The Food Startups Podcast (Food)

Jessica Levison is the Founder and CEO of Pekaboo Ice Cream. In her search to get veggies into her three toddlers, this lawyer turned Ice Cream Confectionist started infusing vegetables in ice cream and ended up starting a successful ice cream brand called Peekaboo Ice Cream. In this episode, Jessica talks about how she used her artisanal ice cream stores in Surfside and Wynwood to launch Peekaboo Ice Cream and how she managed to get the funding and exposure that brought Peekaboo Ice Cream to1300 stores in just 8 months.

Direct download: EP_174_-_0-1300_In_Eight_Months_-_A_Founders_Journey.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 1:03pm CDT

Francisco Pavan is the Co-Founder of Kumana, a company that makes Avocado Sauces inspired by Venezuelan cuisine. 

After traveling the world and experiencing different cultures through food, he decided to change career paths from being an automotive parts supplier, to a food startup entrepreneur. His passion and desire to bring light back to the image of Venezuela(Francisco’s home country), led him to team up with Jeremy Smith(President of LaunchPad Group) and Eric Read(Founder & Creative Director of MarketBrand) to successfully brand and sell his Avocado Sauce.

Here are some show notes:

- 04:34 - Founder's story - why Francisco Pavan left his career with Toyota to start an avocado sauce company?
- 11:14 - Early market testing
- 13:51 - Locking in branding and “Go-To-Market” strategy.
- 15:34 - A founder's mindset
- 23:09 - How to combine all of the different design parts and pieces and make - a coherent and simple for the end user to understand.
- 24:15 - How to define your “onlyness”. How do you really stand out?
- 28:49 - How the design team should be part of the soul and creativeness all the way throughout the brand's journey.
- 35:00 - Early traction
- 43:17 - What’s next for Kumana?

Direct download: Ep_173_-_How_Collaboration_Can_Catap.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 12:28am CDT

Kenneth Park is the founder and CEO of Detoxwater, an Aloe Vera water brand that started as a home remedy that his mom used for digestive problems and other illnesses. Ken eventually introduced Aloe water to the market, originally branded as Superleaf Aloe Juice, selling from his dorm room and later on becoming a household name with a nationwide distribution. Detoxwater is now famously known to be an aloe drink offering the best of both worlds: great taste with health benefits.

In this episode, he shares how he turned his mom's home remedy to a successful beverage brand.

Some key takeaways from the interview:

1. Doing research on your competitors and incorporating what they can't provide to your brand in order to stand out.
2. Being open to collaborating or partnering with established manufacturers with the same vision or niche.
3. Executing a national distribution: finding a partner, getting a purchase order, hiring the brokers.
4. Presenting your brand through a personal experience or story which people will be able to relate to.
5. Exploring all your retailer options; don't be afraid to swim against the current when it comes to applying other people's advise versus what you really want to achieve.

Direct download: Ep_172_-_Detoxwater_Ken_and_Annie_EDIT_4.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:41pm CDT

Katie Katie Jesionowski is Co-Founder of MySuperFoods, a company that makes superfoods for kids. With three product lines distributed nationally via natural food channels, traditional grocery, food service, schools and export as well as online, they are a snack brand on the rise.
Katie shares her journey, the impact of a good business partner, and how she mastered the eCommerce channel to get her products out to her consumers.

Direct download: Ep_170_-_MySuperFoods.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 1:24am CDT

Sadie Scheffer is the founder and CEO of Bread Srsly, a wholesale sourdough bread company that wants to reunite gluten-free eaters with their beloved sourdough bread.

All of their bread rises for more than 12 hours, breaking down hard-to-digest grains and plus, Bread SRSLY gluten-free sourdough contains a host of bioavailable nutrients, promoting digestive health and healing.

Sadie has had a different approach to CPG via self-distribution. And she shares how they’ve made that work, and why it helps attain higher margins while maintaining product integrity. She shares their smart strategy on building long lasting effective relationships with buyers and how to maintain high re-order rate and shelf velocity.

Direct download: Episode_169_-_Sadie_from_Bread_Srsly.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

Matt Bachmann is the co-founder of Wandering Bear Coffee, a company that produces and distributes cold brew beverages. The company started back in 2013 and is now sold in over 750 retailers, including Target, Costco and Whole Foods and is distributed nationally to offices via their website.

Matt shares the experience of how an obsession with coffee ended up becoming a successful business.

3:18 How and why Matt Bachmann got into the food business.
7:35 The influence of university in entrepreneurship and starting a business.
13:31 The relevance of supplying direct office orders and wholesale orders.
18:17 Drawbacks and challenges
29:26 Key points to take into account in the early stages of a food business.
32:19 How Wandering Bear Coffee got on the shelves at Costco

Direct download: Episode_168_-_Matt_from_Wandering_Bear_Coffee_v4.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

Annie is an activist, writer, scientist, and marketing manager dedicated to environmental issues related to food, water, and agriculture. She works with consumers, suppliers, and purchasers to drive demand for regenerative products, transition farms to regenerative agriculture, and inspire brands to invest in regenerative supply lines.

5:00 - Overview of Kiss The Ground as an organization
7:30 - What damage have we done via farming practices and food waste
10:00 - What is regenerative agriculture
17:00 - How can small businesses identify regen ag based supply chain
19:50 - How can consumers get aware of composting and make a huge impact on the greenhouse gas emissions
21:08 - Vermiculture and how it can make your compost "stink-free", making it smell like fresh earth!
27: 40 - General Mills, Patagonia, and other major brands taking a stand on regen-ag farming

Direct download: Annie_Martin_Kiss_the_Ground_Finished.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

John “Sonic” Ban has worn many hats, is a serial entrepreneur and shares valuable lessons from his experience, in this episode. Also known as DJ Sonic, due to 10+ years in a hip hop radio station, his first brush with starting his own business was with the Indianapolis food truck scene and becoming one of the first successful food truck business owners.

Grass Fed Coffee began in 2014 when John “Sonic” Ban experienced incredible gains in mental clarity, energy, and fat burning, from just one daily cup of butter coffee. After recommending butter coffee to all his friends and family, he was dismayed that many couldn’t experience it because they were too busy to brew it every morning themselves or didn’t know where to purchase the ingredients and equipment.

John talks about his faith in the ketogenic diet, and how he, along with Mark You, who is a principal at Grass Fed Coffee, raised $86K on a Kickstarter Campaign in December 2015 and broke the record for “Highest Funded Non-Alcoholic Project on Kickstarter, ever.

