Predicting The Turn w/ Dave Knox Dave Knox

Coming out of the global pandemic, consumers have increasingly been searching for non-alcoholic alternatives. Hop Water has been one of the fastest growing categories, with sales up nearly 200% in the past year. The market leader in this space is HOP WTR, a sparkling hop water crafted with a proprietary blend of stress-busting hops, adaptogens (ashwagandha) and nootropics (L-Theanine). I sat down with Jordan Bass, CEO and Co-Founder of HOP WTR, to learn about his entrepreneurial journey and where the category will be headed in the years to come.

Inspired by their own morning routines, Hannah Mendoza and Roger Coppola co-founded Clevr Blends. As pioneers in the better-for-you coffee category, Hannah and Roger have reshaped classic cafe-style drinks like Matcha, Chai, and Coffee lattes, and infused them with adaptogens, functional mushrooms, and better-than-barista ingredients. Along the way, they have been named one of Oprah's Favorite Things two years in a row and brought in notable celebrity investors. I sat down with Hannah to learn more about her journey as an entrepreneur, what inspired Clevr, and how the challenges of a CPG entrepreneur have changed in recent years.

Jason Wright set out to create a first-of-its kind nutrient-dense protein chip for nutrition-conscious snackers. As the founder of WILDE, he’s done just that by using chicken breast, egg whites and bone broth in a familiar chip format. I sat down with Jason to learn more about his journey with WILDE, why he chose to manufacture in his own facility in Kentucky, and what is next for the business.

In the world of business, many acquisitions fail to live up to lofty growth expectations. But with Rao’s, Sovos Brands has created a playbook of what works, growing the brand over 9x since acquiring it in 2017. I sat down with Yuri Hermida, the Chief Growth Officer of Sovos Brands, to discuss the company's journey to building Rao’s into a billion-dollar brand, the importance of maintaining an unwavering commitment to quality, and how they are driving awareness and household penetration.

Before the founders of Magic Spoon tackled the cereal aisle, their first startup was a line of protein bars using cricket protein called Exo. While the business was eventually sold, it taught them the importance of product-market fit and the difficulty of building a category from scratch. I sat down with Gabi Lewis, co-founder of Magic Spoon to discuss his journey as a CPG entrepreneur, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and why Magic Spoon had to raise nearly $100 million to bring change to the breakfast cereal aisle.

Over the past few years, TRUFF has partnered with brands ranging from Hidden Valley Ranch and Taco Bell to Super Mario Brothers and Warren Lotas.  Despite the diversity of these partnerships, all have a common authenticity that unifies them.  I sat down with co-founder Nick Ajluni to talk about their journey building the brand and why they have made partnerships a central part of their brand building.