Taste Radio

Before teaRIOT established a multi-channel retail footprint that stretches across the U.S., and before its acceptance into the Chobani Incubator program, and before its recent $3 million Series A funding round, co-founders Laura and Steve Jakobsen were simply focused on building a brand. "What does [teaRIOT] look like?," Laura asked in an interview included in this episode. "How does it stand out on shelf? What are our consumers saying? How do we need to change it from the inside of the bottle to the outside of the bottle? We just stayed nimble for two years and made changes in our foundation to really tighten everything up." Throughout the process, teaRIOT, a brand of organic tea-based energy drinks, leaned heavily on social media to better understand its consumers and how they interacted with the brand and its products. "[We] not only use social media to publish outward but also to listen and to interact and engage. We always focus on what consumers are doing with our product. If you look at our [Instagram content], it really portrays the vitality of the brand. But in some pictures we don't even have the product. It's really about how people are living, being energized on tea." That approach has been particularly effective on Instagram, where teaRIOT has gained over 121,000 followers since its launch in 2015. As part of our interview, Laura and Steve expounded upon their approach to brand building and shared their perspective on the keys to a successful social marketing strategy. They also discussed their experience in the Chobani Incubator and lessons from the program, and explained why teaRIOT's investors must also be consumers of the brand. Show notes: 1:16: Cassava… On The Cusp -- Just a few days away from NOSH and BevNET Live Summer 2019, the hosts reflected on the New Beverage Showdown 17 competition, munched on cassava-based snacks, sipped on a few innovative new beverages and shared a few recommendations for eating and drinking in New York City. 16:35: Interview: Laura and Steve Jakobsen, Co-Founders, teaRIOT -- In an interview at teaRIOT headquarters in Venice, Calif., BevNET's Mike Schneider spoke with Laura and Steve and engaged in a deep dive into teaRIOT's branding, marketing and social media strategies. As part of our conversation, Laura explained her perspective that "influencers are kind of dead" and why brands should focus on aligning with "real, authentic people in your community." They also discussed why it's important to partner with investors whose lifestyles fit with that of the brand, and how their experience in the Chobani Incubator helped reinvigorate their passion for entrepreneurship and the brand.

It's the first name in espresso and, not coincidentally, the last name of our interview guest in this week's episode. Illy has for decades been one of the world's most enduring coffee companies and is renowned for its singular, signature blend of coffee, commitment to quality standards and ethical responsibility. Led by chairman Andrea Illy, the third-generation leader of the Italian company and one of the global coffee industry's most influential figures, Illy revenues topped $540 million in 2018. As part of a wide-ranging conversation, Andrea spoke about his approach to running his family's business and how it has evolved over the years, the three most important attributes for "good coffee," how consolidation and climate change have impacted the industry and why Illy has long advocated direct trade with coffee farmers. He also explained his perspective that coffee should be treated with the same reverence as wine and why positioning it as an energy drink is "like using a Ferrari to go shopping." This episode is presented by ZoomEssence, the cool-tech powder flavor people. Show notes: 2:52: Interview: Andrea Illy, Chairman, illycaffè -- Illy met with Taste Radio editor/producer Ray Latif in New York City where he spoke about the company's focus and what differentiates it from other coffee producers. He also discussed the origins of illy brand and of his passion for coffee innovation, the company's contributions to espresso-specific technologies and its pioneering role in direct trade coffee sourcing. Later, he explained the company's approach to consistency in the quality of its coffee, and how climate change threatens to derail the industry's current growth. He also spoke about the impact that Starbucks has had on awareness about and access to better coffee, how entrepreneurial coffee brands are critical to the industry's success ("differentiation is the only alternative to commoditization"), why pricing coffee like wine makes sense, and the importance of maintaining independent ownership of the company. Brands in this episode: illycaffè, Nestle, Coca-Cola, Starbucks

