Beyond the Shelf ChefsBest

For new and emerging brands in the food & beverage CPG industry, finding success means setting yourself apart and filling a hole in the market. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Founder of Hillside Harvest, Kamaal Jarrett, about their line of Caribbean-inspired hot sauces. In this episode, we discussed why it is important for emerging food & beverage brands to find their niche within the industry. Kamaal gave us some background into why and how they selected the flavor profiles for their line of hot sauces, and how they overcame challenges with scaling their brand. We also discussed his experience on Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch.
To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Beyond the Shelf is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage CPG industry, including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics range from retail and production trends, how food can help foster community and expert tips on food marketing and advertising claims, to inspiring stories from food & beverage companies, popular chefs, and much more! From ChefsBest – taste and quality experts in the food and beverage industry.
What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

As the world's first eCommerce platform for health & sustainability-conscious shoppers, Thrive Market has helped make healthier and more sustainable food & beverage, and grocery items accessible across the country. This week on Beyond the Shelf we spoke with the Director of Merchandising of Thrive Market, James Ren.  On this episode, James shared with us how he and his team curate the eCommerce platform's selection of over 5500 products to align with what their customers care about most. We discussed some of the tools and guidelines the company uses to select new brands for the eCommerce platform to partner with, and how organizing their products into categories helps customers find products that align with their personal preferences. James also shared his thoughts on current food & beverage trends, including the increased interest in convenience, flexitarian diets, and the rise of functional foods/ingredients.
To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Beyond the Shelf is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industry, including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics range from retail and production trends, how food can help foster community and expert tips on food marketing and advertising claims, to inspiring stories from food & beverage companies, popular chefs, and much more! From ChefsBest – taste and quality experts in the food and beverage industry.
What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Plant-based meat alternatives have been one of the fastest-growing trends in food & beverage for the past several years. However, with plenty of brands in the market, standing out takes careful planning and innovative products. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with Aakash Shah (CEO & Co-Founder) and Damian Felchlin (COO & Co-Founder) of High Time Foods, creators of innovative plant-based meat alternatives for foodservice. Aakash and Damian shared with us why it was important for them to create a shelf-stable product that would give chefs the freedom to create interesting and diverse dishes. We also discussed how their product helps ease chefs' and consumers' concerns about traditional meat products.
To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Beyond the Shelf is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industry, including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics range from retail and production trends, how food can help foster community and expert tips on food marketing and advertising claims, to inspiring stories from food & beverage companies, popular chefs, and much more! From ChefsBest – taste and quality experts in the food and beverage industry.

What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

This week on Beyond the Shelf we spoke with Isabelle Steichen (Co-Founder & CEO) and Allie Dempster (Co-Founder & CMO) of Lupii. In this episode, Isabelle & Allie shared some insights into how they are utilizing the mighty lupini bean to create a line of protein- and fiber-rich plant-based products. We discussed some of the barriers that come along when using an ingredient that is mostly unknown in American food products. Isabelle & Allie also discussed why introducing a line of pasta products was a natural next step for the brand, and they shed some light on how they hope to expand their business and spread the word about the power of the lupini bean in the future.
To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Beyond the Shelf is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industry, including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics range from retail and production trends, how food can help foster community and expert tips on food marketing and advertising claims, to inspiring stories from food & beverage companies, popular chefs, and much more! From ChefsBest – taste and quality experts in the food and beverage industry.
What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Although coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, there's a lot that most consumers don't know about the powerful bean. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with Michael Sharon & Kal Freese, the Co-Founders of Taika - makers of a line of coffee and caffeinated beverages designed to address some of the common concerns about traditional coffee drinks. In this episode, Michael and Kal gave us some valuable insights into the coffee industry including why/how coffee can affect everyone differently, and why it was important for them to create a line of products that utilized adaptogenic ingredients. We also discussed how the brand has used innovative tech to create a loyal and engaged community, and how their partnership with Friends with Benefits is helping to fuel creativity.
To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Beyond the Shelf is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industry, including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics range from retail and production trends, and expert tips on food marketing and advertising claims, to inspiring stories from food & beverage companies, popular chefs, and much more! From ChefsBest – taste and quality experts in the food and beverage industry.
What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Once dominated by a handful of national brands, the beverage category has grown exponentially in the past few years. This week on Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with the Director, Flavor Architect and COO of Flavorman, Tom Gibson and Scott Weddle. Flavorman helps beverage brands formulate and develop products, ranging from energy drinks, seltzers, RTD cocktails and more. In this episode, Tom and Scott shared with us how recent innovations and advancements in technology have helped to create more space for unique beverage products. We also discussed why and how flavor is so personal to each and every consumer, and how their process helps brands create scalable beverage products.
To stay up to date on all new episodes, subscribe to Beyond the Shelf on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio – and don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Beyond the Shelf is a food & beverage podcast that dives into a wide range of topics with guests from all corners of the food & beverage industry, including founders/CEO’s, marketers, chefs, dietitians, researchers, and other influencers. Topics range from retail and production trends, and expert tips on food marketing and advertising claims, to inspiring stories from food & beverage companies, popular chefs, and much more! From ChefsBest – taste and quality experts in the food and beverage industry.

What did you think about the episode? Let us know by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn