Episodes
82
Latest episode
Jun 2026
Language
EN
Hosted by Djenaba Johnson-Jones, former marketing executive turned entrepreneur and founder of food business incubator, Hudson Kitchen, The Food Means Business podcast features the personal stories and “secret ingredients” behind what it's like to abandon your day job to start a food business. Join our community of fellow food business owners and subject matter experts to learn and laugh with us as we explore a start-up world that’s a little more culinary and a lot less corporate these days.
Alejandro Quintero Corral of Mucha Macha shares how he turned a beloved Mexican chili crisp into a CPG brand, what he learned about operations from building inside the Food Business Bootcamp®, and why taking the first step matters more than having all the answers.
In this episode, Juliette "Juju" Clark shares how she went from home kitchen to market-ready in under a year, what the Food Business Bootcamp® Startup Accelerator taught her about building under pressure, and why she believes food founders should never do a stealth startup.
Nikki Seaman is the CEO and Founder of Freestyle Snacks, a premium olive snack reimagining olives as we know them. She is a proud Whisps, Bain & Company, and University of Pennsylvania alum. When she isn't spending her time taste testing olives, she loves trying new restaurants in Atlanta and exploring parks with her Sheepadoodle. Since launching Freestyle Snacks in 2022, she has gained distribution in over 400 stores in addition to being featured in Forbes, Southern Living, and NOSH. During this episode of The Food Means Business Podcast, we discuss:How an externship during her corporate career served as her CPG “bootcamp”Reinvigorating the “trusty but dusty” olive category during the PandemicThe first big steps she took when launching her company and her biggest investmentThe strategy she used to expand from ecommerce into retail storesHer first hire and the “village” it takes to run a food business Connect with Nikki:Instagram: @freestylesnacking Nikki on LinkedInVisit freestylesnacking.com Recommendations from the episode:Pulp + Wire To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.
COVID was a hard time for everyone, food business owners included. There was so much uncertainty and hardship during that time. But it also afforded some people the space and the timing to innovate new ideas and products. Business pivots can be a beautiful thing to come out of that dark time. Don’t be afraid to make changes to your business model and adapt if that’s what you’re called to do.In this episode, Jen Liao, co-founder and president of MìLà Chinese food brand, shares how COVID forced her to pivot from restaurant owner to CPG food entrepreneur, how she pivoted even further from D2C to selling in retailers and grocery stores, and what it’s like working with her husband.In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:37] Jen’s story of leaving the cubicle and becoming a food business owner, and what it’s like working with her husband[03:45] Jen talks about starting out with a restaurant and then transitioning to a restaurant quality frozen product[06:29] How she pivoted from direct to consumer to selling in grocery stores, and the challenges associated with that[10:01] Jen’s decision to rebrand, the story behind the name MìLà, and their famous spokesperson[15:03] How entrepreneurship has changed Jen for the better, and how her corporate experience informed her entrepreneurial journey[18:22] How Jen and her husband incorporate self-care into their livesGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep40/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.
Communication is really important when it comes to your food business. Getting your brand out there, promoting your products, interacting with your employees and your consumers - all of it needs to meet people where they are. Too much jargon or using the wrong tone can really throw off your message. Being able to communicate clearly and effectively with your audience, and receive feedback from them, is a basic step that is often overlooked.In this episode, Noah Wunsch, founder of Ruby Hibiscus organic sparkling beverages, shares how he formulated his products and got them into stores, how his corporate experience informed his business and improved his communication, and why we should all be avoiding sugary drinks, especially peach soda.In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:37] Noah’s story of going from the corporate world to launching his own business, and how he decided to fill a void in the beverage industry[04:01] How Noah formulated his product and got it into stores, plus the first products he launched[09:15] Why we shouldn’t be drinking sugary drinks[14:11] How Noah’s corporate experience informed his business, and how he’s communicating to his target audience[19:24] Noah shares how he’s taking care of himself, and how entrepreneurship has changed himGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep42/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.
Introducing Victoria Ho, founder of Sherpa CPG and a fearless food and beverage industry leader. With over a decade of experience as an award-winning brand strategist, clean-label formulator, and commercialization expert, Victoria is dedicated to helping emerging food, and beverage brands turn their meaningful ideas into memorable, retail-ready products. She tackles the essential work of defining brand purpose, developing bulletproof brand positioning, and expressing brand persona consistently across all audience touchpoints, from pitch deck to packaging.During this episode of The Food Means Business Podcast, we discuss:How to create and maintain a consistent brand strategy as a formula for success in scaling your food and beverage business.How to increase your chances of having a successful partnership with a co-packer.The key stages of growth for food and beverage companies and how to tackle the challenges along the way.The importance of choosing food with the intention to nourish both the body and spirit.How a consistent, exceptional brand and product experience is important in achieving commercial success.Connect with Victoria:Victoria on LinkedInWebsite: sherpacpg.comTo get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.
Let’s set the scene. You’ve created a food product, perfected the recipe, put it on the market, and now you’ve reached your limits on the time and capacity you have for production. So, what’s next? The answer is: find a co-packer to hand off your production. It might sound easy, but there’s some preparation you’ll need to do first.In this episode, Ashley Sutterfield, creator of Co-Packing with Ashley, shares what co-packing is, how to know if you’re ready to transition production to a co-packer, and how to find the right one.In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:37] How Ashley got started in the food industry, and what co-packing actually is[03:33] How food business owners can research and plan for transitioning their production to a co-packer[09:45] The different types of co-packers out there and how to find one in your product category[16:45] The assessment process between business owners and co-packers in terms of finances, capacity, and volume[21:04] Why testing is so important when working with a co-packer[25:07] Things to keep in mind beyond production, such as shipping and storageGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep39/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.
Have you ever dreamed of bringing your very own food product to market? The path to doing so isn’t always clear, and many would-be entrepreneurs might wonder how to take the first step. From research and development, to marketing and distribution, there are no shortage of factors to consider!In this episode, Crystal Ung, founder of Bowlcut, shares her transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship and how growing up in the restaurant industry helped to inform her journey. You’ll hear, from start to finish, how she was able to transform traditional Asian sauces into healthier, more versatile products with universal appeal and introduce them to a global audience. If you’re looking for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look into the process, and want to learn Crystal’s strategies for success, this episode is guaranteed to satisfy your appetite!In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:37] Crystal’s story of taking the leap from the corporate world to entrepreneurship and her reasoning behind it[06:19] The making of Bowlcut, its products, and Crystal’s journey from R&D to an official launch[15:24] The power of leveraging connections and an example of how a collaboration can help you market your products[16:44] General tips and insights on being an entrepreneurGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep43/To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.
Think quality bread is off the menu? Think again! Now, you can get gluten-free sourdough products delivered right to your doorstep.In this episode, I’m joined by Sadie Scheffer, the founder of Bread SRSLY — a business born of a college crush and shared gluten intolerance. Hear the story of how Sadie leveraged the growing nationwide demand for healthier and more accessible food options to grow her business into what it is today. Topics range from the early days of Bread SRSLY to Sadie’s adjacent business ventures into coaching and motivational speaking. Whether you practice your own gluten-free diet or just need some inspiration to jump start your own food business, you won’t want to miss this episode!In this episode, you’ll learn…[00:36] Sadie’s commitment to gluten-free food and the early days of Bread SRSLY[09:24] Business processes, growing a team, and managing wholesale orders/shipments[13:00] Adjacent business ventures including coaching and motivational speaking[16:40] Tips for hiring great teams including setting clear expectations[18:42] Advice for entrepreneurs just starting out in the food industryGet full notes and a transcript at: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/podcast/ep47/Don't miss our upcoming March 27th workshop, The Top 3 Hiring Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them). Register here: https://www.thehudsonkitchen.com/events-collection/the-top-3-hiring-mistakes To get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.
In this episode, Kris Buchanan, a former Olympian and founder of nature inspired, organic food and beverage brand, GOODONYA, shares her journey from being an athlete to launching a CPG company. She discusses the challenges that she faced with product development, the importance of understanding the CPG industry, and what it takes to launch your product in a crowded marketplace. Kris also highlights the need for unique and well-packaged products in the competitive food industry. She emphasizes the importance of quality ingredients and the impact of food on our health. Kris shares her self-care practices and the joy of connecting with customers through her business. She concludes by offering advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and celebrating the growth of her company.[01:23] About Kris’ transition from Olympic athlete to owning five restaurants[03:37] How she launched the GOODONYA bar, her challenges with product development, and pivoting to producing an electrolyte drink[09:24] How Kris uses the skills she learned as a member of a field hockey team in her business[11:45] What it takes to balance owning restaurants and a CPG business[12:24] Her decision to keep GOODONYA a direct-to-consumer business [14:06] About her challenges building a CPG business and her advice to new entrepreneurs[20:26] About issues with the food industry and nutrition[23:39] What she does for self-care and how she works to achieve work-life balanceTo get more Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com.
Claim this listing to keep it up to date, reach guests who want to pitch you, and manage bookings with Guestify.
Claim this listing
