Podcasts about chobani incubator

Ethan Holmes — founder and CEO of Holmes Mouthwatering, a Cleveland-based manufacturer of all-natural applesauce, made with Ohio-grown apples, pears, and local apple cider. To date, over 50,000 customers have purchased and consumed Holmes' products, processing over 500,000 pounds of apples and delivering over 250,000 units to consumers across the US. Holmes Mouthwatering applesauce can be found in retailers including Heinen's, Whole Foods Market, Kroger and Giant Eagle, among others.Inspired by his Grandfather who had always made food at home from scratch, when Ethan was 15 years old, he asked hi, how to make applesauce and this passion was born. Armed with 100 pounds of apples that his parents gifted him for Christmas, Ethan chopped, cooked, and experimented until his recipe was perfect.Over a decade later, with national expansion, ~$800,000 in capital from programs like Cleveland Chain Reaction and the Chobani Incubator, it was a ton of fun to hear from Ethan about his journey building Holmes Mouthwatering and the work he's doing to inspire the next generation of Cleveland entrepreneurs through his own initiative!-----SPONSORS: John Carroll University Boler College of Business || Impact Architects & NinetyJohn Carroll University Boler College of Business: https://business.jcu.edu/ As we've heard time and time again from entrepreneurs on Lay of The Land — many of whom are proud alumni of John Carroll University —  success in this ever-changing world of business requires a dynamic and innovative mindset, deep understanding of emerging technology and systems, strong ethics, leadership prowess, acute business acumen… all qualities nurtured through the Boler College of Business!With 4 different MBA programs of study — spanning Professional, Online, Hybrid, and 1-Year-Flexible — The Boler College of Business provides flexible timelines and various class structures for each MBA Track — including online, in-person, hybrid and asynchronous — to offer the most effective options for you, in addition to the ability to participate in an elective International Study Tour, providing unparalleled opportunities to expand your global business knowledge by networking with local companies overseas and experiencing a new culture.The career impact of a Boler MBA is formative and will help prepare you for this future of business and get more out of your career. To learn more about John Carroll University's Boler MBA programs, please go to business.jcu.eduThe Boler College of Business is fully accredited by AACSB International, the highest accreditation a College of Business can have.Impact Architects & NinetyLay of The Land is brought to you by Ninety. As a Lay of The Land listener, you can leverage a free trial with Ninety, the platform that helps teams build great companies and the only officially licensed software for EOS® — used by over 7,000 companies and 100,000 users!This episode is brought to you by Impact Architects. As we share the stories of entrepreneurs building incredible organizations throughout NEO, Impact Architects helps those leaders — many of whom we've heard from as guests on Lay of The Land — realize their visions and build great organizations. I believe in Impact Architects and the people behind it so much, that I have actually joined them personally in their mission to help leaders gain focus, align together, and thrive by doing what they love! As a listener, you can sit down for a free consultation with Impact Architects by visiting ia.layoftheland.fm!-----LINKS:Connect with Ethan Holmes on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-holmes-2b5b0124/Holmes Mouthwatering: https://holmesmouthwatering.com/Follow Holmes Mouthwatering on X: https://twitter.com/holmesasauceFollow Holmes Mouthwatering on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holmesmouthwatering-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and many more.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Jeffrey Stern on X @sternJefe — https://twitter.com/sternjefeFollow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

Ethan Holmes founded Holmes Mouthwatering in 2008 at the age of 15 after being inspired by his grandfather's applesauce recipe and deciding to innovate his own line of products. While studying business at Hiram college, he launched the business in 2014 making small batches at a time on campus, eventually growing to his first major retailer: Heinen's in 2015, Giant Eagle in 2016, and Whole Foods Market and Kroger in 2107, selling at a total of 300 locations.To date, they have processed 500,000 pounds of apples from local orchards and made 250,000 units in-house for consumers across the U.S. selling primarily in the Midwest and online, achieving lifetime sales of $400,000. In addition to making and selling applesauce, they created a community program called the Holmes Entrepreneur Initiative teaching youth entrepreneurship through programming, internships, and workshops around applesauce. His brand was chosen for the Chobani Incubator in 2020, The SKU Coca-Cola Accelerator in 2022, and raised $700k from angel investors and grant funding since their start. After 7 years in business and many lessons later, he is now in the final stages of launching a rebranded, improved, and innovative line: 3.2 oz pouches of applesauce. The 1st pouched applesauce on the market with chunks of real fruit! It took him $100,000 and over a year to finalize the packaging with global branding agency Moxie Sozo and nearly 2 years to find the right contract manufacturing partner to recreate their formulas and maintain a premium quality and competitive price point. He had an opportunity to visit their new contract manufacturer in Chile in July to visit their plant and was happy to see they manufacture for prominent U.S. retailers, such as Kroger, Aldi, Walmart, Safeway, and more. Producing over 50MM+ applesauce pouches annually, giving his products a 20% gross margin increase and an option for price breaks as they scale. He signed a 3-year contract with the manufacturer for 360,000 pouches or 60,000 sellable units to be made by the end of the year and delivered to the U.S. Q1 2023. So far, they have commitments from the following: Target, Giant Eagle, Walmart, Heinen's, Whole Foods Market and food service accounts (concessions, foodbanks), and are expecting an additional 500 doors acquired throughout the remainder of the year (Sprouts, Wegman's, Marc's, Fresh Market, etc). Visit Holmes Mouthwatering here: https://holmesmouthwatering.com/

Originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador, Saskia Sorrosa built a strong career in marketing and moved into what she believed to be her dream role—VP of Marketing for the NBA. When her second child arrived on the scene, Saskia realized that she needed to step back from her corporate career to pursue aligning her business with her values.That's when she founded Fresh Bellies, a kid snack brand distributed nationwide by major retailers like Whole Foods. Saskia has grown Fresh Bellies to a national disruptor, winning the the Expo East NEXTY Award for Best New Natural Kid's Product, pitching to Shark Tank and graduating from the Chobani Incubator.In this episode, you will hear:The micro actions Saskia took to move her business out of the farmer's market and onto the national stageAbout the importance of being flexible with your business and why Fresh Bellies dropped its first product in the middle of raising a round of capitalSaskia's evolving thought process for finding the right channels in which to place her energy and business resources for successConnect with your host on Instagram at @shauna.armitage and listen to more Startup Renegade stories at www.startuprenegades.com

Thereasa Black, a Navy Veteran still on a mission. In this episode Thereasa shares with us the story about how she decided to start a gelato company. Her story is one of service- service to our country, service to her daughter and service to social justice. Now, we're honored to serve you with her story.In this episode, Mary officially nominates Thereasa as                                                  "The Most Interesting Woman in the World!"  Join us for a generous helping of inspiration!2:55 The promise to her daughter4:45 How Thereasa used to bake for her colleagues and her passion for healthy & delicious treats5:20 How she launched this amazing gelato company in just two years and what she did to get it started5:47: Thereasa participates in the Chobani incubator, a program for       companies taking on broken food systems to bring better food to more people.6:01: How she won a pitch competition - earning $700,000! with                 The Empower Project Be sure to visit https://BonAppesweet.com to get your gelato delivered  today - and one of the sweet perks- each  package celebrates the fight for social justice.Her Mission:Bon AppéSweet believes in liberty and justice, for ALL.Standing up for what is right, isn't always easy, but it is always NECESSARY. We have stood on the side of justice since our founding and each of our pints helps to raise awareness of important social issues. Together we can make change for good.We are the greatest nation in the world, but that doesn't mean that we can ever stop evolving.Also- please watch this tender moment- a mother and daughter are reunited.https://bonappesweet.com/our-story/     

How did a Chobani Incubator brand, founded by a single mother who serves in the military, start out as a promise to the founder's daughter and become a rising star in the plant-based dairy scene? Thereasa Black carries a heavier load than most of us can imagine. She could be redeployed to a combat zone at any moment. She’s raising a preschooler by herself. All while navigating the challenges of managing a gelato shop and building a CPG brand from scratch.In this episode, Thereasa shares how she is persevering despite COVID-19 and juggling so many hats in business and life.See below for what you'll learn in this episode.* How to reframes failure so that you can “catch yourself and keep it moving.”* How obsessive planning helps her keep making progress* How to get connections with retailers through a new virtual product discovery platform called Spark Change by New Hope Network (learn more here)