Episode index:

5:15 - the journey from food truck into food

8:29 - bio hacking as a trend

9:48 - the kickstarter project for Grass Fed Coffee - lessons learned

  1. always have a well produced video one minute or less
  2. what makes videos viral, compared to other kickstarter video
  3. raised $86K in 2 months without anyone tasting the product
  4. keep it simple, down to 1-2 takeaways for your target audience

15: 45 - the challenges of taking a concept to production

18:00 - go-to-market strategy, channel strategy

21:00 - marketing approach and focus on education, and content

A few pointers:

  • https://grassfedcoffee.com
  • https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1431509519/introducing-the-worlds-first-ready-to-drink-butter
  • Book recommendation: Contagious: Why Things Catch On - Jonah Berger

A message to this podcast listeners from Hema Reddy, the new host of the show:

“Thank you all for listening. Please share your feedback on the show and help us get better! We want to bring you value and content that’s helpful to you. I am so excited to continue this journey with you!”

Direct download: FSP165_-_Grass_Fed_Coffee_Finished_revised.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 10:55am CDT

It started off as an Amazon.com side business. Now it is one of the fastest growing companies in the United States.

But Courtney Gould had to evolve as a person and leader in order to make SmartyPants Vitamins a successful AND healthy company.

They have disrupted the vitamin industry. The company's products are top ranked on Amazon and sold everywhere from Whole Foods and Target to Costco and beyond.

Courtney is sharp and agile. A talented CEO. Learn about business and personal development:

  • “I like complex problems!!!”
  • No such thing as work/life balance - it is all connected
  • Dealing with the fear of not crushing it
  • The power of knowing yourself
  • Understanding that you suck at most things (humility)
  • Why the name SmartyPants?
  • “I use to lead from fear”
  • Going from Student of Life to Expert
  • Becoming a 'Superager'
  • Online/Amazon versus retail
  • Unaided awareness vs aided awareness
  • Methylfolate folate vs folic acid
  • Recognizing and transforming your personal traits
  • The personal development fund
  • 1-for-1 nutrient grants to a child in need
Direct download: FINAL_Smarty_Pants.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 4:24pm CDT

“Any time more than two people mention something, you know that it is something to consider.”

Corey Hill is the founder and CEO of Indie Food Hub, a resource providing services to small and medium sized food businesses. He is driven to change the food system for the better, creating greater access for independent producers.

Indie Food Hub is in the bay area and recently launched Vittle Bus to help food startups with one of the two most difficult problems: delivery logistics.

The other is money, which will also be discussed in detail. Corey is passionate about helping people like you, the listener:

  • What is the purpose of Indie Food Hub?
  • How do you consolidate the wide array of resources for food entrepreneurs?
  • How do I interact with IFH as a small food biz entrepreneur?
  • Corey’s favorite food startup resources
  • Water rights, The Big Short, and the precarious future
  • Ideas on how to raise funds for your food business
  • Vittle Bus – one of the brands under the IFH umbrella
  • Stories from a childhood in Germany
  • His experience as a freelance journalist
  • Human frights, fracking, and the issues he is passionate about
  • Corey’s favorite novels
Direct download: Indie_Food_Hub.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 2:43pm CDT

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future." - Steve Jobs

Kellee James exemplifies this quote. Looking at her experience, one can connect the dots and trace why she was able to start a food commodities exchange.

Mercaris allows buyers and sellers of raw commodities to meet and trade online. Customers include Whole Foods Market, Michael Foods, Perdue Farms, and others.

They make it possible for "everyone in the supply chain, from farmers to food manufacturers, to track prices, volumes and other statistics for organic corn, or non-GMO soybeans."

Prior to Mercaris, Kellee spent five years at the Chicago Climate Exchange(CCX), the first electronic trading platform and registry for spot, futures and options contracts on carbon, sulfur, clean energy and other environmental products.

In 2009, she was appointed by President Barack Obama as a White House Fellow where she advised members of the administration on environmental markets.

She has also worked with coffee farmers and commodity banks in Latin America on risk management and income diversification strategies. She was named by both Black Enterprise Magazine and Crain's Chicago Business Magazine as a '40 under 40' rising leader.

Learn the ins and outs of Kellee's life and company:

  • Her aspirations to be a pro athlete and how she adjusted
  • Why politics and government are two different things
  • What she learned from politics
  • Limitations of the futures market
  • "Every single contract that is traded on our platform results in the physical delivery of the underlying commodity."
  • Why didn't an exchange like Mercaris exist 10 years ago?
  • How they assemble their data (very cool!!)
  • What she learned working with coffee farmers in Honduras
  • How the company attracts farmers, grain mills/elevators, and retailers
  • "Identity preservation" in commodities
  • The auction strategy: standard vs. reverse auctions
  • The commodities she wants to add in the future

Selected links from the show:
Mercaris
Kellee James on AngelList
The Rogue Traders Foods: Facebook | Instagram
Direct Origin Trading

Direct download: Mercaris.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 6:31am CDT

"After the tour, I started meeting with him regularly to do Harley trips, and over a bottle of whiskey we both talked about doing something together, starting a business ... Let’s make a coffee machine that’s connected, that uses your patent."

If you're into coffee, you may own a variety of equipment: grinder, coffee dripper, french press, an expresso machine .. what if it could all be replaced by one, smart machine?

Roderick de Rode is making it a reality with his Spinn machine. (Check out the video)

He got his first investment at Rockefeller Plaza; an investment banker there gave him $25K.

In the past, Roderick has successfully built and managed $100M+ businesses in hardware, software and online services.

We talk about the machine, entrepreneurship, and, of course, the second most traded commodity in the world, coffee:

  • How they evolved the idea from a patent into a soon to be retail machine
  • The downside to Keurig machines
  • The second and third wave of coffee
  • Why the machine will sync with local coffee roasters
  • The upcoming crowdfunding campaign
  • Why hardware is .. hard
  • A brilliant gamification strategy for their audience (take notes)
  • The invaluable learnings from their hardware advisory team
  • Looking back what he would have done differently
  • Roderick's advice for food startups

Selected links from the show:
Spinn Coffee
PCH International
highway1.io
Juicero

Direct download: Spinn_2.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 9:27am CDT

Tim Joseph had no farming experience. He had never even milked a cow. In 2004, he received a fast education when sixty-four cows stepped off the trailers onto his land.

