In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff chats with Dana Kim & Sam Kass to unpack what “health” and “sustainability” actually mean to today’s consumers.
Sam Kass, former White House Chef and food policy advisor to the Obamas, shares behind-the-scenes stories from the West Wing—including what it's really like cooking for the First Family—and how those experiences led to a deep commitment to reshaping our food systems. He dives into the hard truths about sugar, portion sizes, and policy limits, as well as the ambitious mission behind his new venture, PLEZi, to help shift eating habits for the next generation.
Dana Kim, founder & CEO of product testing platform Highlight, brings the data. From packaging guilt to sweetener preferences, Dana shares real consumer insights from across the U.S.—what shoppers say they care about vs. what they actually buy, and why brands need to tailor their health and sustainability messages to fit different audiences (Erewhon isn't the whole world!).
Together, they explore how brands can build better-for-you products and communicate them effectively—without falling into the greenwashing trap.
👉 Want to learn how to turn data into product gold and create CPG brands that truly resonate with customers? Listen now and get inspired by two people shaping the future of food.
Learn more about Highlight here
Listen in as they share about:
- Health and Sustainability in Consumer Perception
- Sam Kass’ White House Experience
- Nutrition Policy and Cultural Barriers
- Consumer Behavior & Product Testing
- Sustainability Perception
- Trends in Food & Beverage
- Differences Between Mass and Tastemaker Consumers
- Brand Strategy & Messaging
- Advice to Founders and Brands
Episode Links:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/samkassdc/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-kass-896752112/
Website: https://www.letshighlight.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-kim-44920135/
Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.
Show Links:
- Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
- Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
- Follow @startupcpg
- Visit host Daniel's Linkedin
- Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
- Episode music by Super Fantastics