In this week's episode of Taste Radio Insider, we're joined by Josh Zloof, the co-founder and CEO of Sudden Coffee, an innovative brand of specialty instant coffee. Founded in 2015, Sudden is attempting to revolutionize the $40 billion market for instant coffee by emphasizing its proprietary production process and by focusing on "scalable hospitality." As part of our conversation, Zloof spoke about Sudden's mission of using an instant product to democratize access to speciality coffee and why it was designed to be "Grandma proof." He also explained how the company has zeroed in on Gen X as its key consumer demographic, discussed the challenges of managing both manufacturing -- Sudden operates its own production facility -- and marketing as a small company, and why he believes that the product attributes of Sudden are more important that the brand itself. Show notes: 1:42: A Few Sips of "Mud Water," Canned Wine and Candy Milk — You know it's a special episode of Taste Radio Insider when the host gulp Snickers-flavored chocolate milk and wash it down with chai and wine. There's also discussion about people stealing John Craven's Instagram photos, the emergence of the canned wine segment, how Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice, Calif. is the epicenter of food and beverage innovation, and why it's a no-brainer for entrepreneurs seeking investment to attend BevNET Live and/or NOSH Live. 13:40: Interview: Josh Zloof, Co-Founder/CEO, Sudden Coffee -- Zloof was visiting from San Francisco to attend the 2019 Specialty Coffee Expo and stopped by BevNET HQ to record an interview with Taste Radio editor/producer Ray Latif. Zloof spoke about the origins of the company and how prior jobs in supply chain logistics and hospitality fueled his interest in coffee. He also discussed how speciality coffee roasters including Intelligentsia have supported its development and reshaped its business model, how Sudden is attempting to create experiential moments for its customers, and why the long-term vision is about "branding the process." Brands in this episode: Snickers, Twix, MUD/WTR, Cha Cha Matcha, Four Sigmatic, Besa Mi Vino, Lila Wines, Oskar Blues, Sudden Coffee, Taster's Choice, Folgers, Intelligentsia, Starbucks, Equator Coffee, Ritual Coffee, Spark Coffee, Keurig, Dunkin'

Mike Kirban is unquestionably one of the most successful beverage entrepreneurs of all time, but if our interview with him offers any indication, his legacy is far from complete. Since co-founding Vita Coco in 2004, Kirban has guided the brand to domination in the coconut water space. Distributed over four continents, Vita Coco holds a 26 percent share of the global market for coconut water, which is estimated to be worth $2.5 billion, according to market research firm Euromonitor. Success has attracted many suitors over the years -- PepsiCo was reportedly in talks to acquire the brand in 2017 -- yet Vita Coco has remained independent, a key component of Kirban's plan to build upon the company's foundation and develop a beverage platform focused on better-for-you brands. "My goal over the next couple of years is to have four or five totally unique brands in-house under (Vita Coco parent company) All Market Inc. that play in different sub-segments of this healthier, functional drinks market," Kirban said. "Coke and Pepsi are really good at certain things, and they've done quite a lot of M&A in this functional beverage space, but their share of better-for-you beverages continues decline. It's not what they're good at. It's not what they're focused on. I believe that opens up this lane for us to just drive right through as we should be the ones who really create the better-for-you beverage company for the next generation." Within our wide-ranging interview, Kirban also discussed his leadership style, why he hires based on attitude over skill set and how Vita Coco considers innovation and potential acquisitions. He also explained what motivates him to personally invest in brands, and why living close to his office is key to work-life balance. This episode is presented by ZoomEssence, the cool-tech powder flavor people. Show notes: 2:43: Interview: Mike Kirban, Co-Founder/CEO, Vita Coco -- In an interview recorded at Vita Coco headquarters in New York City, Taste Radio editor/producer Ray Latif spoke with Kirban about the development of the coconut water brand and why he believes "inexperience served [him] well" over the years. He also discussed why he takes a hands-on approach in his day-to-day leadership of the company, how confidence plays into that role, and why Vita Coco offers unlimited vacation to its employees. Later, Kirban explained that you "have to be willing to make mistakes" when considering innovation, why he's looking at potential brand acquisitions "all the time," how he missed out on investing in Bai and why he sold his stock in Amazon in 2000. Brands in this episode: Vita Coco, Runa, WhistlePig, Sir Kensington's, Beanfields, Zico, Bai, Red Bull

