Podcasts about sir kensington

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Best podcasts about sir kensington

Latest podcast episodes about sir kensington

The Nourishment Mindset
Dollar$ Keeping You Up at Night?

The Nourishment Mindset

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 45:12


What percentage of Americans do you think lose sleep fretting about money matters in the middle of the night? (Hint, it's well over the majority!) When I was livin' it up in San Francisco working in the wine industry, I managed to rack up some impressive debt, and it frequently impacted my slumber. Over the years there were other financial issues such as worry over estate planning once my son was born and then Covid came and tanked the stock market and subsequently sent interest rates up and inflation especially sky high.Sleep is a critical factor in the body's ability to function optimally and repair itself; in other words, it's a cornerstone of metabolic health. Which is why in today's episode #63 of The Nourishment Mindset, we're talking with a financial expert who wants to help YOU get a better night's sleep. (This is a pod-only episode as we're in the middle of a move and I'm also rehearsing for a play so I didn't elect to video edit.)Meet CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy,® Accredited Tax Preparer® and my husband, Patrick Huey. He's a self described “comprehensive financial concierge for real people” and offers plenty of sound, actionable advice as you prepare for 2025.Patrick discusses how to cultivate financial health, what we should and shouldn't worry about and most importantly, how to find balance when it comes to making, saving, spending and giving money. We talk about how to assess financial health, determine if you would benefit from working with a financial advisor and what to look for in your search for a good fit.“Everyone has a plan until you ask them to produce it.” - Patrick Huey, owner of Victory Independent PlanningWe also emphasize the importance of getting that second opinion if you already have your money house in order. I recently had a dentist tell me I needed a freakin' root canal. After seeking a couple of second opinions, I learned that there's nothing wrong with my tooth after performing a simple a cold test with an ice cube at home! While it's standard practice to get a second opinion in medical matters, it's much more rare in the world of finance. If you walk away with one takeaway from this episode, take this: get a second opinion on your financial health, which is significantly more comprehensive than your investments! There are so many money managers out there who do just that — focus solely on investment accounts, leaving estate, tax, health and other planning to others… Or sadly and commonly, no one.Financial health is about so much more and in this episode, you'll learn about Patrick's SMART® approach to gliding into retirement and much more.****I'm thrilled to offer Nourishment Mindset subscribers this special, no obligation offer through January 15: a complimentary signed shipped copy of Patrick's Seven Pillars of Financial Wisdom to help you determine if you're getting the maximum benefit from your current approach to financial health. To receive one, simply email me. (FavorFat@gmail.com)FINE READS-For those who want a more comprehensive read, Patrick spent nearly a decade crafting only the book he could write. AND didn't toss me off our Camas, WA balcony to the coyotes the night I gave him this feedback after reading the manuscript: “There's a lot here. But you need to start over from an organization stand point.”History Lessons for the Modern Investor takes a rollicking romp through the past helping you learn important lessons from historical figures to become a better investor today. For example, Julius Caesar, courtesy of some heavily armed guys in togas, discovered that mental shortcuts can lead to disappointing results. He learned it the hard way, but you don't have to. Nicolaus Copernicus didn't think the universe revolved around him—rare for a genius of his time. His economic theory is the secret to funding a long retirement. And you won't risk getting burned at the stake…To check out all of his books including a travel thriller, visit Patrick's author page.FINE RECIPE with a FINE FIND- Dixie's Go To Tuna Salad with Sea SeasoningI'm combining my Fine Recipe and Fine Find this month since this sea seasoning adds flavor and an essential trace mineral, iodine. I love Maine Coast Sea Seasonings and regularly use their organic triple blend.Sometimes you need a quick, healthy fix and my Go To Tuna Salad is one of my favorites! Serves one so feel free to multiply for more mouths. Add everything together, stir and enjoy:1.One can of tuna, preferably wild caught and in either olive oil or water;2.Mix in 1 generous TB avocado oil mayo — Primal Kitchen and Sir Kensington's are my preferred brands (no stanky seed oils - traditional mayo always has ‘em even if they advertise “olive oil” on the front so check those ingredients);3.Chop 1 mini cucumber (or a half of a regular one) and toss in;4.Add 1tsp Dijon if you enjoy mustard and/or a couple TB finely chopped nuts;5.Generously salt with a high quality brand such as Redmond.6.Consider adding a Sea Seasoning with iodine to support thyroid health and add delicious flavor!PS - If you happen to live in SW Florida, please support local arts come see Last of the Red Hot Lovers, a comedy about a married man's midlife crisis by Neil Simon. We're playing at the Marco Island Center for the Arts theater January 8-26. My character, Bobbi Michelle, is a nutty out of work night club singer who takes medicinal weed instead of tranquilizers because she has this inability to swallow pills. She's essentially harmless — sweet and sexy, but also super ditzy, and her singing is um… you'll see. For more, check out the features in Coastal Breeze and Marco Eagle. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit favorfat.substack.com

How I Built This with Guy Raz
Advice Line with Mark Ramadan of Sir Kensington's

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 50:47


Sir Kensington's co-founder and former CEO Mark Ramadan joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they work through business challenges with three early-stage founders.Today we meet Pat, a physician assistant working to bring his solution for clogged sinks to major retailers. Then Lucas, a chef whose local quick service taco joint is fending off national competition. And Beth, a working mom whose baby products brand is caught in the "messy middle" between launch and mass scale.If you'd like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you'd like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.And to hear the story of how Sir Kensington's was founded, check out Mark's first appearance on the show in 2023.This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Conversations
Mark Ramadan: Disrupting Industry Giants

Conversations

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2024 39:05


Although Mark Ramadan's father owned a business with his brothers, Ramadan originally envisioned a less entrepreneurial career path for himself. His first job after college was at consulting giant McKinsey and Company, but it was an unexpected idea involving ketchup that drew him into entrepreneurship.Ramadan, along with the college roommate who became his co-founder, noticed that the condiment industry lacked options. So, they got to work in their Brown University dorm room formulating a ketchup recipe that did not use corn syrup and had lower levels of sugar and salt than the major brands.That was in 2008. While both founders worked full-time after college, they continued to build their condiment business, known as Sir Kensington's, on the side until it fully launched in 2010.“We tested our ketchup at tasting parties while we were in college, then worked on the packaging and marketing for two years before we launched the company,” Ramadan said.The Sir Kensington's line of condiments garnered enough praise and sales that it was eventually acquired in 2017 by Unilever. After Sir Kensington's, Ramadan served as CEO of Hu, an award-winning, healthier chocolate and snack food company, which was recently acquired by Mondelez.Ramadan sat down with David Cameron, City National Bank's EVP of Personal & Business Banking, for a conversation about disrupting an industry, mission-driven businesses and life lessons for entrepreneurs.

In the Sauce
Building Foodservice

In the Sauce

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 62:09


Ray Goulbourne is a foodservice expert with experience at high growth CPG brands including Banza, Simulate, Mason Dixie, and Sir Kensington's. On this episode of ITS, Ray breaks the channel down for Ali: From defining objectives and choosing a segment, to execution and scale. There's even a cheat code in the last few minutes, where brands looking into foodservice can start their research.In the Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.

ReGen Brands Podcast
#57 - Zack Gazzaniga @ Zack's Mighty

ReGen Brands Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2023 69:08


On this episode, we have Zack Gazzaniga who is the Founder of Zack's Mighty.   Zack's Mighty is supporting regenerative agriculture with its tortilla chip products made with certified regenerative corn.   In this episode, we learn about Zack's journey in CPG helping to build and scale Sir Kensington's, why he was compelled to “make chips that don't break in dip,” and the wild ride building Zack's Mighty supply chain that included everything from importing an heirloom variety of corn into the US, setting up direct trade supply with farms, investing in proprietary manufacturing processes, and certifying their regenerative claims through A Greener World (AGW).   Episode Highlights:  

The Derivative
A brief history of Corn, food co valuations, GMO vs non GMO, and a guacable chip with Zack's Mighty founder Zack Gazzaniga

The Derivative

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2023 66:03


Get ready to savor an episode of The Derivative that's anything but run-of-the-(corn) mill, featuring a guest who's serving up some fresh and unconventional perspectives. That's right, we're delving into the heart of the snack world where the notion of sturdy, thick chips and delicate, thin chips is more than meets the eye. Prepare to have the simplicity of your favorite tortilla chip upended, revealing the captivating intricacies that fuel everyone's favorite salsa, guac, and queso vehicle, the tortilla chip.   Zack Gazzaniga, is the visionary behind Zack's Mighty Tortillas, a company rewriting the rulebook on what it means to be a tortilla chip. His entrepreneurial journey takes us from the humble beginnings of a small natural food startup to helping build a 60-SKU condiment brand at Sir Kensington's. Throughout this episode, he generously shares his insights on expanding product lines, managing complex supply chains, and navigating deals with corporate giants. But that's the boring business stuff… stay for the talk on seed hunting in Italy, making tortillas, then chips – how many growing cycles our US soil has left, the many nuances in GMO vs non-GMO labeling, and the informative history of Corn you didn't know you needed. This episode is a must-listen for fellow entrepreneurs and tortilla chip lovers – SEND IT! Chapters: 00:00-01:39= Intro  01:40-11:50= Buongiorno! Let's talk: Origins, Sir Kensington's, flavor, & the guacable chip 11:51-25:19= Economic building blocks, Investing in food, CAP-X deals, & intense integration 25:20-36:29= A brief history of corn: Quest for the golden kernel 36:30-50:24= The tortilla chip: From field to bag & Going organic – why it makes sense 50:25-01:01:41= Ethanol? Water? Growing and production concerns / Short-corn & gene editing 01:01:42-01:06:03= Where do we get them? & the Takis people... From the episode: Beautiful Corn: America's Original grain from seed to plate (Book) Don't call it private equity, seeking value (and tax alpha) in small business with Adam Tkaczuk Follow along with Zack's Mighty on LinkedIn and Facebook! For more information on Zack's Mighty tortilla's chips and where to find them visit zacksmighty.com Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

How I Built This with Guy Raz
Sir Kensington's: Scott Norton and Mark Ramadan

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2023 95:53


Scott Norton and Mark Ramadan were only college students when they created Sir Kensington's, a $140-million-dollar condiment brand – with a backstory that's completely made up.These days, it seems like every brand – every start-up – is trying to tell a story about its authentic and humble beginnings. Scott and Mark went in the opposite direction when they had the idea to create a gourmet ketchup in 2008. They wanted to take on a juggernaut: Heinz. So, to stand out, they told a story about their ketchup that differentiated it from Heinz in every way. Sir Kensington was a fictional luminary of imperial Britain who invented his eponymous ketchup one night while dining with Catherine the Great. And the true story of how Scott and Mark grew and then sold the company to Unilever – it's a real yarn in its own right.This episode was produced by Alex Cheng, with music by Ramtin Arablouei.Edited by Andrea Bruce.Our engineers were Gilly Moon and Maggie Luthar.You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.This episode is brought to you in part by Canva, the easy-to-use online design platform for presentations, social posts, videos, websites, and more. Start designing today at Canva – the home for every brand.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Internet Misfits
Scott Norton - Founder of Sir Kensington's

Internet Misfits

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 69:28


This one is an experiment! I went for a walk around Brooklyn with my good friend Scott Norton, founder of the legendary condiments brand Sir Kensington's. We talk about electronic music, building a "brand world", and what he thinks the future holds. Hope you enjoy it! Joehttp://joe.univer.se Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HUNGRY.
Giles Brook: How to actually sell your food and drink brand, raise money and be a formidable founder, lessons from industry titan from Innocent, Vita Coco, BEAR, Mindful Chef, Dalston's

HUNGRY.

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2023 49:53


Every top food and drink founder reads our Newsletter - why wouldn't you?https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/Watch the full shabang on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@HungryFMCG/videosLet's link up on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/Stalk me on Insta- https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/Recorded live this week at Bread & Jam with Giles BrookHis career sparkles

Brands In Action
Christopher Symmes / Unilever

Brands In Action

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2023 36:03


Join us for an inspiring conversation with Christopher Symmes, Director of Marketing at Unilever where he manages their dressings line, including Hellmann's, Sir Kensington's, and Maille. Christopher is a living, breathing adherent to Brand Purpose and showing how it can drive your business – not just your advertising – to foster growth and create change. In fact, sometimes Brand Purpose isn't part of the advertising at all. 00:18 - Christopher Intro01:18 - What brought you to Unilever06:50 - How do you define brand purpose and how does that fit at Unilever13:17 - Super Bowl Commercials / Brie and Ham18:56 - Does the purpose of food waste live outside of Hellman's within Unilever19:54 - Does every Unilever brand have a social good component22:26 - Customer feedback25:21 - Other adjacent brands and their purposes29:25 - How does your personal purpose manifest itself professionally34:18 - Googling Hellmans Food Waste  

Ringer Food
Sir Kensington's Ketchup Is Discontinued, In-Flight Vegan Meals, and Tasting Ice Cream Sundaes

Ringer Food

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2023 36:36


This week, Juliet and Jacoby share their thoughts on eating ribs on an airplane and break down proper plane food etiquette. Then, they give their theories on the man who survived on a boat by eating ketchup and discuss alternative milks. For this week's Taste Test, they try ice cream with salt and olive oil on top. Finally, they close the show by sharing their Personal Food News and react to some Listener Food News. Do you have Personal Food News? We want to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at 646-783-9138 or email ListenerFoodNews@Gmail.com for a chance to have your news shared on the show. Hosts: Juliet Litman and David Jacoby Producers: Mike Wargon and Ronak Nair Musical Elements: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due Diligence
Scott Norton — Scaling, Selling & Investing in CPG Brands