Amid a confluence of demand for healthy, sustainably sourced food and surging interest in e-commerce, online marketplace Bubble finds itself at the center of the bullseye. Launched in January 2019, Bubble promotes itself as “The Most Transparent Food Marketplace.” The e-tailer currently represents over 180 brands and over 1,000 products that undergo the “Bubble Approval Process,” a rigorous set of standards to ensure that food and beverages sold on the site are made with responsibly sourced and clean ingredients. In an interview included in this episode, Bubble founder and CEO Jessica Young spoke about how she drew upon her experience as a chef and product developer to launch the site, how she assessed opportunities and challenges for the company and thoughtfully communicated each to investors, how Bubble is enhancing visibility and sales for small brands via the platform and what she anticipates as the next evolution of e-commerce. Show notes:  0:36: Retailer And Sampling Strategies For New Brands & New Products -- The episode’s hosts opened the show with some banter about intentionally less than tasty jelly beans before discussing top-of-mind topics for entrepreneurs including review cycles for new products and brands amid the current crisis and ways that companies are shifting field marketing resources online. 12:02: Jessica Young, Founder/CEO, Bubble -- Young sat down with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif for an expansive conversation that chronicled of her early work experience, which included roles at Daily Harvest and Chobani Incubator, and spoke about why she chose to launch a retail company as her first foray into entrepreneurship and how she prepared a SWOT analysis for the company. Later, she discussed Bubble’s target consumer, the most effective ways to market and promote the site, how the company is keeping up with COVID-19-driven demand and how perishable products will play into its future. Brands in this episode: Jelly Belly, Drink Simple, Lily’s, Haven’s Kitchen, Cleveland Kitchen,  High Brew Coffee, Revive Kombucha, Better Booch, Spudsy, Soylent, Hu Kitchen, Daily Harvest, Sky High Farm

This special edition of Taste Radio Insider highlights actionable insights and advice from interviews with six founders, creators and investors who joined us on the show during the second half of 2019. Our guests include Zico founder and Powerplant Ventures co-founder Mark Rampolla; Zoe Feldman, the director of the Chobani Incubator; Rick’s Picks founder and CEO Rick Field; Mike Cessario, the founder and CEO of Liquid Death; Harbinger Ventures founder Megan Bent and Chris Kirby, the founder of Ithaca Craft Hummus. Show notes: 1:28: Mark Rampolla, Founder, Zico; Co-Founder, Powerplant Ventures --  We kick off the episode with Mark Rampolla, the founder of Zico coconut water and the co-founder of plant-centric CPG investment firm Powerplant Ventures. In the following clip, pulled from our interview with Rampolla in Ep. 53, he discussed how he sets and reviews long-term goals, why it’s critical to write them down and look at them daily, the importance of thoughtful communication and alignment with employees and colleagues and why daily huddles are key for highly effective organizations. 9:18: Zoe Feldman, Director, Chobani Incubator -- Next up is Zoe Feldman, who is the director of Chobani Incubator, which invests in and supports purpose-driven, early-stage companies. We spoke with Feldman for an interview featured in Ep. 63, and in the following clip she spoke about how she’s using her voice and platform to support marginalized communities and shared the advice she has for brand owners and executives that might be afraid to have “the diversity conversation.” 15:10: Rick Field, Founder/CEO, Rick’s Picks -- Let’s continue with Rick Field, the founder and CEO of premium pickle brand Rick’s Picks. Field joined us in Ep. 42, and in this clip he urged potential and early-stage entrepreneurs to understand the minutiae that comes with building a food brand, why it’s not a part-time endeavor and why he describes entrepreneurship as being an “army of one.” 19:23: Mike Cessario, Founder/CEO, Liquid Death  -- Next is Mike Cessario, the founder and CEO of Liquid Death, a canned water brand whose heavy metal vibe and edgy marketing has generated considerable online buzz and attracted funding from a range of prominent investors. In an interview from Ep. 51, Cessario explained why upstart CPG companies must stand for something, the importance of conveying “small,” why customer acquisition is about getting people to “invest in your brand” and how to establish proof of concept for an untested idea. 27:16: Megan Bent, Founder & Managing Partner, Harbinger Ventures -- We continue with Megan Bent, the founder and managing partner of Harbinger Ventures, a specialized investment firm whose mission is to provide growth equity and strategic resources to the next generation of female entrepreneurs. We spoke with Bent in Ep. 64 and in this clip, she explained how Harbinger vets potential portfolio companies, the “trifecta” that she looks for in growing brands and why she encourages entrepreneurs to establish a “common language” with potential investors. 34:40: Chris Kirby, Founder/President, Ithaca Craft Hummus -- Wrapping up this episode is Chris Kirby, the founder and president of fast-growing brand Ithaca Craft Hummus. In this clip, pulled from an interview featured in Ep. 55, Kirby explained how he identified white space in legacy food category, why carefully crafted success stories have been key to landing placement at new retailers and why he advises entrepreneurs to be “very intentional about what you’re spending and why.”  Brands in this episode: Zico, Chobani, Rick’s Picks, Liquid Death, Ithaca Craft Hummus

