Taste Radio

At one point during our conversation, Verde Farms CEO Brad Johnson expressed the simple, powerful value proposition that the organic, grass-fed beef brand offers to modern consumers. "We're simply taking away all of the bad things that a broken food system introduced… to give you the purest version of something you already love." That ethos has helped make Verde Farms into the leading U.S. provider of USDA certified organic, 100% grass-fed and 100% free-range beef, offering ground beef, steaks and stew meat. The Massachusetts-based brand sources beef from a network of family farmers in Uruguay, Australia and North America and touts its adherence to sustainable and substantiated business practices, including regenerative agriculture. In 2020, Manna Tree, a Vail-based global investment firm whose mantra is to improve human health through nutrition, acquired a minority stake in Verde Farms for $15 million. At the time, Manna Tree noted that "consumers today are more keenly attuned to the impacts of their purchase decisions from a health and sustainability standpoint" and described Verde Farms as well-positioned to meet them where they shop. The brand is currently represented in several major retail chains, including Target, Harris Teeter, BJ's, The Fresh Market and Albertsons. In an interview recorded during Manna Tree's recent leadership summit in Colorado, Brad spoke about how Verde Farms is attempting to democratize access to organic and grass-fed beef, why consumers view brand attributes in a holistic way, weighing investor expectations vs. mission-based goals, and why the company invests significantly in customer and consumer service. 0:43: Brad Johnson, CEO, Verde Farms – Brad spoke with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif about his background in Colorado and the meat business, Verde Farms' origin story and how the company attempts to communicate feeling and emotion. He also discussed Verde's pricing strategy, competition within the premium meat segment, why education and branding are the keys to its marketing strategy and how the brand is assessing opportunities in foodservice and growing consumer demand for clean label protein. Brad also explained how the company defines success and its role in promoting regenerative agriculture. Brands in this episode: Verde Farms, The New Primal

In this special presentation of our sister show, the Brewbound Podcast, Naomi Neville, who is departing Allagash Brewing after 14 years of leading and building its sales team, shares her experience with the brand, reflects on the last decade-plus of craft and dishes on where she sees the segment going and what's next for her.

In food and beverage, innovative brands often get the most attention. Novel ingredients, formulations and flavors draw crowds. And, yet, products that are positioned as incrementally better-for-you than existing options might have more runway over the long-term. The hosts discussed the topic in this episode, which highlights several new products and brand extensions launched in recent weeks. This episode also features a conversation with Good Culture co-founder and CEO Jesse Merrill and Steve Young, a managing partner with private equity firm Manna Tree, about the synergy between profit and purpose. 0:35: Jan, We Hardly Knew Thee. Expo What? VIPs Always Get Perks. Granola, Beans, Oats & Vibes. – Upon the arrival of a new month, the hosts looked ahead to Expo West 2024 and noted benefits that Taste Radio VIPs can receive at the event. They also chatted about Poppi's new TV advertisement, sampled a new line of "cookie granola," spoke about why a "basic" oat milk might resonate with Gen Z consumers and lauded luxury brownies and cold-brewed tea. 31:54: Interview: Steve Young, Managing Partner, Manna Tree & Jesse Merrill, Co-Founder/CEO, Good Culture – During Manna Tree's Leadership Summit in Vail, Colorado, Steve and Jesse sat down with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif for a conversation that began with a review of morning routines and why the Good Culture CEO no longer wakes up with anxiety. The discussion shifted to the interaction between investor and entrepreneur, balancing core values and business fundamentals, and why patience is a key aspect of their relationship. Jesse also explained why Good Culture prioritizes "consumer love and consumer demand" and why they both agree that "mission drives return" on investment. Brands in this episode: Good Culture, Poppi, Olipop, Culture Pop, Pepsi, Coke, Athletic Brewing, Ithaca Hummus, Nature's Bakery, Fig Newton, Somos, Heyday Canning, A Dozen Cousins, Purely Elizabeth, Oatly, MALK, Lexington Bakes, Honey Mama's, Erva, Weekday Vibes

Ten years ago, few believed that an upstart brand could revolutionize the sleepy category of cottage cheese, and, by extension, dairy-based foods as a whole. Good Culture co-founder Jesse Merrill was part of that small cohort, and his steadfast belief that consumers want better-for-you and better tasting options in the dairy case defines his company, one some have described as "the next Chobani." Launched in 2015, Good Culture markets a variety of cultured dairy products, including its flagship line of certified organic, pasture-raised, stabilizer and additive-free cottage cheese, along with sour cream, cream cheese and milk. A certified B Corporation and partner of 1% for the Planet, Good Culture products are sold nationally at Whole Foods, Target, Ralphs, Walmart, Sprouts and Kroger. In 2022, the company completed a $64 Million Series C funding round led by mission-driven private equity firm Manna Tree which also included investment from actress Kristen Bell. At the time, Good Culture was generating $70 million in annual retail sales and targeting $100 million in sales for the fiscal year. In this episode, Jesse spoke about how Good Culture aligns mission and values with business fundamentals, why proof of concept and velocity are keys to its growth strategy, being maniacal about delivering on the products' key attributes and how the best advice he ever received has benefited the company. Show notes: 0:43: Interview: Jesse Merrill, Co-Founder & CEO, Good Culture – Jesse spoke with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif amid Manna Tree's Leadership Summit in Vail, Colorado and discussed his transition from the beverage industry into food, how he addressed early naysayers of Good Culture, holding ground on mission and values with retail partners and investors and why timing is critical when saying "yes" or "no." He also explained why non-promotional "velocity is the number brand health metric," why the company waited until it had established enough equity with its core business before innovating in other categories, how he views realistic versus ambitious goals and how both the worst and best advice he ever received impacted Good Culture's development. Brands in this episode: Good Culture, Annie's

In this special presentation of our sister show, BevNET & NOSH's Community Call, industry veteran Arnulfo Ventura shares his winning blueprint for achieving exponential growth in CPG. Discover the tactics to propelling growth and strategically positioning a brand for acquisition.

Has "organic" lost its sheen? Based on Nielsen IQ data presented by Whipstitch Capital's Nick McCoy, it would appear so. A veteran food and beverage investment banker, McCoy spoke at a recent event in Vail, Colorado hosted by private equity firm Manna Tree. As part of a presentation on deal flow and trends in the natural products industry, he revealed a shift of the most important product attributes for consumers of natural brands, and how Gen Z and Alpha's current spending patterns can inform brands about where to invest their resources. The Manna Tree event also featured fireside chats with General Mills M&A director Andrew Petz and Holly Adrien, who leads natural and organic strategy for Kroger and is the retailer's innovation manager, each of whom shared insights about their respective roles amid an evolving landscape for natural products. Ray attended the event and shared takeaways in this episode, which also includes the hosts' assessment of Nutrabolt's investment in supplement brand Bloom Nutrition and the acquisition of plant-based creamer brand nutpods. The hosts also riffed on a handful of new products, including Heath-Ade's new soda brand Sunsip. Show notes: 0:35: When In Vail, Vest Up. Time To Invest In Sustainable Packaging? A Good Match. Jacqui's Peas. – The hosts commented on Ray's unusual outfit and lack of ski plans before he gave a summary of business presentations from Manna Tree's Leadership Summit, held earlier in the week. Amid the synopsis, they chatted about why a high-profile cereal company was struggling to find an acquirer, best practices for connecting with retailer buyers and a few expectations for Expo West. Ray shared his take on Health-Ade's latest attempt at soda, while John and Mike spiced things up with new hot sauces and chili crisps and Jacqui shared her passion for peas. Brands in this episode: Gotham Greens, Health-Ade, The New Primal, Good Culture, Verde Farms, C4, Bloom Nutrition, nutpods, Sunsip, Red Clay, Truff, Muci, Bhuja, Magic Spoon

By his own admission, Will Nitze doesn't give great advice. His nearly 41,000 Linkedin followers, however, likely have a different opinion. Will cut his teeth in CPG in 2017 when he launched IQBAR, a pioneering brand of protein bars infused with adaptogenic ingredients that are said to improve cognitive function. The company has since created a portfolio of brain health-centric product lines, including zero–sugar hydration powders and instant mushroom coffee. IQBAR is carried in over 10,000 locations, including Walmart, Sprouts, Wegmans, BJ's Wholesale, Vitamin Shoppe and H-E-B. Over the past six years, Will has chronicled his experience as an entrepreneur via daily posts on Linkedin where he shares words of encouragement and lessons learned from building an upstart brand. But he's careful to contextualize insights and advice – including those about IQBAR's successful ecommerce strategy and its unorthodox approach to financing – as specific to his business and not necessarily applicable to other brands. Nevertheless, he has the attention of many founders who praise his candid takes on the food and beverage industry. Will is equally forthright in the following interview, in which he shares and explains his perspective on everything from fundraising ("Bootstrapping is the worst thing you can do.") and staffing ("How can we build a $50 million brand with a staff of six?") to retail strategy ("Choose channels that scale well.). Show notes: 0:43: Interview: Will Nitze, Founder & CEO, IQBAR – Nitze spoke about his recent move from Boston to Miami and why IQBAR has always been a remotely operated company, how posting daily content on Linkedin has helped grow his following and why he's cautions founders active on the platform not to confuse some information with actionable advice. He also explained how trial and error has been the best education on how to build a brand, the value of e-commerce success in landing distribution at brick and mortar retailers, how his realization that "people don't really want brain food" impacted business strategy and why he hates hiring employees. Later, he explained why you can't negotiate well without telling really good stories, how innovation impacts investor interest and how to assess timing when launching brand extensions. Brands in this episode: IQBAR, Nutpods, Reese's

