The Food Business Podcast

Ainsley Moir created the Healthy Food & Beverage Group to help driven food founders just like yours make your mark on the packaged food industry. At the Healthy Food & Beverage Group they blend the worlds of big food brands with small food brands so you can get in more stores, in more homes and build the food business you've been dreaming of. In this episode Ainsley and Adam cover some of the most popular trends in the world of food packaging today. Which ones should you consider and which aren't going to take you anywhere? Find out on this episode of the Food Business Podcast Looking to up your packaging game to make an impact on the shelf? Go to aviditycreative.com right now and book your Strategy Session with Adam and leave with actionable items to help you get to the next level. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Customers these days are much more savvy than they used to be and they are more and more aware of what's going on in the world. What this means is that they are also aware of when a brand is not transparent or authentic. It's important to customers that you are open with your ingredients and how you operate your business. Karine Wong, Pharm. D., CEO of My Guiltless Treats shares her experience and advice on why it's important to be transparent and also HOW to be transparent so you can build a better relationship with customers. If you're trying to grown your food or beverage brand but aren't sure how or you're struggling to get the sales that you're needing, go to aviditycreative.com/schedule-a-call to have a 1 on 1 strategy session with Adam. In this session we'll cover what makes your product unique and you'll leave with actionable items to grow your business easier. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

If your plan is to get into bigger stores this episode is for you. Rodrigo Etcheto, CEO of OvaEasy (f.k.a. Nutriom), joins us to share how they've been able to grow their egg product business recently to get into stores like CVS Pharmacy, GNC and soon Wal-mart. There's tons of great info about getting in front of buyers, using brokers, pitching and more. And lastly he shares why they are always coming up with new additions to their product line and how they continue to adapt to the market. Looking to get into bigger stores but not sure how? Set up a call with Adam to hear about his Path to Retail system that has helped many others in the same situation to simplify the process and make your work much easier without needing to pay people to pitch your products for you. Just go to https://aviditycreative.com/schedule-a-call for a 1 on 1 strategy session with Adam. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Have you outgrown working out of your house but you don't have large enough orders to build your own production facility? A co-packing facility is a great transition phase partner as you grow. Jeff Kingsbury and Patrick Webber are partners at Basecamp Copack and they join the show to share how they got into copacking and how it could be an option to benefit the growth of your food business. If you're ready to start scaling up your food business then go to aviditycreative.com/schedule-a-call today to set up your free 1 on 1 market strategy session with Adam Feller. In this session we will dive into your business and you'll leave with actionable items you can take to improve your business immediately. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Some craft breweries prefer to stay small and make a large variety of beers, others intend to grow past a local, unpredictable market to become a competitor on the national stage. Palmia Beer is one that is growing to be a more mainstream beverage. CEO, Robert Nathanson joins Adam in this episode to share how they've gotten into retailers like Costco and how they've become the go-to beer for celebrities like Snoop Dogg. If you're looking to improve your packaging and brand messaging to better compete on the shelves, give Adam at Avidity Creative a call to set up a free market strategy session. In this 1 on 1 session we will dig into your process and you'll leave with actionable items to grow your brand. Go to aviditycreative.com/schedule-a-call. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Jesse is the founder of O'Dang Hummus and he joins the show today to share what it was like getting his product into major retail grocers. We discuss the best ways to approach buyers and what to include in your pitch/demo. Wanting to grow your food business? Set up a market strategy session with Adam at aviditycreative.com/schedule-a-call where you'll leave the call with actionable items to get into stores easier and begin scaling up. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

In the first episode of this season, Adam is joined by Sari Kimbell, from Food Business Success. The two experts share their best advice for how you can make the most out of your business during the pandemic. Get actionable steps to improve your business in a one on one market strategy session with Adam by scheduling a call at https://aviditycreative.com/schedule-a-call --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

In this episode Adam gives an update for the podcast moving forward and he shares 2 very easy and free ways you can promote your brewery. Is your brand working for or against you? Find out by using Avidity's free Brand Evaluator tool. http://www.aviditycreative.com/brandevaluator --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Gain an extreme amount of knowledge for growing your food or beverage company and not have to travel and get a hotel room like a typical conference? This virtual summit is 7 days PACKED with great speakers and information that you're not going to want to miss. The best part is it is totally free for the week of the conference, September 23 - 29, 2019. Get more info about speakers and schedule as well as registration at https://ainsleymoir.mykajabi.com/a/17193/EgTDRnEX Listening to this after September 29th? Don't worry, the videos from the summit are still available via the link above. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

In this episode Adam is joined by guest Austin Massey, co-founder of Viator Coffee Cart in Chicago. We discuss how they built their company, how it's different than a brick and mortar or food truck, and also what is the scalability of the mobile cart model compared to other businesses. Food & Beverage Business Growth Summit Gain an extreme amount of knowledge for growing your food or beverage company and not have to travel and get a hotel room like a typical conference? This virtual summit is 7 days PACKED with great speakers and information that you're not going to want to miss. The best part is it is totally free for the week of the conference, September 23 - 29, 2019. Get more info about speakers and schedule as well as registration at https://ainsleymoir.mykajabi.com/a/17193/EgTDRnEX Listening to this after September 29th? Don't worry, the videos from the summit are still available via the link above. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Some of the hardest things to do in a restaurant are not the daily tasks. It's often figuring out how to build the right team and a culture that keeps your team happy and productive. Matt Swift is an owner of many restaurants and has learned along the way how to build those teams. As a guest on this episode he shares some great advice for how you can do the same. Starting a restaurant? Let's make a great first impression on your customers with a solid brand built around strategy. Contact Adam at adam@aviditycreative.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

In this episode Adam goes to Reclaimed Rails Brewing Co. for a chat with Janae Mariner. She shares why community involvement and events are so important to their brewery and how to make the most of it with yours. If you're just starting your brewery or needing to make a change to your brand image, I'd love to show you how Avidity can make the most of your budget. Contact Adam at adam@aviditycreative.com or call 712-269-0941. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

When starting your brewery picking the location can be crucial to your success. It's not common to have a brewery in a small town but Fenders Brewing in Polk City, Iowa is making it work. Find out how in this episode. Thanks to my guest Jason Madison, co-founder, for joining me and sharing his experience so far. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

If you're currently home brewing and looking for help improving your beers you need to check out your local home brewer's club today. Clubs like Iowa Brewer's Union (IBU is creative naming by the way) provide a resource for those looking to improve their brewing processes. The experienced brewers in each club are always willing to tell you how your beer tastes and what things you can do better. If you're wanting to one day open your own brewery I'd definitely suggest testing your beer with other brewers to get honest opinions, criticisms and advice. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Besides branding and advertising, another often overlooked part of starting a restaurant is the point-of-sale system you will use. Lots of business owners wait until the last minute to decide which system to go with. My guest this week is Ben Brown with Toast. He shares all of the things you should be looking for as well as what makes Toast a great option to consider. If you're starting a restaurant then consider the food branding experts at Avidity Creative to get your brand started off right. Visit aviditycreative.com or email adam@aviditycreative.com to see how we can bring in the most customers for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

John Reno is one of the founders of Craft Donuts + Coffee. He joins The Food Business Podcast to share how he started the business and what things have been working well for them. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

You think you have the best salsa around and you're ready to start making money from it? See how Phillip and Angelo from Tres Mentes Salsa started by perfecting their recipe and testing it with coworkers to now being on grocery store shelves all across the midwest. http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

After recording our first episode together last spring, Brian worked with Avidity Creative to rebrand his craft coffee roasting company, Ross Street Roasting. Brian shares what the experience was like to go through the rebranding process and particularly what you can expect if you decide to rebrand your company. Start the conversation of rebranding at http://www.aviditycreative.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

In this episode Adam dives into Tim Forrest's 9 Pillars of Success. Tim has used this tool for over 20 years as a way of helping his clients compete with the major brands. Get Tim's free downloads here: http://www.timforrest.com/foodbiz.html Get your brand strategy and identity with Avidity here: http://www.avidityreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

In this episode I'm joined by soon-to-be former home brewer Zach Dobeck with Roots Brewing Company. He shares what his experience has been like so far as he is setting to build and open his own brewery. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

On this episode my guest is the founder of an iconic Des Moines food business, Dereck Lewis. He shares his story of making cookies from his grandma's recipe and starting from scratch at farmers markets to now distributing ice cream sandwiches in the biggest grocery stores throughout the midwest and growing. Interestingly, part of Thelma's success is the packaging their cookies come in which resembles an old-time-y oven. Which goes to show how powerful good branding and design can be. If you're needing help with your own packaging then reach out to adam@aviditycreative.com to discuss details. http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

If you're wanting to start a coffee roasting company then this episode is for you. Seth Chapman, roastmaster for Water Street Coffee shares his experience and advice for finding foreign growers and what to expect from visiting them. Lots of great information in this episode. If you're starting your own roastery I'd love to help develop your brand to get you started on the right path. email adam@aviditycreative.com or visit aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

