ShelfSense: Stories Behind Our Stuff

At a time when food recalls are making us think more about where our food comes from and how far it travels to reach us, this episode of ShelfSense looks at a different model. I talk with Kristin Howard, General Manager of Real Pickles, a company that has spent 25 years building a regional food system around local farms, shorter supply chains, and the community it serves. We’re joined by Shannon L...

David Bronner shares with Cynthia and Gen Z Voice Emma Cosaboom how one family-owned soap company became a powerful model for purpose-driven business. From fair trade and regenerative organic sourcing to living wages, refill systems, Magic Chocolate, community engagement, and the Purpose Pledge, Dr. Bronner’s shows what it looks like when a company uses its products — and its power — to help chang...

IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) has been a short series of episodes to answer questions listeners and my students have had. in this episode, I share the context for decisions about who and what companies to have on the show. No Surprise - our first guest is with Time Magazine's Most Influential Company 2026, Dr. Bronner's on Tuesday, September 8. My hope is to bring the most inspiring, passi...

IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) is a new series of short episodes where I answer some of the questions I’ve been asked since launching ShelfSense. In this episode, I share my  journey into the natural and organic products industry from my own discovery of a broken food system, thanks to my dog, to taking students to Expos for 27 years.  Hopefully, you'll hear my passion for contributing to a bett...

IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) is a new series of short episodes where I answer some of the questions I’ve been asked since launching ShelfSense. In this first episode, I share the real reason I started the podcast—and why I believe purpose-driven entrepreneurs have so much to teach us, especially the next generation. Their stories have become a powerful way to bring passion, values, and possibility...

Wild-harvested ingredients are found in everything from herbal teas and supplements to skincare—but how do you know they were gathered in a way that protects both nature and the people who harvest them? In this episode, Sarah Vito of the FairWild Foundation joins Gen Z voice Yasha Devate to explain the FairWild certification and why it matters. Together, we explore how responsible wild harvesting...

Healthy skin starts with what you put on it every day. In this episode, Cynthia is joined by annmarie Skincare CEO Rachel Pachivas and Gen Z voice Izzy Desrosiers to explore clean skincare, mineral vs chemical, and the thoughtful ingredients behind the new Salt + Blue sunscreen. Discover how to better protect your skin while supporting a healthier future for people and the planet, and especially o...

With reports suggesting one of the most active tick seasons in years and new questions emerging about some conventional bug-repellent ingredients, many people are wondering how to protect themselves and their families outdoors. In Ticks & Bugs, Badger Co-CEO Rebecca Hamilton and outdoor enthusiast Naomi Phelps join me to discuss ticks, mosquitoes, Lyme disease awareness, outdoor protection str...

What happens when a mission-driven founder refuses to abandon the planet and the people behind our products? Seth Goldman joins Shelf Sense to talk about the evolution from Honest Tea to Just Ice Tea, and why purpose, organic sourcing, fair trade, and transparency matter most in the products we bring home. Alongside Gen Z voice Maci Gould, this conversation explores how trust is built — and why th...

We spend a third of our lives sleeping… but most of us have never stopped to ask what’s actually inside the mattress beneath us. In this episode of Shelf Sense, Cynthia Barstow is joined by Arin Schultz, Chief Growth Officer of Naturepedic, along with Gen Z voice and UMass alum Athena Velonis, to explore the surprising world of mattresses, bedding, flame retardants, indoor air, and what “organic”...

What does it really take to keep our orange juice organic? A lot and it goes on behind the scenes and in the groves - it might even mean inviting wasps in for a visit. In this episode, Cynthia sits down with Matt McLean—founder of Uncle Matt’s Organic, pioneer and former leader in the Organic Trade Association—alongside Gen Z voice and upcoming podcast host, Kylie Kittredge to uncover the effort,...

In Jungle to Shelf: The Medicine Hunter Story, I sit down with Chris Kilham—and  Gen Z voice Samira Krol—to trace the remarkable journey of botanicals from remote forests and indigenous communities to the products we find on our shelves. Chris shares how decades of global exploration uncover plants with real health potential, and why ethical sourcing and respect for local knowledge matter just as...

It’s the hottest new functional beverage that is truly refreshing. In this episode of ShelfSense: Stories Behind Our Stuff, Cynthia Barstow sits down with Erik Ramstad, farmer and founder of Farmwell Drinks, along with Gen Z voice Jacob Wilson, to explore a powerful (and little-known) berry: aronia. Grown on his family’s regenerative organic farm, aronia berries are gaining attention for their rem...

Milk is one of the most familiar foods on our shelves—but today, it’s also one of the most questioned. In this episode, Cynthia sits down with Stephanie Alexandre, Farmer Owner and passionate advocate for nutrient-dense foods, alongside Gen Z voice Nick Katsoulis, to explore what’s really behind the milk we drink—from taste and digestibility to how cows are raised and what A2/A2 actually means. To...

Every spring, magic happens in the forests of the Northeast. As the days warm and the nights stay cold, maple trees begin to flow — and the centuries-old ritual of maple sugaring begins. In this episode, Cynthia sits down with Arnold Coombs of Coombs Family Farms/Bascom Maple Farms, the most respected names in organic maple syrup. Arnold grew up sugaring as a child and has spent decades helping br...

As the industry-only Natural Products Expo West begins today, the future of our grocery stores takes shape. Cynthia goes behind the scenes of the natural products industry’s most influential gathering with hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith of New Hope Network to explore how conversations around regenerative organic agriculture, safer packaging, transparency, and trust move from shared vision...

Why can we trust organic cows? Cynthia sits down with Gary Hirshberg, Co-Founder and Chief Organic Optimist of Stonyfield Farm , alongside Gen Z voice Mari Averill , for a conversation that goes far beyond the dairy case. Gary shares the backstory behind Stonyfield—how a small, values-driven idea became a national brand by letting cows, farmers, and transparency shape relationships with consumers....

Tinned fish is everywhere—but is it actually a smart, sustainable protein? In this episode of ShelfSense, Cynthia Barstow sits down with Henry Lovejoy (EcoFish, Henry & Lisa’s, Freshé) to unpack what sustainability really looks like from the sea, and with Caitlyn Bangert, a Gen Z protein seeker, to ask the questions shoppers are quietly wondering. From sourcing and labels to taste, trust, and...

Since protein is hot right now, we wanted to go straight to the source of one of our go-to choices. In this episode, we sit down with mother (Annie) and daughter (Tessa) Diemand—second- and third-generation poultry farmers—for a conversation that helps close the distance between raising chickens and producing eggs with care, and the grocery store cooler. We unpack what labels like local, cage-free...

Data—not brands—shape our shelves. If you’ve noticed protein suddenly everywhere, beauty promises moving into drinks, or unfamiliar ingredients showing up in foods, this episode explains why—and what that means for us as shoppers. Scott Dicker of SPINS and I decode what’s hot heading into 2026—and how the trends that often appear first in supplements move next into the foods and beverages we buy f...

Looking for something bubbly to toast your Christmas or New Year’s celebration? Give a listen before you decide what to drink. Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or simply taking a pause, Wild Mocktail’s Rebecca Hamilton shows how intentional NA mocktails bring ritual, flavor, and festivity without the regret. Joined by Gen Z guest Ruby Adamowicz , who captures the cultural shift unfolding in he...

If food sensitivities make you feel like you’re always missing out, this episode is your warm invitation back in. Cynthia sits down with young founder Ali Lazowski , whose delicious dairy-free, gluten-free, refined-sugar-free and organic hot cocoa was born from her own long road to diagnosis, and Gen Z voice Grace Kaiser , who’s navigated similar struggles. Together, they share how comforting trad...

Your spice jar has a story… and it reveals what’s really behind the flavors in your food. Join Cynthia, Frontier Co-op/Simply Organic CEO Tony Bedard, and Gen Z voice Sara Yelle as they trace spices back to the people and places that grow them. This warm, eye-opening episode shows how everyday flavors carry purpose — and why the spices you choose matter more than you realize. As the holiday season...

Rice feeds half the world — and may be a key to saving the planet. In this episode, host Cynthia Barstow and Gen Z voice Marigold Averill sit down with Caryl Levine, co-founder of Lotus Foods, to explore how a staple grain can become a force for good. From preserving biodiversity to empowering women farmers and reducing methane emissions, discover how changing what goes into our rice bowls can nou...

Chocolate is one of the world’s sweetest pleasures—and one of its most bitter industries. In this episode, Cynthia Barstow and Gen Z voice, Vivian Mottl, talk with Joe Whinney, the pioneering founder of Theo Chocolate and now co-founder of Magic Chocolate , to explore how a once-broken system is being reborn through regenerative organic farming. With Dr. Bronner’s passing the torch to Magic Chocol...