Thrown into the fire, Tim and his wife Laura started selling milk while Tim worked a full-time corporate job from home. In 2009, they went "all in", opened a storefront and transitioned to making dairy products, like yogurt and cheese. And the company started to grow..

Over a two-year span from 2011-2013, Maple Hill Creamery went from being on shelf in about 600 stores—mostly independents in the Northeast—to over 6,000 stores, including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Target, Walmart, Ahold, Safeway, Natural Grocers, EarthFare, and many others.

Tim is also committed to building the Maple Hill Milkshed, the community of nearly eighty 100% grass-fed dairy farms in New York. A fun, incredible success story. I had a lot of questions for Tim:

  • Working from home and dairy farming on the side, how did you manage your time?
  • How did you make the transition from conventional dairy to organic grass-fed dairy?
  • How did you manage the fear of stepping out and doing something different?
  • What’s a day like on the farm? Cow milking 101?
  • Why does grass fed dairy make sense?
  • What was the initial response to "grass fed dairy?
  • How did you manage growth from 600 to 6000 stores?
  • What were the keys to such rapid growth?
  • How do you view trade shows from a P/L perspective?
  • How is yogurt made? What about Greek yogurt?
  • When is it time to go "all-in" with your food startup?
  • What questions do you need to ask yourself?
  • Will you hire robots to milk cows? (note: this is already happening!)

Selected links from the show:
Maple Hill Creamery
Pennsylvania Certified Organic
This is Maple Hill

 

Direct download: Maplehill_fixed.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 12:08pm CDT

Tim Heydon started at Shenandoah Growers via an unusual route: along with a few classmates, he wrote a case study on the company while doing his MBA nearby at James Madison University.

This was 1998. Tim joined the company as CEO and has grown Shenandoah into 350 employees across 300,000 square feet of growing/packing facilities in Virginia, Texas, Indiana, and Georgia.

Today, Shenandoah is the leading organic herbs supplier in the Eastern United States.

How did they get here? To start, Tim is a fantastic leader. People like to work for him. Listeners will pickup on this quickly. Strong on innovation, culture, and vision, we talk about the ins and outs of Shenandoah and the keys to their success:

  • Why Tim decided to join a herb company with no prior experience in agriculture
  • Keys to their impressive employee retention rate
  • On staying afloat in the often harsh and unforgiving agriculture market
  • Their amazing content website - FreshHerbs.com (check it out!!)
  • Cutting edge technology and how it helps their bottom line
  • Keys to developing retailer/buyer relationships
  • How they plan to transform the food system
  • Why the BIG opportunities are in logistics

Selected links from the show:
Shenandoah Growers
FreshHerbs.com

 

Direct download: Shenando.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 10:38am CDT

In today's interview we talk about the paradox of choice and the power of data.

As Sam Slover mentioned in the interview: "If you think of a grocery store with a huge aisle of 60+ yogurts to choose from, but each of those yogurts has a slightly different (nutritional) profile", how do you choose the healthiest yogurt to eat?

Sam's company, the Sage Project, is working to make in-store recommendations based on your dietary needs and help to decipher product transparency to the end consumer. Food product labels have it's limitations. Think of a "smart wikipedia for food data".

What do "all-natural" and "made in small batches" mean in terms of nutrition and the preparation of a food product?

They are working with a number of retailers in Whole Foods to bring the project to reality. Listen and learn how a data-driven company is on the path to transform our shopping experience:

  • Personalized nutrition - why it matters
  • Sam's personal journey and how the idea for Sage came about
  • How self-tracking has had a positive impact in Sam's life (see Wrap Genius)
  • The positive benefits of personal tracking
  • How we can get started on data tracking
  • Why transparency and nutrition can be overwhelming at a grocery store
  • Buzz words and the confusion of customers
  • Ways for food startups to get involved
  • Empower consumers to be healthier

 

Selected links from the episode:
The Sage Project
Wrap Genius
The Rational Optimist
Shaping Things by Bruce Sterling

Direct download: Podcast_11_v2.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 10:33am CDT

85 dollars is the most I ever paid for a book. Not a textbook, but book. I had to have it.

And it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I am a better thinker and food entrepreneur because of it.

The most important takeaway from the book was the importance of having a latticework of mental models in decision making.

Mental models are the key concepts from main disciplines you'll need in business - psychology, economics, finance, physics, evolution (biology) accounting, marketing, etc.

In less than 10 minutes, I explain the why and I share my four favorite mental models.

This can be a game changer for your prosperity/performance. I encourage YOU to follow the steps below to begin your masters in mental models. I have to say it is quite fun.

First Read:
Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger

Then, review these two lists of models:
Creating a Latticework of Mental Models: An Introduction

Mental Models I Find Repeatedly Useful

Finally put together a list of mental models and create flashcards to study:

Anki - Friendly, Intelligent Flashcards

Cover Photo Credit: CC Photo by “Berkshire Hathaway 2009 Munger quote” User TEDizen

Direct download: Podcast_103.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 1:29am CDT

It's been almost three years since we started the show. Today we finally reached a milestone.  Triple digits!

All this time we have spent - interviewing experts, talking to listeners, and going through the trials and tribulations of a food startup ourselves - we have picked up a lot of ideas on how to succeed.

This knowledge needs to be shared. So I synthesized all of this feedback and advice into recommendations on how to get in front of buyers and sell to them over a long-term relationship. Enjoy!

Selected links from the episode:
When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man
Traction: A Startup Guide to Getting Customers

Direct download: Episode_100.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:09am CDT

For every 20 lots of coffee Karl tastes, only 1 makes the cut for his final container. A direct trading coffee company requires work. It's not just visiting beautiful coffee farms.

Karl Wienhold has some stories to tell. He frequently has to take longer routes to coffee farms to prevent contact with leftist guerrillas that have plagued the country for 60 years.

My favorite story is Karl's effort to change a supply chain and involve rural farmers in Colombia. Learn about international trade and specialty coffee:

  • How he learned the craft of selecting and cupping coffee
  • Explaining the economics of coffee to the end consumer
  • Breaking the rules, a few things that he does different
  • Selling in the US, but living outside of it
  • Avoiding guerrillas on Karl's coffee travels
  • Defining direct trade and vertical direct trade
  • Shade grown coffee and the environment
  • The man, Jack Swilling (see his bio below)
  • On "coyotes": intermediaries and their effect on the coffee and farmers
  • Working through the El Nino catastrophe

Selected Links From The Episode:
Direct Origin Trading
Swillings Coffee
Jack Swilling

About Jack Swilling: "Swilling was a teamster, prospector, mine and mill owner, a saloon and dance hall owner. He also was a visionary, a canal builder, farmer, rancher, and public servant. All of this was accomplished while he suffered from periods of excruciating pain resulting from major injuries he suffered in 1854. He took morphine to assuage the pain, which led to dependency problems for the rest of his life."

Swilling founded the city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Direct download: Karl_Done.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:03am CDT

Ashly Yashchin created Barley + Oats to solve a problem. She was pregnant and worried about her baby's health. So, she learned and practiced a healthy pregnancy diet.

9 in 10 women are micronutrient deficient, affecting their fertility, pregnancy and postpartum experience. Ashly is quickly establishing herself as an expert in the space. But first she had to become accepted by the community:

  • Detailed customer profiling
  • How to develop community trust
  • Putting on successful events
  • Understanding your niche
  • Mom sourcing
  • Mom bloggers
  • Logistics and bike messengers

Mentioned in the episode:
Barley + Oats
Demeter
Barefoot Blonde
Uber Rush
Premium Rush (the movie I couldn't recall)

Direct download: Episode_89_Done.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 8:22am CDT

This is the history episode you have to listen to! Joe Dobrow wrote the textbook on the history of the natural foods industry: Natural Prophets. He masterly weaves U.S. history and the natural foods industry history side by side.

Joe served as the head of marketing for Fresh Fields, Whole Foods Market, Balducci’s and Sprouts Farmers Market. The inside look at the industry educates us on where we've been and where we're going:

  • What the baby boomer natural foods titans were like in their late 20's/30's
  • Visionary and Whole Foods founder John Mackey - king of the industry
  • Why someone starting a food business should read Natural Prophets
  • Whole Foods's "Libertarian Philosophy"
  • Learning to compete from John Mackey and Michael Jordan
  • The natural foods industry enormous if not underreported influence on Silicon Valley
  • MBArk - Joe's program to steer MBA's towards social impact businesses

Selected links from the show:
Natural Prophets
MBArk
Silent Spring
Mo Siegel/Celestial Seasonings
Stonyfield Farm
The Purpose Collaborative
About Joe Dobrow

 

Direct download: Episode_86_Done.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 8:49am CDT

Jeffrey Kittay is a native New Yorker who spent time in the academic world as a journalism professor @ Columbia University.

Later, he worked as a publisher. Four months ago, he decided to start his own e-magazine: The New Food Economy.

I love the content. It is aimed to help entrepreneurs like us create change as part of the "food movement". We discuss:

  • The art of helping food entrepreneurs with actionable advice
  • How to create great long-form content
  • How to find (and tell) interesting stories
  • What is the online publishing business like?
  • Certification nation!!
  • The triple bottom line
  • Why "everything in business is personal"
  • How to find journalistic talent.

Selected links from the episode:

The New Food Economy
Jeffrey Kittay Bio
What can open-source do for the food movement?
In Maine, a farm-to-campus revolution?
Verdict: in Maine, Big Food Service wins again
Welcome to certification nation
Contact Jeffrey

 

 

Direct download: Episode_84_Done_1.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 9:27am CDT

She dreamed up EatPops in 2013 while studying for the Bar exam, becoming frustrated by the lack of healthy snack (and dessert) option. In 2014, it became a reality. EatPops is now in over 300 locations throughout the country, including stores like Fairway and Whole Foods .

Sophie was recently named to Forbes 30U30 and is making dessert healthy with her fruit and veggie pops.  Noni, Acai, Kale, Spinach, Carrots, Vanilla, and Mango are among some of the ingredients you’ll find in her popsicles. We reflect on her foray into the food biz:

  • On asking for feedback
  • Biz dev partnerships with  SoulCycle, modelFIT and Lululemon
  • How to utilize your network
  • Dealing with rollercoaster moments
  • Building a support group
  • Why she still maintains her status as an active lawyer
  • Sophie's daily routines and habits

Mentioned in this episode:
EatPops
Email Sophie
Sophie in Forbes
Bristol Farms
Lazy Acres
The Art of Learning
Sweet Green
Thistle

Direct download: Episode_79_Done.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 3:49pm CDT

It feels good repeating the quote to anyone close by : "Be very worried and buy agriculture". After all, I work in food. Yet, I didn't have a fundamental understanding of the concept. So I read his books and got Jim Rogers to come on the show.

Jim Rogers co-founded the Quantum Fund with George Soros in 1973, helping lead the fund to a 4200% return before “retiring” at age 37. He is considered to be one of the greatest investors of all time.

Jim has a really strong understanding of history and using it to bet on the future. We talk about:

  • "Soon farmers will buy the Lamborghinis and they will employ ex wall street guys who will drive the tractors."
  • The importance of food prices in world history and current social unrest
  • Why Jim's adventure and world travel were a key catalyst to his success
  • Key historical patterns in agriculture
  • How farmers can protect themselves in bear markets
  • Countries with agricultural opportunities that can be targeted on a limited budget
  • How to monitor political situations and be on the forefront for new opportunities
  • The custom Mercedes that Jim Rogers used to set his 3rd Guinness World Record
  • Myanmar, formerly known as Burma

Selected links from the show:
Jim Rogers Official Website
Rogers International Commodity Index®
Street Smarts by Jim Rogers
A Gift to My Children by Jim Rogers

Direct download: Episode_68_Done.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 2:27am CDT

Today we have a talk about some of the biggest environmental challenges that our earth faces:

  • Remove existing carbon from the atmosphere
  • Help growers cut water & fertilizer use
  • Converts forest & farm waste into bio-sustainable products
  • Neutralize alkaline water
  • Rebuild soil fertility

Mike from Corigin is working on these humongous problems. But he must sell his technology and ideas Big Agro in order for it to work. I get Mike to break down the solutions in laymen's terms. Get ready to be blown away.

