In the Sauce

Amber Bylund is the VP of Sales Strategy at Siddhi Capital Holdings ("Siddhi"). With 15 years of experience working in the CPG industry, first at General Mills and Danone, then at A Dozen Cousins, Amber is now a member of Siddhi's diligence and strategy team. On this episode of ITS, Amber breaks down sales channels as well as her best practices for building out a sales function at an early stage C...

Rachel Krupa is Founder of Krupa Consulting & The Goods Mart , a convenience store for a new generation. On this episode of ITS, Rachel and Ali talk about the different ways brands can use PR - from SEO strategy to thought leadership. They discuss driving momentum during moments of growth and moments of building, and how Rachel built the Goods Mart as a place to launch products into retail.   ...

Ari Raz is the CEO of The Coconut Cult , the small-batch, coconut-based yogurt company. On this episode of ITS, Ari and Ali talk about the virtuous cycle of limited time DTC flavors and their impact on retail sales, how brands should think about 2023, and what it was like to go from Founder working with a CEO to a CEO working with Founders. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit...

Elly Truesdell is the Founder of New Fare Partners , Co-Founder of Made By Nacho , and the former Global Director of Local Brands & Product Innovation at Whole Foods Market. On this episode of ITS, Elly and Ali talk about consumer evolution, how food tech impacted the natural foods industry, and why some VC's take calls with companies they're likely not planning on funding. Heritage Radio Netw...

Anouck Gotlib is the CEO of Belgian Boys , the company bringing tasty European staples into households across America. On this episode of ITS, Anouck and Ali discuss Jim Collins' framework of "What can we be best at?", and Anouck's path from bootstrapping the company, to 8 digits in revenue, to bringing on Equilibra as an equity partner last year. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported non...

Eric Skae is the CEO of Carbone Fine Food with 30 years of CPG experience in strategy, sales, branding, marketing, finance, and distribution. On this episode of ITS, Eric breaks down the elements of what makes a best in class brand, why WIIFM is his guiding principle, and how he frames his category stories with data. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support...

Jessica Young is the founder and CEO of Bubble , an e-commerce marketplace known as the "Etsy of Health Food." On this episode of ITS, Jess and Ali talk about the challenges early stage brands face when it comes to distribution, how Bubble can help solve some of those issues, and how brands can leverage some trends Jess is seeing in the changing consumer landscape. Heritage Radio Network is a list...

Jason Bidart is VP of Food Merchandising at Thrive Market and has been working in the supermarket industry for two decades. On this episode of ITS, Jason and Ali talk about the current grocery landscape, how brands can position themselves for greatness, what makes Thrive a different type of retailer, and what they're looking for in brand partners. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported non...

Daina Trout and Vanessa Dew are the co-founders of Health-Ade , and are currently serving as Chief Mission Officer and CEO respectively. On this episode of ITS, they share the secrets of their success: Not only building a category-defining, massive brand, but doing it together as co-founders and friends. Part business advice, part founder support, this episode is filled with some of the best wisdo...

Seth Goldman is the Co-Founder of Eat the Change , Co-Founder of PLNT Burger , Chair of the Board of Beyond Meat , and the Co-Founder of Honest Tea . On this episode of ITS, Seth shares the lessons he's learned growing teams, building brands, and rethinking industry standards.    Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support In The Sauce by becoming a member ! I...

Chris Tiffin is the Founder and CEO of Aisle , a cash-back rewards platform that works entirely through text. On this episode, Courtnie, Ali, and Tiffin talk about the marketing challenge of retail: Who is buying your product in store? What else are they buying? How do you incentivize repeat purchase when it's all opaque? Aisle is one of the tools brands are using as part of the solution. Heritage...

Aishwarya Iyer is the Founder + CEO of Brightland , the deeply loved olive oil, vinegar, and honey brand. On this episode of ITS, Aish and Ali talk about channels, roadmaps, and playbooks, oh my! Spoiler: there isn't one way to build, or a "best" sales or marketing channel. There's what fits for the product, the team, and the vision. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast...

Alex Bayer is Co-founder and CEO of Genius Juice , the whole coconut smoothies. He is also the host of 2 CPG-focused shows – the 15 Minutes of Genius podcast, and a weekly Linkedin live with Wade Yenny called Friday Vibes . On this episode of ITS, Alex and Ali talk about bonding with your consumer, building daily use, and selling where your audience is. Note to self: Your product doesn't belong ev...

