ReGen Brands Podcast: Recent Episodes
ReGen Brands Podcast
On this episode, we have Samuel Taylor who is the Founder and CEO of Long Table.
Long Table is supporting regenerative agriculture with their pancake and waffle mixes made with regeneratively grown heirloom grains.
In this episode, we learn how Samuel went from actor to CPG Founder due to the combination of a pancake obsession and an acrobatic love interest. He details how the brand went from the farmers market to appearing on Shark Tank, and he shares why regenerative, stone-milled, heirloom grains are a game-changer in terms of flavor, nutrition, and environmental impact.
Lots of great stories in this one folks! Samuel didn’t land a deal on Shark Tank, but he scooped up the next best thing: “the best pancakes I’ve ever had” compliment from all the sharks and a million-dollar sales bump. A little over a year later, he’s looking to build out this brand both online and in retail while being a key purchaser supporting the regenerative grain shed of the upper Midwest.
Episode Highlights:
🥞 Next-gen pancakes from regeneratively-grown, heirloom grains
🎪 The acrobatic love interest that inspired the brand
🍿 Inventing popcorn flour pancakes
🦈 Going on Shark Tank with David Schwimmer
🤯 Doing $1M in sales the 6 weeks after Shark Tank
🌾 Building supply chains with the Artisan Grain Collaborative
🤤 Why stone-milled, heirloom grains are better
📈 Capital-efficient, omnichannel growth
🏅 Working towards Regenified™ certification
💰 Why regen brands need more investment
Links:
Long Table
Artisan Grain Collaborative
Long Table On Shark Tank
Seedhouse Design
Janie’s Mill
Meadowlark Organics
Regenified™
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On this episode, we have Ben Mand who is the CEO at Guayakí.
Guayakí is supporting regenerative agriculture with their various yerba mate-based products that are farmed in regenerative organic systems.
Yerba mate is a tree of the holly family that is native to the Atlantic Forest of South America, and the consumption of yerba mate is related to the unique relationship between Indigenous Peoples and their forest environments developed over millennia.
On this episode, we learn how Ben has satisfied his appetite for impact across a wide array of brands, and he shares more about Guayakí’s Market Drive Regeneration™ approach - detailing what that means for their farming partners, their business, and their consumers.
Episode Highlights:
🍃 Creating the yerba mate category
🧉 The traditional gourd circle practice of sharing mate
📈 Going from incremental to exponential impact in CPG
❤️ Guayakí’s Market Driven Regeneration™
🙏 Partnering with Indigenous communities
🤝 Farmer price premiums and infrastructure investment
👉 Making responsible business the new norm
🔥 Nailing the brilliant basics to tell the regen story
🔮 Future-proofing their product portfolio
🎯 How retailers should support regen brands
Links:
Guayakí
Yerba Mate 101
Market Driven Regeneration™
Harmless Harvest
73 - Allie O'Brien @ Harmless Harvest
Regenerative Organic Certified®
World Bank
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On this episode, we have James Arthur Smith who is the Founder and CEO of Seatopia.
Seatopia is supporting regenerative aquaculture with its direct-to-consumer business building consumer demand for innovative aquaculture practices in hopes of scaling a truly regenerative seafood supply chain to feed the planet and restore our oceans.
In this episode, James breaks down the massive problems with current commodity seafood systems, how Seatopia is pioneering aquaculture 3.0, and why integrated multi-trophic aquaculture in the ocean is the same thing as regenerative agriculture on the land.
If you’re ready to take a deep dive (pun intended) into marine ecosystems and planet-positive commercial-scale food production then this episode is for you.
Episode Highlights:
🌊 James’ lifelong love affair with the ocean
🐠 Why wild caught isn’t necessarily better
👉 The parallels between agriculture and aquaculture
🐟 How Seatopia is championing aquaculture 3.0
🎣 Why we can’t feed the world with just wild-caught seafood
🔥 Sourcing from integrated multi-trophic seafood farms
🙅 Why regenerative doesn’t drive dollars
🔬 Using testing and transparency to boost product claims
😯 Fish isn’t actually supposed to smell ‘fishy’
📈 Leveraging R&D for more whole-fish utilization
Links:
Seatopia
California Coastal Commission
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
AltaSea
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On this episode, we have Jacob Muise who is a Co-Founder and the CEO of Maui Nui Venison.
Maui Nui Venison is supporting regenerative agriculture with its lineup of venison products made from wild-harvesting the invasive Axis deer population on the island of Maui.
Maui Nui Venison is the most nutrient-rich, and protein-dense red meat on the planet. Their stress-free, wild-harvesting methods ethically and responsibly manage the invasive Axis deer population of Maui in an effort to restore ecological balance to the island.
In this episode, we learn how Jake went from surfing the frosty waters off of Nova Scotia to the warm waters of Hawaii, the ecological imperative for managing the Axis deer population in Hawaii, and how Jake turned his obsession for Axis deer into the powerhouse brand that Maui Nui is today.
Now look, this is a little ‘outside of the box’ application of the term regenerative agriculture, and that may not fly for some of you purists out there. But guess what, we don’t really care. Because Maui Nui’s outcomes in terms of ecological benefit, human nutrition, and community benefit are unquestionably regenerative. And this is the first of two episodes in a row where we feature a brand with a nuanced take on regen somewhat outside of the norm.
And the word on the street is there are multiple top-secret reveals buried deep in this episode, so I think you’ll want to listen until the very end.
Episode Highlights:
🛶 How Axis Deer came to Hawaii
🏄 Jake’s journey from Nova Scotia to Maui
🦌 Why Axis Deer populations increase so rapidly
🍖 Turning a removal project into a meat business
🤯 Their unique, stress-free, night-time harvesting process
⚙️ Building USDA-approved processing for Axis Deer
😮 Ecological and economic imperatives for eating Axis Deer
🎯 Accidentally creating the ‘perfect meat triangle’
🔥 Why taste and quality Always. Comes. First.
💥 Their upcoming broth collab with Kettle & Fire
Links:
Maui Nui Venison
Hawaiʻiʻs Axis Deer - From invasive species to food source
Peter Attia
Tim Ferriss
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On this episode, we have Jessica Rubino and Douglas Brown from New Hope Network. Jessica serves as the Vice President of Content and Douglas serves as a Senior Retail Reporter & Analyst.
New Hope Network’s purpose is to cultivate a prosperous high-integrity CPG and retail ecosystem that creates health, joy, and justice for all people while regenerating the planet. New Hope Network is at the forefront of the natural, organic, and conscious products industry. With solutions for the complete supply chain, including manufacturers, retailers, distributors, service providers, ingredient suppliers, media, and investors, New Hope Network offers a robust portfolio of content, events, data, research, and consultative services.
Most of you listening probably know New Hope best for their seminal, annual event, Natural Products Expo West, which Kyle and I broke down on Episode 66.
In this episode, we are talking all things Newtopia Now, which is New Hope’s newest event designed for buyers to discover their next best-selling conscious products through facilitated connections, deepened relationships, and actionable and inspiring content.
The unique floorplan at Newtopia Now is built around 4 neighborhoods, with one being ‘Regenerate’ showcasing brands building more regenerative supply chains and overall business models.
We get a special sneak peek preview into the event overall, what retailers and regenerative brands can expect when attending Newtopia Now, and I ask both Jessica and Douglas for their thoughts on the hottest topics in the world of regenerative CPG. Because I know y’all are tired of just hearing Kyle and I talk about them…
This was a super fun episode, and I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at Newtopia Now in August.
Episode Highlights:
💫 Introducing, Newtopia Now!
🤝 New experiences for brands & buyers
🚶 Strolling the neighborhoods and shopping the market
🍝 Creating new and deeper connections at curated dine arounds
💭 Translating customer feedback into product development
⚡ The exciting early potential of the regen movement
🤔 How almost all regen claims are 3rd-party validated
🔮 What will regen CPG claims look like in the future?
💪 Is nutrient density the silver bullet for regen demand?
🎯 Embracing empathy, interconnectedness, and deeper connection
Links:
New Hope Network
Newtopia Now
The Natural List
Natural Products Expo West
Marketing regenerative: How three ROC brands sell agriculture
Black Cat Organic Farm
The Wolf’s Tailor
Colorado Grain Chain
Pastaficio
Moxie Bread Co
Mad Agriculture
Nutrient Density Alliance
Patagonia Provisions
SIMPLi
Alec’s Ice Cream
GoodSAM Foods
Lundberg Family Farms
Ancient Nutrition
Dr. Bronner’s
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On this episode, we have Ladd Wahlen who is a fourth-generation potato farmer and Co-Owner of Roots Potato Chips.
Roots Potato Chips is supporting regenerative agriculture with its lineup of single-origin, regeneratively farmed potato chip products.
In this episode, we learn how a college research project catapulted Ladd into his regenerative journey, how radically different his farming operation is from his conventional potato peers, and what its been like to go from farmer to also potato chip manufacturer and CPG brand operator.
Ladd’s farm is proving that you can build a regenerative model for commercial-scale potato production with the farm boasting 10 times the diversity of conventional farms, a 75% reduction in tillage versus conventional farms, and ground cover 90% of the year versus an average 33% of the year for conventional farms.
The Nature Conservancy has made the Wahlen’s farm a demonstration site to help other Idaho potato growers adopt regenerative practices and Ladd and his family hope that the Roots brand can become a commercial engine that incentivizes those same farmers to adopt these practices and while being paid for their efforts.
Episode Highlights:
🥔 Single-origin and regeneratively-farmed potato chips
🤩 Fourth-generation farmer + first-generation CPG founder
✍️ How a college research paper sparked Ladd’s regen curiosity
😯 The stark contrast between their farm and conventional farms
🥇 Being a demo farm for The Nature Conservancy
🚜 The impossibility of eliminating tillage in potato production
🤯 Starting the brand with 25 initial SKUs
👎 Why don’t retail buyers care more about regen?
🤝 Working with Soil & Climate Health Initiative Verification
🔥 Using the brand as a tool to convert potato farmers to regen
Links:
Roots Potato Chips
Idaho farm offers model of regenerative potato farming
The Nature Conservancy
Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI)
The End of Craving
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On this episode, we have Johnny Hunter who is a third-generation farmer and the President of Castor River Habitat & Farm.
Castor River Habitat & Farm is supporting regenerative agriculture with its lineup of rice products grown on their own farm and produced in their on-farm milling facility.
In this episode, we learn about the Hunter family’s deep agricultural roots, how Johnny was forced to go regen after ‘hitting rock bottom’ in 2012, and how the brand has grown since its inception in 2018.
Johnny is a masterful storyteller and this episode had a little bit of everything: thoughts on why we need to keep regenerative farmer-focused and rooted in reality, stories of collaborative commercialization with some of their retail and foodservice partners, plus what is ahead for Castor River including achieving Regenified certification and expanding sourcing beyond their home farm.
Episode Highlights:
🧑🌾 The Hunter family’s agricultural legacy
🤯 Committing to farming at 10 years old
💥The rock bottom year that sparked a regen transition
🎰 Why farming is like gambling and the house always wins
👏 Starting a brand to capture de-commoditized value
😂 Breaking into retail selling door-to-door at Hy-Vee
🤝 Their unique partnership with Just Salad
🦆 Why are they a habitat and a farm?
🔍 Onboarding with Regenified™
🍚 Sourcing from other farms to fuel future growth
Links:
Castor River Habitat & Farm
Ray Archuleta
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
Hy-Vee
Just Salad
Regenified™
Gabe Brown
Missouri Delta Soil Health Alliance
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On this episode, we have Allie O’Brien who is the Vice President of Marketing at Harmless Harvest.
Harmless Harvest is supporting regenerative agriculture with its Regenerative Organic Certified® coconut supply chain which is now making its way into label claims across their product portfolio.
In this episode, we learn about Harmless’ unique supply chain in Thailand sourcing the nam hom coconut, their work implementing regenerative practices on the ground through their ReCAP program, how their regenerative organic sourcing is coming to life in product marketing today and in the future, plus the support their receiving from their parent company, Danone.
Get your notepads out folks because Allie was dropping knowledge on this episode. It was super interesting and informative to have our first VP of Marketing on the show and Allie went in-depth on all things related to creating meaningful marketing strategies for regenerative claims whether we’re talking certifications, packaging design, claims hierarchy, pricing architecture, in-store promotion, channel-specific execution and so much more.
Episode Highlights:
🩷 What makes their coconut water pink + unique?
🥥 Why they only use nom ham coconuts
🌴 Canal-based, smallholder coconut farms in Thailand
😮 Why there’s no organic premium for their partner farmers
🤝 Creating the ReCAP program to increase regen ag adoption
💰 How Danone is supporting their regen work
🥤 Bringing regenerative claims to their bottles
🎯 Why regen is about retention and not purchase
👍 How retailers and certifiers can boost consumer education
🤩 “It’s the right thing to do AND better for business”
Links:
Harmless Harvest
Harmless Harvest’s Regenerative Agriculture
Harmless Harvest's 2023 Impact Report
Harmless Harvest’s ReCAP Program
Danone
Danone Ecosystem Fund
Regenerative Organic Certified®B-Corp
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On this episode, we have Alison Czeczuga and Zach West from Gaia Herbs. Alison serves as the Director of Social Impact and Sustainability while Zach serves as the Farm Operations Manager.
Gaia Herbs is supporting regenerative agriculture with their 250-acre Regenerative Organic Certified® farm in North Carolina and their more than 200+ SKUs that contain various Regenerative Organic Certified® ingredients.
In this episode, we learn how this natural channel supplement leader has developed, implemented, and expanded their regenerative strategy plus how they’re betting that tying regen to product quality and consumer wellness will be a winning commercial strategy.
We talked farmworker housing, composting programs, herbal extraction, product label claim challenges and so much more in this one. Tons of insights and of course some good laughs along the way.
Episode Highlights:
🤯 Integrating regen into their 200+ SKUs
🚜 Their 250-acre Regenerative Organic Certified® farm
🧪 How Gaia’s herbs & botanicals become supplements
🧑🌾 Their legendary H-2A visa farmworker crew
🏠 Gaia’s new state-of-the-art farmworker housing
♻️ Upcycling their ‘herbal marc’ into compost
🤔 The challenges of producing fully ROC™ SKUs
🤝 Working with other brands on the Sustainable Herbs Program
🧘 Why tying regen to wellness is the winning strategy
🗣️ How they’re approaching messaging and label claims
Links:
Gaia Herbs
Regenerative Organic Certified®
Rodale Institute
H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers
Meet Your Herbs
SXSW
Regenerative Healthcare Conference
B-Corp
Sustainable Herbs Program
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On this episode, we have Dana Ehrlich who is the Founder of Verde Farms.
Verde Farms is supporting regenerative agriculture with its lineup of 100% USDA organic and grass-fed and grass-finished beef products. They have recently begun working with Land to Market to transition their supply to fully regenerative and have begun certifying certain SKUs.
In this episode, Dana shares the health and tourism journey that led him to South American grass-fed beef plus how they’ve grown the brand over time very unconventionally through private label business and branded sales to conventional and mass retailers.
Verde Farms is growing 50% year over year with category-leading velocities and recently took on its first major investment while also transitioning to self-manufacturing.
Tons of fun topics in this one on all things CPG plus Dana shares the behind-the-scenes look at getting their farmers to adopt more regenerative practices. Here’s a hint - the incentives have to do with boosting on-farm profitability.
Episode Highlights:
🔌 Going from semiconductors to CPG
🌍 How health and travel inspired the brand
🏗️ Building supply chain before brand
🤯 Landing their big break with Wegman’s & Costco
🥩 Moving all of their volume over to branded sales
🧑🌾 Transitioning their supply chain to regenerative
🤠 Why quicker time to slaughter weight is key for rancher adoption
🎯 Consumer first > Customer first
😯 Pivoting to self-manufacturing right before COVID
🚀 Partnering with Manna Tree to fuel future growth
Links:
Verde Farms
The End of Craving
Land to Market™
Pasturebird
Manna Tree Partners
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On this episode, we have Briana Buckles who is the Global Senior Sustainability Manager at Yogi Tea.
Yogi Tea is supporting regenerative agriculture with 9 global projects dedicated to increasing regenerative agriculture adoption in the supply chain for their Yogi Tea and Choice Organics brands.
Yogi has been around for more than 50 years, produces over 70 SKUs, and sources more than 150 ingredients from over 40 different countries. Their products are stocked across thousands of retailers in North America and Europe.
In this episode, Briana shares her 5-year journey trailblazing new regenerative agriculture initiatives at Yogi and how they are increasing regen ag adoption through a three-pronged supply chain visibility, intervention, and expansion approach. Plus, she shares the details on one of their projects in Rwanda with details on how they select farmers to support, partner with local technical assistance providers, and fund the work itself.
Episode Highlights:
💫 The original Yogi recipe
🤯 Sourcing 150+ ingredients from 40+ countries
✍️ Building a Sustainability program from scratch
🌍 Their 9 global regen ag projects to date
🔍 Why it all starts with supply chain transparency
🧑🌾 Their work with tea farmers in Rwanda
💲 How they think about the ROI of regenerative
😧 The challenges of certifying their complex supply chains
⚙️ How Yogi designs, implements, and funds their regen projects
🤩 Why every supply chain link needs to benefit from regen
Links:
Yogi Tea
Yogi Tea’s Annual Sustainability Report
Dr. Bronner’s
Fair Trade Certified
For for Life
FairWild Foundation
Rainforest Alliance
Regenerative Organic Certified
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On this episode, we have Matthieu Kohlmeyer who is the Founder and CEO of La Tourangelle.
La Tourangelle is a French-American family-owned & operated culinary oil maker. They’re currently supporting regenerative agriculture with their Regenerative Organic Certified® Sunflower Oil and their soon-to-be-released regenerative olive oil.
In this episode, Matthieu shares La Tourangelle’s 20-year history as a CPG brand and 150-year history producing artisan oils, he shares what makes their production and packaging unique from other players in the category, and he also details their future plans to support regenerative agriculture.
Matthieu is a wealth of knowledge in all topics oil-related and he was nice enough to weigh in on the current seed oil debates, existing issues with counterfeit oils in the market, and why scaling regen in oil products might look a lot different than other categories.
Episode Highlights:
🗝️ Artisan oil-making dating back to 1867
🇺🇲 How Matthieu brought the brand to the US
🥫 Why tin packaging is better for the oil and the earth
✨ What makes La Tourangelle’s oils unique?
😦 Current fraud issues in culinary oil manufacturing
♻️ The added upcycling complexity in oil supply chains
🧑🌾 Farmer feedback on regenerative & organic
❤️ Why emotion > education for selling food
👀 What’s the truth about seed oils?
👏 Educating kids in their community garden
Links:
La Tourangelle
Regenerative Organic Certified® Sunflower Oil
Regenerative Organic Certified®
The Codex Alimentarius
The Dorito Effect
Regenified™
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On this episode, we have Jared Simon who is the CEO at Manitoba Harvest.
Manitoba Harvest is North America’s leading hemp food brand, and they’re supporting regenerative agriculture with their recently released Regenerative Organic Certified® Hemp Hearts.
In this episode, Jared breaks down how hemp is grown and some of the agronomic differences between conventional, organic, and regenerative organic cultivation. Jared also shares how Manitoba Harvest is developing their commercial strategy around regenerative and what this means for both their branded business and B2B ingredient business.
Jared was super engaging and insightful, and we really enjoyed gleaning his insights on how a legacy, scaled brand like Manitoba Harvest starts prioritizing regen, opportunities he sees in the broader regen movement, and how their work is influencing the larger, publicly traded parent company they sit within.
Episode Highlights:
💥 Their 25-year history pioneering hemp foods
🌱 The differences between hemp and cannabis
💪 Why hemp is a nutrition powerhouse
🔬 Using AI-Powered nutrition research to drive innovation
👉 Investing upstream to add value
💡 How they think about their regen strategy
📈 Scaling ROC™ hemp with B2B & B2C
👀 The future of regenerative marketing claims
🔥 Educating Tilray’s other brands on regen
🎯 Getting to critical mass with retailers and consumers
Links:
Manitoba Harvest
Hemp Oil Canada / Fresh Hemp Foods
Tilray Brands
Brightseed
Regenerative Organic Certified®
Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC™) Hemp Hearts
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On this episode, we have Blaine & Brooks Hitzfield from Seven Sons. Blaine is the CEO while Brooks serves as the COO.
Seven Sons is supporting regenerative agriculture with its direct-to-consumer meat business that sells regeneratively raised beef, bison, pork, and chicken as well as seafood and other snack items.
Seven Sons sources their regeneratively raised meat products from their own 550-acre farm in Roanoke, Indiana, and from other regenerative farmers around the Midwest.
In this episode, we hear how the family farm transitioned from a conventional hog operation to a multi-species pastured livestock operation, plus Blaine and Brooks take us behind the scenes on all things direct-to-consumer e-commerce and how they’ve grown their business to 75,000 orders a year.
This was an absolute masterclass in operating a DTC brand, connecting with consumers authentically, and making regenerative products accessible through convenience.
Episode Highlights:
👏 Growing to 14,000 customers & 75,000 orders a year
😦 Their family journey from conventional pork to regen beef
⁉️ Are there actually seven sons in this business!?
🤯 Scaling to 53 pickup locations then shutting them down
👉 Why education isn’t a winning marketing strategy
😵💫 How to avoid “death by diversity” as a farmer
🍗 The challenges of pastured poultry economics
🎯 Winning with Quality, Authenticity, & Convenience
💲 Their winning DTC playbook (acquisition, retention, assortment)
💡 Being your own customer to improve your business
Links:
Seven Sons
Graze Cart
Pasturebird
Byron Center Meats
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On this episode, Kyle and I are flying solo to bring you some updates and thoughts coming out of Expo West.
For those who don’t know, Expo West is “the annual Super Bowl of CPG” with over 67,000 attendees this year and a gathering of anyone and everyone working on CPG brands supporting regenerative agriculture - from certifiers, to investors, to the brands themselves, and many more.
Kyle and I spend some time covering our personal highlights, favorite new products, plus the state of the union for CPG capital investment and regenerative marketing claims.
