Honest Tea/Beyond Meat’s Seth Goldman On Winning Hearts, Minds And Stomachs

How do you effect positive and sustainable change in the food system? If you’re Seth Goldman, you begin with tea and continue with mushrooms.

As the co-founder of Honest Tea and chair of the board of Beyond Meat, Goldman has played a key role in democratizing access to organic beverages and plant-based meat. His latest venture, Eat The Change, is a mission-driven platform designed to give people “daily, actionable choices that make a difference” via chef-crafted, planet-friendly snacks. Last month, Eat The Change launched its first products, a line of organic mushroom jerky created by co-founder and celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn, who is also Goldman’s partner in PLNT Burger, a chain of plant-based, quick-service restaurants.

In an interview featured on social media platform Clubhouse and recorded for this episode, Goldman discussed how the Eat The Change fits into the context of his career, why he and Mendelsohn chose to lead with mushroom jerky and how the company plans to communicate the brand's mission and product attributes to mainstream consumers. He also addressed claims of Beyond Meat products as being overly processed, the evolution of Honest Tea as a Coca-Cola-owned brand and why he eats Pringles from time to time.

Show notes: 

0:42: Interview: Seth Goldman, Co-Founder, Honest Tea & Eat The Change; Chair Of The Board, Beyond Meat -- Goldman spoke with Taste Radio hosts Ray Latif, John Craven, Mike Schneider and Jacqui Brugliera for a wide-ranging conversation that began with a discussion about the impact of divisive rhetoric in the U.S., the genesis of Eat The Change and why he believes that “mushrooms are the ultimate ingredient.” He also spoke about the differences between the first year of Honest Tea and that of Eat The Change, how and when the latter will expand into new food categories and how the pandemic affected the timing of its launch. Later, Goldman explained why those that are critical of how Beyond Meat is produced “shouldn’t be eating pasta,” why he’s still in regular contact with the leadership team at Honest Tea despite having no official role with the brand and answered questions from the Clubhouse audience about new business opportunities that are drawing his attention, the potential for refrigerated snacks and his perspective on soy as a crop.

Brands in this episode: Eat The Change, Beyond Meat, Honest Tea, Tip Top Cocktails, Epic Provisions, Krave Jerky, Earth & Star, New Gem Foods, Zico, Pringles, The Good Crisp