Food & Beverage Talk by Morgan & Westfield

Hot cocoa tends to be considered a seasonal treat. Dean Packingham of Mike & Jen's Hot Cocoa proves that a small cottage industry can grow into a regional business success year-round. He discusses the power of starting with your passion when developing a new product, the advantages of being in an F&B category with less competition, the value of simplicity as a business model, tips on finding the r...

Albert Duoibes has been focused on innovation in the F&B sector for over 35 years. His focus currently is on the sugar beet industry, but his advice and comments extend beyond sugar. Albert discusses using natural resources, minimizing waste, and the environmental impact of the supply chain. He describes the power of sugar, the need for more innovation throughout the supply chain, explains how the...

This episode of F&B Talk will give you insight into everything you could possibly want to know about beef and the beef industry. Renan de Lima leads with a definition of high-quality meat and why this is an important distinction. He discusses the influence of genetics, grass-fed versus grain-fed beef, the impact of a free-range lifestyle, international organic standards, regulatory differences and...

The complex and underappreciated topic of production planning and supply chain optimization is the focus of this episode of F&B Talk. Lisa Anderson takes a look at the different components of production management and how they fit into the supply chain world. She discusses the steps of the production planning process, the importance of the sales forecast, common issues in the supply chain on the m...

Scaling from start-up to multi-million dollar business takes time, ingenuity, and perseverance. Yanni Hufnagel, founder of Lemon Perfect, discusses the 6-year growth of his company into a major player in the enhanced water sector. Discussion includes going from sourcing regional ingredients to international sources; delivering consistent quality; getting consumers to try a new product; the importa...

What goes into the art of creating a wedding cake? Stephanie Chain, business owner and pastry chef of the micro-bakery Sweet Luncheonette, specializes in creating bespoke wedding cakes. She discusses the health and safety concerns that led to her emphasis on creating sugar flowers for cakes, the specifics about what goes into making custom wedding cakes, the different perspectives she has encounte...

Research can be key to unlocking market growth for an established business, identifying new locations for growth, and highlighting the perfect franchise opportunity. Jayson Tipp has over 30 years of experience in franchising and specialty retail in the food and beverage industry. He discusses how market research data, analysis, and technology have changed over the years, how they can be used to ma...

What are some pressing trends affecting the food and beverage industry today? How can companies stay agile? Barry Thomas, senior global thought leader with the consulting company Kantar, answers these questions and more. He discusses how F&B companies view the home as a convenience store, how technology is enabling e-commerce shifts and growth, how AI is driving value and the profound innovation t...

Food waste and hunger relief are not about food scarcity – it's about logistics. Blake Engelhard of Goodr.co discusses using technology to address hunger and waste issues. From the logistics of a 2-hour turnaround time identifying surplus food to distribution to working with clients making donations that enable families to get groceries in a dignified manner and the staggering tax benefits to the...

This is everything you need to know about commercial kitchens and how they can help entrepreneurs launch a small-batch product and successfully grow. Bella Karakis, co-founder of e.terra Kitchen in New York offers insights into how to take a small-batch product and produce it on a large, scalable basis; stories of brands that have succeeded in growing out of a commercial kitchen; what commercial k...

Water – the building block of life and a complex topic for the food and beverage industry. Beckie Anderer Murphy is an expert in regulatory compliance and food safety. In this nutrient-rich discussion, she goes beyond the basics of water and dives into the differences between U.S. and European standards for water treatment, packaging, and recycling concerns, the different tastes of water, types of...

Getting a new product to market takes passion, vision, funding, and answers to lots of questions. Elena Rosenblum shares lessons learned from her work at Union Kitchen, a food business accelerator company that helps set up new companies for long-term success. Topics include using the lean approach in the F&B industry, trends, logistics, creating a scalable product, incremental innovation, and over...

