beverage brands. In this episode, we’ll chat about Mable’s three-sided marketplace of retailers, CPGs, and distributors, how it’s enabling c-stores to test new brands, and how technology can play a role in creating a more diverse and flexible ecosystem.
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2023-09-1851 minThe Feed089- Creating new alternative proteins with Martina Lokajova of Tempty FoodsMartina Lokaiova is the Co-Founder & CEO of Tempty Foods, a Danish food innovation company creating fungi-based alternatives to tofu and meat. In this episode, we’ll talk about why Tempty is shying away from imitating meat analogs, its recent partnership with mycoprotein leader Quorn, and the importance of unbundling of food brands from technology R&D.
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2023-09-1156 minThe Feed088- Optimizing restaurant pricing with Colin Webb of SauceColin Webb is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sauce, a dynamic pricing engine that helps restaurants leverage their data to optimize their online sales. In this episode, we’ll chat about the history of dynamic pricing, how restaurants can double their profitability on third-party marketplaces, and how variable pricing can alleviate the many cost pressures facing food delivery.
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2023-09-051h 06The Feed087- Building America's online bakery with Ismail Salhi of WildgrainIsmail Salhi is the Co-Founder of Wildgrain, the first bake-from-frozen subscription food service for artisanal breads, pastries, and pastas. In this episode, we’ll chat about the current state of the over-commercialized American baked goods market, how Wildgrain bootstrapped itself to 44k paying subscribers, and its unique business model that taps into underutilized capacity of local bakeries.
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2023-08-1456 minThe Feed086- Consolidating last-mile deliveries with Alex Blum of RelayAlex Blum is the Founder & CEO of Relay, a last mile logistics company that consolidates restaurants delivery orders across every channel. In this episode, we’ll talk about how restaurants can save money by switching to self delivery, how Relay is able to more efficiently batch orders compared to DoorDash and Uber Eats, and the impact of the recent minimum wage legislation in NYC on the entire ecosystem.
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2023-08-0757 minThe Feed085- Building "fermentation as a service" with Edward Shenderovich of SynonymEdward Shenderovich is the Co-Founder & CEO of Synonym, a developer of shared and dedicated commercial-scale biomanufacturing facilities. In this episode we’ll talk about the myriad use cases for fermentation in pharmaceutical to textiles and food, how Synonym is creating a new asset class, and how “fermentation as a service” can unlock a wide range of applications we have yet to fully appreciate.
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2023-07-3150 minThe Feed081- Uncovering the tensions in the restaurant industry with Jensen Cummings of Best Served CreativeJensen Cummings is a fifth-generation Chef and Restaurateur turned consultant and media operator. In this episode, we’ll talk about where Jensen sees the biggest growth opportunities for restaurants, the tug of war between restaurateurs and tech companies, and the lens operators should use to evaluate new innovations like automation.
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2023-06-2658 minThe Feed080- Empowering the next generation of culinary influencers with Kristen Barnett & Trevor Kerin of CCWKristen Barnett and Trevor Kerin are the Co-Founders of Culinary Creators Worldwide, a new agency focused on omnichannel activations for the next generation of culinary influencers. In this episode we’ll chat about the opportunity for influencers to work with brands, ghost kitchens, and tech firms to create tangible consumer experiences, the potential for grocers and restauranteurs to tap into such talent, and the key to successful partnerships in the space.
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2023-06-1954 minThe Feed079- Analyzing the current state of restaurant tech with Stefan Hertzberg of ItsaCheckmateStefan Hertzberg is the SVP of Growth at ItsaCheckmate, an integrator between POS systems and online ordering channels for QSRs like Wendy’s, Five Guys, and Jet’s Pizza. In this episode, we’ll talk about the recent M&A activity in the fragmented restaurant tech space, how operators can own their customer data on third-party delivery platforms, and the challenges facing many startups in the space.
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2023-05-221h 13The Feed078- Leveraging AI to unlock nature’s full potential with Karthik Sekar of Climax FoodsKarthik Shekar is the Head of Data Science at Climax Foods, a producer of specialty dairy-free cheeses currently being used by Michelin-starred chefs. In this episode, we’ll talk about how the startup leverages AI to speed up its R&D cycle, the advantages of natural plant-based alternatives over precision fermentation, and the potential for AI to create new foods we’ve never even dreamed of.
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2023-05-1556 minThe Feed077- Feeding good gut bugs with Marc Washington of SupergutMarc Washington is the Founder & CEO of Supergut, a line of shakes, snack bars, and powders focused on gut health through prebiotic fiber. In this episode we’ll talk about the misconceptions behind probiotics, the role of the gut in moderating everything from our mood to our metabolism, and the future of clinically-validated health and wellness products like Supergut.
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2023-05-0853 minThe Feed076- Building the plug & play online grocery platform with Brad McNamara of Morrissey MarketBrad McNamara is the founder & CEO of Morrissey Market, an online grocery platform built on top of the existing restaurant distributor infrastructure. In this episode we’ll talk about Brad’s roots in vertical farming, how Morrissey is building online grocery as a service for food as medicine and nonprofit organizations, and the economics behind his asset-light approach.
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2023-04-2459 minThe Feed075- Defining table stakes for modern restaurateurs with Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQShawn Walchef is the owner of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media, a 15-year-old BBQ chain located in San Diego, California that also creates B2B content for operators. In this episode, we’ll discuss how Cali BBQ is leveraging smaller-format locations like ghost kitchens and stadium concessions to build the “Amazon Prime of BBQ,” the current state of restaurant technology, and how restaurant operators can leverage the full potential of social media.
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2023-04-171h 07The Feed074- Delivering dinner from microenterprise home chefs with Morley Ivers of CookinMorley Ivers is the Co-Founder & CEO of Cookin, a Toronto-based food delivery marketplace enabling a new crop of creators to sell hot food from their homes or commissary kitchens. In this episode, we’ll talk about the regulatory hurdles facing Cookin and similar platforms, how Cookin is developing its own chef certification program, and the behavioral shift in how consumers will order food over the next five to ten years.
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2023-04-1155 minThe Feed073- Dissecting the robotic delivery pipedream with Dmitry ShevelenkoDmitry Shevelenko is the former head of Uber’s mobility partnerships and founder of Tortoise, a startup that built slow-moving robotic vending machines for stadiums, parking lots, and other public spaces. In this episode, Dmitry talks about lessons learned from his startup, the current landscape of autonomous delivery bots, and the challenges for hardware startups to become commercially viable businesses.
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2023-03-2753 minThe Feed072- The Willy Wonka of Algae With Elliot Roth of SpiraElliot Roth is the Founder of Spira, a startup growing algae to be used in protein, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and pigments. In this episode, we’ll talk about Elliot’s personal journey of growing his own spirulina algae while he was food insecure, how algae can replace harmful petrochemicals found in our clothes and food, and the future of hyperlocal, distributed food systems.
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2023-03-201h 02The Feed071- Building the world’s first caffeine replacement with Jeffrey Dietrich of Rarebird CoffeeJeffrey Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Rarebird, a modern coffee company building a new replacement to caffeine without the jitters. In this episode, we’ll talk about the 60% of the population who are slow caffeine metabolizers, how Rarebird is leveraging a metabolite called Paraxanthine, and the various adaptogens that it's infusing into its portfolio of coffees to support long-term cognitive health.
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2023-03-1356 minThe Feed066- Arming the coffee rebels against Starbucks with Dane Atkinson of OdekoDane Atkinson is the Founder & CEO of Odeko, an online wholesale and technology platform powering a third of independent coffee shops across the US. In this episode we’ll talk about how Odeko’s reverse franchise model arms mom and pops against Starbucks, what the future of loyalty looks like for small businesses, and the myriad of ways technology can build sustainable local economies around the café ecosystem.
Read the full HNGRY Trends article here
2023-02-0657 minThe Feed065- Engineering a pre-alcohol probiotic with Zack Abbott of ZBioticsZack Abbott is the founder & CEO of ZBiotics, a manufacturer of the world’s first genetically engineered probiotics. In this episode we’ll chat about how ZBiotics started with a product that aims to reduce the negative effects of hangovers, the current state of the sober-curious movement, and the implications of GMO labeling.
