SKUFood Recipes for Success

Episode Summary In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success , we sit down with the co-founders of Saltwinds Coffee, Laura Richard and Brad Rideout, to explore how innovation, science, and entrepreneurship have come together to create one of Canada's most unique coffee brands. From their roots in New Brunswick to expanding into retail markets. Saltwinds has built their business by being dif...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success , Peter is joined by Amy Proulx of Niagara College Food and Beverage Innovation Centre. They explore what it really takes to move from concept to commercialization in today’s competitive food and beverage landscape. From formulation to scale-up, the journey from idea to shelf requires more than a great concept, it demands technical expertise, regulato...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success , we sit down with Kirk Homenick, President of Naturally Homegrown Foods, to explore how rebranding and innovation are driving growth and reshaping the snack category. Under his leadership, the business has evolved from a niche brand into a national and international player, with brands like Hardbite and the newly launched Poptastic. Kirk shares how e...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success , we sit down with Emily O’Brien, founder of Comeback Snacks, whose journey from incarceration to building a purpose driven brand is redefining what it means to make a comeback. Her story is a powerful example that your past does not define your future, and that resilience can be the foundation for something much bigger. Emily shares how she transform...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Cathline James, founder of Wise Bites, a purpose driven snack brand redefining what it means to be truly inclusive in food. Built on the belief that everyone deserves access to safe, nutritious options, Wise Bites has carved out a unique space in the better for you category with products that are free from the top 11 allergens while...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Carolyne McIntyre Jackson, co-founder of Crave Cupcakes, a nationally recognized, award-winning bakery brand that has grown from a single neighbourhood shop into a multi-channel business across Western Canada. What started with a simple goal, serve really good cake made from real ingredients and a commitment to from-scratch baking ha...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Jennifer Frame, a marketing and innovation strategist with more than 18 years of experience across retail, FMCG, luxury, and technology in both Canada and Europe. Originally from Nova Scotia and now based in Geneva, Switzerland, Jennifer has built a career helping brands sharpen their positioning, clarify their growth strategy, and e...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Peter Neal, co-founder of Neal Brothers Foods and a passionate advocate for mental health and human-centred leadership. For more than three decades, Peter has helped build one of Canada’s most respected family-owned CPG brands, known for their signature tortilla chips and salsas which has grown to encompass over 50 products including...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with John Ernst, a next-generation leader from Terra Beata Farms, one of Atlantic Canada’s most recognized cranberry growers and processors. After graduating from the Smith School of Business with a passion for entrepreneurship, John stepped into the family business during a period of rapid growth and hasn’t looked back. Over the past six...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Jake Karls, the unapologetically authentic and refreshingly relatable Co-founder & Chief Rainmaker of Mid-Day Squares, the good-for-you chocolate brand that went from a Montreal condo kitchen to tens of millions of bars sold across thousands of retail stores. Jake brings a no-BS approach to brand building. For him, the real diffe...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Jeff Lahey, Co-Founder & COO of Humble Chips, the brand turning organic potatoes and a sustainability-first mindset into a movement in snack food. With more than 20 years of experience across Frito-Lay, Guru Organic Energy, and Amplify Snack Brands (SkinnyPop), Jeff brings deep industry insight and a mission to create snacks that...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Mitchell Scott, co-founder & CEO of The Better Butchers, a Canadian brand building the next generation of meat alternatives.  Mitchell comes with deep experience in the food industry, he previously co-founded another major alternative-protein brand and now is on a mission to remove animals from the food chain while building purpo...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success , we sit down with Natalie Frederick-Wilson, Business Advisor at the Centre for Women in Business and program lead for SPICE – the Specialized Program in Cooking Entrepreneurship. With a focus on empowering under-represented women—particularly Black Nova Scotian, Indigenous, immigrant, and newcomer entrepreneurs—Natalie shares how SPICE helps food fou...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success , we sit down with Pedja Radjenović, a CPG strategist who helps founders transform their brand stories into strategies that actually sell. After building multi-million dollar brands at Molson Coors and Carlsberg, Pedja discovered that the difference between a good product and a great brand comes down to one thing, how well you tell your story. With ex...

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we sit down with Han Yue, co-founder of OHME! Foods. OHME! Foods is a Vancouver-based brand redefining what healthy snacking can be. With backgrounds in healthcare, Jenny and Han witnessed firsthand how small, daily habits can transform long-term well-being. As busy professionals and parents, they struggled to find snacks that were both nourishing and truly...

In this episode of Recipes for Success , we sit down with Red Seal Chef Sarah Bennetto O’Brien, founder of The Handpie Company, makers of chef-crafted, savory personal handpies that bring quality, local ingredients, and real flavor to Atlantic Canada’s frozen food aisles. Launched in 2017 with a mission to create grab-and-go meals that don’t compromise on taste or integrity, The Handpie Company us...

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success , we sit down with Tom, the driving force behind Healthy Berries Ltd. and the vision behind Superfruit Purée. With over 40 years in the food industry, Tom’s leadership philosophy is simple yet powerful: give people the targets and tools they need—and then trust them to succeed. That mindset has helped him build a passionate team dedicated not only to...

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we sit down with Joshua Counsil , engineer-turned-entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and co-founder of Good Robot Brewing and The Beverage Factory. Raised by murder mystery dinner theatre owners, Joshua brings a unique blend of creativity, strategy, and storytelling to the world of food and beverage. In 2014, he and his friends left behind their engineering care...

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we’re joined by Gary Hughes , Local Program Specialist at Sobeys , who has spent over 27 years growing with the company and building a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in grocery retail. Gary began his career as a clerk at a Garden Market IGA and worked his way up to Store Manager, before moving into buying and category management roles oversee...

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we sit down with Kristyn Carriere, co-founder of 7 Summits Snacks and a food innovator with over a decade of experience shaping some of the world’s best-known chocolate brands. Before launching her own venture, Kristyn worked in Europe with global leaders including Cadbury, Milka, Green & Black’s, and Godiva , where she mastered the art of product develo...

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we sit down with Nancy Tregunno, a seasoned food scientist and founder of Tregunno Food Solutions, who has spent over 30 years helping food and beverage companies develop products, optimize processes, and make smarter packaging decisions. Nancy brings a rare blend of scientific expertise and real-world experience, supporting small to mid-sized businesses as...

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we dive into the powerful role of data in the fresh food industry with Mike Mauti, at Execulytics Consulting . With over 25 years of experience in Canadian retail—most notably in senior leadership at Loblaw—Mike brings a wealth of knowledge on how analytics, execution, and strategy intersect to drive measurable success in the grocery sector. Mike shares how...

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we sit down with Kyla King—certified Red Seal Chef, food entrepreneur, and founder of Rad Jamz & Preserves Inc. and Rad Relish Co . Based in West Kelowna, BC, Kyla has taken her culinary training from Michelin-starred kitchens and turned it into a purpose-driven local business that’s now on shelves in over 200 Canadian retailers. Raised in East Kelowna o...

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we’re joined by Emily Nichols, a manufacturing engineer and founder of Connect Better Inc. Growing up on a farm, Emily developed a deep appreciation for the food industry and hands-on problem solving. She later honed her skills working at Quaker, gaining valuable experience in food manufacturing and operations. Drawing from her engineering background and exp...

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we’re joined by Rochelle Edwards from Calgary Economic Development, Manager of the Trade Accelerator Program (TAP). Rochelle brings a unique perspective as both a passionate supporter of small and medium-sized food businesses and an entrepreneur herself, having founded Tribal Vanilla, a company specializing in premium vanilla products. Drawing from her own e...