It’s Time To Make It Happen.

The Common Threads Of Competition Winners. And, The Community That Bolsters Us All.

Taste Radio’s hosts reflected on the BevNET’s Winter 2022 events through the first day of BevNET Live, and highlighted the winners of various competitions held throughout the week, community as a key theme in panels and presentations and the fuel that kept Ray, John, Jacqui and Mike going amid a whirlwind schedule. 

Show notes:

0:39: Spiked Coconuts, Bleary Eyes, Chez Jay, Ray’s Llama – The episode kicks off with Mike as Ray’s literal echo, before the hosts congratulated two brands with sun-inspired names and Jacqui noted two well-received speakers. They also shared a few extensive thoughts on BevNET’s Cocktail Showdown 3 competition, an unpleasant “upper crust” and two of Best of 2022 award winners that had their fair share of doubters. 

Brands in this episode: Sunboy, Sunnie, Resist Nutrition, Velvet Llama, Sans, Robin Road Cocktails, Howie’s Spiked, Spirited Hive, Cometeer, Remedy Organics, Biolyte, EriTea, Bonbuz, Liquid Death, Sanzo 

When You Live The Vision, A Massive Opportunity Emerges. The Founder Of Lyre’s Can Attest.

For many consumers, mindful drinking is top of mind.

A 2021 omnibus survey conducted by market research firm NielsenIQ showed that 22% Americans are cutting back on their alcoholic beverage consumption, citing health and wellness and shifting interests as two core reasons. Concurrent with a rise in interest for sober or sober-curious lifestyles is the emergence of a new cohort of non-alcoholic spirit and cocktail brands, including Lyre’s.

Launched in 2019 by entrepreneurs Mark Livings and Carl Hartmann, Lyre’s markets non-alcoholic analogs of the world’s most popular spirits, including bourbon, gin and tequila. Positioned as premium, sophisticated spirit alternatives without any compromise, Lyre’s  blitz-scaling strategy has enabled it to become the world’s leading non-alcoholic brand with distribution in dozens of countries. 

Investors have taken note of Lyre’s growth: last year, the company completed a new funding round at a $360 million valuation and was led by D Squared Capital and Morgan Creek Capital Management, an early investor in Drizly, AliBaba, and SpaceX.

In this episode, Livings spoke about his vision for Lyre’s and the future of non-alcoholic spirits, why the company has prioritized market share and rapid growth, the development of its portfolio and product road map, Lyre’s thoughtful communication strategy and how his management style supports Lyre’s torrid trajectory.

Show notes:

0:45: Mark Livings, Co-Founder/CEO, Lyre’s – Livings spoke with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif about why he lives and works in Amsterdam, the emergence of the low/no-alc beverage category, the variety of consumers that Lyre’s is targeting, and the reason that the company is in so many global markets. He also explained how Lyre’s is attempting to be synonymous with non-alcoholic spirits, the brand’s focus on being a “first scaler,” the importance of “the referral moment,” and how the company produces its liquid. Later, he discussed Lyre’s innovation strategy and why it launched an RTD line, its approach to aligning promotion and  communication with things like “Dry January” and “Sober October,” and how he manages and motivates a global team remotely.

Brands in this episode: Seedlip, Lyre’s

Meet The ‘Cult Leader’ Who’s Forecasting The Future Of Food And Beverage

Andrea Hernandez is one of the most respected influencers in food and beverage, but it’s not a title she covets. She’d rather be called “cult leader.”

A former marketing executive with over a decade of experience in the food industry, Hernandez is the creator of Snaxshot, a multifaceted digital platform that has followed and forecasted some of the most notable trends in the food and beverage industry over the past two years. 

Launched in 2020, Snaxshot’s popular blog and newsletter are known for their well-researched and witty content. Both are ad-free and community-funded, and while Hernandez often highlights brands aligned with her perspective that food and drink should be delicious and uncomplicated, Snaxshot’s independence provides her with a platform to be candid, and, occasionally, controversial.

Over the past two years, Snaxshot has become a valuable and influential resource for entrepreneurs, industry professionals and consumers. Its newsletter has over 35,000 subscribers (affectionately known as “snaxbois”) and Snaxshot and Hernadez combined have tens of thousands of followers on Twitter and Instagram.

In this episode, Hernandez spoke about the emergence of Snaxshot and its content strategy, why she’s uncomfortable with her anointed role as a “trend oracle,” her bone to pick with functional foods and beverages, how she defines “a great product” and her take on several noteworthy trends.

We also sat down for a conversation with legendary musician, actor and entrepreneur Steven Van Zandt, who spoke about the launch of his new wellness brand Little Steven’s Underground Apothecary, which markets natural consumer products designed to alleviate everyday stresses and ailments.

Show notes:

1:00: Andrea Hernandez, Creator, Snaxshot – Hernandez met with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif in the Bowery neighborhood of Manhattan, where she compared the chilly weather of New York City with that of her home base in the Honduras, discussed her non-traditional job title, how Snaxshot acts as a check on the “commodification of wellness,” its readership and how they interact with the platform and why she prepares new content in the style of and old “sitcom variety show.” She also explained her role as an intermediary versus an industry predictor, how she defines an emerging concept and a great brand, why the market is the ultimate validator of trends, the power of great branding and great quality and her aversion to functional ingredients in sweet treats and desserts. Later, she shared her thoughts on better-for-you-sodas and candy, keto products, gut health, non-nutritive sweeteners and plant-based meat.

45:51: Steven Van Zandt, Founder, Little Steven’s Underground Apothecary – Our next guest for this episode is well-known to fans of Hall of Fame artists Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band as well as the iconic television show “The Sopranos.” Steven Van Zandt is an accomplished musician and actor who recently added entrepreneur to his resume with the launch of Little Steven’s Underground Apothecary, a brand focused on natural and holistic remedies to everyday stresses and ailments. The company markets  boutique teas, coffees, lollipops, and other products infused with organic ingredients, including ginger, turmeric, kava, maca and Manuka honey. The brand donates 10% of all profits to TeachRock.org, a non-profit that uses the history of popular music to create engaging, multicultural lesson plans for history, social studies, language arts, music and science classrooms.

Brands in this episode: Liquid Death, Ghia, De Soi, Parch, Three Spirit, Oatly, Prime, Recess, Graza, Little Debbie, Oreo, Dunkaroos, Sundays, Rip Van, Bai, SmartSweets, Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat, Actual Veggies, Nutella, Lay’s, Goldfish, Pop-Tarts, Little Steven’s Underground Apothecary

It’s Time To Make It Happen.

On the cusp of BevNET’s winter conferences in Santa Monica, the hosts spoke about how attendees can utilize the variety of resources available at the events and leverage connections with the BevNET team to engage with like-minded founders, industry executives and investors. They also hinted about a mystery speaker that no one will want to miss and riffed on some of their favorite new products sent to the office in recent weeks.

Show notes:

0:45: Prep Work. An A-List Mystery. And The @BevNETMike Award Goes To…  – Ray got it right (finally!) to kick off the episode before Mike and Jacqui shared their favorite parts of the winter events. The hosts then spoke about early-stage founders that were doubted when they launched their businesses but have since created iconic brands. Ray offered his (potentially TMI) pre-event grooming habits and discussed his love for a limited-time “boozy” ice cream and spicy varieties of plant-based chicken nuggets, Mike munched on meat sticks, bars and tamales, John highlighted honey-sweetened shots and non-alcoholic wine and spirits brands and Jacqui snacked on nuts and sipped on a canned cocktail.

Brands in this episode: Athletic Brewing, Liquid Death, Jeni’s, Grillo’s, Uncle Nearest, Chomps, BelliWelli, Fillo’s, HoneyDrop, SomethingElse, Golden Rule Spirits, Jukes, Dr. Praeger's, Pocket Latte, Velvet Llama

$35K To $35 Million In 3.5 Years. This Is The Story Of Bachan’s.

There are fast-growing brands, and then there is Bachan’s. 

Launched in 2019, Bachan’s markets a line of soy-based condiments that it describes as “Japanese Barbecue Sauce.” Admired for their versatility, the products are commonly used for cooking barbecue and also as a marinade, finishing sauce and in stir-fry. Founder and CEO Justin Gill developed the brand based off of a family heirloom recipe and named it as an homage to his grandmother.

Bachan’s fanatical consumer following has driven its ambitious retail strategy. Its four flavors – The Original, Hot and Spicy, Yuzu, and Gluten-Free – are available at over 11,000 stores across the U.S., including Costco, Whole Foods, Publix, Sprouts, Target, Kroger and The Fresh Market.

Nationwide distribution has sparked surging revenue. Just three-and-a-half years after its debut, Bachan’s expects to generate $35 million in sales by the end of 2022. Investors have taken note: in September the company announced a $13 million Series A funding round led by private equity firm Sonoma Brands Capital. The investment will be deployed to expand Bachan’s retail footprint and develop new products. 

In this episode, Gill spoke about how the brand’s rapid start was fueled by six years of preparation and planning prior to its debut, the intentionality of the brand’s label and package design, why he credits a focus on high quality ingredients as key to consumer loyalty, his thoughtful approach to demand planning and how the company evaluated potential investors. 

Show notes:

0:45: Justin Gill, Founder & CEO, Bachan's – Gill spoke with Taste Radio editor Ray Latif about his passion for surfing and background in jiu-jitsu before discussing how a heritage trip to Japan and Cambodia impacted his decision to launch a food brand. He also spoke about why he felt Bachan’s was “pretty buttoned up” upon its launch, going for an iconic look with the label design and how the description of “Japanese barbecue sauce” is both familiar and specific. Later, he explained why he’s focused on sustainable growth, how Bachan’s has dramatically scaled production while maintaining product quality, how risk-taking paid off amid a supply chain crisis and why the best investment deals are ones in which no one gets exactly what they wanted.

Brands in this episode: Bachan’s, Huy Fong, Krave