Food Business Marketing Podcast | Brand Strategy, Sales, & Growth for Food & Farm Brands

Hosted by Katie Mleziva & Clint Matthews | Food Brand Strategy, Sales & Growth

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200

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The Food Business Marketing Podcast helps food business owners and farmers build stronger brands, make better decisions, and grow businesses that are easier to choose. Hosted by Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva and co-hosted by food entrepreneur and sales leader Clint Matthews, each episode explores the real-world decisions that shape successful food and farm businesses. Whether you're launching a new product, refining your brand positioning, rebranding your business, prioritizing growth opportunities, improving your marketing, or developing a sales strategy, you'll find practical insights you can put to work right away. Topics include: Food brand strategy Brand positioning and messaging Food marketing Consumer insights Product portfolio decisions Food business growth Farm marketing Food sales strategy Leadership and decision-making Building a business aligned with your values If you're asking questions like: What do I want my brand to be known for? How do I stand out in a crowded market? Which opportunities should I pursue—and which should I decline? How can I make my business easier to choose? How do I align my marketing, sales, and operations around a clear strategy? How can I train my team on my strategy? This podcast is for you, and you'll find new episodes every Wednesday, so be sure to follow. Let's go shake up shopping carts! Brought to you by Real Food Brands (www.RealFoodBrands.com). Join Katie and other food business owners to continue the conversation by joining the free Real Food Brands Marketing Round Table group on Facebook!

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60 recent

August 26, 2026Episode 20117 min

201. Sales & Distribution: Are You Focused on the Right Things at the Right Time? (5 of 9)

More sales sounds like a good thing, but we know that's not always true. With so many ways to sell and distribute your product, it's important to know which channels to focus on to help you meet your specific business goals—and how to crack the code within those channels. In this episode, we (Katie Mleziva & Clint Matthews) continue our Food Business Maintenance Check by looking at a few key things to consider as you assess your sales and distribution plan. We talk about choosing the channels that make sense for your product and business goals, understanding the financial and operational implications of how your product gets to the end user, and knowing when it may be time to change course. Clint also shares a costly lesson from Start Right Foods about a retail opportunity that once looked like a big win—but no longer made financial sense when circumstances changed. It's a good reminder that even when you have a plan, you need to keep reassessing it as the market, your business, and your goals evolve. In this episode, you'll hear: How to think about which sales channels make sense for your product and business goals Why it can be fruitful to focus on one channel and build a strong foothold before spreading yourself too thin How distribution can impact your margins Why a sales opportunity that once made sense may not always be the right opportunity to keep pursuing How questioning your assumptions can uncover opportunities to make your sales and distribution more effective Why grounding your sales strategy in your brand strategy can give you a major advantage when deciding where to focus You don't need to pursue every sales opportunity or have every answer today. The goal is to have a strategy for where you're focusing, understand why that path makes sense for the business you're working to build, and keep reassessing as you learn and circumstances change. If you could use support creating that and bringing it to life, we're happy to have a conversation about how we might be a good fit as part of your team. Mentioned in this episode: The 4 P's of Sales Series Playlist Choosing the Right Partners episode Brand Checkup Scorecard (Self Assessment) —————————– >>> Subscribe HERE to Katie's weekly email Newsletter for ways to bring the ideas you hear here to life for your business. —————————– Have a great week – see you next Wednesday! Katie & Clint

August 19, 2026Episode 20016 min

200. Start Here…Katie & Clint's Picks from 200 Episodes

There are 200 episodes just waiting to help you build your business! 🎉 So where do you start listening? Or, if you've been listening for a while, what might be worth revisiting with a new perspective that some time and experience have given you? In this episode, Clint and I went back through the archives and pulled out 5 episodes we think are especially worth a listen. Our picks cover brand strategy, sales, leadership, and regenerative agriculture, with ideas you can put to work as you build your business. Our Picks from 200 Episodes Clint's Pick: Episode 176 — Build Your Inner Edge to Deliver When it Matters Most | with Chad McGehee A conversation about mental resilience, brain training, and taking care of yourself as a leader so you can show up better for your business. Katie's Pick: Episode 182 — Your Brand Adds Value Across Your Business, Not Just Marketing Why brand strategy isn't just a marketing tool. It can be a business asset that helps you make better decisions, reduce rework, strengthen your positioning, and build business value over time. Clint's Pick: Episode 153 — Sales Intro: Unsure About Sales? Use This to Create a Process You Love The starting point for Clint's sales series and his 4 Ps of sales: Planning, Prepping, Pitching, and Persisting. If you want to strengthen your approach to sales, start here and then keep going with the full series. Katie's Pick: Episode 163 — Brand Pillars: The Backbone of Your Brand That Makes a Major Impact A practical place to start organizing your brand strategy. We talk about how brand pillars help clarify what your brand consistently stands for and give you a foundation to build from when it comes to messaging, products, and more. Shared Pick: Episode 192 — Stewarding the Land and Building Brand | Scaling Regenerative Agriculture with StarWalker Organic Farms One of our favorite conversations about regenerative agriculture, stewardship, and building a business around something bigger than the products you sell. Jason and Kristina also share a bigger vision for bringing others along as they work to move regenerative farming forward. Keep Exploring You don't have to scroll through 200 episodes to find what you need. Browse podcast episodes by topic on the Real Food Brands website or explore the Spotify playlists: Brand Strategy 101 Playlist Brand Strategy 201 Playlist Sales Series Playlist Business Management Playlist And be sure to follow the Food Business Marketing Podcast on Spotify or your favorite podcast app so you don't miss what's coming next. Whether this is your first episode or you've been here for years, thank you for being part of the first 200 . We've got no plans of stopping, and we're glad you're here as we keep working together to shake up shopping carts and help more people get access to real food. The best is yet to come - let's go shake up shopping carts! Katie Mleziva & Clint Matthews

August 12, 2026Episode 19913 min

199. Marketing: Are Your Efforts Adding Up to a Bigger Picture? (4 of 9)

Do you feel like all of your marketing efforts are adding up to something bigger, or more like a collection of tactics? Your marketing should support your business goals and bring your strategy to life in a cohesive, consistent way that makes your brand easier to choose. In this episode, we (Katie Mleziva & Clint Matthews) talk about why effective marketing starts before you decide what to post, where to advertise, or which tactic to tackle next. Using analogies from the art technique of pointillism to a snowball fight, we explore what happens when each of your marketing efforts contributes to one clear picture of your brand. We also dig into the role marketing plays in influencing consumer behavior, why food and farm business owners have an opportunity to use that influence for good, and how consistency across your customer touchpoints can build clarity and trust over time. In this episode, you'll hear: Why your marketing should start with strategy and business goals—not tactics How each customer touchpoint can help people understand the value of your brand Why cohesive, consistent marketing can build recognition and trust How marketing can influence consumer decisions without manipulating or adding to the confusion Where to start: a simple "One Room Test" to see what all of your marketing efforts are adding up to today Whether you're thinking about social media, packaging, email, your website, sales materials, trade shows, or what happens at the shelf, the goal isn't simply to do MORE marketing. It's to make sure what you're already doing is working together to reinforce what you want your brand to be known for. Mentioned in this episode: The CMO Podcast with Jim Stengel and guest Todd Kaplan, CMO of Kraft Heinz A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat (example of pointillism) Up next...EPISODE 200! We've got a special episode for you that will help highlight our top value-packed past episodes you will want to go back to if you missed or haven't listened to in a while. —————————– >>> Subscribe HERE to Katie's weekly email Newsletter for ways to bring the ideas you hear here to life for your business. —————————– Have a great week – see you next Wednesday! Katie & Clint