Episode Highlights:
🖤 The power of human connection
🤤 Our favorite new items from regen brands
🔊 Regenerative dominates Climate Day content
⭐ Regen brands take home 5 NEXTYs
😍 Big sourcing commitments and funding rounds announced
💯 Today’s major operating hurdles for regenerative brands
💰 Current investment landscape and implications for regen brands
👀 California defining “regenerative agriculture”
👉 The fallacy of positive competition in the regenerative movement
🙏 Using hope, empathy, and vulnerability to create harmony in regen CPG
Links:
ReGen Brands
Expo West
Force of Nature Meats
Big Picture Foods
Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed
Sol Simple
Artisan Tropic
Alec’s Ice Cream
Patagonia Provisions
Climate Day
Regenerative Organic Certified®
Regenified™
A Greener World
Soil & Climate Initiative
The Stockdale Paradox
One Step Closer
TIG Brands
Steward
Lil Bucks
California Defining Regenerative Agriculture
Silk
White Oak Patures
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On this episode, we have Hovik Azadkhanian who is the Founder and CEO of Heirloom Coffee Roasters.
Heirloom Coffee Roasters is supporting regenerative agriculture with its 6-SKU lineup of Regenerative Organic Certified® whole bean coffees.
In this episode, we learn how Hovik is carrying on his family’s legacy as a third-generation coffee roaster, how the brand has grown from one Bay Area retail location to going nationwide with Sprouts in less than a year, and why regenerative agriculture is the key to saving coffee.
One thing is clear from this episode - when people tell Hovik he can’t do something, he is going to do whatever he can to prove them wrong. This spirit underpins Heirloom’s audacious goals which range from selling 100% regenerative organic certified coffee, to pioneering emissions-free electric roasting, and much more.
Episode Highlights:
🙏 Three generations of family coffee roasting
💡 Going from B2B coffee roaster to CPG brand
👉 “The fight to save coffee”
🥇 Why Regenerative Organic Certified® matters
🧑🌾 Creating better futures for coffee farmers
💫 Building “premium” into the brand and packaging
⚡ Using Bellwether’s electric coffee roasters
😮 From 1 store to nationwide in 9 months
🎫 Using KeHe’s “Golden Ticket” to land Sprouts
🔊 “We have to make it feel good and taste good to do good”
Links:
Heirloom Coffee Roasters
The World's First Regenerative Coffee Research Lab
Heirloom & Bellwether’s Electric Coffee Roasters
Sustainable Harvest Relationship Coffee
Regenerative Organic Certified®
Good Food Awards
KeHe Golden Ticket Announcement
Green Spoon Sales
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On this episode, we have Jody and Crystal Manuel and Brei Larmoyeux, who are the Co-Founders of Gruff.
Gruff is supporting regenerative agriculture with its Regenerative Organic Certified® Ancient Grain Grits. Gruff’s grits are made from organic cracked Farro and are table-ready in just 12 minutes.
In this episode, we learn about Jody and Crystal's journey transitioning their farm from conventional to organic plus all the spectacular nuance of how they’re currently weaving annuals, perennials, and animals to create a winning regenerative organic system.
Crystal shares the story of how feeding their many children a nutritious breakfast inspired the creation of Gruff, and we have Brei and Kyle sidebarring on how we can bring these nutritious grits to bodybuilding bros and other performance athletes across the world.
Gruff is a vertically integrated, farmer-led, regenerative brand with a great story and a ton of growth potential - we enjoyed diving into it all with Jody, Crystal, and Brei.
Episode Highlights:
🤤 Ancient Grain Grits made with cracked Farro
💡 Crystal’s health journey that changed their farm forever
👏 A beautiful integration of annuals, perennials, & animals
🥣 The bulk kids’ breakfasts that inspired their hero SKU
🤝 Why crop diversity requires market diversity
🤩 Beefing up on-farm impact reporting with Mad Ag
💪 Growing for Purely Elizabeth & Patagonia Provisions
🎯 Making weeds an indicator instead of an enemy
🔥 The foodservice opportunity for farro grits
💥 1 Mom at a time, 1 family at a time, 1 eater at a time
Links:
Gruff
Timeless Natural Food
Montana Organic Association
Montana Milling
Moz
Pluck Seasonings
Save The Bros
Mad Agricutlure
Purely Elizabeth
Weeds and Why They Grow
The Dorito Effect
EQIP
Nofence
Vence
Culinary Institute of America
School of Lunch
Three Billy Goats Gruff
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On this episode, we have Nick Wiseman who is a Co-Founder and the CEO of Little Sesame.
Little Sesame is supporting regenerative agriculture with its lineup of organic and regeneratively farmed hummus products that includes a flavor lineup of Smooth Classic, Jammy Tomato, Caramelized Onion, Herby Jalapeño, and the newly launched Preserved Lemon.
In this episode, we learn how Nick and his team pivoted Little Sesame from restaurant to retail during COVID, the “freshly-spun” difference that makes their hummus unique, and Little Sesame’s explosive growth strategy and results.
We covered a ton with Nick, and this episode is super rich with insights into everything from direct-trade farm relationships, to driving product velocities at retail, to building self-manufacturing as a competitive advantage.
Episode Highlights:
😍 “Freshly spun” hummus made with regen chickpeas
😯 Pivoting from restaurant to CPG during COVID
🍋 Their new lemon preserve hummus
🔥 The ROI in self-manufacturing
🤝 Partnering with their chickpea farmer, Casey Bailey
🤯 Farmer Casey’s “10-year regen experiment” and 17-crop rotation
🎯 Obsessing over velocities to drive growth
💰 Why brands need diverse capital stacks and new financial models
🥳 Using seasonal SKUs and brand collabs to grow
🚀 Planning 1,000+ demos for 2024
Links:
Little Sesame
The Hummus Club
Timeless Seeds Inc.
Athletic Brewing Article
Glyphosate In Hummus (EWG)
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On this episode, we have Joséphine Bournonville who is a Co-Founder and the COO at Omie.
Omie is supporting regenerative agriculture with its lineup of more than 200 French pantry staples that are sourced from regenerative farmers.
Omie’s agri-engineers work with over 40 manufacturers and 200 farmers to bring this vast assortment to life. Farming operations are audited with a Regenerative Index score then Omie works with the operators to create a roadmap for improvement and further regenerative practice adoption. All of their products are given a Planet Score, with more than 90% of the portfolio scoring an A or B and nothing being offered that isn’t at least a grade C.
In this episode, we learn about Joséphine’s journey from clean-tech investing to agribusiness M&A to a regenerative food startup, and we hear how Omie has scaled from a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform into France’s leading regenerative brand.
Joséphine was an amazing endcap to our first international series! Omie is doing incredible work, and it was inspiring and informative to hear about their efforts and compare them to all the other brands we’ve had on the show.
Episode Highlights:
🇫🇷 France’s leading regen brand with over 200 products!
🚜 Joséphine’s journey from agribusiness to regen CPG
🤯 Working with 46 manufacturers and 260 farmers
🥣 Their new kids' cereal lineup featuring millet
🔥 The power of a strong DTC customer community
💯 Using radical transparency to build trust
📝 Roadmapping improvements with “the regeneration index”
👏 Dedicating 1% of sales to regen practice adoption
🔊 The recent farmer protests in France & Europe
🗯️ Engaging in advocacy + policy to drive change
Links:
Omie
Groupe Roullier
Decathlon
The Regeneration Index
Planet-score®
Farmer Protests
Thierry Marx
2050
Lively Earth
RFSI Europe 2024
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On this episode, we have Jay Albany who is the CEO of Wide Open Agriculture.
Wide Open Agriculture is Australia's leading regenerative food and agriculture company and operates 3 distinct enterprises. Under the name Dirty Clean Food, they operate a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform that sells 300 different regenerative and artisan products directly to wholesale customers and individual consumers. They’ve also launched a line of branded, oat-milk-based CPG products under the Dirty Clean Food name as well.
WOA is focusing its future growth on its third enterprise - producing and supplying Buntine Protein® created by processing Australian sweet lupin. Sweet lupin serves as a rotational crop in regenerative systems of the Western Australian wheat belt but currently does not have a large, profitable market as a human food ingredient.
Wide Open Ag’s business is a beautiful blend of targeting both local and global impact while operating under their “4 returns” mandate which includes financial, natural, social and inspirational returns.
Episode Highlights:
👏 Their mission to regenerate the Western Australian wheat belt
🔮 How Jay met the Founders and joined the team
🥩 Bringing better food to Western Australia
🍔 Landing a burger joint to catalyze their brand
📈 Growing Dirty Clean Food to $12M
🥛 Launching the world’s 1st regenerative oat milk
💰 Sweetening the economics of sweet lupins
💥 Introducing Buntine Protein® - a better plant-based protein
🔥 Why Buntine Protein® is better
👍 Tackling local and global impact at once to scale regen
Links:
Wide Open Agriculture
Dirty Clean Food
Short Order Burger
Oatly
Minor Figures
Buntine Protein®
Curtin University
Wide Open Agriculture acquires Prolupin
Saputo Dairy Australia
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On this episode, we have Rafaela Gontijo Lenz who is the Founder and CEO at NUU.
NUU is supporting regenerative agriculture with its lineup of regenerative, cassava-based foods that includes cheese bread, chees bread pizza, tapioca sticks, and more. These items are sold in over 1,500 retail and foodservice points of sale in Brazil.
In this episode, we learn how Rafaela was inspired to leave her job at Johnson & Johnson to start a cheese bread company supporting smallholder farmers, her regenerative awakening and NUU’s regenerative journey, and their recent 4 million dollar fundraise that is set to power their future vision.
NUU is a certified B Corp, certified carbon neutral, led by an entirely female C-suite, and has been recognized by The United Nations as 1 of 50 global companies to help lead the regenerative food movement.
Episode Highlights:
🇧🇷 Our 2nd international episode with NUU from Brazil!
🤤 Why Rafaela left Johnson & Johnson to start NUU
🧀 Bringing better Brazilian cheese bread to the masses
🤩 Their indigenous, hero ingredient: yuca (cassava)
🧑🌾 Building supply chains to purchase from smallholder farmers
🤝 Engaging investors, NGOs, and the government in their regen journey
💡 Why all their SKUs are “air fryer friendly”
💰 Their recent 4 million dollar fundraise!
❤️ Why we need to re-feminize the food system
🔥 Using event ambassadors to drive discovery and trial
Links:
NUU
NUU Secures $4 Million in Series A Funding
NUU’s Zero Carbon Factory
The history of Pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread)
Kiss The Ground Movie
Jornada Amazônia
Dengo
VEJA
EcoEnterprises Fund
farfarm
Pão de Açúcar
Carrefour
Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation
Alex Atala - Mandioca
The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food
Donos do Mercado
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On this episode, we have Edd Lees who is one of the Co-Founders at Wildfarmed.
Wildfarmed is supporting regenerative agriculture with its lineup of regenerative wheat flours that are used in retailers, restaurants, and bakeries across the United Kingdom and powered by a network of 80 regenerative farmers.
In this episode, we learn how the brand was started when a famous DJ traded in his turntables for a tractor, how they’ve grown the business through a branded B2B2C strategy, and their big plans for their first Wildfarmed CPG product launch in 2024.
Episode Highlights:
🥳 Our 1st international episode with Wildfarmed!
🎤 How a grammy-nominated musician became a regenerative farmer
🔥 “First they laugh at you, then they hate you, then they want to join you”
👏 Scaling their B2B2C strategy from 1 bakery to 400 customers
🤩 Their regenerative standards and network of 80 farmers
😯 How they won a 25-year tenancy on their demonstration farm
🎯 Why their brand is all about being “Full of Life”
⚡ Their 1st branded CPG launch coming in 2024!
🤯 Partnering with a nationwide retailer to sell bread AND grow wheat
💥 Why stale category + high household penetration = opportunity
Links:
Wildfarmed
Andy Cato
Wildfarmed Standards
Henry Dimbleby
National Trust
The Green Revolution
Cairnspring Mills
Steward
RFSI
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On this episode, we have Derrick Jackson who is a Farmer and Co-Founder of Grass Grazed.
Grass Grazed is supporting regenerative agriculture with a myriad of direct-to-consumer livestock products and just launched its first CPG item, Grazed Snax. Grazed Snax is a meat stick made from 100% pasture-raised pork.
In this episode, we learn how Derrick and his family went from raising 25 backyard chickens to 4,000 pasture-raised birds in just 11 months, the barriers that small-scale regenerative farmers face in receiving financing for land acquisition, and why the family has decided to invest in building CPG products as a key to their future growth.
Episode Highlights:
👉 Health and accessibility challenges that made Derrick a farmer
😂 The family raising their first 25 backyard birds
😯 Scaling to 4,000 pastured chickens in 11 months
💰 Diversifying into 5 income streams (poultry, eggs, beef, pork, and dairy)
🔥 Providing a 65-family “buying club” with all of their meat and dairy
🎯 Why they launched their first CPG product
😡 How USDA loans discriminate against small, regenerative farmers
💡 Formulating, designing, and launching Grazed Snax
💥 Shifting their whole focus to pasture-raised meat sticks
👏 Why “bringing farmers to the table” is key to a regenerative future
Links:
Grass Grazed
Grazed Snax
Justin Rhodes
Pastured Poultry Profits
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On this episode, we have Zack Gazzaniga who is the Founder of Zack's Mighty.
Zack’s Mighty is supporting regenerative agriculture with its tortilla chip products made with certified regenerative corn.
In this episode, we learn about Zack’s journey in CPG helping to build and scale Sir Kensington’s, why he was compelled to “make chips that don’t break in dip,” and the wild ride building Zack’s Mighty supply chain that included everything from importing an heirloom variety of corn into the US, setting up direct trade supply with farms, investing in proprietary manufacturing processes, and certifying their regenerative claims through A Greener World (AGW).
Episode Highlights:
💪 Creating a chip that won’t break in dip
🥇 Being employee #1 at Sir Kensington’s
😂 Zack’s year-long journey to pick his entrepreneurial pursuit
🤯 The history of “flint corn” and why they use it
🔥 Importing flint corn from Italy for their first growing season
🤝 How regenerative claims can help brands get on shelf at retail
😬 Launching nationally in Whole Foods during COVID
🌽 Why the best tortilla chips start as tortillas first
🌟 Using A Greener World (AGW) for regenerative certification
👀 Their new “Rolled” chip line and why they aren’t regenerative
Links:
Zack’s Mighty
Sir Kensington's
Flint Corn History
Anson Mills
Stone House Farm
Hudson Carbon
A Greener World (AGW)
Certified Regenerative by A Greener World (AGW)
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On this episode, we have Kyle Koehler who is the Founder and CEO at Wildway.
Wildway is supporting regenerative agriculture with its commitment to transition its entire product portfolio to Regenerative Organic Certified®, beginning with a 4-SKU lineup of Planet Friendly Oats and a 3-SKU lineup of Coconut Chips.
In this episode, we learn about Kyle’s 11-year journey bootstrapping Wildway from the farmers’ market to a nationally distributed and profitable brand, Kyle shares his inspiration for taking the brand fully regenerative organic and the immense challenges that has created, plus he also shares how they’re looking to fund the future of the business with redeemable equity.
Episode Highlights:
👏 Wildway’s commitment to 100% Regenerative Organic Certified®
😂 How Kyle cold-called his way into Whole Foods
👍 Not wanting the brand to be synonymous with diet culture
🤯 Bootstrapping the brand for its entire 11-year journey
👎 Challenges of transitioning products to organic + regenerative
🤝 Why pre-competitive collaborations can scale regen supply
🔥 Using “beyond sustainable” to spur consumer curiosity
😡 The pitfalls of the current CPG financing landscape
💰 Funding their future with redeemable equity
🎯 Kyle’s 3-pronged approach to Wildway’s future strategy
Links:
Wildway
Regenerative Organic Certified®
Whole30
Tradin Organics
Mad Markets
One Step Closer
Redeemable Equity
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On this episode, we have Monique Hypes and Marie Krane who are the Co-Founders of Tomato Bliss.
Tomato Bliss is on a mission to “save the heirloom tomato from extinction” with their line of heirloom tomato soups that are made with tomatoes grown on their certified Regenified™ farm in Southwest Michigan.
In this episode, we learn why tomato farming became Marie’s chosen form of activism, how she found Monique to help Tomato Bliss become more than just a farmers market brand, and the strategies they’re using to grow both supply and demand for regeneratively grown heirloom tomatoes at the same time.
Episode Highlights:
😍 “Saving Heirloom Tomatoes From Extinction”
👏 Marie’s journey fighting to save heirloom tomato seeds
💡 Why farming and CPG became her best path to seed-saving
🤝 Hiring Monique to take the brand beyond the farmers’ market
🤯 90% of tomato production comes from less than 25 seeds
👍 Intercropping as their secret weapon for pest prevention
🏅 Why their farm is certified Regenified™
🧑🍳 How they’re using food service to fuel their growth
⚡ Why stores should merchandise their SKUs in the produce department
📈 The imperative for regen brands to scale supply and demand in tandem
Links:
Tomato Bliss
Green City Market
Good Food Accelerator
The Food Foundry
The Dorito Effect
Regenified™
Notre Dame & Tomato Bliss
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On this episode, we have Cody Hopkins who is the CEO and Founding Farmer at Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative.
Grass Roots is supporting regenerative agriculture with its 7-species lineup of meat products.
In this episode, we learn why Cody was inspired to start the Co-Op after being a small-scale poultry farmer, what makes their business model and corporate structure unique, and how Heifer International and Heifer USA have been important partners along the way.
Episode Highlights:
👏 Why Cody started the Co-Op after being a small poultry farmer
🧑🌾 Being vertically integrated and cooperating 50+ farmers
🤔 Learning from Zingerman’s ecosystem of businesses
💰 Partnering with Heifer International & Heifer USA
🔥 Balancing standardization and contextualization
🔪 Having ownership in their processor, Cypress Valley Meats
🥇 Onboarding with Land to Market™ & EOV™
😍 Why philanthropists should fund nutrient density testing
💥 Using guaranteed contracts + “common pay rates” to buy from farmers
🤯 Why regen needs scale, efficiency, and vertical integration
Links:
Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative
Zingerman's Community of Businesses
Value-Added Producer Grants
Heifer International
Heifer USA
Cypress Valley Meat Company
Land to Market™
EOV™
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On this episode, we have Adam Hiner & Maddie Hamann who are the Co-Founders @ PACHA.
PACHA is supporting regenerative agriculture with its lineup of organic and regenerative buckwheat bread products including 3 flavors of bread and 1 SKU of buns.
In this episode, we learn how PACHA found a reliable source of regenerative buckwheat through an innovative farmer partnership and how they’re rolling out their products nationally into Whole Foods as we speak.
Episode Highlights:
🤤 How Adam became obsessed with buckwheat bread
👏 Their national rollout in Whole Foods happening NOW!
🌊 Maddie’s transition from oceanography to entrepreneurship
🌳 Adam volunteering at a non-profit regenerative farm
📦 Why COVID forced them to focus on DTC early on
🏗️ Building buckwheat supply with John @ Field Theory
👍 The agronomic and commercial benefits of buckwheat
🥇 Working with Social Carbon Initiative (SCI) for certification
🤯 The simple power of slicing bread
💭 Creative marketing that drives trial at retail
Links:
PACHA
Trilogy Sanctuary
Lil Bucks
Field Theory
Soil Carbon Initiative
Cultivate CPG
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On this episode, we have Hayley Painter who is one of the Co-Founders @ Painterland Sisters.
Painterland Sisters is supporting regenerative agriculture with its line of organic and regenerative Icelandic skyr yogurt products that are made with organic milk sourced from their family farm and others in the Northern Pennsylvania area.
In this episode, we learn about how Painterland Sisters has grown to a 3-million-dollar annual run rate in just under two years of business, how this sister duo proposed a CPG brand as a way to protect the future of their family farm, plus what the term “regenerative” means to them, their farm, and their brand.
Episode Highlights:
💥 The difference between skyr, greek, and regular yogurt
🐄 Why their cows are “grass-based” versus “grass-fed”
🙏 Why CPG was the best path to safeguard their farm
😂 Hand-labeling the first 60,000 yogurts
👏 Eclipsing $1M in revenue in the first 12 months
👍 Pooling organic milk from their neighbor farms for supply
💪 Why their yogurts are packed with nutrition
🎯 How regenerative starts with adequate farmer livelihoods
😍 Leveraging “The Moo Crew” to boost retail sales
💰 Their WeFunder campaign happening NOW
Links:
Painterland Sisters
Painterland’s WeFunder Campaign
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In this episode, we have Maddy Rotman & Taylor Lanzet, the Co-Founders @ Anytime.
Anytime is supporting regenerative agriculture with two inaugural product lines in the adult beverage category. They first launched a canned cocktail lineup called the Anytime Spritz in May of this year and in just two weeks will bring to market their two inaugural spirit products: Anytime Famrhouse Vodka and Anytime Farmhouse Gin. All of these products are Regenerative Organic Certified® and made with wheat grown on Regenerative Organic Certified® farms.
In this episode, we learn about how COVID-related supply chain crises led them to co-found this booze brand, why they believe scaling regenerative row crop acreage is all about alcohol, and what it is like starting a female and queer-founded CPG company in a hyper-masculine category like alc bev.
Episode Highlights:
🎉 Launching the first Regenerative Organic Certified® booze!
🤤 Their inaugural lineup of 3 farm-to-can cocktails
😯 Why real spirits > malt liquor for RTDs
😂 The COVID supply chain crisis that inspired the brand
🥃 Why regenerative acreage depends on alcohol consumption
🎯 The huge opportunity for clean and organic adult beverages
👌 Focusing on certain retailers to drive product discovery
🤯 Why copper distilling is a gamechanger for flavor
👏 Starting a female and queer-founded brand in a male-dominated industry
🔑 Why retailers are the key to a regenerative revolution
Links:
Anytime
Regenerative Organic Certified®
Fresh Direct
Misfits Market
DIG.
