Food Marketing Nerds Restaurant and CPG Marketing Podcast
Food Marketing Nerds is an interview series with restaurant marketing experts, the best in CPG marketing, and entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry. In this weekly podcast series, show host, Alex Oesterle, talks marketing, branding, and social media, diving into the hard and sometimes uncomfortable questions to uncover what's working and what isn't in world of food and beverage marketing. From CMO's to social media managers, the ideas and strategies will change the way you approach your CPG or restaurant marketing. If you're in the food and beverage space or intend to launch your own venture, these interviews are an amazing resource for practical tactics you can implement from day one. After co-founding a digital agency aimed at helping food and beverage brands boost sales to millennials, Alex started interviewing experts in the field to get insights into what makes the best food and beverage brands so successful. He created this podcast to share these interviews with you, and to help other food and beverage businesses achieve their goals in an actionable and entertaining way! Visit FoodMarketingNerds.com for show notes, interview transcripts, and free resources to help you achieve your restaurant marketing or CPG marketing goals.
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What to Know When Scaling From Farmers Markets to +5000 Stores with David Czinn
11/18/2020
What to Know When Scaling From Farmers Markets to +5000 Stores with David Czinn
On the show, we have David Czinn, co-founder and president of D'Vash. If you’re not already familiar, D’Vash’s makes a line of all-natural sweeteners which are derived from superfoods, like dates and sweet potatoes, (think “syrups" and "nectars”, except with 25% less sugar than regular honey). While the idea of using dates to create a sweetener is pretty new in the US, date syrup has been around for a long time – as in, dating back to the biblical era. During a trip in the Middle East, David and his best friend, Brian, tried date syrup for the first time and became obsessed. Realizing there was nothing like it sold in the US, David and Brian soon partnered up, founding what would become D'Vash. In just a couple years, D'Vash went from two friends selling their Original Date Syrup at Farmers Markets, to now, where they're sold in over 5000 stores, and have a growing product line. On today’s episode, David takes us through how he and his partner scaled the business up, from developing the product, to shifting to a co-packer, to landing the golden ticket of their first Walmart PO. Obviously things have been going pretty well for D'Vash, but there were certainly bug learnings in the process, which David shares in today’s episode. Whether you’re thinking of starting your own food company, in the midst of scaling, or are trying to gain more market share, David’s interview will leave you with plenty of savvy marketing ideas applicable at almost any size company. David's Recommended Reads: Learn More About D’Vash at: @dvashorganics on Instagram Food Marketing Nerds is a production of Blue Bear Creative, the .
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How Actually Listening to Customers Can Uncover Huge Opportunities, with Jägermeister's Chas Littlefield
11/11/2020
How Actually Listening to Customers Can Uncover Huge Opportunities, with Jägermeister's Chas Littlefield
On the show today, we have Chas Littlefield, VP of Marketing for one of the largest spirit brands in the world: Jägermeister. As a heavy hitter in the industry, Jägermeister is recognized across the globe, in just about every country. New product launches aside, brand awareness isn’t necessarily the main challenge at Jäger’s scale. the question instead becomes “how do you influence the way consumers think or feel about a brand they already know,” or at least think they know. In our conversation, Chas and I discuss some of Jäger's recent campaigns and innovations, all of which bring different use cases of the product to the forefront. Jäger’s marketing team has done a great job highlighting the unique strengths of their product by identifying and leaning into how consumers are actually behaving. We discuss the campaigns from insight to execution, how they’ve adapted the ideas to a changing wine and spirits landscape, and plenty of the learnings in between. It’s not everyday you get to learn from a marketing legend, discussing one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Joining us out of New York, we're excited to welcome Chas Littlefield. Recommended Reads Learn More About Jägermeister: on Instagram
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How to Stress-Test Your Brand Strategy with Michael Keplinger
11/04/2020
How to Stress-Test Your Brand Strategy with Michael Keplinger
Joining us on this episode, we have Michael Keplinger, Director of Strategy at Smashbrand. Even if you’re not familiar with Michael’s agency, you’ve certainly seen their branding and packaging work on shelves, both at grocery stores or even in your own home. Smashbrand uses a research-forward process to stress-test brand strategy and packaging design, which helps them better understand what sways consumers in a given purchase decision. Smashbrand works with brands like Kool-Aid, Yucatan Guacamole, 7-Eleven Private Label, Duracell, and even PayPal. While their brand work reaches beyond the food and beverage space, make no mistake, these people are absolutely food marketing experts. In this episode, you’ll learn how Smashbrand uncovers the hidden insights that validate or nullify ideas around what influences purchase decisions. If you’re in the strategy or consumer research side of marketing, I think you’ll find this conversation to be especially useful. Learn more here: For full interview transcripts and other valuable resources, check out FoodMarketingNerds.com. Food Marketing Nerds is a production of Blue Bear Creative, the .
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Demystifying Branding: How to Develop to a Winning Brand Strategy with Fred Hart
10/28/2020
Demystifying Branding: How to Develop to a Winning Brand Strategy with Fred Hart
On the show today, we have Fred Hart, partner and creative director at Interact. Fred is a Food Marketing Nerds regular - he’s been on the podcast a handful of times, and he always brings new knowledge and a fresh perspective – which is why we keep inviting him back on. Interact, is a world class branding and packaging design firm that specializes in CPG. They recently launched a really informative series called SprintToSuccess, which explains the branding and packaging design process. The content dives into the research, strategy, and creative work that goes into identifying and capitalizing on the white space in a given category. In today’s episode, Fred talks us through the process of developing a winning brand strategy, and applying it through all facets of the brand. While Interact specializes in CPG, and the deliverable of the process we discuss is ultimately new packaging design, the knowledge Fred shares around brand strategy and how to apply it in the real world is universal across a spectrum of different industries within food & beverage. Whether or not you have a rebrand in the pipeline, there are plenty of valuable takeaways in this episode for all of you brand marketers out there. Additional Resources: For full interview transcripts and other valuable resources, check out FoodMarketingNerds.com. Food Marketing Nerds is a production of Blue Bear Creative, the .
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Performance Branding: Building Brand Equity at Every Stage of the Funnel with Hayley Raymond of HelloFresh
10/21/2020
Performance Branding: Building Brand Equity at Every Stage of the Funnel with Hayley Raymond of HelloFresh
We have an awesome interview lined up for you. Hayley Raymond, Associate Director of Brand Marketing at HelloFresh, joining us out of Brooklyn for today’s episode. HelloFresh has grown into the leader in the meal kit space, and as a direct to consumer company, they’ve built their portfolio of brands largely through performance marketing. While branding and performance marketing have traditionally been somewhat at odds with one another, a big part of Hayley’s role is to break down silos and make sure is building brand equity at every stage of their marketing funnel. In this episode, we talk through How to quantify the results of difficult to measure top of funnel efforts Why a “brand sandbox” has replaced the standard brand book at HelloFresh How to merge dynamic creative with continuity through your customer touchpoints And plenty more. A lot of times, branding and performance marketing are discussed as two completely separate schools of thought, but Hayley connects the dots of that right and left brain thinking in a really elegant and original way, that I think you’ll find very refreshing. So without further adieu…
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Creating Change: Outmaneuvering the Titans of Industry, with Chloe’s Fruit CEO, Michael Sloan
10/14/2020
Creating Change: Outmaneuvering the Titans of Industry, with Chloe’s Fruit CEO, Michael Sloan
On the podcast today, we have Michael Sloan, CEO of . If you’re not familiar with the company, you are seriously missing out. Chloe’s makes several different varieties of clean ingredients, frozen treats that I can say from personal experience, are incredibly delicious and very quality. Whether you’re a rising startup or the industry leader, product quality is critical to long term success. But, as you likely know as a listener of this podcast, there’s so much more than goes into which challengers become and remain household names, and which ones become statistics. In most David and Goliath scenario’s, Goliath often wins. But in this episode, Michael tells us the story of how Chloe’s mission to create more accessible better for you options, not to mention a lot of savvy tactics met with great execution, has taken the company from a single shop in New York to the freezer aisle of over 10,000 stores across the country. We get into a lot of things... Pricing strategy when your ingredients are more expensive How licensing deals can help create opportunities for more distribution How to innovate your way to more shelf space… ...and so much more. Michael is an amazing thought leader, and you’re going to come away from this episode with a lot of new thinking around non-traditional ways to build your company through the rapid changes in the food and bev industry. Recommended Reads: on Instagram
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How COVID-19 is Impacting the Wine and Spirits Industry, with Luke Lahman, Business Development Manager at E&J Gallo
10/07/2020
How COVID-19 is Impacting the Wine and Spirits Industry, with Luke Lahman, Business Development Manager at E&J Gallo
Luke Lahman, who is a long-time friend of mine and repeat guest on Food Marketing Nerds joins us on the show today out of Scottsdale, AZ. Luke is the Business Development Manager at , the largest winery in the United States. Luke joined us back in Season 1 to discuss in-store marketing, which I’d strongly recommend if you’re interested in learning more about merchandising and influencing purchase decisions at the POS. It was one of our most downloaded episodes of last season, so we invited Luke back on to talk to us through the impact COVID-19 has had on the wine and spirits industry. If you’re not already familiar, E & J Gallo is a winery and distributor; they have a ton of household names in their portfolio and, fun fact, they’re also the largest exporter of California wines. By the nature of Luke’s role, he has a great pulse on consumer behavior around wine and spirits, and he’s tapped into what’s selling at both a category and brand level. We’ll be covering all of that in this episode, along with a few of Luke’s thoughts around how you can adapt your in-store marketing to the current state of socially distanced store layouts. For full interview transcripts, visit . Food Marketing Nerds is a production of Blue Bear Creative, the .
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Performance Marketing Like the Pros with Margaret Fortner of Hydrant
09/30/2020
Performance Marketing Like the Pros with Margaret Fortner of Hydrant
We’re chatting with Margaret Fortner, Head of Growth at the digitally savvy Hydration mix company, . The company has thrived as a direct to consumer brand; so much so, they’ve recently expanded into the retail space. Hydrant is as data-driven as companies come, which has helped them dominate the world of e-commerce. As Head of Growth, a big part of Margaret’s role is to help make sense of the company’s sales and marketing data, making sure important learnings are taken into account throughout her team’s ongoing efforts. Looking at their digital advertising, Hydrant may have 50 or more different ads running at any given moment, testing and uncovering what levers deliver the highest ROI. And in this episode, you’ll learn: How to adapt the creative review process for rapid iteration What incentives convert interested leads into buying customers Why you need to update your approach to split testing And plenty more. Just a friendly heads up, in a couple of sections of the conversation, we get a little more into the weeds of data analysis than usual, but those parts are relatively short. If that’s not your thing, bear with us, because there’s plenty of practical insights around performance marketing applicable to all food and beverage brands with a growing digital presence, D to C or otherwise. So without further adieu! Recommended Reads & Other Resources: Learn More About Hydrant on: For full interview transcripts, visit Food Marketing Nerds is a production of Blue Bear Creative, the
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How Break Through Your Brand's Growth Plateau with David Klavsons, CEO of Calypso Lemonade
09/23/2020
How Break Through Your Brand's Growth Plateau with David Klavsons, CEO of Calypso Lemonade
We’re chatting with David Klavsons, CEO of King Juice / Calypso. By volume, is the leader in bottled lemonade, and while the product has always been amazing, the company’s growth was a little stagnant. That is, until David entered the picture. Since assuming the role of CEO, David has staged a massive turnaround, helping Calypso in all areas from marketing and branding to sales and distribution. In his words, Calypso has focused on mastering the basics, and that approach is paying dividends. David has extensive CPG experience, having worked at Pepsi, Kraft, and Frito Lay - helping companies thrive in the industry is basically second nature for him. Thankfully, he was happy to dumb things down to help me understand. While this specific conversation focuses a lot on bottle beverages specifically, a lot of the topics would be make perfect chapters in a “Winning in CPG for dummies” book. In this episode, you’ll learn What hires are most crucial for breaking through a plateau Why you shouldn’t write off a smaller social media following What metrics matter in leading a company turnaround Why fact-based selling is crucial to successful product sell-through And plenty more. David is awesome, and I know you’re about to learn a ton from his interview. Learn more about Calypso: On On
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The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Video in 2020 with Matt Oesterle
09/17/2020
The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Video in 2020 with Matt Oesterle
On the show today, we’re jumping into some do’s and don’ts of social media video. With how aggressively social platforms change and release new features, we brought on Matt Oesterle, manager of video production at our own Blue Bear Creative, to talk through the latest best practices relevant to food marketing in 2020. If you’re looking to up your content game on social, this episode offers plenty of practical insights on how to set your videos up for success. Let’s get after it.
