Emerging Brands Podcast

Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, Nathalia Rojas was naturally drawn to innovation and business. Along with her co-founder, they leveraged their shared passion for health and wellness to create 2FIT BRANDS - vegan, keto-friendly, and certified gluten-free snacks. Nathalia is taking us behind the brand to how she launches and currently scaling in the US market.

A McKinsey consultant turned into a cheesemaker, Ilay is out to make labneh a thing as the co-founder and CEO of BEZI. During her time at Columbia, Ilay fell in love with the city, built her community through dinner parties at her home, known as Cafe Ilay, and completed her "business school summer internship" at a Mediterranean farm, milking cows and sheep, and learning to make cheese from scratch...

Growing up in a Chinese restaurant, Crystal Ung would create makeshift step stools at eight years old to watch everything happening. She wanted to carry on those iconic childhood flavors while also eating well. She wanted to create Asian American flavors, as it was meant to be. Crystal founded Bowlcut to redefine how we eat well by crafting a plant-based and reduced sodium sauce. Bowlcut has caugh...

What started as a college project, has launched into a business creating nut-free snacks. Absurd Snacks are made with crunchy chickpeas, fava beans, granola clusters, and dried fruit. Free of top 9 allergies for people with food allergies and sensitivities while still packing in delicious flavors. You can find Absurd Snacks at major retailers like Whole Foods and growing! Grace Mittl, Co-founder &...

Ashley Nickelsen, founded B.T.R. Nation to fix our broken food system one snack at a time. Over 5 years ago, Ashley's parents were diagnosed with rare forms of cancer. She was eating high sugar snacks full of junk out of hospital vending machines while taking care of them. She started creating her own snacks as an alternative. After her parents passed away, she made it her mission to make healthie...

While walking the NY NOW tradeshow, Crevette Design Studio caught my eye. "Crevette" (pronounced "krah-vet") is a term of endearment in French meaning "little one." It also directly translates to "shrimp." It's unexpected & playful, just like their jewelry. Co-founders Charlotte & Victoria worked together for 5+ years in the fine jewelry industry before deciding to start our own design studio. Cra...

Emma Chozick is a Brand Consultant to design-led brands. She's a cultural curator and design journalist. She works across commerce, hospitality, and tech, driving connection between gr8 people, brands, and ideas. Emma's TikTok (one of my favorites!) shares about emerging brands, spaces, and creatives, through the lens of design. Formerly she was Head of Community and Curation at Thingtesting, wher...

Gail Kurpgeweit is the CEO of Pivot North. They develop, launch and scale hot-selling CPG food products based on restaurant menu items. Gail takes us behind the scenes of how that process works. From the first meeting with the restaurant founder, to product development, packaging, to selling on retail shelves, this was such an educational conversation. Grab your pen and paper for this one!

MìLà was founded by Jen Liao and her husband as a way to connect with their family's history and celebrate her Chinese identity. What began as testing soup dumplings at their restaurant—sold in ziplock bags—quickly turned into a cult following and the official launch of MìLà. Today, their beloved soup dumplings have been featured in Food & Wine , Bon Appétit , and The New York Times . Inside the E...

OOSO is a sparkling tea inspired by natural wine. It's made with organic teas and only sweetened with organic honey. They believe beverages should be bold, not boring (like their standout branding!). Founders Sophia Racciatti & Oliver Spring (who are newly engaged) take us behind the scenes of how they started formulating recipes in their Brooklyn apartment to launching at the coolest retailers in...

Leah and Yasaman met in college and have always connected deeply through their shared Middle Eastern backgrounds. With a blend of Persian, Egyptian and Tunisian cultures between them, their love for the flavors of their origins transcends with good girl snacks™. After scrolling on TikTok, they quickly realized how much Gen Z loved pickles (a food category that could be kinda boring). They quit the...

Pop & Bottle began when best friends Jash Mehta and Blair bonded over their shared love of coffee—and their frustration with not finding coffee products that met their quality and health standards. Starting in their own kitchens, they blended homemade almond milk with cold brew coffee, and a brand was born. In this episode, Co-founder Jash Mehta takes us behind the scenes of building Pop & Bottle—...