In this episode I am joined by Haylee Korth at The Outside Scoop. We discuss how they've been able to grow and manage their brick and mortar ice cream shop as well as multiple food trucks all while making over 60 flavors of ice cream from scratch and planning a second location. Considering opening your own ice cream shop or food truck? Let Avidity take care of your branding so you can focus on what you do best. http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Curious about how to get started brewing beer at home for you and your friends? Nick Rodammer is one of the best, award-winning home brewers in Michigan. He shares his advice for learning to brew and how to perfect recipes. http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

It's practically impossible to keep brewery employees from drinking beer while at work. For some it's simply part of their job. However, when too much alcohol is consumed and judgement is altered, some employees can put your business at risk of a law suit or physical damages. Joel Van Parys from Carothers DeSante & Freudenberger shares how he advises breweries to protect their business from such situations and how to prevent them. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Many people have resolutions for their personal lives, but how about for your business? Adam shares advice one setting and sticking to resolutions in this episode. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

In this quick tip episode Adam covers all of the things you need to be aware of as a business owner and having a logo design created. He covers what the process is like, what kind of designer or agency you should hire and what you should expect to receive. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

A crucial ingredient to brewing a good beer is to have the right hops.  What variety of hops do you use? Where are they grown? What's the flavor profile? Pelletized or full cone? Wesley Sindt is my guest in this episode and he shares his knowledge on these topics and more from his experience working with Buck Creek Hops. http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Your product's packaging and label are not only important for brand recognition, but also for informing consumers. The are many things the FDA and other regulating bodies require you to have on your packaging and in specific places. Patrick Morin from Startup Food Biz joins the podcast to discuss what those things are that you need to have on your label and packaging.  http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

It's not uncommon for people to view designers as artists. However, there's a lot that we have in common with chefs, brewers, roasters, etc. In this Quick Tip episode Adam tells you why Avidity specializes in working with food industry clients and why you all should see yourselves as artists. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

You've seen breweries. You've seen wineries. You've seen distilleries. But, have you seen a business which combines all of them? Joel Bierling, founder of Bier Distillery, is my guest on this episode. We cover a variety of topics surrounding opening a rare and unique business like his and what some of the advantages are. http://www.aviditycreative.com/howitworks --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

On this episode of the podcast I have a very talented guest who was recently awarded Chef of the Year by the Iowa Restaurant Association. Aaron Holt is the executive chef at RoCA in Des Moines, which was named to the top 100 list of hottest restaurants in America by Open Table. Aaron shares some great advice about opening a restaurant, attracting new customers and developing a menu. http://www.aviditycreative.com/howitworks --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Vanessa Phillips and Tryg Siverson are the founders of Feel Good Foods which is a frozen food company providing chef inspired meals made with fresh ingredients. They've been featured in various food industry publications and even appeared on Food Network's cooking competition show Chopped. Listen close and take notes as we discuss what the transition was like from restaurant to consumer packaged good and how they established themselves in the market. http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

There are many different paths to opening a restaurant. My guests, Lesley and Brian Triplett started their business by making food at farmers markets before opening Dumpling Darling with a couple more stops along the way. In this episode we discuss what steps they took to reach each new level of their business on their way to opening two locations. Just starting a restaurant? You should definitely check out Avidity Creative to help design your branding. www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Starting a business is not easy. There are a lot of hurdles along the path to success. Today's guest is Rashaun Robinson, one of the founders of Billy Goat Ice Cream Company which makes ice cream from goats milk. We discuss how he's managed to grow his business and what struggles they've come across along the way. Need a new logo? http://www.aviditycreative.com BluJaket: http://www.blujaket.com/foodbiz --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

It's not very often someone just up and decides they want to start a brewery. Most breweries start after someone or multiple someones have been brewing small batches of beer at home for fun and for friends. On this episode I talk with Marty Coatney who is a home brewer who is taking is passion from hobby to full fledged business. http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Social media can be an affective marketing tool, but it can also hurt you if not used right. In this episode Aaron Steinmann from Brewhaus Media and Adam Feller from Avidity Creative share how you create a personality and a voice in your social media messaging in order to appear authentic and reach YOUR audience. http://www.aviditycreative.com/howitworks --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Your target audience is a navigation tool for your marketing and brand strategy. It's how you make your business grow in a predictable way. In this episode Adam gives 3 ways to define your target audience and why it's important that you know who to target.  http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Starting one restaurant is difficult. Growing it to a scalable franchise is a whole other challenge. CEO, Mike Mohammad, and Founder, Randy Wyner, of Chronic Tacos join the show to talk about what steps they took to grow from a few locations to over 60 in a short period of time. Things like systems and processes, culture and branding are a few of the topics we cover. http://www.blujaket.com/foodbiz http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Be sure to have your legal bases covered to protect your business. Chris Proskey is a guest with a ton of experience in intellectual property. We discuss things to be aware of as you're starting your business and what you're entitled to as you start to build your brand. Gain an understanding of the differences of Copyrights vs. Trademarks and Registered Trademarks and when you need and don't need each of them. http://www.blujaket.com/foodbiz http://www.aviditycreative.com/howitworks --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Hire a professional photographer when you can to take photos for your restaurant, food truck or brewery. When you can't afford to hire a professional there's some small tricks of the trade that you can use to get a good photo. In this Quick Tip episode I cover what those tips are that will give your food the perfect look. http://www.aviditycreative.com http://www.blujaket.com/foodbiz --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

It's not uncommon to see breweries add food to their taproom or for restaurants to start brewing their own beer. What does this mean for your brand? Is it a good idea? How do you manage perceptions? Ryan Wheaton from the Branding Brews podcast joins the show to discuss how to handle new offerings. Get started with BluJaket here: http://www.blujaket.com/foodbiz Check out Avidity Creative here: http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

When you're just starting a business having never started one before there's probably a lot of things you aren't prepared for. Today on the show I have Todd Zenig from Zume Brewing Company. Zume brews, cans and distributes their own Nitro Cold Brew Coffee and we're going to talk about what their brewing and canning process is like as well as how Todd goes about getting the product on shelves. http://www.blujaket.com/foodbiz http://www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Selling products online is no easy task, especially when you're new to the market and your product has a limited freshness period like coffee. On this episode I have Nick Selman, one of the founders of Javaya and getjavaya.com. We discuss the benefits and downfalls of selling online as well as give advice for being successful in selling online, whether it's through your own site or a 3rd party site like javaya. www.getjavaya.com www.aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

You can have the best beer around but if nobody knows about it then you don't have a business. My guest, Ashton Tenhouse, is the Director of Marketing & Business Development at Front Street Brewery. We'll cover things they regularly do that have worked for them as well as some things that weren't quite as successful so you can take that information and put it to use with your own business. Get 25% OFF of BluJaket at bluejacket.com/foodbiz Need help with branding? Email adam@aviditycreative.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

If you're just starting your food business there's a lot of things you probably don't know or haven't even thought about. I have three guests who have been part of Union Kitchen, an accelerator program for food businesses in Washington, DC. Today on the podcast we're talking about how accelerators and the resources they provide take businesses to the next level. http://www.unionkitchendc.com http://www.aviditycreative.com/howitworks http://www.aviditycreative.com/howitworks --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Those who have already opened or managed a restaurant know that your drink menu can bring in a lot of revenue. Adam is joined by Jared Giunta, the beverage director at Proof, which was named the best restaurant in Iowa by Time magazine. He discusses what to watch for when building your own drink menu and how to conduct an experience for your customers. If you're ready to take your brand to the next level then check out aviditycreative.com/howitworks. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

So often breweries miss out on a huge opportunity when releasing a new beer into their lineup. All of the work goes into creating a recipe and production and the marketing of said beer is overlooked. Aaron Steinmann from Brewhaus Media joins Adam Feller to provide 6 pieces of advice for making making the most of your beer launch. If you need help branding or promoting your new beer please reach out to Brewhaus Media or Avidity Creative for a quick chat. It will be well worth your time. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Every thought about turning that hobby of yours into a full on business? Maybe it's beer or maybe it's coffee like my guest this week. Brian Gumm is the founder of Ross Street Roasting and he has some great insight into how he turned his passion for coffee into a full time roasting and retail business. Turning your own hobby into a full fledged business? First be sure to check out http://www.aviditycreative.com/howitworks --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Guest John Jackovin from Fermented Labs shares advice for new brewers about things you should be tracking with your production and distribution to keep your books in line and run your operation smoothly. We talk about his app, Brewd, and how it helps brewers with tracking, production and quality control. www.getbrewd.com www.aviditycreative.com/howitworks www.aviditycreative.com/guest --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message

Adam addresses 3 common myths about branding in the food industry. Isn't branding the same as advertising? Isn't branding expensive? Do I really need branding? These are all questions answered by the owner of Avidity Creative, a branding and design agency specializing in the food industry. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/foodbusinesspodcast/message