Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association Podcast

June is shaping up to be an exciting month, celebrating both the Summer Fancy Food Show and Upcycled Food Month ! Join Amanda Oenbring , CEO of the Upcycled Food Association , for a brief chat about her upcoming Summer Fancy Food Show session, “Upcycling: Market Growth, Movement, and Future Trends” taking place on the Big Idea Stage in the Javits Center on Tuesday, June 25 at 11 a.m. EDT. She also...

As a chef who feels comfortable cooking at a restaurant, it is often a long, but deeply rewarding journey to develop and merchandise a CPG product for retail. In this podcast episode, Anthony Mangieri , founder of New York City restaurant staple Una Pizza Napoletana , discusses what makes his pizzas unique. Additionally, he previews the Summer Fancy Food Show session, "A Pizza Lover's Journey in F...

Can social media influencers boost your specialty food business? In this episode, you’ll get a sneak preview of Tastemaker Conference ’s Abbey Rodriguez ’s panel of food-world creatives at the Fancy Food Show and learn how to maximize your retail potential. Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/...

In this special Spill & Dish episode, Paul Willis, Niman Ranch co-founder and founding hog farmer, speaks with George Hajjar, associate editor at the SFA, about how he got his start in the specialty food world, and how he advocates for humane, sustainable husbandry practices. Additionally, Willis previews the Summer Fancy Food Show panel discussion, “Discover the Future of Food: Sustainably Sp...

Mike Kostyo , vice president of Menu Matters , is a one of the most sought-after trend experts in the food industry. In this Spill & Dish episode, he discusses consumers’ desire to treat themselves, how algorithms and AI influence their path to purchase, and the brand new research he plans to discuss at next month's Fancy Food Show . Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast. See Privacy Polic...

Nancy Kruse , founder of The Kruse Company, is a recognized authority and widely quoted spokesperson on food and menu trends. In this episode of Spill & Dish, she weighs in on opportunities for specialty food brands on menus, and previews the Summer Fancy Food Show session State of the Plate 2024: Outlook and Opportunity for Specialty Foods. Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast. See Priva...

In this special Earth Month episode, Anna Hammond , founder and CEO of Matriark Foods , discusses the sustainable focus of her brand of upcycled specialty pasta sauces, broths, and stews made from farm surplus and fresh-cut food scraps, and previews the Summer Fancy Food Show panel discussion, “Discover the Future of Food: Sustainably Specialty With Food Tank.” In this podcast episode, she discuss...

Chef Joceyln Ramirez is a best-selling cookbook author, New York Times cooking contributor, and founder of Todo Verde , a plant-forward maker of true-to-culture, non-GMO, Mexican seasonings. In this episode of Spill & Dish, Ramirez discusses how she’s bringing authenticity to American taco night, the advantages of becoming women and minority-owned certified, and winning SFA’s Fancy Face-Off pi...

Join Megan Rooney, Program Development Manager at SFA, in an insightful conversation with Mariah Hilton Wood , Co-Founder of Tilden . Together with her classmate Vanessa Royle , Mariah embarked on a journey to redefine the essence of celebration through non-alcoholic beverages. In this episode, Mariah delves into the challenges of co-packing, unexpected consumer demographics, and the pivotal role...

On this Spill & Dish episode, Jen Liao , co-founder of MìLà (formerly Xiao Chi Jie), takes listeners along her entrepreneurial journey from co-founding a Chinese street food restaurant with her husband in 2018, to pivoting during the pandemic and making local deliveries of frozen xiao long bao (soup dumplings), to shipping them nationally, direct-to-consumer, to gaining placement in major reta...

Developed from a dream to build a specialty market that offers all the products one would need under one roof, Pete Marczyk , founder of Marczyk Fine Foods , left his job in business to create the community-focused market. In this episode of Spill & Dish recorded at the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, Marczyk speaks with George Hajjar, associate editor at the SFA, about providing for a lo...

Karl Franz Williams is a mixologist, restaurateur, CPG veteran, and founder of Uncle Waithley’s Beverage Co. , maker of ginger beer with a Scotch Bonnet bite that’s based on a family recipe. On this episode of Spill & Dish, which was recorded at the Winter Fancy Food Show, Williams talks about his product’s namesake, what’s special about Scotch Bonnet Peppers, and how he endeavors to get his g...