Jessi Freitag is an operations consultant and the host of the weekly Startup CPG Podcast , a show for early-stage food and beverage companies. On this episode of ITS, Jessi shares the tips, resources, and systems that can help companies facing tough scaling challenges. A must-listen for founders and logistics folks in the industry. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast n...

Tobias Peggs is the Co-Founder and CEO of Square Roots , the CEA (controlled environment agriculture) company on a mission to bring locally-grown food to people in cities around the world, all year round. On this episode of ITS, Tobias and Ali discuss how Square Roots went from a moonshot idea to a minimally viable product to 5 climate-controlled indoor farms using AI to make farming viable for hu...

Courtnie Beceiro is the Head of Marketing at Haven's Kitchen and has been working with Ali since the brand was sold in 14 Whole Foods Stores back in 2018. On this episode of ITS, Courtnie and Ali chat all things HK, from team to marketing, to wholesale in general. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support In The Sauce by becoming a member ! In The Sauce is P...

Courtney Boyd Myers is the founder, CEO, and CMO of AKUA , the company making the world's first meat-alternative products made from kelp with regenerative ocean farming. On this episode of ITS, CBM and Ali talk about everything from kelp, to consumer taste buds, to meatless meat, to why it's so important to work hand in hand with your co-packer. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonpr...

Paul Voge is the CEO and Co- Founder, with his wife Maddie, of Aura Bora , the sparkling water made with herbs, fruit, and flowers. On this episode of ITS, Paul and Ali talk about how Aura Bora is communicating their values and differentiating itself from other sparkling waters. Whether it's brand voice, their flavors, or limited additions, Aura Bora is defining what craft water looks like at scal...

Kevin Lee is the Co-Founder of Immi , the better-for-you Asian American food brand that invented the world's first low-carb, high-protein, and 100% plant-based instant ramen. On this episode of ITS, Kevin shares how he and his co-founder applied principles from their experiences as tech product managers to CPG and built a deeply engaged community. Before they even had a great product.   HRN is hom...

Elle Lanning is Managing Director at Equilibra Ventures – a new platform from Daniel Lubetzky the founder of KIND Snacks. On this episode of ITS, Elle and Ali extract critical lessons we can all learn from KIND's journey: From its early days working to move out of the supplement set, to its iconic team culture, to the critical question it kept asking consumers. HRN is home to transformative exchan...

Jeremy Smith is the founder and CEO of LaunchPad , a full-service strategy, branding, and broker group focused on Costco. He has spent over 35 years in strategic sales, branding, and marketing, and has worked with some of the world’s most iconic brands including Apple, Chobani, Krave Jerky, and Bob’s Red Mill. On this episode of ITS, Jeremy breaks down Costco for the emerging brand: When it makes...

Anna-Lena Kamenetzky is the Founder and CEO of Touch Capital, a venture/growth investment fund focused on consumer products and services companies. On this episode of ITS, Anna-Lena shares insights from her career in investment banking, large cap investment firms, and private equity to help emerging brands plan for the future.   HRN is home to transformative exchanges about food. Our 35+ member-su...

Mike Gelb is the host of the Consumer VC Podcast , where he interviews venture funders and CPG founders. On this episode of ITS, Mike shares the themes and tenets he's gathered from over 200 interviews, including the importance of an organic sales engine, why retail-focused CPG investors are a great bet, the end of cheap digital ads, and why truly unique brands will make it through the rough patch...

Bobbi Brown is a beauty industry titan, world-renowned makeup artist, best-selling author, and now, the Founder of Jones Road , the beauty brand that's recently gone viral on TikTok. On this episode of ITS, Bobbi and Ali talk authenticity: Knowing who you are, what makes you feel good in your skin, and how your business is, and should be a reflection of that. This is one to save - full of both bus...

Hailey Swartz is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Actual Veggies , the chef-crafted veggie burger popping up in retailers across the US. On this episode of ITS, Hailey sings the praises of QVC, good ol' fashioned grocery stores, testing and learning with buyers, and surrounding yourself with just the right amount of people who know what they're talking about. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported...