Podcast
Taste Radio
Hosted by BevNET Inc. · EN
The top podcast for anyone building a business in food or beverage, BevNET's Taste Radio features interviews with the leaders and rising stars of our fast-evolving industry. The shows also include discussion on emerging trends, innovation and news of the week from our regular cadre of hosts from the BevNET and NOSH teams.
Tell us what you think at ask@tasteradio.com. You can also email us if you are interested in Taste Radio sponsorship opportunities. And if you like the podcast, share it with a colleague, will ya?
896episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
What Betting On Brands Taught Darren Rovell About Building One
4d ago00:40:38Summary readyThe best founders know that great products don't win on their own. Investor, entrepreneur, and longtime business journalist Darren Rovell joins Taste Radio to share the lessons he's learned backing breakout brands like Athletic Brewing, PopUp Bagels and Biena Snacks, building his own company, Kickstand Cocktails, and evaluating hundreds of startups every year. He explains what separates investable founders from the rest, why adaptability beats stubbornness, and how emerging brands can carve out an advantage – even in the most competitive categories. Show notes: 0:20: Darren Rovell, Founder, Kickstand Cocktails & Tastemaker Capital – Darren offers his perspective on the widespread adoption of testosterone therapy and GLP-1 drugs before diving into the investment philosophy behind Tastemaker Capital, explaining why he favors backing exceptional founders and differentiated products over rigid venture capital playbooks. He reflects on successful investments like Athletic Brewing and the consumer insights that led him to recognize the potential of non-alcoholic beer years before it entered the mainstream. Darren also discusses lessons learned from missed opportunities and the collapse of Foxtrot Market, emphasizing the importance of founder communication, adaptability, and conviction. He then shares his journey as the founder of Kickstand Cocktails, a premium line of spicy craft vodka sodas inspired by a disappointing bar experience, detailing how the brand has evolved through continuous iteration while staying true to its core promise of balanced, approachable spice. Along the way, he candidly discusses the challenges of building an alcohol brand within the three-tier distribution system, why supermarket distribution has been central to Kickstand's growth, and how he evaluates startups today—arguing that product quality and founder adaptability matter more than branding, while warning that AI-generated pitch decks make it harder than ever to separate substance from polish. Brands in this episode: Biena, BODYARMOR, Athletic Brewing, Saint Pauli Girl, O'Doul's, Guinness, Fisher Island Lemonade, Kickstand Cocktails, Cutwater Spirits, High Noon, Long Drink, On The Rocks, Surfside, Spikeade, Super Lyte, Gatorade, Powerade, Coca-Cola, PopUp Bagels
Summary
PepsiCo Is Paying Attention. Are You?
1w ago00:28:32Tap to summarizeConsumer expectations are changing fast, and brands of every size are being forced to adapt. In this episode, we discuss what PepsiCo's response to GLP-1s and inflation signals for CPG. We also dive into Vita Coco's acquisition of a super-premium rival, and sample everything from cereal-inspired protein shakes and date-sweetened cola to birch water and caffeinated banana milk. Show notes: 0:20: Chi, Summer. Is Ce Real? Pep Rally. Coco + Copra. Date Drink. The Two a Yous. It's French. — Ray and Melissa lament how quickly summer is slipping away, but they're looking ahead to Taste Radio's upcoming meetup in Chicago. Meanwhile, Mike is mixing up an unconventional concoction he swears will improve his physique. Melissa then leads a conversation about PepsiCo's response to GLP-1 adoption and persistent inflation, prompting a discussion about how major CPG companies are balancing lower prices on core products with innovation in premium and functional offerings—a dynamic that's creating both headwinds and opportunities for emerging brands. The hosts also examine Vita Coco's acquisition of premium coconut water brand Copra, viewing it as a strategic move to expand across multiple price tiers and compete more directly with Harmless Harvest. Ray samples Unpop's date-sweetened cola and highlights Tuyyo agua fresca hydration sticks, NYMBL high-protein ice cream, and OOZ birch water, while Melissa gives high marks to Halfday iced tea and Matcha DNA's powdered matcha lattes. Brands in this episode: Spylt, Miils, Doritos, Carbone, Copra, Vita Coco, Harmless Harvest, Jolt Cola, Olipop, Poppi, Nixie, Stiller's, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Halfday, Nymbl, Protein Pints, David, Tuyyo, Unpop, OOZ, Matcha DNA, Minor Figures
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Whole Foods Said Wait. Little Spoon Built A $150M Brand Instead.