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A Deep Dive into the World of Kombucha with Hannah Crum of KBI
09/09/2020
A Deep Dive into the World of Kombucha with Hannah Crum of KBI
Today’s episode goes out to all the Kombucha nerds in the audience. This interview is a little bit of a change in pace from our usual conversations around tactics and strategies within food and beverage marketing - instead, we're diving deeper into a category that's had a major impact on the food and beverage industry. Today, we’re chatting with Hannah Crum, founder and president of . Hannah, otherwise known as the "Kombucha Momma", has a profound understanding of the industry, best practices, and what it takes to be a success. As you’ll soon hear, Hannah’s demeanor is as effervescent as the Kombucha her trade association represents. If you’ve ever considered launching a Kombucha product line or have crossover with the category in some way, then stay tuned for today’s deep dive into the rapidly evolved world fermented tea! Hannah's Recommended Reads: Resources:
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Applying Big Brand Principles with Start-Up Scrappiness with Lucinda Wright of Cask & Kettle
09/02/2020
Applying Big Brand Principles with Start-Up Scrappiness with Lucinda Wright of Cask & Kettle
Joining us on the show today, we’ve got Lucinda Wright, Co-Founder and CEO of . If you aren’t familiar, Cask & Kettle is a company that is truly in a category of one. They make the first and only spiked coffee K-Cups on the market, ranging from the more traditional Irish Coffee to their Hot Blonde Coffee with vodka, and even a Spiked Dry Cider. Lucinda has an incredible depth of expertise in CPG. She was VP of Marketing at Kelloggs, where she helped to build Raisin Bran into a powerhouse brand. She’s also worked with a number of similar household names, before getting into consulting for, you guessed it, growing CPG brands. Lucinda has been putting her past experience to good use, from navigating the regulation heavy spirits industry to borrowing big brand principles and executing with start-up scrappiness. We’re discussing a lot of the do’s and don’ts when it comes breaking ground with an innovative product, and in this episode, you’ll also learn: How to perform big brand consumer research on a start-up budget Why marketing to your product’s buyers may be the wrong approach What to avoid when adding SKUs to your product line And plenty more... More Resources:
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Why You Need to Think More Like a Direct-to-Consumer Brand with Yoon-Ji Nam of Magic Spoon
08/26/2020
Why You Need to Think More Like a Direct-to-Consumer Brand with Yoon-Ji Nam of Magic Spoon
If you’re the type of person who likes to geek out on paid social, sales funnels, or just all-around masterful digital marketing, then boy do I know the episode for you. I’m excited to introduce you to our guest, Yoon-Ji Nam, Head of Growth at the company transforming the cereal category: . And by cereal, I mean like breakfast cereal you eat with milk, not serial, as in the true-crime podcast with a bummer of a second season. Magic Spoon is the healthy version of your favorite childhood cereals, and if you’re anything like me, you might already be somewhat familiar with them from an eye-catching Instagram or Facebook ad. Magic Spoon is turning the cereal aisle upside down, and the crazy part is, they aren’t even in the cereal aisle. That’s where Yoon-Ji comes in. Having worked at successful online-only companies like Away and Hawthorne, she’s helping Magic Spoon leverage a similar direct to consumer approach, to build emotional connections to the brand that money can’t buy. From general mindset down to tactical execution, there’s so much to learn from this interview, like: What consumer data most companies already have, but severely underutilize How to effectively personalize customer journeys Why you have it all wrong when it comes to organic social And a ton more. We’ve dabbled in topics like digital media, sales funnels and e-commerce in previous episodes, but not like this. Get ready for it, Nerds. More Resources:
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How 2020 Is Influencing the Social Landscape Featuring Emily Larsen of Blue Bear Creative
08/19/2020
How 2020 Is Influencing the Social Landscape Featuring Emily Larsen of Blue Bear Creative
Hey folks, thanks for tuning in. On the show today, we have Blue Bear’s own Social Media Strategist, Emily Larsen. Emily has spent her career in social and digital marketing, and today, we’re discussing opportunities and watch-outs for Food & Beverage brands on social media. In this episode, you’ll hear: How platforms are catering to the rise in e-commerce What to keep in mind before investing in TikTok Why CPG brands shouldn’t sleep on Pinterest And plenty more. I should caveat this by saying, this episode is being recorded in late August of 2020, and with how quickly social media changes if you happen to be listening back on this episode, the window of the arbitrage from being an early adopter to certain features may have already closed. What we’re saying is, social changes quickly, so the landscape may look a little different if you’re tuning into this at a later date. Other Resources:
