Emerging Brands Podcast

Meet Gloria Chou—award-winning PR strategist and host of the Small Business PR Podcast , known for helping resourceful founders land top-tier press without a publicist, agency, or insider connections. Her untraditional (but proven) pitch strategies have helped thousands of small businesses earn over a billion organic views and secure features in The New York Times , Oprah's Favorite Things , Vogue...

In this episode, I'm joined by Jamie Han , founder of Hamkke —a modern tableware brand rooted in tradition, intentional design, and the joy of gathering. With over 17 years of experience in marketing, Jamie brings a thoughtful, community-first approach to brand building. Her goal with Hamkke? To turn everyday meals into meaningful rituals. Inside the Episode: How Jamie's heritage and background in...

In this episode, I'm joined by Brock Giles, founder of High Mesa Chile Co. —a modern Southwest kitchen crafting small-batch sauces, condiments, and cocktail mixers inspired by the bold flavor of flame-roasted chiles. Brock's brand is rooted in a deep love for flame-roasted chiles and a passion for turning regional ingredients into shelf-worthy staples that elevate everyday meals. Inside the Episod...

In this episode, I'm joined by Jonathan Cornish, founder of Froot Thief —the bold, better-for-you fruit snack brand, now one of the fastest-growing fruit snack brands across the United States. With over 20 years in the food industry, Jonathan has developed products for major retailers—but launched Froot Thief to shake up the fruit snack aisle with clean ingredients, a playful identity, and a missi...

In this episode, I'm joined by Victor Guardiola , founder of Bawi —a better-for-you sparkling agua fresca brand inspired by his Mexican roots. Victor grew up drinking aguas frescas made with fresh fruit and a lot of sugar. When he couldn't find a version that honored the tradition but felt better for the body, he created one himself. Bawi is a love letter to culture and community—crafted with real...

With so many new listeners joining the Emerging Brands Podcast® lately, I thought now was the perfect time to reintroduce myself and share more about the work I do behind the scenes. I'm Kelly Bennett—a Brooklyn-based brand strategist with a front-row seat to what makes early-stage CPG food & beverage brands stand out. I've advised over 1,000 founders and stay tapped into what's working in the ind...

Saman and Maha are the mother-daughter duo behind Seenaya , a skincare brand born from a deep love of their Pakistani heritage and a desire to share its generational beauty rituals with the world. Inspired by family's remedies and the natural ingredients they grew up with, they created Seenaya to preserve and celebrate the power of ancestral skincare—blending traditions with modern science. With e...

Erica Bonelli is the founder of Philo —a full-service event planning and art direction studio inspired by Philoxenia , the ancient Greek art of hospitality. With a background in tech and food media, Erica launched Philo to help brands tell their story through intentional, in-person experiences that create lasting emotional impact. Today, Philo specializes in brand launch events, experiential activ...

Jason B James is a photographer and graphic artist celebrated for his bold, surreal, and concept-driven style. He transforms unconventional subjects into vivid, imaginative visuals that resonate with both local and global audiences. With a signature blend of creativity and practicality, Jason approaches every project—whether a product campaign, hospitality rebrand, CPG shoot, or food editorial—as...

Lauren Hodgen is a passionate food enthusiast and the creative force behind Citrus Diaries Studio —a design and social media agency dedicated to elevating food and beverage brands. Since launching her platform in 2018, Lauren has blended her personal wellness journey with creative strategy, building a business rooted in storytelling, authenticity, and visual impact. Today, she helps emerging brand...

Morgan Murdock is a digestive health dietitian turned founder on a mission to make gut-friendly foods more joyful, accessible, and delicious. Through her brand, Unbothered Foods , she's reimagining snack time with sourdough crackers designed specifically for the GI community. With deep expertise in nutrition and a passion for people, Morgan is creating products that support digestive health and a...

In a recent episode, I talked with Joe Rotondo, Founder & CEO of Smearcase, shared the story behind launching FroCo—the world's first frozen cottage cheese dessert. The idea was born during marathon training when Joe couldn't find a high-protein ice cream option. This led him to experiment with cottage cheese and eventually developing a product that offers 40 grams of protein per pint. Smearcase q...

I sat down with Aaron Gatti, a first-generation Italian American and the founder of Brami, a brand that's reinventing Italian slow-food traditions for the modern consumer. Aaron's passion for heritage, health, and innovation shows up in every part of Brami—from their Lupini Bean Snacks to their Italian Protein Pasta, both made in Italy and packed with plant-based protein. In this episode, we talk...