2w ago00:29:32Tap to summarizeHow do you build a $150M CPG brand when your first retail opportunity falls apart? For Little Spoon, the answer was to stop waiting for the shelf and start building a relationship with the customer. After its initial plans to launch fresh baby food with Whole Foods hit a roadblock, co-founder and chief product officer Angela Vranich helped steer the company toward a DTC-first strategy that transformed Little Spoon into the largest direct-to-consumer baby and kids food brand in the U.S. The company has since expanded into more than 100 products, entered retail through an exclusive partnership with Target, and built a business around understanding what modern parents want. In this episode, Vranich breaks down the decisions, challenges, and operating principles behind Little Spoon's rise — from product innovation and customer education to scaling a complex food business without compromising quality. Show notes: 0:20: Angela Vranich, Co-Founder, Little Spoon – Angela discusses how a setback with Whole Foods ultimately shaped Little Spoon's trajectory, prompting the company to pivot to a direct-to-consumer model. After selling more than one million meals in its first year, Little Spoon validated an opportunity to disrupt kids' nutrition and build a deeper relationship with families. She talks about the company's commitment to premium ingredients, rigorous testing, and transparency, as well as the operational complexity of managing more than 25 co-manufacturers, six fulfillment centers, and products across ambient, refrigerated, and frozen categories. Angela also shares how Little Spoon built a brand centered on education and content, recognizing that parents were looking not just for food, but guidance and support as they navigated feeding their children. She also highlights the company's culture, where transparency and collaboration help ensure that ideas can come from anywhere within the organization. Finally, Angela explains why Little Spoon entered retail through a major Target launch in 2025 and how the company is using insights from its DTC platform to inform its retail strategy and thoughtful expansion into additional chains. Brands in this episode: Little Spoon
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The Good, Bad & Ugly Of Mission-Driven Brands
2w ago00:33:02Tap to summarizeCan a brand built on purpose survive when its mission is put at risk? The hosts dive into the escalating conflict between Ben & Jerry's and its parent company over funding cuts to the ice cream maker's philanthropic foundation, debating whether a brand so closely tied to a social mission can preserve its identity after acquisition and how the dispute could influence consumer loyalty in an increasingly competitive premium ice cream category. The discussion also examines how founders should approach purpose-driven branding, with early-stage sparkling water brand Atomico serving as an example of a young company that integrates its mission into its business without overshadowing the product itself. The hosts also sample and review a variety of emerging products, including South Chicago Packing's Wagyu Beef Tallow Spray, Cozy's refrigerated snack bars made with grass-fed butter, Bakeful's better-for-you brownies, muffins and donuts, MixMix THC beverage stick packs, and Muffits protein mini muffins. Show notes: 0:20: On Tap. Social Scoops No More? Space Age Sparkling Water. Tallow & Butter. Munchin' On Muffins. The hosts preview two upcoming community events: the Taste Radio Chicago Meetup at Pilot Project Brewing on Aug. 13 and a Nombase webinar featuring executives from Goodles and Culture Pop on July 28. They then explore whether a purpose-driven brand can preserve its identity after being acquired, and how changes to its philanthropic commitments could reshape consumer perception. As a counterpoint, they spotlight an emerging functional sparkling water brand that supports STEM education through NASA Space Camp scholarships. Later, Melissa highlights a beefy cooking spray, Ray shares a pair of brands—one making better-for-you yet indulgent snack bars and another reimagining Hostess-style treats for today's consumers. Mike stirs things up with powdered drink mixes, and the episode wraps with a discussion of protein snacks—because, of course, it does. Brands in this episode: Goodles, Culture Pop, Nantucket Nectars, Annie's, Ben & Jerry's, Stonyfield, Jeni's, Van Leeuwens, Salt & Straw, Tillamook, Atomico, Spindrift, South Chicago Packing, COZY, Bakeful, MixMix, Muffits
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Pitching An 'Empire' Builder: Hover, Purple Drop, Atomico, Ola Mate & ChamCham
2w ago01:06:50Tap to summarizeThe latest episode of Taste Radio's Elevator Talk spotlights innovative leaders from Hover, Purple Drop, Atomico, Ola Mate and ChamCham. The founders and operators introduce their brands and share recent company updates and milestones. This week's special co-host is Rebecca Bernard, the founder and CEO of Empire City Brand Builders, a sales and marketing broker focused on growing brands in the New York Metro area. Rebecca offers insightful questions, thoughtful feedback, and strategic perspective alongside regular host Ray Latif, editor and producer of the Taste Radio podcast. Early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for future episodes of Elevator Talk. Participation is free, interviews are conducted remotely, and it's a unique opportunity to pitch your product, share news, and receive expert feedback from industry leaders. Apply now to be featured in an upcoming episode.