Julie Turkel has 20+ years of experience with brand licensing. She's an Agent, Mentor, and connects creatives and brands. Julie takes us behind the scenes of how brand licensing works, marketing opportunities utilizing brand licensing, and trends. Julie is one of my favorite people to follow on TikTok with her industry knowledge. This conversation is such a fun deep dive!

From NYC fine dining catering to making waves on Food Network's Chopped; Chef Keesha launched Live Loud Foods. With a growing line of bold nuts and authentic flavors inspired by NYC, these are an awesome quick snack. Chef Keesha brings us behind the brand to how she launched from a dinner party to retailing at the coolest shops in the city.

Bonita Fierce Candles is dedicated to creating premium home fragrance inspired by Latin heritage, providing a sense of familiarity, home and belonging. They are changing the face of home fragrance. Founder Melissa Gallardo, shares the backstory of why building this brand is interconnected to her own roots. She's bringing us behind the brand of how Bonita Fierce Candles launched, landed major retai...

For over one hundred years, through four generations of family ownership, Acme Smoked Fish has been singularly focused on producing great smoked fish. While Acme Smoked Fish has a hundred-year legacy, they are always innovating. Teresa Low, Chief Marketing Officer is taking up behind the scenes of their test kitchen and shares what they're working on now! 

Jen Arsenault grew up eating Korean food everyday and never imagined that Korean culture would become as popular as it is today. She loved the Korean food staples only came shipped from Korea, handmade by her mom's family. But couldn't find anything like in on retail shelves… Potluck is an all-natural Korean staples line inspired by the magic of gathering over a good meal. Learn how she made it ha...

ELAVI was founded on the belief that every ingredient should be intentional—crafted to make you feel energized, satiated, and satisfied, without the shame or "guiltless" labels pushed by diet culture. Founder and CEO Michelle Razavi takes us behind the scenes of how the brand launched, pivoted to a new hero product, and built a strategy for long-term growth. Inside the Episode: From concept to piv...

Glowbar was born from founder Rachel Liverman's family legacy in skincare—and her mission to make expert facials faster and more accessible. By developing 30-minute treatments designed for busy New Yorkers, Rachel created a brand that has grown rapidly, recently opening her 13th studio. In this episode, Rachel takes us behind the scenes of Glowbar's growth and shares valuable insights for founders...

Maddy and Taylor, were roommates in Brooklyn, both working in sustainability and supply chain were stuck at home in 2020 creating cocktails. Anytime was born. They discovered a need for regenerative organic and sustainable farming within the liquor industry. Maddy and Taylor share their strategy of launching at farm-to-table restaurants, why regenerative farming is essential to the business, and ...

Mom Juice grew from 900 to 9,500 cases in just under a year, and raised $1 million in fundraising. Mom Juice found their niche with women, busy moms, and consumers looking for simple ingredients in their wine. Co-founder Macie Mata brings us behind the scenes of their launch and growth strategy. Such a great episode for a parent (or busy person) building consumer brand! 

Umaimah Sharwani created Paro because she loves eating Pakistani food more than anything else. What started with her mom sending ziplock bags with her own special lentil and spice mix, the idea for Paro was born. Umaimah tested recipes with friends at dinner parties sharing her favorite Pakistani comfort foods. On this episode, Umaimah shares behind the scenes of how she launched Paro and continue...

Zant is fueled by a bold vision: a world where mental health support is easily accessible and free from stigma. Founded by Maggie Rose Macar, after losing a close friend and experiencing the struggles of accessing mental health support as a college student, Maggie Rose was given a rare and life-changing opportunity to work with a professional for only $10 per session. That experience sparked the c...

Katherine Lewin, founder of Big Night, brings us inside one of my favorite specialty retail stores—a place where you can always discover something to make meals at home feel a little more special. From stunning glassware and dishes to locally sourced CPG brands, Big Night celebrates the joy of gathering. Born from Katherine's passion for hosting dinner parties, the brand has grown from its first B...

As a brand strategist launching CPG food and beverage brands,  Empowered Economy is one of my favorite accounts to follow! Founded by Rachel Kishore, Empowered Economy shares the newest and coolest brands in New York City and beyond. Learn how Rachel launched and growing hercommunity of female food founders!