Podcasts about boomchickapop

“That's right, yeah, and to me, that's one of the most important steps in the whole process is this research, brand assessment. And then you bring that research and assessment to life in the mood board, and that is what allows you to create something that is so customized to this brand, that it only works for this brand.” – Jon Brennan This week's guest is a lifelong audio producer who loves to help brands communicate effectively through sound. He regularly produces voiceover and sound design for brands like Tide, Downy, Cascade, Henkel, Dell computers, and more, and he's led the creation of such audio branding identities as Amazon Alexa, Hostess, Boomchickapop, and Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey.His name is Jon Brennan, and since our last conversation, episodes 126 and 127, he joined Sixième Son, a world leader in audio branding, as a senior account executive, where he managed the creation of audio identities for Fortune 500 companies and brands. After two years, Jon returned to lead his own audio branding agency Sonic Signatures in 2024. He enjoys using his love of music and audio to entertain and inspire others, and we'll be talking a lot about how companies can and should work audio branding into their marketing plans. While Jon has worked with some very large companies in this capacity, the Fortune 500 aren't the only ones who benefit from this kind of strategy. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Journey in Sonic Branding IndustryAs our episode starts off, Jon tells us about a recent experience with sound, and how it sparked bittersweet memories of his late uncle. “I distinctly heard my uncle's voice,” he recalls, “and his characteristic laughter coming from the other room, and it's just like I just thought my uncle Tom was there for a minute and it actually moved me to the point that I just got totally choked up.” He describes his work with Sixième Son and such clients as Boomchickapop and Hostess, and the reason for his return to Sonic Signatures earlier this year. “Going back to my own agency,” he explains, “I'm able to be the creative director, I'm able to write concepts as well as tap other very talented composers to write concepts as well, and I'm just very fulfilled when I'm able to have that creative energy.”(0:16:56) - Effective Sonic Branding for Regional CompaniesWe take a closer look at some of Jon's recent ad campaigns, and he tells us about a particularly memorable sonic branding project for Fireball Whiskey. “You've got the dragon who sounds like a demon,” he says, “but then you've got this angel choir that is hanging out high above him in the audio spectrum... and so together it makes this disruptive sound that is also very memorable.” Jon talks about how remote...

This episode was first recorded and released in September, 2020. Angie Bastian, the visionary co-founder of Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, ignited a global popcorn revolution from the confines of her Minnesota garage in 2001. She crafted a beloved brand of gluten-free, non-GMO popcorn that has taken the world by storm. In 2017, Conagra Brands recognized the exceptional appeal of Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP and acquired the company, propelling it to new heights of success.Angie's outstanding achievements have garnered her well-deserved recognition. She has been honored as a Pioneer in Food and proudly inducted into the esteemed MN Women's Business Hall of Fame. Beyond her role at Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Angie actively contributes to various ventures, serving on the boards of Prospera Foods and Opportunity International Nicaragua. A former Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, she made the bold decision to retire from her nursing career in 2011, fully dedicating herself to the world of entrepreneurship.With an enduring partnership spanning 28 years, Angie and her husband have built a legacy that extends beyond business success. Together, they have raised two remarkable children and remain an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere. Angie Bastian's extraordinary journey exemplifies the power of determination, innovation, and unwavering commitment to creating something truly extraordinary.-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn, Miriam Haart and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----If you're enjoying the show, please share it with a friend and leave a review!

A groundbreaking piece of legislation, the School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024, has been introduced by US Senators Mike Rounds and Jon Tester. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about this proposed bill, which specifically aims to exclude lab-grown meat from the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, thereby preserving traditional meal options for students. Rounds emphasized the importance of relying on high-quality, local beef to nourish students rather than resorting to synthetic alternatives. The introduction of this act sparks a wider discussion on the role of technology in our food systems. As lab-grown meat becomes more commercially viable, its potential advantages come into conflict with safety concerns, cultural acceptance issues and the potential impact on traditional farming practices. The team posits that this bill was introduced far too early and does not consider lab-grown meat's FDA and USDA approvals. Also in this episode, Sydney talks about Smartfood Popcorn's new limited-edition Chocolate Glazed Donut popcorn. This flavor adds to the brand's collection of limited-time offerings, marking the second donut-flavored popcorn to be introduced following the Krispy Kreme Glazed Donut Popcorn in 2021. More recently, Smartfood introduced a limited-edition Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Flavored popcorn for the 2023 holiday season. Since its inception in 1985, Smartfood Popcorn has provided high-quality, ready-to-eat (RTE) popcorn that doesn't compromise on flavor. But Smartfood is not without its competitors. Brands like Skinny Pop, Boomchickapop and Lesser Evil continue to make their mark in the RTE popcorn space, which was worth an estimated $3.5 billion in 2022. Smartfood distinguishes itself through a commitment to quality and innovative flavor combinations. The team wonders how Smartfood got its name and discuss the brand strategy behind limited-edition offerings. Read the full article here:New School Lunch Integrity Act Could Ban Lab-Grown Meat in School MealsHow Smartfood Popcorn Blends Classic and Novel FlavorsFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

  On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast, Heather sits down with friend and hilarious comedian, Adam Ray. They discuss how they both got their start in Show biz in the 6th grade because they we're chubby children. Take a walk down memory lane- to remember the good ole' days of high School theater and frat/sorority life. Discuss how a good chicken salad sammie will make you want to sit on someone's face and how much they love to feel pure joy with their dogs.   To celebrate May, Mental Health Awareness Month, and to celebrate every step you take towards a better, richer, fuller life, Talkspace is offering every listener of this podcast $100 off your first month with Talkspace. Just go to Talkspace.com/ABSOLUTELY   If you're looking for an easier way to take supplements, Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase at AthleticGreens.com/ABSOLUTELY   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn brings you a BOOM of bold, craveable flavorthat you can enjoy at any time, on any occasion –whether you're on the go or unwinding at home. You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Try 21Seeds Infused Tequila for easy & delicious cocktails! Visit 21seeds.com to find 21Seeds near you. Enjoy Responsibly. 21Seeds. Diageo, New York, NY.   Produced by Dear Media

 On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast, Heather's back is out but her attitude has returned. She's learning hard lessons like "everyone's an asshole", "if you dont have a core, you're body will shut down" and "Dont get stabbed in Pittsburgh"-  She hits the hotline to try to make sense of why dentists ask you questions with their hands in your mouth and more!    Episode Sponsors:   Grab your Liquid I.V. in bulknation wide at Costco, or you can get 20% off when you go to LIQUIDIV.com and use code ABSOLUTELY at checkout.   Check out squarespace.com/absolutely for a free trial, and when you're ready to launch, use OFFER CODE: ABSOLUTELY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn brings you a BOOM of bold, craveable flavor that you can enjoy at any time, on any occasion. You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Get 50% off your first box of fresh, healthy food at TheFarmersDog.com/ABSOLUTELY Plus, you get free shipping.   As a special offer for listeners, new customers get $5 off a Lame Starter Pack with code ABSOLUTELY at LumeDeoderant.com   Your Memorial Day Sale is coming soon! Shop 20% off in-store or online at Brooklinen.com   Produced by Dear Media        

Imagine if you grew up with a healthy relationship with your body and food—what a concept! General pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, Dr. Rebekah Fenton, aims to help her young patients (and their parents), achieve just that. Dr. Fenton joins Remy and Emily to talk all about her weight stigma-free practice, from how to approach conversations about your kid's weight to why you should let your toddler be a picky eater. Dr. Fenton unpacks just how much of an impact parents can have on their kids' relationships with their bodies, and how to be *appropriately* honest with them about your own struggles. Remy and Emily wrap up with a round of Sweet or Salty, presented by Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, and share the sweet and salty moments of their week. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this bonus episode of the Absolutely Not podcast- Heather sits down with Jordana and Jared, hosts of the "U Up?" podcast, to talk about why couples pranks might be the worst side of TikTok, teach Jared maybe too much about feminine hygiene, and break down everything from relationships to why it just might be too late to save the turtles.   Episode Sponsors:   Shop jackets, jewelry, furniture, art, and more, made for all budgets and any occasion on Etsy. New to Etsy? Use the code NEW for 10% off your first purchase.   If you're looking for an easier way to take supplements, Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase at AthleticGreens.com/ABSOLUTELY   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn brings you a BOOM of bold, craveable flavorthat you can enjoy at any time, on any occasion –whether you're on the go or unwinding at home. You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Produced by Dear Media

Get out your plant-based substitutes—Remy and Emily are talking all things vegetarianism. Emily shares her personal experience being vegetarian for 6 years, and how she had to pivot away from the lifestyle once she realized she was doing it ~for the wrong reasons~. TW: weight loss, food control, and recovery. Remy shares her experiences not eating various types of meat, before they dive into listener-submitted responses. What are common misconceptions? Is being vegetarian actually “healthier?” Remy and Emily unpack the pressure of giving up a food group, and share some tips on how to make your own rules. They wrap up with a round of Sweet or Salty, presented by Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, and share the sweet and salty moments of their week. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

   On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast, Heather breaks down the details of the insane predicament she found herself in, at the Memphis airport, ran into a couple Lasso kids in Texas and was slinging art in Mississippi for Robin like drug dealer from the 80's. That and more!    Episode Sponsors: Head to squarespace.com/absolutely for a free trial, and when you're ready to launch use OFFER CODE: ABSOLUTELY to save 10% on your first purchase of a website or domain.   Go to Zocdoc.com/absolutely and download the Zocdoc app or FREE. Then find and book a top-rated doctor today. Many are available within 24 hours.   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorns brings you a BOOM of bold, craveable flavor that you can enjoy at any time, on any occasion. You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   It's golf. It's not golf. It's Topgolf. Pro-tip, download the app & book ahead of time to Come Play Around on Half-Price Tuesday or any other day!    Get 50% off your first box of fresh, healthy food at TheFarmersDog.com/ABSOLUTELY plus, you get FREE shipping!    Produced by Dear Media

Is sugar addictive? How bad is it to eat right before bed? Is it *actually* problematic to have coffee on an empty stomach? Registered dietitian Abbey Sharp (who you've probably seen on TikTok), joins Remy and Emily to debunk—and bunk—all of the biggest nutrition myths. Abbey shares her background in nutrition, her recovery journ', and the struggles she faced when starting intuitive eating. Then onto all of the most common food myths—or food rumors, if you will. From how much protein you actually need to the best non-dairy milk, Abbey goes through how true (or untrue) all of your submitted q's are, before sharing some delish, easy recipes. Remy and Emily wrap up with a round of Sweet or Salty, presented by Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, and share the sweet and salty moments of their week. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast- Heather and Jeff are taking a walk down memory lane in their old neighborhood. They have some advice for the Rat Czar of the city and take you behind the scenes of what a VIP experience at the Garden has in store for the local celebs. A Homeless man calls Heather a lesbian, and so so much more!   Episode Sponsors:   If you're looking for an easier way to take supplements, Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase at AthleticGreens.com/ABSOLUTELY   It's golf. It's not golf. It's Topgolf. Pro-tip, download the app & book ahead of time to Come Play Around on Half-Price Tuesday, or any other day!   Try 21Seeds Infused Tequila for easy & delicious cocktails! Visit 21seeds.com to find 21Seeds near you. Enjoy Responsibly. 21Seeds. Diageo, New York, NY.   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP is perfect for when I want a bold snack with a BOOM of flavor while unwinding at the end of the day. You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Produced by Dear Media  

Here to answer all of your *pressing* questions about weight and health is General Practitioner Asher Larmie, aka The Fat Doctor. Joining Remy and Emily from the UK, Asher shares their medical background and how they originally created a weight loss blog, which quickly turned into a failed weight loss blog, which begged the question—why do diets fail? Asher unpacks it all, from—why is there a higher rate of medical conditions in fat people? To—why is the BMI so problematic? They chat about the harms of weight cycling, how to determine health without a scale, and answer your q's about weight misconceptions. And yes, that includes the effects of Ozempic. Remy and Emily wrap up with a round of Sweet or Salty, presented by Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, and share the sweet and salty moments of their week. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast, Heather sits down with the ultimate SCAMMMMER, Ray, to discuss how they scammed their way into the masters, yet again. It is an in-depth observation into the golf world that rarely few people get to see. They are honest and raw about how much merch they bought, how swollen their feet were and how many azaleas they really drank!    Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.   Episode Sponsors:   Head to squarespace.com/absolutely for a free trial, and when you're ready to launch, and use OFFER CODE: ABSOLUTELY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.   For a limited time, get $20 off plus shipping on orders of $100+ with code absolutelynot at Brooklinen.com   Right now, Modern Fertility is offering my listeners $20 off the test when you go to ModernFertility.com/absolutely   Crush your cravings with a variety of delicious ready-to-eat popcorn that's always gluten free, whole grain and non-GMO. You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   If you're looking for an easier way to take supplements, Athletic Greens if giving you a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase at AthleticGreens.com/ABSOLUTELY   Produced by Dear Media

Why do people vape? How does body image relate to vaping? Remy and Emily unpack all things vaping, including their personal journ's. They share how they got started, how they feel about vaping now, and whether or not they're trying to quit. Remy reads some research behind vaping, before Emily brings up how vaping and body image can actually be intertwined, re: it can be used as an appetite suppressant. Emily admits to the intrusive thoughts she has had regarding body image and quitting vaping, before they share listener-submitted vaping experiences. Remy and Emily wrap up with a round of Sweet or Salty, presented by Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, and share the sweet and salty moments of their week. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

     On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast- Heather is fresh from her trip to Augusta with a new business idea that will take doggy day cares, water parks, and sushi restaurants to the next level. She hits the Absolutely Not Line to discuss sister fights, being hungover and how we need to rephrase the term "were trying". She's back on the road and saltier than ever!    Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.   Episode Sponsors:   Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your fist purchase at athleticgreens.com/absolutely   Go to Zocdoc.com/ABSOLUTELY and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Then find and book atop-rated doctor today.   For listeners of the show, Dips is offering an extended 30-day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/absolutely   You can grow thicker, healthier hair AND support the show by going to Nutrafol.com and entering the promo code ABSOLUTELY to save ten dollars off your first month's subscription - this offer is only available to US customers for a limited time.   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn brings you a BOOM of bold, craveable flavor that you can enjoy at any time, on any occasion. You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Produced by Dear Media  

On this bonus episode of the Absolutely Not podcast- Heather is back in the DMs answering your hard-hitting questions from how to deal with fuckboys and HOA drama to what she'd want to be reincarnated as in the next life.   Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.   Episode Sponsor:   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn brings you a BOOM of bold, craveable flavorthat you can enjoy at any time, on any occasion –whether you're on the go or unwinding at home. You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Produced by Dear Media

   On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast, Heather is back from a weekend of shows in the Lonestar state and wants everyone to know she has figured out the answer to world peace- a simple San Antonio Fiesta. Slap a little Barbacoa on a shell and sit down with your neighbor- its that simple- actually she is on the verge of a full nervous breakdown and becomes so completely unhinged she needs to call into her own HOT LINE. She explains the new viral sensation, "Yummy Water", refreshes everyone on airplane etiquette and believes Gwenyth was innocent.   Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.   Episode Sponsors:   Grab your Liquid I.V. in bulk nationwide at Costco, or you can get 20% off when you go to LIQUIDIV.com and use code ABSOLUTELY at checkout.   Check out squarespace.com/absolutely for a free trial, and when you're ready to launch, and use OFFER CODE: ABSOLUTELY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.”   As a listener of this podcast, you'll get $100 off of your first month with Talkspace when you go to Talkspace.com/ABSOLUTELY   You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   It's golf. It's not golf. It's Topgolf. Download the app, book a bay and Come Play Around.   Produced by Dear Media

   On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast Heather is keeping it 100% that some days you just need to get into the back corner of your closet, suck on a J Crew sweater and scream. She's fresh from the road and trying to find the balance of staying uber professional and honestly, just not giving AF! The Voicemails are insane but also a fresh reminder to have manners at a theater, you dont get free refills in New York- and if you were fighting for your life as a kid in basic reading classes- what were you even doing?    Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.   Head to squarespace.com/absolutely for a free trail, and when you're ready to launch, use OFFER CODE: ABSOLUTELY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.   You can grow thicker, healthier hair AND support the show by going to Nutrafol.com and entering the promo code ABSOLUTELY to save fifteen dollars off your first month's subscription.   For a limited time, Scarface is offering all Absolutely Not listeners free shipping on your first Micro-Cloud order. Just enter promo code Absolutely at checkout at Starface.world   Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs with your first purchase at athleticgreens.com/ABSOLUTELY   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn brings you a BOOM of bold, craveable flavor that you can enjoy at any time, on any occasion. You can try for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Produced by Dear Media

    On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast Heather is fresh off her shows in New England and ready to buy a house next to the Bush family on the beach. She felt the cool crisp seabreeze across her tits and its reinvigorated her to take on turning 36 with gusto! She makes a list of all of the things she still wants to do before 40 and it turns out its just two things. She also hits the hotline and answers your questions like "do you want my grandma" and "why did a woman in florida try and break into my hotel". Its Heather's birthday episode and she is just getting the party started!    Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.   If you're looking for an easier way to take supplements, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs at AthleticGreens.com/ABSOLUTELY   Let Dipsea be your go-to place to spice up your me-time, explore your fantasies, relax and unwind, or heat things up with a partner. Get an extended 30-day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/absolutely   It's golf. It's not gold. It's Topgolf. Download the app, book a bay and Come Play Around.   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn brings you a BOOM of bold, craveable flavor that you can entry at any time, on any occasion. You can try for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com    Produced by Dear Media

On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast, Heather is back from serving her country by performing comedy for drunk white women. Not only did she get to visit the white house, but bamboozled her way into the hearts of the national press and will never have to worry about unflattering TMZ photos ever again. She also hits the hotline and tries to make sense of why women can't open marinara jars and how do we stop our elderly mothers from getting swindled by ex-cons. That and more!   Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.   Head to squarespace.com/absolutely for a free trial, and when you're ready to launch use OFFER CODE: ABSOLUTELY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.   As a listener of this podcast, you'll get $100 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to Talkspace.com/ABSOLUTELY   Go to Zocdoc.com/ABSOLUTELY and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Then find and book a top-rated doctor today.   Right now, Modern Fertility is offering our listeners $20 off the test when you go to ModernFertility.com/absolutely   Angie's Boomchickapop brings you a boom of bold, craveable flavor. Try for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Produced by Dear Media

J&J are coming in hot this week with a lot to unpack. First, they break down the recent Vanderpump Rules cheating scandal and what people's reactions to it say about them. Then they dive into a recent New York Times article all about #DatingTok. How is the virality of these bad date videos affecting the power balance in dating? And how is what Jared and Jordana do on the podcast any different? The Awkward Sexual Encounter takes place at a grandmother's house. Later, an emailer asks how she can avoid losing herself when she moves in with her long-distance boyfriend. J&J finish the episode with a new game called Sweet Or Corny, presented by Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this bonus episode of the Absolutely Not podcast- Heather is back in the studio with friend of the pod, Raymond Padilla, to talk what they're giving up for lent, Ray getting high on THC drinks and channel their inner Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Then they hit the Instagram DMs for some listener Q&A.   Episode Sponsor:   Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn brings you a BOOM of bold, craveable flavorthat you can enjoy at any time, on any occasion. You can try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Produced by Dear Media

On this episode of the Absolutely Not Podcast - Heather is fresh from the Philly show where she may or may not have gotten in trouble for being a little too honest with the sports takes a little too soon. She got cookies hand-delivered to the stage by one of her favorite chefs, and later it almost got sticky for everyone at the Ritz-Carlton Club. Heather also hits the Absolutely Not line to discuss Uber drivers doing too much, when to die with the lie, and doubling down on some get back for one of last week's callers.   Episode Sponsors:   Grab your Liquid I.V. in bulk nationwide at Costco or you can get 20% off when you go to LIQUIDIV.com and use code ABSOLUTELY at checkout.   Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase at athleticgreens.com/ABSOLUTELY.   Take your FREE in-depth hair consultation and get 15% off your first order today at Prose.com/absolutely.   Go to HelloFresh.com/absolutely65 and use code absolutely65 for 65% off plus free shipping.   Try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP for yourself by visiting www.boomchickapop.com   Produced by Dear Media    

Angie Bastian, along with her husband, Dan, are the founders of Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, one of the most successful homegrown snack food stories in the 21st century.    Angie and Dan Bastian were looking to put aside some money for their kids' college fund when they started a small kettle corn business out of the family's garage. They sold the popcorn at festivals and sporting events, eventually becoming the official popcorn of the Minnesota Vikings after delivering several free bags of popcorn to the players to eat while they watched film during training camp. Eventually, Angie retired from her work as a nurse practitioner and Dan from teaching history to run their company full-time.    The ultimate game changer took place when Angie's Kettle Corn became BOOMCHICKAPOP, and the rebranding took place. Several years later, Dan and Angie, sold the business in the fall of 2017 as a part of a $250 million dollar buyout by Conagra Brands.   In this episode, Angie shares with us: How the popcorn company started, The behind-the-scenes story of the naming of BOOMCHICKAPOP, The strategies they used to overcame setbacks to build the company,  Why we should not discount our own unique perspectives, and  Her personal passions driving her today.   “Don't discount your own unique perspective.” Angie Bastian   HIGH PERFORMANCE MINDSET SHOWNOTES FOR THIS EPISODE: www.cindrakamphoff.com/529 FOLLOW CINDRA ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/cindrakamphoff/ FOLLOW CINDRA ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/mentally_strong TO READ ANGIE'S PREFACE IN DR. CINDRA'S BEYOND GRIT FOR BUSINESS BOOK: https://www.beyondgrit.com/ Love the show? Rate and review the show for Cindra to mention you on the next episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-performance-mindset-learn-from-world-class-leaders/id1034819901

In this podcast, we drop you inside a Tony Robbins Business Mastery seminar for a 1-hour masterclass in how to build a brand that not only changes the game but empowers your customer base. You'll hear Tony Robbins in a dynamic interview with the co-founders of BOOMCHICKAPOP, a wildly successful natural and organic popcorn brand that completely disrupted the snack industry.   Angie and Dan Bastian were looking to put aside some money for their kids' college fund when they started a small kettle corn business out of their garage.  Initially selling popcorn at outdoor events, including Minnesota Vikings games, the couple soon took their popcorn to Trader Joe's, Target, and Costco – gaining a crash course in how to operate a business along the way.  The real game changer took place when the then-named Angie's Kettle Corn embraced a bold new identity: BOOMCHICKAPOP.  Angie retired from being a nurse practitioner and Dan from a history teacher and baseball coach to run their company full time.  And after years of commitment and sacrifice, the Bastian's sold their business in 2017 to Chicago-based Conagra Brands for $250 million. In this candid conversation, the couple reveals how facing their fears and connecting to their customer base in a fresh and empowering way led to their ultimate success. Show Notes: [1:47] Introduction to Angie and Dan Bastian [3:42] How Angie and Dan met [6:48] Angie and Dan attend Tony's Unleash The Power Within  [7:41] Facing your fears [10:14] Starting a business as a couple [14:37] Being thought of as crazy [16:07] Gaining proximity to the Minnesota Vikings [17:13] Importance of building bonds [20:20] To gain a seat at the table, you must commit everything [21:35] Say yes to every opportunity [26:07] There's always a solution [30:22] Raising private equity [32:32] Only 2.5 seconds to capture a consumer's attention [33:35] Coming from a position of empowerment [37:04] Origin of the BoomChickaPop name [40:39] Talking directly to consumers [42:56] Dividing labor as a couple [45:08] Maintaining a relationship despite stress [47:20] Selling the company [49:22] How it felt to distribute funds to colleagues [51:59] Commiting to business relationships [57:33] Audience question from Javier:  What was the process of selling your company? [1:00:29] Audience question from Aaron:  What was your goal for the company? [1:03:56] Audience question from Kaley: How did you feel when you sold the business? [1:06:11] Audience question from Annabelle:  What kept you going through the tough times? [1:12:33] Audience question from Ryan: If you (Chris) were to develop Shazam again today, what would you do differently? [1:15:16] Audience question from Anjelica: How many times did your brand evolve? [1:21:40] Final question from Tony: What's the single best piece of advice that you've gotten in business? [1:26:30] Sign off

This week Mike and Tom try out Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Mike and Tom try out Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rob Report 05.28.22 - THREE of the MOST IMPORTANT Stories of the Week!-Could you eat the same thing… every day … for years.. And years … and years…That's exactly what a Wisconsin man did. -The popcorn specialists at Angie's Boomchickapop have teamed up with jewelry designer Stephanie Gottlieb to create what the pair is billing as the first-ever "popcorn-cut diamond ring"-Do you believe in ghosts?  Do you trust the gov't?Rob Martier Reports 

Angie and Dan Bastian weren't trying to disrupt an industry or build a massive company, they just wanted to put aside some money for their kids' college fund. In 2001, Dan stumbled across an internet ad touting kettle corn as a lucrative side-business, so he and Angie decided to take the plunge, investing $10,000 in equipment. At first, they popped kettle corn in front of local supermarkets in the Twin Cities and at Minnesota Vikings games. Eventually, they moved indoors to Trader Joe's, Target, and Costco—and got a crash course in how to run a business along the way. Angie's Kettle Corn eventually took on a bold new name: BOOMCHICKAPOP. And in 2017, the company was acquired for a reported $250 million. This show was recorded live at Ordway Concert Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota in July 2019.

Ben and Lexi are dorking out about all things food! What gross food combinations bring you the most comfort? If you had one last meal before the great beyond - what would you eat? What does a latch key eat when they are too afraid to use the stove? Listen in as they dork out with their forks out. SHOW NOTES:We are talking food BUT safety first - here is a helpful video on how to save yourself from choking on food if you are alone!Lexi's Last Meal:Yam fries and miso gravy from the Coup Caesar salad from Lexi's mom "Pseudo"  Lasagna , again from Lexi's mom Mocha Cake from Glamorgan Bakery Ben's Last Meal: Fancy pants Shepard's pie NOT cottage pie  (maybe some gravy or ketchup) Disgusting Food We Love:Spoonfuls of ice tea mix, straight up Saltine crackers  with peanut butter and chocolate chips (sad snacks) Saltines with pb & j Saltines with  margarine Christmas Crack (saltine recipe): https://www.littlesweetbaker.com/christmas-crack-saltine-cracker-toffee/Marble cheese, pasta sauce and crackers (saltines, Breton crackers, Ritz crackers or Stone Wheat Thins)White pasta, Zesty Italian salad dressing and A LOT of parmesan (sprinkle)   cheese...like a lot The Dylan special, the Pregnant woman wrap - whole wheat pita, sauerkraut, nut butter (not a sweet one) and  lacinato kale Imitation crab and melted butter OR wasabi OR a sriracha mayo Just melted cheese out of a bowl Maybe not gross food? Brie covered in butter, brown sugar and maple syrup and then wrapped in puff pastry Brie covered in Kahlua and then melt and eat with crackersBrie and raspberry jamCottage cheese and raspberry jam  Door Dash or Skip the Dishes Go To Order: Vietnamese  food is the winner! Subs or anything with noodles (Jess agrees!)Strangest Food  We Have TriedLexi will eat pineapple but only on pizza but will NEVER eat pineapple on its own. Pineapple is gross.  Ben ate a kangaroo , frog and crocodile We talked about:Jordan Witzel's beloved Glamorgan Cheese bun Halloween costume from 2020. Can't make this stuff up folks Luke's Drug MartBlack Foot Crossing Historical Park Calvin and Hobbes If you have gross food for our dork cook book, send those recipes in! Especially SALTINE CRACKER recipesTayce and Heniz beansCommunity Natural FoodsByblos Bakery and Lake View Bakery Wheat Crunch Lexi can only eat cheese pizza pops when she is sick  Let's get going with that lab grown meat!People who are allergic to shellfish might also be allergic to bugs Lexi alluded to the Queasy Bake oven Would you eat lab grown extinct animals? What about human lab grown meat? Lexi ate at Yamazato Restaurant in Amsterdam and it was amazing The Lucca Comics and Games festival Scoma's Restaurant  Ben would travel back to France for the food  and wants to visit Japan for a good noodle house Lexi would travel to Korea for the food  and wants to go back to the Netherlands  for foodRed Fish Blue Fish Mango Rash - it is real Grizzly House in Banff Man  has leg amputated and friends eat it Wendigo  BONUS CONTENT:Amazing producer Jess says:Jess' last meal:  avocado rolls. They are the perfect food and absolutely the last thing I would want to taste before the grand exitJess' disgusting food :  cheddar cheese on tortilla chips, you can't put anything else on them it needs to be just grated cheese (slices if you're feeling really lazy) on plain ass tortilla chipsFun fact: engineered meat grows better in space so we could potentially have like satellite labs sometime in the future when commercial space flight becomes more viableSOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi's website and twitter and instagramBen's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagramIf you're enjoying Dork Matters, we'd really appreciate a nice rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods. It would very much help us get this show to the other dorks out there"I was that I was skinnier, but I love sandwiches"-  Hobo Johnson TranscriptLexi  I knew someone once, who grabbed a bag of chips and was eating the chips and, like, absent-mindedly just snacking away, as one does with chips,  and he said that he was eating the flavoring at the bottom when he finally looked into the bag and realized it was just filled with, like, maggots at the bottom. Like, something had obviously gotten in and he was like, "I don't actually know how many maggots I ate."Ben  I'm literally gonna throw up. That's... I can't handle maggots. Lexi  I can't remember what type of chip it was.Ben  Apparently something that looked and felt like maggots because think about it. A chip and a maggot are not in the same realm of--Lexi  Yeah.Ben  --you know, feel or texture when chewed. [chuckles]Lexi  But, doesn't it also tell you like the state of mind of a person sometimes, when they're eating where they're just like absolutely snacking? Like, they never actually think to themselves.Ben  I mean, I think that's just how I eat. [both laugh] That's just my way of eating.Lexi  You just come to you when the food's gone.Ben  Oh, unless it was Cheezies. Then, maybe. Like, a Hawkins Cheezie, but even still, you're eating a maggot. They squirm and they're squishy.Lexi  Look what I found today. I hope you're excited about it. It is...Ben  Oh, Wheat Crunch!Lexi  Yeah.Ben  Shit. Is that an Alberta-centric thing?Lexi  I don't even know if it's like popular outside of Calgary. Ben  I forgot that those even existed. Lexi  Well, I was in line at Canadian Tire, and I was like, "What the shit?!" and I bought, like, five, and then there's a big thing on the packaging saying, "You can order online," and I was like, "I will."Ben  Holy shit. I'm gonna order some too. Every kid had those in their lunchboxes here. Lexi  Yes. And then, just one day they were gone. Like, and no one said anything. They were just gone, and we just carried on with our lives like nothing happened. Ben  They were just gone, like Hickory Sticks which also exist, still.Lexi  That's-- that's shocking to me, but I really feel like Hickory Sticks are a good bang for your buck. Like, the bag is never ending. Ben  It does feel like it was more full than other chips. Lexi  Oh, yeah.Ben  It was a good choice from the vending machine, and it was also usually like a quarter less.Lexi  Mm-hmm, 75 cents or something. Ben  Yeah, yeah, exactly. Let's see. Food stores. What do I got? I've got when I almost killed myself by breaking the tab off of a pop can that I was drinking, dropping it into the can.Lexi  Oh, and then did you choke?Ben  And then, forgetting I put it in there. I drank it. I didn't choke. It went into my esophagus, perforated my esophagus. [Lexi gasps] I didn't think much of it. I was just like, "Oh crap. I'm gonna have to deal with that." Worked the rest of the day [Lexi chuckles] at this warehouse job I was working. Lexi  [laughs] My god.Ben  I finally got home and was like, "Crap. I think I need to go to the hospital," so I called my dad. He took me, and yeah, I'd perforated my esophagus. It was like, letting air into [Lexi gasps] and I'm just giving you what I remember. I was pretty drugged at the time, but the explanation I remember was that it had perforated my esophagus and was letting air into the areas around my heart so every time I was breathing, more air was getting in and crushing my heart, so I was just in immense pain. Lexi  Holy shit. Ben  Yeah, sort of like, out of it at one point, and going through surgeries and stuff, and they're asking me like, "On 1 to 10, what's your pain?" and I'm like, "I don't know. 13." [Lexi laughs] And then I got, like, morphine to high hell, and I was more or less out of it for nearly two weeks, like, just recovering--Lexi  Wow.Ben  --drugged out so that I wasn't awake on an IV drip. So I wasn't eating or drinking.Lexi  Holy.Ben  I was 18. It was a real fucked-up situation. Lexi  Wow. I think yours is better than maggots. Ben  What else do I got? Wait. I got two more. I'll do 'em quick, rapid fire. We were in Bermuda - Fiona and I, for like my first ever real vacation - and at one point, I bit a "tor-till-a" chip the wrong way or "tor-tee-ya" chip the wrong way and sliced my gum in the front here. Lexi  Yep, that'll happen.Ben  Had to get a gum graft.Lexi  That... Didn't know that was a thing. That's gross. Ben  It was so bad. Yeah, so you can get gum from what they call the tissue bank or the donor bank, so what I ended up having put into my mouth [Lexi laughs heartily] is a slight piece of somebody else's, like, jawbone. So they cut it open, they fold over the flaps, they drill into my jaw a little bit and then place this tiny piece of, like, bone with, like, gum tissue on it in there, and then let it grow up and stitch it into where it should be. And then, it just becomes part of me, and my personality changed after that.Lexi  Well, I was gonna say, "Did your taste change?" Were you like, "All of a sudden, I like mango"?Ben  Everything about me changed and I remembered dark crimes that I don't remember committing.Lexi  Well, obviously, my next question is, "Was this from a dead person or a living person?"Ben  Oh, it's definitely from a dead person. Lexi  Eugh! Ben  From what I understand, the donor bank is not from living people, so they just have a bank filled of tissue that's been donated. I could be wrong, but that's what the dentist told me. [laughs]Lexi  Well, I'm not sleeping tonight. That's... Wow.Ben  Last story is I used to have a huge gap in the front of my teeth. It was before you knew me, before I got braces, and my party trick was eating mashed potatoes and shooting them out like a playdough machine. Lexi  Oh, god.Ben  Just a long stream of mashed potatoes coming from between my teeth.Lexi  Speaking of food party tricks, I'm gonna send you a video and we'll see if we can put it on Instagram or Twitter or something, of me shotgunning a cupcake at a party once, because I had just come from work and I was all fancy, and they had mini cupcakes and I remember saying to Tim Belliveau, "I could eat this in one bite," and he was like, "Nah." And so the video is me just like deepthroating this cupcake and everyone cheering for me. Just, you know--Ben  College.Lexi  --like a person without food issues.Ben  Yeah, and if you haven't guessed, we're talking about food tonight. Welcome to Dork Matters. [theme music "Dance" by YABRA plays] Voiceover  [echoing] Dork Matters.Ben  Hello and welcome to Dork Matters, the show that is created by some dorks for all of you dorks out there, with dork content, ready to roll, and you might be wondering, "What's dork content?" and it's everything that matters to dorks.Lexi  It's whatever we say it is. Ben  [laughs] Whatever. We're dorks, and so if we wanna talk about it, it's a dork matter. [mystical electronic tone] You get it? You get it, right?Lexi  Yep.Ben  That's the name.Lexi  They get it. Ben  Yeah. I am your Doofus Dork, Ben Rankel, and with me, as per always, is...Lexi  Your Thrown-Off Dork. You always introduce yourself as Dad Dork. Now I'm like, "Well, am I the Dad Dork now?"Ben  I know. I've been thinking it and I thought, "If Lexi can change what kind of dork she is, I wanna be a different dork sometimes." [Lexi laughs]Lexi  Um, I am your Gourmand, Gourmet Dork. I had to look up the difference between those.Ben  Okay, record scratch. [scratching record, DJ-style] Gourmand and gourmet?Lexi  Yeah. Ben  Oh, and what is the difference?Lexi  A gourmet-- oh, that's what I was gonna tell you. Okay. There's a whole story. So, a gourmet is someone who likes you know, like the quality of food, so it's a quality over quantity, and a gourmand is quantity over quality, so they like to eat a lot.Ben  Wow, I just assumed they're completely different words that had, you know, like, maybe gourmet refer to the food, and a gourmand was the person who made it, but that's cool. I didn't realize they were kind of diametrically opposed.Lexi  They're polar opposites. I read this collection of, like, mixed-up fairy tales written for adults, and there was a story of a gourmet and a gourmand who lived together and basically, their obsession with food killed them because the gourmet eventually starves to death because no food is good enough, and the gourmand eats himself to death. Ben  So, kind of an opposite of the Jack Spratt situation. Lexi  Yes. Yeah. Ben  So you were a gourmand or a gourmet?Lexi  A little bit of both. I like to eat a little bit of a lot.Ben  Yeah, I feel the same.Lexi  Or a lot of a little bit. I don't know.Ben  A lot of a little.Lexi  I like high quality, but I like small bits of it. Like, I'm the type of person that I'll go to a restaurant and wanna have, like, just appetizers for dinner instead of like a full meal. Ben  So you could do a charcuterie dinner or a...Lexi  Oh, I love charcuterie. That's like my go-to meal.Ben  A "crud-ite" dinner.Lexi  Love it. Crudité.Ben  "Croo-deh-tah". Lexi  That's-- I've always wanted to go to Spain because of an Anthony Bourdain--Ben  RIP.Lexi  --episode where they're in Spain and they basically just, like, go from restaurant to restaurant, like, because, if you order booze, they just keep bringing you tapas--Ben  Mmm.Lexi  --and it's like, yeah. So, as long as you're buying a drink, you get free food, and so the type of drink that you get tells you the type of food that you're gonna get, so if you're gonna get a glass of wine, it might be, like, cheese and olives, or if you get a beer, it might be... I don't know, like bread and something or other. So that's-- that's the life for me right there.Ben  So just get hammered and keep eating. That sounds lovely.Lexi  Well, just like little-- little snacks. Little snacks throughout the evening. That's my go-to.Ben  That's your go-to. Skip dinner. Just eat snacks all night.Lexi  I'm a snack person.Ben  I mean, I'm a snack person too, but I still eat dinner, and that is the problem. [both laugh]Lexi  Oh, this isn't my dinner. This is just my pre-dinner snack. [chuckles]Ben  Okay, well, like, this brings us to a good place to chat which is, you know, exactly that, what kind of snacker you are, and I think I am both a bored snacker, and also a, what is it called? Like, grazer? I just wanna put things in my mouth if I'm trying to keep my mind occupied on something else. I guess what I'm saying is, I have every possible reason to continue eating and I think it shows. [Lexi laughs]Lexi  I've been trying to eat, like, just at my meals instead of grazing all day because that's a slippery slope. Ben  Mm-hmm.Lexi  But, man, there are... Low-calorie food is garbage, except for BOOMCHICKAPOP. That stuff is amazing.Ben  Yeah. Popcorn's great as a snack. You can just eat as much as you want of it. I think we should probably lay down some ground rules since we are talking about food. We are not looking to shame anybody's body types. We have our own body types. I have previously described mine as being pancake batter in a Ziploc bag. [Lexi laughs] And that's not what we're gonna do, so if we're talking a little bit, and we're hitting some stuff like talking about body type, or the way we eat and stuff, we're just discussing food for the love of food and--Lexi  YeahBen  --and our own issues with how we approach it, and we are not looking to give anybody a vibe or, you know, make anyone feel bad about their approach to food. You love to eat? Eat as much as you want. Do what you gotta do. Lexi  Yeah, this is a celebration. Ben  Do what makes you happy. A celebration of food. Lexi  We're celebrating food, and I'd like to also say, a celebration of local food, because I think, sometimes, people have this image of Alberta being like, "Ah, you all like beef out there." I'm like, "Yeah, but there's also lots of really amazing other food here," so this is a celebration of all things food, today.Ben  I love it. I love food. Where do we go from here? What is your favorite food? Let's talk about it.Lexi  Ooh. Okay, so I have two different favorite foods, and there's like, my favorite meal. Like, if I was gonna have, like, one last meal, what I would cook, and then there's like my secret gross foods that I think people, like if they hear me, they're like, "That's disgusting. I'm gonna go home and try it just to make sure."Ben  Okay, I think we have to do this through different categories here. Lexi  Yeah.Ben  I want, first, last meal. What would you eat? What would be the last thing? You have finally done it. You have-- you've committed that crime that you've been considering for so long. [Lexi laughs] You finally decided it was time, and you got caught. You were sloppy. You weren't good at the crime. You thought about it a lot, but not how to execute it. Poor choice. So you're caught now. You're on death row, in the US, I guess, 'cause we don't fuck with that here.Lexi  Yeah, we don't execute people in Canada.Ben  So yeah, [chuckling] you've moved to the US at some point to commit this crime. [Lexi laughs] This crime of passion, I assume, and yeah, you're on death row. Last meal, what is it?Lexi  Okay, I thought about this a lot. First of all, I was actually going through my cookbooks to decide [chuckling] which my meal would be.Ben  Oh, that's great. Lexi  And I think my appetizer for my last meal would be the yam fries and miso gravy from The Coup, which is a local vegetarian restaurant here in Calgary, and they released this cookbook of their vegetarian food, like years ago - they probably have a newer one - but I bought it specifically to get their miso gravy recipe, and it's the one fucking thing they don't have the whole book, so that pissed me off. But, I have cooked almost every single thing in here, and I would say, that would be my appetizer of my last meal. Ben  Okay.Lexi  It's delicious. Yam wedges with delicious warm miso gravy. So good. Then, I would have my mom's Caesar salad 'cause she makes it just so delicious.Ben  What does your mom do that's different?Lexi  Um, she makes a dressing from scratch, and she gets, like, these really high-quality anchovies, and like mushes them into a paste with a mortar and pestle.Ben  Oh, my god. I want your mom's Caesar now. Lexi  Oh, I'll bring it for you. It's so good. Like, she makes a vat of it.Ben  I love anchovies.Lexi  Oh my god. It's my favorite. And she just puts like a shit-ton of lemon juice in it. It's just so, so refreshing and delicious. So, I would have my mom's Caesar salad, and then, in the old Lexi household, my mom is an amazing cook. She, like, she was a Home Ec teacher a million years ago. I mean, 10 years ago, 'cause she's so young and vibrant.Ben  [laughs] Does your mom listen to this?Lexi  No, but you know, I wanna be respectful. She's, you know...Ben  Sure yeah.Lexi  She's a young babe. But she just-- she's such an incredible cook. But, I love lasagna, but lasagna takes 8 million years to make, so she makes something called "pseudo-lasagna", which is just what we called it, where it's like a ziti, like a stovetop-- you just put noodles and sauce and cheese and meat and shit in a pot. Ben  Yeah, yeah.Lexi  And that's my favorite 'cause she lets the sauce sit for just hours. It's so, so delicious, so I'd have that, and then, as my final dessert, I would have a really nice coffee 'cause I like a good coffee, and then I would have mocha cake from the Glamorgan Bakery.Ben  Wow, you're just pulling out all the locals here. Lexi  'Cause they're so good! Okay, if no one knows about Glamorgan Bakery, I almost don't wanna tell you because it's so popular.Ben  This is a good time to let you know that most of our listeners aren't in our city or even our country. Lexi  That's why I have to explain it to them. Okay, so American listeners, because apparently that's where a lot of you are, and Western Australia--Ben  And the UK and Sweden. Welcome. Lexi  Yeah, welcome foreign--Ben  Dignitaries.Lexi  --outside people. We love you. [both laugh]Lexi  Four of the best--Ben  Yeah.Lexi  There's this bakery and it is-- like, it hasn't changed from, like, I'm gonna say 1965. Like, it is dingy inside, but my god, they make the best food, and they're known for a cheese bun to the point that, like, a local weatherman, as his Halloween costume, dressed up as a cheese bun one year for Halloween.Ben  We have a sort of, hip... It's a drug mart/grocery/record store/...Lexi  Ice cream dispensary?Ben  Post office/ice cream place/coffee shop called Luke's in our city, and their big announcement recently was that they're carrying now Glamorgan Bakery cheese buns for those in the know.Lexi  That shit, like it sells out.Ben  So you have to get there early and pick those up.Lexi  That's what I ask for, for my birthday every year, is cheese buns. My mom just goes and buys me like a couple of bags of cheese buns 'cause they freeze well.Ben  That's pretty cool. I have now decided I'm gonna take my son to a bakery tomorrow morning. [chuckling]Lexi  You know what the great thing is? You can try some mocha cake because they have-- they're not even pieces of cake that you can buy individually. They just have, like-- they're like bite-size, brownie-sized pieces of cake so you just a little bit.Ben  Nice. Just cake bites. Lovely. And that rounds out the meal.Lexi  Yeah, that's my meal. That's my meal of, "I'm about to die."Ben  And now you're dead. Lexi  Yep, now I'm dead, probably from all the cholesterol.Ben  Oh, who do you have come in to redo your last rites? What-- what religion?Lexi  I was raised Protestant. I couldn't tell you which kind. Um, the sarcastic Protestants? Which one is that? I don't know.Ben  I mean, sure. Yeah. No, I am familiar with them, myself. My dad was Protestant, my mom was Baptist, and I am nothin'.Lexi  Yeah, I'm nothin'. I think I'd probably have like-- I'd say goodbye to John. Ben  Will Shortz. Lexi  Maybe-- you know what I would do is I would have Ashley Shaw come read to me from the book of "The Flying Spaghetti Monster". Ben  Oh, nice.Lexi  Just because I'd wanna say goodbye to her because I think she'd be like, "Nah, you're fine. You got this." Ben  Yeah, yeah.Lexi  "You'll be okay."Ben  Hey, get back to us. Let us know what's on the other side. And now you're dead. Sorry about that.Lexi  Yeah. Get out of there. What about you?Ben  [chuckles] I'll keep it simple. I would have shepherd's pie. I don't know from where exactly or exactly whose, but it would be some form of shepherd's pie, maybe the most expensive one I could find, like Wagyu beef or something. So, like, yeah. I just want a nice comforting--Lexi  I was gonna ask, like, "Are you a lamb person?"Ben  Yeah, ah, right. So we should get into, just very briefly, the difference between shepherd's pie and cottage pie, which is the meat that you use, and not everyone knows that, and it also, I don't think matters anymore. Just call it all shepherd's pie. Who cares? It's all shepherd's pie. But yeah, I'm into lamb. I'm into turkey ones. I'm into beef. I think the layering of the meat and the vegetables, and the mashed potatoes is just the most magical combination. You get one slice of that and it's a full, proper meal all on its own. It's so fucking comforting. That would be a way I could say goodbye to the world is with a big piece of well-made shepherd's pie. Little bits of gravy. Lexi  Do you put ketchup on it?Ben  I have been known to put ketchup on it. I'm not-- I'm not above that. I generally think a good shepherd's pie can, you know, stand on its own with just gravy, but if you wanna throw ketchup on there, do it. If you want some of that sugary tomato jam, go for it.Lexi  My grandma used to make a shepherd's pie, but instead of mashed potatoes, she would make dumplings and put them on top. Ben  Mmm. Like, biscuit dumplings?Lexi  Yeah, but like not... I don't even know how to describe it because they were more doughy than bready.Ben  Yeah, yeah, just like a proper, actual, like the soup dumpling or something, your sort of Pan-Euro, North American food. I get you.Lexi  So, my mom's side of the family is Scottish, and there're all these like, kind of, nuanced, like, little bits of like Scottish history in the food that has been, like, bastardized by Canadian... As like-- probably all of Canada's just like a bastardization of where we've all come from, unless you're indigenous, and then you're the true people of Canada.Ben  That's not sarcastic. We both actually firmly believe that. Lexi  [chuckling] Yeah, we firmly believe that.Ben  We are colonial settlers that are doing our best to figure that shit out, and, yeah. Yeah, that's an interesting thing that I don't think we're maybe prepared to talk about, but it's interesting to at least bring up is sort of the idea of North American indigenous foods from different tribes and stuff like that, and different nations, and, sort of, also how it was informed by the way they were treated by European colonialists, and, like, making certain foods and dishes that became sort of synonymous with different nations, based on the food products they had available from a government that was basically trying to kill them, in Canada, specifically, starve them out. So that's interesting, and it'd be cool to talk about that someday, but today is not that day. But, god, there is such a great history of food with the different nations in this territory.Lexi  So there's this place called Blackfoot Crossing, which is this historical museum in southern Alberta, which is just south of Cluny, and it is this amazing, beautiful cultural center, and I highly recommend everybody go there, especially because the cafeteria, the last time I was there, they had-- I think it was bison burgers on fry bread, and it-- I can still taste it. It was so amazing. Just the fry bread was absolutely incredible, so if ever you are in southern Alberta... People come from all over the world to go to Banff, which is awesome, but if you're in Alberta, do yourself a favor, and head out to Blackfoot Crossing and see the amazing center there, and eat the food.Ben  Yeah. Good tip. Good travel tip. Next. I love it. Let's keep going. What are we talking about next? We're both dead now from eating delicious food. Okay, what's the thing that you eat that you think is absolutely disgusting and vile that nobody else would like?Lexi  Your gross food.Ben  It doesn't have to be elaborate. It could just be a snack or something weird. Like, maybe you scoop, powdered iced tea by the teaspoon and just shove in your mouth. Lexi  Is that? Is that what you do?Ben  I'm not saying I've done that. I don't do that. I may have done that in the past. I don't currently do that. I am an adult, and I don't have to tell you.Lexi  [laughs] "Look, and I don't wanna talk about it anymore." [laughs]Ben  It might have been something I did as a younger person. [chuckles]Lexi  I think that I have like four, and two of them are just like, "Oh, are you an adult or are you eight?" and then the other two, I think, are like more legitimately gross, but I'm like, "This is my comfort food."Ben  Okay. I came with one, but I'm really curious to see if I get inspired by any of yours, so let's hit 'em.Lexi  Okay.Ben  Rapid fire. Lexi  We'll start with the not-so-gross one. I love a good saltine cracker. Actually, growing up, I would go-- No, no, no. I'm not done yet. You put shit on the saltine. It's not just the cracker.Ben  Okay. For the listeners, I made a bit of a motion and facial expression that suggested that there was nothing weird about eating a saltine cracker. Lexi  No.Ben  Except that it's basic and boring. [chuckles] There's nothing wrong with it.Lexi  My grandma used to put margarine on the saltine crackers for me. She'd be like, "Ah, here you go." Okay, but not that.Ben  All right.Lexi  So, a saltine cracker with just tons of peanut butter and then chocolate chips. That's like my, "I'm sad, and I wanna eat something."Ben  I like that. Lexi  It's so good.Ben  I don't think that's gross. I'm with you. I used to make little sandwiches out of peanut butter and jam on saltine crackers, and I'd make a whole plate of them, just a little tray when I was a kid, still living at home, and it was just like my beautiful little snack, and I was gonna munch those while I watched a cartoon or something. Lexi  Those are my Calvin and Hobbes snacks. Like, while I was reading the comics, I would eat my chocolate peanut butter saltines. Num-num-num-num. So delicious.Ben  I love it. I think it's beautiful, and I don't think it's gross. I'm passing judgment on your choices.Lexi  We should make the food and then do, like, a little photoshoot for everybody. Mm-hmm.Ben  We should. We can make a shitty cookbook. Lexi  So, number two, and this is my sister. I'm calling out Megan because she and I used to do this together. 'Cause my parents both worked, like, serious-people, adult jobs when we were growing up, and so, we would have to, like, cook food for ourselves all the time, but we were like gross teenagers.Ben  Were you a proverbial latchkey kid?Lexi  Yes. 100% So we would be like, "I don't know. What are we gonna eat?" So here's what you eat, is you grate some marble cheese, okay? Just the Co-op-brand marble cheese into a giant pile, put it in a little bowl, and then pour pasta sauce right out of the jar, right on top of it. Ben  Whoa.Lexi  Now you're gonna microwave that bad boy.Ben  Wow. I was-- I thought I knew where this was going, and it was to the microwave.Lexi  It's to the microwave because that's how latchkey kids cook.Ben  I did not ever put pizza sauce on my-- or tomato sauce, or pasta sauce on my cheese though. I would microwave it and just eat it and it was always that big block from Co-op.Lexi  Oh yeah, the big block from Co-op but then-- so then you have like a cheesy tomato-ey mess, and then you eat it, again with the saltines or Ritz crackers, Breton crackers or Stoned Wheat Thins. Any type of cracker will do.Ben  Ooh! Somebody was fancy with their four types of crackers.Lexi  I like a charcuterie. I don't know.Ben  We should try to get a saltine sponsorship from Nabisco or whoever, or Mr. Christie, whoever the fuck--Lexi  Oh, my god. Yes.Ben  Yeah. Let's do a photoshoot of...Lexi  [laughing] Of our saltine crackers. Ben  Yeah, I'm not joking.Lexi  Ooh, all the different ways you can use a saltine.Ben  And also, if you're listening to this and you have a great saltine cracker recipe, I want you to 100% message us on social media or email us. We want those recipes. I will, at the very least, talk about them or make a list that we share in show notes or something, someday, But yeah, I, 100%, mean it. We're gonna make ourselves a mini little saltine cracker cookbook.Lexi  We're doing it. There was this drag queen that was on RuPaul's Drag Race UK, and all she did the entire season was talk about how much she loves Heinz beans on toast, and sure enough, Heinz decides to sponsor her, and she gets a lifetime supply of canned beans. And she made a comment of like, "This was the plan all along," and so... saltine crackers, nothing can be better than a saltine. Hey, Ben...Ben  We need to be very clear about which brand of saltine cracker we want. [Lexi laughs] The one in the red box. Ben  Yeah, yeah. I think that's Mr. Christie.Lexi  Is that it?Ben  I'm gonna double check.Lexi  We want this delicious, small saltines. They're delicious in a soup. You can have them as a dessert.Ben  You get four giant pillars of them in one red box, and if you're having chicken noodle soup, you crush up half of the package, [Lexi laughs] dump it in till it's just-- it's just a fucking swamp in your bowl and then eat that shit.Lexi  So, more like a stew by the time...Ben  Yeah, a saltine and chicken stew. Yeah, it's Christie's.Lexi  I like to put it in Campbell's-- like, probably their chowders. Delicious. Where it's less soup than it is sludge by the time you have, like, 10 crackers in there.Ben  Yeah. I want some more. Hit me with your next gross one.Lexi  Okay. This is maybe not as gross, but it makes me feel like a toddler every time I eat it, but this is my go-to. I'm having a bad day. I just wanna feel nostalgia. I will boil up a bunch of pasta and then it has to be zesty Italian salad dressing.Ben  Oh, that is weird. I've never heard that one. Lexi  And then I just pour it all over the pasta and then just absolute boatloads of Parmesan cheese.Ben   I'm not even sure I think any of these are gross yet. I think they're all very college.Lexi  I think they're disgusting.Ben  I think they're absolutely like,  "I'm 18 and living on my own for the first time," but... [Lexi laughs]Lexi  I shame-eat the pasta thing. Like, John hates cheese, and so, first of all, he thinks that parmesan, or as I like to call it, sprinkle cheese--Ben  Jesus.Lexi  He thinks it's disgusting.Ben  The stuff that comes out of the can from Kraft? Lexi  Yes. Ben  Yeah, that's not cheese.Lexi  The stuff that... No, it's powdered foot?Ben  I don't know. Probably-- no, it's yes. Powdered, like, you know the stuff you scrape off your feet? The bunions or the whatever, the hard part?Lexi  Yes.Ben  Just put it into a jar. They collect it, and then you shake.Lexi  Then, I eat it.Ben  Smells about the same. [Lexi chuckles] Lexi  That is my go-to.Ben  Now we made it gross.Lexi  Okay, okay, and so--Ben  I love it. It's delicious. Lexi  This is my ultimate gross one, and I have to say, so a good friend of mine is-- he's a produce person at Community Natural Foods, here in Calgary, which is kind of like our version of Whole Foods, I guess you could say.Ben  It's the closest we get. Whole Foods has never really executed on opening a store in our city for some reason. Lexi  I thought they did have one here. Ben  They have had a couple that were supposed to open, and it never ended up happening. Maybe they saw what happened to Krispy Kreme and Target here.Lexi  Or Target, yeah.Ben  Decided they couldn't take that risk.Lexi  I would like to say that I tried my best to keep Target open. I feel like I single-handedly kept a store open here but I mean, there's only so many socks you can buy.Ben  Bright pink. The women's section was where I liked to buy all my socks for a long time, and I do miss it.Ben  Let's keep it local and alienate all our listeners. Go to Byblos Bakery here in Calgary to get your pitas.Lexi  Yeah, I liked the socks there, and pajamas. Oh, I miss Target. Anyway, so my friend Dylan, he is an incredible cook, and so, anytime he's like, "This is a great food combination," I just trust him because everything he's ever made has been absolutely delicious. So one day, he's like, "Just stay with me. It's gonna sound disgusting, but it's so good." So you get a pita, like a whole wheat pita that's like maybe the size of your face. Like, a large one.Lexi  [laughs] Or Lakeview.Ben  Eh, I feel like Byblos is a little more Calgary.Lexi  The gluten-free option. Okay, now we're just arguing about neighborhoods. Anyway. Ben  Good, good podcast. [Lexi laughs]Lexi  It's so accessible to people.Ben  [chuckling] Listen to Lexi and Ben argue about Calgary communities. That's what you came here for, folks. Okay. You get your pita.Lexi  Yeah. Your whole wheat pita and then some type of nut butter, and it can't be sweet. It can't be like a sweet peanut butter. It has to--Ben  Can we stop for just a quick second and appreciate the term "nut butter"?Lexi  Yeah. It's-- it could be an almond.Ben  Let's just sit there for a second.Lexi  [not pausing] It could be cashew.Ben  It's funny. You can't-- you can't say nut butter in a conversation and not just stop to appreciate how funny it sounds. Lexi  You've never worked in an organic food store before because that sentence comes up a lot. [chuckles]Ben  And you don't snicker every single time? Lexi  No, I'm like, "What type of nut butter do you use the most?" [Ben laughs]Ben  Nut butter. [laughs] Maybe you just need somebody more immature around to help you appreciate how silly it sounds.Lexi  Well, it's like truffle butter or whatever that thing. You know what? Okay, so you take a nut butter and a not-sweet one. [Ben laughs] Ben  I can't stop.Lexi  While Ben can't stop giggling, I'm just gonna go on with the recipe 'cause it is delicious. So I, personally, like an almond nut butter, [Ben continues laughing] but, I mean, like you do you. You can use a peanut or cashew.Ben  [stifling laughter] Yeah.Lexi  It just can't be sweet.Ben  [laughing] So, you don't want a sweet nut butter. Is it salty? [still laughing] Lexi  Apparently, in some parts of the world, you can get a spicy nut butter. [Ben laughs heartily] [Lexi, unlaughing] Like, a savory or like a spicy. Ben  [laughing] I'm sorry. I'm gonna actually die. Lexi  [unlaughing] Yeah, Ben's having a cry right now.Ben  Oh, Jesus.Lexi  We're adults here, folks. We like to keep it above board.Ben  [laughing] Okay, you've got your peanut or your nut butter, spicy, apparently.Lexi  [unlaughing] Well, I like just a plain one, like almonds.Ben  [stifling laughter] Okay, okay, okay. I'm good. I've got this.Lexi  So, you got your whole wheat pita, the almond butter, we'll just say, so Ben doesn't peel off into more laughter.Ben  I appreciate it. Thank you. [laughs]Lexi  And then you need kale, like, a dark leafy green like "laciento", "lacento"?Ben  You lost me.Lexi  A dark kale, like dinosaur kale, like a really dark green, and then sauerkraut, like, from the jar.Ben  This is... This is a crime. You just committed a crime.Lexi  It's so good, and then you wrap that bitch up. Ben  This is what you went to death row for. Canada brought it back and put you on it for this crime against culinary...Lexi  Dylan would not steer me wrong. And so, one day he said it and I was like, "That's disgusting," and another guy that I worked with was like, "Nah, I'm doing it," 'cause Dylan has never made a bad meal, and he made it, and was like, "This is legit delicious," and so every so often I make it and I call it, like, my "pregnant woman wrap", and it is so delicious. Sauerkraut, kale, pita, nut butter. Delicious.Ben  Okay, what we're gonna do at some point, along with our saltine cracker recipe, mini recipe book PDF that we're gonna put out for you all, complete with photos, is we're gonna make some sort of small video where Lexi makes me this god-awful, disgusting-sounding thing, and I will put it in my mouth, and we'll see what happens. We will film that reaction.Lexi  And then, when he loves it, I will accept his praise and his apology for giggling like a wee child.Ben  Wait. Why do I have to apologize? That was about nut butter. [laughs] Just said it sounded gross, and you brought it here to me.Lexi  No, you said that I was gonna die because the food was so gross. Ben  Yeah, I did say you committed a crime.Lexi  You just said I deserve death. What's your gross food now?Ben  I don't even know if I have anything anywhere near as bad as yours. Now all of my snacks seem pretty normal. I guess the grossest one is I'll get imitation crab. Lexi  Okay.Ben  Alaskan Pollock, and I'll break it up into a bowl and put like a pat of butter on it. Lexi  Oh.Ben  And melt it and just eat that. Lexi  [pauses] Okay.Ben  It's like eating butter crab, right. Like, I can't eat that. I'm allergic to shellfish, but it's still sort of gross when you think about the idea of just like taking a chunk of butter out of the fridge and putting it on top of imitation crab and microwaving it.Lexi  When we were in college, when we would have, like, late nights out at the old Art Hotel, which was the pub.Ben  You mean the Fart Hotel? [laughs]Lexi  The Fart Hotel 'cause it was the pub called The Art Hole.Ben  The Fart Hole.Lexi  Anyway, you know, you can see how a couple, you know, beautifully-drawn letters...Ben  Graffitied letters.Lexi  Yeah, I would go home, and I was like, "I need something in my stomach to help me you know, not be inebriated."Ben  Yeah, yeah. Lexi  And all-- my mom would just buy me packages of imitation crab at Costco. I lived at home during college, and I would just stand there with the fridge door open and just eat like half a package of imitation crab after a night out.Ben  It's so good. Lexi  It's so good.Ben  Did you ever melt butter on it?Lexi  No. I would dip it in wasabi. Ben  Oh, that's even better. Shit. I'm putting imitation crab on my grocery list. This episode's making me hungry. Lexi  Oh, you know what you get, is a spicy Sriracha mayo.Ben  Ohh, that sounds good. It's like an aioli. Lexi  Yeah. Ben  [laughs] Please write us to let us know what you think of our food choices. [Lexi laughs]Lexi  We are not high right now, also.Ben  [laughing] Oh, my god. I wish. What did I choose? I think that's the grossest thing I got. I can't think of anything else.Lexi  That's weak. I'm ashamed.Ben  I'm sorry. I'm trying, but when I was a kid, I would take, as I mentioned, on occasion, spoonfuls of iced tea powder mix. That's pretty disgusting. Lexi  No, whaaat? That was you?!Ben  [chuckles] This is my dark secret coming out. And I was with you on that melting marble cheese 'cause I used to do the same thing, but I would just eat the melted cheese from a bowl, like some sort of monster. Lexi  Yeah, you need some tomatoes in there to cut that shit.Ben  I don't know. So that's what I got. Nowadays, I just eat like beef jerky if I want a snack. Lexi  Boo. Where's the gross?Ben  Some sort of sort of meat. I know. I feel so disappointed in myself. What's gross? I bet Fiona could come up with something gross that I do. Or eat, I mean. [laughs] She can definitely come up with gross shit that I do, but...Lexi  Some gross shit that you eat. It has to be specific to that.Ben  We should have asked our partners what the most disgusting thing they've seen us eat is.Lexi  Well, John would definitely say the cheese because he thinks all cheese is disgusting, and I love a good blue cheese. Ben  Oh.Lexi  And he's like, "Oh, so you eat mold?" Like, "Yeah, I do. It's delicious."Ben  Yeah, why not? It's not the first time.Lexi  Oh, I went to a cheese party once.Ben  That sounds like it would be delicious, but also trouble for my stomach, long term.Lexi  Well, none of us smelled good for a few days. I'll just put that out there. Ben  That's okay. Lexi  Oh.Ben  Well, this way you don't roll in the cheese.Lexi  One of the girls there, she made-- so she bought Pillsbury, just pastry dough, and a wheel of brie, and then she covered the brie with butter and maple syrup and brown sugar and then wrapped it in the pastry dough and then baked it.Ben  I've made that. It's good. Lexi  Oh, it's so good. Ben  You could also do it where you take a wheel of brie and just dump, like, Kahlúa on it, and then you light it up and then dip crackers in it after the flame goes out.Lexi  I like to put raspberry jam on top of my brie.Ben  I don't know if this is disgusting or not, but I like to put jam in cottage cheese and eat that. Is that weird?Lexi  Eh, that's-- no, 'cause you can - I don't know if you still can - but you used to be able to buy individual cottage cheese things that came with jam.Ben  Right. At the bottom and you're supposed to like mix them up, right?Ben  Yeah, okay. Not weird. I'm sorry. I guess I eat more normal than I thought I did. That brings us to the halfway mark of our show, and, as always, we've got... [both, along with "Who's That Pokémon" theme music] Who's that Pokémon? [only Ben] What do you got for me this week?Lexi  Yeah.Lexi  When last we met, I talked about a wet bag of sand. This time, I'm gonna use a cheese analogy. So imagine... [laughs]Ben  Okay.Lexi  There was a guy at art school who made a bust of Jesus out of Velveeta cheese, and it was called "Cheesus".Ben  "Cheesus", yeah.Lexi  Okay, this individual is-- it's a dark silhouette, but filled with piss and vinegar, and it's like a blue cheese silhouette of a man.Ben  It's like we've never seen Pokémon. Lexi  No. [both laugh]Lexi  And I'm just describing flavors and, I think, shadows. [Ben laughs]Ben  Okay, so we have a dark shadow that tastes like piss and vinegar.Lexi  And blue cheese. [Ben laughs heartily]Ben  And blue cheese. Lovely. Boy, this sounds like something I'll be able to guess.Lexi  Mmm. The silhouette is tall, and it's got a big square for a head and then bunched up shoulders like they're around its neck. Rrr. So grouchy, like this. And then, two little sticks, and that's all I got for you. Who is it, Ben?Ben  I have no fucking clue. Chester the Cheetah?Lexi  I'm disappointed. It's Gordon Ramsay. Come on.Ben  Gordon. [laughing] Oh, Gordon Ramsay. You're right. I should have gotten that silhouette. Gordon Ramsay, as everyone knows, has a very well-designed character silhouette. Lexi  Yeah, it's like a block of cheese. Ben  Known as average white male. [laughs]Lexi  Square head.Ben  Okay, someday I'm gonna take a shot at this and see if I can do any better. I love it. Gordon Ramsay.Lexi  I was really impressed that you got Margaret Atwood last time.Ben  Yeah. Did I? I don't remember.Lexi  I think, eventually, after I kept yelling "bag of sand" at you, and then you were like, "Margaret Atwood?" I'm like, "Yeah!"Ben  All right. Now we have to do the end part of it. [Pokémon theme music] [shouts] It's Gordon Ramsay! [at usual volume] 'Cause they always yell it. I'm gonna send you the clip so you know what "Who's That Pokémon?" is all about. [chuckles]Lexi  I know what--Ben  Oh, I really, actually thought you didn't-- you'd never seen it.Lexi  No, remember, I drew Nurse Joy as one of my characters for Inkto, Ben. [Ben laughs] I have had people message me and be like, "I think you mean October." I'm like, "No, I mean--"Ben  Inktober? Actually, glasses up, like actually, I don't.Lexi  I know what I'm doing.Ben  Check out this cool new hashtag. Only one of the words on the list was misspelled.Lexi  Which is impressive. I mean, that's good. Ben  Welcome back. We are here again after that wonderful break. I got sick a year and a half ago. Lexi  Oh, good from food. Ben  No, I don't know why I got sick. And no doctor that I went to see over the course of however many months was able to help me, and then eventually it stopped. But the point is, during that, I could only eat-- like, basically, chicken noodle soup and saltine crackers were the only-- and Pedialyte, and that was all I ate for like, two and a half, three months, and I lost like 40 pounds, and people kept asking me if I was dying. That's a good anecdote, right?Lexi  Oh, I've got a good one. Like, one time, it was Christmas Eve, and I think John and I had been dating for like, I don't know, a couple of years, still fairly new in the relationship.Ben  Yeah, Fiona and I are 11, and, you know, we got married after seven, so I feel like two is still relatively fresh.Lexi  Yes. Like, who are you, again? John? Yeah, so it was Christmas Eve, and I remember I was at my sister's house, and I was like, "I'm not feeling well," and she was like, "You're fine," and then, I was staying at my parents' house and John was gonna come meet us on Christmas Day, and halfway through the night I just got super, super sick, and this is when I knew he was a keeper because I text him and I was like, "I'm sick. I can't go to Christmas Day anything." Like, it was bad news, and he was like, "Can I bring you anything? Like, I'll come pick you up from your parents' house and I'll take you home," 'cause I was too sick to drive, and he said, "Well, you know, it's Christmas. Like, what's open on Christmas Day?" and especially, like 10 years ago. And I was like, "When I get super, super sick, all I can eat are pizza pops."Ben  Wow.Lexi  Like, cheese, pizza pops. That's like, that's all I can stomach.Ben  I bought some of those recently to see if they're as good as I thought they were as a kid and they're not.Lexi  No, they're sick food for me, so I only eat them when I'm sick. So if I eat them are healthy, I feel like I'm gonna be s-- Like, it's a whole thing.Ben  Wow. That could be a self-perpetuating cycle.Lexi  Oh, yeah, probably. I mean, they're not food. They're just chemicals, but anyw-- well, all food is chemicals.Ben  You eat them. It makes you sick, and then you eat