Dear Citrus Diaries

This episode is sponsored by Hummingbirds, ⁠⁠⁠ learn more ⁠⁠⁠ by booking a call with their team! Jennifer Liao is the President and Co-Founder of modern Chinese food brand MìLà. A dynamic leader who wears many hats, she’s involved in everything from supplier relationships to brand storytelling. Born in 2018 as a brick-and-mortar shop in Bellevue, Washington, MìLà has evolved into a culinary force...

This episode is sponsored by Hummingbirds, ⁠⁠ learn more ⁠⁠ by booking a call with their team! Matt McLean is the fourth-generation Floridian and the real-life “Uncle Matt” who founded Uncle Matt’s Organic in June 1999, motivated by a lifelong passion for healthy living and his family’s century‑long tradition of citrus farming. Driven by a philosophy of enriching soil health and eliminating synthe...

This episode is sponsored by Hummingbirds, ⁠ learn more ⁠ by booking a call with their team! With over 35 years of experience in the secured financing industry, Marshall’s passion is helping growing companies obtain non-dilutive, asset-backed financing solutions. Working capital and cash flow solutions for growing companies using a variety of non-dilutive, debt financing solutions including purcha...

This episode is sponsored by Hummingbirds, learn more by booking a call with their team! Berk Bahceci is the co-founder and CEO of Heraclea , a proudly Turkish American olive oil company. Launched by him and his wife Sena Bachceci in 2023, Berk’s mission is to grow and produce Heraclea’s high-quality olive oil using sustainable agricultural practices and fair-trade labor on his family groves in Tu...

Ben Branson is a British entrepreneur best known for founding Seedlip, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, and later Pollen Projects, a studio focused on reimagining moderation. Inspired by his 300-year farming heritage and a 17th-century book on herbal remedies, Branson began experimenting with distilling botanicals in his kitchen. Seedlip launched in 2015 and quickly gained acclaim...

Jana Goodbaum, a former fast-food marketer turned health-conscious mom, knew there had to be a better option — so she took to her own chaotic kitchen to build it. After endless recipe testing (while momming), she finally landed on Happy Wolf: nut-free snack bars made only with only whole ingredients you can find in your own kitchen. Today, Happy Wolf can be found in the refrigerated section of 120...

Sri Kalapala is a snack lover turned founder with a background in healthcare technology, business strategy, and operations. Frustrated with “healthy” protein bars filled with artificial additives, Sri spent years perfecting his recipes before sharing them with the world. With Kailo, he’s on a mission to make clean eating effortless and enjoyable. Kailo is a protein bar crafted for those who value...

Lauren Corugedo is the Head of Marketing at Chef Merito. Chef Merito has been a trusted name in authentic Latin American flavors, crafting high-quality seasonings, spices, and blends that celebrate the rich culinary traditions of Hispanic cuisine. Rooted in family recipes and time-honored techniques, each Chef Merito seasoning is expertly designed to enhance the flavors of Latin American, Mexican,...

Aaron Gatti is the founder and CEO of Brami, a next-generation Italian food brand reimagining Italian cuisine with an emphasis on authenticity and heritage. Growing up in his grandmother’s Italian kitchen and gaining experience in a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant, Aaron draws from Italy’s rich food traditions to democratize sprezzatura—Italy’s effortless flair for quality. Outside of work, Aa...

Ali Elliott is the Founder and CEO of Farmer Foodie, a purpose-driven brand offering sustainable, dairy- and gluten-free Cashew Parm in two flavorful varieties: Golden Chedda and Italian Herb. Made with fair trade, carbon-negative cashews, Cashew Parm was born from Ali’s personal journey toward veganism and her background in sustainable agriculture as the former Education Director at McEnroe Organ...

Bernadette Gerrity is the Vice President of Café Aroma and the third-generation torchbearer of her family’s beloved coffee legacy. Since joining, she’s led the charge on creative strategy and brand innovation, overseeing all marketing efforts while remaining fiercely committed to the original vision her grandfather crafted—right down to the brand’s iconic packaging. IG thecafearoma | cafearoma.com...

Matthew Jung is the Managing Partner & CEO of GOODONYA® Organic Hydration ™, joining the high growth startup in 2024 as a distinguished entrepreneur with a 15 year track record of scaling consumer and B2B brands. His passion for turning innovative ideas into thriving, successful enterprises has guided and defined his professional journey. GOODONYA Organic Hydration™ is a six-ingredient electro...

