Beyond the Shelf – Best Episodes of 2021

This year, on Beyond the Shelf, we had the privilege of talking with an array of guests from across many different sectors of the food & beverage industry. Covering everything from how to utilize experiential marketing, to innovation in the hard seltzer category, we discussed it all. But as 2021 wraps up, let us take a look back at some of our favorite episodes from this past year. So, without further adieu, here are our favorite episodes of Beyond the Shelf from 2021:

What happens to produce that’s not marketable with Ben Moore of The Ugly Company

It’s no industry secret that grocery stores only sell fruits and vegetables that are aesthetically appealing to shoppers. Favoring produce with limited to no blemishes or discoloration, typically only the “best looking” produce is available for shoppers – but what happens to all the fruits and vegetables that are deemed “unmarketable?” We spoke with Ben Moore, the Founder of The Ugly Company, about how their brand utilizes upcycled produce to create delicious dried fruit products. Ben also shared with us how his background in farming gave him the resources and experience to create a brand that is tackling our food waste problem one ugly fruit at a time.

What does it mean to “go public” with Jaxie Alt of Stryve Biltong

It’s not often that we get to follow up with brands we previously interviewed. However, after seeing their business rapidly expand, and one of their products qualify for a ChefsBest Excellence Award – we just knew we had to have them back on. In this episode of Beyond the Shelf, we had the honor of speaking with entrepreneur and Co-CEO of Stryve Biltong, Jaxie Alt. Jaxie gave us an update on how the brand has been doing and gives us a few hints as to what’s next for the brand. She also shared what the process was like as the brand prepared to go public this past Spring, as well as the importance of educating consumers about the health benefits of biltong.

How is saffron harvested? with Mohammad Salehi of Heray Spice

Known as one of the most expensive spices in the world, there’s much about saffron that Western cultures often misunderstand. In this episode, Mohammad Salehi, CEO & Co-Founder of Heray Spice, shared with us how their business is bringing equity to Afghani farmers through promoting sustainable farming practices as well as helping to de-mystify American’s knowledge of saffron. They also gave us some much-needed insight into the global saffron market, and the variety of quality that can be found around the world.

What’s next for the private label industry with Christopher Durham of Retail Brands Institute

The growing popularity and success of the private label industry are changing the way that shoppers view grocery stores. In this episode of Beyond the Shelf, we spoke with Christopher Durham, the President of the Retail Brands Institute, who gave us some invaluable insights into the world of private brands/private labels/store brands. He shared how the past two years have dramatically shifted the goals and needs for many private labels. We also discussed how the next few years will be extremely monumental for the private label industry, and how the Retail Brands Institute is helping to create an opportunity for industry leaders to network and grow.

Navigating Ad Claims: Episode 1 with Pamela Deese of Arent Fox

In the first part of our 3-part series on Navigating Ad Claims with Pamela Deese, Partner at Arent Fox in Washington D.C., Pam gave us an overview of what types of claims can be made in advertising, who makes them, and what is needed to make them. She also breaks down the process that food & beverage brands need to consider before making any sort of claim in their marketing materials and touched upon what happens if a claim is made without proper substantiation. To listen to the full series click here.

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