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Building a Household Brand Name From Scratch Featuring Jeremy Gregory of Montucky Cold Snacks
08/12/2020
Building a Household Brand Name From Scratch Featuring Jeremy Gregory of Montucky Cold Snacks
On the show today, we’re chatting with Jeremy Gregory, co-founder and marketing director of . If you haven’t already seen Montucky’s distinctive beer cans on shelves, you probably will soon. As of February of this year, Montucky became one of the fastest-growing brands in the category, second to only White Claw. As a light lager, Montucky is up against stiff competition, and yet, their product continues to fly off the shelves. In today’s episode, you’ll hear: How the right apparel strategy can transform your brand Why it pays to not take yourself too seriously What goes into building a brand people young consumers can identify with And plenty more… Montucky’s marketing vibe and brand voice are one of, if not the company’s, biggest strengths and we’re thrilled to introduce you to the guy behind it all. Recommended Resources:
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How COVID is Changing Consumer Behavior and What You Can Do to Adapt with Rifle Hughes of JPG Resources
08/05/2020
How COVID is Changing Consumer Behavior and What You Can Do to Adapt with Rifle Hughes of JPG Resources
Today we’re sitting down with Rifle Hughes, Strategy and Innovation Business Partner at . Rifle has spent over 20 years helping companies build strong connections between brands and consumers. He’s worked with a range of companies within the industry, from start-ups to heavy hitters like Nestlé, Hormel, and Pepsi. Rifle and I discuss how COVID is influencing consumer behavior, and how both CPG and restaurant brands should adapt. In this episode, you’ll hear: What consumer behaviors will likely have the most staying power in a post-pandemic world. How restaurants are bringing the on-premise experience to their customers' homes. What factors to consider before investing more into your e-commerce presence, and lot’s more. Recommended Resources:
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Taking Action to Build a More Inclusive Industry with Vanessa Santana of General Mills
07/29/2020
Taking Action to Build a More Inclusive Industry with Vanessa Santana of General Mills
On the show today, we have Vanessa Santana, Brand Experience Planner at . We’re discussing some of the most important issues the industry is wrestling with today, the lack of diversity and what leaders can do to play a role in making a positive change. We invited Vanessa onto the show to talk through this from both a personal and business perspective. And looking forward, what actions we can take to build a more inclusive industry. Recommended Reading:
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How to Drive Repeat Customers with Digital Featuring Jim Lamancusa
07/22/2020
How to Drive Repeat Customers with Digital Featuring Jim Lamancusa
Howdy folks, today we’re chatting with Jim Lamancusa, founder and CEO of Cusa Tea and Coffee. Cusa is not your usual tea or coffee company. What started as a small line of innovative instant tea products soon grew into multiple product lines (including coffee), a handful of patents, and multiple global awards. Having worked at CPG start-ups that went from a million in revenue per year to over 100 million, Jim experienced the internal workings of a natural foods unicorn. He’s taken that know-how, along with his own scrappy mentality, to develop some really smart marketing initiatives that might leave you thinking, “hmm why didn’t I think of that?”. After seeing the cost and conversion rates of his in-store demos, Jim was looking for a better way to grow his base of loyal customers. Cusa Tea and Coffee began refining its digital presence and hasn’t looked back since. Cusa’s approach to digital marketing is extremely savvy and anyone looking to establish or build on an existing e-comm presence, especially in the wake of COVID, has so much to learn from today’s episode. In this show, you’ll learn: How to scale up your digital media budget Why breaking up with bad subscribers could generate more sales How to gauge the effectiveness of your in-store marketing So, let’s get after it. Recommended Resources: Find Cusa Tea & Coffee Online:
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Why You Need to Rethink Your Growth Strategy with Michael Silverman of SBG
07/15/2020
Why You Need to Rethink Your Growth Strategy with Michael Silverman of SBG
On the show today, we’re talking with Michael Silverman, Managing Director of the Samantha Brands Group, or SBG for short. SBG is an investor group that helps promising consumer brands quickly scale and develop into enduring household names, and in talking with Michael, we get a glimpse into how SBG makes it happen. Michael is a brilliant guy who knows the business of CPG as well as any guest we’ve ever interviewed. His firm has successfully scaled brands like Wild Made Snacks and Tres Latin Foods, maker of the Pupusas that are near and dear to my heart. We dive deep into some of the commonly shared notions around marketing and distribution strategy, and why much of what you’re hearing around making it big may actually be leading you down a slow, painful path of destruction. This is only scratching the surface, but in today’s episode, you’ll learn What so many fledgling consumer brands get wrong about distribution strategy Why your brand-building efforts may not be adding value to the bottom line What marketing channels have the biggest impact on product turn And plenty more Recommended Reading & Listening Find out more about the Samantha Brands Group and Associated Brands:
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Why Your Company's Mission is Crucial for Long-Term Growth with Kristen Majdanics
07/08/2020
Why Your Company's Mission is Crucial for Long-Term Growth with Kristen Majdanics
In this episode, we’re talking to Kristen Majdanics, VP of Marketing for . We were already huge fans of their sandwiches, but chatting with Kristen gave us a whole new appreciation for the brand and how they’ve managed to grow, in spite of intense competition. Kristen started as a brand manager with Firehouse back when they had 300 locations and a marketing department of just two people. Well, the company grew quickly and so did Kristen’s role. She now leads the marketing department of 17 people, with Firehouse clocking in at over 1,100 locations nationwide. She talked us through what’s driven the company’s growth, and learnings she’s picked up along the way. In today’s episode, you’ll hear: What leaders can do to build a more passionate team Why your company mission is crucial for growth How telling your customers every good thing about you isn’t working And so much more... Kristen’s Recommended Podcast: Learn More About Firehouse Subs:
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How to Compete Against Industry Giants with Shauna Martin
07/01/2020
How to Compete Against Industry Giants with Shauna Martin
Today we’re sitting down with Shauna Martin, the founder and CEO of Daily Greens. Shauna started her career in corporate law, and after being diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 30’s, she discovered her passion for green juice and plant-based nutrition. Her green juice recipes had a profound impact on her own well-being, and wanting to share that benefit with the world, she set up shop at her first farmer’s market. As you may have guessed by the fact that she’s on this podcast, those initial batches sold pretty well, and Daily Greens became one of the companies to kick start the green juice movement. Fast forward to today, and you can find Daily Greens on the shelves of every major retailer across the country. While dealing with everything from the ups and downs of the green juice category to competitors getting acquired by the Coca Cola’s of the world, Daily Greens has managed to stay independent and remain a key player in the industry. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to scale operations when your product goes national What characteristics you should look for in your next hires And how recipe content led to Daily Greens becoming a household name Check out Daily Greens and on social:
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How to Use Brand Storytelling to Improve Customer Loyalty with CMO Tiffany Yang
06/24/2020
How to Use Brand Storytelling to Improve Customer Loyalty with CMO Tiffany Yang
In this episode, we’ll be chatting with Tiffany Yang, the CMO of Sweety Ice Cream. Tiffany is going to take us through how she and her cousins went from the corporate world to transforming their family’s 1970’s ice cream shop into a modern brand with national distribution. Tiffany has a background in strategy and consumer insights, and having been on the marketing teams for the likes of Vans, Barbie and Taco Bell, she’s built a knack for brand storytelling in a way that resonates with customers and buyers alike. She’s been putting those skills to work for Sweety, and in this episode, you’ll hear: How a brand video landed Sweety a 1500 store PO from Walmart Why grocery store shelves and Instagram have a lot in common And what the most popular brands do that keeps customers coming back for more...And plenty more... Tiffany’s Recommended Read: Check out Sweety's & Social:
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Building a Scalable CPG Brand with Kerry Carlson of Coconut Cloud
06/17/2020
Building a Scalable CPG Brand with Kerry Carlson of Coconut Cloud
Today we’re sitting down with Kerry Carlson, Founder and President of not one, but two companies: Tundalya and Coconut Cloud. Kerry has been in the industry for a majority of her career, first founding Tundalaya in 2003, which manufactures dried goods and teas for private label and foodservice companies. With the infrastructure of Tundalaya and 15 years' worth of food experience, Kerry launched her own line of plant-based coffee creamers under the Coconut Cloud brand. And while we focus more on brand marketing in this particular episode, we’ll certainly touch on Kerry’s expertise in manufacturing because of the influence it had in her ability to rapidly scale Coconut Cloud. Kerry’s previous experience with Tundalya helped in building a successful food brand, but she encountered plenty of challenges unique to marketing a product line which we discuss, along with how she continues to tackle those (challenges) today. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to better leverage Amazon data to inform your innovation What signs indicate new products are gaining traction How to run for food brand with a remote workforce And a lot more... Kerry's recommended reads: Coconut Cloud Social Accounts: Learn more about Coconut Cloud at
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Building a Business That Builds the Community with Evo Hemp CEO, Jourdan Samel
06/10/2020
Building a Business That Builds the Community with Evo Hemp CEO, Jourdan Samel
We have Jourdan Samel, CEO of Evo Hemp, on the show today, and we’re talking about how he and his co-founder Ari built Evo Hemp from the ground up, managing to help underserved communities in the process. Evo Hemp is a health and wellness brand that makes a number of Hemp & CBD products like nutrition bars, gummies and supplements. I guess it could certainly vary depending on where you’re listening to this from, but here in Colorado, Hemp and CBD have all but broken free from their negative stigma. Not quite the case back when Jourdan and his business partner Ari first started Evo Hemp - CBD and hemp weren’t just in the taboo category, but the laws were also much different, and as you’ll hear more about in a minute, Evo hemp didn’t just market around the regulations, they were on the front lines of helping shape the laws into what they are today. Growing your business is tough as it is, but throw some extra red tape and regulation into the mix, and you have to get pretty innovative to accomplish what Jourdan and Ari have in Evo Hemp. In this episode, you’ll learn: What content makes the biggest impact in converting new customers How to navigate social media in a heavily regulated category What it takes to scale your demo program And plenty more... Jourdan's Recommended Reads: Learn more about EVO Hemp at Social Accounts:
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How to Win as a Challenger Brand with Simran Sablok of The Meatless Farm
06/03/2020
How to Win as a Challenger Brand with Simran Sablok of The Meatless Farm
In this episode, we’re chatting with Simran Sablok, Global Marketing Director of the Meatless Farm Co. The Meatless Farm is based in the UK, and while they just entered the US market eight months ago, they have some big plans for expansion. Simran’s expertise is in marketing products that warrant a change in consumer behavior or mindset, ergo plant-based meat substitute. It’s what she’s done for the majority of her career, including nine years with Yum Brands helping launch some of their game-changing products into untapped markets. You might say that Simran specializes in helping high potential brands maximize their upside. She’s now leading The Meatless Farm’s growth throughout the world, by tapping into the unique cultural nuances of each market. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why a traditional media strategy won’t be enough to build your brand What it takes to gain traction in a new market And how to break through when you can’t outspend the competition Links from the Interview: Simran’s Recommended Reads Connect with The Meatless Farm Co.:
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The Right Approach to Twitter Marketing: How Kum & Go Builds Clout
05/27/2020
The Right Approach to Twitter Marketing: How Kum & Go Builds Clout
Season 2 is in full swing and we are kicking things off strong! In today’s episode, we’re talking to Ariel Rubin, Director of Communications for convenience store chain, Kum & Go. With 400 locations, they may not be the biggest player in the category, but you wouldn’t know that by the amount of clout they’ve built up as a brand. Ariel has certainly had a hand in that. Heading up communications for a company that services hundreds of thousands of customers is no small feat. Yet, Ariel is on the front lines of the Kum & Go’s Twitter, because of the upside the platform has for both PR & brand awareness. In today’s episode, we discuss the hurdles companies need to overcome to be authentic what it really takes to build momentum on social media And why sleeping on twitter is a huge mistake Links mentioned in the episode: Ariel's Book Recommendation: Kum & Go Social Pages: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: Connect with Ariel on Twitter:
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We're Back for Season 2!
05/21/2020
We're Back for Season 2!
Great news folks...after a teensy, tiny-little hiatus, the Food Marketing Nerds podcast is back for Season 2, and we have some amazing guests looking to hit you with some food marketing wisdom. Tune in 5/27/20 for a two episode launch, jam packed with marketing insights, strategies and stories from leaders in the restaurant and CPG space. New episodes airing Wednesday mornings starting 5/27!
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FMN 049: Using Social Ads Like a Boss, with Nik Ingersoll
08/23/2017
FMN 049: Using Social Ads Like a Boss, with Nik Ingersoll
We’ve got an awesome interview lined up for you today. I’m chatting with Nik Ingersoll, Co-Founder of . Nik is on the list of Forbes 30 Under 30 and just an all around cool dude. Before starting Barana, Nik founded a digital agency which eventually formed into an augmented reality firm. And today, we dive into how he’s leveraged creative thinking and guerrilla and social marketing tactics to grow Barnana so quickly. In this episode, you’ll learn: How creative food startups are opening doors with big retail partners using Facebook Ads What it takes to pull off an attention grabbing PR stunt Why traditional industry thinking might stunt your company’s growth And so much more. It’s a bit of a shorter episode, but it is packed with tons of unfiltered, actionable advice for food marketers. We discuss a lot of extremely useful Facebook Ad Tactics in a short amount of time, so rather than having you pause and write down notes every couple seconds, we’ve compiled all the best tips into a downloadable PDF, at .
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FMN 048: Using Social Data to Be a Smarter Marketer with Lauren Shafer
08/10/2017
FMN 048: Using Social Data to Be a Smarter Marketer with Lauren Shafer
On the show today, we have Lauren Shafer of Michele’s Granola, and we’re talking all about social media, and how to find what works for your brand. Michele’s Granola is a fast-growing brand that makes delicious, small batch granola products you can find in stores across the country. Since joining the company, Lauren has grown into her role of marketing manager, where she leverages the social media data, to constantly improve how Michele’s Granola communicates with their customers. In the episode, you learn Why your current approach to Facebook and Instagram is probably too similar What brand partnerships can do for you on social that influencer marketing doesn’t How to organically get more positive reviews on Amazon And plenty more. Recommended Read: - Naomi Klein To learn more about Michelle's Granola, check out their website . For links and show notes, visit .
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FMN 047: How Organic Brands Are Crushing It On QVC with Serafina Palandech
07/28/2017
FMN 047: How Organic Brands Are Crushing It On QVC with Serafina Palandech
Today we’re chatting with Serafina Palandech of Hip Chick Farms. Serafina’s company makes a line of extremely high quality organic chicken products, like nuggets and tenders, and was founded 4 and half years ago in an effort to provide healthy food to people and children on a mass scale. From being on a reality show to selling out of inventory on QVC, her company has had amazing success and is growing like crazy. On the show today, we discuss: How being on QVC works and what effect it has on your business What core marketing areas you should focus on to grow a cult like following How to use data to know when a packaging redesign might be in order And a lot more... Recommended Read: - Sheryl O'Loughlin
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