The Produce Moms Podcast

"The most important message for people to take is that you have an incredible amount of control over your mental health and your brain health."    Drew Ramsey (3:48-3:57) Dr. Drew Ramsey, MD, psychiatrist, teacher, TEDx speaker, author of four books, and leading innovator in mental health, is bridging the gap between the food we eat and the way it impacts our happiness. What if the key to improvin...

"What we're all about is rescuing produce that is at risk of going to waste because of imperfections." Ashley Weingart (2:53-3:03)   Ashley Weingart never set out to create a business, she just wanted to find a solution to a huge produce waste problem. While working for her husband's family business Weingart Produce, Ashley would visit farms and witness firsthand the shocking amount of produce tha...

"We realize that they are the ones with the skills. They have been working for a long time, for some of them even decades, and so we just try to create a space for people to shine."    Alice Linsmeier (16:45-17:02) The Equitable Food Initiative is on a mission to bring together growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers to transform agriculture and improve the lives of farm workers. It wouldn't...

"Here's the plan: have a plant. It's your invitation to inspire more health and happiness."   Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (38:11-38:19) Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, President and CEO of the Produce For Better Health Foundation, and return Produce Moms guest (check out episode 16 and episode 52), is serving up some interesting data about our current state of fruit and vegetable consumption.    Every...

"We're now democratizing local food. Anybody can get this, anybody can shop this way and we can deliver it to the door."    Nick Carter (14:54-15:01)   Nick Carter, fourth generation farmer, author of "More Than A Mile: What America Needs From Local Food", and co-founder and CEO of Market Wagon is on a mission to connect "agra" with "culture" so we can bring back the connection we're missing and f...

"At NatureSweet, our commitment is really to transform the lives of agricultural workers in North America, no matter what." Lori Castillo (3:02-3:11)   NatureSweet's ability to transform the lives of their agricultural workers across North America just got stronger now that they're partnered with Fair Trade USA! Fair Trade USA is a nonprofit organization in Oakland, California and the leading cert...

"Anyone looking to make a more nutritious, healthy choice, my core philosophy comes back to more produce, more often." Jackie London (6:16-6:28)   It's no wonder Jackie London, Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist, Head of Nutrition & Wellness for WW (formerly Weight Watchers), and author of "Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): 11 Science Based Ways to Eat More, Stress Less, and Feel...

"The Big Honey Dekopons are the best eating piece of citrus on the market." Jeri Elsasser (21:21-21:24)   A super sweet, easy to peel, gorgeous, delicious piece of fruit that gives you your daily dose of recommended Vitamin C? Yes please! There's a lot to love about Trinity Fruit Company's Big Honey Dekopon mandarins.   From conventional or organic stone fruit and pomegranates to citrus varieties...

"Make no mistake. COVID-19 changed everything for the grocery industry." Brittain Ladd (5:51-5:55)   Our former guest Brittain Ladd from Episode 41, one of our top 20 most downloaded episodes of all time, joins The Produce Moms again to talk about the current state of retail and the exciting innovations we're seeing with micro fulfillment centers.   Brittain is one of the most well-loved leaders i...

"We want that same kind of transparency and confidence in our food supply chain to know that we can bring home products to our families that are healthy and safe. "     Karen Long ( 13:52-14:13)   Did you know that 93% of all food purchases in the United States come from women? And the one thing women want more than anything right now with their food and produce purchases is transparency.    iFood...

"We have a health crisis, a social crisis, an economic crisis and a climate crisis all coming together at the same time." Derk Hendriksen (9:15-9:20)   From the Netherlands to Belgium, France then all across America, Derk Hendriksen has had an exciting career that now fuels his passion for sustainability and social enterprise. Now, as co-CEO of Treasure8, Derk is helping achieve the one thing we a...

"Food is culture! It doesn't matter what socio-economic status, what type of food access you have, every single person is united by food." Lori Taylor (16:29-16:41)   Imagine waking up each morning in early 1900s New York City, driving your horse and wagon to the local farm, filling it with fruits and vegetables, and staying out all day until you've sold all of your produce.   That was the start o...

"It's really profound to think potatoes are everywhere. The boys in my family say, 'it's the perfect vegetable mom!' It's all my boys want to eat."   Lori Taylor (2:48-3:00)   Wada Farms was established in 1943 by Frank Wada, an immigrant from Japan who migrated to the United States in 1922. Frank started out in San Clemente, California, but when World War II hit and many Japanese were being moved...

"The fact that the peak MandaRosa season is right around Valentine's Day and we have it the whole month of February really makes it a great item for marketing in the produce department."   Kim Flores (7:37-7:50)   Have you ever heard of a MandaRosa? This captivating, beautiful, red-flesh mandarin was partially named by The Produce Moms community!   Kim Flores, who was previously on our Thanksgivin...

"The sustainable side is here to stay." Jeff Watkin (23:18-23:19)   You might immediately think packaging for produce is a bad thing, but companies like Sev-Rend are manufacturing tags, labels and bags for produce that are environmentally sustainable and biodegradable.    Jeff Watkin has been the Director of Marketing at Sev-Rend, a printing and converting manufacturer specializing in packaging fo...

"If you employ a mom, we need your flexibility and understanding right now." Lori Taylor (13:15-13:20)   2020 was an incredible year for us all filled with challenge, pain, community and change that no one could have expected. If anyone had it difficult, it was moms like you, struggling to maintain your work hours or pivoting your career entirely, working tirelessly to keep up with your family and...

"You can deploy the vaccine in an environment where there's already built in trust." Chris Valadez (7:37-7:42)   "Our growers [in Texas] were really in the thick of their season when we had to adjust," says Dante Galeazzi, where Chris Valadez's agricultural workers (in California) were just getting started on their season when the pandemic hit.    No one could have expected or been prepared enough...

"This is the number one reusable grocery bag shopping solution." Lori Taylor (10:29-10:32)   When Farzan Dehmoubed and his wife started selling Lotus Sustainables four years ago, they thought their initial product would sell out in four months. They sold out in eight days.   With results like that right off that bat, surely the product must be great! Lotus Sustainable was created with the mission...

"One of the big focuses of Fair Trade is the wellbeing of the workers." Iris Madrigal (9:12-9:15)   The Fair Trade movement is now more popular than ever, but what is it exactly and how can you, as a consumer, know that the Fair Trade products you purchased truly are helping improve the sustainability and development of our world?    Iris Madrigal and her husband Alex who is the second-generation...

"The heritage and development of the brand was asking ourselves, 'how do we bring flavor to our customers?' That's where the name That's Tasty was born." Don Helms (18:24-18:40)   Shenandoah Growers is the consumer grower for the That's Tasty brand that brings you some of the freshest, most flavorful herbs available in America.   Don Helms, Vice President of Marketing for Shenandoah Growers, and s...

"The human element that's behind each and every pear that makes it to market is really amazing and profound."     Lori Taylor (17:55-18:02)   What other fruit is as elegant as a pear, but yet approachable and available year round? Slicing up a pear will dress up any cocktail party charcuterie board or help fill your kids lunchboxes with a nutritious treat. These fruits are still harvested, packed,...

"No matter what you're preparing for thanksgiving, the number one ingredient is love." Lori Taylor    Thanksgiving looks a little different this year for all of us, but one thing remains important: enjoying a delicious meal with those you love and finding gratitude for all you have.   This American holiday is such an important one to slow down, reflect on what we can appreciate in life, and the on...

"Ultimately it transports us back to a time when food was simple, clean and delicious." Sarah Frey (4:32-4:39)   How wonderful would it be to grow up on a farm where you get to experience the magic of what the earth is capable of, while picking blackberries and other fresh fruit that get turned into refreshing, delicious agua frescas?   That's part of the beauty that Sarah Frey, CEO of Sarah's Hom...

"When you see that package of Naturipe, there's a farmer behind it." John Stauner (18:58-19:02)   Have you ever wondered what goes into bringing the magic of cranberries to your holiday table? John Stauner of James Lake Farms and Ray Hableman of Hableman Brothers bring you fresh, ripe, delicious cranberries year after year under the Naturipe brand.   John Stauner has been in the cranberry industry...

"Within two minutes of sitting down with Tony I knew that this was where we wanted to be." Chuck Sinks (2:54-2:59)   Sometimes when you meet someone and it's so organic and natural, you know you're meant to do something together. That was how Sage Fruit Company came to partner with race car driver Tony Stewart, creating a powerful, healthy relationship that's impacted the lives of thousands.   Chu...