Insider Ep. 91: How Best In Class Brands Win At Whole Foods And Beyond

This edition of Taste Radio Insider features highlights from interviews with six entrepreneurs and experts who joined us during the first half of 2020, including TRUFF hot sauce founders Nick Guillen and Nick Ajluni; Anouck Gotlib, CEO of Belgian Boys; Nona Lim, founder/CEO of Nona Lim; GT’s Living Foods founder/CEO GT Dave; Ashley Thompson, co-founder/CEO of MUSH; and Lee Robinson, director of dairy and beverage for Whole Foods Market.

Show notes: 

0:53: The Answer Was Always Landis; No FOMO For Subscribers -- The episode’s hosts opened the show with a chat about a new macaroni and cheese dispensing system called “Mac on Tap.” They also spoke about notable presentations and panel discussions from the recently held BevNET and NOSH Virtually Live conference and how subscribers have exclusive access to over 40 sessions from the event.

10:49: Interview: Nick Guillen and Nick Ajluni, Co-Founders, TRUFF -- We kicked things off with Nick Guillen and Nick Ajluni, founders of TRUFF, a fast-growing brand of upscale, truffle-infused hot sauces. In the following clip, pulled from Ep. 70 of Taste Radio Insider, Guillen and Ajluni discussed their approach to product development, working with influencers, and the importance of community management and exceptional customer service.  

15:44: Interview: Anouck Gotlib, CEO, Belgian Boys -- Next we featured Anouck Gotlib, the CEO of European breakfast and snack food brand Belgian Boys. Within our interview from Ep. 73, Anouck explained how she’s cultivated strong relationships with retail buyers,  why she believes there’s a big opportunity for breakfast foods and how Belgian Boys is expanding its presence in Walmart.

20:41: Interview: Nona Lim, Founder/CEO, Nona Lim -- We continued with Nona Lim the founder of namesake brand Nona Lim, which markets a variety of better-for-you and convenient Asian-inspired foods, including broths, sippable soups and noodle bowls. In Ep. 71, Nona explained why she describes venture capital as a “double-edged sword” and why she jokes that a partnership with an investor is “worse than getting married.”

26:15: Interview: GT Dave, Founder/CEO, GT’s Living Foods -- Next up was GT Dave, Founder/CEO, GT’s Living Foods, the maker of GT’s Kombucha. In an interview from episode 86, GT spoke about why founders should celebrate their idiosyncrasies to better connect with consumers, why he’s embraced a more public persona and how he steered a positive outcome following the publication of a provocative profile of him in “Forbes.”

33:20: Interview: Ashley Thompson, Co-Founder/CEO, MUSH -- We continued with Ashley Thompson, co-founder and CEO of MUSH, an innovative brand of ready-to-eat oatmeal. We spoke with Ashley in Ep. 81 and in this clip, she explains why she set out to create a “best for you” product, why she likes having a “polarizing” brand name and how she prepared for her first meeting at Whole Foods.

37:59: Interview: Lee Robinson, Director – Dairy & Beverage, Whole Foods Market -- Wrapping up the episode is Lee Robinson, the director of dairy and beverage for Whole Foods Market. In our clip, pulled from an interview featured in Ep. 82, Lee discussed best practices for engaging with retail buyers, why vulnerability is key when navigating the terms of a successful relationship and how he evaluates disruptive concepts.

Brands in this episode: Stouffers, Health-Ade Kombucha, Kohr Brothers, Recess, TRUFF, Ciroc, Belgian Boys, GT’s Kombucha, Nona Lim, MUSH, Whole Foods