Chipotle
Daily Harvest
TTB
Big Picture Foods
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On this episode, we have Matt Maier who is the Founder, Owner, and Chief Grass Farmer at Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed.
Thousand Hills is supporting regenerative agriculture with its vast array of fresh and value-added 100% grass-fed, grass-finished, and regenerative beef products.
In this episode, we learn about Matt’s background as a CPG brand manager and marketing consultant and the trip back home to the family farm that inspired him to start a better beef brand. Matt shares the 20-year journey of Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed that has led them to recently become the number one meat brand in the natural channel of retail.
Episode Highlights:
🎉 Celebrating 20 years of Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed!
💥 Matt’s background as a CPG brand manager & marketing consultant
💭 The inspiration to work on regen beef after returning to the farm
🥇 Becoming the number one meat brand in the natural channel
👏 Selling products in all 50 states and sourcing from 50+ family farms
🔥 How value-added product development helps them win
😯 Why their prices will only go up as they scale
🥩 Exciting nutrient density studies coming soon!
🧐 How imported grass-fed beef affects domestic brands
🤯 Working with Lorentz Meats and now 15 total processors
Links:
Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed
SPINS
American Grassfed Association
Land to Market™
Lorentz Meats
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On this episode, we have Rachael Petach who is the Founder and CEO at C. Cassis.
C. Cassis, also know as Current Cassis, is supporting regenerative agriculture with its growing lineup of products made from blackcurrants grown in Northeast, regenerative, agroforestry systems. Right now, the product lineup includes two alcoholic beverages: a bottled Liqueur and a ready-to-drink, sparkling, blackcurrant cocktail.
In this episode, we learn about how Rachael started the brand in her Brooklyn apartment, why blackcurrants were federally illegal for decades and what brought them back, and how C. Cassis is planning to use a combination of CPG, hospitality, and agritourism to get blackcurrant products into the mainstream.
Episode Highlights:
🫄 How Rachael’s pregnancy inspired her brand
💪 The amazing nutritional profile of blackcurrants
🥃 Why she started with alcoholic beverages
😂 Making the first products in her Brooklyn apartment
🤯 Why blackcurrants were illegal and why they’re coming back
💫 Moving to upstate New York to grow the business
🔥 Building an experiential distillery & tasting room
👏 The economic and environmental potential of US agroforestry
💥 Upcycling waste streams to create new products
🚫 Why leading with regen in marketing won’t work
Links:
C. Cassis
Western Reign Creative
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On this episode, we have Will Burke who is the Founder and CEO at Sol Simple.
Sol Simple is supporting regenerative agriculture with its Regenerative Organic Certified® dried tropical fruit products and broader ecosystem of enterprises working with 1,200 smallholder farmers in Nicaragua.
In this episode, we learn about Will’s journey from educator to entrepreneur and why he had to build multiple businesses and tons of infrastructure to support the commercialization activities of his farmer partners.
Episode Highlights:
🎒 Will’s transition from educator to entrepreneur
🥭 How his wife inspired their focus on tropical fruit
🤩 Connecting 1,200 smallholder farmers to a better market
☀️ Investing in solar drying tech for higher quality & lower emissions
🔥 Why they needed to build a consumer-facing brand
👏 Creating an agronomic consulting and farmer financing company
💫 Building a processing facility and a B2B ingredient company
🌴 Helping farmers diversify through regenerative agroforestry systems
🍌 Becoming the 1st Regenerative Organic Certified® fruit supply chain
💰 Building better incentives for regen through economics and policy
Links:
Sol Simple
Sol Organica
Burke Agro
Regenerative Organic Certified®
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On this episode, we have Jason Freeman who is the CEO of Farmer Direct Organic.
Farmer Direct Organic is supporting regenerative agriculture with its oats, beans, lentils, and pea products that are all certified organic with a growing selection transitioning to Regenerative Organic Certified®.
In this episode, we learn about the brand's journey from being the sales arm of a three-farmer Canadian Co-Op to a nationally distributed brand working with more than 60 organic farmers in Canada, the US, and Mexico. Jason gives a peak behind the curtain on organic grain production and how their brand is partnering with farms to transition acreage to Regenerative Organic Certified®.
Episode Highlights:
🧑🌾 Starting out as a 3-farmer Canadian Co-Op
📈 Becoming a national brand sourcing from 60+ farmers in 3 countries
🏛️ How working on hemp policy reform led him to sell organic food
🚀 Building a business off of demand from Whole Foods’ bulk bins
😯 Why the Great Recession inspired their pivot to retail
😂 Jason saying no to Whole Foods and what changed his mind
💥 Exiting the brand as an employee, acquiring it, and then selling it
😡 The massive problems with organic fraud
💰 Supporting farmers transitioning to Regenerative Organic Certified®
😍 Their current ROC® SKUs and what is coming next
Links:
Farmer Direct Organic
Biofach
Agricultural Justice Project
Whole Foods Market
Regenerative Organic Certified®
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On this episode, we have Christian Ebersol & Nick Wallace of 99 Counties. Christian serves as a Co-Founder and CEO while Nick is also a Co-Founder and the Chief Farmer.
99 Counties is supporting regenerative agriculture with its direct-to-consumer, e-commerce business that partners with small family farms in Iowa and sells a myriad of regeneratively raised meat products to people in all of the lower 48 states.
In this episode, we talk about Nick’s personal journey that led to the creation of Wallace Farms, his vision to regenerate the 99 counties of Iowa and how crossing paths with Christian led him to turn his direct-to-consumer farm business into a brand aggregating from farmers across the entire state of Iowa and servicing customers across the nation.
99 Counties is truly on the front lines as Iowa is ground zero for degenerative agriculture that is driving countless human and planetary health issues.
Among the 50 states Iowa ranks:
- Dead last in soil erosion rates
- 2nd to last in ecosystem impacts
- 4th to last in conservation practices
- 5th highest rate of water nutrient run-off
- 7th highest incidence of cancer
- And the 11th highest obesity rate
Episode Highlights:
🤯 Iowa’s massive problems linked to food & agriculture
📈 How Nick started Wallace Farms and grew it to $1M+
🤔 The growth plateau that caused Nick to think bigger
🙏 Nick’s inspiration for 99 Counties from the Acres Eco-Ag Conference
🛻 How Christian met Nick and became his Co-Founder
✉️ Using direct mail “love letters” in their marketing strategy
🥩 Solving for whole carcass utilization through product development
📦 Differences between a DTC-focused and retail-focused brand
🇺🇸 Going national to do more good in Iowa
🔥 Why it’s time for all of us to “pick a side”
Links:
99 Counties
Acres USA
Ragbrai
Land To Market
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On this episode, we have your two favorite podcast hosts: Kyle Krull and Anthony Corsaro.
It has been 29 episodes since we jammed out together without a guest and it definitely felt like the perfect time to do it again. It was not planned but it was perfectly timed.
Similar to Episode 16, we spend a great deal of time breaking down all the things we’ve learned from all 44 episodes, 42 blogs, and more than 1,000 conversations we’ve had collectively with and about regenerative brands.
Quite simply, we talk about the biggest problems facing regenerative brands and what we’re trying to help build to fix them.
We go in-depth into the what, the why, and the how on The ReGen Brands media platform, The Regenerative Coalition Trade Association, and Outlaw Ventures' early-stage regenerative CPG fund.
Episode Highlights:
🤯 The biggest differences between regen brands and conventional CPG
👏 How regen brands go beyond the co-packer
👍 How regen brands include the farm in product development
🎯 How regen brands are creating new or better market outlets for farmers
🥳 Kyle leading a regen panel at SproutsCon
😡 The massive costs during manufacturing & “the journey to the shelf”
👉 Why and how regenerative isn’t promoted like other product claims
➡️ Why and how we think we need to solve that huge problem
👎 The lack of investment tools and support for regen brands
💯 Why an early-stage VC fund is the best way to start creating that
Links:
Regenerative Coalition
Outlaw Ventures
ReGen Brands
The Almond Project
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On this episode, we have Chris Langwallner who is the Co-Founder and CEO of WhatIF Foods.
WhatIF Foods is supporting regenerative agriculture with their BamNut Milks & BamNut Noodles all made with the bambara groundnut as the key ingredient.
In this episode, we learn about Chris’ grandfather and upbringing in Austria that inspired him to “leave the world better than he found it,” the incredible regenerative ecosystem being built around the Bambara groundnut stretching across multiple continents, and what it means to truly be a “planet-based” brand.
Episode Highlights:
😍 What are BamNut Noodles and BamNut Milk?
🙏 How Chris’ Austrian town and grandfather inspired him
🌏 Chris’ career in food across the globe
😡 Our huge combined problem of land degradation & deforestation
🤩 The game-changing Bambara Groundnut
🇺🇸 Why they chose the US as their 1st commercial market
🧪 The massive R&D lift to commercialize new crops at scale
🤝 Their amazing work with farmers in Africa
🤯 Upcycling Bambara waste to create biochar and renewable energy
🔑 Gen Z spending and voting power is the key to a regenerative future
Links:
WhatIF Foods
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On this episode, we have Ash Glover-Ganapathiraju who is the Founder and CEO at Ojaswe.
Ojaswe is supporting regenerative agriculture with their lineup of pantry staple items like pancake and muffin mix made with regeneratively grown chickpeas.
In this episode, we learn about how Ojaswe’s product mix is truly farmer-first and regeneratively inspired, Ash shares how being a queer, BIPOC, and immigrant founder has shaped her journey, her brand, and her products, plus we dive deep into the most urgent issue facing the immediate and long-term future of regenerative brands.
Episode Highlights:
🥞 Ojaswe’s pantry staples made with regen chickpeas
🤯 Moving from India to Arkansas
☕ Working in big CPG and turning down sustainability roles
👏 Empowering everyday eaters through regen CPG
💯 Why food is emotional and there is no “one right answer”
🔥 How smaller brands are paving the way in regenerative
🎯 Building products based on the needs of farmers
🙏 Ash’s experience as a queer, BIPOC, & immigrant founder
👉 The biggest (certification) problem facing all regen brands
🤠 How brand collaboration and retailer support get regen to scale
Links:
Ojaswe
Terra.do
Axo Foods
Axten Farms
Diaspora Co.
Casad Family Farms
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On this episode, we have Courtney Boyd Myers who is the Founder & CEO of AKUA.
AKUA is supporting regenerative agriculture with their lineup of frozen, plant-based meat alternatives like burgers, crab cakes, and ground meat that are all made with regeneratively farmed kelp.
In this episode, we learn how the brand pivoted from shelf-stable kelp jerky into frozen household mainstays, their exciting new partnership with Nickelodeon & Spongebob, plus Courtney shares her operating and fundraising journey as a mother and female founder.
Episode Highlights:
😡 How changing her Dad’s diet inspired her
🤝 Partnering with GreenWave to support regen kelp
🤔 Why they started with kelp “jerky”
🥇 Pivoting through the “Kelp Beta Burger Club”
👀 The “Innovation Limits” of CPG
👍 Flavor > Nutrition > Sustainability
🤩 Their EPIC Spongebob partnership
💯 Courtney’s experience as a mom and female founder
💰 Their Republic fundraise happening NOW
👏 How to bring down regen COGS & SRPs
Links:
AKUA
GreenWave
Invest In AKUA
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On this episode, we have Ashley Walsh who is the Founder and President of Pocono Organics.
Pocono Organics is supporting regenerative agriculture with their 380-acre Regenerative Organic Certified® farm producing fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, microgreens, and a myriad of hemp-based CPG products.
In this episode, we learn about Ashley’s health journey with gastroparesis that inspired the farm, their farm’s journey into the myriad of enterprises they are running on-site, and their growing CBD-infused CPG lineup that they are currently scaling.
Episode Highlights:
🤤 Enjoying a CBD-infused “marsh-mellow”
👎 Ashley’s health journey with gastroparesis
💫 Rodale Institute’s instrumental role in their work
🧑🌾 Practices on their 380-acre Regenerative Organic Certified® farm
🧑🔬 Research trials on-farm with Rodale + Jefferson University
🙏 The amazing medicinal power of hemp & CBD
🤯 Why Nano-Particle CBD??
🔥 Why vertical integration is so important for their product quality + innovation
👀 New CBD products coming soon!
🤩 Selling regen products to NASCAR fans at Pocono Raceway
Links:
Pocono Organics
Rodale Institute
Regenerative Organic Certified®
Nano-Particle CBD
Pocono Raceway
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On this episode, we have Andres & Juan, the Co-Founders of Chiki Chiki Boom Boom.
Chiki Chiki Boom Boom is supporting regenerative agriculture with their line of enhanced water beverages packed with regenerative and organic botanicals.
They market the product to consumers as “Reggaeton In A Bottle” and a tool to “Regenerate Your Body.”
In this episode, we learn about Chiki’s regenerative organic farm in the “Valley of Longevity” in Ecudaor, Andres schools us on how the brand architecture was built to encompass Reggaeton, authentic Latin flavors and culture, plus lofty sustainability goals. And, we dive deep into their current farming operation and commercial traction of the brand.
Episode Highlights:
💃 Meet: “Reggaeton In A Bottle”
😂 How Juan & Andres met in LA
🙏 Inspiration from the “Valley of Longevity”
💰 The huge opportunity to serve the Latin consumer
😍 Their 40-acre regenerative organic farm in Ecuador
🏅 The rigor of USDA Organic certification
🤳 Why TikTok is so important
🤤 The competitive advantage of “regenerative flavor”
🤩 How they support indigenous + female farmers
💥 Why retailers are the “gatekeepers” to a regenerative future
Links:
Chiki Chiki Boom Boom
Chiki’s ReGen Info
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On this episode, we have Holly & John Arbuckle who are the Co-Founders of Singing Pastures.
Singing Pastures is supporting regenerative agriculture with their regenerative, pastured-pork snack sticks and soon-to-launch salami products.
In this episode, Holly & John share why creating a CPG brand was their path toward an adequate farming livelihood, we learn all about their unique pork program which is “wildly regenerative”, and we discuss what the regenerative community has to do in the future to be successful.
Episode Highlights:
🐖 Creating the first nationally available pastured pork stick
💫 The importance of courage, commitment, and creativity
😂 How they cold-called their way into Thrive Market
🙏 Bootstrapping and “betting the farm” on the brand
🤤 Their new Salami SKUs coming soon
🐷 Rotationally grazing pigs + using humane nose rings
♻️ Upcycling local food waste to help feed their pigs
🤔 Why they lead with “pasture-raised” vs “regenerative”
👉 The problems with regenerative being tied to organic
😡 Why corporate capture of government prevents scaling regen
Links:
Singing Pastures
Pig Tales
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On this episode, we have Craig Camp who is the General Manager at Troon Vineyard.
Troon Vineyard is a Regenerative Organic Certified and Demeter Biodynamic Certified vineyard and wine brand. It is one of only 4 farms in the world to hold the distinction of being Regenerative Organic Certified® at the Gold level.
In this episode, we learn about Craig’s lifetime love affair with wine and how he landed at Troon. He details the vineyard’s journey from a conventionally-farmed, lifeless plot of land to an abundant and biodiverse ecosystem. Plus, we learn about the nuances of bringing wine to market and its potential to be a leading category in the regenerative transition.
Episode Highlights:
🦋 The abundant biodiversity in the vineyard
🥇 Being 1 of 4 farms that is Regenerative Organic Certified® Gold
💰 Why “there’s no mission without margin”
🤯 Their regenerative transformation since 2016
🍷 The Euro trip that inspired Craig’s career in wine
💫 Using natural yeast and tripling their YAN
☝️ Why no-till is the most important practice to scale regen
🚚 How selling adult beverages is different than other CPG
☑️ Why we have to plant things where they want to grow
⚡ Wine’s unique ability to lead the regen transition
Links:
Troon Vineyard
Regenerative Organic Certified®
Demeter Biodynamic Certified
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On this episode, we have Michael Ham who is the Co-Founder and President at Wild Orchard.
Wild Orchard is the world’s first Regenerative Organic Certified® tea brand and boasts 27 SKUs of tea products.
In this episode, we learn about the incredibly unique growing conditions for Wild Orchard’s teas on Jeju Island in South Korea. Michael gives us a deep dive education on the wild differences between Wild Orchard’s products and the conventional tea industry. Plus, we talk about opportunities to bring regenerative brands to market through leading “tastemaker” channels like MICHELIN Star restaurants and other high-end food service operations.
Episode Highlights:
🤯 Their 1,000-acre regenerative farm in Jeju Island, South Korea
🆒 Michael’s background in nature photography & air quality
🏆 Winning global tea awards and becoming Regenerative Organic Certified®
😯 How all types of tea actually come from the same perennial tree
🔬 Plans to lab test all products for nutrient density, antioxidants, etc.
🧑🍳 Selling to MICHELIN Star restaurants and other high-end foodservice accounts
🪿 Heavy rainfall, volcanic soil, wild geese and other unique aspects of their farm
😵💫 Wild Orchard Regenerative Teas versus conventional teas
🥳 Recent retail wins (Jimbo’s + MOM’s) and plans for the future
⚡ What regen can learn from the clear energy movement
Links:
Wild Orchard
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On this episode, we have Susan Buckwalter who is one of the Co-Founders of Recoup.
Recoup is an all-natural, ginger-powered hydration beverage with regenerative organic maple water as its lead ingredient. Recoup is also the first beverage brand to be Regenerative Organic Certified® across its entire product portfolio.
In this episode, we learn about Susan’s Co-Founder Siwat and the homemade health remedies that inspired Recoup’s creation. Susan spends time teaching us about the hydration and wellness power combo of maple water and ginger. Plus, we take a deep dive into all things branding, marketing, and merchandising for not only Recoup’s product but for regenerative brands at large.
Episode Highlights:
👌 100+ studies on the medical benefits of ginger
🤯 Siwat’s health journey that inspired Recoup
🤝 Susan leaving big CPG to partner with Siwat
🧘 Targeting the wellness-focused female consumer
💧 Using regenerative organic maple tree water
🤳 Leveraging TikTok for organic reach
🤸 Fitness studios as a key sales channel
✍️ What Regen can learn from Organic + Non-GMO
👀 Future products coming soon
🎯 The unifying messaging needed to scale regenerative
Links:
Recoup
Recoup Becomes Regenerative Organic Certified
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On this episode, we have Brita & Bryce Lundberg of Lundberg Family Farms who are a father daughter duo representing the third and fourth generations of their family business.
Lundberg Family Farms is supporting regenerative agriculture with their organic and regenerative organic rice and quinoa products that now includes 107 total SKUs.
In this episode, we learn about how the Lundbergs got their start farming rice in California, how market opportunities through brands have guided their pursuit of organic and regenerative organic farming, and the big goals they have to certify all of their rice Regenerative Organic Certified® by 2027.
Episode Highlights:
🤤 Our favorite Lundberg products
🤯 How the business has scaled to 107 SKUs
🫡 The visionary regen influence of founder Albert Lundberg
🆒 Why rice is a great crop for their region + soil type
😍 The market that spurred their adoption of organic
😯 How they manage water, grass weeds, and aquatic weeds
🦆 How they’ve rescued over 30,000 duck eggs
🤩 Their “Ducking Good Rice” marketing campaign
🏅 Reaching 8,000 acres of Regenerative Organic Certified® rice
🎯 Why brands = markets = practice change (in that order)
Links:
Lundberg Family Farms
Lundberg ROC Announcement
“Ducking Good Rice”
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On this episode, we have Jon Sepp who is one of the Co-Founders of Roam Free Ranch.
Roam Free Ranch is supporting regenerative agriculture with their ready-to-eat bison snacks and meals.
In this episode, we learn about Jon’s journey expanding the operation from 240 acres to over 10,000 and how he has managed his herd regeneratively along the way. Jon tells us why the company has focused on building a brand and selling ready-to-eat products versus just selling bison meat.
Episode Highlights:
🦬 Why Jon fell in love with bison
🤠 When he met Brittany and went all-in on ranching
😯 Growing their operations from 240 acres to 10,000+
🔥 Bringing bison mainstream through ready-to-eat products
⭐ Their regenerative practices + systems
🤔 Why Jon believes only animal foods are truly regenerative
🧑🌾 How raising bison is so different than cattle
💯 Why truth & taste are your biggest marketing assets
💥 Building on-farm experiences to drive consumer connection
Links:
Roam Free Ranch
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On this episode, we have Pat Schnettler who is one of the Co-Founders of 12 Tides.
12 Tides is supporting regenerative aquaculture with its kelp chips made from regenerative and organic kelp farmed in Maine & Alaska.
In this episode, we learn about Pat’s deep family roots in conservation and his personal journey that inspired the creation of 12 Tides, and Pat educates us on how the company has already sold over 1 million bags of kelp chips.
Episode Highlights:
🌊 Pat’s deep family ties in conservation + journey in seafood
💰 Why we need brands to drive demand for kelp farming
🤔 Why they started with kelp chips
🧺 Developing their first products through farmers markets
➕ Why kelp farming is the only net-positive aquaculture
🤩 Helping reverse the loss of natural kelp habitat
🙅 Why they don’t use a co-manufacturer
⭐ Designing products around sustaining consumer trends
🦸 How to build a set of superfans at every store
🔥 The imperative for regen brands to cross-promote
Links:
12 Tides
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On this episode, we have Nicole Dooling and Michael Frey who are the 2nd generation operators of Mariah Vineyards and the Creators of Dirt Wine.
Mariah Vineyards is supporting regenerative agriculture as the first Land-To-Market Verified regenerative vineyard. This couple is working with their family to sell wine under the Mariah Vineyards brand while also developing a new concept in Dirt Wine that will be in the market soon.
In this episode, we learn about the history of this family-run, mountain-top vineyard, we take a deep dive into their transition to regenerative agriculture, plus Nicole and Michael spend time educating us on current under-discussed issues in the wine industry like shallow sustainability certifications, the use of over 70 additives in wine, and more.
Episode Highlights:
🍇 Their unique vineyard and AVA (American Viticultural Area)
⛰️ Nicoles’ parents building a mountain-top vineyard from scratch
🍷 Launching the Mariah brand with Brown-Forman
🤔 Why wine is valued by where it’s grown versus how it's grown
☑️ How to know if your wine is sourced from only one vineyard
🤯 The 70+ additives that can be in your wine
❤️ How their relationship changed the direction of the vineyard
🔥 Being inspired at The Regenerative Earth Summit
🥇 Being the world’s 1st Land To Market Verified Vineyard
🪱 Dry-farming, permanent cover, no-till, and animal integration
Links:
Mariah Vineyards
Dirt Wine
American Viticulture Area (AVA)
Brown-Forman
Regenerative Earth Summit
The Dorito Effect
Land To Market
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On this episode, we have Jordan Rubin who is a Co-Founder and the CEO @ Ancient Nutrition.
Ancient Nutrition is supporting regenerative agriculture with its regenerative organic certified farms in Missouri and Tennessee and the company’s various superfood supplement products. Their mission is to save the world with superfoods.
In this episode, we learn about Jordan’s personal health journey and his experiences as a two-time founder in the natural and organic supplement space. We take a deep dive into the countless regenerative initiatives that Ancient Nutrition is pioneering both on their farms and in their products, and we talk about hot-button topics like certification, retailer adoption, and scaling regenerative brands.
Episode Highlights:
🤯 Jordan overcoming 18 illnesses + writing 3 books
💥 Starting and scaling Garden of Life
🧑⚕️ Co-Founding Ancient Nutrition with Dr. Axe
🌟 Saving The World With Superfoods & The R.A.N.C.H Project
🐃 Their 2 ROC Farms in Missouri & Tennessee
🥇 The world’s 1st ROC supplement line
💪 Why building soil is like building muscle🤝 The need to build more B2B regen supply
🔭 Getting to 100 Renegerartive Organic Certified SKUs
🏪 Why retailers need to step up for regen brands
Links:
Ancient Nutrition
R.A.N.C.H Project
Garden of Life
The Maker’s Diet
Patient, Heal Thyself
The Probiotic Diet
Dr. Axe
Rodale Institute
Savory Institute
Regenerative Organic Certified
Ecological Outcome Verification
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On this episode, we have Joe Carr who is a Co-Founder and the President @ Serenity Kids
Serenity Kids is supporting regenerative agriculture with their various regenerative and organic baby and children’s food products like their veggie and meat baby food pouches, dairy-free smoothies, grain-free puffs, and A2 formula.
In this episode, we learn about Joe and his wife Serenity’s personal health journey that led them to a paleo lifestyle and the idea to create the first paleo baby food, Joe educates us on how they’ve had regenerative sourcing in mind from the beginning of the company and how it plays into their product innovation strategy, plus Joe shares his vision for the future of Serenity Kids and how we can catalyze the regenerative movement through collective action.
Episode Highlights:
😷 Joe & Serenity’s personal health journeys
🥩 Starting the world’s first paleo baby food brand
📚 Why the research shows babies need animal-based foods
🐮 Grass-fed regenerative meat vs Organic feedlot meat
😡 Our alarming child nutrition crisis
🥛 Designing baby food to mimic breast milk
🤝 Getting help from Katie & Taylor @ EPIC
🤩 Selling 30 MILLION regen baby food pouches
🏷️ Working with the Clean Label Project
🔥 Why regen brands need to market together
Links:
Serenity Kids
Paleo FX
Land To Market
Clean Label Project
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On this episode, we have Bri Warner who is the CEO @ Atlantic Sea Farms
Atlantic Sea Farms is supporting regenerative agriculture with its various regenerative seaweed products grown using regenerative aquaculture practices.
In this episode, we learn about the deep fishermen livelihood and economic development vision driving the company, we get educated on what makes growing seagrass regenerative, and we discuss with Bri how we can scale vertically integrated, regenerative, and women-run businesses like Atlantic Sea Farms and others.
Episode Highlights:
🤯 The endless ways we can eat and use seaweed
💥 Why people are our best tool to fight climate change
🤑 Creating a regional economic engine through kelp
🆒 Why healthy carbon cycles > carbon sequestration
🌊 The environmental benefits of regenerative kelp
😮 Why kelp is the most regenerative food we can eat
📢 Getting consumers to eat more seaweed
👍 Why humility is the key to being a successful CPG founder
😡 Fundraising challenges for female and regen founders
🤩 The limitless potential of future seaweed applications
Links:
Atlantic Sea Farms
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AC chats with Sean Smith @ Third Street
Third Street is supporting regenerative agriculture by partnering with regenerative brands in their creative efforts like branding, marketing, advertising, and much more.
In this episode, we learn about why Third Street refers to itself as an “attention agency,” how they have partnered with various CPGs, their epic rebrand for SunFed Ranch, and we explore tons of marketing and branding opportunities for regen brands at large.
Episode Highlights:
🥳 Introducing our FIRST-EVER Sponsor: Third Street
🤩 What is an “Attention Agency”
🤝 Why all business is not B2C or B2B but P2P
🤔 Marketing Challenges 4 Regen Brands
😍 Third Street’s work rebranding Sunfed Ranch
🔥 Tapping into the “essence” of a brand
🎯 The “Ascend” process & “Brand Wheel”
💫 Marketing to Gen Z vs Millenials
😎 Why people want to be enlightened not educated
⚡ How collective action will scale regenerative brands
Links:
Third Street
Grocery Shopii
SunFed Ranch
SunFed Ranch Rebrand
Simplicity Juice
Help A Reporter
Marketing 2 Gen Z
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On this episode, we have Emily Griffith who is the Founder & CEO @ Lil Bucks
Lil Bucks is supporting regenerative agriculture with its various organic and regenerative organic sprouted buckwheat products.
In this episode, we learn about Emily’s international inspiration to bring a thriving buckwheat market to the US and Emily takes us behind the scenes on her 5-year journey of growing the business through a pandemic, trade wars, regular wars, and massive global supply chain headwinds.
Episode Highlights:
🦘 The international inspiration for Lil Bucks
😎 Nutritional and agronomic benefits of buckwheat
😂 Calling farmers at home to buy buckwheat
🤯 Countless reasons to build a domestic market for buckwheat
🏄 Being inspired by “Let My People Go Surfing”
💥 Creating a product line that works for the mass market
😍 Committing to regenerative, US-grown buckwheat
🚜 Working with A-Frame Farm & Mad Ag
🏅 The value of Regenerative Organic Certified®
💰 Unique financing needs when contracting regen supply
Links:
Lil Bucks
Lil Bucks Sustainability
Let My People Go Surfing
A-Frame Farm
A-Frame Farm Video
Mad Agriculture
Mad Lands
Mad Markets
Mad Capital
Mad Revolution
Regenerative Organic Certified
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Kyle and AC chat with Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin @ Tree-Range Farms
Tree-Range Farms is supporting regenerative agriculture with its regenerative, tree-range chicken that is raised in a "jungle-like" habitat that honors the true nature of chickens.
In this episode, we learn about the ecosystem of entities that is powering this regenerative poultry system, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the unique agronomy and production practices being used, and we hear from Regi on the importance of having a consumer-facing brand.
Episode Highlights:
🤝 The many entities creating a regenerative poultry ecosystem
😡 Processing challenges for small farmers
💭 Regi’s learnings from the theories of nation building
🤯 How cheap chicken is extractive
😧 The pitfalls of designing from a homocentric perspective
🏆 Tree-Range’s scalable and flexible production system
🦖 Why chickens are actually just little dinosaurs
💥 The importance of building a consumer-facing brand
🤩 A vision for 20 enterprise sectors in one ecosystem
🔥 The importance of affinity groups and collective action
Links:
Tree-Range Farms
Regenerative Agriculture Alliance
Regenerative Poultry Systems
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Kyle and AC chat with Hoda Mohajerani @ Chakra Chai
Chakra Chai is supporting regenerative agriculture with its alchemical truffles and superfood elixirs that activate and nourish the 7 chakras of the body with formulas rooted in ayurvedic medicine.
In this episode, we learn about the consciousness behind Chakra Chai’s products, Hoda’s spiritual and personal journey that led to the creation of the company, and how we need to dig deeper into “regenerative” and think about fundamentally shifting from existing, extractive systems.
Episode Highlights:
✨ What is Chakra Chai and the chakras of the body?
😯 Kyle and AC’s experience using the products
🎯 How to choose your Chakra Chai
🖤 Arta: the inspiration behind Chakra Chai
🏔️ Commercializing a CPG based on consciousness
💥 Why we have to fund emerging regen brands
👎 The pitfalls in “proof of concept”
🌟 The imperative to move from extraction to regeneration
🙏 Modeling support systems from indigenous wisdom
❤️ Why we need to move from the head to the heart
Links:
Chakra Chai
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Kyle and AC chat with Stephen Smith @ Onda
Onda is supporting regenerative agriculture with its regenerative, whole-plant, and full-spectrum hemp products that include oils, tinctures, capsules, and topicals.
In this episode, we learn about Stephen’s wild journey in regenerative agriculture that led to the creation of Onda, we get educated on the major differences between the vast majority of hemp cultivation and Onda’s regenerative model, and we talk about key drivers and tools for shifting our world to a regenerative paradigm long-term.
Episode Highlights:
😍 AC’s obsession with Onda Body Balm
🧑🌾 Stephen’s learning journey on many regenerative farms
💭 The vision that spurred Onda’s origin
💘 Stephen’s long-time love affair with hemp
🤯 Onda’s regen production and artisanal infusion processing
🚫 Why we shouldn’t grow hemp indoors
🌟 The work of the Nutrient Density Alliance
💫 Letting go and transforming through adversity
🔥 Stephen’s experience in the reNourish Studio
💥 The power of the conscious consumer
Links:
Onda
Biodynamic Farming
Casad Family Farms
Cate Havstad-Casad
Sun + Earth Certified
Nutrient Density Alliance
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years (Book)
reNourish Studio
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Kyle and AC chat with Juan Guzman at Artisan Tropic
Artisan Tropic is supporting regenerative agriculture with its chip products made from plantain and cassava.
In this episode, we learn about the family origins of Artisan Tropic, the design and implementation process behind their regenerative transition, their plans for the future, and Juan’s thoughts on scaling regenerative agriculture.
Episode Highlights:
😷 The autoimmune diagnosis that sparked the brand
💯 Being 100% family-owned and operated
⚽ Juan working on the brand while playing pro soccer
🎨 Designing their regenerative transition with Terra Genesis
🌴 Using their own farm to pilot regen for other suppliers
🏅 The regen practices in their plantain and cassava systems
🤯 Doubling cassava yields with regen
♻️ Commercializing the entire agroforestry rotation
🔥 Juan’s experience in the reNourish Studio
💫 Increasing consciousness through food to “scale” regen
Links:
Artisan Tropic
Terra Genesis
reNourish Studio
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AC chats with Paul Lightfoot at Patagonia Provisions
Patagonia Provisions is the food arm of Patagonia where they are building regenerative supply chains and products with the goal of “saving our home planet”
In this episode, we learn about the origins of Provisions and their plans for the next evolution of the business. Plus, we talk to Paul about Provisions’ role as a supply chain architect to help scale regeneratively produced products to commercial success.