In this episode, we’re joined by Zoe Feldman, the director of Chobani Incubator. Launched in 2014, the unit invests in and supports purpose-driven, early-stage companies that share Chobani’s philosophy of creating “Delicious, Nutritious, Natural, and Accessible” food.  Since joining the company in 2018, Feldman has emphasized the incubator’s focus on diversity as part of its selection criteria and “to give folks a seat at the table.” “I view my role now as a person who’s part of a marginalized community, as an LGBT person, to say ‘I understand how it feels to be viewed as the other,’” she said. “And I also understand  how it feels to be a woman in a room full of men, which was certainly the majority of my career in [venture capital], and have people make assumptions about you before they even talk to you.” As part of our conversation, Feldman spoke about how prior experiences as an executive at PepsiCo and in venture capital shaped her perspective on the importance of diversity in business and why “representation is hugely critical” to the future of the industry. Show notes: 0:34: The Brew, The Crew and The Dough -- The episode’s hosts convened at NOSH Live Winter 2019 in Santa Monica and reflected on highlights from day one of the conference and those of the concurrent Brewbound Live Winter 2019 show, including the thrilling Brewbound Pitch Slam competition and NOSH’s Sampling Experience and Expo. 8:05: Interview: Zoe Feldman, Director, Chobani Incubator -- Feldman sat down with NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and spoke about cutting her teeth in the food and beverage industry as part of PepsiCo’s emerging brands unit, why she regrets attending graduate business school and reflected on her four years as a venture capitalist. She also explained why the Chobani Incubator was the right fit for the next stage of her career and how she’s using her voice and platform to support marginalized communities. Later, she explained why the incubator’s goal is to “over-index on diversity” and support the development of micro-business communities across the U.S., and she also shared the advice she has for brand owners and executives that might be afraid to have “the diversity conversation.” Brands in this episode: Chobani, Whoa Dough

As an influential early-adopter of the incubator model that has spread throughout the CPG food and beverage industry in recent years, Chobani continues to push the boundaries of the entrepreneurial ecosystem by fine-tuning its program and recruitment process to identify and support a more diverse set of entrepreneurs than who have traditionally participated in such programs.

As an influential early-adopter of the incubator model that has spread throughout the CPG food and beverage industry in recent years, Chobani continues to push the boundaries of the entrepreneurial ecosystem by fine-tuning its program and recruitment process to identify and support a more diverse set of entrepreneurs than who have traditionally participated in such programs.

Director Zoe Feldman explains the equity-free startup program that's included Banza chickpea pasta, Cannonborough Craft Sodas, and Thaifusions. Read more: https://mackinstitute.wharton.upenn.edu/2019/chobani-zoe-feldman/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Diversity and inclusion have become hot topics in business circles, with companies evaluating their internal policies and procedures, even as employees and customers demand more accountability for results. Zoe Feldman, director of the Chobani Incubator (https://chobaniincubator.com/), forged her own path through traditional-thinking venture capital firms to now guide the company’s incubator program. From the top down, Chobani is invested in its people and developing an inclusive workplace; its Spring 2019 incubator class reflects this commitment, offering opportunities to unique ventures seeking to break out of the mold.

This week Axel sits down with Farrah Moussallati and Cecilia Panichelli. Farrah is the co-founder of Afia Foods, a better-for-you Mediterranean food brand; and Cecilia is the co-founder of Cocina54, a on-the-go healthy empanada company. The two of them are bringing their diverse cultural flavors to Texas consumers in the frozen food aisles. They also were two of the founders chosen to participate in the Chobani Incubator program. Learn more about Farrah and Afia Foods: https://www.afiafoods.com/Learn more about Cecilia and Cocina54: https://www.cocina-54.com/ Follow Axel and the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/packingtastepodcast/ Guest: Farrah Moussallati & Cecilia PanichelliHost: Axel BraveProducer: Myrriah GossettAudio/Video Engineer: Jake WallaceA Founding Media Production - http://foundingmedia.comAltered Music from https://filmmusic.io:"Too Cool" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before teaRIOT established a multi-channel retail footprint that stretches across the U.S., and before its acceptance into the Chobani Incubator program, and before its recent $3 million Series A funding round, co-founders Laura and Steve Jakobsen were simply focused on building a brand. “What does [teaRIOT] look like?,” Laura asked in an interview included in this episode. “How does it stand out on shelf? What are our consumers saying? How do we need to change it from the inside of the bottle to the outside of the bottle? We just stayed nimble for two years and made changes in our foundation to really tighten everything up.” Throughout the process, teaRIOT, a brand of organic tea-based energy drinks, leaned heavily on social media to better understand its consumers and how they interacted with the brand and its products. “[We] not only use social media to publish outward but also to listen and to interact and engage. We always focus on what consumers are doing with our product. If you look at our [Instagram content], it really portrays the vitality of the brand. But in some pictures we don’t even have the product. It’s really about how people are living, being energized on tea.” That approach has been particularly effective on Instagram, where teaRIOT has gained over 121,000 followers since its launch in 2015. As part of our interview, Laura and Steve expounded upon their approach to brand building and shared their perspective on the keys to a successful social marketing strategy. They also discussed their experience in the Chobani Incubator and lessons from the program, and explained why teaRIOT’s investors must also be consumers of the brand. Show notes: 1:16: Cassava… On The Cusp -- Just a few days away from NOSH and BevNET Live Summer 2019, the hosts reflected on the New Beverage Showdown 17 competition, munched on cassava-based snacks, sipped on a few innovative new beverages and shared a few recommendations for eating and drinking in New York City. 16:35: Interview: Laura and Steve Jakobsen, Co-Founders, teaRIOT -- In an interview at teaRIOT headquarters in Venice, Calif., BevNET’s Mike Schneider spoke with Laura and Steve and engaged in a deep dive into teaRIOT’s branding, marketing and social media strategies. As part of our conversation, Laura explained her perspective that “influencers are kind of dead” and why brands should focus on aligning with “real, authentic people in your community.” They also discussed why it’s important to partner with investors whose lifestyles fit with that of the brand, and how their experience in the Chobani Incubator helped reinvigorate their passion for entrepreneurship and the brand.

Today in the guest chair we have Denise Woodard, the Founder of Partake Foods. Partake Foods provides meals and snacks that are delicious, safe and nutritious for conscious eaters. They are free of gluten, the top 8 allergens, and artificial ingredients. Made with real foods like sprouted grains, fruits, and vegetables, Partake products give peace-of-mind to those with dietary restrictions and simple enjoyment to those without. In June 2017, Partake debuted three flavors of mini cookies to independent, natural food stores in the Northeast. Distribution has now grown to include Whole Foods, Wegmans, and over 150 other retailers, as well as Amazon and the Partake Foods website. Partake Foods has even been featured by People, Reader’s Digest, and Babble. Denise was a member of the 2017 Cohort of Project Entrepreneur and Fall 2018 class of the Chobani Incubator, as well as the winner of the 2018 SheKnows Media BlogHer pitch competition and the 2017 Google “Black Founders” program. Prior to launching Partake Foods, Denise spent the past 12 years in consumer packaged goods at various Fortune 100 companies. Most recently, she held the title of Director, National Sales in Coca-Cola’s Venturing & Emerging Brands division. On today’s episode, we get into: Why Denise is so passionate about gluten and allergen-free food How she, a non-baker, was able to start a cookie and snack brand The pivotal point when she made the decision to leave Coke to pursue Partake full time, and so much more Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher Thank you to our amazing sponsors: Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/shp. Links mentioned in this episode Partake Foods Unfinished Biz podcast Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Social Media Info Partake Foods - @PartakeFoods Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro

Madeline Haydon, the founder and CEO of non-dairy creamer brand Nutpods, isn’t fazed by the occasional negative review of her products. On the contrary, she welcomes all customer feedback, good or bad. It’s the follow up that matters. “You have to know you’re not going to get everyone and you have to be open to hearing what your customers really think about your product,” she said in an interview included in this episode. “We have very strict protocols with customer service because what I’m building is not just a brand; it’s an experience. And part of that experience is how you can turn someone who’s unhappy with your brand to say, ‘You know what? They have great customer service.’” That focus on high quality customer service has anchored nutpods’ thriving direct-to-consumer and ecommerce strategies and helped it become a top-selling brand on Amazon. As part of our interview, Haydon also discussed her foray into entrepreneurship and how she laid the groundwork for a successful online business via targeted outreach to consumers with specialized diets. Also in this episode: an interview with Nicole Cogan, the founder of Nobread, a popular social media brand focused on gluten-free lifestyles. In our conversation, Cogan spoke about her work with CPG brands, best practices for sponsored social campaigns and how influencer marketing has evolved in recent years. Show notes: 1:39: Fancy Food, Dry January & Sliced Ketchup -- The hosts discussed the upcoming 2019 Winter Fancy Food and Good Food Mercantile shows, which will be held in San Francisco. They also spoke about brands that are embracing “Dry January,” new episodes of our Elevator Talk series, which is featured on YouTube and Instagram TV, and a recent Chobani Incubator event in Boston. 16:42: Interview: Madeline Haydon, Founder/CEO, nutpods -- Haydon is the founder and CEO of nutpods, a fast-growing brand of alt-dairy, unsweetened creamers made from almonds and coconuts. Launched in 2015, nutpods has become a best-selling brand on Amazon and parlayed its online success into the grocery channel, where the products are sold in major grocery chains, including Publix, Kroger and Wegmans. In an interview with BevNET CMO Mike Schneider she discussed the attributes of great products, testing nutpods at retail before launching online, the benefits of selling direct-to-consumer, and why reviews and high quality customer service are critical for nutpods. 36:42: Interview: Nicole Cogan, Founder, Nobread -- Haydon noted the importance working with social influencers that are authentically aligned with a brand’s mission and marketing strategy. That’s also the perspective of Nicole Cogan, who’s the creator of gluten-free lifestyle brand Nobread. As of the publication of this podcast, Nobread has over 163,000 followers of its Instagram page, which is loaded with content promoting gluten-free recipes, products and brands. Cogan discussed her role as a social media influencer and how she establishes mutually beneficial relationships with CPG companies. Brands in this episode: Dry Soda, Ugly Drinks, Seedlip, Curious Elixirs, Slice of Sauce, Grain Elevator, Drink Simple, 6AM Health, Nuttin Ordinary, nutpods, Simple Mills, Enjoy Life Foods, Cocokind

A few years ago, “incubation” wasn’t a term you really heard in CPG at all. That's definitely changed. Whether it’s Big CPG or a venture capital firm, the big strategics are trying to get closer to that early stage innovation, and incubation is one way to do that. The list of brands finding success within the incubator model seems to be growing exponentially. But many - if not most - of the food incubators we see today are modeled after something like TechStars: the incubator provides mentorship, funding, a community, all in exchange for an equity stake in the company. Sometimes that’s a great arrangement for founders. But not always. In fact, many of these models are anything but "founder friendly." Chobani has come around and turned this model on its head. This week we have Jackie Miller, the former Director of the Chobani Incubator, which is taking a totally a radical approach. They provide a sizeable grant to the brands in their program - with absolutely no strings attached. They provide community, mentorship, all the resources you'd expect and more, but they don’t don’t ask for any equity in return. How is this possible? It all comes down to Chobani’s values, and founder Hamdi Ulukaya’s belief that doing good is good business. In this episode, Jackie walks us through the founding of the Chobani Incubator, and explains how your brand can gain acceptance to their highly selective program. One quick programming note - since recording the podcast, Jackie has moved on from Chobani. While she’s off on another mission-driven adventure, we all agreed that the content is still super relevant and valuable. Links Chobani Incubator How to Apply to the Chobani Incubator Questions? Email the Chobani Incubator Connect with Jackie on LinkedIn Brand Builder is a co-production of SnackNation and ForceBrands.

Sarah Holloway thought she had her life planned out. She'd studied Arts/Law, graduated top of her class, secured a job at a top-tier law firm in mergers and acquisitions, and soon after had received an offer to become an associate to the Chief Justice of the High Court – a position she’d been working towards for the previous six years. At the very same time her career was taking off, Sarah was busy launching her side-biz ‘Matcha Maiden’, which was born out of her recognizing a gap in the Australian market for matcha-based products. By 2015, and after a year of selling her products locally, it all became real when she was approached by US retailer Urban Outfitters with an order of 10,000 units. Sarah was forced to make a huge life decision – accept the High Court position or quit her job and fulfil the order. Fast forward to now, Matcha Maiden is stocked globally, Sarah and her team have opened a vegan restaurant called Matcha Mylkbar in Melbourne, and the business was recently accepted into the Chobani Incubator program – the first of its kind in Australia. 

Mitch Rubin is the Program Specialist for the Chobani Incubator, a four-month program that helps emerging food brands with everything from manufacturing and packaging, to marketing and brand strategy. The Incubator, which gives its participants an equity-free 25K grant, was created by Chobani's founder, Hamdi Ulukaya, as part of the company's mission to bring better food to more people. Mitch and Ali talk about the non-negotiables of being a successful, values-driven food business, why the team is critical, some red flags for challenger brands, and of course, what the Chobani Incubator is looking for in its applicants. In the Sauce is powered by Simplecast

A co-founder of Boston Beer Co., the maker of Samuel Adams, Rhonda Kallman has seen her share of success. Yet while she’s been to the top of the mountain, she’s also seen its nadir. Despite the ups and downs of her nearly three decades in the beverage business, she’ll tell you that there’s been one constant: there’s no substitute for entrepreneurship. Kallman‘s latest project, Boston Harbor Distillery, extends a career that began in 1984 when she partnered with Jim Koch to create the now iconic Samuel Adams brand. Her path from Sam to spirits included both remarkable success and a decade of adversity, forcing her to overcome several personal struggles and the failure of a new brewing venture. In an interview recorded at her distillery in Dorchester, Mass., Kallman spoke about the defining moments of her journey, her methods for identifying disruptive concepts, why authenticity is the key to marketing innovation and the words that lifted her during the most challenging point of her career. Also included in this episode: a conversation with Greg Steltenpohl, the founder and CEO of plant-based beverage company Califia Farms. Known as one of the foremost innovators in the beverage industry, Steltenpohl, who is also the founder of super-premium juice brand Odwalla, discussed the development and impact of business habits that he’s adopted during his nearly four decades in business. This episode is presented by Watermelon Road. Show notes: 2:51: Incubate, Communicate, Masticate -- The hosts discussed highlights and notable exhibits at the 2018 Summer Fancy Food Show, including the event’s “Incubator Village,” which featured 11 incubators from across the U.S., among them the Chobani Incubator, The Hatchery, and CommonWealth Kitchen. They also spotlight Alpha Food Labs’ “The Future Market” which showcased innovative brands Yappah and Ocean Hugger, and chatted about a few interesting products sampled at the show, including those from Peekaboo Ice Cream, Pan’s Mushroom Jerky, Harney & Sons Cold Brew Nitro Tea, Tiny Hero Foods, and GT’s Kombucha. 12:14: Rhonda Kallman, Co-Founder, Boston Beer Co./Founder, Boston Harbor Distillery -- Kallman shared stories about the early days of Samuel Adams and how the brand focused on an authentic message to drive trial and achieve traction; how she navigated a challenging and ultimately unsuccessful new venture in beer; why she saw an opportunity to innovate in the spirits business; and why it’s critical for brands in emerging categories to work together. 36:33: Greg Steltenpohl, Founder/CEO, Califia Farms -- Recorded at the 2018 Summer Fancy Food Show, Steltenpohl offered his take on important business habits and practices, including why listening is essential for successful leaders; how Califia uses “huddles” to create spaces for dialogue; how best to capture innovative ideas; and how to identify and avoid ruts. Brands in this episode: Yappah, Ocean Hugger, Peekaboo Ice Cream, Pan’s Mushroom Jerky, Harney & Sons, Tiny Hero, GT’s Kombucha, Samuel Adams, Boston Harbor Distillery, Odwalla, Califia Farms