Brand Alchemist Podcast The Brand Alchemist Podcast

Gardar Stefansson is the CEO and Co-founder of GOOD GOOD, a CPG brand offering all-natural and low-calorie jams, butters, and spreads with no added sugar. In his role, Gardar oversees daily operations and establishes a cross-country network. After noticing most food options were high in sugar or contained artificial sweeteners, he founded the brand to offer tasty and nutritious alternatives. Before launching GOOD GOOD, Gardar co-founded two artisan salt companies. 
In this episode… With diabetes becoming a global epidemic, people are searching for sugar substitutes and alternatives to sugary foods. However, most of these products are known for their artificial flavors and unpleasant textures. With a commitment to cultivating healthy lifestyles, today’s CPG entrepreneur has discovered and branded palatable no-sugar-added products.
Entrepreneur and foodie Gardar Stefansson realized that most people associate no sugar with horrible flavors, so he began offering consumers samples of naturally sweetened jams and jellies to disprove that belief. His target audience soon discovered that it’s possible to create sweet and great-tasting food without added sugar. Gardar emphasizes that brands marketed as natural and healthy must fully recognize their production process and the source of their ingredients to convey an authentic brand story. 
In today’s episode of the Brand Alchemist Podcast, Taja Dockendorf welcomes Gardar Stefansson, Co-founder and CEO of GOOD GOOD, to speak on the process of creating a genuinely likable no-sugar-added brand. Gardar shares how he transitioned from making salt to making jam, how he sustains his mission of sourcing natural food, and GOOD GOOD’s plans to revolutionize the spreads category.

Alex Sorenson is the Founder of Blank Slate Kitchen, which crafts internationally inspired sauces with all-natural, quality ingredients. The brand began as a side project before evolving into a successful venture sold nationwide and featured in major publications. As a New York Times-starred chef, Alex has worked in various fine-dining restaurants throughout New York City, France, Rwanda, and Borneo.
In this episode… When you’ve satisfied a market need with a brand built from your personal experiences, it’s natural to execute each step of the process singlehandedly, ensuring everything aligns with your standards. Yet this isn’t sustainable long-term, stunting future brand growth. Hear how a forward-thinking brand owner propelled his business forward despite setbacks to get his exclusive products in consumers’ hands.
After the first year of making chili oil in his personal kitchen to ensure quality outputs, Alex Sorenson sliced his finger with a mandoline blade, significantly delaying production. He decided to partner with a co-packer to expedite production and shipping, allowing him to focus on growing the business rather than overseeing daily operations. But Alex nearly lost his brand after partnering with a co-packer who underfilled his products and didn’t ensure safe packaging methods. He maintains that co-packer relationships are fundamental to business success, emphasizing the importance of researching and vetting each company before establishing a mutual agreement with each other.
Welcome back to the Brand Alchemist Podcast as Taja Dockendorf interviews Alex Sorenson, the Founder of Blank Slate Kitchen, about his brand-building story. Alex talks about his products’ travel-inspired, culturally rich flavor profiles, his plans to diversify his product line, and how he transitioned from a software engineer to a professional chef.

Ashley Nickelson is the Founder and CEO of B.T.R. Nation, which produces on-the-go, better-for-you snacks that reimagine typical vending machine food. B.T.R. Nation has tens of thousands of customers nationwide and is distributed in over 600 stores. After her parents were diagnosed with cancer, Ashley became their primary caretaker and spent years eating out of hospital vending machines and cafeterias. With a background in biochemistry and food studies, she began making protein-packed plant-based snacks. 
In this episode… With many consumers becoming more health-conscious, the market is saturated with natural, better-for-you food options. However, even while promoting fresh ingredients, some brands begin manufacturing their products with refined and engineered ingredients over time, replicating their original flavors while cutting costs. How can you maintain a commitment to real food ingredients while differentiating yourself in the market?
With a unique mission to replace toxic vending machine snacks with plant-based, protein-packed snack bars and bites, Ashley Nickelsen produces her products with real food for authentic flavors. She launched her brand in DTC channels to build initial brand awareness before transitioning into retail, where she focused on creating eye-catching packaging to attract new consumers. Yet consumers are often inundated with innumerable snack options, so to generate a loyal customer base, you must instill your mission into every endeavor from marketing and packaging to manufacturing, expansion, and innovation.
In this episode of the Brand Alchemist Podcast, Taja Dockendorf welcomes Ashley Nickelson, the Founder and CEO of B.T.R. Nation, to talk about the brand’s evolution. Ashley shares why you shouldn’t focus on cost when manufacturing products, how to raise capital to build brand awareness, and her vision for the brand’s expansion and innovation.