Episode Highlights:
🌏 Their mission to save our home planet through food
🎯 Their new product development rubric
💡 Paul’s background at BrightFarms and what led him to regen
🗣️ Storytelling as the key to marketing regen brands to consumers
✅ The importance of the Regenerative Organic Certification
🍺 Their new regional beer partnerships and products
🚧 Leveraging existing infrastructure versus rebuilding from scratch
🔭 Provisions’ future of “product families” and category expansion
⚔️ Designing products to beat our “food enemies”
🤝 Using off-take agreements to make regen more financeable
Links:
Patagonia Provisions
Patagonia
BrightFarms
Regenerative Organic Certified
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AC and Kyle chat with Robby Sansom of Force of Nature
Force of Nature is supporting regenerative agriculture through its line of regeneratively focused meats that nourish our bodies, our soil, and our future.
In this episode, we learn about Force of Nature’s origin story, how vastly different their products are from mainstream meat, and how they’re sparking a regenerative revolution through transparency and storytelling.
Episode Highlights:
🎯 Their vision to make regenerative meat accessible at scale
⭐ Growing EPIC and selling it to General Mills
🤠 How General Mills doubled down on regenerative
🤯 The major problems with our current agricultural system
😯 Comparing their supply chains to mainstream meat
🔍 Ecosystem outcomes they track in their supply chain
😡 How consumers have been lied to about food
🥩 The challenges and opportunities of “branding” meat
💪 How consumers can force incumbents to change
🔥 Why regenerative is a necessity and not a choice
Links:
Force of Nature
Savory Institute
Land to Market
White Oak Pastures LCA
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AC and Kyle chat with Francisco Pergola of Cheddies
Cheddies is supporting regenerative agriculture with its cheese crackers made with regenerative cheddar cheese
In this episode, we learn about Cheddie’s origin story, why they decided to start sourcing regenerative cheese, and their big plans for the future.
Episode Highlights:
🤒 Why Cheddies started by selling to hospitals and health clinics
🙈 How they snuck into HEB to pitch a buyer
😂 The coincidental demo that landed them Hy-Vee
💯 How and why they transitioned to regen cheese
⏰ Why the need to “age” cheese complicates their supply chain
🤝 How they sold Alexandre on selling dairy to Cheddies
🚨 The best ways to market regenerative CPG
🏆 The Cheez-It versus Cheddies challenge
✈️ Eating Cheddies on an American Airlines flight
⚡ Partnering with Redbud Brands
Links:
Cheddies
Alexandre Family Farm
Dr. Stephen van Vilet
Beef Nutrient Density Study
Redbud Brands
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AC and Kyle chat with Abianne Falla of Catspring Yaupon.
Catspring Yaupon is supporting regenerative agriculture with its loose-leaf and bagged yaupon teas and also its new VIBE Yaupon crystals.
What is Yaupon??
It is the one and only naturally caffeinated plant that is native to North America.
In this episode, we learn all about Yaupon and Abianne’s work building both a brand and a completely new category at the same time.
Episode Highlights:
🪴 Meet Yaupon - the only naturally-caffeinated plant native to North America
🌀 Yaupon’s historical journey from ubiquity to eradication to resurgence
💥 How they sustainably wild harvest the Yaupon
😡 The challenges of building a brand and creating a category at the same time
🤯 Comparing Catspring Yaupon’s supply chain to most imported tea
🙏 Why regenerative agriculture is indigenous agriculture
🏆 Recent PR wins for Yaupon as a category
💫 Their newest innovation: VIBE - Yaupon Crystals
😧 How Abianne has raised $1M of non-dilutive capital
❌ Why regenerative food should never be a luxury good
Links:
Catspring Yaupon
Instagram - Catspring Yaupon
Facebook - Catspring Yaupon
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AC and Kyle chat with Dax Hansen of Oatman Farms.
Oatman Farms is supporting regenerative agriculture through its portfolio of regenerative organic baking mixes that are made with heritage and drought-resistant wheat varieties.
In this episode, we learn how Dax started Oatman Farms to save his family ranch, their plans to grow the brand and regen consumption at large, and probably most importantly, we dive into “how what we grow where” is just as important as “how we grow it.”
Episode Highlights:
🏜️ The rich history of Oatman Flats Ranch and Dax’s battle to save it
🌾 Why Dax decided to embrace regenerative organic management
🚨 Oatman Farms varieties & practices versus their conventional peers
🤯 How changing what we grow in the West can solve our water crisis
🏭 The need to vertically integrate a brand to create a return
🏆 How a secret weapon helped with Oatman Farms' product development
🌟 Rave reviews from a James Beard Award-winning chef
😡 The lack of infrastructure and markets to support a regen wheat transition
😦 How the deck is stacked against regen brands in our current system
✍️ Why we are 3-5 years away from mass consumer adoption
Links:
Oatman Farms
Cairnspring Mills
Bob Quinn
Grain by Grain
Regenerative Organic Certified
Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Pizza
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AC and Kyle chat with Tucker Garrison of Imlak’esh Organics & CHi Foods.
These two organizations are supporting regenerative agriculture through a variety of superfood offerings from Imlak’esh and the first-ever certified organic plant-based meat from CHi Foods. In this episode, we learn about Tucker’s journey living with and learning from various indigenous peoples and how it inspired him to start a CPG company. We learn about the Sacha Inchi nut, which is a regenerative, perennial superfood that powers both of these brands. Tucker is a true joy to spend time with, and we’re excited to get 2023 started off with him as our first guest
Episode Highlights:
🤕 How Tucker’s childhood migraines led him to change his diet
🌎 Tucker’s journey living with and learning from indigenous peoples
🎁 How the name Imlak’esh was gifted to him and what it means
🤝 Building an “ethical bridge” between farmers and a global marketplace
💪 What is the Sacha Inchi nut and why is it a superfood?
🤔 The inspiration behind launching CHi Foods
⚡ How they turn Sacha Inchi nuts into plant-based meat
🤤 Why food has to taste good to change the world
👀 What is in the CHi Foods product pipeline
🥳 How “throwing a better party” will lead to more market share
Links:
Imlak’esh Organics
CHi Foods
Carol Sanford
Terra Genesis
Regen Network
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AC and Kyle sit down to talk about their 4 key takeaways from the first 15 episodes and what is to come from the podcast in 2023.
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AC and Kyle chat with Phil Graves of Wild Idea. In this episode we learn about Dan O’Briens journey starting Wild Idea, Phil and their team’s big plans for future growth, and just how vital the American bison is to regeneration as our keystone ruminant species here in the United States.
Links:
Website
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AC and Kyle chat with Sarela Herrada & Matt Cohen of SIMPLi. In this episode we learn about Sarela and Matt’s journey starting SIMPLi and their big vision to ethically source the highest quality, single-origin ingredients while tackling fraudulent international supply chains, combating climate change, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and their communities.
Links:
Website
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AC and Kyle chat with Joni Kindwall-Moore of Snacktivist foods. They talk about Joni’s journey from ethnobotany and nursing to CPG entrepreneur, her vision to scale ancient, regenerative grain production, and the unique challenges of running a CPG startup and raising capital as a female entrepreneur.
Links:
Website
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AC and Kyle chat with Justin Mares of Kettle & Fire. They dive into Justin’s journey from tech employee to CPG entrepreneur, how he built Kettle & Fire from scratch, and how they put together the regenerative supply chain for their 2 regen, broth SKU’s
Links:
Website
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AC and Kyle chat with Stephanie & Blake Alexandre of Alexandre Family Farm. We learn about Stephanie and Blake’s deep family roots as dairy farmers, their journey from conventional to regenerative production, and how they’ve built their own vertically integrated CPG brand from scratch.
Links:
Website
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AC and Kyle chat with Tim Richards of Philosopher Foods. They talk about Tim’s nutritional awakening in college and how that inspired his company, the problem with conventional almonds and what can be done to make them more sustainable, and all the ins and outs of building a ReGen Brand in the nut butter category of CPG.
Links:
Website
Additional Resources:
Philosopher’s WeFunder Campaign
Ecdysis Foundation Almond Studies
Jimbo’s S.O.I.L. Program
What Your Food Ate Book
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AC and Kyle chat with Caryl & Ken of Lotus Foods. We learn about Lotus Food’s origin story, their mission to keep the biodiversity of rice alive, and how they’re partnering with smallholder farmers to produce regenerative rice using the “System of Rice Intensification.”
Links:
Website
Jubilee Justice
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AC and Kyle chat with David Bronner of Dr. Bronner’s. David shares the amazing origin story of Dr. Bronner’s and how they are leading the charge on the creation and certification of regenerative organic supply chains.
Links:
Dr. Bronner’s
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AC and Kyle chat with Daniela Jensen of Big Picture Foods. Daniela details how vastly different Big Picture’s regenerative products are from their conventional counterparts, how she and her husband Chris started the business, and what lies ahead for both their work at Big Picture and ReGen Brands at large.
Links:
Big Picture Foods
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AC and Kyle chat with Paul Greive of Pasturebird. In this episode we learn about Pasturebird’s origin story, the company’s north star of scaling pastured poultry to the masses, why chickens actually should eat grains, how Pasturebird found an ideal partner in Perdue Farms and so much more.
Links:
Pasturebird
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AC and Kyle chat with Alec Jaffe of Alec’s Ice Cream. Alec details how his life-long love affair with ice cream turned into Alec’s becoming the first certified regenerative ice cream brand in the world. We learn why regenerative and A2 dairy is better for people & planet, and we explore what the future holds for Alec’s and ReGen brands at large.
Links:
Alec’s Ice Cream
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AC and Kyle chat with Meghan and Keith Rowe of White Leaf Provisions. The Rowe’s discuss why they started a regen baby food brand, the differences between ReGen Ag in Europe and the US, and their future plans to “regenerate your pantry” by building White Leaf into a family brand with staple products across multiple categories.
Links:
White Leaf Provisions
Demeter International
Demeter USA
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AC and Kyle chat with Jamie Ager of Hickory Nut Gap Farm. Jamie shares his family’s history in farming and tells us the journey of Hickory Nut Gap’s transformation from a single family farm to a regional regenerative meat brand aggregating products from farms all across the Southeast.
Links:
Hickory Nut Gap
Jamie's LinkedIn
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AC and Kyle chat with Heather Terry of GoodSam Foods. Heather shares her journey from actor to CPG entrepreneur and regenerative advocate. Heather shares an update on all things GoodSAM including new products coming soon, their direct-trade program, and GoodSAM’s approach to supply chain transparency. Let’s invest in hope instead of despair!
Links:
GoodSam Foods
Heather’s LinkedIn
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On this episode, AC and Kyle talk with Kristy Lewis of Quinn Snacks. Kristy shares her story of going from a consumer who wanted a better product to starting Quinn Snacks and joining the constant fight to make the industry change for the better.
Links:
Dreaming of a Vetter World
Quinn Snacks
Kristy's LinkedIn
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Welcome to the first episode of the ReGen Brands Podcast! Join Kyle and AC as they talk all about regenerative agriculture, why you should care about it, and all the positive benefits it can bring to the world. You’ll learn each of their stories and how health issues fueled a passion for better food production practices that influences the work they do every day.
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/kyle-krull
linkedin.com/in/anthonycorsaro