them because that's all you can eat while you're sick, and then you get better so then, you keep eating them. Yeah.Lexi  But I told him, "Like, all I want right now is a pizza pop and ginger ale," and so, god bless that man, he drove around the city looking for an open 7/11 or gas station or whatever, and he came, and he picked me up, and he took me home and he made me pizza pops and ginger ale and for, like, four days, I was sick as a dog. But he fed me pizza pops, and I will love him forever for that 'cause it was so nice of him.Ben  Was it swine flu?Lexi  I think I actually had was it Norwalk or norovirus? I was teaching kindergarten at that time, and I've never been so sick in my life as when I taught kindergarten. Ben  Probably--Lexi  Like, god bless the kindergarten teachers. Oh.Ben  Yeah, it's disgusting. Lexi  Okay, I have to tell you a story and it's not mine, and I hope she'll forgive me for telling this, but it is my favorite food poisoning story.Ben  Is it somebody I know that we should put on blast, or should we bleep their name? Lexi  No. We should bleep their name. Ben  Okay, say it really loud so Jess can bleep it. [simultaneously] Bleep. [bleep] [laughs]  Beeeeep.Lexi  My beloved friend, we used to go for Indian food all the time, and she loves, loves, loves butter chicken. And one time, she went to this place, and she was like, "Yeah, the food was like, it tasted off," and she ate the butter chicken. She was living at home with her parents, and she got wicked, wicked food poisoning, just sick as a dog, and she was throwing up so badly that she couldn't catch her breath. And so, because she couldn't get enough oxygen into her system, like, she was starting to cramp up, so like she was-- like, she couldn't move. She was literally, like, passed out next to the toilet [chuckling] and her mom had to call an ambulance. It's not funny. Ben  Jesus.Lexi  But, her mom had to call an ambulance 'cause it was--Ben  You're laughing a lot for something that's not funny. Lexi  Just stay with me. Ben  Okay, I'm here. [Lexi laughs]Lexi  She's so sick. She's like, "I lit-- it, like, it was awful." The paramedics show up at her parents' house and come into the bathroom and they're like, [in stern voice] "What drugs are you on?" She's like, "Butter chicken." [Ben laughs] [Lexi laughs]Ben  I mean if you haven't ground up and snorted some butter chicken, are you really living?Lexi  Oh. I still, like, that's my fav... Every time I eat butter chicken, I think of her and I'm like, "God, I loved her." [laughs] She was so awesome.Ben  I love it. It's perfect. Lexi  Oh.Ben  We're movin' on. We are talking about your go-to DoorDash order now. Lexi  Ooh.Ben  if you don't want to leave the house and you want someone to bring you food and, in the past, that meant calling a specific place and finding somebody that did delivery. Now, it's as easy as a click of a button, I think is what old people say when they talk about the internet. What do you get? What's your go-to order for DoorDash? What is the thing that is simple, easy, and if you can't think of anything else, you want that?Lexi  Oh, Vietnamese, easily.Ben  Okay, then we get we get a Daily Double. [Jeopardy's Daily Double electronic zapping]. Lexi  Oh, do you also?Ben  Yeah,  Banh Mi. Lexi  Yes. Ben  Yeah, I want a Vietnamese sub if we can't figure out what else we want, don't wanna go super unhealthy. I can convince myself that a Vietnamese sub is pretty good for me.Lexi  I love a good, like, noodle bowl. Delicious. I like noodles at the best of times, so any type of noodle soup, delicious, charbroiled meats--Ben  Sure. Lexi  I like the salad rolls.Ben  You can get three or four meats in one vermicelli bowl. Lexi  Yes. Ben  Why would you not?Lexi  So good. Ben  You get the ball, you get the spring roll, you get the intestines? Lexi  Yep. Ben  And sometimes you get that like charred version of whatever meat it is, as well. I love it. I'll eat it all.Lexi  Hey, speaking of intestine meats, do you hotpot?Ben  I have hotpotted. It isn't something I'd call a regular, but it's good because--Lexi  Okay.Ben  --you just reminded me of something I tried not long ago that I love, and I will continue eating, which is a version of pig intestines that are cooked, sort of deep fried, sort of battered. Lexi  Okay. Ben  They come from a local restaurant. It's a Chinese dish and it is the best. Lexi  I'll try anything. Ben  I have no problem. [Lexi chuckles] Yeah. If you're not allergic to it, why not? Lexi  Well, I mean, again, like I said, my family is Scottish, and so, I don't get the big deal, like when people are like, "Ew, haggis!" I'm like, "Are you eating a hotdog right now? Same thing."Ben  Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I've got no problems with haggis. I've made haggis. Nothing. Nothing wrong with intestine meat, folks. If you're gonna eat an animal, you might as well eat as much of that animal as you can. Lexi  Yeah, make it worth it's... You know, it honors the animal. Ben  Don't be disrespectful to its death. Okay, wait. We never go on tangents, as everyone knows. It's never happened. It will never happen again. Since we're talking food, one of the things that I'm super interested in is lab-grown meat protein. Lexi  Ooh, interesting. Ben  Are you down with that? Lexi  Oh, yeah. Ben  Does it gross you out? Lexi  No. Ben  Right?Lexi  Fuck it. Just do it.Ben  I feel like, if we have a way of making meat protein that we don't have to kill something, why would we not do that?Lexi  I'm all about sustainable agricultural practices and meat pr... Like, if there's a way that we can be cruelty free, and have access to your protein source, do it up. If there's a way that we can sustainably produce food for our massive population?Ben  Mm-hmm.Lexi  Do it. I don't care if it's bugs. I don't care if it's lab-grown.Ben  Vertical farming, yo.Lexi  Yeah. I wish that people would do that more. Ben  I'm probably allergic to bugs, unfortunately. Lexi  How do you know? Ben  I don't know for sure, but I'm too scared to try. I was reading an article about, you know, this sort of advent of bug food and all that, and there was sort of a caveat, at one point, about how people who are allergic to shellfish are--Lexi  Oh!Ben  --more often allergic to bugs, as well, due to a shared protein. Lexi  Okay, I can see that.Ben  And, I am allergic to shellfish so I will die when we all transition to bug food. I will starve.Lexi  Well, my hope is that the people who can eat the bug food, do eat the bug food, so that you can have...Ben  No. All the beef and pork and chicken--Lexi  But, lab grown, right? That seems fine. Like, I don't see what the big deal is. Just eat it.Ben  I've definitely run into folks that I talked about it, and they're like, "I don't trust science, and I'm not gonna eat lab-grown stuff," and I'm like, "Okay."Lexi  Do you remember back in like, the late '80s, early '90s, there was like, an Easy-Bake oven, but it was for gummies.Ben  Yeah, my sisters had one. Lexi  We ate that shit. What's the difference between eating crap like that, or, like, all of the different snack foods?Ben  Oh, we're gonna go on a tangenty tangent, a tangent from our tangent, which is now we're getting into, "Just take the fucking vaccine."Ben  "You don't know what's in it? You don't know what's in that package of Oreos you ate either, but you ate it all. [Lexi laughs] Take the fucking vaccine."Lexi  [frustratedly] Oh.Lexi  Like, "You just pounded a Monster energy drink, You're fine."Ben  Yeah. "You know what all those ingredients are? I don't think you do."Lexi  No.Ben  "So stop coming up with 'scuses. 'Scuses is what I call excuses when I feel angry. [Lexi laughs] Call 'em 'scuses. [Lexi laughs] You know I'm mad when I say 'scuses. Stop coming up with 'scuses and just take the jab. I've done it. Lexi did it. We're fine."Lexi  Yep.Ben  "Everyone's fine."Lexi  We're fine. Ben  "Stop it."Lexi  If anything, I feel stronger. Ben  I feel better, and my Wi-Fi has never been better.Lexi  I just like being able to eat in a restaurant. Ben  Yeah.Lexi  Like, go do things. Like, be a part of society again.Ben  I'm still holding back a bit because I've got a two year old who cannot get vaccinated at this point and a soon-to-be infant, and I have to be ultra-cautious, and...Lexi  Yeah.Ben  I would be lying to myself if I said my lifestyle had really changed at all since before I had kids or was... I've always been a shut-in misanthrope, so...Lexi  I will say, like, we're homebodies at the best of time, so, like, I've gone to friends' houses less, and we've eaten out maybe five times in the past year?Ben  Yeah, seeing less friends means, instead of two to three times a year, it's been once, from a distance.Lexi  Yeah. You're just waving across the parking lot at somebody.Ben  Okay, the lab-grown meat brings us to an ethical quandary, which is, would you eat extinct animals if they could grow that meat in a lab?Lexi  Mmm, that's a great question.Ben  So they found some genetic data and they're able to, you know, bring us a dodo. Just, they can't make the dodo live again, but they can bring us dodo protein. We can find out what that dodo tasted like. Would you do it?Lexi  Okay, so here's the thing about me. I feel like fancy foods are wasted on me. As we have heard, I garbage trash, so someone coming to me and being like, "Oh, this very fancy, like Wagyu beef," I'm like, "Arg, I can't tell." Like, one time, my uncle gave John and I like a sip of whiskey from this, like, it was like a super fancy, really old, like, $1,000 bot-- like, I don't know. I was like, "It tastes like burning. I don't know."Ben  Yeah. Lexi  Like, fancy things are wasted on me.Ben  I'm the same with coffee.Lexi  Yeah, coffee is coffee is coffee.Ben  I love coffee. I used to be a huge coffee snob. You have a kid and see how long that lasts. You know what I drink now? No Name brand instant coffee and I fucking love it. It's fine.Lexi  I know. I've had it. [laughs] Every time I go out, and I find instant coffee. I think of you guys. I'm like, "Oh, I should buy this for Ben and Fiona."Ben  No, see, when you were by, you had fancy Nescafe, and then I found out all the ethical issues with that company.Lexi  Yes. Then you stopped wanting to buy it.Ben  Yeah, and now we get No Name brand, which is an actual name of a brand from Superstore chain here where we live, and it's about as cheap and unassuming as you can get, and that's what I drink now, and it's fine. I have no problems with it. I've lost... [Lexi laughs] I've lost any sort of foodie snobbery that I used to have. It's gone.Lexi  Years and years ago, we went to Amsterdam for Christmas-- or, no, for New Year's Eve, and it was awesome. Best New Year's Eve ever, but a friend of ours who booked the trip, he asked his credit card company, for some reason, to-- he was on the phone like, "Hey, just so you know, my credit card hasn't been stolen. I'm going to Amsterdam. By the way, do you have any recommendations?" And the person was like, "Yeah, there's this really awesome Japanese restaurant. If you want, I'll book it for you," and he was like, "Yeah, for sure." And so, we wound up going to this restaurant. I couldn't tell you the name of it. Later on, we found out it was like this three-star Michelin Japanese restaurant, and I don't know. I just went and I was like, "This. Bring me this food. I don't know."Ben  That's a great, like, chunk of this story is the fanciest place you've ever eaten, and it sounds like that was it.Lexi  Oh, it was so fancy. Ben  The three-star Japanese place that you can't remember the name of.Lexi  I'll find it. It was, to this day, the best food I've ever had in my life. There was, like, wine pairings with everything. It was, like, six courses or something. Everything was like the size of a loony.Ben  Yeah.Lexi  Just absolutely tiny. I had to have-- a person came and explained to you how to eat the food, and it was unbelievable. What's the fanciest food you've ever had?Ben  So we went to Italy--Lexi  Ooh.Ben  --for a book festival. I got to tag along with Fiona, and we were there for, it's called Luca. That's the name of a town and the name of the festival. It's a comic book festival. Huge deal there. But we flew into Milan and we're jet lagged as F. I don't know what time it is. The lighting's all weird. We crossed like the famous, like, Milan Canal and it's drained and full of garbage 'cause apparently, they were doing some sort of construction work somewhere along the line. I'm like, "What the fuck is happening? Where am I? What's going on?" And then, our hosts take us into this beautiful tiny, little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, and it's like one of those, what are they called now? The arch where they start, like, doing funny food with, like, the intent of it being more like scientific. Why can't I remember this word?Lexi  Gastro?Ben  Gastro... something. Yeah, I got the gastro. I don't know what the other part is.Lexi  The fancy food. The sciency.Ben  Yeah.Lexi  The science people make the food.Ben  Yeah, they were doing that sort of thing. Yeah, we have these beautiful meals. They're just fantastic. I have no idea where we are. I'm just like this, like, boorish, slovenly-looking north American person who's just like dazed and confused, and yeah. It turns out, he's like, "Did you enjoy the food?" our host, and I'm like, "Yeah. It's great. It's lovely." And he's like, "This is a Michelin-starred restaurant. It's like one of the best in Milan," and I was like, "Oh, okay."Lexi  Cool. Ben  And I feel like I wasn't adequately appreciative enough, and then they brought out this strawberry-- or no, wait, wait, wait, wait. They brought out what looked like a strawberry or tomato. I can't-- you can tell how jetlagged I was.Lexi  Oh, it was a red thing. Ben  Yeah, and I tried to eat it, and then it all, sort of like, evaporated in on itself and melted down, and it was like a dessert cream or something. It was insane. And it was also like a fever dream. And then we went to this weird old church that was converted into a hotel and slept in a room, and I didn't know where I was or what was happening so I just played on my DS, [chuckles] and couldn't fall asleep.Lexi  Like a true Canadian. [chuckles] There was one restaurant we went to, 'cause we drove to San Francisco, maybe like 10 years ago, eleven, whatever. We drove to San Francisco, and we went to this place 'cause John went down there 'cause, when he was working for Apple, he was at Cupertino for a bit, and he took me to this restaurant called Scoma's, and it was a place where like, there's pictures of JFK eating there, you know, like, and Marilyn Monroe, one of those types of places where the waiters are like 70.Ben  Legacy.Lexi  And it is probably the best seafood I've ever had in my life. Like, I had ravioli with like a big lobster tail and, like, the place where they the boats come and drop off the fish is like 10 feet away from the restaurant. Ben  Mm-hmm. Lexi  Oh.Ben  All the best meals I've had are at restaurants I can't remember the names of.Lexi  This is the only one where I'll remember it. Scoma's. So good. Ben  Yeah, getting to tag along on book tours and that sort of thing, I've been to just a wild variety of restaurants in places that I just can't remember.Lexi  Ooh, I've got a question.Ben  Hit me.Lexi   If you were going to travel to any country for cuisine, where would you go?Ben  I think it's France, for me. I think that's been... Well, hold up. You asked if I could travel somewhere to try the cuisine, not where I'd go back to if-- Like, what my favorite cuisine I think is, generally speaking, French cooking.Lexi  Interesting.Ben  My favorite experiences, generally speaking, have been in France. It's been just lovely going there. Lexi  Oh.Ben  The food is fantastic. The people are lovely. I think they get a bad rap overall. [both laugh] They're all dressed lovely, though, and I always feel like

