
In the Sauce
A podcast about building consumer product (CPG) startups. When Haven's Kitchen launched its fresh sauces in grocery stores across the U.S., founder Alison Cayne knew they were jumping into something crazy. In her effort to get educated, she started meeting with everyone she knew and respected who could advise her - from operations and supply chain gurus to brand marketing and social media mavens. Then she started having those conversations as a podcast so that other entrepreneurs can learn from them as well. This is the story of building Haven’s Kitchen. But it’s also the story of every growing business. Because we’re all In the Sauce.
Latest episodes

Mar 24, 2024 • 60min
Building After the GoGo Years
Anna Whiteman is a Principal at Coefficient Capital, a multi-stage investment fund focused on consumer and technology investments. On this episode of ITS, Anna and Ali talk about what they saw at Expo West, beyond the brands and booths. They discuss the state of CPG today, how VC's are thinking about emerging brands, and why a return to pragmatism is a good thing for companies building in 2024.In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

Mar 7, 2024 • 58min
Building the AIOLI
This episode is a little different. Adam Brown is the Founder and President of Sircle Media, a social media agency that specializes in helping CPG and Beverage brands win online and in-store. On this episode of ITS, Adam interviews Ali all about Haven's Kitchen's new product line: AIOLI! They go through innovation, sales, marketing - and the WHY and HOW of the new line. Ali shares an Amazon discount code toward the end, so listen up!In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

Mar 1, 2024 • 51min
Building a Daily Crunch
Laurel Orley is the Co-Founder and CEO of Daily Crunch, the company that makes sprouted nut snacks with flavors like Nashville Hot, Dill Pickle and Cherry Berry. On this episode of ITS, Laurel tells Ali how she launched the company with a framework she learned during her career as a marketer at brands including #Dove #LiptonTea, #Suave and #Hellman’s.In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

Feb 22, 2024 • 1h 1min
Building an Excellent Expo
Maddie Kennedy is Senior Brand Manager at Haven’s Kitchen, and on this episode of ITS, she and Ali talk EXPO WEST. Maddie shares how she's planning on getting the most out of the biggest trade show in the industry: from brand collaborations, to evergreen collateral, to team happiness tips.In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

Feb 1, 2024 • 1h 2min
Building Foodservice
Ray Goulbourne is a foodservice expert with experience at high growth CPG brands including Banza, Simulate, Mason Dixie, and Sir Kensington's. On this episode of ITS, Ray breaks the channel down for Ali: From defining objectives and choosing a segment, to execution and scale. There's even a cheat code in the last few minutes, where brands looking into foodservice can start their research.In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

Jan 25, 2024 • 1h 2min
Building a Thing
Melissa Seligmann is the COO at Thingtesting, a review and discovery platform built to help people discover and share their candid reviews of brands. On this episode of ITS, Melissa and Ali talk about what's hot, what's not, and how Thingtesting's new growth tools are helping brands showcase foot traffic, analyze basket data, and expose their products to a new, engaged consumer.In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

Jan 18, 2024 • 1h 5min
Building Retail Media
Eleanor Hayden is the founder of Hayden Consultancy - a shopper marketing consulting firm that works with brands like Olipop, Magic Spoon, Dream Pops, Catalina Crunch, Purely Elizabeth, Haven's Kitchen, and more. On this episode (Eleanor's 2nd!) of ITS, Eleanor walks Ali through all the ways brands can spend on digital marketing with retailers (and Instacart)...Sharpen your pencils!In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

Jan 11, 2024 • 54min
Building Social in 2024
Lia Haberman is a marketing consultant for brands including AT&T, Robert Half, Riot Games, Viral Nation, and more. She is also an instructor of Influencer Marketing and Social Media Marketing at UCLA Extension, and writes a weekly Creator Economy newsletter called ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) to help over 15K industry pros stay up to date on platform news, social trends, and brand campaigns. On this episode of ITS, it's all about the algorithms and how brands can optimize their social media in today's zeitgeist.In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

Dec 21, 2023 • 55min
Building on Shrooms
Parker Olson is the founder of Forij, the naturally sweetened, low sugar granola and granola bars, packed with superfood ingredients and concentrated mushroom extracts. On this episode of ITS, Parker and Ali talk about the state of CPG, Parker's next move, and also, a little bit about mushrooms.In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

Dec 14, 2023 • 50min
Building Like a Sales Hero
Adria Campbell is the Chief Revenue Officer at Malk Organics, the premium, plant-based milk company known for it's celebrity-created Erewhon smoothies. On this episode of ITS, Adria walks Ali through the way she runs sales, the KPI's she's established for her team, how she hires, and what her secret is with buyers. They also talk the perils of seasonal sku's and why Social Nature is the demo of the future.In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.
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