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Jing Gao, founder & CEO of Sichuan-inspired sauce and seasoning brand Fly By Jing, discussed the origins of her passion for Chinese food culture and why she set out to create a brand that could elevate consumers’ expectations for the cuisine’s flavors

A panel of six food and beverage entrepreneurs from across the country joined up with BevNET Editor in Chief Jeff Klineman to discuss the challenges that the summer of 2020 — and the ongoing struggle with a global pandemic — brought them. Speakers addressed ways they are overcoming challenges around production, financing, sales and marketing, offering support and advice to each other.

As CPG e-commerce grows, and new brands need to quickly scale, siloed, manual supply chains create a huge issue — one that software hub Anvyl is looking to simplify for brands and suppliers.

In this episode, we’re joined by Popchips and RightRice founder Keith Belling, who discussed the origins of both brands and how lessons learned from building the former are being applied to the latter.

Natural beverage company Califia Farms has bolstered its leadership team, adding Dan Mader, formerly of Annie’s Inc., as Senior Vice President of Sales. Prior to Annie’s, Mader worked on other CPG brands at Clorox, and Cadbury-Schweppes.

Scott LaPorta, the new president and general manager at Campbell’s-owned Bolthouse Farms, offers insights into the $900 million juice and produce innovator’s new position within the larger company’s recently unveiled Campbells-Fresh (C-Fresh) division.

Readers of my last two columns get the point quickly: food and beverage companies in the natural products industry should strive for racial and ethnic diversity. To that end, now we’re going to think about solutions: practices that the industry and its component companies can inaugurate to spur both employee and entrepreneurial diversity.

“You know, I’ve never thought about that question before.” That’s what I’ve been hearing almost exclusively lately when I ask whether there’s anything alarming about the lack of racial and ethnic diversity that I found remarkably easy to observe at Natural Products Expo West.

Food fights aren’t just for kids. Today’s food and beverage manufacturers and retailers are waging fierce battles for bigger and bigger pieces of the proverbial pie—and paying close attention to who’s buying what. And for good reason: what makes it into the shopping carts of the most powerful cohorts is the evidence they need to divine their business futures.