August 5, 2026Episode 19815 min

198. Financial Clarity: Are Your Numbers Helping You Make Better Decisions? Business Maintenance Series (3of 9)

Food & farm business financials aren't just about accounting—they're one of the most valuable tools for making informed business decisions. In Part 2 of our 8-part Business Maintenance series, we (Katie Mleziva and Clint Matthews) explore why financial clarity is essential for food business owners, farmers, and CPG brands working to grow with confidence. Whether you're launching your first products and experiences or have been in business for years, understanding your numbers can help reduce uncertainty, improve planning, and uncover opportunities you may be missing. In this episode, Clint shares three practical areas he uses in his own business to build stronger financial visibility, and Katie connects financial clarity back to brand strategy and decision-making. In this episode: Why financial clarity helps reduce uncertainty and build confidence How understanding your true Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) impacts pricing and profitability Why understanding margins across distributors, retailers, and your own business matters so much The huge benefits of reviewing your financials consistently—not just at tax time How financial clarity supports stronger marketing, operations, and growth decisions Why it's never too early—or too late—to gain a clearer picture of your business Remember: Whatever your numbers say, it's better to know what you're really working with. If this episode was helpful, follow in your favorite podcast player so you don't miss the rest of our Business Maintenance series, where we're exploring eight key areas that help food businesses stay aligned and continue growing with purpose. ----------------------------- >>> Subscribe HERE to Katie's weekly email Newsletter for ways to bring the ideas you hear here to life for your business. ----------------------------- Have a great week - see you next Wednesday! Katie & Clint

July 29, 2026Episode 19712 min

197. Brand Clarity: What Do You Want Your Business to Be Known For? | Business Maintenance Series (2 of 9)

Your brand isn't built by one great product, pitch, or marketing campaign; it's built by planting a clear idea and reinforcing it through every business decision you make. That's why Brand Clarity is the first stop in our Food Business Maintenance Series. In this episode, food & farm business strategists Katie Mleziva and Clint Matthews explore why getting clear on what you want your business to be known for creates better business decisions across your business to create consistency, align teams, and make everyday decisions easier to make. Katie also shares where to start so you can think about your own brand's clarity! In this episode, you'll hear: Why Brand Clarity is the foundation for every other area of your business Three questions to help define what you want your business to be known for What brands like Liquid Death, Lifetime Fitness, Aldi, and Start Right Foods can teach us about consistency How Brand Clarity improves team alignment and simplifies decision-making Katie's tip on where to start: finding the intersection of Company, Consumer, and Competition Why better brand decisions lead to better business decisions Questions to reflect on: What do you want your business and brand to be known for? Would everyone on your team answer that question the same way? Are your daily decisions reinforcing that reputation—or pulling your brand in different directions? Brands mentioned in this episode: Liquid Death Lifetime Fitness Aldi (note: after recording, we looked up the meaning of Aldi and it DOES align with what they want to be known for!) Start Right Foods Make sure to listen to Ep 196, which set the stage for this series. See you next week - until then, let's go shake up shopping carts! Katie Mleziva & Clint Matthews

July 22, 2026Episode 19619 min

196. Business Maintenance Check: 8 Areas to Review (1 of 9)

Your business doesn't have a check engine light. There usually isn't one clear signal that tells you your marketing, operations, finances, or your product mix have drifted out of alignment. Instead, small issues build over time until you feel scattered, and they begin affecting growth. That's why stepping back to periodically review your business isn't just helpful—it's part of building a stronger brand. In this episode, food & farm business strategists Katie Mleziva and Clint Matthews walk through eight key areas every food business owner should evaluate on a regular basis. Whether you're halfway through the year or simply looking for a fresh perspective any time you find this episode, this framework will help you identify what's working, where things may have drifted, and where your next best opportunity may be. Use this episode as a friendly reminder that your brand isn't just an item on the list to talk with your graphic designer about. It's a business management approach - the lens that helps guide every other decision you make. In this episode, you'll hear: Why every food business benefits from a periodic "maintenance check" How your brand serves as the North Star for better business decisions The eight areas we talk through include: Brand clarity Financials Marketing Sales & distribution Product mix Operations Customer experience Leadership & team Why alignment isn't something you achieve once—it's something you continually maintain. Where to learn more about each of these if you're feeling stuck Resources & Links ✔ Download the Free Brand Strategy Checkup to evaluate your brand and identify opportunities to build a stronger, more aligned business. Plus, you'll get the Friday newsletter with more details on these 8 points! ✔ Learn more about working with Katie & Clint by scheduling an intro call here . ✔ Past Episode mentioned: Here is a Spotify Playlist of Food Business Management episodes for you all in one spot. If this episode helped you step back and look at your business differently, share it with another food business owner who is building with purpose. Small shifts in alignment today can create a much bigger impact over time See you next week - let's go shake up shopping carts! Katie & Clint

July 15, 2026Episode 19543 min

195. The 5 Hidden Product Gaps That Stop Food Businesses From Scaling - featuring food scientist Jacinta Kemboi

You can't build a strong food brand without a great product—but a great product alone isn't enough to build a business that can scale. 💡 Before your product can become the foundation of a strong brand, it has to be ready for growth. In this episode, Katie and Clint sit down with food scientist Jacinta Kemboi , founder of Cama Research & Development, to discuss the 5 Hidden Gaps she sees preventing food products from successfully scaling. From product integrity and shelf life to packaging, manufacturing, and commercial viability, Jacinta shares the foundational work that often happens behind the scenes—and why addressing these gaps early can help food business owners avoid costly missteps later. Whether you're preparing for retail, working with a co-manufacturer, or simply working to build a stronger business, this conversation will help you think differently about what it takes to grow. In this episode, we discuss: Why a great product is the foundation of a strong brand. The 5 hidden gaps that can limit a product's ability to scale. Product integrity and how to maintain consistency as demand grows. Why shelf life is both a food safety issue and a business decision. The joys of scaling your recipes and what to do if the "recipe gnomes" seem to be involved. How packaging protects more than your product—it protects your brand, and the important decision on packaging substrates. Commercial viability, margins, and knowing whether a certain channel like retail is even the right fit. Why early traction doesn't always mean retail readiness. How addressing these foundational elements can save significant time, money, and frustration as you grow. How geometry impacts your food business! Why having a "gold standard" is so valuable. Resources Mentioned Join Katie's weekly newsletter here RealFoodBrands.com or Katie's Instagram Cama Research & Development - Connect with Jacinta Kemboi and take Jacinta's Product Readiness Quiz Listen to Jacinta's podcast: Scaling Your Healthy Food Product How to Build a Brand People Trust (Ep 188) Until next week, let's go shake up shopping carts! Katie Mleziva – Host & Food Brand Strategist Clint Matthews - Host, Co-Founder at Start Right Foods, & Food Business Strategist PS-- Enjoying the podcast? If you're finding these conversations helpful, please follow, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with another food business owner. Every share helps us reach more brands that are working to make real food easier to choose.

July 8, 2026Episode 19416 min

194. Your Brand Is the Bridge...How Brand Strategy Can Align Your Whole Business

When sales, marketing, and operations don't seem to be on the same page, it's tempting to look for a tactical fix. But more often than not, the real opportunity isn't better tactics—it's better alignment. In this episode, Katie and Clint explore why your brand is the bridge that connects your entire business. A clear brand strategy doesn't just shape your marketing. It helps align leadership, sales, operations, customer service, and even external partners around a shared vision so your customers experience one consistent brand. That's why they say brand building is a team sport! Whether you're a solo business owner working with contractors or leading a growing team, this conversation will help you think about brand strategy as a practical tool for making better decisions, improving communication, and creating a stronger customer experience. In this episode, you'll learn: Why sales and marketing challenges are often signs of a bigger alignment opportunity. How brand strategy serves as the bridge between your vision and day-to-day decisions. Why customers need to experience one brand—not separate departments. Practical ways to communicate your brand strategy across your team. How involving your team creates better ideas and stronger buy-in. Why documenting your strategy helps turn hallway conversations into consistent action. Why brand building is a team sport How your brand values can guide hiring, onboarding, training, and leadership. Why celebrating wins helps reinforce your culture and brand over time. Key Takeaway A strong brand isn't built by one department. It's built when everyone understands what your business stands for, how they contribute to it, and how they work together to create a consistent customer experience. Your brand becomes the bridge that helps your entire business move in the same direction. Resources & Next Steps If you're ready to create more clarity and alignment in your food business, we'd love to help. Visit RealFoodBrands.com to learn more about working together or connect with me on Instagram to continue the conversation. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with another food business owner who's working to build a stronger, more aligned brand. Resources Mentioned Join the newsletter here RealFoodBrands.com or Katie's Instagram Until next week, let's go shake up shopping carts! Katie Mleziva – Host & Food Brand Strategist Clint Matthews - Host, Co-Founder at Start Right Foods, & Food Business Strategist PS-- Enjoying the podcast? If you're finding these conversations helpful, please follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with another food business owner. Every share helps us reach more brands that are working to make real food easier to choose.

