Eric Skae is the CEO and co-founder of Carbone Fine Food, the fastest growing pasta sauce brand in America. In just five years, Carbone Fine Food has gone from zero to over $130 million through the register, adding an average of 156,000 new households every single month. And before that, Eric ran Rao's, where he took it from the number six pasta sauce brand in America and set the foundation that would eventually make it the number one premium sauce in the country. In this episode, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Eric for one of the most candid, educational, and genuinely fun conversations The Perfect Bite has ever had. Eric doesn't sugarcoat anything— not the $3.2 million personal loss he absorbed when his first brand, New Leaf Iced Tea, went through hard times, not the shareholder battle that forced the sale of Rao's, and not the very specific competitive mindset he brings to a category he has now shaped twice. What makes Carbone Fine Food special isn't just the branding. It's all about the product. Open kettle cooking. Italian tomatoes from southern Italy. Monthly taste sessions with chef Rich Torrisi. Eric personally tasted every single batch in year one, logging 100,000 miles on United without leaving the country. That obsession with quality is the moat and he knows it! This conversation covers the full picture: The origin story of building Carbone Fine Food from a handshake deal with Chef Mario Carbone to shelves in five months, why the brand's marketing flywheel is PR, event, and social rather than TV spend, how Costco became their biggest trial driver, what he thinks about the premiumization of pantry staples, and what's coming next, including a brand new Italian chili crunch launching in July that he previewed for the first time right here on The Perfect Bite! There's also a conversation about tariffs, board dynamics, founder lessons, and what it actually means to stay unapologetically true to your brand in a world where every trend is trying to pull you somewhere new. If you love Carbone Fine Food, the Carbone brand, work in CPG, or are building anything of your own, this one is unmissable. In this episode, we cover: Growing up in a big Irish family where food meant togetherness20+ years in beverage and how the fundamentals of CPG are simpler than people thinkFounding New Leaf Iced Tea, losing $3.2 million in 2008, and rebuilding in his fortiesThe call that led to meeting Mario Carbone—and saying yes immediatelyBuilding the brand from scratch: recipes, branding, co-packing, and shelves in five monthsTasting every single batch in year one and logging 100,000 miles domesticallyMonthly taste sessions with Rich Torrisi and why consistency is the real productThe marketing flywheel: PR, events, and social over TV spendCarbone Beach, Post Malone, Alex Cooper, Jimmy Fallon and pop culture authenticityWhy Mario Carbone is a superpower advantage6,000 Costco demos planned for this year and why trial is everythingHousehold penetration growing from 0.08% to 4% in two yearsThe premiumization of pantry staples and how generational shifts are driving itWhy he refuses to add fiber or protein to the sauce ("Add a piece of steak")EXCLUSIVE: Italian chili crunch launching July 2025! Look for the green and red flavorsHis take on tariffs, Italian tomatoes, and solving for quality no matter whatPicking the right board and why smart advisors beat cheerleaders every timeStaying frugal on someone else's money: flying coach and staying at Fairfield InnsHis advice for new foundersWhat's next, including a potential return to his original brand, New Leaf Find Carbone Fine Food: Website: carbonefinefood.comAvailable at most major retailers nationwideInstagram: @carbonefinefood Subscribe to The Perfect Bite podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and sign up for our newsletter!
