The Food Mentor

Today we’re joined by Cass Spies, Founder and CEO of Twisted Healthy Treats. Twisted Healthy Treats is one of Australia’s leading better-for-you frozen dessert brands, built on a simple idea – creating taste-first products that never compromise on flavour. Cass started the business in 2010 with a single frozen yoghurt and smoothie bar, before expanding into multiple retail locations and a strong p...

In this episode of the food mentor podcast I chat through “The Holy grail of developing a food or beverage product”.  It’s no secret that there are thousands of new brands and products launched every year. There are key reasons why some find success and enjoy rapid growth and many really struggle. Having enjoyed partnerships with key high growth brands in recent years I talk through 8 key elements...

It’ been another bonkers year for powerhouse sisters Bec and Narelle at Cubbyhouse Canteen. The Sisters just celebrated their 2nd birthday with their retail venture and are now entering into their 16th year running the parkside cafe at Union Street Park in Armadale. The sisters have built an incredible community of supportive young families through the park over the journey and this support has fl...

Today I’m chatting with Matt Demicoli the Co Founder and Managing Director of Health Lab. This year the team celebrate their 10th birthday.  Health Lab burst on to the scene back in 2015 with delicious plant based, gluten free protein snacks. You can find the health lab, Indulgent Balls, slices and bars in just about every supermarket and convenience store across Australia. Matt and the team have...

Today I’m chatting with Sugira Rubasha from ETS Rubasha media. We’re talking about my personal and professional journey, from humble beginnings growing up on the South Coast of England to now partnering with businesses to develop multi million dollar brands world wide.  We chat though my views on the importance of your personal brand, creating the career path that YOU want and how I shifted from t...

Welcome back to the Food Mentor podcast my name is David Burns your host and today we’re chatting with Fuad and Mehmet the founders of Pistabella Pistachio spread. It would be no secret that anything pistachio is in vogue in a big way right now, so in this episode we chat with the boys to understand how they saw this opportunity and more importantly how they’re going with the supply to Coles Natio...

Hey everybody welcome back to the food mentor podcast my name is David Burns your host and today we’re doing something a little bit different.  Growing up in England soccer (or football as the world game calls it) was a big part of my life, and when I’m not injured I still play for Brighton Albion (Bayside Melbourne).  I always fancied coaching young boys and this season I was lucky enough to be g...

Today I’m chatting with Chris Kitto, the founder of KittGro Advisory, a trusted growth partner for Australia’s emerging and scaling food, beverage and wellness brands. Chris has spent more than 20 years working in the Australian retail space, with over 10 years focused specifically on building and scaling food and wellness brands. Chris has worked closely with ambitious founders to bring products...

In this episode of The Food Mentor Podcast we are chatting with the founder Milo Gaffney about this exciting new hot snacking brand Go Snack.  Go Snack provides hot snacks conveniently packaged specifically for the convenience and travel industries. For convenience store and travel industry operators it’s as simple as from the freezer to the oven then into the hot hold unit - enabling consumers to...

Hi everyone welcome back to The Food Mentor Podcast, I'm David J Burns your host. I’m delighted today to chat with Jamie and Kim the founders of ILOVEUBABE XO exclusive womens collagen infused chocolates. Perfect for gifting, beauty and self indulgence - and just for women!  Edible beauty as this segment is called is in huge growth hitting $300 mil in the USA, so its perfect timing for Kim an...

It’s always very exciting in the food industry when a new segment comes along. Pistachio nuts are not new but Pistachio Spread certainly is. I’m delight today to welcome Fuad Baker the Sydney based founder of Pistabella Pistachio Spread.  This is a classic entrepreneurial story whereby Fuad and the team recently launched one of the first Pistachio Spreads in Australia.  The thing that really stand...

Meet Bec and Narelle Thompson. The powerhouse sister duo who this month are celebrating their first birthday for the Cubbyhouse Canteen retail venture. The Cubbyhouse Canteen brand is a childrens lifestyle brand supporting youth mental health - but the brand is not actually new. For 15 years Bec & Narelle have enjoyed life within their thriving Cubbyhouse Canteen parkside cafe at Union Park in...

In this episode of The Food Mentor podcast, I’m chatting with Arianne Sackville, founder of Bell and Bone, a pet food brand all about healthy, natural ingredients for dogs. Arianne shares her career journey, beginning with her university days at Monash and an internship at IBM, where she learned the importance of working for a brand she's passionate about. Arianne then decided  that corporate...

It’s not often you get the opportunity to chat with a successful brand co founder that sold to a multinational for 200 Million Pounds just 10 years after launching their brand in the UK. The brand is of course Grenade. Launching in the UK in 2010 with the vision of being an iconic weight loss product and the go to brand within Sports Nutrition. This really is a fabulous chat with Juliet Barratt wh...

Today we are talking all things chewing gum. But not any old chewing gum.  A big welcome to Marie Hatzimihalis the founder of Honest Gum (other wise known as The Gum Girl)  Honest Gum is the new frontier of chewing gum - ethically crafted and sustainably made and unlike other chewing gums on the market Honest Gum is made without a synthetic gum base.  Honest Gum is also packed with real ingredient...

Today we are chatting with an industry colleague of mine Tony Hunter. I met Tony about 5 years ago and I must say my first chat with him was extremely fascinating to say the least. Tony lives in Brisbane here in Australia and is a Food Futurist, renowned for helping manufacturers, retailers and the food industry in general understand what the future of food will look like in 10, 20 and 30+ years t...

This episode of the food mentor podcast takes a slight twist into the hospitality and hotel management world. On a recent business trip to Indonesia I met a fantastic Australian Brendan Lane Mullins the General Manager of Bali’s leading luxury hotel The Seminyak Spa and resort. https://www.theseminyak.com As most people would know Seminyak in Bali is one of the most popular tourists spots in Asia....

There’s never a dull moment in the food manufacturing world and this story is no different. Milo Gaffney has just celebrated his 20th Anniversary of The Outback Pie Company, having founded the business at the end of 2003 with his family. Milo has created a fabulous business by innovating, differentiating and filling the gaps in the market that major competitors have left behind! On top of that, Th...

Welcome back to the food mentor podcast I’m David Burns your host and today we are chatting to a delightful couple Cindy and Joe who are based in Sunny Perth, Australia.  Cindy and Joe established Seven Oaks Catering 10 years ago and it has now  become one of Australia’s leading corporate catering businesses supply 1000’s of platters a month of delicious fair to Perth’s corporate community. Of cou...

In this crazy food and hospitality industry, (and for any industry for that matter), looking after our mental and physical health is critical.  Introducing Parkrun https://www.parkrun.com.au/  The Parkrun story is nothing short of amazing, and in 2024 celebrates its 20 year anniversary.  Parkrun for me personally has been a key part of my life for over 10 years now.  Parkrun is a free 5km timed ev...

Today I’m chatting with David Freeman, the founder and CEO of H2COCO. David is the pioneer of coconut water here in Australia having launched in 2009 so almost 15 years ago. This is a great story of how David has not only held onto this market leading position but also how he has cleverly diversified into other beverage segments. David also chats through the importance of having a sustainability f...

We get asked this question a lot. How long does it take, how much does it cost and what is the best process to develop a new food/ beverage product from scratch? Regardless if you are a budding entrepreneur, a small - medium business or a large multinational organisation- the same detail applies. Zac and I have some fun with this one given we are well qualified to get into the detail of this excit...

In this episode we are delighted to be chatting with Friska Wirya from Fresh by Friska. Friska has a wealth of experience in change management consulting and is a renowned thought leader in this space. She shares with us her key insights surrounding change strategies for organisations and budding entrepreneurs. Technological advancements are providing unique opportunities for businesses to change...

Throughout 2023 Zac and I were very grateful to have met and chatted with some fabulous insightful guests. This mash up includes 2022 AFR fastest growing business David Andrew from Naked Life, The founder of Karma Bites Ashwin Ahuja, Tim and Liam from Bae Juice, a personal branding lesson from Tima Elhajj and more recently The Coles grocery GM Leanne White. Zac and I also chat through the rise of...

Nana Kwarteng is a delightful Ghanaian lady who has lived in Melbourne for 20 years. She has always been very passionate about bringing Ghanaian flavours, aromas and culture to Australian shores. The initial range of Nana Africa meat and seafood spice rubs really do look and taste amazing and I’m sure the splash of colour and pazaz  is well needed within the current supermarket spice section.  Nan...