Jenna Liut is the Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder of Kiddiwinks, a plant-based prebiotic milk for kids. As a marketing and business development specialist, she has experience in food and agriculture systems, storytelling, consumer behavior, and early-stage startup operations. Before Kiddiwinks, Jenna hosted the Eating Matters podcast and was the VP of Product at Ambrosia, a startup fighting food waste. 
In this episode… Plant-based milk has been sweeping the market over the past 5-10 years as more consumers develop dairy intolerances. However, options like almond and oat milk lack the vital nutrients present in cow’s milk, and many children with dietary restrictions find the texture and taste unpleasant. How can you produce and market functional beverages for a niche audience?
After recognizing her own child’s intolerance to milk protein, Jenna Liut partnered with research developers and nutrition experts to develop a tasty plant-based milk fortified with essential proteins, fibers, and vitamins. When launching and marketing a functional new product, customizing the messaging and packaging for your target audience is crucial, so Jenna created distinctive and lively designs tailored to kids. You must also remain consistent with your products to maintain their original benefits and characteristics, especially with a young consumer base. Throughout the process, you may attract consumers outside your initial scope, as Jenna discovered when teens and parents of young children began consuming her products.
In today’s episode of the Brand Alchemist Podcast, Taja Dockendorf returns to interview Jenna Liut, the Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder of Kiddiwinks, about building a functional brand for kids. Jenna explains the difference between traditional plant-based milk and Kiddiwinks’ functional beverages, her long-term vision for the brand, and the lessons she’s learned along her journey.

Derek Wallace is Co-founder of Kalamata’s Kitchen, a multimedia platform that encourages children to explore the world through food. Inspired by an episode of Chef’s Table, he creates a curious and compassionate generation of eaters by using food to introduce kids to new experiences and cultures. Derek has experience in marketing, branding, go-to-market strategies, enterprise sales, and community program development. 
In this episode… Every business starts with a vision, but creating a sustainable company requires executing your idea with a strategic plan and a compelling story. Although vision-oriented entrepreneurs may experience discouragement and rejection, true impact occurs if consumers resonate with the mission. How can you position your idea in front of your target audience?
After searching for an age-appropriate and engaging medium to share his love of food with his son, Derek Wallace created relatable characters around a pledge to encourage kids to experience diverse foods. Through multi-channel content creation that integrates his initial vision into every touch point, Derek can create an authentic brand with a loyal audience. You can engage your consumerbase by fostering unique experiences that encourage customers to participate in your ideas. When you focus on storytelling, your customers will share your legacy.
In today’s episode of the Brand Alchemist Podcast, Derek Wallace, Co-founder of Kalamata’s Kitchen, joins Taja Dockendorf to talk about his mission-focused brand. Derek explains how to execute a vision without going over budget, his personal growth as an entrepreneur, and his company’s evolution from a book to animated content.

Chris Kirby is the Founder and President of Ithaca Hummus, the leading fresh-crafted hummus brand. After launching a lemon garlic hummus made with fresh ingredients, Ithaca became the fastest-growing hummus brand in America, sold at over 8,000 retailers nationwide including Wegmans, Whole Foods, Publix, and Sprouts. Chris started his career in the culinary industry as a professional chef. 
In this episode… Fresh ingredients are expensive and difficult to mass produce, so some growing CPG brands compromise on product quality to reduce their COGS — but for mission-focused brands, skimping on ingredients is not an option. Learn how to maintain freshness while navigating growth and manufacturing challenges.
As a formally-trained chef, Chris Kirby prioritizes fresh ingredients and quality, so he built a sustainable business model around transparency and education. He teaches his audience the difference between chemically-extracted and expeller-pressed seed oil, facilitating informative dialogue about healthy fats. With a Detox Project-certified hummus brand, Chris ensures his chickpeas are glyphosate-free, delivering healthy products to consumers. When striving for high-quality ingredients, Chris emphasizes the value of cultivating relationships with outsourced partners and vendors.
In today’s episode of the Brand Alchemist Podcast, Taja Dockendorf sits down with Chris Kirby, the Founder and President of Ithaca Hummus, who shares his journey of creating a clean-label hummus brand. Chris talks about the brand’s expansion from hummus to salsa, his entrepreneurial evolution, and the genesis of Ithaca Hummus.