This week, Liz is joined by Co-Founders of BOOMCHICKAPOP® Angie and Dan Bastian to talk about how they built a successful marriage, family, and popcorn company. Angie and Dan share the story of meeting in New Mexico and the origins of the popcorn company. The duo also shares how Angie's Popcorn transitioned from a side hustle based out of their garage to the multi-million dollar BOOMCHICKAPOP® company it is today.

After being a nurse practitioner for 28 years, Angie and her husband Dan decided to start popping popcorn at local spots around the community --- Angie’s BoomChickaPop began as a local hit, and soon became a national sensation. Angie shares her experiences as an entrepreneur, and offers valuable insight on the importance of teamwork and grit when starting your own successful business. She also provides some tangible advice and common traps for new entrepreneurs to avoid. Enjoy!

So much of what we do as experience design professionals is aimed at helping the teams and organizations we work with understand and embrace the philosophy and process of human-centered design. In this episode, our founder and principal, Matthew Doty sits down with Laura Best and Todd Zerger to discuss their collective experiences. Laura Best started her career in PR waaaay back in the 90s in England. She was fortunate enough to help major consumer brands, such as Land Rover and Cadbury with their brand efforts, and when she moved to the US to work in advertising. Her introduction to digital came in 2001, when she was the second woman at an early stage digital startup, after which she moved to American Express Financial Advisors, which became Ameriprise, as a Director in their digital group. In the years that followed, she led award-winning campaigns and initiatives as diverse as helping to fight obesity, to launching Boomchickapop, to rethinking the dealer experience for a furnace/air conditioner manufacturer. Laura is also the founder of Passion Collective (https://www.passioncollective.co/), a community for women who are making positive change happen. Todd Zerger’s creative adventure started at the University of California just as the internet was becoming a thing. He spent the dotcom boom years working at several noteworthy agencies in Minneapolis including JWT, Colle-McVoy and Periscope before launching his own consultancy BrainstormOverload (http://brainstormoverload.com/). He returned to the agency world in 2013 and went on to creative direct enterprise digital projects at Sapient for clients like UnitedHealthcare, Medtronic, Roche Diagnostics and US Bank. Todd came full circle in 2018 when he relocated back to San Francisco to be the Executive Creative Director of Hero Digital and build teams to work for clients like Twitter, Western Digital and WestPac Bank. His passions converge best when building and nurturing exceptional teams, creating solutions to complex challenges and packaging big ideas into resonant brand experiences that help people be healthier, more active, more ambitious and more successful. Available on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLU3wXscyrxTsRU6CZy00TrkoWOECECMA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BgunONiQDp4tBfE2ztrGt?si=NnOPsPYeS0a7iScVSoALpw iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/go-xdgo/id1514648763

This week we've got a lot of the new items we've talked about in prior weeks.  Danny also questions some of Bryan's decisions.   Full episode breakdown: Food news Food experiences Hostess Iced Lemon Cupcakes Boom Chicka Pop Rose Popcorn Unique BLT - Bacon Ritz, Fried Green Tomato chips, and Thai Basil Chips Email: foodscientistspodcast@gmail.com phone (text or call): 402-YUM-FOOD (‪402-986-3663‬) website: www.foodscientists.net youtube: youtube.com/foodscientists

In this episode of Andy Loves Chips we try Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP Hot Cocoa Marshmallow Kettle Corn! This episode exists because of our Patreon Supporters... Support the podcast and help us make content AND get exclusive access to content you can't get on our normal feed by signing up for our Patreon... patreon.com/whatweremember www.andyloveschips.com www.whatweremember.com

When Angie Bastian studied the snack aisle in the grocery store, she noticed an important omission: No representation of women except for foods geared toward weight loss. That led to an aha moment: “We’re going to celebrate the feminine,” says Bastian, entrepreneur, co-founder, and the namesake of Angie’s Boomchickapop. “We’re going to be loud and proud and come from a position of empowerment.” This episode of the CUNA News Podcast features conversations with these business leaders:Angie Bastian, who transformed a garage popcorn business into one of the nation’s fastest-growing brands of natural popcorn, shares lessons in effective branding and how she cut through marketplace clutter with an emphasis on female leadership and empowerment.Gian Paul Gonzalez discusses his philosophy of being “All In” and the power of commitment.Antonio Neves describes how finding your edge drives personal and professional growth.

Angie and Dan Bastian weren't trying to disrupt an industry or build a massive company – they just wanted to put aside some money for their kids' college fund. In 2001, Dan stumbled across an internet ad touting kettle corn as a lucrative side-business, so he and Angie decided to take the plunge, investing $10,000 in equipment. At first, they popped kettle corn in front of local supermarkets in the Twin Cities and at Minnesota Vikings games. Eventually, they moved indoors to Trader Joe's, Target, and Costco – and got a crash course in how to run a business along the way. Angie's Kettle Corn eventually took on a bold new name: BOOMCHICKAPOP. And in 2017, the company was acquired for a reported $250 million. Recorded live in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In this special edition of Taste Radio, we feature highlights from interviews with a few of the leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs and who joined us on the podcast during the second half of 2018, including BodyArmor investor Kobe Bryant, Angie’s Boomchickapop co-founder Angie Bastian, “Bizarre Foods” host Andrew Zimmern, Blueprint founders Zoe Sakoutis and Erica Huss, America’s Test Kitchen/Milk Street creator Christopher Kimball, and AriZona Beverages co-founder and chairman Don Vultaggio. Show notes: 1:56: Interview: Angie Bastian, Co-Founder, Angie’s Boomchickapop -- We kick off the episode with Angie Bastian, who we featured in Ep. 126. Angie and her husband Dan launched Angie’s Boomchickapop in 2001 and it has evolved from a tiny operation selling kettle corn at farmers’ markets and fairs to an ubiquitous retail brand that was acquired last year by ConAgra Foods for $250 million. In the following clip, she spoke with NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg about why she believes in celebrating “the feminine with food,” and how that perspective played into a celebrated package revamp. 7:20: Interview: Christopher Kimball, Founder, Milk Street/America’s Test Kitchen -- Next up is Christopher Kimball, best known as the creator of television show “America’s Test Kitchen.” In 2015, Christopher, who also founded the magazines Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country, launched Milk Street, a company focused on instructional recipes and techniques inspired by global cuisine. In this clip, from Episode 124, he explained why he’s not a fan of the term “ethnic cooking” and shared his stance on trendy buzzwords in the food business. 13:26: Interview: Zoë Sakoutis & Erica Huss, Founders, Blueprint -- We continue with Zoë Sakoutis & Erica Huss, the founders of Blueprint, a brand that pioneered the packaged cold-pressed juice category and helped mainstream juice cleansing. In a clip from our wide-ranging interview, which we featured in Ep. 133, they explained how a phone call from former Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz accelerated BluePrint’s eventual sale to Hain Celestial. 19:58: Interview: Andrew Zimmern, Host/Co-Creator, “Bizarre Foods” -- From Blueprint to Bizarre Foods, the show, that is. Andrew Zimmern is the host and co-creator of the popular television series in which he has chowed down on stomach-churning foods like raw pig testicles, a frog’s beating heart and cobra penis. In an interview included in episode 127, Zimmern discussed the role of food as a cultural medium that unites people and why he has a bone to pick with the natural food industry. 25:22: Interview: Don Vultaggio, Co-Founder/Chairman, AriZona -- On to Don Vultaggio, co-founder and chairman of AriZona Beverages and, at height quite literally, a towering figure in the drinks industry. In this clip, pulled from Ep. 139, Don discussed the mindset of successful entrepreneurs, how the company has maintained its iconic 99 cent pricing model for 26 years and why running a business means handling all kinds of problems, even if it means mopping up blood. 30:05: Interview: Kobe Bryant, Investor, BodyArmor -- Last, but certainly not least, we have NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who is an investor in fast-growing sports drink brand BodyArmor and has an active role in its business and marketing strategy. As part of an interview featured in Ep. 137, Kobe explained how the same ambition that fueled his NBA career drives his passion for beverage. He noted that with co-founder Mike Repole leading the way, the insatiable desire to win permeates every aspect of the brand. Brands in this episode: Angie’s Boomchickapop, Blueprint, Starbucks, Evolution Fresh, AriZona Beverages, BodyArmor

Japan has so many varieties of Kit Kats and we love it!  We eat even more flavors - Red Bean Sandwich, Caramel Pudding, and Chestnut - and liked them all.  Then we try some fall flavors of a locally made, nationally available, favorite - Angie's BoomChickaPop popcorn.  Buttery Caramel, Candy Corn, Pumpkin Spice, and Cinnamon Swirl Drizzled. Before all that, we discuss our food experiences of the week, and some food news. Lastly, we have a new listener feedback number.  Call us! (402) 986-3663

Take a stroll down the snack aisle of any grocery store in America and there’s a strong chance that you’ll spot a row of playfully designed pastel bags emblazoned with the words BOOM CHICKA POP in a large hot pink font. One could read the labels from across a room; according to Angie Bastian, the co-founder of better-for-you snack brand Angie’s Boomchickapop, that’s the point. “It’s our job to deliver good food, but let’s do something more than that,” Bastian said in an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio. “Let’s celebrate who we are. Let’s do it in a way that… reflects the simplicity and fun of the food.” Since Bastian and her husband Dan launched the company in 2001, it has evolved from a tiny operation selling kettle corn at farmers' markets and fairs to an ubiquitous retail brand with an estimated $100 million in sales in 2017. Success often yields suitors and last year Angie’s Boomchickapop was acquired by ConAgra Foods for $250 million. In an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio, Bastian spoke about the development of the brand, including its foray into retail stores, how femininity and fun were incorporated into a game-changing package revamp and about the company’s process for choosing the right financial partners at different stages of growth. About a dozen years before the launch of Angie’s Boomchickapop, a couple of Brown University graduates moved to Nantucket and started selling juice blends packaged in recycled wine bottles. Their business was the forerunner to Nantucket Nectars, an iconic brand in its own right, one that’s now part of the Keurig Dr Pepper portfolio. One of those co-founders was Tom First, who has since become a respected investor and advisor in the food and beverage industry and is currently an operating partner with Massachusetts-based private equity firm Castanea Partners. We spoke with First about positive business habits that he’s adopted during his career, along with those that he’s identified in other up-and-coming entrepreneurs We also explore negative habits that he picked up along the way and how he overcame them. Show notes: 3:44: Interview: Angie Bastian, Co-Founder, Angie's Boomchickapop -- Recorded in downtown Minneapolis, Bastian spoke with Project NOSH editor about the origins of her company, including the early days of bootstrapping and selling popcorn at home games of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, why she believes in celebrating “the feminine with food,” and how that perspective played into a celebrated package revamp and why she views ConAgra, which acquired the company in 2017, as a partner that could “help make us better.” 26:34: Interview: Tom First, Operating Partner, Castanea Partners -- First spoke with BevNET Managing Editor Ray Latif about business habits that positioned himself for success as one of the co-founders of Nantucket Nectars along with those that he’s identified in other entrepreneurs. As part of the conversation, First explains why not being defensive about feedback was critical early in his career, why good leaders build great teams and trust people to do their jobs and the importance of face-to-face communication. 52:31: The Cup Runneth Over -- The hosts are joined by Ortenberg, who recently returned from Minneapolis and who spoke about her visit to the offices of General Mills and meeting with the food and beverage division of the MN Cup, which is startup competition hosted by the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. The hosts also discuss PepsiCo’s announced agreement to acquire SodaStream, a maker of tabletop carbonated water machines, for $3.2 billion. Brands in this episode: Angie’s Boomchickapop, Nantucket Nectars, Pepsi, FUZE, Jeni’s Ice Cream, Essentia, Brew Dr. Kombucha, Yasso, Mostly Made, North Mallow, Darling Dill Pickle Dip, Punk Rawk Labs, SodaStream

In this episode we chat about what it's like for Morgan to be coached by Chris and what it's like for Chris to have his Mrs. as an athlete. Chris has been her coach since August and we go over a bit about the complicated social dynamics involved in a coach/husband and wife/athlete relationship. In Part 2, we get fully in to the spirit for Fall and Halloween by reviewing two seasonal flavors of Boomchickapop popcorn (Pumpkin Spice and Candy Corn). Finally, in Part 3, we go over our fear of the week in the year long Year of Fear Project. Show Notes: Part 1: Coaching/being coached by your spouse (1:40) Part 2: Buy it or Bonk (Seasonal Boomchickapop) (16:16) Pumpkin Spice popcorn (17:30) Candy Corn popcorn (19:09) https://boomchickapop.com/our-products/ Part 3: The Year of Fear (20:49) Chris's fear of the week (24:24) Morgan's fear of the week (25:30)

It all started back in 2001 when Angie and her husband, Dan, bought a kettle online and began popping corn at local events to teach their kids the importance of hard work and to earn extra income for their college funds. Now, Angie's BoomChickaPop is one of the fastest growing popcorn brands in the world. In this interview, Angie discusses the growth of her business, the importance of getting comfortable being uncomfortable, and how everything you have done creates what you need in the moment. Plan to be inspired!

A Conversation with Jon Fieldman, Senior VP of Operations at Angie’s Boomchickapop, headquartered in North Mankato, Minnesota (Interviewed by David Drickhamer) In 2001 husband and wife entrepreneurs Dan and Angie Bastian started making kettle corn in their garage in North Mankato, Minn. Their snacks caught the attention of some people at the nearby training facility of the Minnesota Vikings. They eventually started selling their kettle corn at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Angie’s Boomchickapop is a national brand offering maple sea salt, salted carmel and sweet & spicy flavored snacks that feature whole grain, gluten-free, and non-GMO ingredients. TPG Growth, a unit of private equity firm TPG Capital, acquired a significant stake in the company in October 2014. Jon Fieldman, Senior VP of Operations, started working for the company this previous January. He previously worked in manufacturing leadership and supply chain management roles for Shaklee, Schiff Nutrition, Clorox and General Mills.