Nomadica, founded by sommelier Kristin Olszewski in 2017, is a California-based wine brand redefining premium, sustainable wines in eco-friendly formats like recycled aluminum cans and boxes. Sourcing from responsible winemakers, Nomadica offers vegan, low-sulfur, dry-fermented wines, including White, Orange, Red, and Rosé. Each wine is paired with unique artwork to enhance the experience, blendin...

Sweet Laurel is a better-for-you bakeshop founded by Laurel Gallucci after her autoimmune diagnosis led her to create delicious, nutrient-dense treats free from grains, dairy, and refined sugar. With the support of co-founder Claire Thomas, Sweet Laurel has grown from a passion project into a beloved brand known for its simple, high-quality ingredients and indulgent flavors. From its signature cho...

JW Wiseman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Curious Elixirs, a pioneering brand redefining social drinking with booze-free adaptogenic craft cocktails. Inspired to explore life with less alcohol, he launched Curious Elixirs in 2015, growing it into a leader in the N/A space with over 10 million bottles and cans served. Before that, JW founded the Good Business marketing agency, helping brands like Dai...

Mike Glick is the Co-founder and CEO of Goode Health, a purpose-driven health and wellness company dedicated to making optimized nutrition more accessible. With a background in pediatric healthcare leadership and a passion for innovation, Mike is also leading the Columbus studio for Palm Ventures Studios at The Ohio State University, fostering new health and wellness technologies. Goode Health’s s...

Bake Me Healthy is a woman- and Asian-owned, allergy-friendly baking brand on a mission to help everyone indulge without compromise. Founded by former beauty executive Kimberle Lau, the brand was born from her personal journey of navigating food intolerances and health challenges after pregnancy. Committed to taste, health, and sustainability, Bake Me Healthy crafts gluten-free, vegan, and top 9 a...

Sabah Ashraf, Founder and CEO of House of Kajaana, transitioned from a career in investment banking and design firm leadership to creating a brand inspired by her Indian roots. Drawing from childhood memories of homemade Indian meals, she launched House of Kajaana to offer convenient, plant-based Indian-inspired frozen meals that balance authenticity, health, and sustainability. IG houseofkajaana...

Isabel’s love for coffee started early and only grew stronger during her college years at USC. Mornings began with a fitness class, followed by a latte on the way back to her dorm—then another on the way to class, and often another in the afternoon. When she transitioned into the fast-paced world of consulting, coffee became even more essential, fueling long days that started at the airport and en...

Kaureen Randhawa is the founder of Besto—pesto’s newest bestie! Besto is the first-ever pesto that’s nut-free, gluten-free, and free of seed oils. Having lived with a lifelong nut allergy, Kaureen understood the frustration of missing out on the classic pesto that so many enjoy. On top of that, finding a store-bought pesto that tasted fresh and looked vibrant was nearly impossible. Determined to c...

When Belgian chef Xavier came to Richmond, Virginia to open a restaurant, little did he know he’d meet his match in his meticulous and spunky Southern sous chef, Hannah. The two bonded over their love of cooking and really good food. Their love story was just the beginning, when Hannah started whipping up restaurant-quality ice cream sandwiches they knew they were onto something. Now the husband a...

About Sofia Rovirosa, Co-Founder Sofia Rovirosa is the co-founder of Wanderlands. She grew up in New Mexico on her family’s 4th generation pecan estate with a strong sense of connection to both food and land. This curiosity and love of the outdoors took her across the high deserts of Arizona and New Mexico closely followed by the US Virgin Islands, southeast Alaska, and eventually, Napa, where she...

Diane Aylsworth, CEO of Aunt Fannie's, brings years of food and bev CPG experience to the cleaning category. From marketing to sales to positioning, Diane wears many hats as an emerging brand CEO. She has been with Aunt Fannie's for 7 years and most recently led the team through a major brand refresh. Passionate about early stage, fast growth brands, her vision is to continue to build Aunt Fannie'...

Natasha is on a mission to celebrate different cultural flavors leading to new recipes, ideas, and conversations. She has crafted a deeper meaning behind the classic Mediterranean and Middle Eastern one-pan dish, Shakshuka. Originally from Los Angeles, she found her start in Syracuse NY through trial and error during grad school. She went on to create Shooka, a thick, chunky, tomato-based sauce me...

Something Sweet was founded by the Cook family after the unexpected loss of their husband & dad, Dan, in 2021. The Cooks turned their pain into purpose by sharing their mom’s recipes and their dad’s favorite treats. When life is hard, sometimes you just need Something Sweet. Hugs, Kim, Lindsey, Brittney and Cailin Cook IG somethingsweetdough | somethingsweetdough.com Find Me: IG + TikTok citru...