Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG)

Creating a feeling of community and connection can be so impactful to individuals and businesses on multiple levels, and the ecosystem of care that emerges through engaged networks can bring forth remarkable results. These are the driving forces behind the work of today's guest on the show, Katrina Tolentino. Katrina is the Executive Director of Naturally Network, a position she found somewhat sur...

Supporting brands and companies that are impact driven is essential for driving change on a larger scale. With so many options for consumers, it is often hard to find the company to suit your needs while creating positive change, particularly for gift-giving! Today, we highlight the top 16 brands that we think are impact-driven and leave customers happy in this special holiday shopping guide. Help...

Conscious consumerism has grown exponentially in recent years, with shoppers expecting more transparency and less waste from the brands they choose to support. While shifting towards more sustainable business practices obviously has a positive impact on the environment, there are also a number of benefits for your brand, which you’ll learn more about in today’s episode! To help us explore this top...

There are some insights that we just have to go back to. This time, we bring back this conversation about reducing human dependence on plastics with Sandra Ann Harris, Founder of ECOlunchbox. We leave you with the episode notes: Our guest has a passion for protecting the oceans by reducing human dependence on plastics. Concerned about the toxins commonly found in lunchbox containers, plastic pollu...

Did you know that up to 40% of food in the USA goes to waste every year? In this episode of Evolve CPG, Caroline Cotto is here to discuss how conscious consumers and brands can fight this problem. Caroline is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Renewal Mill, President of the Upcycled Food Association, and she also is passionate about all things health, wellness and, food! Finding partners wi...

Nutrition is key to living healthy but is a challenge due to the demands of work and life. Unhealthy snacks are what many people rely on to keep themselves energized throughout the day; often leaving them feeling tired, cranky, and hungry for more. What if there was a healthy alternative? In this episode, we speak to Mark Samuel, the Founder of IWON Organics; a company providing people with health...

Discounts are the default incentive to grow sales for many businesses. However, a change in consumer behavior is causing them to hack into margins and deteriorate brand value. In this episode, we speak to Andrew Forman about an alternative approach gaining traction in the marketing space, donation incentives! Starting in finance as an investment banker, Andrew decided to pursue an MBA degree at Ha...

Social media can be a fantastic way to grow your brand and increase sales, but this is easier said than done, especially for people that are not extroverts. In this episode, we speak to Erica Rankin, CEO, and Founder of Bro Dough, a healthy plant-based cookie dough alternative. Erica is driven by her passion for health and fitness but also enjoys indulging in the finer things in life, particularly...

To make a true impact, your mission needs to be baked into the DNA of your brand from the get-go. Joining us today to share the keys to the success of an impact-driven brand is John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of nutrition-focused kids’ food brand, Once Upon a Farm. In this episode, we discover the most valuable lessons John learned from scaling Annie’s Homegrown, how he came to partner with actre...

Although not particularly new to the US market, tahini has historically been found gathering dust at the bottom of the shelf in the international foods aisle instead of being celebrated in the kitchen for its versatility. Today we are joined by Amy Zitelman, CEO and Co-Founder of Soom Foods, to talk about the various culinary uses of tahini, why she and her sisters started importing it, and the su...

Design is so much more than aesthetics; it’s a tool for business. Today’s guest, Fred Hart, is a Partner and the Creative Director at Interact, a branding and design agency similar in many ways to our own. Fred’s passion for design began with sneakers and has since transitioned to food. Interact’s approach is underpinned by the principles of “simplify to amplify” and “brave design” and, during thi...

What are you doing to make the world a better place and help those around you? Creating change in the world requires dedication and handwork, leaving very little time to run a business, but what if you could use business as a tool for good? This is the approach of today’s guest, David Simnick, CEO and Co-Founder of Soapbox and Managing Partner at Impact Driven Brands. David believes that creating...

Setting out and starting a business takes courage, determination, and the ability to learn as you go. It also requires a certain commitment to the foundational causes of the work. For Adam Hiner, our guest on today's show, combining his passion for food and regenerative agriculture with his work ethic and growing knowledge of the entrepreneurial landscape has enabled him to build two really inspir...