Show notes:
Get 15% off ZBiotics
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2023-02-011h 02
The Feed044- Ringing in the fungi-based meat revolution with Tyler Huggins of Meati FoodsTyler Huggins is the Co-Founder and CEO of Meati, an alt protein startup creating fungi-based substitutes for chicken, beef, and more. In this episode, we’ll chat about the current state of modern consumers’ relationship to meat, how Meati is providing a superior alternative through its nutritional profile, and how it’s been able to attract a roster of culinary thought leaders in the industry.
2022-06-2544 minThe Feed043- Growing global host kitchen marketplaces with Rishi Nigam of Franklin JunctionRishi Nigam is the Co-Founder & CEO of Franklin Junction, a marketplace of licensed brands like Fuku, Milk Bar, and Nathan's Famous and 350+ global enterprise restaurant host kitchens that fulfill orders for delivery. In this episode, we’ll chat about how the platform identifies new opportunities for CPG and restaurant brands to scale delivery in new markets, how the economics work between various partners, and the technology it leverages to unlock incremental sales.
2022-06-1747 minThe Feed042 - Building the backbone for digital food with Zhong Xu of DeliverectZhong Xu is the Co-Founder & CEO of Deliverect, a leading online order management platform powering the digital backbone of restaurants and CPGs. In this episode, we’ll chat about the platform’s latest virtual brand marketplace for restaurants, how Unilever is using it to spin up 24/7 on-demand ice cream storefronts, and how merchants can successfully leverage the power of third-party marketplaces to make it work for their bottom lines.
2022-05-2755 minThe Feed041- Redesigning systems behind donation-based community meals with Matt Jozwiak of Rethink FoodMatt Jozwiak is the Founder & CEO of Rethink Food, a New York-based non-profit that has built a unique system that empowers local restaurants to provide nutritious ready-to-eat meals to local communities. In this episode, we’ll chat about how restaurants are donating surcharges from each check to feed local communities, how Rethink is building a marketplace to match local supply and demand for over 7mm meals, and how it’s rescued 1.2 million pounds of perfectly good food waste from some of the city’s best restaurants.
2022-05-2048 minThe Feed040- Rescuing retail food waste to improve accessibility with Josh Domingues of FlashfoodJosh Domingues is the Founder & CEO of Flashfood, a mobile marketplace that connects shoppers to discounted produce and fresh food from local grocers that would have normally been thrown out. If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest global emitter of greenhouse gasses behind the US and China. In this episode, we’ll chat about the inflationary pressures that are challenging food accessibility, how Flashfood is changing consumer behavior, and how grocers are leveraging the platform to drive more traffic to their stores.
2022-05-1354 minThe Feed039- Inside the world's first molecular beverage printer with Matt Mahar of CanaMatt Mahar is CEO of Cana, the world's first molecular beverage printer (or Star Trek beverage replicator). The startup is creating its own "app store" of beverages, allowing anyone to download tea, coffee, juices, sodas, and cocktails for 29 cents to $2.99 per drink without any packaged waste. In this episode, we’ll chat about the science behind Cana’s secret sauce, the immense environmental impact of the bottled beverage industry, and the long tail of potential beverage creators. The future is now.
2022-04-2953 minThe Feed038- Building the next-gen KFC of ghost kitchens with Alex Munoz-Suarez of FukuAlex Munoz-Suarez is the CEO of Fuku, a seven-year-old quick service fried chicken sandwich concept birthed from David Chang's Momofuku group. Fuku is now live in over 20 locations nationwide through a mix of ghost kitchens, stadium concessions, and corporate-owned locations. In this episode, we’ll talk about Fuku’s opex-light virtual licensing partnerships with Franklin Junction and Family Style, the entrepreneurial DNA inside Momofuku, and the lessons learned from David Chang’s 2016 vertically integrated delivery service Ando.
2022-04-2253 minThe Feed037- Investigating next-gen alternative foods with Larissa Zimberoff of Technically FoodLarissa Zimberoff is an investigative journalist focused on food tech and author of Technically Food: Inside Silicon Valley’s Mission to Change What We Eat. Larissa has dug deep into startups like Just, QOA, Upside Foods, and AppHarvest for publications like Bloomberg, Fast Company, and Wired. In this episode, we’ll discuss Larissa’s critical eye towards trends like cell-cultured meat and ugly produce, what she’s most optimistic about, and her recent dinner series that hosts meaningful conversations amongst industry leaders.
2022-04-1551 minThe Feed036- Your friendly neighborhood ghost kitchen with Atul Sood of Kitchen UnitedAtul Sood is the Chief Business Officer at Kitchen United, one of the leading ghost kitchen providers in the US with 13 live facilities. The startup has recently partnered with Simon Property Group and Westfield to open next-gen food courts within their malls as well as Kroger to allow shoppers the ability to mix and match from different virtual and physical restaurant brands in a single takeout or delivery order. In this episode we’ll talk about how ghost kitchens can disrupt the marketplace model, the importance of pickup, and how retailers and real estate owners are leveraging Kitchen United’s te...
2022-04-0852 minThe Feed035- The AWS of automated fast casual with Stephen Klein of HyphenStephen Klein is the Co-founder and CEO of Hyphen, an automated makeline for salads, bowls, tacos, and burritos, reducing total restaurant labor costs by nearly 50%. Thanks to its pricing model that charges restaurants as low as 70 cents per meal, the startup is transforming the fixed cost of kitchen labor into a variable "AWS for restaurant labor." We’ll chat about what sets Hyphen apart from other articulated robots, how it plans to expand into new categories, and the future creator economy around food as the marginal cost of production falls to pennies per dish.
2022-04-0150 minThe Feed034- Empowering next gen TikTok chef influencers with the co-founders of ProvechoZeke DeSantis and Conrad DeMasi are the co-founders of Provecho, a link-in-bio recipe product for the next generation of chef creators building their audiences on social media. On TikTok alone, there are nearly 60 billion views for content tagged #FoodTikTok, but no easy-to-follow recipe guide nor a streamlined way for culinary influencers to monetize their recipes through branded sponsorships. In this episode, we’ll dive into the startup’s two-sided marketplace between chefs, CPG brands, and consumers, what Instacart’s TikTok partnership means for its strategy, and the startup’s vision to become the link between online recipe discovery and home coo...
2022-03-2548 minThe Feed033- Owning the end-to-end restaurant marketing funnel with Brendan Sweeney of PopmenuBrendan Sweeney is the Co-Founder and CEO of Popmenu, a direct end-to-end platform that provides a website builder, online ordering platform, delivery aggregator, and more to over 6,000 small and medium sized restaurants. We'll chat about how the team used its outsider mindset to identify major whitespace for restaurants, the impact of first-party reviews on SEO, and the need for consolidation and competition in the space.
2022-03-1855 minThe Feed032- Omnichannel ordering for physical and digital brands with Nabeel Alamgir of LunchboxNabeel Alamgir is the Co-Founder and CEO of Lunchbox, an omnichannel white-label ordering solution for virtual and physical brands like C3, 16 Handles, and Fuku that has raised over $70mm to date. In this episode we’ll talk about the accelerated consolidation in this space from players like DoorDash and Olo, how Lunchbox is able to retarget customers from third-party delivery apps over to direct channels, and the future of virtual brands and the metaverse.
2022-03-1152 minThe Feed031- Cashierless convenience stores with Michael Suswal of Standard AIMichael Suswal is the Co-Founder and Chief Business officer of Standard AI, an autonomous checkout startup that’s raised over $250mm for its AI-based computer vision technology. In this episode we’ll talk about why Standard chose to retrofit vs. compete against existing convenience stores, how c-stores plan to leverage Standard to compete against Gopuff and DoorDash, and the role of the retail experience amidst the growing demand for delivery.
2022-03-0352 minThe Feed030- Building a faster next-gen food conglomerate with Chaz Flexman of Starday FoodsChaz Flexman is the Co-Founder & CEO of Starday Foods, a next-gen food conglomerate that leverages best practices from the software industry to quickly test, launch, and iterate on CPG brands like All Day seasonings and Gooey Snacks. In this episode, we’ll chat about the processes that enable Starday to launch new brands for less than 250k in six months, how it approaches online and offline retail, and how the company likens itself more to a Ford than a Unilever.
2022-02-1445 minThe Feed029- Building the rails for instant commerce with Dan Folkman of GopuffDan Folkman is the SVP of Business at Gopuff, the market leader in delivery of instant needs. Since its start on college campuses in 2013, Gopuff has evolved from selling convenience goods to a selection of over 4,000 unique items ranging from prepared food to liquor, produce, and beauty products, and it’s just getting started. In this episode, we’ll dive into what sets Gopuff apart from newer 15-minute delivery players, its new advertising business, the capital expenditures it has invested into its network over the last eight years, and much more.
2022-02-0750 minThe Feed028- Transforming the modern drive-thru with Alice Crowder of KrystalAlice Crowder is the CMO of Krystal, a 300-unit regional QSR operating across the Southeast. The iconic Georgia-based slider chain was acquired out of bankruptcy by Fortress at the beginning of the pandemic and has since transformed itself through the launch of new AI-powered drive-thrus and celebrity-branded locations from former Giants player Victor Cruz. In this episode, we’ll dive into how Krystal A/B tests dynamic drive thru menus, launches new menu items, and is optimizing the drive-thru and off-premise experience.
2022-01-2251 minThe Feed027- Automating the pizza industry with Clayton Wood of PicnicClayton Wood is the CEO of Picnic, an automated pizza station that can improve foodservice labor costs by as much as two-thirds, doubling to tripling four-wall EBITDA margins. Picnic is currently being used on-premise at stadiums and will soon be powering delivery for national pizza chains, convenience stores, grocers, and much more. In this episode, we’ll chat about what makes the pizza industry a unique place for automation, lessons learned from the first wave of startups, and how operators are looking to scale brands using this technology.
2022-01-1555 minThe Feed026- Food as virtual "drops" with Kristen Barnett of Hungry HouseKristen Barnett is the Founder & CEO of Hungry House, a next-gen quick serve concept that curates a rotating selection of virtual brands from up-and-coming chefs and food influencers. In this episode, we’ll talk about the early days of Kristen’s experiences at Zuul and Dig (fka Dig Inn), the challenges behind customer acquisition, and her outlook on the ghost kitchen landscape.
2022-01-0756 minThe Feed025- Building virtual restaurant brands with former Nextbite VP of Brand Development Liz MoskowLiz Moskow is the former VP of Brand Development at Ordermark/Nextbite. In this episode we’ll talk about what it takes to create a virtual brand, how technology companies are deploying these brands across thousands of independent restaurants, and the pitfalls caused by a lack of transparency that has spread wide throughout the industry.
2021-12-1758 minThe Feed024- Fixing the restaurant labor shortage with Jordan Boesch from 7ShiftsJordan Boesch is the Founder & CEO of 7Shifts, a Union Square Hospitality-backed labor management platform for restaurants. In the episode we’ll talk about how restaurateurs are leveraging his technology to improve working culture and their bottom line. More importantly, we’ll dive into how the best operators are managing to attract and retain talent amidst a shortage of 1 million workers.
2021-12-1045 minThe Feed023- Optimizing virtual brands for restaurant chains with George Jacobs of AcelerateGeorge Jacobs is the Founder & CEO of Acelerate, an order aggregator and licensor of seven virtual brands. Jacobs has spent 28 years in the restaurant industry from working at his family’s pizzeria to joining the founding team of DoorDash Drive. This past summer, the startup announced a $14.4mm series A from Sequoia. In the episode, we cover the early days of DoorDash, the role of marketplaces, what distinguishes Acelerate from competitors like Nextbite and much more.
2021-12-0349 minThe Feed022- The flywheel of omnichannel retail with Mike LaVitola of FoxtrotMike LaVitola is the Co-Founder & CEO of Foxtrot- a corner store that lives in our neighborhoods and on our phones. What started out as an online warehouse has evolved into an all day cafe and lounge that stocks 1,500 highly curated SKUs from 150 different suppliers. We chat about the flywheel of omnichannel retail, the future of CPG discovery, the role of ultrafast delivery, and much more.
2021-11-1250 minThe Feed021- 3rd party food delivery regulation with Andrew Rigie of NYC Hospitality AllianceAndrew Rigie is the Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance. Andrew was a driving force behind the recent set of NYC legislation that regulates restaurant delivery commissions charged by third-party marketplaces as well as data sharing provisions. We chat about how the regulations shifted from temporary to permanent, the externalities of fee caps, and the latest set of legislation designed to improve the brutal working conditions for bikers in the city.
2021-10-1554 minThe Feed020- Scan & pay restaurant payments with Christine De Wendel of SundayChristine de Wendel is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sunday, a new QR-based payment platform that is looking to improve the guest and server experience at restaurants, hotels, bars, and cafés across the world. We chat about everything from the complex merchant payment system in Europe and the US, what it takes to be a consumer-facing wallet, and how Sunday will enable restaurants to leverage valuable customer data to grow their business.
2021-10-0550 minThe Feed019- The original 30-minute omnichannel grocer with Barnaby Montgomery of Yummy.comBarnaby Montgomery is the Co-Founder & CEO of Yummy.com, one of the first online grocers to deliver in 30 minutes or less since 2002. We chat about everything from unit economics of newer quick commerce players to inventory curation and the tradeoffs between full time drivers and gig workers.
2021-09-1148 minThe Feed018- Fungi-based meat enhancement and replacement with Paul Shapiro of Better Meat Co.Paul Shapiro is the Founder & CEO of the Better Meat Co, a startup with the second largest mycoprotein fermentation plant in the world. Imagine walking into a Shake Shack and ordering a burger blended with fungi-based protein to form a patty that contains 50% less meat. That’s what Paul and his team are working to build with foodservice and CPG brands for poultry, seafood, and beef products as they also sell their proprietary Rhiza strain as an ingredient for pure meat alternatives.
2021-08-2450 minThe Feed017- Bringing Domino's tech to 50k independent pizzerias with Ilir Sela of SliceIlir Sela is the Founder & CEO of Slice, a dedicated marketplace and end-to-end ordering solution for over 16,000 independent pizzerias nationwide. Instead of 20-30% commissions of DoorDash and Uber Eats, Slice charges restaurants a flat $2 fee for any order above $10. We chat about everything from the $47bn highly fragmented pizza landscape to the startup’s expansion into building its own POS system and payments solution inside the four walls.
2021-08-1245 minThe Feed016- The power dynamics of online grocery with David Bishop of Brick Meets ClickDavid Bishop is a Partner at Brick Meets Click, a decade-old consulting and research firm in the e-Grocery space. Each month, David runs a survey that is considered one of the industry’s most prominent benchmarks tracking monthly online sales across delivery, pickup, and ship-to-home. We chat about everything from Amazon’s grocery strategy to the fight between third-party marketplace and traditional grocers.
2021-07-2758 minThe Feed015- 10 Minute grocery delivery with Ashwin Wadekar of GorillasAshwin Wadekar is the Chief of Staff at Gorillas, a new pure-play small basket grocer that delivers items in less than 10 minutes from over 115 dark stores. We chat about everything including the shift in consumer behavior from weekly stockups to on-demand purchasing, Gorillas’ full-time labor model, and sustainability when it comes to food waste and e-bikes. If you’re curious about the battle of convenience and on-demand grocery, this conversation is for you.
2021-06-3046 min
The Jason & Scot Show - E-Commerce And Retail NewsDeep Dive into Food Commerce with Matt Newberg of HNGRYEP267 - Deep Dive into Food Commerce with Matt Newberg of HNGRY Matt Newberg (@thenewb) is the founder of HNGRY (hngry.tv). In this episode we deep dive into the rapidly changing digital grocery and digital restaurant industries. Topics Covered: Changes in competition between grocery, QSR, and fast casual. Digital restaurant marketplaces (Door Dash, Uber Eats) Digital grocery marketplaces (Instacart) Ghost Kitchens (food industry version of private label) Delivery vs Pickup On Prem vs Off Prem Consumption Emerging digital grocery top-off market (GoPuff, Instacart, DoorDash) Amazon evolving grocery strategy (Amazon Fresh, Just Walk Out, D...
2021-06-161h 08The Feed014- Hyperlocal, personalized meal solutions with Ellis McCue of Territory FoodsEllis McCue is the CEO of Territory Foods, a hyperlocal marketplace of personalized, chef-driven meals. Territory has created a distributed network of commissaries in 24 cities across the country that deliver pre-made dishes cooked by restaurants and chefs to customers who don’t want to sacrifice wholesome, healthy food for convenience. We chat about everything including the rise of the micro-chef, the sustainability of delivery, and how Territory leverages 90,000 data points on consumer preferences to inform its weekly menus.
2021-06-0756 minThe Feed013- Vertically integrated food delivery with Chris Baggott of ClusterTruckChris Baggott is the Founder and CEO of Clustertruck a fully-vertical delivery service that serves over 80 dishes across multiple cuisines throughout the Midwest. Prior to ClusterTruck, Chris sold Compendium Software to Oracle and took ExactTarget public before it was eventually acquired by Salesforce. We chat about everything from how ClusterTruck is able to coordinate its kitchen-to-doorstep time of less than 10 minutes to a host of consumer-facing issues plaguing other delivery companies today.
2021-05-2254 minThe Feed012- Dark store grocery with Pradeep Elankumaran of FarmsteadPradeep Elankumaran is the Co-Founder and CEO of Farmstead, a same-day online only grocer that delivers a selection of 1500 fresh items at a fraction of the cost of its competitors. As online grocery penetration reached 10% of the total trillion dollar spend in the US, Farmstead is helping traditional brick and mortar grocers open up new delivery hubs that can fulfill 2,000 delivery slots per day. That’s over 13 times what an average store can currently handle. We chat about everything from the rise of GoPuff to leveraging AI to reduce food waste as we cover the current state of this hi...
2021-04-0952 minThe Feed011- The original cloud kitchen with Jaydeep Barman of Rebel FoodsJaydeep Barman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mumbia-based Rebel Foods, The World's Largest Internet Restaurant with 320 ghost kitchens in three continents powering over 26 native and third-party brands like Wendy's. Founded in 2011 as Faasos, a QSR biryani chain, the startup quickly saw most of its sales go towards delivery with 73% of customers reporting having never visited a store. After realizing that the e-commerce revolution that occurred in books and travel would soon hit food, Faasos quickly pivoted to what is now known as the ghost kitchen model.
2021-02-1854 minThe Feed010- Leveraging AI in fresh grocery with Matt Schwartz of AfreshMatt Schwartz is the co-founder and CEO of Afresh, an AI-powered merchandising and ordering operating system helping grocers save 100s of billions of dollars caused by food waste, inventory shocks, and online order fulfillment headaches within this trillion dollar industry. This was a really engaging discussion about the legacy technology that grocers have relied upon for decades and the trickle down effects when it comes to providing consumers with fresh, nutritious food that doesn’t go bad by the time it makes it to the fridge. Be sure to stay tuned to the end where Matt talks about his id...
2021-01-2657 minThe Feed009- The future of convenience stores with Frank Beard & Sam Polk of EverytableFrank Beard is a retail consultant, speaker, and writer who is a thought leader in the convenience store space and Sam Polk is the CEO of Everytable, a retailer of pre-prepared meals whose mission is to make nutritious, delicious food accessible and affordable in every community. 93% of Americans live within a 10 minute drive of a convenience store, making them incredibly attractive real estate. In this episode, we explore ideas around healthy grab-and-go meals, electric vehicle charging, food delivery, and curbside pickup from these last-mile hubs.