Due Diligence

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2023 45:43


Today's guest is Scott Norton, co-founder of Sir Kensington's. Scott is a consumer growth investor and backs early and growth stage consumer businesses across both physical products and digital services. He has invested in over 15 early and growth stage consumer companies, serving on the boards of MUDWTR, Smallhold, and Firstleaf and investing in brands like Hero Cosmetics and Omsom whose founders we've had on the podcast previously. Previously, Scott served as CEO, CMO, and co-founder of Sir Kensington's, best known for making condiments with character. At Sir Kensington's, he helped raise over $20M from investors and guided it to a successful exit to Unilever in 2017. After the business tripled in sales post-acquisition he transitioned to an advisory role for the company at the end of 2020. In this episode we discuss: What great brand storytellers do differently How Scott started Sir Kensington's The key differences between food & beauty startups % margins CPG brands should target Product margin vs. gross margin vs. contribution margin What Scott looks for as an investor How food brands can get into grocery stores What founders need to know about boards of directors And more For more information: Scott's Twitter

The Kyle Thiermann Show
#317 How To Grow a Brand (With Someone Who's Actually Done It) - Scott Norton

The Kyle Thiermann Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2022 81:17


Scott Norton (@swhnorton) is a venture capitalist and MUDWTR board member. He previously co-founded Sir Kensington's—the brand that's best known for making condiments with character. At Sir Kensington's, he raised over $20 million from investors, guiding the company to a successful acquisition by Unilever in 2017.Scott has been named one of Fast Company's “Most Creative People in Business” and listed on Forbes' “30 Under 30.” About a year ago, I gave Scott one of his first surfing lessons at Venice Beach. While on the wave he maintained a low, crouched position and kept his eyes straight ahead … just like I told him. Nice job, Scott. If you dig this podcast, will you be please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It's takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Get my Friday newsletter at Substack. It's glorious.Send voice memos to: info@kyle.surf  Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

The Kyle Thiermann Show
#317 How To Grow a Brand (With Someone Who's Actually Done It) - Scott Norton

The Kyle Thiermann Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2022 81:17


Scott Norton (@swhnorton) is a venture capitalist and MUDWTR board member. He previously co-founded Sir Kensington's—the brand that's best known for making condiments with character. At Sir Kensington's, he raised over $20 million from investors, guiding the company to a successful acquisition by Unilever in 2017.Scott has been named one of Fast Company's “Most Creative People in Business” and listed on Forbes' “30 Under 30.” About a year ago, I gave Scott one of his first surfing lessons at Venice Beach. While on the wave he maintained a low, crouched position and kept his eyes straight ahead … just like I told him. Nice job, Scott. If you dig this podcast, will you be please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It's takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Get my Friday newsletter at Substack. It's glorious.Send voice memos to: info@kyle.surf  Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

MUD\WTR: Trends with Benefits
#74 Scott Norton on The Power of Analogies, Lessons Learned from Steve Jobs, and Why to Start with “Why”

MUD\WTR: Trends with Benefits

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2022 83:49


Scott Norton (@swhnorton) is a venture capitalist and MUDWTR board member. He previously co-founded Sir Kensington's—the brand that's best known for making condiments with character. At Sir Kensington's, he raised over $20 million from investors, guiding the company to a successful acquisition by Unilever in 2017. Scott has been named one of Fast Company's “Most Creative People in Business” and listed on Forbes' “30 Under 30.”  About a year ago, I gave Scott one of his first surfing lessons at Venice Beach. On the wave he maintained a low, crouched position and kept his eyes straight ahead … just like I told him. Nice job, Scott! :mushroom boost by MUDWTR is here to support immunity, vitality and mental sharpness. The powder is a blend of eight mushrooms: lion's mane, cordyceps, chaga, reishi, turkey tail, king trumpet, maitake and shiitake mushrooms and mycelium. Use the code BOOST25 for 25% off your first order of mushroom boost. If you dig this podcast please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds and helps a bunch. For weekly stories visit Trends w/ Benefits and sign up for our newsletter Reach out and send voice memos to podcast@mudwtr.com  Stalk us on Instagram Want to join our cold plunge group chat? Here's the link.

iCantCU Podcast
You're Not Actually Blind

iCantCU Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2022 51:40


In this episode of iCantCU, I talk about a phone call with Quickbooks for information about their pricing plans that turned into a question of if I was blind. I also discuss our trip to the new Amazon Fresh store on opening day and using the no check out feature. In the Just Listen segment, you'll hear some festivities from the Amazon Fresh Grand Opening. Show notes at https://www.iCantCU.com/196         Stories Of Vision Loss Podcast I was interviewed for an upcoming episode of Stories of Vision Loss. While the episode isn't out yet, look at other episodes on their website at https://www.storiesofvisionloss.com/. Connect with the podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Grocery Products I Mentioned I mentioned a couple of grocery products while talking about our visit to the new Amazon Fresh store. I liked Sir Kensington's Spicy Ketchup that we purchased (https://amzn.to/3d4RS0N). We tried that because I love Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayo (https://amzn.to/3Bw9b4l). These links are affiliate links. I participate in the Amazon Associates program and earn a small commission if you make a purchase using one of my links. Support iCantCU Do you shop at Amazon? I would appreciate it if you clicked on this link to make your purchases: https://www.iCantCU.com/amazon. I participate in the Amazon Associate Program and earn commissions on qualifying purchases. The best part is, you don't pay extra for doing this! White Canes Connect Podcast In episode 045 of White Canes Connect, Lisa and Stacie talk to Bill McCann from Dancing Dots. Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/white-canes-connect/id1592248709 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1YDQSJqpoteGb1UMPwRSuI IHeartRadio https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-white-canes-connect-89603482/ Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7dd1600d-05fa-48f3-8a8e-456e30e690bc/white-canes-connect My Podcast Gear Here is all my new gear and links to it on Amazon. I participate in the Amazon Associates Program and earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Zoom Podtrak P4: https://amzn.to/33Ymjkt Zoom ZDM Mic & Headphone Pack: https://amzn.to/33vLn2s Zoom H1n Recorder: https://amzn.to/3zBxJ9O  Gator Frameworks Desk Mounted Boom Arm: https://amzn.to/3AjJuBK Shure SM58 S Mic: https://amzn.to/3JOzofg  Sennheiser Headset (1st 162 episodes): https://amzn.to/3fM0Hu0  Support Keystone Chapter Please donate to the Keystone Chapter of the National Federation Of The Blind Of Pennsylvania by going to http://www.SupportKeystoneChapter.org. Scroll down to the text field and enter the amount you'd like to donate. PayPal handles payments, but you don't need a PayPal account. You can donate with any credit or debit card. Thank you so much! I appreciate it. Follow the iCantCU Podcast so you don't miss an episode! Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon | Google | IHeartRadio Reach Out On Social Media Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn Get In Touch If you've got questions, comments, or show ideas, I want to hear from you! Call (646) 926-6350 and leave a message. Include your name and town, and let me know if using your voice on an upcoming episode is okay. You can also email the show at iCantCUPodcast@gmail.com.  

Brunch & Learn Podcast
EP 64: The Joy of Mentorship & Branding for CPG Brands with Allison Marchesani Ackerman

Brunch & Learn Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2022 45:31


Allison is the founder of Cortland Consulting, a brand strategy and marketing studio that specializes in building strong, resonant CPG brands and helping them scale both in stores and online. She founded Cortland nearly 4 years ago after helping to grow Sir Kensington's to and through Unilever acquisition. Since then, she and her team have worked on brands including Belgian Boys, Hu Kitchen, AKUA, Haven's Kitchen, and more.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Non-linear career paths and how to know when to take a chance and take the leap.Overcoming imposter syndrome and anxiety while growing your business.Work/life balance - Advice to listeners out there, as you've been able to grow a business while raising a baby.What has brought her joy in mentorship . How can others incorporate the same teachings/pay it forward and do more of it in our day to day.Allison's favorite food products/brands right now.Say Hi:LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-marchesani-ackerman/---About Us - Women Who Brunch:Women Who Brunch is a community for  women who love connecting, networking, and learning from each other over the most important meal of the week...BRUNCH!Check out our website for updates on events, recipes, brunch spots, product reviews and more or say hi on Instagram!

Taste Radio
How Does An Innovation ‘Haven' Scale? By Focusing On The Fundamentals.

Taste Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2022 53:31


Ten years ago, Alison Cayne opened a cooking school in New York City called Haven's Kitchen. The goal was simple: help local residents learn how to make better food at home and enjoy doing it. Although the pandemic forced the school to shut its doors in 2020, the mission of Haven's Kitchen lives on in the form of an eponymous consumer brand of refrigerated sauces. Available in eight globally-inspired flavors, including Golden Turmeric Tahini, Edamame Green Goddess and Herby Chimichurri, the sauces are packaged in transparent, squeezable eco-friendly pouches. The products debuted in 2018 and are now available in over 2,000 locations, including at Whole Foods, Target, Sprouts, Giant and Foxtrot. Much of the retail growth has come over the past two years and reflects the brand's surging sales: a 500% year-over-year increase in 2020 and +80% in 2021. In an interview featured in this episode, Cayne spoke about the origins of Haven's Kitchen, the impact of the brand's innovative packaging and striking label design on trial, why emphasizing use case and occasion is critical for consumer adoption and repurchase and how effective merchandising of the products has enabled it to become “the ultimate basket builder.” She also explained how to use anecdotal data effectively when pitching to retail buyers, navigating the challenge of uneven retail pricing and how she found a co-packer that would invest in the brand's future. Show notes: 0:42: Interview: Alison Cayne, Founder & CEO, Haven's Kitchen – Taste Radio editor Ray Latif met with Cayne at Haven's Kitchen's test kitchen and office in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan where they chatted about nostalgic snacks, her team's desire to return to an IRL work setting and Whole Foods' influence on the launch of Haven's Kitchen sauces. She also explained the reason behind the brand name, how the company successfully broke traditional rules of branding and package design, educating mainstream consumers about esoteric flavors and why Chobani's head of innovation told her to stop innovating. Later, she spoke about how an argument with her partner led to an emphasis on gross margin, why she's bullish on Target, despite the chain's pricing strategy, and why her podcast has been beneficial to her education about the food industry. Brands in this episode: Haven's Kitchen, SOMOS Foods, Kind Snacks, Cholula, Chobani, A Dozen Cousins, Sabra, Perfect Snacks, Lucky Charms, Snickers, Ithaca Hummus, Spudsy, Sir Kensington's, Momofuku

Forcing Function Hour
Scott Norton: Before the Brand

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2022 73:04 Transcription Available


Scott Norton co-founded the successful condiment brand Sir Kensington's, acquired by Unilever in 2017. Prior to Sir Kensington's, Scott worked at Lehman Brothers in Tokyo and traveled across Asia on a folding bicycle. Today, Scott is the founder of N+1 Ventures, accelerating businesses cultivating their “onlyness” to make an impact on culture. He serves on boards of purpose-driven companies including MUDWTR, Smallhold, and Firstleaf. In this conversation, Scott shares valuable lessons learned along the journey from brand conception to strategic exit. You'll learn the foundational elements of identity for companies and for people so you can leverage your brand, share your story, and build a reputation that resonates with anyone you want to bring into your orbit. For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/scott-norton (forcingfunctionhour.com/scott-norton).

Build a Business Success Secrets
Consumer Packaged Goods Industry with Ryan Lewendon Partner at Giannuzzi Lewendon | Ep. 333

Build a Business Success Secrets

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2022 62:17


Ryan was the attorney for Vitamin Water in its early days and was with the company all the way through it's sale to Coke for over $4 billion. We talk about the VitaminWater story along with others he's worked with in the CPG industry. Ryan's firms has worked with hundreds of other consumer product companies including Glaceau (creator of VitaminWater and SmartWater), Pirate's Booty, Pretzel Crisps, Vita Coco, Siggi's, WTRMLN WTR, Mamma Chia, Sir Kensington's, Hint, Califia Farms, Krave, HappyBaby, Chameleon Cold Brew, Essentia, Rhythm Superfoods, Peeled, Runa, Oatmega, Sugarfina, Juice Press and many more.  About Ryan Lewendon Ryan is a Partner at Giannuzzi Lewendon, a premier boutique law firm that focuses on the representation of privately-held, high-growth consumer products companies. Prior to joining Giannuzzi Lewendon in 2011, Ryan was an associate at Donovan & Giannuzzi LLP. Since 2007, Ryan has focused his practice on helping innovative consumer products entrepreneurs grow their companies by navigating both the day-to-day hurdles and the tent-pole obstacles and opportunities a consumer products company must navigate on its way towards an acquisition. Ryan has assisted hundreds of companies structure and negotiate their distributor, broker and supplier relationships, employee incentive programs and advisory networks, and celebrity/influencer endorsements and promotional partnerships. Ryan has advised clients through financing transactions at every stage of their growth cycle – from angel investments to rounds with institutional investors. He has recently assisted clients in exit transactions with acquirers such as Coke, Pepsi, General Mills, Boulder Brands, Group Danone, Bacardi, General Mills and others. Ryan grew up in Hamden, Connecticut. He received a M.S in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Tulane University and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, where he was a member of the Moot Court Honors Society's Sports Law team. When he isn't busy helping bring emerging brands to the mainstream, he is an avid runner, reader and raconteur. He resides in Manhattan, New York. Join over 17,000 others and sign up to receive bonus content with the EDGE's weekly newsletter.   It's free sign up here >>> EPISODE LINKS: Giannuzzi Lewendon PODCAST INFO: Apple Podcasts: EDGE on Apple Podcasts Spotify: EDGE on Spotify  RSS Feed: EDGE's RSS Feed Website: EDGE Podcast SUPPORT & CONNECT EDGE's Weekly NewsletterJoin over 17,000 others and sign up to receive bonus content. It's free sign up here >>> Please Support this Podcast by checking out our Sponsors: Mad River Botanicals 100% certified organic CBD products. The product is controlled from seed to end product by it's owners. Use code: EDGE22 to get 10% off all your orders. Shop here>>> A top podcast for entrepreneurs!

Subscription Radio
The Evolution of CPG & Consumer-Centric brands with Scott Norton of N+1 Ventures

Subscription Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2022 44:59


Scott Norton, co-founder of Sir Kensington's and founder of N+1 Ventures, knows a thing or two about marketing consumables in an online world. The internet has changed everything about the way we shop: how we buy, where we're most receptive to advertising, and who we get our information from. The food industry is no different. From social media posts to internet cookbooks, the internet has shaped the way people buy and consume food. If you want your CPG company to keep up with the trends, you have to change your marketing strategy. Scott joined us on Subscription Radio to discuss CPG marketing, the pitfalls of e-commerce, and how to create a community for your brand. Show Topics Build on ritual and celebrationHelp customers estimate their usageCreate your own communityDon't fall prey to marketing FOMOMake membership special Show Links Check out N+1 VenturesConnect with Scott Norton on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out RodeoConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Joel Van Horn on LinkedIn or Twitter

The Story of a Brand
Owen's Craft Mixers - Stubborn about Quality

The Story of a Brand

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2022 31:08


**This episode is brought to you by Ordergroove**   “Simplicity but with quality of ingredients” that's the idea behind Owen's Craft Mixers. In part 1, we have Josh Miller, Co-Founder and President of Owen's Craft Mixers, a premium all-natural cocktail mixer brand.   Josh started his career as an intern at Honest Tea and Tesla Motors. He later worked at Sir Kensington's for some time. During that time, Josh saw an opportunity in the CPG world. In 2016, he started Owen's Craft Mixers along with his brother-in-law. It's a brand that uses no artificial sweeteners or fructose corn syrup. Their ingredients include real juice and just pure cane sugar.   He discusses:   * Gratefulness * Overview of the company * When people support them * His career and mental attitude * Variables involved in cocktails * How they got the name “Owen” * Their recipe philosophy   Join Ramon Vela and Josh Miller as they break down the inside story on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Owen's Craft Mixers, visit: https://owensmixers.com/    Subscribe and Listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen to your favorite podcast player: Listen now.   *   This episode is brought to you by Ordergroove.   It's time to let your customers enjoy the products they love without the friction of reordering...   That's why innovative brands like Peet's Coffee and Il Makiage rely on Ordergroove's subscription solution to build long-lasting relationships that drive recurring revenue.   From enrollment incentives to churn-fighting AI, Ordergroove gives your business the tools it needs to be a subscription success story.   Book a demo today and receive 2-months off your contract. Visit https://www.ordergroove.com/story/ 

Sauce Spoken
#64 "Sir Kensington's" Special Sauce

Sauce Spoken

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2021 65:41


Hello and welcome! Today on the show we try a special sauce for a special occasion, and make sure to stick around after the show for another special treat!

Madigan's Pubcast
Episode 63: To-Go Cocktails, Counterfeit Coupons, & Class Action Pop-Tarts

Madigan's Pubcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2021 94:17


Kathleen opens the show drinking a Waterslides IPA from 3 Sheeps Brewing in Wisconsin, and a Skrewball peanut butter whiskey shot.“GOOD BAD FOOD”: In her quest for new and delicious not-so-nutritious junk food AND in continuing her search for the best Ranch, Kathleen samples Lays Wavy Funyuns Onion flavored chips, which she thinks just taste like a “mild” sour cream-n-onion flavor. She moves on to taste Sir Kensington's Pizza Ranch Dressing, which she likes but thinks is WAY too tangy, and then she finishes her tasting menu with Hellman's Spicy Dipping Sauce, which she summarizes with an “umm, No.”KATHLEEN'S QUEEN'S COURT: Kathleen provides an update on the Court, reporting that although it's been a quiet week, Cher is commenting on the Twitter account @cherdoingthings.UPDATES: Kathleen gives updates on Facebook's company name change, the duping of Betsy DeVos's family by Elizabeth Holmes, the whereabouts of the missing zebras in Maryland, more bad news for supporters of Christopher Columbus, the release of a flying motorcycle in Japan, and South Dakota becomes a notable tax shelter. CLASS ACTION POP-TARTS: Kathleen laughs as she reads an article advising that a class-action lawsuit has been filed by plaintiff Anita Harris claiming that Kellogg's advertising misleads consumers about the amount of actual fruit in the food and that the presence of Red 40, a synthetic food dye, makes the product's filling "look bright red like it has more strawberries than it does.”THE LEGEND OF POLAND'S SOLDIER BEAR: Kathleen is thrilled to share the story of Wojtek, a Syrian brown bear cub who was by Polish II Corps soldiers who had been evacuated from the Soviet Union and aided in fighting the Nazis. In order to provide for his rations and transportation, he was officially enlisted as a soldier with the rank of private and was subsequently promoted to corporal. KROENKE ABANDONS NFL LAWSUIT: Kathleen isn't surprised reading an article advising that LA Rams' owner Stan Kroenke has informed NFL team owners that he will no longer pay legal fees associated with the Rams move from St. Louis in 2016. Kroenke originally agreed to cover legal fees involved in the relocation, and those bills have stacked up as the NFL has lost multiple motions to the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority.EXTREME COUPON SCAM: Kathleen reads an article about a couple arrested by the FBI in Virginia Beach over their $31.8 million counterfeit coupon scheme. They have been handed a prison sentence for nearly 20 years, combined.TO-GO COCKTAILS BY STATE: Kathleen loves a cocktail, especially one that she can wander with. She updates listeners on a study from the National Restaurant Association, reporting that 26 states - most of the ones that permitted to-go cocktails during the pandemic - have allowed the practice to continue. PANDORA PAPERS: Kathleen reads an article outlining the structure of a new trove of 11.9 million documents, dubbed the Pandora Papers, that contain explosive details about how global elites and billionaires hide their assets. The Pandora Papers are the result of extensive research by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which expose 600 celebrities and world leaders who stalled their money – or had it done for them – in tax havens. HOMESTEAD ACT – Kathleen is excited to read an article detailing where efforts are being made to take advantage of the growing work-from-home culture to try to revitalize rural communities that are in decline. Financial and tax incentives to new residents are proving to benefit many towns seeking to reverse population loss and rejuvenate their economies.JD SALINGER VOICE RECORDING BURNED: Kathleen reports that the only known recording of J.D. Salinger's voice, created during a 1980 interview with the writer, has been burned. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Radio Cherry Bombe
Gage & Tollner's Chef Sohui Kim on Resilience and Community

Radio Cherry Bombe

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2021 45:57


Sohui Kim is the chef and co-owner of Gage & Tollner, one of the most celebrated restaurants in New York City. It's also one of the most historic restaurants, as it dates back to 1892. The legendary Edna Lewis cooked there in the 1980s and ‘90s, the interior and exterior are landmarked, and many New Yorkers marked important moments there. Sohui, her partners, and her team are breathing new life into the space, earning rave reviews and spots on multiple best-of lists. But this latest incarnation of Gage & Tollner almost didn't happen because of the pandemic. Sohui joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about the resilience and community support it took to re-open the restaurant. Don't miss their chat! Thank you to Kerrygold, makers of milk and cheese from Irish grass-fed cows, and to Sir Kensington's and their new Fry Sauce, which you can order here. Radio Cherry Bombe is recorded at Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center in the heart of New York City. Our theme song, All Fired Up, is by the band Tralala.

Wharton Marketing Matters
General Manager, Sir Kensington's

Wharton Marketing Matters

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2021 26:09


Alex Medeiros, General Manager for Sir Kensington's and other Unilever-owned, growth stage food brands, joins Marketing Matters to discuss elevating the brand & recent partnerships with Chrissy Teigen, Steven Schirripa and more!

Madigan's Pubcast
Episode 60: Facebook Whistleblower, Missouri Cannibals, & A Crypto Trading Hamster

Madigan's Pubcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2021 84:41


Kathleen opens the show drinking a Woodscraft IPA from Great Escape Beerworks in Springfield, MO. She then gives the Termites a summary of her birthday activity at her sister's house in Jefferson City, where her nieces and nephew made her a cake covered in animal faces to represent her yard. Kathleen then headed to Johnny Morris's Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, MO for a few days of fun golf with her siblings and friends, thrilled to be able to play Tiger Woods' Payne's Valley course while she was there. Kathleen was given a few birthday presents last week: Ron White gave her a new driver for her golf bag, her cousins gave her a pair of limited edition Hidden Valley Ranch Crocs (which she's excited to wear), and her friend Heidi gave her a cool Ranch cookbook and gallons of ranch dressing, which she'll put to good use the next time her nieces and nephews visit her house.TERMITE SHOUTOUTS: Kathleen gives thanks to the Termites who leave notes at shows and send mail to her PO Box. She begins by thanking Termite Denise for the “May I Please Have a Vodka Cranberry?” mask to wear on airplanes. Termites Kendra (who is a Liquor Inspector) and Sarah sent some fun “Bridgeport Badger” tees to celebrate their basement bar, and Termites Ashley and Joseph invited Kathleen to their wedding and sent a Ranch themed insulated cup that Kathleen can't wait to use on her boat. “GOOD BAD FOOD”: In her quest for new and delicious not-so-nutritious junk food AND in continuing her search for the best Ranch, Kathleen samples Scorchin' BBQ Pringles, which she finds to be WAY too hot. She moves on to taste Sir Kensington's Ranch, which is dairy-free and has a hint of dill in it. Kathleen gives it a thumbs-up, but she feels that the texture and tang makes it more of a dip than a dressing. She finishes her tasting with Charlie Gitto's Sweet Italian Vinaigrette from St. Louis, which she loves on a salad as part of a massive Italian dinner but will always prefer anything from Imo's (also a St. Louis original.)UPDATE ON KATHLEEN'S QUEEN'S COURT: Kathleen provides an update on the Queens, reporting that Queen Dolly has released a line of Christmas holiday cooking line with Williams Sonoma which is available to order now. Queen Tanya celebrated her birthday October 10th and posted a video of her cake, and Cher announced on Twitter that “she's back,” whatever that means to Queen Cher this week ☺ WALLY THE WALRUS WEBCAM: As a follow-up to Episode 56, Kathleen announces that Wally the Walrus has swum from Ireland to Iceland, where the Icelandic people have renamed him, Valli. A webcam has been set up so that people can watch a live stream of his activity. NRA REELECTS THEIR KING: Kathleen reads an update announcing that the NRA recently reelected their CEO, Wayne LaPierre. The NY Attorney General's office is suing to dissolve the NRA for allegedly misusing charitable funds, but the NRA feels as though the AG's office has a “misinformed view” of their unparalleled dedication to the Second Amendment. OOPS BRITNEY DID IT AGAIN: Waist-deep in the aftermath of the #FreeBritney movement, Kathleen shakes her head when reading an update that Britney Spears, temporarily free from her Conservatorship, has once again taken to Instagram to post a risqué video of her frolicking topless in the ocean. SHAKIRA ATTACKED BY WILD BOARS: Kathleen reads an article from Spain advising that in addition to Shakira's tax woes, the pop singer has also revealed that she and her son were recently attacked by a pair of wild boars in a park near Barcelona. The hogs attacked Shakira and stole her purse, which was documented in a series of Instagram Stories on the singer's account. Kathleen muses that the cause of the purse snatching must have been caused by “secret snacks” in Shakira's handbag, admitting that she also has secret treats in her travel purse with her favorites being Lance Crackers and Tootsie Pops (specifically the “red” kind.)MURDAUGH MURDER INVESTIGATION CONTINUES: Kathleen is fascinated with the ongoing news being released in South Carolina regarding the murders of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh and is thrilled to have been connected with journalist Mandy Matney via Twitter. Matney, along with her fiancé David, are the team investigating this corrupt family and all the cover-ups that have been made on their behalf for decades as they maintained power in a finite area of South Carolina, reporting their findings on their “Murdaugh Murders” podcast. Kathleen reads the latest development after the arrest of patriarch Alex Murdaugh, who is accused of being the mastermind behind the diversion of more than $3.5 million in death settlement money meant for the sons of his family's deceased housekeeper to an account said to be fraudulent.BARRY MANILOW SET TO BREAK ELVIS'S VEGAS RECORD: Kathleen is a massive fan of both Elvis and Barry Manilow, and is excited to read an article advising that although Elvis Presley holds the record for most performances in Vegas, Barry Manilow will pass him after signing a major deal that runs through 2023.Elvis Presley played a staggering 837 shows in Sin City, according to Showbiz 411, but Manilow's new contract with the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino will push him past that mark. SCIENCE IS HARD: Kathleen reads an article announcing the winner of the Nobel Prize in chemistry and laughs out loud because she doesn't understand ANY of the details explaining why the award was given. Benjamin List and David MacMillan received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 for their development of a precise new tool for molecular construction: organocatalysis. The technology has had a great impact on pharmaceutical research and has made chemistry greener. Kathleen reads the released a few times and states her ongoing position that “science is hard.”A CRYPTO TRADING HAMSTER: That's right, Termites. Kathleen reads an article about Mr. Goxx, a German hamster who is crushing the cryptocurrency market with his trading and outtrading human investors. Mr. Goxx initiates a trade by entering The Goxx Box, occasionally running on the “Intention Wheel” and then choosing either the “Buy” or “Sell” tunnel that will cause the transaction to take place. All trading activity is available to stream on Twitch (where he is listed as the CEO of Goxx Capital), or you can watch Mr. Goxx's YouTube channel for past activity ☺ MISSOURI CANNIBALS AND VICKI'S GUN: Kathleen is horrified to read an article from her home state of Missouri, where the FBI office in Kansas City received an anonymous tip on September 16th advising that a woman had been kidnapped and photos of her in a cage were being circulated on the Dark Web. Local law enforcement in Dallas County obtained a search warrant for James Phelps, who has since been arrested. Further investigation found that Phelps is a cannibal, and human remains have been located on his property. As this county isn't far from Kathleen's family “farm,” she shares that her mom is usually armed when walking the property, and everyone makes fun of her because she carries a gun to prevent animal attacks and “rape.” While the rape of an 80-year-old most likely isn't a concern in acres of Missouri backwoods, nobody in the Madigan clan ever thought a cannibal would be roaming the area. Stay tuned, Termites…THE OLDEST MAN IN THE WORLD DIES AT 127: Kathleen reads an article from the Guinness World Records team, announcing that at the age of 127 the oldest man who ever lived has died. OCEAN DRONE FILMS INTERIOR OF CAT 4 HURRICANE: Kathleen LOVES following extreme weather patterns, and is excited when she reads that a new ocean drone has captured footage from the inside of a major hurricane. The technology behind the Saildrone Explorer SD1045 battles 50-foot waves and 120mph winds, gathering scientific data that will help NOAA scientists improve their forecast models that predict rapid intensification of hurricanes.NAZI CAMP SECRETARY ATTEMPTS TO FLEE TRIAL: Kathleen reads an article about a 96-year-old woman who was scheduled to go on trial for war crimes as a Nazi secretary and fled into hiding. Irmgard Furchner left her home near Hamburg in a taxi a few hours before proceedings were due to start at the state courthouse. Despite her advanced age, the German woman was to be tried in juvenile court because she was under 21 at the time of the alleged crimes. Police detained her hours after her attempted escape, and the court is reviewing whether the flight attempt should be considered in her sentencing. APPLAUDING THE FACEBOOK WHISTLEBLOWER: Kathleen has a renowned hatred for Mark Zuckerberg's lack of accountability in monitoring false narratives and polarizing content on Facebook and applauds the recent actions of whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former data scientist at Facebook, whose Senatorial testimony has led to what may be the most threatening scandal in the company's history. Haugen provided a clear and detailed glimpse inside the notoriously secretive tech giant, stating that Facebook harms children, sows division, and undermines democracy in pursuit of breakneck growth and "astronomical profits." There is currently a decades-old law known as Section 230, which immunizes social media companies from being sued over what their users post, but lawmakers are examining possible carve-outs. WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK: Kathleen recommends watching the “Untold” series on Netflix, especially the episode called “Crimes and Penalties.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy Podcast
A Conversation with Tunde Wey

From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2021 48:25


People assume I’ve interviewed Tunde Wey—the artist, writer, and cook whose work has been the subject of other people’s award-winning profiles—before because I’m a big public fan of his work, but I hadn’t felt myself properly prepared. His work touches on everything from racism to immigration to colonialism to capitalist extraction, and I didn’t really know my way into a focused interview. I was nervous, basically. But I think we had a good conversation, one that gets at a lot of issues with food as a lens toward bigger systems and problems.In many cases—most cases, if I’m honest—I’m doing an interview in order to work out a problem I’ve been thinking about, and this one was no different. We waded into whether food can really be an agent of change in a capitalist world, because I’ve been wavering on that idea myself, and Wey has the economic knowledge to discuss why it isn’t so in depth. Listen above, or read below.Alicia: Hi, Tunde. Thank you so much for taking the time. Tunde: Thank you. (:07) Alicia: And I know you are in Lagos, now. Can you tell us about how that's going, what you're doing there?Tunde: Oh, I'm actually not in Lagos. [Laughs.] I was supposed to fly two weeks ago, and my COVID result didn’t come in time. So I just pushed for my flight till a couple of months from now. Next month or something.Alicia: Ok, cool. Well, can you tell us about where you grew up and what you ate?Tunde: Yeah.I grew up in Lagos. I ate regional Western Nigerian food, I guess. So I'm Yoruba, so I ate Yoruba food. My mom is Edo, so I ate that food as well. My dad is also part Efik, so I ate that as well. So I'd Yoruba, Efik, and sort of the Delta region food, so Edo, Itsekiri food. And then we ate, I guess, white food too.Alicia: Which white food? Tunde: When we were growing up, we used to call it breakfast things. But when I came here, then it was lunch meats and s**t like that. So sausages and hams and stuff like that. So, we ate that. So it was a mix. We usually would eat that on Sundays. My dad would cook, and we'd go out to this store. My data would buy a whole bunch of things, and then he'll cook. Pasta. My mom would mix s**t like beef stroganoff, just random s**t. She went to school in England, so she came back with certain notions around food. So, we have those kinds of things. And growing up in Nigeria, I came from a middle-class background. It wasn't out of the norm for folks to eat that kind of stuff. So cereals and pancakes, stuff like that. Plus, we also watched a lot of American television with that kind of stuff on the TV.Alicia: Right, right. Yeah. And you self-identify as an artist, a cook and a writer. And I wanted to ask, which were you first and how did the rest come? [Laughter.] Tunde: Which was up first? [Laughs.] Alicia: Yeah, yeah. Which identity? Or which came to you first, in terms of your work? Tunde: Right. I don't know how to answer that question. I feel like it just depends on who I'm, who I am talking to. I think I say I'm an artist because it's just easier to convey what I'm trying to do. I remember, I was trying to raise money for a restaurant. And I was telling people that this restaurant is not going to make any money. And they couldn't understand that. They were like, ‘Huh, what does this mean?’ But then if I was talking to, say, a curator, and I'm like, ‘Well, this project is this and I need this amount of money,’ then they get it. So it just depends on who I'm talking to. So I guess in the chronology of what is on public records? Artist came last, and it's probably still not on record. So, maybe that’s the first time.Alicia: Well, it is difficult, I think, for multi-disciplinary people to use that word, to make themselves legible, I suppose, in a world where you have to make everything legible to obtain what you need to do your work at all. You have to be very, very strict about what you are. That is really funny that saying artist allowed you to get the capital for the projects that you needed, that you wanted to do. [Laughs.]Tunde: Yeah, I have a friend who's a curator. She's a friend, but she's also a colleague. She's based in Pittsburgh, Chenoa, and she was the first person—I did a dinner in New Orleans, and she happened to be there ’cause she was there for the opening of some hotel or something. And she had read about it. She just came through. And then, that's how we became friends. But she saw it as art. And then she gave me sort of the words to be able to describe myself to myself and to other people. And then she sponsored the project as art. So I'm like, ‘All right, I f**k with this.’Alicia: Right. And your work focuses on power, colonialism, capitalism, racism. You've written for food sections and food outlets. But lately, you've been self-publishing, I wanted to ask if that was a conscious decision to move out of traditional media, or whether this is something that—if you're just not finding the space in food media.Tunde: Yeah. So I'm not sure how it is for you. But I never pitched anything, just because that's not—I didn't grow up. I mean, I wasn't a journalist or anything so I didn't understand pitching. And the way I got my writing gig with the Chronicle was through a relationship. All that to say is if I want to publish something, I don't know who to contact. And I also don't like rejection. And then also, I'm not necessarily interested—because this has happened a couple of times, when people will reach out to me and then I’ll propose something and they have a different idea of what I should do, which is fine. But I just tend to want to write what I want to write. So I think that the medium of posting on Instagram or using my newsletter just seems to make more sense. And I have been recently fortunate where I'm not reliant on my writing to bring in an income. So it's fine to just release it on Instagram.I remember when I put it out, when I put out—when I started putting out my essays on Instagram, a friend told me, she was like, ‘This is very difficult to read.’ [Laughter.] I think it was this awkward, ‘I can't read your 75-post essay on food.’ And I was like, ‘All right, f**k it.’ And I kept doing it.But I think there's something about, interesting about playing with the medium, at least, on the ‘Gram, which making the posts be these essays that nobody wants to read. Alicia: Yeah. [Laughs.]Well, I mean, you've been written about a lot, interviewed a lot . People kind of set you up one way as sort of a provocateur in food. Do you feel that that gets your work right? It's funny to ask you this while interviewing you, but when you're—when people interview you and write about you, do you—How does that feel? Do you see yourself when someone actually is writing about you?Tunde: I mean, I guess it depends on what was written or, you know? Yeah, I don't know. I think sometimes I step into—and I think you get this too—people writing about you, too, right?Alicia: Not really. [Laughs.]Tunde: Then you do more of the writing?Alicia: I mean, I do want to understand this because it is—I have a book coming out and everything. And I know it's going to be a weird position to be in.Tunde: Oh, right. To be quizzed. Alicia: Yeah. [Laughs.]Tunde: Yeah.I guess it just depends on who was writing and what they’re writing about. I think this is not because of anything that I've done but just just who I am, that when I read something about me, I'm interested. So I separate myself from whoever—from the person who's reading it, me, from the person who is being portrayed in whatever the piece. And I'm just looking at it interestingly. So if it's interesting, I'm interested. If it's not interesting, then I'm not interested. But then all these labels too, they all find it—they all find use for me in context. If somebody is calling me provacautour, depending on the context, that's true. Other times, that's not true. Depending on how I feel, too, that's true. So yeah, it's just all those things. How would you describe me to yourself?Alicia: I think of you as a writer and an artist. And I don't think of you necessarily as a provocateur. I think of you as someone who bends the narrative in different ways than we are accustomed to seeing in food especially, which is a very, very boring cultural field. [Laughs.] It's a young cultural field, I suppose, in terms of cultural criticism. And so, I do think that anyone who says anything somewhat outside the norm of the narratives we get gets labeled an activist. A provocateur. Tunde: Yeah. I imagine that, depending on who is talking about your work, they are saying the same thing. So again, the context is everything. To a lot of folks, I am—people have told me this to my face—I'm not radical at all.Alicia: Yeah, no, I feel that way, too. Just by doing anything for money, I am ultimately a bad person and not radical enough. And that's fine with me. I've really made peace with that. I think in the last year or so, it's like, ‘I'm sorry, I have to live.’ [Laughs.]Tunde: Did you make more peace as you made more money? Is that how it happened? Alicia: Exactly. Yeah. [Laughter.] I was like, ‘You know what, there's no use for—I'm of better use to people this way. [Laughs.] I'm of better use to people when I'm not broke and worried and have to go work in a bar, or do whatever the f**k to to keep myself going. I'm a better writer when I don't have to worry about those things.’Tunde: Yeah.I think having resources, whether you want to call them money or whatever, that is pretty pertinent to survival. Alicia: Yeah. No, you can't do good work if you're not—if you're worried about survival, and so it is what it is.Tunde: Some people don't worry about money, and so their resources are different. But most of us need it.Alicia: Yeah. [Laughs.]Well, I wanted to ask you about last year’s ‘Let It Die’ essay was a big hit. Was it the first time we wrote an essay on Instagram? Or maybe it was just it really took off. People were obsessed with it. Tunde: Right. I don't know if it was the first time. I don't remember. Oh, sorry. Was that a question?Alicia: Yeah. Tell me about ‘Let It Die,’ yeah. [Laughs.]unde: Oh. Yeah, well, I do want to correct one thing, but transgression is just part of how I see the media landscape, which is I don't know how much it took off until Helen Rosner wrote about it. I'm pretty sure it didn't take off until Helen Rosner wrote about it. [Laughs.] So yeah, so that was it. It just happens to be the essay that Helen Rosner decided to write about. Not to say that the essay is not strong. But to say that for it to get to a certain critical mass of people, it needs a lever, and the New Yorker was the lever.Alicia: Right. And around that time, though, you did tell WBUR ‘What is important to us is not necessarily how it tastes. It's more about the theater around the thing.’ And I think this is what I was talking about when I was saying you've been bending narratives that we're not used to seeing. And that most people take things very literally, I think, ’cause I wrote something about the death of the chef and people were totally up in arms about, I want to put the guillotine on chefs or something. And it's like, ‘No, that's not the idea. The idea is like, ‘What does this idea mean to us? What does this narrative mean to us? How can we change that narrative so that we create different systems that are better for people?’ But food media at large, I think, is extremely literal in its thinking.And so, I wanted to ask you what do you expect as a result of your work? Do you have an expectation around anything concrete, or do you have an expectation more around changing ideas and changing narratives?Tunde: Yeah, so I think that I'm interested in really big things. To be very specific, I'm interested in changing the material conditions of people who are disenfranchised, specifically people in Nigeria, West Africa, Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa. That is my interest. So, do I think writing is gonna do that? No. Do I even think that any of the work that I do affects the material conditions of folks in such a way as to change them permanently, or even temporarily? No. But then maybe people impacted by some of the work to think differently, to act differently on an individual scale, and depending on their sphere of influence, have that different action influence other people? I think, possibly. Yeah, that's what I think.Alicia: Yeah.No, and in your recent essay about returning to your home of Nigeria, you write, ‘All these convoluted numbers to say that Nigeria is fucked, and it is this ‘fuckedness’ that is termed underdevelopment.’ And I love this essay. It was such an immediate—it was just really good. The writing was really good. And so, there are so many types of food system futures that are discussed from the global north perspective. And I saw connections between this piece and your piece, ‘what is profit, and how is it made,’ where you wrote, ‘for capitalist food production to flourish it has to eliminate indigenous food production, and one important way this dismantling occurs is through displacement.’ And these are connected by the idea that Indigenous food production, the ‘underdeveloped country’ , requires change by colonialist entities by capitalist production, which we already know is unsustainable. And so much of what I get stuck on right now in my writing is that one of the only ways we've created concrete responses to these problems and to these structures developed by colonialism is that we have fair-trade food. And we have these other food projects working in the global south. You've worked with Burlap & Barrel. And it's kind of just a re-tinkering of the old systems where the capital is still concentrated somewhere else. It's just through these sort of really pined means that we are kind of trying to make more equity there. And so, you know, I guess I wanted to ask you what do you think of these kinds of food projects? What are the limits of working with them, and what are the possibilities of working with them?Tunde: Yeah, wow. Yeah, I think the problem is big, obvious. Ok, the problem that I'm talking about, which is a racist problem, talking about Nigeria, which is kind of getting to West Africa and the continent as a whole, because Nigeria is the biggest country on the continent in terms of population size, and GDP. Fair trade doesn't solve that problem. By fair trade, I mean this—engaging in global capitalist trade, we're trying to do it with sort of fair, more ‘fair terms.’ That doesn't solve our problem. Yeah, that problem is historic. It’s contemporary. So I don't know, I know that that is its own problem. I know that. What solves the problem? I don't quite know yet. I'm still thinking about it. And I also know that there’s a solution. So it's not the end of my thoughts, and after it’s going to emerge. I think that whatever people are terming radical, whoever is talking about that, that sort of radical progress happens in stages. We're not going to end capitalism tomorrow, or in 10 years. At least, the people who I f**k with who think about this kind of stuff think about it in in terms of transitions and long periods of time and a continuum. I don't think of our economic system or capitalism as this system that holds everything that is bad. I think that what is true to all the different economic systems possible is—as humans, we are the constant. What is inherent in us is to a certain extent to be selfish and to—not selfish, but to have differences in wants and needs and perspectives.Anyway, all that to say is we can move from a capitalist mode of production to, I don't know, socialist or communist, and we could still experience the same, or some of the same things that are happening with the degradation of the planet with exploitation and other things. So, fair trade is not the answer. That's what I’m saying. [Laughter.] Alicia: Yeah, no.I was writing a piece about sugar, and I just had this moment of being like, ‘Everything—there is no way to fix this at all.’ I mean, there are ways to fix it, but it's so historically rotten at its core that it is—the whole world would have to change for our relationship to sugar to not be something completely extractive and completely—Just to take one thing, one foodstuff and look at it. The whole system would have to change for this to not be an absolutely terrible product for us to use every single day. When we think about equitable trade, it's just such a limited idea. Tunde: Well, just to be just to be specific, when we talk—I'm assuming that when we're talking about fair trade, we're talking about the stickers they put on products. Not talking about global trade, which is a completely different thing, which—that will change everything if it was actually fair trade between countries.I'm reading this book, and the writer talks about—or at least so far has referenced this idea of comparative advantage, which, when I was in school, in primary school in Nigeria, so—or secondary school—I learned that comparative advantage is how you grow your economy. It’s you find out what you're really good at, and then you develop that and you sell it to other people and people buy them. Then you have this trade. But the way the global system is what happens to be what, say, Nigeria is good at is what Nigeria has been shaped to be good at to benefit the West. So Nigeria happens to be good at having mineral resources in the ground. Then it has a, an overdeveloped extractive sector to the detriment of everything else. So all of that to say is that real fair trade doesn't happen on a product by product basis.To your point about sugar, the whole ship needs to change.Alicia: Change. Yeah, exactly. No, and as you mentioned before, your project is about getting resources to those who have historically lacked access to resources. And whether that's you charge white people more for food, or you price an issue of Sandwich that you get started at $100, or the salt that was $100. And I think about these things constantly. There's a literal law where Americans from the U.S. get, can pay 4% in their taxes. But Puerto Ricans aren't able to get that same break. And then now, there's this problem with the bitcoin people buying up all the property. The tourists have made where I live, Old San Juan, so unlivable that basically anyone who owns property is looking to sell it to the highest bidder, which is going to basically just mean displacement by bitcoin bros ‘cause they have the capital In cash to buy it. And I think, of course, in terms of food about everything. So I'm like, ‘All right, how if we-’ I think we just talked about this, but if you—if we saw those real changes on a fundamental global level, what would the food world look like? What would change in the way we have a relationship to food? Tunde: Yeah.Full disclosure, I'm invested in Bitcoin. Not on that scale. Ok, so maybe I’ll say something controversial. I think that there's a difference between fault and responsibility. So we're all responsible, but—and responsibility has their degrees of responsibility. So I think as long as you're born and you participate in the system, you're responsible. But depending on your power and your sort of subjective position, that responsibility either grows or shrinks. But then there's sort of people at fault, but even that is a very complicated thing, too. So I feel it’s maybe a little disingenuous to complain about the effects of the economic system if you are actively participating in the economic system. And by that I mean that what—the sort of speculative nature of Bitcoin is the same, is not the exact same thing, but it's connected to, say, the continuous production of vehicles every year. Last year, Ford produced 1.5 million vehicles. Tesla produced 500, or manufactured 500,000 vehicles. That sort of investment in consumption goods, and the proliferation of credit and debt and all that s**t. That s**t is connected to Bitcoin. That s**t is connected to the housing market soaring. That s**t is connected to everything. So we can pick and choose. We can pick and choose if we want to, but the truth is that it's all connected. So, of course, that's what's gonna happen in certain communities, because that's what money does in this economic system. That is not to say that it's right, or it's going. I'm just saying that. And I feel if maybe a lot more people were talking about the, were actively trying in little ways and big ways to address the economic reality, in general, as opposed to specifically when it makes them uncomfortable, then things would be—I don't know about better, but things would maybe be different. I'm also just not very interested in the food system as a lens to experience transformation, just because it's connected to everything else. I don't necessarily think that it is the lever that could change things. I’m sure it’s one of the many levers, but I think that it's probably not the first lever, if that makes sense. Did that make sense or not? Alicia: That makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. [Laughs.]Tunde: Just be more specific. I think that monetary policy, fiscal policy, reining in, say, the financial industry, financial services. That drives the economy. And addressing that probably has a greater impact than working on, working directly on food policy. But they're all connected.Alicia: Well, do you feel that you're getting away from food as a lens then to look at the world and politics?Tunde: No, I don't think so. Food is a lens to appreciate all the politics. I think that when you're talking about policy and changing things on a global scale—if you're talking about sugar, for example. Changing how sugar is produced is just a, maybe a really difficult way to change the system if the whole system needs to change. But focusing on, say, the global mechanics of fair trade is a better way to do that. But if you look at sugar production and consumption, then you see the global mechanics of trade, and these other aspects of the system that are kind of fucked up. But when it comes to actualizing change, I'm not sure that food is the place that we start from.Alicia: No, that makes complete sense. Yeah. [Laughs.] We don't maybe acknowledge that enough. When I say we, I say food writers, that we're not enough engaged with all the other aspects of the world and the reasons these problems ultimately exist. It’s all about—Yeah, these small things that maybe allow you to see the bigger picture, but don't give you the tools to necessarily engage on a deep intellectual level with those issues. If that makes sense. [Laughs.]Tunde: Yeah, that makes sense. Alicia: But well, actually, to get back to food, because you have—I know that you worked with the Beard Foundation. And then also on the Sandwich Magazine you worked with—I think, Sir Kensington's owns that, which is owned by Unilever. So you've worked with these big organizations that have a lot of kind of power. But you also have written that ‘And in all spaces, food and society, we see the faithful and continuous reproduction of this social control, which reinforces the idea that white domination is the natural order of things.’Tunde: I’ve said some s**t, huh?Alicia: I'm sorry, I read, re-read everything you've written, obviously, to talk to you. I know, it's weird to have your stuff read back to you. What do you see the role of interacting with these kinds of—the Beard Foundation with, a magazine owned by a company, what is the purpose of this engagement? Tunde: I do want to shout out my partner Ruth on the magazine. So, I guess it just depends. So, what did I work with the Beard Foundation on? I don’t remember.Alicia: Did you edit some pieces, I think, for the blog? I know Mayukh wrote a piece for you. Tunde: Yeah, I wrote a piece. Yes. I just wrote a piece about the work that I was doing. At the time, Mitchell was the VP. Yeah, he reached out and I wrote a piece. Yeah, it just depends. But if we're talking about money and capitalism. This is how I feel about money. Nobody owns money. That s**t is for everybody. Like they say, money belongs to the game. I don't care. I don't have a problem taking money. I think there's certain monies that I wouldn't take, not because I think the money is ‘bad.’ It’s just that it’d make me look crazy. Yeah. And I don't want to look crazy. Money’s so not real. And it has such real consequences. And nobody owns it in my mind. It belongs to everybody, or it should. So I'll take money. All that to say, organizations and just the way our economy or the global system is structured is that capital accumulates in certain places. It accumulates in the states and accumulates in corporations and organizations and individuals. It is unevenly distributed. So I don't care who you are. If you're looking for some sort of sustenance, you're not printing dollars or mining gold by yourself. You have to go to the deposits where they are. And huge corporations—they have the money. The state has the money. By the state, I mean, the nation state’s structure. Sir Kensington, specifically, and Unilever, the kind of work that we were trying to do at the time, Ruth and I, was to talk about certain global systems. It was fantastic that it was Unilever, because Unilever is an antagonist in our story. And we had conversations with them about that. Ruth and I were interested in the possibility of extracting just something so small from them, something tiny relative to how much they've taken from Africa, from Nigeria, in particular for me. So to me, that made sense to work with them on that. So, yeah, it depends on the opportunity. But I think when we're talking about money and resources, the folks who have that money are the ones who are distributing that money. And so if you want it, whether you get it directly or indirectly from them, you're getting it from the same source. So, that’s how I think about that.Alicia: No, it's a really useful way of thinking about things. [Laughs.] ’Cause I think if you're very online, and you're sort of on the left, all of this becomes a very, very personal responsibility issue rather than an issue of taking the money from who has it when you need it. And every move you make is sort of either an endorsement or a rejection of massive things, when actually it's really none of that. It's a useful way of thinking about things that I think isn't—it doesn't get enough attention, to talk about it in that way.Tunde: Yeah.There's obviously money that comes with caveats. And most money does, soif  the caveat sort of infringes on certain things for me, then I won’t take that money. But if it's relatively chill—for example, with the magazine, I think they told us that we couldn't specifically—we couldn't make the whole magazine about Unilever as an evil corporation. That would be a little too much, right? And then we're like, ‘Sure.’ It doesn't mean that we didn't critique what Unilever's stands for? Whatever. So there's that. But I think more about now, more about how—I just think about how I'm hoarding money, as opposed to where I'm getting money? So, if I get money, I think about like, ‘Okay, this money that I have now, what am I going to do with this money? How can I use money to further my mission?’ And then I think in that way, I think of my stewardship of resources as opposed to wondering about the optics, which is like, ‘How do I get it?’ Which is I do, but I'm less interested in the optics and more interested in how the money that I have can maybe do something different. But it's such a small number that—Alicia: [Laughs.] That's extremely useful. Thank you for that. —film projects. Tunde: I'm sorry, I lost the first part of that question. Alicia: Are you working more in film now?Tunde: Yeah. So my production partner and I, Ruth and I, we got a grant. And we're working on a docu—series on food, using food to explore the sort of larger questions. So yeah, that's sort of what we're doing. Alicia: That's exciting. Yeah. Tunde: And speaking of money, and—sorry, just one thing and the grant. We got money from a couple of foundations. So you have people who maybe take money from foundations, but then criticize how other people make their money off foundations. A lot of them are invested in the stock market. I don't care if you're invested in ESG or whatever. You're invested in a very speculative medium. And that sort of speculation, that sort of idle capital that is sitting in bank accounts, or what do you call them? In ledgers? That is money that is, or that is a system that is deeply exploitative. So, we don't get to pick and choose. I try not to, especially, even with money. And I just think about how the money that I have, again, to what I say, can be used differently. Alicia: Right. And for you, is cooking a political act? Tunde: Just at home, just chilling and cooking?Alicia: Cooking in general. I ask this question to everyone. It's usually just a kind of a Rorschach test of what they think of the word ‘cooking’ and the word ‘political.’ [Laughs.]Tunde: I don't know. I mean, if I'm just cooking by myself, no. If I'm doing a dinner series, or something, then possibly. I could be wrong, but I don't think of cooking—I think identity is political. So, sometimes just being is political. But all of this is contextual. Your identity in a particular place is political. But I don't think of cooking as an identity. I think of cooking as—yeah, it's an act. I don't think of necessarily actions as inherently political. Most things are contextual. I think it’s not everything. So, just depends on the context. Alicia: Yeah, yeah. Well, thank you so much for taking the time today. Tunde: Yeah, I have a question for you, actually.Alicia: Ok. [Laughs.]Do you want to ask me while we're recording, or–Tunde: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Alicia: Ok.Tunde: So something that is just fascinating about—to me—about your work is, and I could be wrong, because I get your newsletter, but I don't read it every week. But I read enough to know that you talk about the same things. By that I mean, your perspective is the same, which is anti-capitalist. I want to say anti-racist, but I'm not sure how you describe yourself.But you have this perspective. And you keep writing like every week, right? Every week you’re writing, every week. And just, how haven't you exhausted? No, really, I'm so serious, ’cause I feel I—when I wrote for the Chronicle, I wrote four essays. And I'm like, ‘The next four are going to be about the same thing. And the next eight after that.’ And so I'm just curious about how you keep the s**t fresh.Alicia: Right.No, I mean, I think a lot of people would say I don't keep it fresh, that I have a shtick, that I’m just always saying, ‘Capitalism is bad. Climate change is bad. We have to stop climate change. We have to eat less meat,’ like that. I just bang the same drums over and over again, which is valid. I think I have a beat, so to speak, as a writer. These are the things I cover, is how our cultural relationships to food are part of these larger systems—of economy, policy, white supremacy, all a part of larger systems that control our everyday ways of being and thinking. And that is my beat. That is what I write about. But I do think, obviously, within that there is so much to write about. There is so much to think about. I don't know. I think during the more peak of the pandemic, I really exhausted everything that I had to say for years, but no one ever let me say as a food writer. And then I think now, I'm interacting more with the world again and finding more ways into the things I have always written about and thought about, but they're more rooted in my interactions with other people. I don't know. I've always been a compulsive writer. So it's not hard for me. This is the natural way in which I communicate. It's easier for me to write something down then it is to say it. Yeah, just to communicate in writing. That's my way of communicating. Yeah, I'm happy to talk to you, but I find it is—I'm going to feel tired after I do this, because I—it's a less natural way for me to communicate, you know?Tunde: Yeah, no, I dig it. I think that makes a lot of sense. Yeah, if that's easier for you, then it makes sense that you do that. Because most people say the same thing, anyway, over and over again with their mouth. But you’re just writing it. Another thing that I want to tell you is I met a man through you. Mr. Byrne.Alicia: Mark Byrne. Tunde: Yeah, from Good Vodka. I was in Lagos. So this is a super short story. We're filming for the docu series in Lagos in Kogi State, which is central Nigeria. And we had this really delicious local drink. I was blown away by it. And I just kept thinking, ‘F**k, this is so delicious. I need to f*****g bottle this and sell it or something.’And then I was in Lagos a couple of—a month after.I had read the interview that you did with him. And then I'm like, ‘I need to call this man or email this man and see if he'll work with me.’ So I emailed him, and he agreed to work with me. So I don't know, sometime in some soon future we will be releasing a Nigerian palm spirit. Alicia: Oh, that's amazing!Tunde: Yeah. It's not a commercially viable product. I guess it's a project about exploitation again. Alicia: Yeah. [Laughs.]Well, Good Vodka is basically that as well. I mean, it's a product and it's a commercial product. But it's also more about how spirits exist and are made. The history of spirits is, it's usually made from waste rather than growing things to make spirits, which is a bad way of doing it. [Laughs.]But that's amazing. I love that. I love talking about—and maybe when it comes out, we'll talk again, but I love talking about spirits. [Laughs.] I love talking about alcohol. Because I do think people have a really weird and complicated relationship to it, obviously. But it's nice to talk about it on a level of appreciation rather than the very, very American perspective on alcohol, which is wildly problematic. [Laughs.]Tunde: I don't know much about spirits. I just know to the point, earlier point about seeing all the systems and everything, I just know that just a really small thing, the Indigenous production of alcohol at scale. That s**t is happening. Folks in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria servicing half the country with this s**t. And you're doing it from these small, small camps, all these different small camps by the water. And so just thinking about thinking about what that means, and thinking about how the disparities that exist between, say, African production and European production is what inspires me to do this kind of thing as opposed to like the actual food product or beverage product. So yeah, I’m excited about it. Alicia: That's awesome. Yeah. [Laughs.]Well, thank you again, I'm so excited about that, and everything else. Tunde: Absolutely. Thank you.Alicia: Thank you. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at www.aliciakennedy.news/subscribe This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at www.aliciakennedy.news/subscribe

Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast
Dr. Berg's Favorite Keto Food of the Week: Sir Kensington's Mayonnaise

Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2021 2:25


• Take Dr. Berg's Free Keto Mini-Course! • How to Bulletproof your Immune System Course • Dr. Berg's Beginner Guide to Healthy Keto & Intermittent Fasting Plan • Intermittent Fasting Basics for Beginners • Dr. Berg's Healthy Ketogenic Diet Basics: Step 1: https://youtu.be/vMZfyEy_jpI Step 2: https://youtu.be/mBqpaAKtnXE Could this herbal remedy for rheumatoid arthritis really help? DATA: https://www.jrheum.org/content/jrheum... In this podcast, I'm going to share with you my favorite keto-friendly food of the week. This will help if you're not sure what to eat on keto, or if you're looking for ingredients to include in some great keto-friendly recipes. Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio: Dr. Berg, 51 years of age is a chiropractor who specializes in weight loss through nutritional & natural methods. His private practice is located in Alexandria, Virginia. His clients include senior officials in the U.S. government & the Justice Department, ambassadors, medical doctors, high-level executives of prominent corporations, scientists, engineers, professors, and other clients from all walks of life. He is the author of The 7 Principles of Fat Burning. Dr. Berg's Website: http://bit.ly/37AV0fk Dr. Berg's Recipe Ideas: http://bit.ly/37FF6QR Dr. Berg's Reviews: http://bit.ly/3hkIvbb Dr. Berg's Shop: http://bit.ly/3mJcLxg Dr. Berg's Bio: http://bit.ly/3as2cfE Dr. Berg's Health Coach Training: http://bit.ly/3as2p2q Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drericberg Messenger: https://www.messenger.com/t/drericberg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drericberg/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/37DXt8C

Midtown Coffee Radio Hour
Episode 6: "Home Brew" (LIVE!)

Midtown Coffee Radio Hour

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2021 58:27


Midtown's May show, "Home Brew," is the first one recorded in front of a LIVE AUDIENCE! Yes, you heard that right! This live recording was done in Nick & Tina's backyard, and true to its theme of being home and feeling hygge, this show features our next door neighbor, Wes, and the gnomes that live in our front yard tree, Anastasia and Sir Kensington! This is also the first show with fiddle player extraordinaire, Krystal Pederson, as a member of The House Blend! We also are lucky to have guest drummer and longtime friend, Jeff Johnson, on the show! Oh, and we're bringing back the famous Aunt Debby's Brownies, we're honoring our mothers, we're singing songs about gardening, we've got an ORIGINAL song composed by Nick and Tina's daughter, AND we're joining Matt as he rides his bike! Oh, and remember, Midtowners, we'll always give you a Grandma Olga Special - all you have to do is ask. Spotify Playlist (Original Artists): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6l2SnA4CEPtOsvf4XBZJo1

Bridge to Bridge podcast
Episode 14 - Joshua Miller - Co-Founder of Owen's Craft Mixers

Bridge to Bridge podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2021 71:37


Josh is the President and Co-Founder of Owen's Craft Mixers - a premium cocktail mix company.  Over the past decade he has helped brands like Sir Kensington and Owen's scale to profitability and success.  In the last year Owen's has had significant growth and landed an official beverage partnership with Barstool Sports.

In the Sauce
Building Better Financials

In the Sauce

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2021 60:13


Monisha Khushalani is CFO at Hu Products, the better for you snacks company known for their chocolate bars and hunks. On this epiosode of ITS, Monisha walks Ali through the finance piece of the puzzle: Accounting, modeling, cash flow, and more. And Monisha should know, she has led 3 companies through aquistions by the CPG "Big Guys," including Sir Kensington's sale to Unilever and Mondalez's recent purchase of Hu. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support In The Sauce by becoming a member!In The Sauce is Powered by Simplecast.  

The Story of a Brand
Red Clay Hot Sauce - The Red Clay Changes You

The Story of a Brand

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2021 37:30


**This episode is brought to you by ATTN Agency and Omnisend.**   In the first part of this Feature, the CEO and Co-Founder of Red Clay Hot Sauce, Molly Fienning, shares the stories of her cold-pressed barrel-aged hot sauce and raw hot honey brand. Based in South Carolina, Red Clay had for years given the patrons of Chef Geoff Rhyne's oyster bar a near-divine taste experience. So much so that it compelled customers to steal it from restaurant tables and Oyster bars. Soon thereafter, Molly had been one of those patrons who got hooked and thus was born this flavorful hot sauce brand. In part 1, we discuss Molly's entrepreneur life before Red Clay; Inspiration from Sir Kensington's example; The idea behind hot sauce making; How Jeff, her husband, was a constant support to her in building the brand; and so much more. Join Ramon Vela and Molly as they breakdown the inside story on The Story of a Brand. For more on Red Clay, visit: https://redclayhotsauce.com/ * OUR SHOW IS MADE POSSIBLE WITH THE SUPPORT OF ATTN Agency. ATTN Agency is a full-funnel growth and performance digital marketing agency with proven strategies to scale and optimize direct-to-consumer brands through tactical media buying, data-driven analysis, and unrivaled creative services. If you are looking back on this year wondering what went wrong or what could have gone better, or if you're starting to put together your game plan for 2021, I have one piece of advice: you need to talk to ATTN Agency. I’ve interviewed several of their clients, and I can say that they are the best in the business. ATTN represents some of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer brands, delivering month-over-month results. For a comprehensive, no-obligation, 14 point audit of your social, search, shopping, email, and SMS channels, visit: https://www.attnagency.com/storyofabrand/ * This episode was brought to you by Omnisend. Omnisend is an e-commerce marketing platform that goes above and beyond regular email campaigns - so you can start increasing your sales, not your workload. With Omnisend, you’ll be launching pre-built e-commerce automation in no time, as well as intuitively segmenting customers and even trying out SMS or push notifications - all from the same platform. The best part? Omnisend provides an immediate boost to your revenue while staying as comfortable as drag & drop email building - with automated emails averaging up to 40% of total email revenue. Join Hallmark, Duke Cannon, and 50,000 other high-growth brands who choose Omnisend to grow their e-commerce businesses on autopilot. Start your 14-day free trial today. No credit card is required. Visit https://www.omnisend.com/sob/

What Got You There with Sean DeLaney
#238 Scott Norton- Entrepreneurship Lessons Learned Being CEO & Co Founder of Sir Kensington's

What Got You There with Sean DeLaney

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2021 71:34


Scott Norton was the co founder and CEO of Sir Kensington’s condiment maker which sold to Unilever back in 2017.  Scott lead Sir Kensington’s for over a decade and shares his lessons learned on his entrepreneurial journey and how he’s taking those lessons with him as he launches N+1 Ventures which will advise and invest in startups!  Episode Notes  Watch on YouTube  Subscribe to my Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere Looking for a job? Checkout Culture Finders today to be matched with your dream company.  MCTco Collagen Protein Bars www.mctco.com 20% off with code “WGYT” https://drinksupercoffee.com/

Shock Your Potential
Fight Unfair - Ethan Decker

Shock Your Potential

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2021 40:33


What does ecology and scientific principle have to do with marketing. Everything, according to our guest today. An ecologist who became a marketer, Ethan Decker is now a brand scientist. He takes a very long – and sometimes peculiar – view on humans, brands, and advertising. As a scientist in the world of marketing, he cuts through the hype and the trends to find out what really works, what the latest research says, and what it means for brands and organizations. Ethan has worked at some of the best agencies in the US for some of the largest brands in the world, including Domino's, Hotels.com, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg's, and Intel. In this episode we challenge some of the established core marketing “laws,” such as the importance of being first to market, and we learn to look more closely, and scientifically, at the data that is really important in order to make wise marketing decisions. We also tackle the bold moves of IHop and their stunt to change their name (for one month) to IHob, and why Dominos got into the pothole filling business. There is episode is a must listen for amazing pearls of advice! And just in case you were interested about Sir Kensington's, learn more here! https://www.sirkensingtons.com/   Listen in! SOCIAL HANDLES https://twitter.com/ehdecker https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehdecker/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK3c9GCjSx8 (TED talk) https://appliedbrandscience.com ………………………………….……………………………………………………………………………. Thank you to our March Sponsor: &Marketing U Solopreneurs and small businesses often struggle to create effective digital marketing programs. It's hard to know where to start, what to prioritize, how to sift through confusing information and solutions that seem too good to be true. Agencies and full-time marketing employees are expensive! &Marketing U is a modern marketing course with all the tools, education, and accountability you need to grow your business without that extra set of hands or high overhead costs. You will learn exactly what you need to do to execute a concrete marketing strategy by dedicating just 2-4 hours per week. &Marketing U will help you execute: Strategy, Messaging, Content Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Paid Digital Advertising, and more. You'll have access to on-demand resources, live courses, group coaching sessions, community forums and networking, plus the exact templates and tools you need for success. Our CPO took this course and one of the biggest benefits we gained was developing a competitive strategy that aligned our social media playbook and website to generate highly qualified leads. For all the tools, education, and accountability you need to grow your small business at a fraction of the cost of hiring a traditional agency or additional employees, go to:  www.and-marketing.com/u, and use the code SHOCK to receive 10% off any program!  

Before the Clouds (Business, entrepreneurship, hustle, influencers, career advice, marketing, jobs

Scott Norton is co-founder of Sir Kensington's, best known for making condiments with character. With a mission to bring integrity and charm to ordinary and overlooked food, Sir Kensington's has become an integral offering at the leading retailers and restaurants across the country. In 2017, Sir Kensington’s was acquired by Unilever to join a family of global food brands, and help define the future of good food and good business. Scott has been named one of Fast Company's “Most Creative People in Business” and listed on Forbes' “30 Under 30.” Previous to founding Sir Kensington’s, he began his career at Lehman Brothers in Tokyo and traveled across 23 countries in Asia on a folding bicycle. Scott is an alumnus of Brown University and a member of the University’s Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship. As an angel investor and mentor, he advises purpose-driven startups in food and technology.

The Worst People We Know
A Mayo Filled Mailbag

The Worst People We Know

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2021 83:40


Twitter: @twpwkThis episode is a listener mailbag. We will be discussing/ answering questions from you, the listeners. If you have a question and want to be featured on future listener mailbag episodes, email us a contact.twpwk@gmail.com Also on the subject of mail, around Christmas i received a mysterious box of condiments...Mailbag LinksBrave browser takes step toward enabling a decentralized webcomparison between far-left violence and far-right violenceConflating Protests with terrorismMy PIllow GuyClubhouse AppRecommendationsOperation OdessaDocumentary: A Russian mobster, a Cuban spy and a smooth operator from Miami scheme to sell a Soviet submarine to a Colombian drug cartel for $35 million.Bose ear cup replacementGangs of LondonShameless PlugsFor coffee drinkers:Mike's coffee company: Bookcase CoffeeFor investors:Jeff's software: The Bubble BoardFor restaurant managers:Mike's startup: Dashy DashFollow UsTwitter: @twpwkYoutubeiTunesSpotifyStitcherGoogle PodcastsPocket CastsOvercast

Human Capital Innovations (HCI) Podcast
S11E10 - Inspiring TED Talks - A Guide to Collaborative Leadership, with Lorna Davis

Human Capital Innovations (HCI) Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2020 32:14


As part of our "Inspiring TED Talks" series, spotlighting can't-miss TED Talks and their key takeaways, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover explores Lorna Davis' famous 2019 TED Talk, "A Guide to Collaborative Leadership." See the video and details here: https://www.ted.com/talks/lorna_davis_a_guide_to_collaborative_leadership/up-next.  Video Overview: "What's the difference between heroes and leaders? In this insightful talk, Lorna Davis explains how our idolization of heroes is holding us back from solving big problems -- and shows why we need "radical interdependence" to make real change happen."  Lorna Davis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-davis-3366ab14) transforms the way leaders operate so they can incorporate social, environmental and financial priorities into their business performance. She runs group workshops, coaches individuals and is a highly sought after keynote speaker. She also serves on the board of a number of organizations that are committed to having meaningful purpose. Davis has served as president of multinational consumer goods companies for more than 20 years, in Danone, Kraft and Mondelez. She has been a key leader in Danone's purpose journey. In 2017, she served as CEO and chairwoman of Danone Wave (now Danone North America), where she established the six-billion-dollar entity as a Public Benefit Corporation and achieved B Corp status in 2018, making it the largest B Corp in the world. Davis is a member of the Social Mission Board of Seventh Generation, the Advisory Board of Radical Impact, the Integrity Board of Sir Kensington and the Board of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture.She has lived and led businesses in seven countries, including the UK, France and the US, and served on the global board of Electrolux for six years. She was also based in Shanghai, China for six years, where she was the CEO of the merged Danone and Kraft business. Davis is now based in New York City, where she runs Lorna Davis Associates, working as a coach, speaker and facilitator. She is a global ambassador for the B Corp movement. She is passionate about wildlife conservation, particularly the plight of the African rhino.  Ranked in the Top 10 Performance Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/performance_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 10 Workplace Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/workplace_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 HR Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/hr_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Talent Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/talent_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Personal Development and Self-Improvement Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/personal_development_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 30 Leadership Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/leadership_podcasts/

Life of Gerety Podcast
Voting w/ our Dollars: Part 2

Life of Gerety Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2020 35:05


Today we talk about how we vote with our dollars in the kitchen and some practical tips about how you can too. Our B Corp Standing Desks from Fully Gua Sha Facial Membership Gua Sha Tools from Wildling Butcher Box - $15 off Cotton Cattle (local to NY/NJ) Learn more about Propolis on Episode 101 of the Modern Mamas Podcast GF Cup for Cup Flour Our Favorite B Corps in the Kitchen: Dang, King Arthur, Navitas Organics, Alter Eco, Lotus Foods, Sir Kensington, Bee Keepers Naturals, Traditional Medicinals Tea, Numi Organic Tea, Gaia Herbs, So Delicious, Blue Marble Icecream, Nada Moo, Horizon Organic GIVEAWAY! To enter, Rate and Review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, screenshot it, and email it hello@lifeofgerety.com by September 24. You will be entered to win a full size container of Four Sigmatic Protein. We would love to hear your questions, comments and feelings: hello@lifeofgerety.com *When you shop using these links, we may earn a small commission. We appreciate your support!*

The Razor's Edge
The Razor's Edge #22: Scott Norton of Sir Kensington's on Recessionary Dislocation And Adaptation

The Razor's Edge

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2020 58:56


With the economy working through a recession - though certainly a unique mix of crosswinds - we thought it would be good to get out of the software space. Scott Norton, co-founder and CEO of Sir Kensington's, joins the Razor's Edge to talk about what he's seeing in this macro environment, both as someone who started out in finance and as the CEO of the condiments maker. He shares insights from the company's founding in the last recession and what makes the modern consumer goods company different from the big brands (though the big brands can still win, he points out). And since this is the Razor's Edge, we still talk a little bit of SaaS. Topics Covered 3:00 minute mark – Sir Kensington's calling its shot, but also missing out on another big startup 11:00 – How did the last recession shape the firm, and Scott's career? 15:00 – The market's liquidity rush and does the bill ever come due? 21:30 –Past recessions and Japan as models to keep an eye on as we work through this period 30:00 – What does 2020 look like for Sir K both in terms of work from home and changing habits? 37:00 – The feedback loop for the modern consumer goods company 40:30 – Cross pollination in the Unilever family 43:00 – What this period means for habit dislocation 46:00 – Planning amidst uncertainty 51:00 – New software tools? A few links referenced in the conversation: Premium Pete interview with Scott: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds01YpbWfRE Healthyish's Toum Recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/toum-recipe Sir Kensington's social media group: https://tastebuds.socialmedialink.com/members/sign_in#/  

Happy Marketer Connection
Alex Colkitt, Content and Community Strategist for Sir Kensington’s “ENGAGEMENT”

Happy Marketer Connection

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2020 33:58


Alex Colkitt, the Content and Community Strategist for Sir Kensington's, joins Happy Marketer Connection to discuss Engagement. Hear why quality engagement is more important than quantity of impressions, how to engage with your customers and partners, how Sir Kensington’s champions the “dignity of food,” the erosion of trust and authenticity in social media, and Alex’s favorite examples of brands winning with engagement. Connect with Sir Kensington’s at SirKensingtons.com and join their community at SirKensingtons.com/TasteBuds

From Scratch with Jessica Harris

Sir Kensington’s is a condiment company that sells ketchup, mayo, mustard, etc. Mark and his partner Scott tried to create a gourmet alternative to Heinz and started tinkering with recipes in their off-campus apartment while they were students at Brown University. Unilever acquired the company in April, 2017. Mark speaks with Jessica Harris about how […]

Taste Radio
Insider Ep. 74: The Most Valuable Asset Entrepreneurs Don't Know They Have

Taste Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2020 55:00


This week, we’re joined by Tommy Kelly and Salim Najjar, the co-founders of Sound Brands, a fast-growing company that markets carbonated, unsweetened iced teas and tea-infused sparkling waters made with herbal and botanical ingredients. Launched in 2015, Sound has been at the forefront of an emerging market for sparkling teas. Hailed by Bon Appetit magazine as “The New LaCroix,” Sound products are primarily distributed in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and also available at several chain and independent retailers across the U.S.  During our interview, Kelly and Najjar explained that while they’ve made several costly mistakes over the years, their perspective that “a failure is really a lesson if looked at properly” has been essential to the brand’s development. “The first year, I’d probably classify it as a bunch of failures, from spending way too much money on an initial product, to spending way too much money on an outsourced sales team,” Najjar said. “They all led us to where we are… and our current strategy, in terms of spending money and how lean we are.” Also within our conversation, Kelly and Najjar discussed Sound’s origins and overarching mission, how complementary skill sets have supported their working relationship, why getting up to speed on industry terminology is critical for early-stage entrepreneurs, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how corporate sales have been a boon for the brand. Show notes:  0:40: It’s All About Popcorn & Pickle Salsa, #CBDMike and Eating Your Veggies at Expo -- The episode began with a chat about John Craven’s West Coast extravaganza and Mike Schneider’s kombucha-soaked visit to London, and discussion about recent office visits from fresh pickle and CBD snack entrepreneurs. The hosts also riffed on a few products sent to the office, including premium popcorn, non-alcoholic spirits and cocktail mixers, and shared tips for a successful experience at Expo West 2020. 18:00: Tommy Kelly and Salim Najjar, Co-Founders, Sound Brands -- Taste Radio editor Ray Latif met with Kelly and Najjar at Sound HQ in Manhattan for a conversation that began with their transition from nuclear power plant engineers to beverage entrepreneurs, how they identified white space for a sparkling tea brand, why they eschewed added natural flavors and sweeteners and a critical error in the company’s original name. They also spoke about the trials and tribulations of their first year in business and why it was costly to hire retail consultants without having a clear go-to-market strategy, the importance of defining brand positioning, why it took years to make their first hire and how their retail strategy has evolved, particularly in Sound’s home market of New York City. Later, Kelly and Najjar explained how corporate sales have become a key component of the company’s overall business strategy and why they regret being hard on themselves during challenging times for the brand. Brands in this episode: Sound Brands, Nora’s Snacks, Belgian Boys, From The Ground Up, Maya Kaimal, Jarr Kombucha, Pip & Nut, Grillo’s Pickles, Farmhouse Culture, Big Swig, Alta Goods, [Popped] Artesian Popcorn, Lyre’s, Seedlip, GT’s Kombucha, WithCo Cocktails, Sir Kensington’s

In the Sauce
Episode 39: Building a Communications Strategy isn't Just about Hashtags

In the Sauce

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2019 54:09


Allison Marchesani Ackerman is a brand strategy and digital marketing consultant based in New York. After 4 years at Sir Kensington's, she decided to set out on her own to work with small, growing brands in the natural foods industry. On this episode of In the Sauce, Allison and Ali talk about how an emerging brand can build a communications strategy that guides them, speaks to consumers, and doesn't cost 6 months of sales. It's HRN's annual summer fund drive, this is when we turn to our listeners and ask that you make a donation to help ensure a bright future for food radio. Help us keep broadcasting the most thought provoking, entertaining, and educational conversations happening in the world of food and beverage. Become a member today! To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we have brand new member gifts available. So snag your favorite new pizza - themed tee shirt or enamel pin today and show the world how much you love HRN, just go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate In The Sauce is powered by Simplecast.

Taste Radio
Ep. 164: Vita Coco’s Mike Kirban Is Quietly Building a Better-for-You Empire

Taste Radio

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2019 50:41


Mike Kirban is unquestionably one of the most successful beverage entrepreneurs of all time, but if our interview with him offers any indication, his legacy is far from complete. Since co-founding Vita Coco in 2004, Kirban has guided the brand to domination in the coconut water space. Distributed over four continents, Vita Coco holds a 26 percent share of the global market for coconut water, which is estimated to be worth $2.5 billion, according to market research firm Euromonitor. Success has attracted many suitors over the years -- PepsiCo was reportedly in talks to acquire the brand in 2017 -- yet Vita Coco has remained independent, a key component of Kirban’s plan to build upon the company’s foundation and develop a beverage platform focused on better-for-you brands. “My goal over the next couple of years is to have four or five totally unique brands in-house under (Vita Coco parent company) All Market Inc. that play in different sub-segments of this healthier, functional drinks market,” Kirban said. “Coke and Pepsi are really good at certain things, and they’ve done quite a lot of M&A in this functional beverage space, but their share of better-for-you beverages continues decline. It’s not what they’re good at. It’s not what they’re focused on. I believe that opens up this lane for us to just drive right through as we should be the ones who really create the better-for-you beverage company for the next generation.” Within our wide-ranging interview, Kirban also discussed his leadership style, why he hires based on attitude over skill set and how Vita Coco considers innovation and potential acquisitions. He also explained what motivates him to personally invest in brands, and why living close to his office is key to work-life balance. This episode is presented by ZoomEssence, the cool-tech powder flavor people. Show notes: 2:43: Interview: Mike Kirban, Co-Founder/CEO, Vita Coco -- In an interview recorded at Vita Coco headquarters in New York City, Taste Radio editor/producer Ray Latif spoke with Kirban about the development of the coconut water brand and why he believes “inexperience served [him] well” over the years. He also discussed why he takes a hands-on approach in his day-to-day leadership of the company, how confidence plays into that role, and why Vita Coco offers unlimited vacation to its employees. Later, Kirban explained that you “have to be willing to make mistakes” when considering innovation, why he’s looking at potential brand acquisitions “all the time,” how he missed out on investing in Bai and why he sold his stock in Amazon in 2000. Brands in this episode: Vita Coco, Runa, WhistlePig, Sir Kensington’s, Beanfields, Zico, Bai, Red Bull

Man vs Podcast
Burger King

Man vs Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2019 49:28


Alex gets disappointed again by Burger King and wants to cry about it. This leads to restaurant stories. We also give updates on our Sir Kensington giveaway and 'Cheat Day Companion.'

Are You Being Real?
210 Scott Norton - How To Build An Authentic Brand & Company

Are You Being Real?

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2019 48:07


Listen & Subscribe on iTunes   What does it take to build a successful brand and business? What does it take to change a company culture? What does it take to build authentic brand loyalty? What does it take to disrupt Big Ketchup?   Masterful Authentic Storytelling.   This is what Scott Norton used to take Sir Kensington’s, a popular condiment brand built on integrity and charm, from a small startup to ultimately being bought out by Unilever. From the backstory of the titular character “Sir Kensington” to the story weaving of how the company sources its ingredients and labor, the art of authentically telling a story has been a crucial ingredient every step of the way. And it’s not something that’s just unique to him. Anyone can tap into their own experiences and creativity to build a brand like his.   In this episode, Mark and Scott talk about the origin of Sir Kensington’s, how Scott redefined his role at the company so he could play to his strengths, why company culture and finding balance as a manager is so important, and what it integrity and charm mean. And of course, Scott also openly shares his most effective authentic storytelling techniques.   Enjoy!!     Connect with Mark: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter  Connect with Scott: Instagram | Twitter | ScottNorton.org     Show Notes: -The origin story of Sir Kensington and Scott's journey as a co-founder. -How Scott used his strengths to change the company culture. -Scott's take on finding Balance as a manager. -Some of Scott's favorite storytelling elements. -Scott's biking trip around the world and the lessons he learned. -Why Scott is interested in cybersecurity. -The importance of 'integrity' and 'charm.' -The one lesson he would want his son to learn.     Things to Check Out:• Sir Kensington • Calendly

In the Sauce
Episode 20: Building the Field

In the Sauce

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2019 51:08


Pat Jammet is a bit of a legend in the world of product marketing. After starting his career at Honest Tea, Pat took on Field Marketing at Sir Kensington's, eventually becoming VP of Marketing there. On this episode of In the Sauce, Pat and Ali talk about what founders should be thinking after the push onto the shelves: There's gotta be a team dedicated to the PULL off the shelves by happy consumers. That means demonstrations, coupons, and sampling wherever a potential consumer can be found. In The Sauce is powered by Simplecast.

The Premium Pete Show
Scott Norton (Co-Founder Of Sir Kensington's)

The Premium Pete Show

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2018 86:06


Internets! This week on The Premium Pete Show, Pete is joined by entrepreneur, Co-founder of Sir Kensington's, Scott Norton. Scott discusses how his passion for redefining condiments lead him to create a new brand of ketchup in his college dorm room. Scott breaks down how he grew his small time operation into a worldwide business with over 30 different products. Pete also discusses how Sir Kensington's was recently acquired by Unilever for $140 million dollars. So many gems on this one, Tell a friend to tell a friend. Chea!

In the Sauce
Episode 13: Building Culture

In the Sauce

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2018 53:54


Scott Norton is the Co-Founder of Sir Kensington's, the condiment company that took the world by storm in 2010 and was acquired by Unilever last year. In this episode of In the Sauce, Scott and Ali talk Culture: Why it's more than a ping pong table and some bean bags; why people are at the heart of all great businesses; how to create value for your team, and how even if you haven't formally codified your company's values, be mindful, you are communicating them. In The Sauce is powered by Simplecast.

10% Happier with Dan Harris
#140: Scott Norton, The Condiments Guy Who Meditates

10% Happier with Dan Harris

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2018 52:43


Since invading the condiments market with Sir Kensington's, a line of ketchup, mustard and other spreads, company co-founder Scott Norton said meditation has helped him slow down and have better self-assessment under the stress of managing a start-up.

Rad Awakenings with Khe Hy
Scott Norton (Ep.48): Contentment is so damn elusive

Rad Awakenings with Khe Hy

Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2018 57:27


Scott Norton is your prototypical millennial - a tinkerer with a creative and entrepreneurial streak . There's a narrative that the financial crisis crushed economic mobility for an entire generation of Millennials - in fact, Scott's first job was at Lehman Brothers in 2008. Yet for Scott, the crisis catalyzed a trip around Asia on a foldable bike spanning 23 countries and 100 cities. Upon his return he co-founded Sir Kensington's, challenging the consumer goods "complex" of ketchup and mayonnaise. We explore mission-driven businesses - are they marketing hype or changing the world? Regardless, big business has taken to the idea; last year Unilever acquired them for a pretty penny. Scott's got the belt notches: he's a touch above 30 with a spectacular exit.  How does this change someone? For sure, it takes failure off the table. But contentment, being present with loved ones, a quiet mind, and yes - even freedom - don't appear overnight and can remain viscerally elusive. + THIS WEEK'S SPONSOR: Does your life insurance policy match your life circumstances? Whether you’re newlyweds, new parents, or new entrepreneurs, Cambridge will work with you to protect what matters most: your family. As an independent broker, Cambridge always represents the client’s best interest, not the insurance companies'.  Contact Cambridge for a complimentary assessment on personal or life insurance planning. + SHOW NOTES: http://rad.family/scott-norton + SUPPORT THE PODCAST: http://patreon.com/radreads

Why Food?
Episode 38: Scott Norton: Bringing Personality and Charm to Condiments

Why Food?

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2018 56:35


Scott Norton began making ketchup in his college apartment almost 10 years ago. It was 4 years after Malcolm Gladwell wrote that Heinz could never be overthrown - but Scott didn’t buy it. So he and his Co-Founder, Mark, set out to disprove this theory with a product that was the complete opposite of any available on the market and Sir Kensington’s was born. Mark went on to work in finance, joining Lehman Brothers a month before the historic crash, and travel across Asia for a series on folding bikes but his love for condiments never ceased. Upon moving back to NYC, he and Mark rejoined to turn Sir Kensington’s into a full-time endeavor. Join us as we sit down with Scott to talk about creating a brand personality for a food product, leading a business with strong enough values to establish culture yet enough flexibility for change, growing into a brand big enough for Walmart and marketing a food brand in the new age. Why Food? is powered by Simplecast

Work in Progress
Stop the Presses!

Work in Progress

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2017 25:56


Meet three New York Times machinists who’ve helped print the paper for the last 30 years and an investigative reporter who waged war on mayoral misconduct from the front page of the Toronto Star. This week, stories of people whose lives (and careers) have been indelibly marked by the business of getting the story right. Like the show? Have some feedback? Let us know what you think @slackstories or leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating or review in Apple Podcasts. This episode also features Slack customer Sir Kensington's—creators of condiments with character.

Taste Radio
Ep. 67: Sir Kensington's Scott Norton Talks Condiments and Culture

Taste Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2017 65:01


On this week’s episode of Taste Radio, Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and BevNET’s Jon Landis are joined by Scott Norton, founder of natural condiment brand Sir Kensington’s. Fueled by a mission to create “condiments with character,” the New York-based company, which was acquired by food and consumer product giant Unilever in April, is using a commitment to clean ingredients and responsible sourcing to reshape how consumers think about ketchup, mayonnaise and the entire condiment category. In our conversation, Norton discusses the company’s “inside-out” approach to marketing, how a strong company culture can bring tangible business results, and how a shared sense of responsibility to consumers has strengthened the company’s new relationship with Unilever. Also in this episode, Brewbound assistant editor Justin Kendall and BevNET managing editor Ray Latif talk with John Reardon, founder and CEO of Deep Ellum Brewing; and Gwen Burlingame, founder of lactose-free ice cream brand Minus the Moo, is our next guest on Elevator Talk. Show Notes: :00 Intro hosts: Mike Schneider, Jon Landis Mike and Landis contemplate doing "Phishcast" with Ray and John out of the office, but quickly jump into "What are you eating?". :32 "What Are You Eating?" Jon and Mike discuss doing one thing well with Brooklyn Brine as the example. They also discuss a new flavor of Soylent. 6:00 Interview Jon Landis, Carol Ortenberg interview Scott Norton, Co-Founder, Sir Kensington's who talks about the roots of Sir Kensington's, how they are planning to growth of the brand, their distribution channels and how they connect with their audiences. 35:57 Interview Ray Latif and Justin Kendall of Brewbound interview John Reardon, Founder & CEO, Deep Ellum Brewing at Brewbound Session. Deep Ellum Brewing Company is in Dallas, Texas and has grown steadily since opening in 2011 and is now the fifth largest regional craft brewery in Texas, according to the Brewers Association. John talks about maturing from "chasing the cool factor" to brewing as a supplier, pacing to 45,000 barrels, diversifying the offering by adding spirits, fighting to make Texas craft-friendly and chasing your passion. 1:03:00 Elevator Talk with Gwen Burlingame, Founder, Minus the Moo Lactose-free ice cream? Sign us up. Brands in this episode: Sir Kensington's, Brooklyn Brine, Soylent, Deep Ellum Brewing, Minus the Moo For sponsorship opportunities, feedback and suggestions contact podcast@bevnet.com

Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy
Scott Norton - Seek to Learn That Which Cannot be Taught - [Invest Like the Best, EP.43]

Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2017 65:36


If you told me a year ago that I’d be learning critical life and business lessons from the founder of a ketchup company, and that thirty to fifty thousand people would listen to our conversation, well, I’d have told you that’s impossible. But the fact that it is true proves many of the points laid out by this week’s guest Scott Norton, co-founder of Sir Kensington’s which was recently acquired by Uni-Lever. Sir Kensington’s, which makes “condiments with character” is no ordinary Ketchup company, and Scott is no ordinary founder. We talk about the most elemental aspects of business: product, relationships, sales, marketing, and culture. I love that we can do so through the lens of such a seemingly simple product, something that we use all the time with our families at a BBQ. Scott’s observations on culture, the importance of relationships in sales, and competitive edge are all memorable. But above all, I’ll remember his line: seek to learn that which cannot be taught. And I will continually return to the mental image of the Temple of Poseidon. Oh, and as a bonus we also talk about biking around Asia, which like all of Scott’s stories comes complete with thought provoking lessons. Enjoy this unique conversation with one of the most interesting people I’ve met on this journey. We begin with the history of ketchup.   For comprehensive show notes on this episode go to http://investorfieldguide.com/norton For more episodes go to InvestorFieldGuide.com/podcast. Sign up for the book club, where you’ll get a full investor curriculum and then 3-4 suggestions every month at InvestorFieldGuide.com/bookclub. Follow Patrick on Twitter at @patrick_oshag   Links Referenced They Call Me Supermensch: A Backstage Pass to the Amazing Worlds of Film, Food, and Rock’n’Roll  (Movie)   Books Referenced Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In How to Win Friends & Influence People They Call Me Supermensch: A Backstage Pass to the Amazing Worlds of Film, Food, and Rock’n’Roll  (Book)   Show Notes 2:40 – (First question) – A look at the history of ketchup 5:16 – The milestones of ketchup’s history in the US 10:26 – What were the early days like to compete in a market where the leaders have such a stronghold on the consumer 13:03 – A ketchup party to survey users 14:41 – Effective ways to negotiate             14:57 – Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In 16:32 – How may stages were there in the early products 19:04 – A look at kaizen and what it means to Scott 20:38 – Scandinavian business principles that they bring to the company 23:40 – As the company has grown, has Scott seen downsides to the stakeholder model especially when competing against larger companies that use the shareholder model 28:19 – How did they use outside capital in getting started 31:07 – What was the most memorable story from the early days of disrupting this legacy industry, especially as it relates to the sales of this product             33:30 – How to Win Friends & Influence People 33:58 – How do you create trust and show the benefits of your product in sales 37:48 – How culture started for the company, how it’s shifted since then and what competitive advantage the right culture creates 41:47 – Some of the best outcomes are the result of mindset and culture 43:28 – What new frontiers is Scott and the company looking at today 46:53 – How often has Scott had to course correct and continue down the path of the unknown 49:28 – Kindest thing anyone has done for Scott outside of the company 51:41 – The power of giving and how it will bring large returns, especially when you don’t expect them as part of the giving             53:04 – They Call Me Supermensch: A Backstage Pass to the Amazing Worlds of Film, Food, and Rock’n’Roll  (Book and Movie) 55:37 – Look at Scott’s decision to bike around Asia and what he experienced during that time 1:02:49 – Best advice for someone in their early 20’s   Learn More For more episodes go to InvestorFieldGuide.com/podcast.  Sign up for the book club, where you’ll get a full investor curriculum and then 3-4 suggestions every month at InvestorFieldGuide.com/bookclub Follow Patrick on twitter at @patrick_oshag

52 Founders
Episode 28: Scott Norton, Sir Kensington's

52 Founders

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2017 27:58


In this episode, you’ll hear about: -Critical advice on how to bring new products to market, and how to find your ideal customer -Why business is fundamentally creative versus competitive -The strategy and decision making process as to why Sir Kensington’s is headquartered in New York City -How Scott’s childhood growing up in the Bay area influenced his idea of entrepreneurship -How living in Japan shaped Scott’s thinking on Sir Kensington’s flavor profiles, brand marketing, packaging, and manufacturing (kaizen!) -Who “Sir Kensington” is, and how the company went about creating this eccentric character to represent the brand Be sure to catch the end of the episode, where Scott shares which Sir Kensington’s product is his favorite, in addition to the NYC startup he loves and who he most would want to interview.

The Unmistakable Creative Podcast
Scott Norton: Building a Purpose Driven Business

The Unmistakable Creative Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2017 45:55


I think if you take the hero's journey or just the story arc of beginning, middle, end, protagonist and antagonist and you position what you have to share in this framework, it naturally will resonate with people. It will become more memorable. It will deeply impact them. Crucially in today's society, it will become more likely that they can advocate for that story and tell that truth to someone else. As traditional media breaks down, and the one to one approach of the TV industrial complex begins to lose its efficacy, word of mouth and oral tradition has come back in a huge way in society. I think that telling the truth well, through the storytelling arc is crucial if you want to build a business and if you want to help people understand reality as you see it. – Scott NortonScott Norton is co-founder of Sir Kensington's, the premier producer of all- natural ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard distributed nationwide. With a mission to bring integrity and charm to ordinary and overlooked food, Sir Kensington's condiments have become an integral offering at leading retailers, restaurants, and hotels. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From Scratch : NPR
Brendan Kennedy, Co-Founder Of Privateer

From Scratch : NPR

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2017 51:00


Host Jessica Harris talks to Brendan Kennedy, co-founder of Privateer, an equity firm. Harris also talks with Mark Ramadan, co-founder of Sir Kensington's.

Ketchup Kitchen Catchups
23 – Tim Hoss

Ketchup Kitchen Catchups

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2016 57:03


Long time listener, twice time caller, and first time guest, Tim “Hoss” is on the show this week! We catch up about beer & life, take an angry call from the Squirt Line, and Tim proposes a taste-off between blue & white collar ketchups! It’s a real treat! Let’s Catsup! Don’t forget to call in … Continue reading "23 – Tim Hoss"

We Could Make That
How Sir Kensington's Is Dethroning Heinz In The Ketchup Kingdom

We Could Make That

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2016 50:21


When Scott Norton and his co-founder, Mark Ramadan, were in college, they had a thought: why are American consumers totally chill about their ketchup? After all, the stuff we all grew up on is loaded with junk like high fructose corn syrup, canola oil and tomato paste. But instead of going back to bonging beers and eating take-out pizza like most college kids would do at this point, they took their concept a step further and asked themselves, "What would happen if we turned the ketchup industry on its head?" The result is Sir Kensington's, a condiment company that replaces all the nastiness with high-quality ingredients like whole tomatoes, raw sugar and humane, free range eggs. In this episode, Scott walks me through his decision making process and the journey he took to launch the company. We also get into how he thinks about business as a force for good, how he came up with the highly amusing and fictional character, Sir Kensington, and what advice he'd give to his younger self. The audio quality on this one is...well, I won't lie to you. It's not good. But the content and Scott's awesome energy more than make up for it. Full show notes: wecouldmakethat.com/scott

All the Social Ladies with Carrie Kerpen
Show #143 - Mollie Doherty of Sir Kensington's

All the Social Ladies with Carrie Kerpen

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2016 18:48


Today I get to speak to Mollie Doherty. Mollie is the Community and Partnerships Manager at Sir Kensington’s but she has a unique twist on her story and the story of Sir Kensington’s. She infuses a lot of humor, energy and excitement around the social media industry that I think you’ll find really interesting. Take a listen!

Snacky Tunes
Episode 213: Sir Kensington’s & Klaus

Snacky Tunes

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2015 64:20


This week on a brand new Snacky Tunes, host Darin Bresnitz is joined by guest co-host Carter Adams and guests Mark Ramadan and Scott Norton of Sir Kensington’s. Sir Kensington’s is a maker of fine condiments like ketchup and mayonnaise that comes in both traditional and spiced forms. Mark and Scott take the hosts through their journey creating the staple ketchup by testing recipes at their alma mater Brown University. The duo shares a great amount of insight on starting a culinary venture and the trials and tribulations competing against other big condiment brands, what’s in store for their upcoming year, plus a Snacky Tunes exclusive tidbit! In the second half of the show, Darin and Carter welcome the band Klaus. Klaus is Chris Madden and Lewis Rapkin, a Brooklyn based electronic music duo dedicated to the sounds of yesterday, today and tomorrow. With an assembly of vintage synthesizers, the group seeks to bridge the gap between WBLS funk and industrial dance music. Taking thematic cues from half remembered horror movie binges, Klaus invites the listener to join them in environments where the road is foggy, the motives unclear and the characters never fully revealed. The guys share their writing techniques and inspirations plus what plans they have in the future! This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. Photo by Meredith Jenks. “Condiments are never a center of the plate item. For us, always trying to compliment the food has been goal #1and not overwhelm it.” [15:45] —Scott Norton on Snacky Tunes “It was really easy to share our music when we started making videos.” —Lewis Rapkin on Snacky Tunes