Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association Podcast

Sisters Jessica Amel and Angela Kmeck co-lead Janet’s Finest, a specialty food brand started by their mother that incorporates spicy jalapeños into sweet fruity compotes. In this episode of Spill & Dish, George Hajjar, associate editor of the Specialty Food Association, speaks with the sisters about driving success on social media and the importance of family and community in their brand.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dani Zuchovicki, member and community manager at The Hatchery, began observing and later assisting her grandmother in the kitchen from an early age. Her culinary curiosity continued during her teen years, when she tested out recipes by hosting supper clubs with high school friends. These days she assists early-stage food entrepreneurs at the Chicago incubator in getting their businesses off the ground. In this episode of Spill & Dish, Julie Gallagher, content director for the Specialty Food Association, speaks with SFA’s Emerging Leader Award winner about her work with women from under served communities, the common hurdles they face, and the ways she’s assisted hundreds of food makers.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michele Freeman, CEO and co-founder of Venice Beach Beverage, always had a love for tea. Growing up in Ohio, all her mealtime memories included her family's iced tea recipe. Today, she has taken that recipe and evolved it into the first plant-based, shelf-stable tea with 100% daily vitamins in the United States.On this episode of Spill & Dish, guest host and Cuisine Noir Magazine editor Sheree Williams speaks with Freeman about becoming a small business owner at the age of 57 and how it is never too late to follow your dreams and do what you love. Michele also shares how she took a recipe passed down from generation to generation to create a beverage that not only tastes good but is good for you too.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Director of center store for Town & Country Markets and winner of the 2023 SFA Leadership Award for Outstanding Buyer, Dwight Richmond has helped bring prominent specialty food brands to retail, including Xinca Foods, Lotus Foods, and Siete Family Foods. In this episode, George Hajjar, associate editor at SFA speaks with Richmond about enabling makers to self-mentor, understanding the spark that makes a good business, and the familial element that’s inherent in the specialty food industry.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After leading a platoon of 45 marines in combat at the age of 23, David Kemp was looking to leverage his Harvard Business School degree. He became partner in Les Trois Petits Cochons in 2015 and has increased sales by 25 percent per year since 2017.In this Spill & Dish episode, Julie Gallagher, director of content development for SFA, talks with Kemp, SFA’s 2023 Leadership Award Winner for Vision, about his road to success, the impact of inflation, and what’s next for Village Gourmet.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For Mike Noonan, vice president of operations for Bitchin’ Sauce, the time to do the right thing is now. By combating food waste through smart manufacturing practices, he has earned a 2023 SFA Leadership Award for sustainability.In this episode of Spill & Dish, we talk with Noonan about high pressure processing and its benefits for shelf life, the benefits of teaming up with industry partners, and what makes their 16 flavors so incredibly bitchin’.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chef, author, and co-founder of Yolélé Pierre Thiam saw the opportunity to start his business after discovering the dearth of West African cuisine in New York City and observing how smallholder farmers in Senegal made fonio, a nutrient-dense ancient grain, and West African staple. While working on the company, he thought about the positive social and economic impacts it could have both in West Africa and across the world. In this episode of Spill & Dish, George Hajjar, associate editor at SFA, speaks with Thiam about starting his business, the importance of collaboration, and the global food supply chain.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Megan Rooney, Program Development Manager at SFA, speaks with Carla Krasner, Co-Founder and Co-Owner at Dufour Pastry Kitchens, about running a women-owned company since 1985, respecting tradition while being open to change, and transitioning from a career in music to one in food. Dufour nationally supplies artisanal hors d’oeuvres and other savories as well as ready-to-bake tart shells, all-butter puff pastry, and now, a plant-based dough from its plant in the South Bronx.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Caroline Cotto is co-founder and COO of Renewal Mill, an upcycled food company that works with byproducts from plant-based milk such as soybean pulp, oat pulp, and almond pulp, that are dried and milled to produce ingredients that are rich in nutrients. In this episode, Julie Gallagher, director of content at SFA, talks with Cotto about the history of upcycling, collaborations with other women-owned brands, and how specialty food businesses can get involved in the space.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Attorney, naval officer, and founder of Bon Appésweet Thereasa Black created the brand for her young toddler daughter who fell in love with dessert while Black was deployed. Since many sweets contain allergens that Black’s daughter needed to avoid, she set out to create a better-for-you chocolate bar and brand. In this episode, George Hajjar, associate editor at SFA, talks with Black about her journey as a Black, veteran, specialty food business owner, and her recent successes.Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.