July 1, 2026Episode 19324 min

193. How the Right Dietitian Can Help More People Choose Your Food Brand - featuring Whitney Stuart, RDN

People are inundated with complicated and sometimes conflicting nutrition messages. Food brands have an opportunity to replace confusion and food fear with a boost of clarity and confidence. When you think about advisors for your food brand, a dietitian might not be the first person who comes to mind....or is it? Beyond nutrition, dietitians can bring a unique perspective that helps you better understand your customers, communicate your product's benefits more clearly, uncover new market opportunities, and reinforce key support messages. In this episode, Katie and Clint are joined by registered dietitian and diabetes educator Whitney Stuart of Whitness Nutrition to explore how nutrition expertise can strengthen what you want your brand to be known for -- from product development and messaging to consumer trust and long-term brand growth...and more! This conversation offers a fresh perspective on the value of choosing advisors who align with your vision but will also challenge your thinking to make your team stronger and create better connections. As Whitney shares, helping consumers move from food fear to food confidence isn't just good nutrition—it's good brand building. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why the right dietitians can be valuable strategic advisors—not just nutrition experts • How RDNs can help uncover new customer segments, product development, ingredient decisions, and growth opportunities • How to communicate nutrition benefits in a way that's credible, clear, and easy for consumers to understand...making your brand easier to choose rather than adding to the noise • Why choosing advisors whose perspectives align with your brand matters • How some dietitians can help promote your brand to the right audiences • How curating the right team can help strengthen what your brand becomes known for And one final takeaway from the episode: ....BE KIND. READ LABELS. We can use a little more of both, right? :) Resources Mentioned Whitney's Website Whitney talking "easy swaps" on one of her TV appearances Join the newsletter here RealFoodBrands.com or Katie's Instagram And until next time, let's go shake up shopping carts! Katie Mleziva – Host & Food Brand Strategist Clint Matthews - Host, Co-Founder at Start Right Foods, & Food Business Strategist PS-- Enjoying the podcast? If you're finding these conversations helpful, please follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with another food business owner. Every share helps us reach more brands that are working to make real food easier to choose.

June 24, 2026Episode 19246 min

192. Stewarding the Land and Building a Brand - Scaling Regenerative Agriculture with StarWalker Organic Farms

Some people are skeptical that regenerative agriculture can be scalable, but our guests are proving it can be done while they build a strong brand as well. For Jason and Christina Walker of StarWalker Organic Farms, success started with a series of everyday decisions—and a few pivotal fork-in-the-road moments that shaped everything. StarWalker Organic Farms introduced the first Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) pork and beef in the United States and is working to help more farmers transition to regenerative agriculture through a scalable, farmer-focused model. In this episode, we explore the choices, values, risks, and long-term thinking that shaped their journey from a multi-generational family farm to a growing regenerative agriculture brand with a vision that extends far beyond their own acreage. Along the way, we discuss what it means to steward the land, build a business, create a brand, and leave something better for the next generation. In this episode, you'll hear about: The family decision that led StarWalker Organic Farms down the path of organic farming decades before it became more mainstream The pivotal choices that shaped the farm's growth, from launching a direct-to-consumer business to purchasing their own USDA processing facility What it means to produce the first Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) pork and beef in the US How regenerative agriculture, soil health, and nutrient density are connected The challenges and opportunities of building a vertically integrated food business How our life experiences that seem unrelated today may actually be preparing you for what's next How the business is helping other farmers transition to regenerative agriculture without having to build a brand. Their vision to create regional networks of regenerative farms and make high-quality food more accessible locally across the country What the brand will be known for...their answer wasn't about the products they sell. Listen to hear more! Whether you're a farmer, food business owner, entrepreneur, or someone who cares about where your food comes from, this conversation is a reminder to keep grounded in our purpose every single day. Resources Mentioned StarWalker Organic Farms Join the newsletter here RealFoodBrands.com And until next week, let's go shake up shopping carts! Katie Mleziva – Host & Food Brand Strategist Clint Matthews - Host, Co-Founder at Start Right Foods, & Food Business Strategist If you are interested in clarifying what you want your brand to be known for and making your brand easier to choose, please email me at katie@realfoodbrands.com . We'd love to hear what you are working on and see if we might be a good fit to work together...or at least share a few resources with you!