Mentioned in this episode:

Corigin (going live soon)

Biochar

Pyroligneous Acid

Future Farmers of America

Direct download: Episode_57_final.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 5:54pm CDT

Today we get a behind the scenes look at an alternative food business model. 2 Degrees Food is growing rapidly: they are in 2500 stores as well as United and JetBlue airways. Co-founder Lauren Walters walks us through the company philosophy and their keys to success:

  • The why/how of a 1-for-1 food business model
  • How they were able to get their product onto major US airlines
  • Why "packaging is a hard story to tell"
  • The challenge of competing with much larger companies for shelf space

Mentioned in this episode:

2 Degrees Food

TOMS One for One Shoes

 

Meal Production and Distribution Partners

Direct download: Episode_52_FINAL_v2.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:42am CDT

Tynan is one of the most interesting people I've ever met. Time Magazine named him "[one of the] Top 25 Best Bloggers". He was also a featured character in the New York Times Bestseller The GameAnd he is extremely healthy, mentally and physically. I pick his brain on nutrition, health, and cultivating positive habits. Learn about:

  • "Cut out sweeteners, substitute whole grains for refined grains, switch to healthy oils and well-raised animals"
  • How to keep your diet simple so that it doesn't overwhelm you and take over your life
  • Thoughts on intermittent fasting and ketosis
  • Why Tynan doesn't use sunscreen
  • The keys to changing your habits and keeping them  for the long-term
  • Bad business habits in startups in Silicon Valley

Mentioned in this episode:

Tynan.com  (About Tynan)

A Practical and Sane Guide To Eating Healthy

Tynan's book on Habits

NutriSearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, 5th Professional edition

Astaxanthin

Coconut Oil Sunscreen

Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

Cruise Sheet

Direct download: Episode_51_FINAL.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:49am CDT

A few years ago, quinoa was still a relatively unknown grain. While today it is more widely known, i heart keenwah still has to educate customers and sample their healthy snacks.

Co-founder Ravi Jolly tell us how he and Sarah Chalos developed a tasty quinoa snack and put themselves in a position to catapult their brand on a chance encounter with an editor from Oprah Magazine.

This is our 50th episode(!!!) and we couldn't have had a better guest willing to share his learnings with the FSP community. Ravi tells us about:

  • The importance of making your brand accessible
  • Keys to finding a great co-packer (Trust me, this is NOT easy)
  • How they manage the quinoa supply chain
  • What keeps Ravi up at night
  • What works and what doesn't work in marketing their snacks
  • How they add new flavors and products to their line

Mentioned in this episode:
i heart keenwah
i heart keenwah @ Abe's Market
i heart keenwah @ Amazon
VIDEO: SCION MOTIVATOUR: CHICAGO - KICKSTARTER, THREADLESS, ROCKIT RANCH PRODUCTIONS AND IHK!

Direct download: Episode_50_FINAL.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 9:07am CDT

Thanks to our (fabulous) interview with C-FU, other insect food companies have reached out to us. We sit down with the industry leader of cricket powder, All Things Bugs. They got their start with the Gates Foundation. Today, all of the "big boys" use them as their supplier. Whether you are B2B, B2C, or both, there is a lot to learn here. Dr. Aaron T Dossey provides insight on:

  • Why they chose to be a B2B supplier as opposed to B2C
  • How they became the industry leader
  • The key to keep B2B clients/brands happy
  • The brand/product awareness challenge
  • Why insects may be an untapped resource for "pharmaceutical" drugs

 

 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

All Things Bugs

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Exo Bars

Direct download: Episode_49_FINAL.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 10:53am CDT

Today, we will share 7 tips for success in 2015. 6 of the tips I learned from guests and 1 from my own business. I challenge you to connect the dots and apply the lessons to your projects. We cover:

  • Take advantage of local inefficiencies
  • Why enthusiasm sells
  • Study your brand like an anthropologist (On the ground)
  • Understand and APPLY cash flow (Artisan's detach)
  • P is for Persistence (Hustle)
  • Attention to detail (One minor error can cause a huge problem)

Mentioned in this episode:

Law #18: Isolation is Dangerous - 48 Laws of Power

Episode 47 - Skype Meets Uber for Culinary Advice in Silicon Valley - Daniil from TalkToChef
Episode 46 – Wanting it Badly: Bringing McDonald’s to 1990’s Colombia
Episode 45 - Time to Eat Worms – Insect Gastronomy with C-fu Foods
Episode 44 - Food Startups Finance 101 with Joe Knight
Episode 43 - Grain Trading Wisdom + Ideas for Startups with Elaine Kub
Episode 42 - Better Packaging and a Better Business with Tessa Stuart
Flying Off The Shelves
You Need to Be Local

 

Direct download: Episode48_mixdown.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:59am CDT

Imagine you are in the kitchen preparing dinner and you don't have all of the ingredients the recipe calls for. It is too late to run to the grocery store. What if you could instantly Facetime with a chef? TalkToChef is connecting foodies with chefs all over the world for instant support. A fascinating startup that has INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL. I'm already an unpaid promoter for it. Daniil tells us his story:

FSP Listeners use PromoCode: FoodStartupsChef  for a free $5 donation credit!!!

  • TalkToChef is the evolution of a former business model. Learn how they made the adaptation.
  • Taking advantage of the brilliant minds and resources of Silicon Valley
  • Customers can only remember 1 thing about your company
  • The importance of "growth hacking"
  • How they are managing funding, preparing for future growth (20,000 chefs and 100,000 calls per month)

Mentioned in this episode:

TalkToChef

LeanStartup

StartupNext

StartupWKD

Growth Hacking - Ryan Holiday

AirBnB

AN INSIDER'S HISTORY OF HOW A PODCASTING STARTUP PIVOTED TO BECOME TWITTER

Direct download: Episode_47_FINAL_v2.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:08am CDT

It is time that you learn about insect gastronomy. The world is not sustainable with such a high diet of beef. Right now, there are 1900 known edible insects or at least 1900 flavors! I had a great time learning from Eli and Lee Cadesky. Things like:

  • The adventure of 3 brothers into the world of insect gastronomy.
  • Why insects WILL be a part of everyone's diet in the future.
  • Definition of a complete protein - "You are only as strong as your weakest amino acid link."
  • Thought For Food - the accelerator program that helped C-fu go to the next level.
  • Shocking stats about why world is not sustainable with such a high % of beef in our diet.
  • Insect acquisition and product development.
  • The blueprint to grow C-fu in North America.

Mentioned in this Episode:

C-fu Foods

Next Millennium Farms

Edible Insects - Future prospects for food and feed security - United Nations (FAO)

Thought For Food

Buy Live Mealworms on Amazon!!

Direct download: Episode_45_FINAL_v3.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 10:08am CDT

"How is business going? It’s good.." If you are an entrepreneur, everyone asks you this question. How do you know it’s good? Financial health; key financial metrics. It turns out that even top level execs lack a complete understanding of basic financial principles.

Joe Knight, co-founder of the Business Literary Institute, teaches C-level execs at Fortune 500 companies basic financial literacy. He honed his skills at Setpoint Systems, where they have clients like Tesla Motors. I know him through his book: Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs.

In the episode, we talk about:

  • The importance of financial literacy for EVERYONE in your company, not just the "finance people".
  • Why and how to consider finance when making large investment and business decisions.
  • If your current ratio is less than 1, your company is probably not  a good place to work.
  • Cash flow and it's vital importance to the health of your business.
  • Extra: A crucial tip from Matt on container shipping.

Mentioned in this episode:

Vocab (definitions by Investopedia) -

Current Ratio

Quick Ratio

Free Cash Flow (FCF)

Burn Rate

Gross Profit Margin (Note: Joe breaks this stat down to a per hour basis)

EBITDA

Return on Investment (ROI)

Return on Assets (ROA)

Links -

Setpoint Systems

Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs.

Business Literacy Institute

Return on Investment Toolkit - Harvard Business Review

Are Your People Financially Literate?

Joe Knight Bio:

Joe trains managers and leaders at Fortune 500 companies such as Electronic Arts, NBC News, General Electric, Granite Construction and UTC Aerospace Systems. Joe’s unique ability to combine content with energy and humor make his keynote addresses resounding successes with diverse audiences including the Construction Industry Institute; Independent College Bookstore Association; The Association of General Contractors; International Institute for Supply Management; and Society for Human Resource Management.

Joe is co-author of Financial Intelligence, a smart, no-nonsense business finance handbook for managers. The book has been heralded as “the Elements of Style” of finance by CFO.com. Financial Intelligence was featured in The 100 Best Business Books of All Time and has been turned into a graphic novel by Smarter Comics. Joe also co- authored Project Management for Profit which outlines the easy-to-implement system he helped create at Setpoint to manage projects towards profitability no matter what stage the project is in.

Joe is co-owner and CFO of Setpoint Systems, Inc, a manufacturing company based in Ogden, UT.

 

 

Direct download: Episode44_mixdown.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 3:30pm CDT

To kickoff 2015, we speak with the British queen of food packaging: Tessa Stuart. She is the author of Packed - The Food Entrepreneur's Guide: How to Get Noticed and How to be Loved (UK / US). I have saved many insightful Kindle highlights from the book and I review it at least once a month. Plenty to learn in this episode, including:

  • How to avoid colossal packaging mistakes.
  • Finding meaningful in-store behavior patterns
  • How to conduct in-store research for your brand
  • Why introverted entrepreneurs need to double check their packaging
  • My product is on the shelves .. now what?
  • Keys to successful buyer relationships
  • Her upcoming book on food sales 

Links Mentioned On This Show:

Tessa's Book

Peoplewatching by Desmond Morris

Anthropology Book

Robinsons's Fruit Shoot

Innocent

Tessa's Bio: 

Tessa studied history and boys at Oxford University, and started in advertising. She then got a ‘proper job’ in branding research, working for Cadbury, and Nestle on new products and sexy ads for chocolate bars.

She now loves and specializes in food and drink research, and she lurks in the chilled aisles of major supermarkets, watching and talking to shoppers as they make their food choices.

Her clients include established UK food and drink brands like innocent drinks, Rude Health, Yorkshire Provender, Firefly Tonics, MOMA! Foods, food chains Daylesford, Itsu and Leon Restaurants, and newer start-ups like G’Nosh Dips, Peters Yard Crispbreads, Jimmys Iced Coffee and Soupologie.

She helps food brands to NAIL their customer offer, colour, sizing, branding, and pack health messages, so they can attract MAXIMUM attention and sales from shoppers in the super-competitive supermarket aisles.

She is the author of the best-selling Packed: The Food Entrepreneur’s Guide – How To Get Noticed and How To Get Bought, available on Amazon and Kindle.

Her second book, Flying Off the Shelves: The Food Entrepreneur’s Guide To Selling will be available in April 2015.

In both she shares her 20 years’ food research experience in a tried and tested set of principles to get start-ups from idea, to a product on the shelf, and to THE next household name. And, once there, how to stay there! 

Tessa's recommended companies to study (w/notes):

Rude Health

 Muesli, oats of all kinds, and rye and spelt snacks. They sell successfully in both Whole Foods Market and UK supermarkets.  Their beautiful new "Pantone all colours of the rainbow" packaging earns them more  in-store promotion opportunities in Whole Foods Market because the colour helps their products really stand out. It also works very well in supermarkets to get them noticed.

Jimmy's Iced Coffee

 Worth a look at Jimmy’s YouTube channel - he announces his new stockists using amusing videos, and his army of fans love it. He’s also a very accomplished speaker at food start-up events, telling his story to audiences of hundreds. (In the UK, we don’t have lots of iced coffee brands, we basically have Starbucks and Jimmys.)

Innocent Drinks

 @innocent’s twitter feed is worth looking at, gentle humor, and they have 205,700 followers - they tweet the weather forecast, and other topical events, and always respond to everyone who tweets them.

Their packaging is all about the ingredients and hardly any innocent branding - and again shows off the juice and use colour.

Direct download: Episode42_mixdown.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 4:28pm CDT

Matt Gray is the CEO of The Stoner's Cookbook and co-creator of Herb, the first cannabis coffee table cookbook. Just over a year ago, their FB page had 30,000 likes. As of this episode, they have over 3 million. Monthly, they  reach 120 million users via all online channels! We go behind the scenes of the exploding media platform (numbers don't lie!). In today's show, we cover:

  • The movement to de-stigmatize cannabis and establish it as a legit cooking ingredient
  • How Matt multiplied the reach of The Stoner's Cookbook
  • Inside the development of the crowdfunded book Herb
  • Easy to implement social media tips
  • Bonus: Matt and Danny debate the worst tasting superfood

 

Mentioned in this episode:

Herb: The Cookbook
The Stoner's Cookbook
Chef Melissa Parks
BuzzFeed
BufferApp
HootSuite
Sweet Process
A16Z Podcast
Fluc

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp41.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 8:49am CDT

Richard Demb's career started in investment banking. He switched to tech/ecommerce, and later on, a popcorn company. Leveraging these experiences, he co-founded an online marketplace, Abe's Market. They were recently named by Forbes as one of "The 25 Most Creative Consumer And Retail Brands". Richard tells us about:

  • Why Richard co-founded Abe's Market
  • Key criteria for getting your brand approved for Abe's Market
  • Reasons to buy on Abe's instead of the all-powerful Amazon
  • Advice for getting distribution
  • How they have managed and evolved the daunting task of logistics
  • "Guys, there are no secrets in retail"
  • Why "Free Shipping" is better than "$5 off"
  • Courting retail buyers
  • Keys to driving traffic to your website
  • Success stories of startups that have started on Abe's

 

Mentioned in this episode:

Abe's Market
Popcorn Indiana
Warren Struhl
Hellmann’s Maker Sues Company Over Its Just Mayo Substitute Mayonnaise
Whole Foods Credits Delivery Startup Instacart With Sales Growth
Quinn's Popcorn
Abe's Try for $2

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp40.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 2:19pm CDT

They started off buying ingredients from Trader Joe's. Five years later, they have a copacker and national distribution in over 1,000 stores. But it sure wasn't easy. And Jerri Graham and Steve Laitmon will explain that "things just got real". We learn:

  • How to get out of your own way in expansion mode
  • Managing finance and cash flow during growth mode
  • How to get appointments with the big food chains
  • Key differentiators of Nothin' But snack bars
  • The power of building A+ teams that you can trust
  • Bonus: update on Danny's quinoa project
Direct download: FoodStarupsEp39.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 4:28pm CDT

Perhaps you are ready to launch your food product online and have no idea where to start. Or maybe you don't want dish out a ton of money to test your concept. Matt and Danny discuss:

  • Why understanding your goal is key to your online launch
  • How to launch your own online store
  • Physically fulfilling orders versus an order fulfillment center
  • Pros and cons of selling on Amazon and other marketplaces
  • Tips for B2B startups
  • Why Matt takes a teaspoon of baking soda every day

Mentioned in the episode:

Intro/Misc:

Alkaline Diet 
Drinking Baking Soda for Your Health
Baking Soda – True Enemy of the Pharmaceutical Industry
7 Baking Soda Health Benefits
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar/ 
.ORGANIC
Navitas Naturals

Web Services

Note: all of the services mentioned have great customer support and can answer any additional questions that you have. 

Wordpress
GoDaddy
Shopify
Big Commerce
Bluehost
WooCommerce (for WordPress)
Google Analytics
Google AdWords
Wufoo
Stripe
Sell on Amazon
Fulfillment By Amazon Revenue Calculator
Abe's Market
Navitas Naturals on SpyFu

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp38.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 9:19am CDT

Along with 2 co-founders, Mike Schwartz created BAO Fermented Food and Drink company. Along the way, they decided to share their kitchen space and ended up with Organic Food Incubator. Tons of actionable tips. We talk about:

  • Mike's background and how it helped him get started
  • How the food incubator helps startups with coaching, documentation, and production
  • How to deal with large certification bodies like USDA and state health inspectors
  • Estimated time and money needed for USDA Organic certification
  • Why to charge retail prices at farmer's markets
  • The pros and cons of staying in NYC as opposed to the suburbs
  • About BAO and their 7,000 year old fermentation process
  • Keys to success for a small, startup food brand

Mentioned in the episode: 

Maridaje

Organic Food Incubator

Organic Food Incubator Company List

Bao Fermented Food and Drink

Creating an organic incubator kitchen

USDA Organic

Kickstarter HACCP

Simply Gum

Hella Bitter

Loliware Edible Cups

HACCP

GMP

 

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp37.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 7:57am CDT

Fresh off of a 2 million dollar funding, HowGood is poised to take off.  They score food products based on their health, environmental, and societal factors. Eight years in the making, it has been a long journey. Today, HowGood has over 100,000 food products in their database. We talk to founder Alexander Gillett and learn about:

  • Why he founded HowGood
  • When he knew he had a "real" business
  • How to find, organize and interpret food product data
  • Who the customers are and how they provide value to them
  • How startups can use HowGood for their own efforts

Mentioned in the show:

How Good
Organic Avenue
EPA Database
openFDA
MultiAd

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp36.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 10:47am CDT

His name is spread all over Tulane University, yet most people have no idea who he is. Samuel Zemurray was sort of an outcast….he was excluded from various social circles in New Orleans. Yet, In his controversial career, he went from a small startup to banana tycoon, leaving a legacy there.  How did he do it? We interview Rich Cohen, the author of Zemurray's biography: The Fish That Ate the Whale. Learn about:

  • The Sam Zemurray story - why Rich decided to write about him
  • Why "The best tycoons are like magicians"
  • Keys to Zemurray's success
  • What Rich learned from his field research in Central and South America
  • Rich's first hand account of the Sweet'n Low empire

Mentioned in the show:

Pantry Smart Fridge (w/ Photo)
Tulane University
The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King
You Can Negotiate Anything: The World's Best Negotiator Tells You How To Get What You Want
Sweet and Low: A Family Story
Sweet'n Low
Rich Cohen Official Site
Rich Cohen Amazon Page

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp35.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

What are fats? Are they created equal? What kind of fats should we be eating?  With so much misinformation and "special interests", it is hard to know what to eat and what oils to cook with. Danny and Matt shine some light:

Disclaimer: This was recorded before the New York Times low-carb fat article. Also, we are not doctors. This is for entertainment only.

  • Breaking down Mono/Poly/Trans/Saturated fats
  • Potential problems in the processing of cooking oils
  • Historically good fat foods
  • Unequivocally bad fat foods
  • Gray area - coconut oil / liquid Coconut oil
  • Matt's favorite high-heat cooking oil rich in Vitamin D and ALA

Mentioned in the show:

Unhealthy Vegetable Oils?
Does Food Industry Ignore Science Regarding Polyunsaturated Oils?

The Great Con-ola
10 Proven Health Benefits of Coconut Oil (No. 3 is Best)
Avocado oil - Mira Naturals  (Not sure if available in the US)
Pastured vs Omega-3 vs Conventional Eggs – What’s The Difference?
The Truth About Olive Oil
7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat

 

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp34.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:15pm CDT

In spite of the risk of contamination via poisonous resin, the cashew nut has been a popular commodity worldwide. But did you know that there is a fruit attached to the nut? A business established by the Clinton Foundation is working with Pepsi to turn the cashew fruit into a beverage in India. Covered in the show:

  • History of the cashew in South America, Africa, and India
  • Why the cashew fruit has been left as waste
  • Is it better suited as a domestic product (farmed, produced and sold in the same country)?
  • The health benefits of the cashew fruit
  • Can it become the "next" superfood?

