This Is TASTE 708: Shorting Protein, Starbucks’s Stumbles, and WTF Is Up with All This Farmer Cosplay with Snaxshot’s Andrea Hernández
Dec 29, 2025
Andrea Hernández, founder of Snaxshot, shares insights into the evolving grocery landscape, discussing trends like shorting protein and Starbucks's recent stumbles. She critiques the rise of 'farmer cosplay' branding and the future health concerns surrounding protein. Winston Alfieri, co-founder of Sauz, reveals his journey of creating a distinctive pasta sauce brand, touching on flavor innovations and the challenges of retail distribution. This engaging dialogue dives deep into grocery's past year and what lies ahead for food culture.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Protein's Two Camps And Evolving Role
- Protein trends split into 'purists' who favor whole-animal diets and 'maximalists' who want protein-dense junk-food alternatives.
- Andrea Hernández argues protein's role has shifted over decades and will keep evolving with diets and drugs like GLP-1s.
Farmer Aesthetic Masks Systemic Issues
- The "farmer cosplay" aesthetic markets rural virtue without addressing real agricultural consolidation and farmer hardship.
- Hernández calls it performative and distracting from systemic solutions like better DTC opportunities for farmers.
Celebrity Drinks Need Real Stickiness
- Celebrity-backed beverages can spike quickly but longevity depends on taste, price, and distribution, not branding alone.
- Hernández warns beverage is "very tricky" and the product's stickiness matters most.