At the Specialty Food Association's recent Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, George Hajjar, associate editor at the SFA, spoke with Cathy Strange , ambassador of food culture at Whole Foods Market. In this episode, they discussed how to teach others to taste with their five senses, what grocery buyers look for in specialty products, and standout trends for the year. Spill & Dish is Powered...

Denver-based beverage brand Frescos Naturales fills their beautiful cans with traditional aguas frescas with a twist, featuring classic flavors like tamarind, hibiscus, and mango. In this episode, Gretchen VanEsselstyn, SFA’s director of education, speaks with Juan Stewart about his journey to taste success, including his Shark Tank appearance! Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast. See Privac...

Lewis Road Creamery is a New Zealand-based maker of the 10 Star Certified Salted Butter that was named Specialty Food Association’s 2023 sofi Product of the Year at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City. In this episode, Julie Gallagher, director of content development for SFA, speaks with Lewis Road Creamery’s co-founder and director of marketing and communications, Lynette Maan , and vice...

New York-based shiitake mushroom chip company Popadelics is on a mission to bring attention to under-loved vegetables.  In this episode, George Hajjar, associate editor at the SFA, speaks with co-founders and life partners Marilyn Yang and Michael Casali about transitioning to the food world from a finance background, the origins of the pandemic-born snack, and their recent success, particularly i...

In this episode, Megan Rooney, Program Development Manager, sits down with the dynamic duo behind SAYSO , a New York-based premium cocktail company founded by two Harvard Business School graduates. Alison Evans and Chloe Bergson take us on a journey from their humble beginnings crafting cocktails in mason jars to their innovative transition to tea bags for a convenient 3-minute cocktail experience...

New Zealand-based Heilala Vanilla was co-founded by a father and daughter who show their commitment to the people and land of Tonga with every bean and batch. In this episode, Gretchen VanEsselstyn, SFA’s director of education, speaks with Jennifer Boggiss about Heilala’s connections with chefs, journey to retail, B-Corp certification, and positive impact. Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast...

Sam Mogannam is a chef and second-generation owner of San Francisco’s Bi-Rite Market and founder of the B Corp certified Bi-Rite Family of Businesses , which includes two specialty markets, a creamery, catering commissary, and a nonprofit cooking school and education space. In this episode, Julie Gallagher, director of content development for Specialty Food Association, speaks with Mogannam about...

Dominic Biggi is a third-generation owner of Beaverton Foods , a gourmet condiments maker that also co-packs. In this episode of Spill & Dish, SFA’s 2023 Hall of Fame inductee talks about carving out his niche in a family business, the company’s more than 500 recipes, and what’s next for the specialty food business. Spill & Dish is Powered by Simplecast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19...

Cold-pressed grapeseed oil produces a high-quality, nutrient-rich product that can be used to bake, sauté, top salads, and more.  Salute Santé ’s upcycled, chef-inspired grapeseed oil is a recent 2023 Gold Sofi Award winner and has been a leader in the alternative oil category for decades. The company also makes infused oils and grapeseed flour. In this episode of Spill & Dish, George Hajjar,...

In this episode, Megan Rooney, Program Development Manager at SFA, chats with Shawn Askinosie , the visionary founder & CEO of Askinosie Chocolate , about being a bean-to-bar chocolate trailblazer, making a positive impact on the lives of cocoa farmers worldwide, his upcoming Chocolate University trip to Tanzania, and how SFA was pivotal in connecting him with buyers. Spill & Dish is Power...

Patrick Ford is the vice president of Ford’s Gourmet Foods , the family-owned brand that makes Bone Suckin’ Sauce, rubs, and seasonings, and is constantly innovating flavors and recipes to bring a dynamic breadth of products. In this episode, George Hajjar, associate editor at the SFA, speaks with Ford about working in a family business, and how it developed from humble origins into an award-winni...

Cynthia Duran , owner of Xinca Foods, had been seeking a vegan cheese to accompany her pupusas when, at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show, she met fellow exhibitor Dina DiCenso , cofounder of RIND by Dina and Joshua, who was debuting RIND's Carrot Cheese. In this episode, recorded on the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show Big Idea Stage, Julie Gallagher, SFA’s director of content development, delves into h...

Emre Imamoglu saw an opportunity to bring healthy eating habits from the Mediterranean to a U.S. audience in the form of CiboVita . In this episode, George Hajjar, associate editor at the Specialty Food Association, spoke with Imamoglu about the company’s health-first approach, its sofi award-winning product, and the business strategies that enabled its success. Spill & Dish is Powered by Simp...