Building Robusta

Karim Khalil is founder and CEO of Yaza Foods, bringing authentic Mediterranean labneh and dips to American grocery shelves. On this episode of In the Sauce, Karim talks about commercializing labneh the traditional way, positioning a product that sits between yogurt, dip, and cheese, earning a Walmart Golden Ticket, and what’s next for Yaza.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Madeline Haydon is the founder of Nutpods, the dairy-free coffee creamer brand she developed in her own kitchen and sold in 2024. On this episode of In the Sauce, Madeline talks about her founding story, the decision to sell and step down as CEO, what life looked like after the exit, and her current work on board service and capital access for female and minority founders.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick Coyne is co-founder and CEO of Laoban Foods, the modern frozen Asian brand known for its dumplings and scallion pancakes. He previously worked at the World Bank Group and the Clinton Foundation, as well as in strategy consulting and venture capital. On this episode of In the Sauce, Patrick talks about how a teaching stint in China and a love of neighborhood dumpling shops set the stage for Laoban, the early days of selling dumplings from a Union Market restaurant, the move into co-manufacturing and frozen retail, and how the brand's retail partnerships have grown from independents to national accounts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Morgan Zanotti is the founder and co-CEO of Waay, the sparkling protein beverage with 10 grams of protein, zero sugar, and 45 calories a can. On this episode of In the Sauce, Morgan talks about her return to building after co-founding Primal Kitchen and its $200 million exit to Kraft Heinz, the time she spent inside Kraft and learnings few founders get to see, the whey protein isolate that sparked the idea for Waay, and why she went national with Whole Foods straight out of the gate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alison Cayne is founder and CEO of Choulie - Choulie, a fragrance-infused body oil brand for women in midlife and beyond. She is also the founder of Haven’s Kitchen the cooking school and CPG sauce line. On this episode of In the Sauce, Alison Alison talks about the Haven’s Kitchen journey and hard decisions and what she's carrying into Choulie as she launches her new brand in an entirely different category.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Kramer is the co-founder and CEO of Sunny Fine Foods, the refrigerated condiment company he started with his wife, Nora. On this episode of ITS, Matt talks about starting with fresh tahini and expanding into dressings and drizzles, finding product-market fit, the complexities of scaling a refrigerated brand, and what retail velocity and consumer data can tell you about where to go next.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 Sahra Nguyen is the founder and CEO of Nguyen Coffee Supply, the specialty Vietnamese coffee company she started in 2018. On this episode of ITS, Sahra talks about building a market for Vietnamese coffee and robusta in the U.S., working directly with farmers in Vietnam, shifting from DTC beans to retail cans, and how introducing a new product to consumers requires time and intention.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben Lewis is the co-founder and CEO of Little Spoon, the baby and kids' food company he started with his wife, Angela in 2017. On this episode of In the Sauce, Ben talks about building Little Spoon DTC before moving into retail, the partnership with Target, building across different stages of childhood and the store, and what Ben has learned as both a founder and an investor in emerging consumer brands.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kendall Kransdorf is the founder of Cotto, a line of whipped cottage cheese dips bringing real protein and big flavor to the refrigerated dip aisle. On this episode of In the Sauce, Ali and Kendall discuss turning a personal food habit into a product, the test and learn approach, and the particular challenges of building a refrigerated dairy brand.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elisabeth and Gina Galvin are the mother-daughter founders of Stellar Snacks. On this episode of ITS, Elisabeth, Gina, and Ali discuss how lessons from Elisabeth’s first food business shaped Stellar, what it takes to own and operate your own manufacturing, and how they’ve built a distinctive snack brand while navigating growth, retail, and working together as a family.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.