ContenderCast with Justin Honaman ContenderCast

It all started when Diane’s sister took a trip to India over 15 years ago, where she learned about the health and taste benefits of sprouted almonds. When you soak almonds in water for a long period of time, they “sprout”. The result is easier to digest + more nutrient dense + crunchier almonds! Inspired by these health benefits + the “sprouted-nut-crunch”, Diane began sprouting almonds and then dehydrating them, as opposed to roasting them, at home. She would then flavor them with real ingredients. She loved the way they tasted, and even more, the way they made her feel. She shared her sprouted snacks with friends and family members … who were always asking for more! Laurel, her niece and a healthy food lover with plentiful experience in marketing, fell in love with the snacks. Her interest was piqued. After doing some market research and going to Natural Products Expo West, Laurel and Diane realized sprouted snacks were truly unique from snacks already on the market. For the health-conscious consumer, a tasty + crunchy sprouted nut snack made with all real ingredients, no oil, and no added sugars would be a dream come true. Co-founder and CEO Laurel Orley joins Justin to discuss this fast-growing snack brand!

The LittleOak Company is on a mission to create products that care equally for our little ones and the world they will grow into. They believe that nothing can prepare our children for the world more than the world itself. Nature, after all, is our greatest provider. This is why they fell in love with the natural benefits of fresh goat milk and use it in our range of toddler drinks. Founder Elke Pascoe joins Justin to discuss this growing baby formula brand!

NYC is widely considered one of the most diverse cities in the world, with people, music, and FOOD from all over! After several years of cooking in some of the top restaurants in the city, Founder Alton But noticed that the non-alcoholic beverage pairings could have been more inspiring. NYC has some of the best Asian cuisines outside of Asia, only for the meals to be paired with the same old sodas and soft drinks that every other restaurant in the city carries. Alton and his team made it their mission to change this; they launched Moshi, a beverage brand made with unique Asian ingredients to pair with the Asian cuisine we all know and love. Alton joins Justin to discuss this growing beverage brand!

Elyse and her husband and business partner, Nick, seemingly have done it all. Together, they faced the notorious Sharks of ABC’s Shark Tank, sold millions of bagels on live TV, invented multiple successful lines of frozen breakfast items, and built their company into a recognized national brand. But they have also faced challenge. In pursuit of their dream, Elyse and Nick spent seven days a week, 24 hours a day, bustling through financial struggles, rejections, pregnancies, births, miscarriages, crisscrossing the country, fighting tooth and nail for the survival of their company. And nearly every time they made a step towards success it was coupled by an equally sized calamity or failure. Elyse also just published "A Shark Ate My Bagel: How We Built Bantam Bagels, A Memoir." Elyse joins Justin to discuss launching, growing, and exiting a fast-growing bagel business.

Miles Marmo is a failed professional athlete turned marketing agency and brand owner. As the Co-Founder of Agency Squid and Stage Seven Tequila, he brings a wealth of consumer goods knowledge to every brand he develops. Prior to starting his own agency and tequila brand, he spent years at one of the leading RTD beverage brands in the US. As a trained strategist, Miles works to blend business acumen with creative expression. Miles joins Justin to discuss Consumer Goods and his new beverage brand!

With the arrival of her daughter in 2018, Emily Groden (Founder and CEO) knew she would not have as much time to cook. She needed a new go-to: something that was simple, tasty, and truly nourishing. But frozen waffles? Are they simple? Yes. Tasty? Definitely. Nourishing? Uh… no. It’s a classic tale of a mom, a mission, and a waffle maker. Cramming all the good stuff like fruits, veggies, nuts and spices into something that tastes as good as it makes you feel. A few years and a few hundred recipes later, flavor, protein, fiber, and a whole serving of fruits and veggies are together at last… in a toaster. Emily joins Justin to discuss this delicious and fast-growing brand!