The Food Means Business Podcast

You can make an amazing product, start the best marketing campaign, and partner with national chains… But if your product doesn’t make it to the stores, or more importantly, your end user, none of that actually matters.In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Andrew Lynch of Zipline Logistics on why young CPG brands shouldn’t overlook the logistical aspects of their business. Andrew shares how he got his start in logistics, what it really means to businesses, how it affects their bottom line, and why it might be worth getting support from a partner like Zipline.If you’re struggling with delivery, transportation, and getting product on your retailers shelves, this is one conversation you can’t miss!In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[01:31] Andrew shares the origin of Zipline Logistics[07:18] Why logistics are so important, especially for young CPG companies[11:25] Why it might be worth outsourcing logistics to companies like Zipline[16:25] How to know when your CPG brand is ready to start outsourcing logistics[18:46] How Andrew takes care of himself as a long-time entrepreneurGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

When it comes to PR and marketing for CPG brands, good design and strategic plans are important… But what if you could spread the word about your product through authentic relationships with partners who are just as enthusiastic about your product as you are?In today’s episode, I’m joined by Alison Seibert, founder of The James Collective, to talk about her unique approach to building relationships and building the foundations for a long-lasting CPG brand. She shares how she thinks about PR, marketing, and communication from a CPG perspective, the importance of understanding both your customers and potential partners, and how to find the partners who can help you take your product to the next level.If you’re in the growing phase of your CPG business, this is one episode you can’t miss! In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[00:41] How Alison built her PR and communication company (and how she niched down to working with CPG and beverage businesses)[09:42] How Alison connects companies and facilitates partnerships in her sphere[13:48] Why CPG owners need to be fully confident in their product[16:27] The importance of understanding your audience and buyer in the CPG space[21:31] How to foster meaningful relationships with partners and influencers (not making it purely transactional)[26:21] Alison’s well-rounded view of self-care for entrepreneursGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Scott Frohman grew up washing cars door to door before he could even drive. Even as an adult in a corporate career, he couldn’t quash his entrepreneurial spirit. But he also wanted to do something sustainable for his own energy, the environment, and for his larger community. So when he discovered mushroom powders that gave him energy without the jitters nearly a decade ago, he knew he had to create something with them. Fast forward a few years and Odyssey, his company that creates mushroom infused energy drinks, is growing steadily and spreading across the country.In this episode, Scott shares his origin story, how he landed on mushroom-powered energy drinks after testing out a variety of products, and how he’s managed the financial aspects of his business from raising capital to hiring carefully.If you’re in the growing and testing phase of your business, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss. Let’s jump in!In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[00:53] How Scott’s entrepreneurial journey started in childhood[03:26] How Scott’s product and offering changed over time[10:11] Why Odyssey has three different product lines and how they complement each other[16:55] Odyssey’s unique packaging and the meaning behind it[19:44] Scott’s advice for raising capital and finding investors [25:01] How Scott thinks about hiring and bringing in people to move his business forward[29:48] Scott’s self-care routine and how he regularly practices gratitudeGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Ariana Ruiz, a former corporate talent acquisition specialist, loved her career at Whole Foods and other start-ups, but eventually, motherhood pushed her to step back from the corporate world and into entrepreneurship. Now, she helps other small businesses hire and develop passionate employees so both the businesses and individuals can grow and thrive.In this episode, she breaks down her top three tips for finding and developing the right talent, and why taking your time to find the perfect fit is worth it. She also gets real about why your core values should guide your business decisions—and how to actually communicate those values to potential hires.Ariana doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff, like checking your biases in the hiring process and why a solid training program is an absolute must if you want your employees to thrive. If you're building a team while navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss. Let’s jump in!In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[00:53] Ariana’s background in food and how motherhood informed her decision to leave the corporate world[06:25] Ariana’s three tips for finding and developing the right talent[10:19] How your core values inform your business and how you can relay those values to potential employees[14:46] How to check your biases and make sure they don’t get in the way of hiring a good candidate (or accidentally hiring one that is a poor fit)[18:40] Why it’s so important to develop a training program for your employees[21:53] Ariana’s self-care routine now that she’s an entrepreneurGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Justine Reichman, founder of NextGen Purpose, has entrepreneurship in her DNA. And today, she’s here to chat about those roots and how they cross over with her love of food and cooking. In this episode, Justine explains how NextGen Purpose is helping CPG and food startups craft authentic stories that resonate with their target audience. She shares her best advice on building sustainable businesses and also discusses the power of storytelling and how true connection can propel your business forward.For anyone building a food brand and looking to learn from the best, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration. Let's dive in!In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[00:50] The entrepreneurial streak that runs in Justine’s family and her interest in food and cooking[03:34] How Next Gen helps CPG and food startups tell their stories to wider audiences[05:28] Justine’s advice for building sustainable businesses[09:38] Why you need to dive deeper when telling the story of your business[12:34] How you can truly connect –not just meet– the people who can help propel you forward[15:53] How you can work with Justine and Next GenGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Bruno LeGreco is never one to sit still. Having gone through several career iterations earlier in life, he was ready to go all in once he started The Biscotti Company four years ago. But there’s nothing easy about food entrepreneurship, and Bruno’s sharing lessons he’s learned along the way.In today’s episode, Bruno tells the story of how he founded The Biscotti Company, the disciplined and persistent method he used to ensure sales growth for his company, and the never-ending navigation of finances (including a lesson learned the hard way.) Bruno has such amazing energy and offers story after story for us. You’re going to absolutely love this episode.In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[00:46] Bruno’s seven-year-itch and how he bootstrapped his biscotti business from the start[10:21] How goal-setting and sheer persistence helped Bruno grow his business early[16:37] How Bruno navigated selling in-person and getting samples to potential customers in the midst of the pandemic[22:10] Bruno biggest challenge in four years of business (spoiler: it’s finances, but not necessarily in the way you’d think)[25:40] The tough lesson Bruno had to learn the hard wayGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

In entrepreneurship, it’s not uncommon to hear stories of meteoric success, founders looking for investors of all kinds, and businesses trying to expand as quickly as possible to take up market share. And there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not the kind of entrepreneur that Chitra Agrawal is.Chitra is the founder of Brooklyn Delhi, and she’ll be the first to tell you that she’s very risk averse, that she didn’t want to grow too fast, and that she doesn’t want any investor money (at least at this point.) And yet, she’s built a thriving CPG business anyway.In today’s episode, she’s telling the story of exactly how she’s grown Brooklyn Delhi in her own way and on her own terms. She’s sharing how supper clubs, Blue Apron, and online marketing all played a part in the creation and expansion of Brooklyn Delhi, plus her best advice for those wanting to follow in her footsteps.This is one episode you cannot miss. Let’s dive in!In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[00:50] How a supper club led to the Brooklyn Delhi[08:05] How Chitra started with online sales and marketing for Brooklyn Delhi and why she grew production conservatively[13:06] Why her partnership Blue Apron was so impactful early on[15:48] The types of employees at Brooklyn Delhi and how Chitra decided to bring them on[19:12] Why Chitra hasn’t taken any investment money for Brooklyn Delhi (so far)[23:21] Chitra’s best advice for aspiring CPG entrepreneursGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

When Maura Duggan started Fancypants Baking Co. two decades ago, it was just her, baking decorative cookies in her kitchen in Massachusetts. Twenty years later, Maura’s family has grown and changed… and so has her business.In this episode, Maura is sharing how her company slowly grew into a national brand, what she’s learned in every step of expanding her business, and how she eventually decided that it was time to move to premium CPG cookies over decorated baked goods.Maura is super open and honest, and you’re going to get so many great insights. Let’s jump in!In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[00:50] Maura’s original plan to be a neuroscientist and how that shifted into baking[06:02] How Maura thought about finances when transitioning into a baking career[10:59] The challenges Maura navigated while scaling her business, including transitioning to a commercial kitchen[22:10] How Maura’s experiences helped her hire the right advisors when the time came[27:06] How Maura thinks about networking and the ways it’s helped her growGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

Bruno LeGreco is never one to sit still. Having gone through several career iterations earlier in life, he was ready to go all in once he started The Biscotti Company four years ago. But there’s nothing easy about food entrepreneurship, and Bruno’s sharing lessons he’s learned along the way.In today’s episode, Bruno tells the story of how he founded The Biscotti Company, the disciplined and persistent method he used to ensure sales growth for his company, and the never-ending navigation of finances (including a lesson learned the hard way.) Bruno has such amazing energy and offers story after story for us. You’re going to absolutely love this episode.In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[00:46] Bruno’s seven-year-itch and how he bootstrapped his biscotti business from the start[10:21] How goal-setting and sheer persistence helped Bruno grow his business early[16:37] How Bruno navigated selling in-person and getting samples to potential customers in the midst of the pandemic[22:10] Bruno biggest challenge in four years of business (spoiler: it’s finances, but not necessarily in the way you’d think)[25:40] The tough lesson Bruno had to learn the hard wayGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.

From the very beginning, Myles Powell has loved food. But STEM felt more practical than going to culinary school, so Myles became an engineer. His love of food and cooking never diminished though, so while working a full-time engineering job, Myles built his CPG company on evenings and weekends, and nearly a decade later, Myles Comfort Foods is still growing.In this episode, Myles Powell of Myles Comfort Foods shares his origin story–including a short stint on a cooking competition show, why he went back to work after initially quitting his full-time job while building his CPG company, the many growing pains and pivots his business faced, and his best advice for other would-be CPG entrepreneurs.If you’re a CPG entrepreneur who is building your business in addition to working a “regular” job, this episode is the encouragement you need to keep going. Let’s dive in!In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:00] Intro[01:11] How Myles’s lifelong love of food landed him on a cooking show in 2013[04:38] The first steps Myles took to turn his CPG idea into reality [08:17] How Myles decided to change his product offering[12:28] How Myles discovered and then refined his target audience[16:42] Myles’s #1 piece of advice for anyone starting out[19:22] How Myles decompresses from the grind of entrepreneurshipGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.