Emerging Brands Podcast

Over the past two decades, Taylor Steele has immersed himself in the global community, serving as creative director of Corona Australia and creating films for National Geographic. Eventually landing in New York City, he experienced an unlikely revelation after an artist friend introduced him to premium sipping tequila. In that simple ritual, Taylor tapped into the possibility of bringing purpose t...

Beny Yogurt is your daily probiotic supplement - a delicious organic dairy yogurt made specifically for your gut. Kirsten (Kiki) recently jumped ship to co-found Beny Yogurt, a high-protein, low-carb dairy yogurt packed with the probiotic benefits of a supplement—no pills required. Though this is Kiki's first foray into the food CPG space (prior she worked in private equity at Alpine Investors), i...

Sip Solo offers a premium line of deliciously crafted flavored syrups designed to elevate your favorite beverages. Perfect for adding a unique twist to coffee, tea, matcha, mocktails, and cocktails. Sip Solo syrups are created for on-the-go consumers. Founder Tammy Bowser leveraged her 20+ years experience in corporate accounting, corporate strategy and corporate partnerships prepared her to launc...

Rawia Abdelsamad grew up in Lebanon and now calls Cleveland home. A mom of three, she pivoted from a career in management consulting to pursue her passion for food and cultural representation. This led her to create Beituti, a Lebanese-American food brand. Beituti aims to bring the vibrant flavors of the Middle East to grocery shelves, making it easier for families to cook and enjoy authentic and...

MIKUNA is redefining plant protein with Chocho, a nutrient-dense superfood grown regeneratively at high altitudes in the Andes. Rooted in Ecuadorian heritage, their products deliver clean, powerful nutrition while supporting regenerative agriculture and empowering local farming communities. They believe in fueling people and protecting the planet, one scoop at a time. Mikuna was founded by fifth-g...

NOON blends age-old adaptive, cognitive-enhancing plant technology, like functional mushrooms, with neuroscience to create next-generation, science-backed delights that support peak mental performance. Jane Wong, co-founder, CCO, and CEO of NOON, is a globally sought-after creative leader with over 15 years of expertise in design, technology, and innovation. And she's taking us behind NOON. Inside...

Hanni is bodycare so easy to use, it's impossible to forget. no creams, lotions or scrubs here, all of their products are unlike anything you've seen before and are made for one reason only - to make life easier. Inspired by this gap in the market, Leslie Tessler created Hanni, named after her youngest daughter, Hannah. The brand launched with a fresh approach to bodycare—prioritizing simplicity,...

Better, bolder snacks. Born of four Thai-American sisters with a love for the unexpected, Party Of makes crushable snacks with serious flavor. Just like us, our snacks are a joyful blend: familiar yet surprising. Authentic yet accessible. Inside the episode Founder story of 4 sisters launching a snack brand Brand story of Party Of Strategy to launch and stand out in a crowded snack market Advice t...

The Real Cereal Company reinvents classic cereals with organic, clean ingredients. With zero added sugar, gluten-free, and non-GMO options, they bring nostalgic crunch to modern, health-conscious consumers. Tom Binder, Co-Founder of The Real Cereal Company brings 10+ years of experience in marketing and sales. Tom shares his passion about disrupting traditional industries with innovative, consumer...

Such a fun conversation with Nate Rosen, founder Express Checkout on his deep dive of Expo West. We got to talk shop about our hot takes of what we discovered! Inside the episode Brands that caught Nate & Kelly's attention Trends we discovered at Expo West (and Nate's thoughts on trends) Advice for emerging founders on when to show at Expo West And more! Sponsored by Hummingbirds

Freestyle Snacks is reimagining olives as we know them to give olive lovers what they deserve: all of the taste, with none of the hassle. Easy, on the go snacking with premium marinated olives from Greece. Nikki Seaman is the founder and CEO of Freestyle Snacks. Her background is in management consulting and CPG, previously working at Bain and Whisps. Inside the episode Nikki's career from managem...

Sarah Delevan is a Financial Consultant, podcast host, and "good food" advocate with over 15 years experience building and supporting regional and sustainable food systems.  As the Founder and CEO of Sarah Delevan Consulting, and The Good Food CFO,  Sarah's work over the last 10 years has focused on supporting mission-driven food businesses, farmers, ranchers and fishers in achieving profitability...

Springdale Ventures an early-stage consumer VC firm lead diligence on investments and support portfolio companies. They're passionate about elevating emerging consumer brand entrepreneurs and the ecosystem that supports them. On this episode, Mollye Santulli Senior Associate at Springdale Ventures takes us behind the scenes. Inside the episode What types of brands Springdale Ventures looks for How...

Seremoni Fish is a new standard and philosophy for the very best fish. Their team is modernizing and scaling an ancient Japanese fishing technique that ensures the highest quality, freshest fish while supporting the entire fishing supply chain – all the way from boat to plate. Saif Khawaja is transforming the seafood industry through his ventures Shinkei Systems and Seremoni, merging traditional J...

Prix Fixe is the first gifting suite exclusively focused on connecting the best brands across the food, beverage, and home spaces with a guest list that includes chefs, beverage directors, hospitality pros, Substackers, content creators, and editors. Inside the episode Founder Oset Babür-Winter shares how her editorial background inspired her to start What makes Prix Fixe different from other gift...

NOOISH is a new-ish take on modern Jewish comfort food for the masses. NOOISH is about more than just food. It's a hug from a loved one, the joy of sharing a meal with a friend, and the comfort of knowing you belong. Inside the episode Founder & CEO Sarah Nathan shares her story of why she started the brand What makes NOOISH stand out in the crowd Their strategy of creating buzz and community Advi...

Oh hey! It's me. On this solo episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of my new branding, new season of the podcast, clients, Expo West, and more! If you're curious of how my business works or how to work with me… this episode is for you.

Alex Center is a Brooklyn-based designer and founder of CENTER. They're building brands people love. Learn what's catching Alex's eye in CPG, why his clients stand out in the marketplace, and so much more. 

By day Rick Marino is a tour manager traveling the world with artists and when not on the road he's building Desert Dust. A brand built around his love for the desert by bottling up one of the Desert's best kept secrets, Dates. Here's the adventurous story of how it's happening!

Avidity Creative is an award winning midwest branding agency specializing in brand strategy and creative design for emerging CPG food and beverage brands. Adam Feller, creative director and founder of Avidity Creative, brings over 13 years of design expertise to brands across the CPG food and beverage space. Learn about Adam's clients that are standing out from the crowd! 

Aunt Fannie's a natural cleaning brand out of the PNW focused on human health and safety, not buzz words. Diane Aylsworth, Aunt Fannie's CEO takes us behind the scenes of their growth and success in the natural cleaning space. Their cleaners are a new personal favorite!

Tacotarian at Home is the new retail line of plant-based, shelf-stable taco fillings inspired by the award-winning Tacotarian restaurant. Women-owned and founded with a mission to make plant-based eating more accessible. Listen to the story behind the launch!  Shop the brand at https://eattacotarian.com/collections/products

Pulp+Wire is a female-founded creative agency with over 20 years of experience. With 1000+ brand collaborations, Pulp+Wire founder Taja Dockendorf shares the story behind the agency and what makes a brand stand out in the marketplace. 

Something Sweet is a premium, pre-portioned, ready to bake frozen brown butter cookie dough. Something Sweet provides a homemade baking experience with the convenience of a frozen dessert with no mess or cleanup.  Listen to the story of how this mom & daughter team launched something sweet after family loss. Such an inspiring brand! 

Listen to the behind the scenes of how Frankly Good Coffee's team prepared for their first retail launch at Pop Up Grocer in New York City! Shop the brand franklygoodcoffee.com