This is the intersection of food science and marketing with consumer preferences and demand. Dr. Utkarsh Shah, a new product developer for Amazon's food and beverage business, discusses lessons he has learned from developing patents that make food better for consumers through his focus on marketing and business management. He shares insights into the art of food science, challenges around sustaina...

Branding sells products and companies. Adam Michaels, CEO of MamaMancini's, discusses brand loyalty, the multi-sensory eating experience, the influence of different cultures on the F&B industry, how the five senses can be harnessed when marketing a product, the impact of Covid-19 on the industry, and changes in consumer preferences and shopping experiences. Adam also goes beyond MamaManicini's to...

The history of alcohol in the U.S. is varied and influences the F&B sector nationwide. International business advisor and beverage industry expert Alain Barbet gives a global perspective on the alcoholic beverage industry and trends in the U.S. The discussion includes views on alcohol around the world, differences in attitude and consumption in Europe vs. the U.S., differences in regulations and d...

This episode of  Food & Beverage Talk  gets personal in discussing the challenges of entrepreneurship and working in the food and beverage industry. Nabeel Alamgir is the co-founder and CEO of Lunchbox, a digital ordering and marketing platform specifically for the restaurant industry. He talks about his experiences with three start-ups, lessons learned from mistakes, the successes and challenges...

The agricultural industry's broad supply chain and complex distribution system feed the world. Cale Rice, VP of lending with National Bank Holdings, brings his passion and extensive experience to the table to discuss financing, banking, and the challenges that exist for the food and agricultural industry. He discusses the complexities of the supply chain, factors that impact the commodity markets,...

Iconic branding will stick in a consumer's mind for years. Presenting a consistent brand experience across every touchpoint is critical to a successful marketing campaign for any F&B product. Branding expert Alexandra Liebler shares insights on how to build brands and deliver profitable growth. She discusses building brand experience and creating emotional connections, shares insights into how bra...

Functional beverages are sweeping the markets, and the intersection between mental wellness and organic living meets at the first plant-based smoothie made from whole coconut – Genius Juice. Alex Bayer, founder of Genius Juice, discusses the evolution of his company, scalability, supply chain issues, launching a new product line, and building a sustainable business. Hear insights from this entrepr...

When selling your company, you are likely to be approached by an independent sponsor who may be interested in acquiring your company. What is an independent sponsor, and how are they different from private equity firms? Are their criteria different from other investors? What should you know about independent investors before you consider selling your business to one? Join us as we fully explore th...

Plant-based foods are gaining popularity as consumers recognize the relationship between eating well and feeling well. Connie Marples, founder of Boosh Plant-Based Foods, shares her experiences operating a start-up through going public and recently acquiring Beanfields. She discusses consumer preferences and interest in plant-based foods, financial audits, integrating an established new acquisitio...

Beer is one of the oldest food products in the world. Lawyer and craft brewer Kevin McGee of Anderson Valley Brewing Company explores the excitement of the craft beer industry and gives a brief history from Prohibition to today. He discusses the definition and concept of craft beer, what draws consumers to craft beer, the influence of private equity investments and how this changed the industry, p...

What is outsourced corporate development? What companies are suited for this type of growth, and what is the process? Ryan Goral, founder of G-Spire Group, a company focused on helping entrepreneurs grow through acquisitions, answers these questions and more. Topics include prerequisites an owner should have in place before pursuing growth, what's involved in different phases, discussion of the mo...

Approximately half of the acquisitions are unsuccessful. Why? A lot has to do with a lack of successful integration. How can acquirers improve their chances of success? Why is there a disconnect between the pre-closing team and the post-closing integration team? Listen as we take a deep dive into M&A integration strategy with Tony Benedict on the perils of post-acquisition integration. View the co...

Experienced dealmaker and entrepreneur Touraj Parang shares his philosophy that an exit strategy, if implemented early, is the surprising secret to ultimate startup success. This wide-ranging discussion covers the differences and parallels between venture capital and corporate development, common mistakes to avoid when selling, planning a successful exit strategy, insights into how to make leverag...