Success within the CPG space is an arduous undertaking that requires immense drive and passion for overcoming the inevitable challenges. Following your passion is a fundamental driver of today’s guest, Fred Haberman, an entrepreneur whose businesses reflect his values and ideals. One of those businesses, Freak Flag Organics provides ultra-organic foods with extra-amazing flavors to help people cre...

We're re-running our most successful episodes of 2021 because there are some insights that we have to go back to. This time, we speak about brand messaging for sustainable CPG products with  Pilar Ochi, Vice President of Marketing at Alter Eco, a sustainable sweet snacks company. Making a sustainable CPG product a household name doesn’t sound as challenging as it is.  Today we speak to Pilar Ochi,...

It sounds confusing, but the word ‘recyclable’ doesn’t always mean that something can, in fact, be recycled. Hopefully, by the time you get to the end of this episode, you’ll have a greater understanding of the complexities of the recycling system as a whole. Through careful distillation of the procedural and consumer-based processes, you can begin to distinguish between greenwashing and truly rec...

The way your product is packaged is almost as important as the product itself. Your packaging helps potential customers decide whether they should pick your product off the shelf, or go for one of your competitors’ products instead. During this episode, Gage covers 30 questions relating to product packaging within the realms of messaging, images, branding, form, and (of course) sustainability. Fro...

We're re-running our most successful episodes of 2021 because there are some insights that we just have to go back to. This time, we speak about sustainable coffee practices with Paul Evers,  Co-Founder and CEO of Riff, an innovative cold brew coffee company Your morning cup of coffee has a far greater environmental impact than you might realize. Ironically, the current unsustainable practices hav...

We're re-running our most successful episodes of 2021 because there are some insights that we just have to go back to. This time, we speak about how to market sustainability with  Carolyn Parrs, CEO of Mind Over Markets. So many businesses struggle to find the right words to market their sustainable and social impact products. Today’s guest is Carolyn Parrs, CEO of Mind Over Markets, and she joins...

We're re-running our most successful episodes of 2021 because there are some insights that we just have to go back to. This time, we speak about candor, positive culture, and how to build stronger teams with Linwood Paul & Matt D'Amour, co-founders of Subtle Distinctions. Candor isn’t just a word; it’s a practice. By using candor you can create a positive culture and build stronger teams in bu...

The green marketing space is one that is in constant flux and to be a part of it requires a steady commitment to learning and adjusting. Michelle Miller has dedicated herself to aiding brands and organizations that wish to stay abreast of the latest learnings and contribute to a better culture of sustainability wherever possible. Michelle is the Founder and CEO of The Green Marketing Academy, as w...

No entrepreneurial journey is without its challenges, but even the biggest ones can be overcome with enough passion, drive, and support. Today’s guest is Sadrah Schadel, founder and CEO of No Evil Foods, a nationwide plant based protein company which she and her life partner started in their kitchen in 2014 with just $5000. After a few major hurdles which we discuss during today’s episode, they go...

Do you want to maximize the odds of scaling your brand to $100 million and beyond? Then, you need to learn the rules of exponential growth for consumer brands! In today’s episode, we speak with Dr. James Richardson, Founder of Premium Growth Solutions and author of Ramping Your Brand: How to Ride the Killer CPG Growth Curve, about the actual data behind how brands grow and the importance of retain...

Looking for ideas and inspiration to improve your contributions to worthy causes? In this episode we share a panel discussion from the recent 1% for the Planet Global Summit, in which we talked about some exciting ways that 1% for the Planet is enabling companies to connect, give back, and make a difference! We look at the examples of our four panelists, Isabelle Bicaci from Outer, Jack Dyer from...

In this episode, we're joined by Tim Richards, founder, and CEO of Philosopher Foods, to talk about the challenges of running a premium food product company, and the benefits of raw, sprouted, and generatively grown foods. Philosopher Foods is a nut butter company, currently, focused on creating the most delicious, nutritious, ethical, and ecological nut butters that we can possibly produce. Find...