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Scaling Special: Why Heathcote's Suzanne Lyon Refuses To Compromise
3w ago00:28:14Tap to summarizeWhat happens when your biggest growth opportunity threatens the very thing that makes your product special? Heathcote Bakery founder Suzanne Lyon built a devoted following with an ultra-premium chocolate chip cookie made with uncompromising ingredients and a meticulous process. Then came viral demand, endorsements from Oprah and Bobby Flay, and the challenge every founder faces: how do you scale without sacrificing quality? In this episode, Suzanne explains how she's navigating growth, retail expansion and investor interest while keeping craftsmanship at the center of the business. She discusses her commitment to premium ingredients, preservative-free recipes and exceptional quality as demand grows. She also shares how she overcame an early production crisis and why she's carefully choosing retail partners that align with Heathcote's premium positioning. Show notes: 0:20: Suzanne Lyon, Founder & CEO, Heathcote Bakery – Recorded on location at the 2026 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City, Suzanne Lyon shares how she went from talent agent to founder of Heathcote Bakery, and how a side project became a fast-growing premium cookie brand. She discusses the viral moments, Oprah's Favorite Things and Bobby Flay's endorsement that fueled demand, as well as the challenges of scaling a handmade, preservative-free product while maintaining the quality that sets Heathcote apart. Lyon also explains the brand's premium positioning, retail strategy and production partnership with Buddy Valastro, and why she's focused on building a profitable business before pursuing rapid expansion. She shares her long-term vision for creating an enduring brand without compromising the craftsmanship and consumer trust that have defined Heathcote from the beginning. Brands in this episode: Heathcote Bakery
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Why The Next Big Thing—In Booze Or Beyond—Is Often Borrowed
3w ago00:34:50Tap to summarizeCPG's next big ideas often emerge in unexpected places. In this episode, we explore what founders across food and beverage can learn from the rapid rise of hard sodas and hard sports drinks, as alcohol brands borrow from health, wellness and functionality to connect with younger consumers. The Taste Radio team is joined by Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata to discuss why familiar flavors, better-for-you positioning and shifting consumer behaviors are fueling these fast-growing categories—and whether they're poised for long-term success or destined to become another fleeting trend. They also unpack the surprising split between Costco and Deschutes Brewery, what it reveals about the evolving role of private label and retail strategy, and why Guinness has become one of the world's hottest beer brands by winning over an entirely new generation of drinkers. Show notes: 0:20: Harry Calling. Inspired Imbibing. $40M Is A Crooked Number. Lyte Come Lately. Crafty Costco. – Zoe and John share their experiences of seeing Harry Styles perform at Wembley Stadium and discuss how drinking culture among younger consumers in the U.K. differs from that in the U.S. The conversation explores Gen Z's evolving relationship with alcohol, the pandemic's lasting impact on drinking habits, and how brands are leaning into nostalgia and familiar flavors to connect with legal-age younger consumers. They also examine why alcohol companies are borrowing cues from the better-for-you beverage category, and the marketing challenges of positioning products with wellness-inspired messaging despite alcohol's inherent health limitations. Along the way, they spotlight the surprising rise of alcoholic sports drinks modeled after electrolyte beverages and viral drinking trends like BORGs. The discussion then turns to beer, where the hosts unpack the unexpected end of Costco's long-running private-label partnership with Deschutes Brewery, producer of the retailer's popular Kirkland Signature Helles Lager and Vintage Ale. The episode concludes with a look at Guinness' remarkable resurgence, exploring how the iconic stout has become one of beer's biggest success stories by winning over younger consumers through social media, the viral "Split the G" challenge, and the growing realization that it's lighter, more sessionable, and far more approachable than many first-time drinkers expect. Brands in this episode: Simply, Fresca, Owl's Brew, Bai, Crooked Pop, Poppi, Super Lyte, Surfside, Stateside Hard Seltzer, Gatorade, Spiked Ade, Pedialyte, Electrolit, Hoist, Deschutes, Guinness, Diet Pepsi
