Ingrained Insights Podcast

Love + Chew started out in founder/CEO Lauren Chew's San Francisco apartment, with the idea of crafting plant-based snacks that tasted good but also fit in with her aim of eating better. The idea took off, and now the line of vegan, gluten-free cookies are found on the shelves of thousands of stores, including Whole Foods Markets, Costcos, and other big names. Chew tells us more about the company'...

Nearly every consumer that has had taken bread home also has brought a Kwik-Lok product into their household. The company's distinctive tags and closures are used to close up a significant share of bread bags sold in the U.S. Karen Reed, global director of marketing and communications, shares with SF&WB the company's history, recent innovations, and work on sustainable solutions.

Multimedia Specialist Brett Parker sits down with Melissa Miranda, vice president of marketing for Frito-Lay North America, as they discuss a cross-promotional collaboration this past spring between Frito-Lay and Hasbro that treated consumers to a multi-platform game bringing families closer together with the power of snacks and board games.

Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and other drugs aim to help people manage their weight as well as their diabetes symptoms. Denisse Colindres, manager of nutrition communication, North America, Beneo, discusses a recent study that indicates a certain ingredient that stimulates the release of the hormone that helps the drugs work their magic, and what that might mean for snack and bakery producers. 

Calbee has been operating in the BFY snack space since its founding in 1949 and has continued to innovate ever since. Calbee America President Tim Bateman sat down with us to discuss the company's history, foundation in better-for-you bites, and plans for the future. 

Chicagoans may be more familiar with the sweet and savory Asian treats produced by the Wow Bao restaurant chain than the rest of the country. However, as the company grows and expands the reach of its retail offerings, that awareness is spreading beyond the windy city. Here, President and CEO Geoff Alexander talks about the company's history and growth strategy.

As a decades-old company, Mary’s Gone Crackers is one of the pioneers of the better-for-you and organic snack spaces. What’s more, the company continues to grow (it doubled manufacturing capacity earlier this year) and innovate (hello, Mary’s Gone Kookies). CEO Michael Finete talks about the history, future, and messaging of the creative company. 

Since Quigg grew up in the baking business (several generations of Quiggs ran Richmond Baking before Bill took over as president and CEO), and he’s held leadership positions at the American Bakers Association before, he seems as apt a candidate as anyone to take over the organization as chair. During the recent ABA Convention, he took time to talk about baking being in his blood, his personal lead...

Nate Chesher, marketing director of the Cherry Marketing Institute, not only appreciates the taste and versatility of the fruit. He also loves talking about it, which he did with SF&WB recently. Listen in on the discussion of the health benefits and myriad uses of cherries in snack and bakery products, and how to use cherries to create foods that delight consumers.

Consumers around the world love their snacks. The fifth annual State of Snacking Report, courtesy of Mondelēz International, reveals some interesting insights into just how much people prioritize their snacking. Graham, global head of insights and analytics, has the scoop.

PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, recently unveiled its 2023 State of the Industry US Packaging Machinery Report. Egan reveals some of the key highlights from the info-packed resource, focusing on what the findings might indicate for the future of packaging and equipment investment for snack makers, bakery producers, and others in the CPG food field.

Ready-to-eat popcorn is a popular snack category, with plenty of players on the field. Asheville, NC-based Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn offers a range of unique, premium flavors that make it stand out, in pouches that stand up. Frank discusses the brand’s history, growth, and innovation.

Rich Products is betting big on the future of its cake and cupcake business. Spratt connected with Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery to discuss the recent $27 million investment in its Middleton, TN facility, and its history of growth and innovation.

Consumers in the U.S. generally want to eat better, but they struggle to find foods (including snacks and baked items) that meet their healthy eating goals. During this podcast, Dr. Corwin talks about how producers can strive to provide healthier foods, while still delivering on good taste.

It’s not enough for a snack to be better for you to capture consumer interest, and keep them coming back. It has to taste good, too. If it combines being healthy and being tasty with being good for the environment, that’s a nice bonus. Anish Sheth talks about Redbud’s hat-trick snack Cheddies Crackers, its attention to quality, and its plans for the future.

When choosing bakery and snack purchases, consumers are interested in eating healthier, but they don’t want to give up indulgence—especially when it comes to chocolate. Cristian Chu Salgado recently connected with Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery to talk about what shoppers are looking for, trends in chocolate, and how producers can harness the power of chocolate to deliver tasty BFY options.

What will 2024 hold for the bakery industry? In this latest podcast, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery checks in with two experts from Rich Products—Seb Margaglio, customer shopping marketing manager, and Bill Heiler, senior customer shopping marketing manager—to talk trends. The experts share their thoughts on what might show up on bakery shelves in terms of flavors, colors, ingredients, and more...

Predicting the future can be difficult and risky, but having an idea of what consumers are looking for can be incredibly helpful for snack and bakery pros planning for future success. Daludado, senior food technologist with T. Hasegawa, sat down with Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery Chief Editor Jenni Spinner to talk dessert and confection trends, and what the coming year might hold for producers...

Creating snack chips out of chicken breast might seem like a wild idea, but it’s one that’s caught on with consumers, who now can purchase the products at Target and other high-profile stores. Wright, founder of Wilde, talks about the company’s early days, notable growth trajectory, and what’s ahead for the brand.

Lots of U.S. households have a bottle of soy sauce in their pantry, which they typically employ to season homemade or take-out Asian dishes. However, as Chef Andrew Hunter shares with Chief Editor Jenni Spinner, soy sauce is a much more versatile substance than most consumers realize. The culinary expert explains how soy sauce can be used in a broad range of snack and bakery products, and the diff...

What started out as a labor of love in the Reamers home kitchen has become a rapidly growing national snack brand. Specializing in sweet potato chips cooked in avocado and coconut oils and sprinkled with creative seasoning blends, the company’s products are attracting consumers and winning awards.

Consumers aren’t just interested in healthier eating—often, they are seeking out foods that deliver a specific benefit, such as improved heart health. Colindres, BENEO’s nutrition communication manager for North America, explains how bakery and snack producers can hit the mark and deliver with their products.

Baking is not a business for the faint of heart, and the challenges of the past few made that saying truer than ever. Experience baker Gordon and husband Hartong spoke with SF&WB Chief Editor Jenni Spinner to share how creative thinking and perseverance helped carry the Brooklyn-based bakery through some very tough times.

Serving as director of sustainability at the almond growers collective seems like a great career fit for Sonke—as a kid growing up on his family’s almond farm, he knows a lot about almonds and environmental stewardship. In this podcast, he talks about the organization’s mission and dispels some common misconceptions around the sustainability of almonds.

Brett Parker of SF&WB sat down with Lioy, Dawn’s chief people officer, to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion work at the company. He highlights how a bakery company can successfully implement DEI efforts, what to do if such programs are challenged, and how to be innovative in shaping new techniques.