jobTopia with Tony Moore

Jay-Z’s corporate catering platform, Hungry, acquired Nature Box, the tech-enabled healthy snack business in 2022. Why? What is the business rationale? What corporate trends is Hungry addressing? What can we learn from this? Hint – every CEO is pondering this question as people come back to the office!  Joining me today to answer these important questions is the brain behind the business, John Occhipinti, the CEO of Nature Box.  
Connect with John Occhipinti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/occhipintijohn/
Nature Box: https://naturebox.com/
Hungry: https://tryhungry.com/
Listen to my podcast with Jeff Grass, CEO, Hungry: https://www.podpage.com/winning-at-work/disrupting-the-100-billion-corporate-catering-and-events-category-with-hungrys-jeff-grass-ceo-and-jon-ebner-nyc-market-leader-e120/
About your Host Tony Moore and the Winning at Work podcast:
Connect with me on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $1.6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 
Join me on my mission to discover what makes these companies different, better, and special.
Episode 149 is sponsored by: Timpl Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, and operations. https://www.timplsearch.com/
Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235. Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE

Kun Yang and his co-founder Mohammed Hassoun are on a journey to create the greatest cactus company in the world. Mo rediscovered a delightful childhood drink made from the prickly pear cactus. Kun recognized the health benefits. They knew the drink would "check the functional boxes", but that wasn't the essence behind the beverage. Sustainability and 'Good for You' are major benefits of the cactus for sure! But could they find authenticity in the brand true to their personal values? Entrepreneurs, this is no easy endeavor. It can be lonely. It is painfully slow at times. But the journey is worth it.  
Thank yo for sharing your journey with us all, Kun. 
Connect with Kun Yang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyang2/
Pricklee: https://pricklee.com/
Youtube Sharktank episode: https://youtu.be/CdEBhhQVtkw
 
About your Host Tony Moore and the Winning at Work podcast:
Connect with me on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $1.6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 
Join me on my mission to discover what makes these companies different, better, and special.
Episode 148 is sponsored by: Timpl Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, and operations. https://www.timplsearch.com/
Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235. Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE
 

The meal kit delivery industry is estimated to be worth $11.6 billion! Lockdowns accelerated adoption, but with those authoritarian policies in the rear-view mirror, customers are back to eating out more.  Unphased by this trend, one brand continues to surge and has scaled from a single farmers market and a garage distribution center into every zip code in America - meet Sunbasket! 
Mike Wargocki, SVP of Operations joins me to chat about how they scaled and the organized chaos that is meal-kit manufacturing. You will have a newfound appreciation for that little box when it shows up on your doorstep!
Intro - we both love Boy Scouts and Philmont!
Sunbasket origin story
Challenges scaling a perishable food business
Safety
Automation
Complexity - 1 million preps per week
FDA/USDA regulations - retail exemption
Connect with Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewargocki/
Sunbasket: https://sunbasket.com/
 
About your Host Tony Moore and the Winning at Work podcast:
Connect with me on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $1.6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 
Join me on my mission to discover what makes these companies different, better, and special.
Episode 147 is sponsored by: Timpl Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, and operations. https://www.timplsearch.com/
Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235. Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE
 

Continuing our theme of Costco brands, Jeremy Smith shares his unique perspective on why Costco is the King of Club. His brokerage is dedicated to helping brands get fitted and prepared to enter Costco. Stick around for the trends he expects in 2023, too.
Connect with Jeremy Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-smith-8aa3281/
Connect with Matt Kovacs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjkovacs/
 
About your Host Tony Moore and the Winning at Work podcast:
Connect with me on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $1.6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 
Join me on my mission to discover what makes these companies different, better, and special.
Episode 146 is sponsored by: Timpl Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, and operations. https://www.timplsearch.com/
Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235. Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE
 

I had a great time catching up with my foodservice buddy, Thaddeus Thorne, the new VP at My/Mochi. Foodservice has changed - it's tougher to get in! Listen in as Thaddeus explains the new reality of Foodservice distribution.  We touch on sustainable packing and why it's damn tough for recycling solutions to take off. But there is hope with the rising generation of college students.
Connect with Thaddeus on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thaddeus-thorne/
My/Mochi: https://www.mymochi.com/
Companies, brands, and shout-outs:
Harvest Culinary Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvesttableculinary/
Chef Matthew Thompson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chefmthompson/
Sambazon - https://www.linkedin.com/company/sambazon/
Impasta! Foods - https://www.linkedin.com/company/impasta-foods/
Peter Mead - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-mead-1a73028/
Donya Litowitz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/donyalitowitz/
Kelly Slator - https://twitter.com/kellyslater
Outerknown - https://www.linkedin.com/company/outerknown/
About your Host Tony Moore and the Winning at Work podcast:
Connect with me on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $1.6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 
Join me on my mission to discover what makes these companies different, better, and special.
Episode 145 is sponsored by: Timpl Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, and operations. https://www.timplsearch.com/
Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235. Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE
 

How does a beef lover and self-titled ‘meat head’ become the leader of a plant-based protein company? God has a sense of humor! Rody Hawkins, with his Ph.D. in Meat Science, worked for two of the world’s largest food manufacturers as a food scientist, head of R&D, and new product development where he learned firsthand, what new ideas will work, and which ones won't.  Rody is personally responsible for creating and developing hundreds of new food products, including his biggest hit, Lunchables! which is now over a $ 1 billion category.
As the leader of Improved Nature, Rody and his team have an audacious goal to feed the world.  Rody joins me today to share his stories of learning from his uber-successful career as a creator.  You might be surprised to discover the KEY ingredient required to make a new food idea successful.
Origin Story
Commercialization concepts
Rody’s Philosophy ~ without this ingredient, it will fail ~
Lunchables story
Marketing
Sales   
Manufacturing
Supply Chain
Technical regulations
Connect with Rody Hawkins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rody-hawkins-3895769/
Improved Nature: https://improvednature.com/
About your Host Tony Moore and the Winning at Work podcast:
Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $1.6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 
Join me on my mission to discover what makes these companies different, better, and special.
Episode 143 is sponsored by: Timpl Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, and operations. https://www.timplsearch.com/
Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235. Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE
 
 

They saw the KETO trend coming. Consumers are moving away from high-sugar snacks. They want great tasting, low sugar, low carb food with extra protein.  Brand expert Peter Vas Das, President of Genius Gourmet, and his team used the Amazon DTC platform to incubate and innovate what is now one of the fastest growing KETO brands on the market! Launched in 2019, Genius Gourmet is now over $20 million and climbing. 
In this episode, Matt Kovacs, the President of Blaze PR, reconnects with his friend and client, Peter Vas Dias, and uncovers the many secrets and key findings from a lifetime of learning. 
https://www.geniusgourmet.com/
http://www.blazepr.com/
Origin story
Starting on Amazon
Incubation is a strategy
Finding the white space
Prove it to buyers
You can't buy reviews
Look for low barriers to entry or a void in the market
Outsourcing model
Innovate - never "me-too" products
Plan for hiring when scaling
Win on brand and flavor!
A look inside the Club channel / Costco
You better be ready
The Instacart secret
Pete Vas Dias: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-vas-dias-90abb7b/
Matt Kovacs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjkovacs/
About your Host Tony Moore and the Winning at Work podcast:
Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $1.6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 
Join me on my mission to discover what makes these companies different, better, and special.
Episode 143 is sponsored by: Timpl Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, and operations. https://www.timplsearch.com/
Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235. Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE
 
 

With nearly 300 SKUs of ice cream competing for limited freezer space, you have to boot a brand out to get in! So the questions are how do you build a brand in the freezer? What brings the consumer into the grocery store? How do you find new customers to try your brand?  Vedant Saboo and Mike Webber, co-founders of Frutero Ice Cream, join Winning at Work to share their start-up story and key learnings about grocery stores and scaling a business.
Origin Story
Building a brand in the freezer
How do grocers look at their categories?
Trip driven
Hero
Basket builder
Inspirational
How intentional is the purchase?
What is the value of differentiation?
What category is ice cream?
Is Frutero an ice cream brand or a fruit brand?
What is a brand promise?
Commercial fruit production VS Frutero's
Key learnings ~ incremental growth outside of ice cream
How to attract new consumers
New flavors coming soon - you heard it here first!
Connect with Vedant: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vedant-saboo-59130a44/
Connect with Mike:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedweber/
Frutero Ice Cream: https://www.fruteroicecream.com/
About your Host Tony Moore and the Winning at Work podcast:
Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to stay current on the trends shaping the $1.6 trillion food and beverage industry? My totally awesome brands featured here take us deep into the world of sustainability, plant-based, food tech, CBD, and good for you. Want to learn how to grow a brand? Scale a brand? I've got you covered. 
Join me on my mission to discover what makes these companies different, better, and special.
Episode 142 is sponsored by: Timpl Search - National Food and Beverage headhunters for sales, marketing, innovation, and operations. https://www.timplsearch.com/
Contact: Tony Moore. 404-904-9235. Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/differentbetterspecialbrands/
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE