Two Brands, One Win. What Makes Collaborations Work?
Taste Radio
Brand collaborations are exploding, and they’re becoming one of the most effective growth levers in CPG. In this episode, the team breaks down why co-branded products are becoming a core strategy for food and beverage brands, what separates meaningful partnerships from gimmicks, and how leaders like Grillo’s, Fly By Jing, Graza, and Liquid Death are using them to drive awareness, trial, and category expansion. Show notes: 0:25: Playoff Beards. Popping In. A Secret Guest. Smokes To Snacks. Collab Work. Healthy, Hot & High. – The episode opens with playful banter about facial hair...
info_outline
Elevator Talk: No Cap!, Lua Coffee, Tizz, The Purple Drop
Taste Radio
The latest episode of Taste Radio’s Elevator Talk spotlights innovative leaders from No Cap!, Lua Coffee, Tizz and The Purple Drop In this installment, founders and CEOs introduce their brands and share recent company updates and milestones. This week’s special co-host is Wade Yenny, the vice president of brand management & business development for Vdriven. He 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...
info_outline
There’s Profit In Niche. A Lot Of It. Ask Dirty Sue.
Taste Radio
What if the biggest opportunity in your industry is something no one else recognizes? In this episode, Eric Tecosky, the founder of pioneering cocktail ingredient brand Dirty Sue, unpacks how a simple gap behind the bar became a first-to-market product, a profitable niche, and a lesson in disciplined focus. From navigating skeptical buyers to scaling a single SKU for 20 years, ET breaks down the strategy, timing, and execution behind building a sustainable, category-creating brand. Show notes: 0:25: Eric "ET" Tecosky, Founder & CEO, Dirty Sue – ET talks about the origin of...
info_outline
Hemp Bevs Take A Hit. Trip Keeps Calm & Raises $40M.
Taste Radio
A battle may be over, but has the war just begun? Baked into the deal to reopen the U.S. government is a surprising provision: a ban on intoxicating hemp products. What does this mean for the future of THC-infused beverages? The hosts weigh in. We also sit down with Trip co-founder Olivia Ferdi, whose fast-growing relaxation beverage brand recently announced a $40 million funding round at a valuation of $300 million. Show notes: 0:25: What A Trip. Retailers, Investors & More. Stigmas & Bans. A Lucky Bet. Beer Jerky. More Mez. -- Ray highlights Trip’s explosive growth toward $100...
info_outline
How Freestyle Snacks Won Over The ‘Sharks’
Taste Radio
She made olives fun — and the “Sharks” noticed. Nikki Seaman, the founder and CEO of Freestyle Snacks, landed a $300K deal on “Shark Tank” after turning her pandemic frustration over shuttered olive bars into a modern snack brand. In this episode, Nikki explains how she disrupted the “trusty but dusty” olive aisle with bright packaging, tantalizing flavors, and convenient, brine-free pouches. Bootstrapped and profitability-focused, Freestyle has grown strategically. The brand is now sold in over 5,000 stores, including Whole Foods, Target and Central Market, and is also carried...
info_outline
Lessons From Caulipower’s Exit, With Padma & ‘Popcorn’ in Focus
Taste Radio
What do the hosts make of Caulipower’s fitting exit, a tennis icon’s investment in a corn-free (!) popcorn startup, and Padma Lakshmi’s partnership with a particularly spicy CPG brand? It’s a full serving of Taste Radio, complete with a taste-test of high-fiber gummy candy and a $20, creatine-packed cereal. Show notes: 0:25: Stacking, Bro. A Plant-Based Pioneer. No Corn, Thanks. Celeb Spice. Rising Talks. Man, That’s Pricy. – Mike recounts his attendance at Supply Side Global and takeaways from the annual trade show. The hosts unpack Urban Farmer’s acquisition of Caulipower...
info_outline
Elevator Talk: Pantry Gems, Berski, Benni Pops, KiuKiu, Superlova
Taste Radio
The latest episode of Taste Radio’s Elevator Talk spotlights innovative leaders from Pantry Gems, Berski, Benni Pops, KiuKiu and Superlova. In this installment, founders and CEOs introduce their brands and share recent company updates and milestones. This week’s special co-host is Mia Medina, the founder and CEO of Gather Brands. She 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...
info_outline
Why Discipline Is Everything For Something & Nothing
Taste Radio
Every founder dreams of breaking the rules. Few do it with such quiet confidence as Oliver Dixon, the co-founder of better-for-you soda brand Something & Nothing. In this episode, Olly tells the story of how a creative experiment in a London bar became a category-disrupting soda brand now expanding rapidly across the U.S. He explains how his design sensibility and refusal to compromise on flavor helped shape a brand that feels both modern and timeless. Something & Nothing’s complex, mid-calorie sodas are inspired by travel and crafted with natural juices, not sweeteners. The...
info_outline
Burnin’ Dollars? Recess' $30M Raise & Ben Stiller's Soda.
Taste Radio
The hosts break down Recess’ $30 million raise, pound shots of olive oil, and wonder if Ben Stiller’s nostalgic soda brand can make it in middle America. Oh, and someone bottled a hot sauce wrapped in a real $100 bill. Show notes: 0:25: Take Your Best Shot. Deadlines, People. Pivot & Win. A Benny With Every Bottle. Ben’s Beer. – The show opens with a sampling of Kosterina’s new high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil shot, which has a spicier kick that some of the hosts realize. Ray reminds listeners that Oct. 31 is the deadline to submit nominations for BevNET, NOSH, and...
info_outline
Her Recipe for a Multimillion-Dollar Brand? Start With Dough.
Taste Radio
Doughlicious is proof that product obsession and strategic growth can make a small brand big. In this episode, Kathryn Bricken, the founder and CEO of Doughlicious, shares how she turned a London-based cookie dough startup into a global frozen dessert powerhouse now in 6,000 U.S. stores, including Whole Foods, Target, and Kroger. Kathryn talks about perfecting her signature gelato bites, scaling frozen logistics, securing $5 million in funding, and launching innovative treats like the brand’s new banana oat cookie skillet with plant-based collagen, all while keeping quality and joy at...
info_outlineWhat if the biggest opportunity in your industry is something no one else recognizes?
In this episode, Eric Tecosky, the founder of pioneering cocktail ingredient brand Dirty Sue, unpacks how a simple gap behind the bar became a first-to-market product, a profitable niche, and a lesson in disciplined focus.
From navigating skeptical buyers to scaling a single SKU for 20 years, ET breaks down the strategy, timing, and execution behind building a sustainable, category-creating brand.
Show notes:
0:25: Eric "ET" Tecosky, Founder & CEO, Dirty Sue – ET talks about the origin of his Instagram handle before he reveals how the idea for Dirty Sue emerged from a bartending pain point: running out of olive brine during a rush. He explains his vision for a brand of premium olive brine but was stymied early on because bars still operated in a pre-premium cocktail era. He shares his path to grassroots sampling and convincing bartenders and managers of the operational efficiencies of a bottled product. ET discusses Dirty Sue’s gradual expansion across the West Coast and how he tapped into a growing home-cocktail market. He emphasizes a disciplined focus strategy and notes that he has taken only one round of investment at the company’s founding.
Brands in this episode: Dirty Sue, Jack Daniel’s