NOSH Live Winter 2021NOSH Live

WINTER 2021 | DEC 2+3 | SANTA MONICA
This is a past event. Replay all presentations and view upcoming events.

The Venue

Industry Stars Speak on Lessons Learned & The Future of the Industry

All-Star speakers from established and up-and-coming brands inspire action through topics your business can apply now, like: lessons in growth, branding and marketing, how to raise and use capital, navigating the ever-changing state of retail, harvesting and harnessing customer insights and using data to make decisions. Industry experts drop knowledge on innovation, the investment climate and the future of the industry.


You’re running a business. Our on-stage content is curated for co-founders, CEOs, CMOs, COOs, revenue leaders and decision makers from across your organization.

 

NOSH Live Winter 2021 Speakers

  • Kabir Jain, Chief Growth Officer, Erewhon - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kabir Jain

    Chief Growth Officer, Erewhon

    Kabir Jain, Chief Growth Officer, Erewhon - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kabir Jain

    Chief Growth Officer, Erewhon

    Kabir Jain is the Chief Growth Officer at Erewhon, a Los Angeles based organic grocer & café. Since joining Erewhon in 2019, Kabir has focused on growth across membership, marketing, ecommerce, partnerships and more. Prior to Erewhon, he worked in consumer growth equity at TSG Consumer Partners and Butterfly Equity investing in food & beverage brands including Duckhorn Wine, Stumptown Coffee, Bolthouse Farms, and others. Kabir is an Austin native now living in LA with his wife and puppy.

  • Cynthia Tice, Founder, Lily's Sweets - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Cynthia Tice

    Founder, Lily's Sweets

    Cynthia Tice, Founder, Lily's Sweets - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Cynthia Tice

    Founder, Lily's Sweets

    Cynthia Tice got her start in the natural foods industry before green juice was cool. She opened a natural foods grocery store, Center Foods, in Philadelphia in 1978, and owned and operated that store for 20 years. As supermarkets realized the staying power of natural and organic foods, Tice began consulting retailers on how to launch or build out their natural and organic offerings. She also began advising brands looking to launch natural and organic products. While working with a client who wanted to launch a natural soda, Tice became aware of the opportunity for naturally sweetened, no added sugar foods. This trend was emerging because of growing consumer sentiments to limit sugar, along with all time high levels of distrust of non-nutritive artificial sweeteners. As a long-time user of stevia, when the ingredient was granted GRAS status in 2008, Tice began experimenting with making chocolate with stevia to satisfy her own need for a no added sugar chocolate (her favorite food) that she could eat daily. In 2011, the recipe was perfected using not only stevia, but also the finest Fair Trade, additive-free, and Non-GMO other ingredients in order to benefit both people and planet. By 2012, Lily's Sweets was on shelves in Whole Foods stores nationwide. Today, Lily's Sweets remains a leader in the no added sugar movement through continued innovation, and the company's chocolates and confections can be found in more than 24,000 stores nationwide. Lily's Sweets has been recognized by Forbes as a, "mission-driven company reinventing the packaged food industry.” Cynthia stepped away from the daily running of Lily’s in 2018, and spends her time working with Non-Profits, and mentoring young entrepreneurs. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Dennis, of 30+ years, near her parents, her children, and their spouses/partners, and four family dogs!

  • Wayne Wu, General Partner, VMG - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Wayne Wu

    General Partner, VMG

    Wayne Wu, General Partner, VMG - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Wayne Wu

    General Partner, VMG

    Wayne Wu is a General Partner at VMG and cohost of VMG’s Unfinished Biz podcast. He currently serves on the board of Ancient Nutrition, Hello Bello, Milton's, Nutpods and Velocity Snack Brands among other brands within the portfolio. Previous board roles have included Babyganics, Justin’s, Lily’s and Perfect Snacks. VMG works intimately with founders and leaders of branded consumer product companies, providing the resources and guidance needed to propel them to their next level of growth and value. Beyond capital, our value-added investment philosophy commits our deep experience, strategic guidance and passionate focus to help our partners accelerate growth, brand awareness and achieve their own definition of success. Unfinished Biz focuses on the highs, lows, and challenges of being a Founder. Unfinished Biz hopes to make this journey more accessible to aspiring Founders and anyone interested in the ins and outs of running a business and building an emerging brand. VMG has worked closely and successfully with brands such as Ancient Nutrition, Babyganics, Briogeo, Drunk Elephant, Hello Bello, Justin's, KIND, Nature's Bakery, Lily’s, Perfect Snacks, Pretzel Crisps, Quest, Spindrift, Stone, SunBum, and Vega to name a few. The VMG team is excited to partner with the next generation of innovative, consumer product entrepreneurs, helping them to fully realize their founding vision to build iconic brands.

  • Jing Gao, Founder & CEO, Fly By Jing - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jing Gao

    Founder & CEO, Fly By Jing

    Jing Gao, Founder & CEO, Fly By Jing - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jing Gao

    Founder & CEO, Fly By Jing

    Jing Gao, the founder and CEO of Fly By Jing is a chef, entrepreneur and a renowned expert on Chinese cuisine on a mission to bring uncensored Chinese flavors to the table. She was born in Chengdu, but grew up everywhere, and uses her experience as a chef to share meaningful flavors that open people up to new ideas and conversations. She was the founder of an award-winning modern-Chinese fast casual restaurant in Shanghai and her work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Fortune, and more. About Fly By Jing Where highly charged flavors meet 100% real ingredients. Fly By Jing is the first premium Chinese food company that brings thoughtfully-crafted pantry staples to the modern kitchen. Developed by Jing Gao, a chef, entrepreneur and renowned expert on Chinese cuisine, we’re on a mission to bring uncensored Chinese flavors to the table.

  • Christina Pearson, Global Category Merchant - Meals, Whole Foods Market - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Christina Pearson

    Global Category Merchant - Meals, Whole Foods Market

    Christina Pearson, Global Category Merchant - Meals, Whole Foods Market - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Christina Pearson

    Global Category Merchant - Meals, Whole Foods Market

    In her current role, Christina Pearson helps lead merchandising for Whole Foods Market’s Global Flavor, Shelf Stable Condiments, Soup and Entrée and Mix categories. Christina and the global category merchant team work closely to bring in high-quality products that meet Whole Foods Market’s quality standards and elevating the at home culinary experience. Christina has been in the food industry since 2003, specializing in Purchasing and Category Management. Christina has 15 years of experience within Whole Foods Market, and previously spent 4 years at Wild Oats Market where she supported the Grocery Team in Long Beach, CA. Christina is personally passionate about innovation, supporting new and emerging brands, and finding solutions for Whole Foods Market Customers.

  • Gail Becker, Founder & CEO, CAULIPOWER - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Gail Becker

    Founder & CEO, CAULIPOWER

    Gail Becker, Founder & CEO, CAULIPOWER - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Gail Becker

    Founder & CEO, CAULIPOWER

    Gail is the Founder and CEO of CAULIPOWER. Her career has spanned the media, politics and business during which she has held executive roles at Warner Bros., Edelman and the US Department of Health & Human Services. As the mom of two boys with celiac disease, Gail grew tired of searching for healthier alternatives that were easy to make and tasted great. Knowing she couldn’t be alone, she left her corporate job and launched CAULIPOWER in 2017. Today, CAULIPOWER is America’s #1 Cauliflower Crust Pizza, #1 Gluten-Free Pizza, and a top 10 frozen pizza brand in the total market in addition to being named one of Nielsen’s Breakthrough Innovators. As the company continues to expand into various categories including chicken tenders, pasta, and riced cauliflower, it remains Gail’s mission to eliminate the need for consumers to ever have to choose between taste, health, and convenience.

  • Nick Ajluni, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, TRUFF Hot Sauce - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Nick Ajluni

    Co-Founder & Co-CEO, TRUFF Hot Sauce

    Nick Ajluni, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, TRUFF Hot Sauce - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Nick Ajluni

    Co-Founder & Co-CEO, TRUFF Hot Sauce

    Nick Ajluni is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of TRUFF Hot Sauce. Nick attended the Business Honors program at Cal State Fullerton, where he met his future business partner, Nick Guillen. As a 17-year-old freshman, Nick started promoting night clubs and events at local venues for popular rap artists. Nick loved moonlighting for the clubs, but wanted to start his own ventures. As a sophomore and newly 18, Nick launched NixFix Chasers, a powdered beverage designed to reduce the effects of hangovers. In conjunction with the beverage brand, he founded NixFix Events, an event company that hosted club-style events at various venues throughout Orange County. Each event saw over 1,000 attendees, and with the company quickly gaining attention, Nick knew it was time to level up his marketing strategy. He decided to release a promotional video that received over 20,000 views in just two days. Nick submitted NixFix Chasers in the CSUF Business Plan contest and placed second out of 80 contestants for his idea. That same year, the Business Honors program expelled Nick because his GPA was “too low and insufficient for their students,” something Nick felt was ironic since he spent his time actually creating a business in business school. After graduating college, Nick moved to Los Angeles and former peer Nick Guillen proposed the idea of creating a viral food and lifestyle blog, @sauce, together. They quickly grew a large following on the account and ideated a CPG product that their audience would eagerly welcome. In December of 2017, TRUFF, a truffle hot sauce with viral appeal, was born.

  • Nick Guillen, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, TRUFF Hot Sauce - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Nick Guillen

    Co-Founder & Co-CEO, TRUFF Hot Sauce

    Nick Guillen, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, TRUFF Hot Sauce - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Nick Guillen

    Co-Founder & Co-CEO, TRUFF Hot Sauce

    Nick Guillen is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of TRUFF Hot Sauce. Nick was a competitive golfer throughout high school and got his first job at a public golf course in California. He identified a unique side-hustle opportunity while caddying. With a surplus of used golf balls and gold club covers lying idly at the club, Nick decided to upcycle and sell these items on eBay. This was Nick’s first taste for e-commerce and where he found his passion for entrepreneurship. After high school, Nick enrolled at Cal State Fullerton where he played on the Division 1 Golf Team. He continued his golf upcycling business, but became hungry for a new gig. Following his gut, Nick launched an online cell phone and iPad accessory company along with a subscription vape liquid business during his junior year. Both businesses failed, but Nick learned crucial lessons in e-commerce, web development, and social media. As a serial entrepreneur, Nick found it difficult to balance his businesses with his extracurriculars, athletics, and education. Thus, Nick quit the golf team and began to focus his energy on growing his finances. He began working full-time at Geospatial Data Company as a sales associate. Here, Nick expanded his understanding of marketing, data, demographics, and engaging with customers online. After working at GDC for a year, a tech headhunting firm recruited Nick. He graciously accepted the offer and gained a knack for identifying key talent within the tech and marketing industries. Throughout his time at the firm, Nick discovered his passion for social media. Obsessed with Instagram hacking, he started scooping up handles like @funemployer, @technology, @techstaffing, @techrecruiter, and @sauce. While Nick was pleased with all of the account handles he acquired, one stood out: @sauce. His entrepreneurial gears began to turn, so he decided to call old college friend (soon-to-be business partner) Nick Ajluni. Nick shared his ideas for the @sauce account with Ajluni and with little convincing, he was on board. They began scheduling daily Skype sessions to talk through ideas, strategies, and goals. Their mission was to create not only the best tasting hot sauce in the world, but one with a whole new approach to the market. They were going to create a digitally native product with an intense focus on social media and direct-to-consumer engagement. With Ajluni on board, Nick decided to quit his day job to pursue TRUFF to its full potential. Since Nick was out of work and needed income, he turned to Uber for cash but managed to capitalize beyond the app’s capabilities. He started selling snapbacks out of Uber and called the business KRANIYUM. Using his social media flair, Nick started growth hacking the @kraniyum account and built a community of passionate fans and customers within the skateboarding, art, and music scenes. Leveraging his experience with e-commerce, he started an online store and began running ads. Although an expensive venture, Nick gained the necessary exposure in media buying, influencer marketing and email marketing. While Nick was growing the KRANIYUM brand, the momentum for TRUFF was building behind the scenes. As the TRUFF brand became more tangible, Nick sold KRANIYUM and went all-in with the business.

  • Gavin Konkel, Vice President Of Merchandising, Center Store, Earth Fare - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Gavin Konkel

    Vice President Of Merchandising, Center Store, Earth Fare

    Gavin Konkel, Vice President Of Merchandising, Center Store, Earth Fare - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Gavin Konkel

    Vice President Of Merchandising, Center Store, Earth Fare

    I grew up the middle child of 5 on a 600 cow dairy farm in rural Hesperia, MI. This was very much a family farm with little outside help and as all of us kids grew on the farm – so did our tasks and responsibilities and so did my eagerness to learn all of the things I could from my Mom and Dad. Dairy farming is a ton of work and very similar to retail grocery, 365 days a year, 24/7. One of the cooler accomplishments on the farm has been personally delivering over 1000 baby calves – incredibly rewarding being a part of that. From farming – my parents strongly encouraged all of us kids to go to college. I studied Food/Consumer Packaged Goods Marketing at Western Michigan University and graduated from there in 2010. It was a major that made sense to me as I had an agriculture background and figured I’d try to make my parents proud staying in the dairy business which was my original intention. I’ve held several jobs initially working for Pepsico as a Sales Rep, moving onto Prairie Farms Dairy as a Key Account Manager focusing on retaining and obtaining new business and then the last 5 or so years working in Category Management as a Dairy/Frozen CM for Fresh Thyme, Sales Director in the Meat Alternative World and now as the Director of Grocery for the rejuvenated Earth Fare. Retail Grocery is a passion of mine and I’m incredibly humbled by the opportunity that I have today with Earth Fare. I love staying active, working out, hiking, and spending time with my Fiance, Kathy and our two pets, Chester and Cocoa (cat + dog). Kathy and I are getting married at the end of April in 2021 in Asheville, NC where we reside and we are very excited about that.

  • Matt Jung, CEO, Last Crumb - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Matt Jung

    CEO, Last Crumb

    Matt Jung, CEO, Last Crumb - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Matt Jung

    CEO, Last Crumb

    Matt Jung is the CEO of https://lastcrumb.com/, the luxury cookie company that combines a high-end lifestyle experience with indulgent cookies. Jung brings more than 15 years of experience as a brand founder, business consultant and strategist to Last Crumb to help develop everything from the brand’s go to market strategy to team development, marketing initiatives and more. Prior to launching Last Crumb, Matt worked as a freelance consultant and strategist focused on operations and marketing, working to scale consumer-driven businesses. An entrepreneur at heart, Jung started his career by founding Wellen, a men’s lifestyle brand that he later sold to http://Huckberry.com. Additionally, Jung co-founded Likewise, a marketplace connecting freelance creatives with brands that bootstrapped to a $1M run rate in six months before closing its first investment round. Jung currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife and daughter. When he’s not working on Last Crumb, he enjoys golfing, traveling, cooking and playing with his dog Harriet. Of note, http://www.lastcrumb.com/ announced their completed seed financing round led by angel investors in both the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry and entertainment sector in September, which would be a great timely hook. In just a few months since launch, Last Crumb has disrupted the cookie industry by introducing a premium, first-of-its-kind cookie experience inspired by high-end streetwear and designer goods. This funding round will be used to expand Last Crumb’s flagship kitchen in Los Angeles and to make key hires internally to support the increased demand. Those involved in the seed financing round include global EDM entertainer, Zedd; founder of management label Electric Feel, Austin Rosen; co-founders of TRUFF Hot Sauce, Nick Ajluni and Nick Guillen; founder of Larry & Lenny’s Cookies, Barry Turner; Riverside Ventures Syndicate; The Barn Fund; Nik Sharma, Room 9; and Michael Silverstein, private equity investor and board member for a myriad of high-growth CPG brands.

  • Ashley Alden, VP of Merchandising, Foxtrot - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Ashley Alden

    VP of Merchandising, Foxtrot

    Ashley Alden, VP of Merchandising, Foxtrot - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Ashley Alden

    VP of Merchandising, Foxtrot

    Ashley Alden is the VP of Merchandising at Foxtrot, a digitally native evolution of the neighborhood corner store. She leads the merchandising team in curating a unique mix of products that are a reflection of the consumer and their city. Whether it’s wine and craft beer or local eats and everyday essentials, Ashley is passionate about seeking out the latest trends while supporting local makers, small businesses and entrepreneurs in growing their businesses on Foxtrot’s shelves.

  • Mac Anderson, Co-founder and CMO, Cleveland Kitchen - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Mac Anderson

    Co-founder and CMO, Cleveland Kitchen

    Mac Anderson, Co-founder and CMO, Cleveland Kitchen - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Mac Anderson

    Co-founder and CMO, Cleveland Kitchen

    Mac Anderson is the Co-Founder and CMO of Cleveland Kitchen, the maker of gourmet, delicious fermented foods, formerly known as Cleveland Kraut. Mac, along with his brothers Drew and Luke founded Cleveland Kitchen as a way for more Americans to easily and deliciously incorporate fermented foods into their diets and reap the gut-health benefits of regularly consuming fermented products.

  • Jane Miller, Former CEO, Lily's Sweets - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jane Miller

    Former CEO, Lily's Sweets

    Jane Miller, Former CEO, Lily's Sweets - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jane Miller

    Former CEO, Lily's Sweets

    Jane Miller has 30-years of executive experience in the food industry. She has worked with both start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. She is also the founder of Janeknows.com, a career advice website geared towards young leaders starting their careers. Jane is the author of Sleep your Way to the Top (and other myths about business success), a sassy business book targeted at Millennials. Jane is currently the CEO of Lily’s Sweets and has held several other CEO roles in the natural and organic industry, including Rudi’s Bakery, ProYo High Protein Ice Cream, and HannahMax Cookie Chips. Over the course of her career Jane was part of an executive team that brought Hostess out of bankruptcy, worked for HJ Heinz as the Chief Growth Officer and then the President of the UK & Ireland Division. She also ran the Western division of Bestfoods Baking. Jane spent the first fourteen years of her career at PepsiCo, where she rose to be the President of the Central division of Frito-Lay. Jane currently serves as a board member at the University of Colorado Leeds Business School and Eldorado Springs Artesian Water. In 2013 the Denver Business Journal named Jane the Lifetime Achievement Award Winner for her work mentoring young professionals and start-ups. Her other honors include the Boulder Chamber of Commerce’s Women Who Light the Community Award in 2015 and the Naturally Boulder Industry Leader Award in 2016. In 2015, Jane established the Jane Knows Scholarship Fund at Leeds supporting students who are the first in their family to go to college. In 2018, Leeds recognized Jane with a non-alumni service award. Jane has a degree in Russian Studies from Knox College in Galesburg, IL, where she received a 2017 Alumni Achievement Award. She earned her MBA degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

  • Kris Meulen, Chief Development Officer, The Hershey Company - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kris Meulen

    Chief Development Officer, The Hershey Company

    Kris Meulen, Chief Development Officer, The Hershey Company - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kris Meulen

    Chief Development Officer, The Hershey Company

    Kris Meulen is the Chief Development Officer for The Hershey Company, where he has responsibility for Global M&A and Corporate Development. Kris has played a leadership role in building Hershey’s non-confection snacking portfolio through acquisitions and streamlining the business by divesting non-core domestic and international assets. He started and manages Hershey’s internal C7 venture arm, and was the Chief Financial Officer of Amplify Snacks during its acquisition and integration of Pirate’s Booty snacks. He also had responsibility for Hershey’s One Bar Nutrition platform after its acquisition in late 2019. Before joining Hershey, Kris was with Anheuser-Busch InBev, where he was Vice President of M&A and had responsibility for the VC arm within ZX Ventures, the global growth and innovation group within AB InBev. Prior to AB InBev, he was an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley and served as an Associate Director of Investment Banking at UBS Investment Bank. Kris started his career in technology having spent time working at CCC Information Services and was a founding member of DriveLogic an ecommerce start-up. Kris has a bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics, Statistics and Economics from the University of Chicago and earned an MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

  • Sashee Chandran, Founder & CEO, Tea Drops - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Sashee Chandran

    Founder & CEO, Tea Drops

    Sashee Chandran, Founder & CEO, Tea Drops - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Sashee Chandran

    Founder & CEO, Tea Drops

    Sashee Chandran is founder and CEO of Tea Drops, which creates bagless whole leaf teas using a patented process — shedding about 15% less waste than traditional tea bag packaging. Tea Drops has become a favorite among new and experienced tea drinkers alike, launching innovative tea experiences that merge flavorful blends, food art and edgy design. Tea Drops is an omni-channel brand, selling D2C and also available in 2,000 retailers — loved by Oprah Magazine, Chrissy Teigen, and former first lady Michelle Obama. Sashee is a 1st Place $20K Women Founders Network pitch winner, 1st Place $100K Tory Burch Fellow Grant winner, and the 1st place $50K PepsiCo WomanMade Challenge winner. She has also raised over $8.4M in VC funding for Tea Drops.

  • Jolie Weber, CEO, Lenny & Larry's - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jolie Weber

    CEO, Lenny & Larry's

  • Allan Mai, Chief Product Officer, Acid League - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Allan Mai

    Chief Product Officer, Acid League

    Allan Mai, Chief Product Officer, Acid League - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Allan Mai

    Chief Product Officer, Acid League

    Growing up just outside of Toronto encouraged an appreciation for many cuisines and food in general. Allan also grew up working in his parents’ consumer electronics business which encouraged an appreciation for entrepreneurship. While attaining his BA in Economics he fell even more deeply in love with food. This obsession led to him to briefly meander through the culinary world and eventually end up attaining a BS in Food Science. While studying food science he started Souper, a direct-to-consumer soup business. This experience alongside the experiences of working for larger food companies in product development as well as consulting for smaller brands helped him understand that his interests lay in bringing innovative food products to market.

  • Cole Pearsall, Chief Sales Officer, Acid League - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Cole Pearsall

    Chief Sales Officer, Acid League

    Cole Pearsall, Chief Sales Officer, Acid League - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Cole Pearsall

    Chief Sales Officer, Acid League

    A Toronto native, Cole’s passion for food culture has led him on a delicious journey around the world and within the industry. Along with years of experience working front/back of house in food service, he also holds a BSc from the University of Guelph Food Science program where he met Acid League co-founder, Allan Mai. He started his professional career working as the resident Food Scientist at the Future Food Studio. While there, he helped engineer products like the “edible cloud” and design food experiences at the WNDR Museum in Chicago. Cole’s excitement in food design led him to start Citrus Soul during his undergrad. A social dinner project, Citrus Soul has been an outlet to express appreciation of food and its associated experiences on a small scale. Its intention is to facilitate a setting that brings together innovative and unique individuals for an opportunity to learn, collaborate and share ideas.

  • Eugene Kang, Co-founder & CEO, Country Archer Provisions - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Eugene Kang

    Co-founder & CEO, Country Archer Provisions

    Eugene Kang, Co-founder & CEO, Country Archer Provisions - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Eugene Kang

    Co-founder & CEO, Country Archer Provisions

    Eugene Kang is a force within the meat snack industry who has helped change the face of the multi-billion-dollar category with his company’s real, responsibly sourced, clean-ingredient jerky and sticks. Acquiring the brand at only 22 years young, Kang has propelled Country Archer Provisions from a small roadside jerky stand to the number one, fastest-growing, better-for-you jerky brand in the U.S. Kang holds a coveted spot as a Forbes 30 Under 30 All Star Alumnus and is frequently tapped by top-tier press for his leadership expertise and commentary on industry trends. He’s been featured in ABC News, Inc., Entrepreneur, Fortune, Money Magazine and many more. Under his leadership, Country Archer has also been ranked on the Inc. 500/5000 list as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. for multiple years running. Now celebrating its 10th year, Country Archer recently launched its first Plant Based Jerky after identifying an opportunity to bring a clean plant based jerky to a small but rapidly growing category. This was part of Kang’s ongoing pursuit to redefine the jerky set to serve consumers seeking cleaner, better-for-you snack options.

  • Laurie Demeritt, CEO, The Hartman Group - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Laurie Demeritt

    CEO, The Hartman Group

    Laurie Demeritt, CEO, The Hartman Group - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Laurie Demeritt

    CEO, The Hartman Group

    Laurie drives the vision, strategy and operations for The Hartman Group, a consultancy focused on identifying demand-side trends in the food and beverage industry. Laurie oversees client projects focused on issues of portfolio management, brand renovation, consumer insights and innovation. A nationally recognized authority on consumer behavior and culture, Laurie received her MBA from the University of Washington and her BA from Cornell University.

  • Dana Peck, Co-Founder & CEO, Pilot R&D and Render Foods - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Dana Peck

    Co-Founder & CEO, Pilot R&D and Render Foods

    Dana Peck, Co-Founder & CEO, Pilot R&D and Render Foods - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Dana Peck

    Co-Founder & CEO, Pilot R&D and Render Foods

    Dana Peck is a Co-Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Pilot R&D and Render Foods. Pilot R&D is a leading culinary innovation and product development lab that collaborates with brands across the industry to craft the next generation of food and beverages. Render Foods seeks to build a new model of CPG brand focused on experiential products. Dana has a diverse background with expertise in food, business and law. Prior to co-founding Pilot R&D and Render Foods, Dana was a corporate lawyer focused on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and joint ventures, and, prior to that, a retail buyer for Williams-Sonoma Inc. Dana has also spent time cooking in pastry kitchens under prestigious chefs such as Claudia Fleming at Gramercy Tavern, Larry Hayden at Union Square Café, Elizabeth Falkner at Citizen Cake and Orson, and Alex Stupak at WD-50. Dana has a B.A. from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan.

  • Samantha Abrams, Co-Founder, Emmy's Organics - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Samantha Abrams

    Co-Founder, Emmy's Organics

  • David Greenfeld, Co-founder and CEO, Dream Pops - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    David Greenfeld

    Co-founder and CEO, Dream Pops

  • Jill Bommarito, President & Founder, Ethel's Baking Company  - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jill Bommarito

    President & Founder, Ethel's Baking Company

  • Bill Kelly, General Manager, Emmy's Organics - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Bill Kelly

    General Manager, Emmy's Organics

    Bill Kelly, General Manager, Emmy's Organics - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Bill Kelly

    General Manager, Emmy's Organics

    Bill got his start in the natural foods / healthy living space over 30 years ago. Prior to working with Emmy’s, Bill had a financial consulting business with clients in various industries including natural foods. He started working with Ian & Samantha (co-founders) at Emmy’s as a fractional CFO back in 2015, ultimately joining the team full-time as their CEO in January of 2018. Bill helped lead the team to their ultimate acquisition by Bimbo Bakeries USA this past May. The entire Emmy’s team was kept on after the acquisition and Bill is currently the General Manager of Emmy’s Ithaca, NY operation. He lives in Carlsbad, CA with his wife, Kris, of 36 years. They have four adult children and became grandparents for the first time in October.

  • Jay Novak, Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jay Novak

    Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey

    Jay Novak, Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jay Novak

    Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey

    Mr. Novak is the Global Head of Houlihan Lokey’s Consumer, Food & Retail Group. He focuses most of his time leading transactions in the high-growth segments within Food & Beverage, including the better-for-you and health and wellness brands. He serves on the firm’s Management Committee and leads a group of over 100 consumer professionals worldwide. Since joining Houlihan Lokey in 1996, Mr. Novak has led more than 250 corporate finance engagements involving M&A, debt financings, and corporate restructurings. He has handled assignments for food, consumer products, retail, entertainment, and manufacturing companies. Prior to joining Houlihan Lokey, Mr. Novak spent five years in international investment banking, serving highly leveraged middle-market and Fortune 500 multinational corporate clients, primarily in consumer-branded goods. Mr. Novak also spent two years in the investment banking department at Kidder, Peabody & Co., where he specialized in M&A and debt and equity underwriting.

  • Stu Strumwasser, Managing Director, Green Circle Capital Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Stu Strumwasser

    Managing Director, Green Circle Capital Partners

    Stu Strumwasser, Managing Director, Green Circle Capital Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Stu Strumwasser

    Managing Director, Green Circle Capital Partners

    Stu is the Founder and a Managing Director at Green Circle Capital Partners. The firm has an investment banking division called Green Circle Capital Advisors (focused on natural products) and a venture capital division called Green Circle Foodtech Ventures which just closed on its first Fund with which to invest in food-related technologies.

  • Kurt Kaiser, Business Development Leader, UpClear - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kurt Kaiser

    Business Development Leader, UpClear

    Kurt Kaiser, Business Development Leader, UpClear - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kurt Kaiser

    Business Development Leader, UpClear

    The money you spend on promotions -or Trade Spending – especially in highly-promoted categories, is like the kind of tidal wave that big wave surfers search for. These waves start out small but grow into monsters as conditions change in an environment that is conducive to chaos. If you haven’t ridden the wave yet, this session will help you understand what conditions lead to growth in both bottom-line money and business process complexity. If you’re on a wave now, you’ll leave this forum with strategies that will help your team ride it with confidence.

  • Jeremy Halpern, Partner; Co-Chair Food and Beverage Group, Nutter - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jeremy Halpern

    Partner; Co-Chair Food and Beverage Group, Nutter

    Jeremy Halpern, Partner; Co-Chair Food and Beverage Group, Nutter - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jeremy Halpern

    Partner; Co-Chair Food and Beverage Group, Nutter

    Jeremy Halpern is a partner and co-chairs and serves as the Director of Business Development for Nutter’s Emerging Companies Group. Jeremy’s practice focuses on emerging companies, private equity, venture capital and angel financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, executive and team compensation matters, and general start-up support. Serving as the firm’s entrepreneur-in-residence, Jeremy often works on strategy and corporate development matters with companies, investors, and executives in technology, life sciences and the food and beverage industry. Jeremy is an active angel investor and is a member of the board of The Capital Network, a Boston based non-profit serving entrepreneurs seeking high growth capital. Jeremy serves on the Advisory Board and the Executive Education Committee of the MBI Health Program and on the Advisory Board of Pintley, a MassChallenge 2011 finalist company providing marketing solutions to the craft brewers and bars. He continues to serve as a mentor at MassChallenge and LearnLaunch, an expert advisor at the Innovation Hub at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and as a speaker, reviewer, judge or mentor for MIT HackingMedicine, HackingPediatrics, the Mass Tech Transfer Center, the Mass Life Science Center, M2D2, BranchFood and Startup Institute. Previously Jeremy served on the Board and Investment Committee of MassVentures, an early stage venture capital fund funding technology companies in Massachusetts. Jeremy taught entrepreneurial leadership at Tufts University for nine years and cofounded a company in the mobile technology synchronization space. Jeremy received his B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California, Berkeley, and his J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles.

  • Brandon Ng, Vice President, Houlihan Lokey - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Brandon Ng

    Vice President, Houlihan Lokey

    Brandon Ng, Vice President, Houlihan Lokey - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Brandon Ng

    Vice President, Houlihan Lokey

    Mr. Ng is a Vice President in Houlihan Lokey’s Consumer, Food & Retail Group, focused on providing investment banking and M&A advisory services to consumer companies, with a specific focus on the high-growth emerging branded food & beverage / active nutrition space. Since joining Houlihan Lokey in 2014, Mr. Ng has worked on a variety of engagements including sell-side M&A transactions of some of the biggest category disrupters, other corporate finance assignments, and fairness opinions, including 20 sell-side M&A transactions in the healthy, active, and sustainable living industry. Additionally, he served in the Air Force for two years and competed on the Singapore National Youth Water Polo Team.

  • AnaMaria Friede, Executive Leader – Breakfast, Baking, Meals Essentials, Whole Foods - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    AnaMaria Friede

    Executive Leader – Breakfast, Baking, Meals Essentials, Whole Foods

    AnaMaria Friede, Executive Leader – Breakfast, Baking, Meals Essentials, Whole Foods - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    AnaMaria Friede

    Executive Leader – Breakfast, Baking, Meals Essentials, Whole Foods

    AnaMaria Friede has deep experience in the world of food. She currently leads a team that drives the purchasing strategy and execution for Breakfast, Baking, Meals, Household Essentials, Baby and Pet Categories. She strives to deliver a positive impact on the world. She has a passion for broadening the selection of high quality products, building deeper relationships with supplier communities around the world and advancing environmental stewardship initiatives. Since joining Whole Foods Market in 2004, AnaMaria has led supply chain process improvement projects and has advanced quality standards for Canned Seafood and Household cleaners categories. AnaMaria was recently recognized with the Whole Foods Market’s 2021 All Star Award in recognition for excellence in leadership. Before joining Whole Foods Market, AnaMaria worked for Ahold USA in several merchandising roles. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from C.E.S.A in Bogota Colombia, where was born and raised. She also has an MBA from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY and currently lives in Austin, TX with her husband and two children.

  • Johnny Tran, Senior Business Development Manager, 301INC - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Johnny Tran

    Senior Business Development Manager, 301INC

    Johnny Tran, Senior Business Development Manager, 301INC - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Johnny Tran

    Senior Business Development Manager, 301INC

    Johnny is a Sr. Business Development Manager at 301inc, General Mills’ Venture Capital arm. Prior to joining 301inc, he was a Brand Manager on a number of General Mills’ platforms, including Progresso Soup, Pillsbury, Cereal, and Snacking. Before his time at General Mills, he was a Project Manager in a construction firm by day and a breaking dancing instructor by night. Johnny holds an MBA from UVA’s Darden School of Business and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University.

  • Danielle LiVolsi, Founder and CEO, Nuttzo - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Danielle LiVolsi

    Founder and CEO, Nuttzo

    Danielle LiVolsi, Founder and CEO, Nuttzo - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Danielle LiVolsi

    Founder and CEO, Nuttzo

    Danielle is the founder and CEO of NuttZo, which has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most innovative brands in the natural food movement. Its product line ranges from multi-nut and seed butters to suit every palate (including keto, paleo and vegan palates), to a five-seed butter called Tahini Fusion, to superfood-rich snack bars for stellar on-the-go nutrition. When she launched Nuttzo in 2008, Danielle also co-founded Project Left Behind (PLB), a non-profit whose mission is to help orphaned and disadvantaged children in Peru. PLB is supported by every sale of NuttZo products.

  • Heidi Traore, Business Development Manager, National Co+op Grocers - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Heidi Traore

    Business Development Manager, National Co+op Grocers

    Heidi Traore, Business Development Manager, National Co+op Grocers - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Heidi Traore

    Business Development Manager, National Co+op Grocers

    Heidi Traore has been a passionate member of the US natural products industry since the late 1980s and currently serves as supplier relationship development manager for National Co+op Grocers (NCG), a business services and purchasing co-op with $2.5 billion in annual sales serving 148 US retail food co-op members. An established sales and marketing professional, Heidi worked with NCG’s category management team on solidifying a fact based business approach through targeted bi-annual business planning events that have enhanced business relationships and created efficiencies for her organization and its partners. Under her leadership, NCG promotional program revenue grew 69% over a four-year period. Through collaborations within cooperative supply chains, Heidi has been instrumental in bringing exclusive products produced by co-ops or made with cooperatively sourced ingredients to market at retail food co-ops. Most recently she is working to establish a supplier diversity system that will seek to diversify NCG’s supply chain.

  • Bryan Kreske, General Manager, Hormel Foods Venturing and Incubator Unit - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Bryan Kreske

    General Manager, Hormel Foods Venturing and Incubator Unit

    Bryan Kreske, General Manager, Hormel Foods Venturing and Incubator Unit - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Bryan Kreske

    General Manager, Hormel Foods Venturing and Incubator Unit

    Bryan currently works on the future of food and technology leading Hormel Foods venturing and incubator unit. He has 20+ years of food industry experience in brand management, new business development, and sales strategy.

  • Robert Brown, Managing Partner, Encore Consumer Capital - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Robert Brown

    Managing Partner, Encore Consumer Capital

    Robert Brown, Managing Partner, Encore Consumer Capital - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Robert Brown

    Managing Partner, Encore Consumer Capital

    Robert co-founded Encore Consumer Capital in 2005. He is Chairman of Encore portfolio companies Ancient Harvest and Tender Belly and a director of Love Wellness, Navitas Organics, and Supergoop!. Robert was the Chairman of former Encore portfolio companies Aidells Sausage Company, Atlantic Aqua Farms, California Splendor, Caterina Foods, Isopure, PhillySwirl and tarte and was a Director at Thanasi Foods.

  • Joe Rhodes, Co-Founder, Hummingbird Equity Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Joe Rhodes

    Co-Founder, Hummingbird Equity Partners

    Joe Rhodes, Co-Founder, Hummingbird Equity Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Joe Rhodes

    Co-Founder, Hummingbird Equity Partners

    Joe is the Co-Founder of Hummingbird Equity Partners, the President of Lenny & Larry’s LLC and the Founder of Stockton Road Capital. He has been an active investor in the health & wellness industry having invested in leading brands such as: Lenny & Larry’s, Nutiva, Three Ships Beauty, Daiya Foods, Jamieson Wellness, Airborne, Culturelle, Rudi’s Organic Bakery, and Designer Protein among others.

  • Carol Ortenberg, Editor, NOSH - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Carol Ortenberg

    Editor, NOSH

    Carol Ortenberg, Editor, NOSH - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Carol Ortenberg

    Editor, NOSH

    Carol is the Editor of NOSH, BevNet’s media property focusing on Natural, Healthy, Sustainable and Organic food products. Carol previously worked and consulted for several consumer goods companies, many within the food space. She also was on the marketing team for Whole Foods Market in the North Atlantic region. Prior to focusing on the food industry, Carol worked at several tech companies, including HubSpot, and served as a consumer researcher at AMP Agency. A graduate of Brandeis University in Journalism, Cultural Anthropology and Theater Arts, Carol is passionate about the food, agriculture and beverage industries.

  • Erin Cabrey, Reporter, NOSH.com - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Erin Cabrey

    Reporter, NOSH.com

  • Liz Myslik, Partner, Loft Growth Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Liz Myslik

    Partner, Loft Growth Partners

    Liz Myslik, Partner, Loft Growth Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Liz Myslik

    Partner, Loft Growth Partners

    At Loft Growth Partners, Liz invests in and supports visionary brands that solve real consumer needs and lead with purpose, including No Cow, Back To The Roots, Good Karma Foods, Fat Snax, and Seaweed Bath Company. Before becoming an investor, Liz spent nearly 20 years leading emerging consumer brands across the food, beverage and fitness industries. At mind-body health company Gaiam, Liz led marketing, M&A, and international expansion to Japan, Europe and Canada. As CEO of consumer brands for venture firm Sandbox Industries (a.k.a. Cultivian Sandbox), she pioneered functional nutrition products and omni-channel distribution. As owner/operator of food manufacturer Fresca Foods, she invested in and led a portfolio of natural & organic food brands and built strategic partnerships with General Mills, Mondelez, Mars Wrigley, and Unilever. Liz has been named as a Kingmaker in Consumer & Retail by Forbes, one of the Most Influential Woman in Food & Drink by Fortune, and a Wonder Woman in the Natural Products Industry by New Hope Media. She received her MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School and BS from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

  • Rob Leichman, Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Rob Leichman

    Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group

    Rob Leichman, Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Rob Leichman

    Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group

    Rob has been involved in the specialty food trade for over twenty years, with a proven record of success in global sales, strategic planning, packaging, team-building, new product development, distribution, procurement and import/export management. He has deep and established relationships with buyers in every major distribution channel: specialty retail, grocery, club stores, foodservice, direct to consumer, drug and export. His long-standing sales relationships include retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Williams-Sonoma, Target, Walmart, Publix, The Fresh Market and Dean & DeLuca.

Pitch Slam Judges

  • AnaMaria Friede, Executive Leader – Breakfast, Baking, Meals Essentials, Whole Foods - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    AnaMaria Friede

    Executive Leader – Breakfast, Baking, Meals Essentials, Whole Foods

    AnaMaria Friede, Executive Leader – Breakfast, Baking, Meals Essentials, Whole Foods - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    AnaMaria Friede

    Executive Leader – Breakfast, Baking, Meals Essentials, Whole Foods

    AnaMaria Friede has deep experience in the world of food. She currently leads a team that drives the purchasing strategy and execution for Breakfast, Baking, Meals, Household Essentials, Baby and Pet Categories. She strives to deliver a positive impact on the world. She has a passion for broadening the selection of high quality products, building deeper relationships with supplier communities around the world and advancing environmental stewardship initiatives. Since joining Whole Foods Market in 2004, AnaMaria has led supply chain process improvement projects and has advanced quality standards for Canned Seafood and Household cleaners categories. AnaMaria was recently recognized with the Whole Foods Market’s 2021 All Star Award in recognition for excellence in leadership. Before joining Whole Foods Market, AnaMaria worked for Ahold USA in several merchandising roles. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from C.E.S.A in Bogota Colombia, where was born and raised. She also has an MBA from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY and currently lives in Austin, TX with her husband and two children.

  • Johnny Tran, Senior Business Development Manager, 301INC - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Johnny Tran

    Senior Business Development Manager, 301INC

    Johnny Tran, Senior Business Development Manager, 301INC - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Johnny Tran

    Senior Business Development Manager, 301INC

    Johnny is a Sr. Business Development Manager at 301inc, General Mills’ Venture Capital arm. Prior to joining 301inc, he was a Brand Manager on a number of General Mills’ platforms, including Progresso Soup, Pillsbury, Cereal, and Snacking. Before his time at General Mills, he was a Project Manager in a construction firm by day and a breaking dancing instructor by night. Johnny holds an MBA from UVA’s Darden School of Business and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University.

  • Danielle LiVolsi, Founder and CEO, Nuttzo - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Danielle LiVolsi

    Founder and CEO, Nuttzo

    Danielle LiVolsi, Founder and CEO, Nuttzo - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Danielle LiVolsi

    Founder and CEO, Nuttzo

    Danielle is the founder and CEO of NuttZo, which has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most innovative brands in the natural food movement. Its product line ranges from multi-nut and seed butters to suit every palate (including keto, paleo and vegan palates), to a five-seed butter called Tahini Fusion, to superfood-rich snack bars for stellar on-the-go nutrition. When she launched Nuttzo in 2008, Danielle also co-founded Project Left Behind (PLB), a non-profit whose mission is to help orphaned and disadvantaged children in Peru. PLB is supported by every sale of NuttZo products.

  • Heidi Traore, Business Development Manager, National Co+op Grocers - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Heidi Traore

    Business Development Manager, National Co+op Grocers

    Heidi Traore, Business Development Manager, National Co+op Grocers - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Heidi Traore

    Business Development Manager, National Co+op Grocers

    Heidi Traore has been a passionate member of the US natural products industry since the late 1980s and currently serves as supplier relationship development manager for National Co+op Grocers (NCG), a business services and purchasing co-op with $2.5 billion in annual sales serving 148 US retail food co-op members. An established sales and marketing professional, Heidi worked with NCG’s category management team on solidifying a fact based business approach through targeted bi-annual business planning events that have enhanced business relationships and created efficiencies for her organization and its partners. Under her leadership, NCG promotional program revenue grew 69% over a four-year period. Through collaborations within cooperative supply chains, Heidi has been instrumental in bringing exclusive products produced by co-ops or made with cooperatively sourced ingredients to market at retail food co-ops. Most recently she is working to establish a supplier diversity system that will seek to diversify NCG’s supply chain.

  • Bryan Kreske, General Manager, Hormel Foods Venturing and Incubator Unit - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Bryan Kreske

    General Manager, Hormel Foods Venturing and Incubator Unit

    Bryan Kreske, General Manager, Hormel Foods Venturing and Incubator Unit - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Bryan Kreske

    General Manager, Hormel Foods Venturing and Incubator Unit

    Bryan currently works on the future of food and technology leading Hormel Foods venturing and incubator unit. He has 20+ years of food industry experience in brand management, new business development, and sales strategy.

  • Carol Ortenberg, Editor, NOSH - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Carol Ortenberg

    Editor, NOSH

    Carol Ortenberg, Editor, NOSH - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Carol Ortenberg

    Editor, NOSH

    Carol is the Editor of NOSH, BevNet’s media property focusing on Natural, Healthy, Sustainable and Organic food products. Carol previously worked and consulted for several consumer goods companies, many within the food space. She also was on the marketing team for Whole Foods Market in the North Atlantic region. Prior to focusing on the food industry, Carol worked at several tech companies, including HubSpot, and served as a consumer researcher at AMP Agency. A graduate of Brandeis University in Journalism, Cultural Anthropology and Theater Arts, Carol is passionate about the food, agriculture and beverage industries.

  • Erin Cabrey, Reporter, NOSH.com - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Erin Cabrey

    Reporter, NOSH.com

Breakout Session Speakers

  • Stu Strumwasser, Managing Director, Green Circle Capital Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Stu Strumwasser

    Managing Director, Green Circle Capital Partners

    Stu Strumwasser, Managing Director, Green Circle Capital Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Stu Strumwasser

    Managing Director, Green Circle Capital Partners

    Stu is the Founder and a Managing Director at Green Circle Capital Partners. The firm has an investment banking division called Green Circle Capital Advisors (focused on natural products) and a venture capital division called Green Circle Foodtech Ventures which just closed on its first Fund with which to invest in food-related technologies.

  • Kurt Kaiser, Business Development Leader, UpClear - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kurt Kaiser

    Business Development Leader, UpClear

    Kurt Kaiser, Business Development Leader, UpClear - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kurt Kaiser

    Business Development Leader, UpClear

    The money you spend on promotions -or Trade Spending – especially in highly-promoted categories, is like the kind of tidal wave that big wave surfers search for. These waves start out small but grow into monsters as conditions change in an environment that is conducive to chaos. If you haven’t ridden the wave yet, this session will help you understand what conditions lead to growth in both bottom-line money and business process complexity. If you’re on a wave now, you’ll leave this forum with strategies that will help your team ride it with confidence.

  • Jeremy Halpern, Partner; Co-Chair Food and Beverage Group, Nutter - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jeremy Halpern

    Partner; Co-Chair Food and Beverage Group, Nutter

    Jeremy Halpern, Partner; Co-Chair Food and Beverage Group, Nutter - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Jeremy Halpern

    Partner; Co-Chair Food and Beverage Group, Nutter

    Jeremy Halpern is a partner and co-chairs and serves as the Director of Business Development for Nutter’s Emerging Companies Group. Jeremy’s practice focuses on emerging companies, private equity, venture capital and angel financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, executive and team compensation matters, and general start-up support. Serving as the firm’s entrepreneur-in-residence, Jeremy often works on strategy and corporate development matters with companies, investors, and executives in technology, life sciences and the food and beverage industry. Jeremy is an active angel investor and is a member of the board of The Capital Network, a Boston based non-profit serving entrepreneurs seeking high growth capital. Jeremy serves on the Advisory Board and the Executive Education Committee of the MBI Health Program and on the Advisory Board of Pintley, a MassChallenge 2011 finalist company providing marketing solutions to the craft brewers and bars. He continues to serve as a mentor at MassChallenge and LearnLaunch, an expert advisor at the Innovation Hub at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and as a speaker, reviewer, judge or mentor for MIT HackingMedicine, HackingPediatrics, the Mass Tech Transfer Center, the Mass Life Science Center, M2D2, BranchFood and Startup Institute. Previously Jeremy served on the Board and Investment Committee of MassVentures, an early stage venture capital fund funding technology companies in Massachusetts. Jeremy taught entrepreneurial leadership at Tufts University for nine years and cofounded a company in the mobile technology synchronization space. Jeremy received his B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California, Berkeley, and his J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles.

  • Robert Brown, Managing Partner, Encore Consumer Capital - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Robert Brown

    Managing Partner, Encore Consumer Capital

    Robert Brown, Managing Partner, Encore Consumer Capital - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Robert Brown

    Managing Partner, Encore Consumer Capital

    Robert co-founded Encore Consumer Capital in 2005. He is Chairman of Encore portfolio companies Ancient Harvest and Tender Belly and a director of Love Wellness, Navitas Organics, and Supergoop!. Robert was the Chairman of former Encore portfolio companies Aidells Sausage Company, Atlantic Aqua Farms, California Splendor, Caterina Foods, Isopure, PhillySwirl and tarte and was a Director at Thanasi Foods.

  • Joe Rhodes, Co-Founder, Hummingbird Equity Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Joe Rhodes

    Co-Founder, Hummingbird Equity Partners

    Joe Rhodes, Co-Founder, Hummingbird Equity Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Joe Rhodes

    Co-Founder, Hummingbird Equity Partners

    Joe is the Co-Founder of Hummingbird Equity Partners, the President of Lenny & Larry’s LLC and the Founder of Stockton Road Capital. He has been an active investor in the health & wellness industry having invested in leading brands such as: Lenny & Larry’s, Nutiva, Three Ships Beauty, Daiya Foods, Jamieson Wellness, Airborne, Culturelle, Rudi’s Organic Bakery, and Designer Protein among others.

  • Rob Leichman, Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Rob Leichman

    Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group

    Rob Leichman, Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Rob Leichman

    Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group

    Rob has been involved in the specialty food trade for over twenty years, with a proven record of success in global sales, strategic planning, packaging, team-building, new product development, distribution, procurement and import/export management. He has deep and established relationships with buyers in every major distribution channel: specialty retail, grocery, club stores, foodservice, direct to consumer, drug and export. His long-standing sales relationships include retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Williams-Sonoma, Target, Walmart, Publix, The Fresh Market and Dean & DeLuca.

  • Roy Chin, Principal, North Castle Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Roy Chin

    Principal, North Castle Partners

    Roy Chin, Principal, North Castle Partners - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Roy Chin

    Principal, North Castle Partners

    Roy Chin is a Principal at North Castle Partners with seven years of consumer private equity investment experience. Since joining North Castle in 2014 as an Associate, Roy has worked with the management teams of multiple portfolio companies across a variety of Healthy, Active, and Sustainable Living sectors. Roy currently assists in the management of North Castle’s partnerships with Brooklyn Boulders, Echelon Fitness, Full Swing, SmartyPants Vitamins, Turnbridge, and Vital Nutrients and was actively involved in the firm’s investments in Curves and Jenny Craig. Roy also helps lead the execution and due diligence of new investment opportunities. Prior to joining North Castle, Roy was an analyst in the Consumer & Retail group at Jefferies and an analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Oppenheimer. Roy graduated from New York University with a B.A. in Economics.

Boot Camp Experts

  • Dana Peck, Co-Founder & CEO, Pilot R&D and Render Foods - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Dana Peck

    Co-Founder & CEO, Pilot R&D and Render Foods

    Dana Peck, Co-Founder & CEO, Pilot R&D and Render Foods - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Dana Peck

    Co-Founder & CEO, Pilot R&D and Render Foods

    Dana Peck is a Co-Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Pilot R&D and Render Foods. Pilot R&D is a leading culinary innovation and product development lab that collaborates with brands across the industry to craft the next generation of food and beverages. Render Foods seeks to build a new model of CPG brand focused on experiential products. Dana has a diverse background with expertise in food, business and law. Prior to co-founding Pilot R&D and Render Foods, Dana was a corporate lawyer focused on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and joint ventures, and, prior to that, a retail buyer for Williams-Sonoma Inc. Dana has also spent time cooking in pastry kitchens under prestigious chefs such as Claudia Fleming at Gramercy Tavern, Larry Hayden at Union Square Café, Elizabeth Falkner at Citizen Cake and Orson, and Alex Stupak at WD-50. Dana has a B.A. from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan.

  • Arif Fazal, Founder and Managing Director, Blueberry Ventures - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Arif Fazal

    Founder and Managing Director, Blueberry Ventures

    Arif Fazal, Founder and Managing Director, Blueberry Ventures - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Arif Fazal

    Founder and Managing Director, Blueberry Ventures

    Arif invests in and works with innovative brands and companies led by inspiring entrepreneurs and management teams, and collaborates closely alongside similarly focused co-investors and value chain partners. Bringing two decades of consumer and retail experience to the table, Arif partners with teams building the next generation nutrition landscape by providing early & growth stage capital and operational support to help empower growth and build great businesses. Select investments and board responsibilities include Vive Organic, Flying Embers, REBBL, 4th & Heart, High Brew Coffee, Ripple Foods, Barnana, Revive Kombucha (acquired by Peet’s Coffee), Rhythm Superfoods, Fishpeople Seafood, Biena Snacks, Sufferfest Beer Company (acquired by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company), Bonafide Provisions, Nutriati, Austin Eastciders, Pique Tea & RightRice.

  • Elliot Begoun, CEO, TIG Brands - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Elliot Begoun

    CEO, TIG Brands

  • Rob Leichman, Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Rob Leichman

    Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group

    Rob Leichman, Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Rob Leichman

    Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group

    Rob has been involved in the specialty food trade for over twenty years, with a proven record of success in global sales, strategic planning, packaging, team-building, new product development, distribution, procurement and import/export management. He has deep and established relationships with buyers in every major distribution channel: specialty retail, grocery, club stores, foodservice, direct to consumer, drug and export. His long-standing sales relationships include retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Williams-Sonoma, Target, Walmart, Publix, The Fresh Market and Dean & DeLuca.

  • Bill Sipper, Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands, LLC - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Bill Sipper

    Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands, LLC

    Bill Sipper, Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands, LLC - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Bill Sipper

    Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands, LLC

    BILL SIPPER is a food and beverage industry leader who has guided numerous brands from concept to commercialization to category leadership. He held senior and C Level positions at leading brands including Evian, Nantucket Nectars, Fresh Samantha/Odwalla, Naked Juice and Clearly Canadian. Bill’s strategic expertise and executional focus helped those brands succeed and can help your brand succeed, too.? Consulting closely with client leaders as they consider a sale or acquisition, Bill has supported several brands through the process. (Naked Juice was sold to Pepsico, Fresh Samantha/Odwalla was sold to Coca Cola, and Nantucket Nectars was sold to Ocean Spray). Bill has significant international experience, and works with clients in Asia, Europe, South America and the Middle East. He draws on this expertise to help international brands establish presence in the US and to help US brands expand internationally.? Bill is active in philanthropic causes: He served as president of Robert Kennedy Jr.’s clean water charity, Tear of the Clouds; was an advisor to The Walden Woods Project; and served on the Board of Directors of the National Osteoporosis Foundation.? Bill has been featured on Food Network’s “Unwrapped” and in the PBS documentary “The Water Wars.” He has been a featured speaker at Columbia University School of Business, The Bottled Water Congress (Torino, Italy), the Pan Arab Congress on Osteoporosis (Tunisia), and at virtually every major US food and beverage show, including Natural Products Expo, BevNet, Nosh Live and more. His articles have appeared in leading trade publications, and he is frequently quoted in media including The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s and the New York Times.

  • Kelly  Criswell, Chief Creative Officer, The GRO Agency - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kelly Criswell

    Chief Creative Officer, The GRO Agency

    Kelly  Criswell, Chief Creative Officer, The GRO Agency - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kelly Criswell

    Chief Creative Officer, The GRO Agency

    As The GRO Agency Chief Creative Officer, Kelly Criswell lives and breathes CPG packaging. After 17 years steeped in the space, she still spends her days studying packaging design with a keen eye for impact, identity, hierarchy, and clarity.

  • Andrew Lynch, President, Zipline Logistics - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Andrew Lynch

    President, Zipline Logistics

  • Kate Weidner, Founder & CEO, SRW - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Kate Weidner

    Founder & CEO, SRW

  • Amy Usiak, Business Partner, JPG Resources - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Amy Usiak

    Business Partner, JPG Resources

    Amy Usiak, Business Partner, JPG Resources - NOSH Live Winter 2021

    Amy Usiak

    Business Partner, JPG Resources

    Amy Usiak is a Business Partner and Product Development lead for JPG Resources. With 20+ years industry experience, Amy understands product creation from concept through commercialization. She is the choreographer of the product development practices, building customized teams for each project, and ensuring the right expertise and perspective are working on your product. Because Amy has experience across the grocery store footprint, she understands the technical and strategic needs unique to each category, product platform and form factor. Her strong communication skills and compassion for clients leads to winning solutions for each new product launch. ? Amy received her Bachelors in Food Science from Michigan State University and Master's Degree in Food Science & Nutrition from Cornell University. Before JPG Resources, Amy worked for Post Foods and Kraft Foods Group.?