In the latest installment of Taste Radio Insider, the hosts discussed the fallout from a controversial profile of GT's Kombucha creator GT Dave in Forbes magazine. Dave's comments about competing brands ignited a debate on LinkedIn about production standards and the impact of strategic investment in the kombucha category. Later in the show, we feature an interview with entrepreneur Suzie Yorke, the founder and CEO of Love Good Fats, a fast-growing brand of keto-friendly snack bars and shakes. Leading with a message of "fat is back, sugar is out," Love Good Fats launched in Canada in 2017 and has emerged as one of the leading brands in the keto space. As part of our conversation, Yorke discussed the company's fast start and how Love Good Fats is attempting to become the "beacon brand" for healthy fats. Show notes: 1:31: Hipster Taste Test — The episode begins with a discussion about an odd Vita Coco tweet and why it became one of the brand's most popular social media posts ever. Later, the hosts offered their take on a profile on GT's Living Foods founder/CEO GT Dave unsettled some in the kombucha community, including Health-Ade co-founder/CEO Daina Trout, who posted a response to the article on LinkedIn. 15:55: Interview: Suzie Yorke, Founder/CEO, Love Good Fats -- In an interview with NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg, Suzie spoke about her decision to launch the brand following a 25 year career as a marketing executive and how Love Good Fats got off to a fast start. She also discussed evolving consumer perception of healthy fats, the importance of staying on brand and why the two-year-old company has invested in TV advertising. Brands in this episode: Vita Coco, Thirsty Buddha, Harmless Harvest, GT's Kombucha, Health-Ade Kombucha, Proposition Cocktail Co., Love Good Fats

Just as the brand was shifting into high gear, the engine driving one of the hottest brands in food and beverage had basically stalled. Oatly, a Swedish-based brand of oat milk and oat milk-based products, has been available in Europe for over 25 years and entered the American market in 2016. The U.S. launch was timed to meet surging interest in plant-based dairy alternatives, but while Oatly anticipated a strong start, the overwhelming demand for product was more than the company could handle. Just months after its debut, Oatly was faced with severe out-of-stock issues and enraged customers as it sought short and long-term solutions to its supply chain challenges. Although Oatly has gotten back on track and is the leading brand in a thriving oat milk category, Mike Messersmith, the general manager of Oatly's U.S. operations, was candid about the company's early mistakes -- and the likelihood that more will follow. "We've already failed in the biggest ways possible; we'll do it again," he said in an interview included in this episode. "It's all about progress," Messersmith said. "Next week will be better than this week, a month from now will be better than that week. It will be messy. It's always been messy. The thing I have to do more than correcting failure is reminding people -- and remind myself -- that it's going to get better. And it still won't be perfect, but the only way is forward." As part of our interview, Messersmith explained how Oatly leans on its origin story to differentiate itself from the growing number of oat milk brands coming to market and why focusing on the unnecessary has been a valuable part of its business strategy. Messersmith, a former Navy officer and longtime food and beverage executive, also discussed his approach to leadership and how he defines success. This episode is presented by ZoomEssence, the cool-tech powder flavor people. Show notes: 2:50: Interview: Mike Messersmith, General Manager, Oatly -- Messersmith, who leads Oatly's U.S. operations, sat down with NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and BevNET's Jon Landis for a wide-ranging interview recorded in Boston, Mass. Messersmith spoke about the origins of Oatly, its decision to enter the U.S. and why the company is focusing solely on its fluid products stateside. He also discussed his title of "general manager" and what it entails, why he believes that "sometimes the thing that feels completely unnecessary is the most necessary," and why the company hires for needs that are 6-12 months away. Messersmith also explains why Oatly promises to be a good, if not perfect, company, how the brand developed its voice and why optimism has to come from an authentic place. Brands in this episode: Oatly, Chobani

In this episode, we sit down with Darren Marshall and Ravi Kroesen, the CEO and Head Teamaker, respectively, of specialty tea company Smith Teamaker for a discussion exploring how a small company can influence an entire industry. Portland, Ore.-based Smith Teamaker was founded in 2009 by Steven Smith, a legendary figure in the tea world best known as the creator of Tazo. The company is renowned for its expertise in blending and commitment to high quality sourcing, as well as its contribution in defining world standards for the tea industry. In our interview, Marshall and Kroesen discussed how Smith Teamaker has continued to grow based on the principles of "craft, creativity and origin" laid down by its founder, who died in 2015. They also explore how the company has continued to drive innovation despite its relatively small size. "As a small business, we have not only an opportunity but an obligation to push the envelope and to create things that others might not have the ability to do," Marshall said. As part of our conversation, Marshall and Kroesen spoke about their unique career paths to Smith and their roles as stewards of its founder's legacy. The pair also explained why the company is taking a patient approach to growth and why becoming a billion-dollar brand is not in their plans. Show notes: 1:18: The Watertown Cooler -- The hosts chatted about a steady stream of visitors to BevNET HQ over the past week, including those from the founders of Nitro Beverage Co. and Rind Snacks. They also shared their thoughts on a new flask-bottled cocktail mixer brand and recalled a time when BevNET's "product cave" looked very different than it does today. 14:35: Interview: Darren Marshall, CEO & Ravi Kroesen, Head Teamaker, Smith Teamaker -- In an interview recorded at the 2019 Speciality Coffee Association Expo, Marshall and Kroesen discussed their respective career paths to Smith Teamaker, along with the origins of the company and its mission. They also spoke about the current state of the tea industry, how Smith attempts to differentiate itself and why they look "outside the tea world for a lot of inspiration." Later, they explained the company's approach to consumer education and what trends they see as guiding the future of the industry. Brands in this episode: Smith Teamaker, Nitro Beverage Co., Rind Snacks, Food Should Taste Good, Tazo, Proposition Cocktail

Better-for-you booze? It may sound like an oxymoron, but a growing cohort of healthier alcoholic beverages have been finding a receptive audience in recent years. Often promoted as low-calorie, low-carb, or infused functional benefits, these products are resonating with a growing number of consumers focused on health and wellness. That's certainly the case for Boochcraft, a three-year-old hard kombucha brand that has been making waves in its home market of Southern California. In an interview included in this episode, Boochcraft co-founder and CMO Adam Hiner said that while the company originally believed that its consumers would be traditional kombucha drinkers, "we were blown away by the diversity of [people] that we've attracted, some of which have never had kombucha." "It's broadened our scope of the way we can talk about the product and the way we can market it." he said. As part of our conversation, Hiner discussed the origins of the brand and shared his perspective on the trend of healthier drinking. He also spoke about why Boochcraft is resonating with consumers beyond those that are regular kombucha drinkers, the challenges of forecasting demand for a nascent category, and why he sees the company as competing against itself. Show notes: 2:39: Interview: Adam Hiner, Co-Founder/CMO, Boochcraft -- In an interview recorded at Boochcraft's brewing facility and headquarters in San Diego county, Hiner discussed his initial experience with kombucha and why he began to brew and sell it at his restaurant. He also explained why describing Boochcraft as a "high-alcohol kombucha" attracts a broad range of consumers and what product attributes resonate most with its customers. He also discussed how the company forecasts demand for a nascent trend, he and his two co-founders determined their highest value, the sense of urgency to "not get left behind," and why he credits Michelob Ultra for spurring the trend of better-for-you alcoholic beverages. Brands in this episode: Boochcraft, GT's Kombucha, House Beer, Clover Juice, Verve Coffee

Getting into the food business was a "no-brainer" for Patagonia. That's according to Birgit Cameron, the managing director of Patagonia Provisions, the food and beverage arm of the environmentally-focused apparel company. Launched in 2013, the brand markets a variety of responsibly sourced products, including bison jerky, tinned mussels, seeds and even beer. In an interview included in this episode, Cameron explained that "if you think of Patagonia as this overarching environmental company that's been dealing with agriculture for many, many years... food was such a natural progression for us." "Because agriculture as it relates to food is one of the biggest contributors to climate change," she said. "It felt like a natural segue to say, 'we know what we know on the apparel side, what are the other things we can do to really shift the supply chain, shift the thinking around climate issues and agriculture?'" Listen to our full interview with Cameron, who spoke about the origins and development of the brand, opportunities and challenges derived from the brand's alignment with its parent company and why an uncommon innovation strategy is critical to its overarching mission. Show notes: 1:23: San Diego Shandy -- Back at BevNET HQ after a few days on the West Coast, Ray spoke about his visit to San Diego, where he recorded interviews with Mamma Chia founder and CEO Janie Hoffman and Boochcraft co-founder/CMO Adam Hiner (to be featured in Taste Radio Ep. 162). Meanwhile, John, Mike and Jon munched away at some savory snacks sent to the office in recent days and chatted about La Colombe's new Cherry Shandy coffee. 8:35: Interview: Birgit Cameron, Managing Director, Patagonia Provisions -- Cameron met up with BevNET editor in chief Jeff Klineman and NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg at Expo West 2019 where she discussed Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard's initial concept for a food brand and how it was developed. She also spoke about how Patagonia has incubated the Provisions brand and why the company takes a multi-prong approach to its retail strategy. Later Cameron explained why "everything [the brand] makes has a deep reason for being," how Patagonia is attempting to position its food products for broad appeal, and how its work with documentary filmmakers is helping to connect consumers to their food sources. Brands in this episode: Patagonia Provisions, Nick's Sticks, Smart Alex Foods, Mamma Chia, Boochcraft, JuneShine, Babe Kombucha, Seven Cold Brew, La Colombe

As Mamma Chia was sprinting to runaway success, an error in judgment nearly caused its demise. Up until that point, the company's star was on a steady rise. Within a year of its market debut in 2010, its innovative chia-based beverages were distributed in thousands of stores, including nationally at Whole Foods. A few months later, founder Janie Hoffman was highlighted in a widely-read New York Times article about growing consumer demand for chia. Mamma Chia has since evolved into a platform brand that also markets snacks and other foods and is one of the leading brands in the chia space. But when the addition of several new hires threatened to upend the company itself, Hoffman who joined us for an interview included in this episode, was forced to reassess her approach while steering the brand through a potential crisis. "We had gotten to a place where I thought we needed to get to that next step, and I valued experience over cultural fit and [the hires] were absolutely disastrous," Hoffman said. "They really were. It's a miracle the company survived it. That's how damaging those hires were." As part of a wide-ranging conversation, Hoffman spoke about the origins of Mamma Chia and how she created the foundation for its rapid ascent. She also discussed the importance of a supportive professional network and shared a painful lesson about hiring for experience versus cultural fit. Janie also explained her belief that "you can't teach attitude" and why everyday happiness starts with a joyful spirit. Show notes: 2:47: Interview: Janie Hoffman, Founder/CEO, Mamma Chia -- In an interview recorded at Mamma Chia headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif., Hoffman spoke about her personal experience with chia and how it led the brand's creation. She also discussed how she evaluated the opportunity for Mamma Chia, why pre-launch market research was critical to her first meeting with Whole Foods and the brand's early development, and how she attracted Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman as an investor and advisor. Later, she explained why hiring experienced professionals who were not fully aligned with the company's mission caused very serious problems and how the current staffing process resulted in a new president of Mamma Chia. Finally, Hoffman discussed industry competition, why she's turned down offers to sell the company and why meditation is key to her "spiritual hygiene." Brands in this episode: Mamma Chia, Honest Tea, Beyond Meat