Trademarks are important. Just ask MrBeast. The hosts discussed how a permanent injunction against the YouTuber's Feastables brand could have been avoided. They also spoke about the impact of Uber's shocking decision to shut down alcohol delivery service Drizly, a notable take on ultra-processed food, and the divide between those that crunch beer mints and those who don't. Yes, beer mints. This episode also features an interview with Mike and Janell Bass, the co-founders of Ponyboy Slings, a brand of ready-to-drink craft bourbon cocktails, who shared insights and advice on how to prepare for and win a pitch slam competition. Show notes: 0:41: New Cap. $1.1 Billion - It's A Writeoff! The Demonization Of UP Food. Snackable Croutons. – Ray's new hat went unnoticed, but Drizly's looming closure was anything but. Jacqui commented on an eye-opening take on ultra-processed food penned by Nosh's Monica Watrous and the hosts collectively said the phrase "Deez Nuts" approximately 50 times. They also snacked on croutons and date pops (or are they bites?), sipped on non-alcoholic espresso negronis and ate Miller Lite-flavored breath fresheners. 26:46: Interview: Mike and Janell Bass, Co-Founders, Ponyboy Slings – Mike and Janell Bass are the founders of Ponyboy Slings, an upstart brand of bourbon-based canned cocktails that won BevNET's 2023 Cocktail Showdown. In this interview, they spoke about how they assessed the opportunity to participate in the competition, why aligning presentation and stage performance was critical to their victory, how creating a list of potential judges' questions was a key part of their preparation, and why they encourage pitch slam contenders to practice their pitch while washing dishes. Brands in this episode: Ponyboy Slings, Heaven's Door Spirits, Feastables, Dee's Nuts, Rise Brewing Co., Mountain Dew, Liquid Death, AriZona Beverages, Heyday Canning, Kooshy, Joolies, Myna, St. Agrestis, Bad Idea, Miller Lite, Altoids

What compelled Diageo, one of the largest CPG companies in the world, to invest in non-alcoholic spirit brand Ritual Zero Proof, which at the time of the funding deal was pre-launch and operating in a nascent category? The short answer is that it gave them — and, more importantly, their consumers — options. Launched in 2019, Ritual Zero Proof is a brand of non-alcoholic spirits crafted from natural botanicals and designed to mimic the flavor and burn of a classic spirit. The brand markets gin, whiskey, tequila, rum and aperitifs and is available nationally at retailers including Total Wine and Binny's Beverage Depot, as well as select Kroger banners and Hy-Vee locations. Shortly before the debut of Ritual Zero Proof, the brand received a minority investment from global beverage alcohol company Diageo via its partnership with Distill Ventures, a venture capital firm and accelerator that invests in disruptive distilled spirit companies and non-alcoholic beverage brands. In a press release about the deal, Ritual Zero Proof co-founder Marcus Sakey noted that "Americans want more choice," and that non-alcoholic spirits represent an endurable shift in consumers' ability to choose what and when they want to drink, a statement echoed by executives at Diageo and Distill Ventures. In this episode, Sakey spoke about the impact of Ritual Zero Proof's business strategy, liquid and branding in how Distill Ventures evaluated the company. He also spoke about how the brand became an anchor in an increasingly crowded category, the evolution of its marketing strategy, and how he assesses challenges from and advantages over new and existing brands. Show notes: 0:43: Interview: Marcus Sakey, Co-Founder, Ritual Zero Proof – Sakey spoke with Taste Radio editor about Ritual Zero Proof's recent partnership with restaurant chain Uno Pizzeria & Grill and why he isn't abstaining from alcohol during "Dry January." He also discussed the inspiration behind the brand, the undrinkable original kitchen recipe, how hustling to get the attention of a Distill Ventures executive paid off, why sampling is often challenging but critical to converting skeptics and building relationships with consumers, and how the company considers ways to improve taste and aroma. Brands in this episode: Ritual Zero Proof, Athletic Brewing, Guinness

It's often said that compelling social media content is one of the most cost-effective forms of marketing for consumer brands. But the volume of videos and images posted daily on popular social platforms like Instagram and TikTok makes it challenging to capture users' attention. In this episode, the hosts highlighted brands who create consistently authentic and entertaining content as a way to break through the clutter and develop a sustainable connection with their audiences. Show notes: 0:35: Wrestleball, X Ain't The Spot, Ray Loves Wendy's, Dank & Dry, The Year of Better-For-You Chex Mix? – Within the first five minutes of the episode, John shared his strange social media habits, Jacqui said that she? likes "roughing people up" and Ray explained why he thinks Twitter (err X) is toxic. The hosts heaped praise on several brands whose social media strategies they admire, and pointed out specific posts as examples of how to generate humor and enthusiasm in authentic ways. They also sampled a Whistlepig's non-alcoholic, cannabis terpene-infused bottled cocktail, a spicy honey and an even spicier hot pot condiment, and discussed the variety of new Chex Mix-style products coming to market. Brands in this episode: Fly By Jing, Deux, Omsom, Elavi, Gay Water, immi, WhistlePig, Ol' Stiles, Mike's Hot Honey, Sauz, Marimix, Hot Pot Queen, Chex