Innovation isn’t accidental; companies that successfully innovate are rigorous and disciplined. SnackFutures Mondelez insights lead Barbara Schandl joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss food innovation strategies in 2023 and shared her viewpoints on uncovering team members’ hidden skills and how curiosity is key for food industry success.

More About Barbara Shandl:
Barbara Schandl is a highly experienced Consumer & Shopper Insights professional, also calling herself a “Curiosity Champion”. Barbara has more than 25 years of experience in Mondelez and formerly Kraft Foods, across a variety of Global, Regional and Local Insight roles. From a geographic perspective her deep expertise lies within Emerging Markets, the start of developing an agile mindset more than 10 years ago. Prior to her current position as Insights Lead SnackFutures Ventures, her experience has stretched across Consumer & Shopper Insights, Brand Marketing, Strategy and Innovation. During her time with the business she has worked closely with most of the business units around the world, and has worked and lived in Austria and Switzerland, travelled the globe and currently based in Zurich. In her current role at SnackFutures Ventures, Barbara is excited to make a real impact of the future of Mondelez. She is truly passionate about what she is doing and drives her agenda with great spirit and positive energy!  

More About SnackFutures:
SnackFutures is Mondelēz International's innovation and venture hub. We push the boundaries of what's possible in snacking by growing and supporting well-being innovation around the world. Learn more by visiting: https://www.snackfutures.com/.

Food Innovation Strategies in 2023

What were the biggest trends at the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show? Tanner Food Group president, Specialty Food Association alum, and food industry veteran Ron Tanner joined The Food Institute Podcast to reflect upon the show’s biggest winners, emerging trends, and what it takes to have staying power in the food industry. Additionally, he shares how important events like the Summer Fancy Food show have become in a post-pandemic world.

More About Ron Tanner:
Ron Tanner is president of Tanner Food Group, a specialty food consultancy focused on international trade, industry preparedness and regulatory activities.

Ron is a former executive team member of the Specialty Food Association, the leading trade association for the $170 billion specialty food industry. His last role after a 33-year career with the trade group was Vice President, Education, Content and Advocacy. Ron worked for the SFA and its 3,900+ members from 1987 – 2020, helping them understand and succeed in the specialty food business. His responsibilities included education, content, marketing, public relations, industry relations, awards, government relations and philanthropy.

Ron is a frequent speaker on the U.S. specialty food market and food trends and has presented at key national and international industry conferences and events, including FoodEx Japan, Anuga, CIBUS, the Fancy Food Shows, the National Grocers Association Show, the American Cheese Society Conference and more. Ron holds a Master of Science degree in Journalism from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree in English and Communications Studies from Oberlin College.

Check Out Food Institute's Coverage of SFFS:
Day One Livestream Replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zabRDi14e7Y

Day Two Livestream Replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSGxwPpeds

Day Three Livestream Replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSu09gzmoU0

Top Trends at the Summer Fancy Food Show: https://foodinstitute.com/beverage/top-trends-at-the-fancy-food-show/

The 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show Recap

Can direct-to-consumer brands succeed in the food industry? Dr. James Richardson, owner of Premium Growth Solutions and author of Ramping Your Brand, returns to The Food Institute Podcast to talk through the challenges facing most food brands in the DTC space, and how an omnichannel approach may be the best way to ensure your food brand can grow successfully.

More About Dr. James Richardson:
Dr. Richardson is the founder of Premium Growth Solutions, a strategic planning consultancy for early-stage consumer-packaged-goods brands. As a professionally trained cultural anthropologist turned business strategist, he has helped more than 75 CPG brands with their strategic planning, including brands owned by Coca-Cola Venturing and Emerging Brands, The Hershey Company, General Mills, Kraft Foods, Conagra Brands, and Frito-Lay as well as emerging brands such as Once Upon a Farm, Mother Kombucha, Bobby Sue’s Nuts, Rebel Creamery, Zaca recovery, and others. He also hosts his own podcast—Startup Confidential. His thoughts appear regularly in industry publications such as Foodnavigator.

To learn more about Dr. Richardson and his book, Ramping Your Brand, please visit:
www.rampingyourbrand.com

Diving Down The DTC Rabbit Hole

We talk to Rich Trotter, a U.S. Army veteran-turned-entrepreneur who has led Rosati Ice for over 25 years. We talk about the catastrophic consequences caused by the pandemic shutdowns and how his employees pulled together to keep the company afloat. By having such loyal and dedicated employees, Rich has been able to continue his legacy and stay true to his value of “Mission First, People Always.”

The Comeback Of Rosati Ice, America's First Italian Ice Company

Seafood consumption is on the rise in the U.S., but changing conditions in the oceans are impacting where we source our fish. Atlantic Sapphire marketing director Max Francia joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss the company’s Bluehouse Salmon brand, which sources land-farmed fish from Florida. In detail, Francia explains how the fishery facility works, in what channels the company sells its products, and the sustainability initiatives at play in their production process.

More About Max Francia:
Max Francia, an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, is Atlantic Sapphire’s Marketing Director. Max has extensive experience in consumer packaged goods having worked globally at Procter & Gamble and Spectrum Brands. Recently, Max is applying his passion and knowledge of consumer insights, brand management and strategy to the food sector, where he spearheads Bluehouse Salmon’s brand development.

More About Bluehouse Salmon:
Bluehouse Salmon raises healthy, happy fish in a way that’s good for the fish, for you, and for the planet we all share. Raising fish on land in Florida means no antibiotics, no hormones or GMOs, no microplastics, which are just some of the ways Bluehouse Salmon is innovating a healthier seafood experience.  

Learn More about Bluehouse Salmon here:
https://bluehousesalmon.com

How Do You Farm Salmon on Land?

https://thecommunists.org/2023/07/22/news/capitalist-contradictions-abound-victorian-illnesses-rise-malnutrition-scurvy-rickets/

Capitalist contradictions abound: Victorian illnesses on the rise

How can a dairy operation balance the ESG demands of consumers while still creating delicious cheeses and ice cream? Tillamook County Creamery Association executive vice president of stewardship Paul Snyder joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss the brand’s sustainability goals, its Oregon-based history, and the company’s expansion to the U.S. East Coast.

More About Tillamook County Creamery Association:
The Tillamook Way is a way of life—the way our farmer-owners have done things since 1909. We cared for our farmer-owners, who cared for the land, which sustained healthier cows, which provided better milk. And better milk made better dairy products. It’s a simple recipe that we’ve followed for over a century and it has never failed.

More About Paul Snyder:
Paul Snyder joined the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) in 2019, as Executive Vice President of Stewardship. In this role, Paul leads several functions including corporate responsibility, sustainability, community engagement, corporate communications, government affairs, farm services, and co-op member relations. 

Before joining TCCA, Paul served as Global Vice President – Corporate Responsibility at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), based in Atlanta, Georgia. In that role, Paul co-led IHG’s global corporate responsibility function and directly oversaw sustainability strategy and execution for the company’s nearly 5,200 hotels worldwide. 
Additionally, he directed the company’s Americas Public Affairs activities, its U.S. based Foundation and several community-based and diversity-focused initiatives. He also held various other leadership positions during his time at IHG in development, operations, marketing, and brand management. Prior to joining IHG, Paul worked at Marriott International in the company’s Brand Management, Development and IT departments. He started his career in the hospitality industry with Winegardner & Hammons, Inc. as a line level employee at a Holiday Inn hotel and was promoted into managerial positions in both the Food & Beverage and Rooms departments. 

In addition to his role at TCCA, Paul currently serves on the board of directors for Newtrient, an organization that partners with dairy farmers, technology providers and other stakeholders to help them make informed decisions regarding manure management opportunities and challenges. Additionally, he serves on the Advisory Committee of Oregon’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Program 2021 Rulemaking — a new Climate Protection Program to limit greenhouse gas emissions from some of the most significant sources in Oregon. 
Prior to relocating to Oregon to join TCCA, Paul was a committed community leader in Atlanta, having served on the Boards of the Georgia Center for Non-Profits, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Opera and the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross. He also led the Marketing efforts for the Atlanta chapter of Conscious Capitalism. 

Paul earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature at Lawrence University and an MBA at Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management.

Learn more about Tillamook: https://www.tillamook.com/ 

Learn more about the company’s sustainability goals: https://www.tillamook.com/stewardship 

Sign up for Food Institute’s free newsletters here: https://foodinstitute.com/newsletters

Taking Stock of Sustainability with Tillamook

https://thecommunists.org/2023/08/08/news/theory/what-happening-russian-economy-sanctions-planning/

What is happening in the Russian economy?

What's plant-based, gluten-free, and of South African origin? Turns out, chakalaka is just that, but what is this product? Chakalaka Brands founder Leeto Tlou joined The Food Institute Podcast to explain his pivot from the finance world to the food industry, the South African cuisine's history, and how its flavors could be perfect for the American palate.

More about Leeto Tlou:
Leeto Tlou is the Founder & CEO of Chakalaka Brands. He learned about Chakalaka while visiting South Africa and wanted to introduce the dish to American audiences. He was amazed by the taste of the dish and the fact that it aligned with his family’s history and culture.

He is passionate about sharing the vibrant flavors and cultures of the world through food, and believes that food has the power to connect people and awaken their senses. Chakalaka's products are designed to enliven the palate and inspire people to explore cuisines from different cultures and regions.

Prior to starting Chakalaka Brands, Leeto had a successful career in financial services, where he gained valuable experience in business development, marketing and leadership.

More about Chakalaka Brands:
Our mission is to awaken and enliven your senses, through experiencing the vibrant flavors of the world and our cultures. We celebrate fully living life. Mixed with happiness. Chakalaka is a vibrant and spicy bean dish that is traditionally served at South African barbecues or braai. A heritage blend of beans, vegetables and hints of curry and peppers, Chakalaka makes it possible to taste the flavor of life fully. Chakalaka’s products enliven the palate and awaken the senses to bring us together through global cuisine. Prepare and share with your friends & family!

Learn more about Chakalaka Brands:
https://chakalakabrands.com/

Sign up for the Plant-Based Insider:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/JNdPe1u

Boom Chakalaka - a Conversation with Chakalaka Brands

This Episode is Sponsored By: City National Bank

What drives consumers in the frozen food sector? According to Red’s All Natural founder Mike Adair, they want both convenience and better-for-you attributes. City National Bank managing director Jennifer Braasch also shares how the frozen food sector has grown despite the pandemic and inflationary pressures.

About Michael Adair:
Mike Adair is the Founder / CEO of Red’s All Natural, a clean label frozen food brand. Mike started Red’s fourteen years ago based on his wife’s famous Taco Tuesday dinners and named the company after their beloved dog, Red. Today, Red’s is one of the largest natural / organic frozen-food brands in the country. They make delicious, clean-label, and convenient burritos / breakfast sandwiches and other fun items. Mike started the company while earning his MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. 

Prior to Red’s, Mike had a six-year career in finance at Pioneer Investments in Boston after attending Boston College and moving to New York City and finally Seattle. 

Outside of work, Mike spends his time hiking, fishing, playing cornhole, and obsessing over his lawn. This is all in between racing kids to sports activities all over Tennessee. Mike lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Paige, and three kids, Finley (14), Samantha (13), and Hunter (10).  

About Jennifer Braasch:
Jennifer Pricco Braasch is a Managing Director with City National Bank’s Food & Beverage Group. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she supports food and beverage industry executives with creative financing solutions and industry intelligence. Working with City National’s team of experts, she provides the bank’s full range of financial solutions to food and beverage businesses nationwide.
Ms. Braasch has over 20 years of financial services experience. Prior to joining City National, she served four years as a senior relationship manager for Wells Fargo’s Food & Agribusiness group, and spent 15 years with GE Capital’s Corporate Finance and Antares Capital groups in Chicago, including four years as part of the Food & Beverage team.
Ms. Braasch earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and her master’s in business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

In addition to her company responsibilities, Ms. Braasch has been an active volunteer for several community organizations, including the Hunger Task Force, where she serves as a member of the Executive Council; the Tosa Community Food Pantry, where she serves as Vice President of the Board; and the Lakeview Food Pantry, where she volunteered weekly for seven years. She resides in the city of Wauwatosa with her husband and their two children.

About City National Bank:
With $95.4 billion in assets, City National Bank provides banking, investment, and trust services through 69 branches, including 21 full-service regional centers, in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, Nevada, New York City, Nashville, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Miami*. In addition, the company and its investment affiliates manage or administer $94.5 billion in client investment assets.  
City National is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), one of the world’s leading diversified financial services companies. RBC serves more than 17 million personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the United States, and 27 other countries.  
For more information about City National, visit the company’s website at http://www.cnb.com/foodandbev. 

*City National Bank does business in Miami and the state of Florida as CN Bank.

City National Bank Member FDIC. City National Bank is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada.

©2023 City National Bank. All Rights Reserved. cnb.com

What Do Consumers Seek in Frozen Foods?

This Episode is Sponsored by: SRW Agency

It starts with a simple question – what is an influencer? SRW Agency influencer marketing manager Jenna Ogle joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss how the food and beverage industry can leverage influencer campaigns and how such campaigns fit into larger marketing programs.

Learn More about SRW Agency:
SRW is a full service agency built for natural, wellness and better-for-you brands. With offices in Chicago and Boulder, we’re always at-the-ready to make an impact for growing brands through digital media and classic good thinking. Our methods have launched and fueled companies like Simple Mills and Kite Hill, and continue to propel wellness world mainstays and newcomers, to boot. If you are interested in learning more about SRW’s complete services, visit our website at srw.agency or email jennaogle@srw.agency.

Learn More about Jenna Ogle:
Jenna Ogle leads the Influencer Relations team at SRW Agency. She and her team are responsible for the development and implementation of influencer strategies that drive awareness and brand recognition. Through these initiatives SRW is able to foster meaningful relationships between brands and digital content creators, resulting in impactful campaigns and collaborations.

Download the “Influencer 101” document from SRW: https://foodinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SRW-x-Food-Insititute-%E2%80%93-Influencer-101.pdf

Influencer Marketing in the Food And Beverage Industry

https://thecommunists.org/2023/08/25/news/oxfam-identifies-shocking-inequality-no-solution-inflation-poverty/

Oxfam identifies inequalities in shocking detail, but provides no solution

Food waste is already a global problem, and it could morph into an even larger issue as the world’s population grows. Flashfood founder and CEO Josh Domingues highlights how important collaboration is to fighting food waste, and how Flashfood aims to divert food from landfills.

More About Flashfood:
Flashfood is a technology company working to eliminate retail food waste by connecting consumers with discounted food nearing its best-by date. The digital marketplace is helping families across America access nutritious food at affordable prices, while reducing the volume of food retailers send to landfills. Flashfood is a remote-first company currently partnered with more than 2,000 stores across North America. For more information, please visit www.flashfood.com.

More About Josh Domingues:
Josh Domingues is the Founder & CEO of Flashfood, a mobile marketplace that connects surplus food from grocery stores directly to its community at great prices. Josh founded Flashfood in 2016 after reading about the environmental effects of food waste. 

Determined to make a difference, Josh often cites that if international food waste were a country, it would be the third leading cause of greenhouse gas (GHG) behind the U.S. and China. Flashfood doubles down on using food to do good, by rescuing food that would have otherwise been wasted to help feed those in need, or those unable to afford fresh and healthy food options. 

After earning a Bachelor of Commerce Cum Laude (Finance and Management Science) from Saint Mary’s University, Josh started his career as an investment advisor before becoming a management consultant and VP at a boutique firm that managed financial affairs for professional hockey players.

How to Best Fight Food Waste

The foodservice industry has had its fair share of twists and turns the past few years, but where is it headed in 2024? Lizzy Freier, Director, Menu Research & Insights at Technomic joins The Food Institute Podcast to talk restaurant traffic, international cuisines, LTOs and more.

More about Lizzy Freier: 
Lizzy leads menu research at Technomic, tracking and analyzing both current and predictive trends. Although her focus is on commercial food, beverage and adult beverage trend- and data-tracking at independent, emerging and top chain restaurants, she has also analyzed noncommercial, convenience-store and global trends.

Over her decade at Technomic, she has contributed to a plethora of content. She’s been interviewed by various media outlets, ranging from BBC News to The Wall Street Journal to Forbes. She has also established numerous products for Technomic, including the Emerging Eats newsletter, On the Menu Trends webinar and Food Flash infographics. 

Lizzy has presented at dozens of large industry events in the U.S. and abroad, including the National Restaurant Association Show; The Culinary Institute of America’s cuisine summits; RCA Conference; VIBE Conference; Winsight’s Restaurant Directions; Clean Label Conference; National Coffee Association Conference; and Technomic’s Foodservice and Adult Beverage Planning Program events.

Learn more about Technomic: https://www.technomic.com/ 

More from the Food Institute featuring Lizzy Freier: https://foodinstitute.com/focus/is-america-ready-to-embrace-african-cuisine/

The 2024 Foodservice Forecast

This Episode is Sponsored By: RSM US LLP

Generative AI disrupted nearly every industry in 2023, but how is the artificial intelligence industry impacting food and beverage in 2024? RSM US LLP principal Christian Winzeler returned to The Food Institute Podcast to discuss GenAI's impact on marketing, business operations, and even production formulations.

More About RSM US LLP:
RSM helps food and beverage clients navigate changing market demands, rising costs, and evolving supply chain challenges with digital transformation and operational strategies. RSM US LLP is the U.S. member of RSM International, a global network of independent assurance, tax, and consulting firms with 64,000 people in 120 countries. For more information, visit rsmus.com/foodandbeverage.

More About Christian Winzeler:
Christian has been a consulting professional for over 20 years, providing a variety of services to middle-market companies with a focus on consumer goods, specifically food and beverage companies in the produce and food processing space. As the National Food & Beverage Industry Leader for the Microsoft group at RSM, Christian advises clients on their digital transformation journey and how to utilize best-in-class technologies to help build resilient supply chains in an ever-changing environment.

As a food and beverage industry leader, RSM delivers the power of being understood to our clients, colleagues and communities through world-class audit, tax and consulting services focused on middle market businesses. The clients we serve are the engine of global commerce and economic growth, and we are focused on developing leading professionals and services to meet their evolving needs in today’s ever-changing business environment.

Further Reading/Listening:

More about RSM: https://rsmus.com/foodandbeverage 

More About RSM's Digital Transformation Practice: https://rsmus.com/services/digital-transformation.html 

Join the RSM + Microsoft: Food and Beverage LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14346076/

Follow Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chwinzeler/ 

Listen to Christian’s episode on Digital Transformation: https://foodinstitute.com/podcast/digital-transformation-for-the-food-industry/

GenAI's Impact on the Food Industry

https://thecommunists.org/2024/02/09/news/europe-peasants-revolt-france-germany-famers/

Europe: the peasants’ revolt

Controlled environment agriculture saw tons of interest and investment in the post-pandemic period, but how are macro-economic conditions impacting the sector in 2024? Agritecture founder and CEO Henry Gordon-Smith joined The Food Institute Podcast to break down the sector's prospects, technological advancements, and what types of foods are being grown indoors.

More about Henry Gordon-Smith:
Henry Gordon-Smith is a sustainability strategist focused on urban agriculture, water issues, and emerging technologies. Henry earned his BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, coursework in Food Security and Urban Agriculture from Ryerson University in Toronto, and an MSc in Sustainability Management from Columbia University. In 2014, Henry responded to a global need for technology-agnostic guidance on urban agriculture by launching the advisory firm Agritecture Consulting which has now consulted on over 250 urban agriculture projects in over 40 countries.

Follow Henry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hgordonsmith/ 

More about Agritecture:
Agritecture is an advisory services firm focused on climate-smart agriculture, particularly urban and controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Learn more here: https://www.agritecture.com/ 

Sign up for the free Daily Update newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/Z0oAfQy 

Sign up for Agritecture’s weekly newsletter, the Agritect Chronicles, here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7087472966938071040/

Seed to Ceiling - Exploring Controlled Environment Agriculture

From lattes to chicken sandwiches to desserts, it seems every restaurant is hopping on the limited-time offer (LTO) craze to drive traffic and check growth. But is this really having the desired effect? Datassential vice president of sales Megan Lynberg discusses the historical data on LTOs, popular LTO items, and other strategies companies are using to inspire growth.

More about Megan Lynberg:
Megan Lynberg is a 15-year veteran of the restaurant industry and a seasoned sales and marketing professional.  Megan has devoted her career to helping food and beverage companies make smarter, data-driven decisions without adding to their already full plates. As VP of Sales for Datassential, Megan helps both operators and manufacturers grow and innovate by tapping into Datassential’s industry-leading menu and consumer trends platforms.  Through a suite of intelligence tools, software solutions, and an unlimited data library, Datassential guides the biggest names in food and beverage on what’s next for the industry and how to stay ahead of it.

Prior to Datassential, Megan held sales and marketing positions with Nation’s Restaurant News, Hospitality Technology, and Black Box Intelligence. She is a proud graduate of the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) and lives in Phoenix with her husband and two children.

More about Datassential:
Datassential is the data insights platform influencing what’s next on your plate and in your glass. Through a suite of intelligence tools, software solutions and an unlimited data library, Datassential guides the biggest names in food and beverage on what’s next for the industry and how to stay ahead of it. For additional information, visit: https://datassential.com.

Email Megan: mailto:meganl@datassential.com.

Examining the LTO Craze

Marxist analysis of current events and scientific socialist theoretical insights from the CPGB-ML. Get educated and get organised!

Rosati Ice - The Original Italian Water Ice. Company founded in 1912 - Over 100 years of Smiles!  Looking forward to 100 more.  School seasonal cups fit the USDA nutritional guidelines for school lunch programs.  Two Quart Party Pails nd 10 oz cups of Rosati Ice available at Acme and Weis Markets. Window open in Clifton Heights afternoons and weekends during 2015 season.
Enjoy the delicious, smooth taste of Rosati Italian Ice.   

The Food Institute Podcast leverages the Food Institute's 90-plus-year history to provide actionable information and insight to food industry professionals.

New tracks tagged #Food industry