In this episode, I chatted with Esther Levy , a powerhouse in the natural and organic food & beverage space. With a BS in Food Science and an MBA, Esther brings deep industry knowledge and strategic insight—helping brands streamline operations and increase profitability. As the founder of Evolve Food Consultants , Esther supports CPG brands across every operational touchpoint: from co-manufacturer...

Besto is the first ever nut-free, seed oil-free, gluten- free pesto. Kaureen Randhawa created Besto because of her lifelong nut allergy and passion for better for you, whole food ingredients. Kaureen brings us behind-the-scenes of how she launched and now scaling Besto! Inside the episode Kaureen's career before becoming a CPG founder (and why she made the leap!) Besto's brand story (it started wi...

Sunnie offers wholesome, grab-and-go snacks made exclusively with clean, whole food ingredients for today's busy families. Every Sunnie product is crafted without seed oils, refined sugars, or artificial additives, making it easy to nourish your family. Sunnie was born from a shared mission between two moms, Lisette and Katy, who wanted better for their families. Frustrated by endless grocery stor...

Wims brings you portable drink mixers for however and wherever you socialize. In your cocktail or mocktail, seltzer or soda. A night out in your tent, brunch after yoga, that concert in the park, drinks before dinner, an afternoon tailgate. Wims created a drink mixer that elevates any beverage and occasion. Each pouch contains a balanced, perfectly measured blend of active ingredients. Founder Lau...

Natasha Brao is on a mission to share the deeper meaning behind the classic Mediterranean and Middle Eastern one-pan dish, Shakshuka. Shooka celebrates mixing and melding different cultural flavors leading to new recipes, ideas, and conversations. Originally from Los Angeles, she got her start in Upstate NY. Coming from the design industry, she found her way into CPG by stepping out of her comfort...

Blakely and Jordan are best friends who share a love of good design and great food. They met in art school fifteen years ago and have been working in the creative industry ever since. Together, they created SaladSprinkles; a toasted flavored rice puffs that put crunch in every bite! They're are vegan, gluten-free, and women-owned. #NoMoreCroutons Learn their story of launching SaladSprinkles! Insi...

Friends Caroline Huber and Hilary Dubin casually used nicotine when JUUL was the hot, healthier alternative to smoking. It was "just on the weekends" or "just for special events." Before they knew it, it became impossible to go even a few hours without vaping. Eventually, science caught up with their intuition, and research on the harmful effects of vaping became too obvious to ignore. They decide...

The Zero Proof is the leading non-alcoholic beverage online retailer with over 30+ brands to savor. With a commitment to quality, the premium site showcases a diverse array of alcohol-free options, from top-tier NA wine to whiskey alternatives and Swedish amaros. The Zero Proof distributes its own brands Saint Viviana and Lapo's in addition to being the exclusive importer to esteemed brands from a...

Curious Elixirs is a booze-free adaptogenic craft cocktail brand with the mission to redefine how people drink socially. JW Wiseman was inspired to explore his curiosity about life with less booze and started Curious Elixirs in 2015. He previously founded his marketing agency Good Business, working with Daily Harvest and Chomps. Also in the hospitality and nightlife scene. He's taking us behind th...

The future of pop-up is communal. Studio Bumi is a food experience company on a mission to make people excited about eating together again. Tech attorney turned food entrepreneur, Bagus W Ruswandi is building a mission-driven food ventures in community. Here's a look of how it's happening! Inside the episode Bagus' story of tech attorney to food entrepreneur Studio Bumi's strategy of sustainable b...

Alice is spreading the power of functional mushrooms in the most delightful ways possible with decadent chocolate supplements for sleep, energy and focus that have the wellness world by storm. Founders Lindsay and Charlotte met in 2020 and bonded over their shared passion for food as medicine. Lindsay, a former pharmaceutical executive, and Charlotte, a media expert and food scholar, were tired of...

Pistakio is reimagining pistachios for a new generation of pistachio lovers by creating goes-on-anything spreads that are fun, authentic, and approachable. Fran & Nico started this journey with $1000 during their last year of college, by simply setting up a little booth at the local farmers market with their logo and "pistachios reimagined" under it. After seeing how many pistachio lovers couldn't...