Brand Builder SnackNation & ForceBrands

When Alix Peabody was in her early 20s, she suffered from an ovarian torsion, in which an ovary twists, cutting off blood flow. Doctors recommended that if she wanted children one day, she should freeze her eggs. The only problem? The procedure, which can cost over $20,000 wasn't covered by insurance.
In an effort to raise funds, Alix started hosting ticketed parties and found a passion for creating female-dominated social spaces. She wanted to create that same energy in a product that people could enjoy again and again, and Bev was born. 
In this episode, we talk to Bev Founder Alix Peabody about breaking into the male-dominated wine industry with zero experience, standing up against toxic drinking culture, and creating a fun and inclusive experience through every brand interaction. 

Ocean Spray may have once conjured up images of bogs and cranberry juice, but the 92-year-old company made waves in 2020 with their arrival of CarryOn, a refreshing CBD beverage born from their Lighthouse Incubator. 
In this episode, we talk to CarryOn's Innovation Lead and Managing Director Chris Petersen about the significance of behemoth brands entering the functional wellness space, the advantages of an Incubator operation, as well as its unique challenges. Chris also gets personal about the mindset shift that came with joining a corporate team after years of solo entrepreneurship and how he combines the best of both worlds for CarryOn.

Twist it! Flip it! Shake it! No, we're not talking about the old Bop It toys. We're talking about Drnxmyth's innovative packaging that houses fresh ready-to-drink cocktails from some of the best mixologists in the world.
In this episode, we talk to Drnxmyth Co-founder Brandon Schwartz about the early challenges and a-ha moments behind creating their revolutionary packaging, establishing (and re-establishing) their target consumers, and partnering with passionate mixologists worldwide to celebrate the 'craft' of craft cocktail-making.

It is officially the age of the hard seltzer. In fact, it feels like not a day goes by without a well-known beer or alcohol brand announcing their new low-calorie beverage, or a rookie brand announcing the same.
So, what was it like to be the first? Before White Claw was in every corner and Truly was truly everywhere, Julius Makarewicz founded Nude Beverages, the low-calorie beverage brand based out of British Columbia. Eight years later, Nude has amassed fans across the globe with their suite of delicious sugar-free hard seltzers, vodka sodas, hard iced teas and more. 
In this episode, we talk to Julius about his entrepreneurial upbringing, his relentless pursuit of success, and the years of rejection that led to Nude Beverages being the powerhouse brand that it is today.

Roll out the red carpet because this week, we’re joined by royalty.
Erica Huss and Zoe Sakoutis became category queens in 2007 with BluePrint, a first-of-it’s-kind fresh pressed juice that leveraged high pressure processing (HPP) to land on market shelves nationwide.
Now, they’re back and better than ever with Earth & Star, a line of ready-to-drink functional beverages and snacks that harness the power of functional mushrooms and extracts.
In this episode, they share their proven strategies for turning fringe wellness trends into incredibly delicious and ‘sticky’ products that people can fall in love with. Plus, we get real and raw about the costly mistakes along the way that made them stronger entrepreneurs, brand builders, co-founders and friends.
 
For full show notes and relevant links, visit snacknation.com/brandbuilder 

Where people see challenges, Kameron sees a new opportunity to build a life-changing brand. Not once, but twice. 
In this inspiring episode, Kameron Norwood, co-founder of Half Day CBD and PackDash, reveals the surprising secrets and tested strategies that helped him navigate the stigmas of cannabis, launch his first brand and build an ecosystem to support it. Get ready for a crash course in hustling, being resourceful, and never letting roadblocks get in the way of your success.