What Grannies & Betties Can Teach Us About Authenticity
Taste Radio
Can a sober celebrity build a booming booze brand? The hosts dig into the paradox behind a high-profile actress and entrepreneur who doesn’t drink – but is betting big on alcohol. Plus, a tea company rooted in a 1930s family recipe is brewing something fresh with younger consumers. With a grassroots strategy and nostalgic appeal, could it be the next big thing for Gen Z and millennials? Show notes: 0:35: Live & Not In Person. Coffee Shots. Irony Vs. Authenticity. A $30M Joyride. Evil Does Good, Again. – Was BevNET Live Summer 2025 an amazing event? The hosts can’t be sure at this...
info_outline
Mission, Mainstream. How Kuli Kuli Landed Target & Walmart.
Taste Radio
What do TikTok, Target, and African superfoods have in common? They’ve all played a role in the remarkable resurgence of Kuli Kuli — the pioneering superfood brand founded in 2014 that introduced moringa to the U.S. market and is now carried in over 11,000 retail stores nationwide. Once known primarily for its moringa products, Kuli Kuli has since expanded its portfolio and reintroduced itself with vibrant new packaging, a broader superfood lineup, and a renewed focus on flavor and accessibility. Now found on shelves at Walmart, Target, and other major retailers, Kuli Kuli has traded...
info_outline
Millions Or Meh? Gauging The Potential For Breakout Brands.
Taste Radio
Are they breakout stars or just... confusing? Pizza wine, salmon jerky, kava & mushroom-infused drinks, Gen Z-inspired peanut butter and “cheezy” puff snacks. Why we're thumbs up – or down – on buzzworthy new concepts in CPG. This episode also spotlights two remarkable women on a mission to elevate the way we eat: Holly Arbuckle of Singing Pastures and Swati Elavia of Monsoon Kitchens. Show notes: 0:35: Last Call. Coffee Comeback? Mo’ Money For David & Moment. Yes, No, Ugh? Good Data. – BevNET Live Summer 2025 is days away. John thinks RTD coffee is back on track, but why?...
info_outline
Outsmarting Big Food: How Mason Dixie Wins With Integrity
Taste Radio
If the legacy food giants won’t evolve, Mason Dixie will do it for them – one honest, skillet-cooked meal at a time. When Ayeshah Abuelhiga founded Mason Dixie Foods in 2014, she set out to deliver what people are truly hungry for: clean, craveable comfort food made without compromise. No preservatives. No shortcuts. Just real ingredients and real flavor. Today, Mason Dixie offers a growing lineup of frozen biscuits, breakfast sandwiches, burritos, and fried chicken sandwiches – all made with fresh ingredients, real dairy, and no artificial ingredients, bleached flour or seed oils. The...
info_outline
Austin, Unfiltered. Hot Takes From CPG‘s OG City.
Taste Radio
Big ideas, bold flavors, and unfiltered insights—welcome to Austin, where the future of CPG is being written in real time. At Taste Radio’s Austin Meetup, we sat down with trailblazers and trendsetters redefining how brands are built and scaled. From Better Sour co-founder Bella Hughes to Torchy’s Tacos founder Mike Rypka and Snaxshot’s Andrea Hernández, these conversations explore what it really takes to innovate, connect with consumers, and lead with authenticity in a rapidly evolving industry. Show notes: 0:45: Buyers As Far As The Eye Can See. NNE FTW. Boiler Room. Caffeine,...
info_outline
The ‘Daughter’ Building A Cultural Food Empire
Taste Radio
Dumpling Daughter isn’t just a food brand. It’s founder Nadia Liu Spellman’s heartfelt homage to family, culture and comfort. Her mission is simple but powerful: to make high-quality, restaurant-style comfort food accessible at home, while honoring the deep emotional ties that food can hold. Launched in 2014. Dumpling Daughter began as a beloved local restaurant in the Boston area and has since expanded into a rapidly growing CPG brand featuring frozen dumplings, bao buns, and sauces that celebrate generational flavors. In this episode, Nadia takes us on a journey from her Boston...
info_outline
How Elavi Landed A Million-Dollar Deal With Costco
Taste Radio
Michelle Razavi, the co-founder of Elavi, pulls back the curtain on how the brand landed a $1 million order from Costco just four months after the debut of its protein brownies. The hosts also discuss Chobani’s purchase of Daily Harvest and Via Verde Valle’s acquisition of A Dozen Cousins and how the latter may reflect a new paradigm in which founders favor strategic exits over prolonged fundraising. Show notes: 0:45: Pass The Brownies. Sample Your Wares. Fundraise Or Sell? Justin Time. Phony And Fantastic. – The hosts munch on Elavi’s protein brownies and heap praise on the brand’s...
info_outline
Elevator Talk: Hip Pop, Pari, Aqua Boost, Pablo’s Mate, Zenjoy
Taste Radio
The latest installment of Elevator Talk features leaders from Hip Pop, Pari, Aqua Boost, Pablo’s Mate, Zenjoy. Watch founders and CEOs introduce their brands and provide a recap of recent news and updates. This week’s special co-host is Adam Louras, a principal with Mercenary, who shared his thoughts, questions and feedback with the participants. He is joined by Ray Latif, the editor and producer of the Taste Radio podcast.
info_outline
‘Reel’ Change Is Here. How Seremoni Reimagined An Industry.
Taste Radio
How do you build a globally scaled seafood company rooted in ancient Japanese techniques, humane animal treatment, and radical transparency – all before the age of 26? Meet Saif Khawaja, the founder and CEO of Seremoni, a startup that’s reinventing the seafood industry from the ground up. Launched in 2024, Seremoni is a vertically integrated company setting a new benchmark for quality and ethics in seafood by merging time-honored Japanese craft with cutting-edge technology. To bring his vision to life, Saif assembled a dream team: engineers from SpaceX, veterans from premium seafood...
info_outline
Is There A Future For Plant-Based Meat? And, The Brilliance Of Boston’s Bina.
Taste Radio
Is the plant-based meat boom going bust? Despite early excitement and big investments, some brands are in the midst of turbulent times and an uncertain future. The hosts weigh in. Plus, Babak Bina, co-founder of BCB3 Hospitality Group, shares how a deep commitment to guest experience and a love for cultural cuisine helped him develop some of the city's most acclaimed restaurants. Show notes: 0:45: Head South. Point (Coffee) Break. Big Names, Live. A Beyond Meati Problem. Dink-Tinis & More. – The hosts recap Taste Radio’s vibrant Austin meetup and share red hot news in the...
info_outlineIf the legacy food giants won’t evolve, Mason Dixie will do it for them – one honest, skillet-cooked meal at a time.
When Ayeshah Abuelhiga founded Mason Dixie Foods in 2014, she set out to deliver what people are truly hungry for: clean, craveable comfort food made without compromise. No preservatives. No shortcuts. Just real ingredients and real flavor.
Today, Mason Dixie offers a growing lineup of frozen biscuits, breakfast sandwiches, burritos, and fried chicken sandwiches – all made with fresh ingredients, real dairy, and no artificial ingredients, bleached flour or seed oils. The products are available in more than 6,000 stores across the country, including Whole Foods, Costco, Sprouts, Giant, Harris Teeter, and more.
In this episode, Ayeshah shares how she's taking on the legacy CPG heavyweights by building a bold, next-generation frozen food brand. She dives into how Mason Dixie harnesses consumer insights, rigorous cost discipline and category whitespace to develop new products. She also breaks down how the brand is reshaping the definition of “natural” for modern shoppers, proving it’s possible to scale with integrity, and lead with purpose, without ever compromising on what matters most.
Show notes:
0:25: Ayeshah Abuelhiga, Founder & CEO, Mason Dixie Foods – Ayeshah and Ray chat about past conversations before the entrepreneur shares how operating outside traditional CPG hubs has allowed her Baltimore-based company to thrive with greater agility and efficiency, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. She reflects on Mason Dixie’s buzzworthy Expo West appearance, where she dressed as Colonel Sanders to promote new products and offers a candid critique of the natural foods industry. The conversation delves into the brand’s innovation strategy, including its expansion into sandwiches and burritos, and how the latter was developed to create a superior flavor and texture to existing products. Ayeshah explains how Mason Dixie benchmarks acceptable price points and only moves forward with products that can achieve cost efficiency through scale and criticizes large conglomerates like Tyson for their inefficient use of resources, while remaining open to partnerships that could help scale clean-label food. Beyond business, Ayeshah talks about how she finds purpose in the creative freedom of entrepreneurship and in mentoring underrepresented communities through nonprofit work.
Brands in this episode: Mason Dixie Foods, Mike's Hot Honey, Uncrustables, Compass Coffee