Nosh Staff

Alison Cayne is the founder of Haven’s Kitchen, a company focused on crafting healthy sauces to help home cooks make meals easier and faster. The brand’s offerings are refrigerated, vegan and gluten-free, and differ from shelf-stable products that contain additives and preservatives.

In this episode, Patagonia Provisions managing director Birgit Cameron spoke about the origins and development of the brand, a food and beverage offshoot of outdoor apparel giant Patagonia. She also discussed the opportunities and challenges of being aligned with its parent company and why its uncommon innovation strategy is critical to its overarching mission.

Candi Haas is the co-founder of Core + Rind, a company that has developed shelf-stable and clean label plant-based cashew cheesy sauce. As culinary nutrition experts, the founders are focused on serving healthy, all-natural foods to their target market of millennial women.

As part of a wide-ranging interview, Mamma Chia founder/CEO Janie Hoffman spoke about the origins of her brand and how she created a foundation for its rapid ascent. She also discussed a painful lesson about hiring for experience versus cultural fit, explained her belief that “you can’t teach attitude” and why everyday happiness starts with a joyful spirit.

Ellis Fried is the Founder & CEO of SMPL, a brand that aims to make health and wellness living simple with on-the-go snacks packed with superfoods and adaptogens. Its first SKUs showcase functional ingredients such as CBD, activated charcoal and pine pollen, and are free from dairy, soy, gluten and refined sugar.

Nearly 20 years ago Jesse Laflamme came home from college to find his family’s egg brand, Pete and Gerry’s, on the precipice. In this episode, Laflamme spoke about how the company not only got back on its feet, but also excelled beyond anyone’s expectations.

Aaron Gailmor is the founder and CEO of Brass Roots, a puff snack brand from New Orleans. The mission-based company has developed high protein salty snacks for young parents that can feel good about sharing it with their kids.

Brenden Schaefer is the Founder & CEO of Bright Foods, a line of refrigerated bars made with whole organic fruits and vegetables, adaptogens, probiotics and prebiotics. The brand’s clean label, vegan and gluten-free HPP products launched less than a year ago in Whole Foods.

In this episode, Chris Hollod, a venture capitalist focused on early-stage consumer brands, discussed his investment philosophy and why digital strategy is at the top of his list when evaluating brands. He also explained why he believes that his job requires him to not only to follow and facilitate innovation, but to predict it.

Jeanne David is the Founder and CEO of Outer Aisle Gourmet, a plant-forward company that has developed pizza crust and sandwich thins with just 3 key ingredients: cauliflower, eggs and parmesan cheese. The brand aims to transform the American diet with its low carb, low glycemic and gluten-free products.