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How Curious Elixirs Built An Eight-Figure Brand Without Outside Investors
4w ago00:38:53Tap to summarizeHe built an eight-figure brand without raising a dollar of outside capital. Now he's sharing exactly how he did it. J.W. reveals the playbook behind one of the adult non-alcoholic category's earliest success stories. He explains why he bet on the sober curious trend years before it became mainstream, how direct-to-consumer sales fueled profitable growth from day one, and why relentless product refinement – not rapid expansion – has been the foundation of the brand's success. J.W. also discusses customer acquisition, retail strategy, premium pricing and the long-term vision that's guiding Curious Elixirs as it aims to redefine how people drink socially. Show notes: 0:20: JW Wiseman, Founder & CEO, Curious Elixirs – JW shares how his experience owning bars and drinking heavily inspired him to create one of the first premium non-alcoholic cocktail brands. He talks about developing the concept in 2013 and launching in 2015, and how he validated demand through Kickstarter, early consumer feedback and press coverage. JW explains why Curious prioritized profitability, premium pricing and digital marketing early on, how constant product refinement and customer feedback have fueled loyalty, and why focusing on how products make consumers feel has been central to the brand's success. He also discusses building an eight-figure business without outside investment, leveraging DTC data to expand into retail, thoughtfully approaching distribution and channel strategy, and balancing innovation with disciplined focus. He emphasizes Curious Elixirs' long-term mission to make premium non-alcoholic beverages a normal part of social occasions while proving that sustainable growth, strong customer relationships and unwavering product quality can build an enduring brand. Brands in this episode: Curious Elixirs, LesserEvil, Poppi
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AI Is Changing How Brands Are Built. It Can't Build Yours.
4w ago00:34:35Tap to summarizeAI is rewriting the rules of product discovery, and brands that aren't optimized for algorithms risk becoming invisible. The Taste Radio team explores how AI is reshaping retail and marketing, unpacks a proposed class action lawsuit over protein labeling claims, and explains why early-stage founders should build with mainstream consumers – not just niche audiences – in mind. Show notes: 0:20: Fourth & Over. Don't Let Claude Do All The Work. You Need A Lawyer. Think Big. Ahh, That Was Nice. – After some lighthearted banter about summer already being over, the team explores how AI is reshaping product discovery. They highlight the growing importance of strong product data, third-party validation, and authentic brand storytelling while warning against overreliance on AI-generated content. They also discuss a proposed lawsuit against The Only Bean over protein claims, examining increased scrutiny around functional nutrition messaging and the need for brands to carefully evaluate packaging claims. Finally, the team examines the challenge of creating products that are both distinctive and broadly appealing, using TalkBack's spicy shortbread cookies as a case study. They argue that brands seeking mass-market success must balance originality with accessible positioning and clear consumer benefits. Brands in this episode: MadeGood, Bobo's, Waku, Vermouth Mist, Four Loko, The Only Bean, Huel, OWYN, Kodiak, TalkBack, BodyArmor, Daily Crunch, Magic Chocolate, Dr. Bronner's, Maazah, Datefix, Greater Than
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OIipop/Graza Investor Tom Spier Rides The Elevator With Four Food Founders
Jul 801:01:31Tap to summarizeThe latest episode of Taste Radio's Elevator Talk spotlights innovative leaders from Bakeful, Scoops, Luv & Yum and DOU. The founders and operators introduce their brands and share recent company updates and milestones. This week's special co-host is Tom Spier, the founder and managing partner of BFG Partners, a venture capital firm that holds stakes in Olipop, Graza, Mid-Day Squares, AG and other fast-growing CPG companies. Tom offers insightful questions, thoughtful feedback, and strategic perspective alongside regular host Ray Latif, editor and producer of the Taste Radio podcast. Early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for future episodes of Elevator Talk. Participation is free, interviews are conducted remotely, and it's a unique opportunity to pitch your product, share news, and receive expert feedback from industry leaders. Apply now to be featured in an upcoming episode.
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