Note: In the episode, we use "Cashew fruit" and "Cashew apple". They are the same (see those green and red things in the photo above?)

Mentioned in the show:

Cashew Juice, the Apple of Pepsi’s Eye
All about the cashew apple in India
Cashew Apple Juice Helps Burn Fat
PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CASHEW APPLE JUICE
Uses of Cashew
Maloka Centro Interactivo
La Pepita de Maranon Guesthouse

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp31.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 1:08pm CDT

The food business has a complicated supply chain. In order to win, you need to build a team. We take a look at teamwork from the angle of exclusive distribution. How do you make an agreement and execute for both parties? We discuss:

  • Competitive advantages of exclusive distribution
  • Contracts
  • Proving your worth as a partner
  • Why you need a team
  • Buying trust
Direct download: FoodStarupsEp28.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 12:07pm CDT

Today we talk with Stephan Broburg of Baobab Foods. Baobab is a tree that can live over 1,000 years and it takes 75-100 year just to bear fruit! It is sometimes referred to as the "tree of life". Stephan and his team currently sell their ingredients to growing health brands and have their fruit products in over 7,000 CVS Stores. We talk to Stephan about:

  • How they manage a food source all the way out in South Africa
  • Overcoming challenges faced with education of an exotic, new product
  • Marketing the antioxidant properties of the fruit and comparing it to the competition
  • Future plans for the company

Mentioned in the episode:

Baobab Foods
Bonga Foods
Suja Juice
Global Food Safety Initiave
Marula Oil

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp26.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 2:17pm CDT

The ever-changing food industry creates a lot of news. A lot of it is fluff or not very helpful. But, if you keep your eyes peeled, you may discover an possibility, a market gap for a new food business to cover. We discuss four recent pieces of news that may present opportunities:

Also mentioned on the show:

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp25.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 7:16pm CDT

Over the past two months, we have interviewed 6 amazing food entrepreneurs. By interviewing and interacting with them, we have learned so much. Today we are share with our listeners 7 valuable lessons learned. We cover:

  • Danny demystifies chocolate/cacao terminology.
  • Matt mentions a new book that has really helped his entrepreneurial mindset
  • Strategies for turning your startup into profitable, sustainable company
  • Why you need a long-term vision

Mentioned in this episode: *The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday On Amazon (Matt's Review)

*Gelatinized vs Raw Maca

Photos of Cacao Pods

Episodes 18-23 of the Food Startups Podcast

FreeSeaFoodandSteak.com (not active, a past campaign of Wild Things Seafood)

Blue Ocean Strategy

Robert W Thurston Author Page

Why You Shouldn't Start a Food Company

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp24.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 10:31am CDT

With Matt on vacation, Danny takes the reins for an amazing interview with Vincent Kitirattragarn, of Dang Foods. They make coconut chips, a gourmet snack manufactured in Thailand. An growing, successful brand, Vincent teaches us about:

  • How he stumbled into the food business
  • How to manage the SE Asia business landscape
  • Why he has turned down buyers
  • How to have success in trade shows
  • Plans for expansion in the coming years
Direct download: FoodStarupsEp23.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 12:22pm CDT

Are you considering outside investment for your food startup? CircleUp may be the answer for you. In fact, they just received 14 million in venture capital themselves. They connect consumer product companies with accredited investors. We spoke with their Business Development Manager, Katie Fitzgerald.

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp22.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:56am CDT

From an Egyptian Tomb to Montana to Italy, Bob takes us all around the worldToday, Kamut® is used in thousands of products produced worldwide including breads, pasta, cereals, snacks, pastries, crackers, beer, grain coffee, green foods, and a delicious wheat drink.

We learn about:

*The history of the grain - from a small handful to over 40 million pounds per year
*The health benefits of ancient wheat versus modern wheat
*What life is like for Kamut® farmers
*Bob's philosophy on how consumers should use Kamut®
*Future plans for Kamut®

 

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp21.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 1:11am CDT

Ep20 - Juan Luis Vera of PeruMix

Today we speak with Juan Luis Vera of PeruMix, one of the fasting growing restaurants in Colombia. Juan Luis tells us the story behind his restaurant concept and we get a glimpse of why this restaurant is getting franchise offers on the regular.

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp20.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 10:38pm CDT

Today we talk with Jeff Moore, who runs a $35,000,000 per year seafood business. Listen to the story of a 4th generation food entrepreneur. We cover:

 

 

  • How Jeff works with each member of the supply chain
  • The International Pacific approach to CRM
  • How to manage the risk profile of clients
  • What quality really means
  • A bold prediction that includes Jeff Bezos and Amazon.com
  • “If you own the center of the plate, you own the account”
  • "Give your stuff away for free"
Direct download: FoodStarupsEp19.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 2:23pm CDT

We interview Robert W. Thurston, co-author and senior editor of Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp18.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 4:06pm CDT

Why maybe you should NOT start a food business... It's not for everyone. We cover:

*Difficulties in economy of scale (for packaging product AND logistics)
*Startup capital and Kickstarter
*Food sanitation, permits, etc
*Comparison to businesses with more control and less startup capital: digital products/apps, non-perishable imports (i.e: iPhone cases)
*Special bonus: how to get free flights

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp17.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 12:22pm CDT

We interview Daniel Velasquez, who brings his family's coffee from Colombia and sells it in the United States.

Daniel shares his story with us. As you will learn, selling specialty coffee is all about telling a story.

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp16.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 5:11pm CDT

Our Food Startups Success Spotlight. We chose two INC 5000 food companies and did a quick analysis of each. It involves antelope and American Gladiators so don't miss it!!

 

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp15EDIT.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 6:39pm CDT

Ep14 - Managing PR/Visibility

When you launch a food startup, you are probably going to need media attention to help with marketing and sales. How do you manage the spotlight?

1. Plan who you want to be and who you don't want to be.

2. Understand the media's agenda.

3. Filter through the mirage.

4. Put it all together, develop a plan for push and/or pull.

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp14.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 9:13am CDT

Want to start a food business, but not sure what? Danny and Matt will help you brainstorm your niche. Mentioned on the show:

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp13.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 2:23pm CDT

You have invested so much time (and money) into product development and planning.

Now it is time to sell. 

Direct download: FoodStarupsEp7.mp3
Category:Food -- posted at: 11:09pm CDT

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