Intro song: "It's the S" by Great Ghost: https://spoti.fi/2Yfq1...
2021-01-1951 minThe Feed008- The next generation of alt protein with Darcey Macken of PlanterraDarcey Macken is the CEO of Planterra Foods, a fungi-based protein subsidiary of JBS, the largest meat processor in the world. In this conversation we discuss why fungi-based proteins are the next wave of the plant-based revolution, how consumers are making decisions about them, and peel back some of the controversies surrounding the factory farming practices of its parent company.
Intro song: "It's the S" by Great Ghost: https://spoti.fi/2Yfq1Qv
2021-01-0442 minThe Feed007- The growth in pickup with Stas Matvinyenko of AllsetStas Matviyenko is the Founder and CEO of Allset, a contactless, pickup-only marketplace and order ahead technology solution for local restaurants. In this episode we dive into why major delivery marketplaces like DoorDash and Grubhub aren't optimized for pickup or QR ordering, the impact of delivery fee caps on the industry, and the explosive growth of pickup amidst the pandemic.
Intro song: "It's the S" by Great Ghost: https://spoti.fi/2Yfq1Qv
2020-12-2247 minThe Feed006- QSR 3.0 with Michael Lastoria of &pizzaMichael Lastoria is the Co-Founder & CEO of &pizza, a 40-unit pizza chain that recently announced that it will ensure a $15 minimum wage for all employees by 2022. We sat down to talk about everything including the future of livable restaurant wages, suburban expansion, and what lessons fast casual can learn from old school QSRs.
Intro song: "It's the S" by Great Ghost: https://spoti.fi/2Yfq1Qv
2020-12-1646 minThe Feed005- Promoting diversity in food with Rahanna Bisseret MartinezRahanna Bisseret Martinez is an Oakland-based 16-year-old Top Chef Junior alum with experience at four Michelin starred restaurants. Matt sat down with Rahanna to discuss how black voices can be amplified within food media and the current state of diversity within the greater food ecosystem.
Check out Rahanna's latest recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/cooking-projects-to-entertain-kids/
2020-07-2346 minThe Feed004- Personalized nutrition and the gut microbiome with Richard SpragueRichard Sprague is a veteran technologist from Apple and Microsoft who has done over 600 microbiome tests using skin, nose, and fecal samples over the last six years. His fascination with his gut microbiome has led him to start Personal Science, a personalized nutrition project to help people discover their ideal diet by helping them track their glucose responses to doctor-prescribed meals. We speak with him about the future of gut microbiome testing and personalized diets that are projected to become a $64bn market in the next two decades.
2020-06-2556 minThe Feed003- Grocery of the future with Bill Stenger of KNAPP groupBill Stenger is the Director of Food Solution for Knapp North America, the automation partner for Takeoff Technologies which was recently dubbed a Technology Pioneer in the grocery microfulfimment space by the World Economic Forum. Microfulfillment is a disruptive new technology that reduces labor and last-mile delivery costs associated with online grocery by creating small automated warehouses on the back of existing retail stores. We cover everything from consumers’ shopping preferences during the pandemic to Amazon’s suburban strip mall grocery strategy.
2020-06-2546 minThe Feed002- The necessary evil of delivery apps with Alex Canter of OrdermarkAlex Canter isn't just the founder of an online delivery management platform, he's also the fourth generation of the famed Canter's Deli in West Hollywood, Los Angeles. We talk about everything from the potential Uber/Grubhub acquisition to the harsh realities currently facing the oversaturated restaurant industry. If you're curious about where the future of dining is heading, this is a must-listen conversation.
2020-05-1954 min
The Feed001 - Plant and Cell-based Food Innovation with Big Idea VenturesOn our debut episode, we speak with Andrew Ive and Christian Cadeo of Big Idea Ventures, a VC fund and incubator dedicated to plant and cell-based proteins and ingredients, about the consumer and entrepreneurial landscapes across the US and Asia.
2020-05-1331 min