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  • Spill & Dish: An SFA Podcast

    What makes a specialty food special? At the Specialty Food Association, we like to say that every member has a story. Spill & Dish brings you the stories of the entrepreneurs, makers, and sellers who are shaping the future of food. Listen and discover the inspiration, recipe, craft, culture, ingredients, and production methods that make a true specialty food and get a deeper understanding of the people and motivation behind the products—beyond what you’ll read on a label. If you have a recipe you’ve thought about bringing to market or a brand you are launching, if you are a buyer in the trade, or simply a food lover, this podcast is for you.
    Denise Purcell
    On this Spill & Dish episode, Jen Liao, co-founder of MìLà (formerly Xiao Chi Jie), takes listeners along her entrepreneurial journey from co-founding a Chinese street food restaurant with her husband in 2018, to pivoting during the pandemic and making local deliveries of frozen xiao long bao (soup dumplings), to shipping them nationally, direct-to-consumer, to gaining placement in major retailers.
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    Denise Purcell
    Developed from a dream to build a specialty market that offers all the products one would need under one roof, Pete Marczyk, founder of Marczyk Fine Foods, left his job in business to create the community-focused market. In this episode of Spill & Dish recorded at the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, Marczyk speaks with George Hajjar, associate editor at the SFA, about providing for a local community. He discusses growing the market, and gives advice to specialty makers and retailers looking to grow their business.
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    Denise Purcell
    Karl Franz Williams is a mixologist, restaurateur, CPG veteran, and founder of Uncle Waithley’s Beverage Co., maker of ginger beer with a Scotch Bonnet bite that’s based on a family recipe. On this episode of Spill & Dish, which was recorded at the Winter Fancy Food Show, Williams talks about his product’s namesake, what’s special about Scotch Bonnet Peppers, and how he endeavors to get his ginger beer on shelves and menus.
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    Denise Purcell
    At the Specialty Food Association's recent Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, George Hajjar, associate editor at the SFA, spoke with Cathy Strange, ambassador of food culture at Whole Foods Market. In this episode, they discussed how to teach others to taste with their five senses, what grocery buyers look for in specialty products, and standout trends for the year.
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    Denise Purcell
    Denver-based beverage brand Frescos Naturales fills their beautiful cans with traditional aguas frescas with a twist, featuring classic flavors like tamarind, hibiscus, and mango. In this episode, Gretchen VanEsselstyn, SFA’s director of education, speaks with Juan Stewart about his journey to taste success, including his Shark Tank appearance!
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    Denise Purcell
    Lewis Road Creamery is a New Zealand-based maker of the 10 Star Certified Salted Butter that was named Specialty Food Association’s 2023 sofi Product of the Year at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City.
    In this episode, Julie Gallagher, director of content development for SFA, speaks with Lewis Road Creamery’s co-founder and director of marketing and communications, Lynette Maan, and vice president of sales and operations, Steve Muir, about the premium butter space, their product’s sofi win, and how Lewis Road Creamery does right by farmers, animals, and the Earth.

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    Denise Purcell
    New York-based shiitake mushroom chip company Popadelics is on a mission to bring attention to under-loved vegetables. 
    In this episode, George Hajjar, associate editor at the SFA, speaks with co-founders and life partners Marilyn Yang and Michael Casali about transitioning to the food world from a finance background, the origins of the pandemic-born snack, and their recent success, particularly in alternate channels including Urban Outfitters. Additionally, Yang highlights some of the brand’s philanthropic achievements, including partnership with the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness research.
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    Denise Purcell
    In this episode, Megan Rooney, Program Development Manager, sits down with the dynamic duo behind SAYSO, a New York-based premium cocktail company founded by two Harvard Business School graduates. Alison Evans and Chloe Bergson take us on a journey from their humble beginnings crafting cocktails in mason jars to their innovative transition to tea bags for a convenient 3-minute cocktail experience. They share their insights on reinventing classic cocktails, and emphasize the value of taking the plunge before you feel fully prepared.
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    Denise Purcell
    New Zealand-based Heilala Vanilla was co-founded by a father and daughter who show their commitment to the people and land of Tonga with every bean and batch. In this episode, Gretchen VanEsselstyn, SFA’s director of education, speaks with Jennifer Boggiss about Heilala’s connections with chefs, journey to retail, B-Corp certification, and positive impact.
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    Denise Purcell
    Sam Mogannam is a chef and second-generation owner of San Francisco’s Bi-Rite Market and founder of the B Corp certified Bi-Rite Family of Businesses, which includes two specialty markets, a creamery, catering commissary, and a nonprofit cooking school and education space. In this episode, Julie Gallagher, director of content development for Specialty Food Association, speaks with Mogannam about the rich sensory experience that can be had at Bi-Rite, how he strives to maintain its B Corp status, and plans for a new store opening.
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    Denise Purcell
    Dominic Biggi is a third-generation owner of Beaverton Foods, a gourmet condiments maker that also co-packs. In this episode of Spill & Dish, SFA’s 2023 Hall of Fame inductee talks about carving out his niche in a family business, the company’s more than 500 recipes, and what’s next for the specialty food business.
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    Denise Purcell
    Cold-pressed grapeseed oil produces a high-quality, nutrient-rich product that can be used to bake, sautée, fry, and more. Salute Santé’s upcycled, chef-inspired grapeseed oil is a recent 2023 Gold Sofi Award winner and has been a leader in the alternative oil category for decades. The company also makes infused oils and grapeseed flour.
    In this episode of Spill & Dish, George Hajjar, content development associate at the Specialty Food Association, speaks with co-founders and life partners Valentin and Nanette Humer about the company’s mission to bring sustainability to the industry, how it began, and how its suite of products is produced.
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    Denise Purcell
    In this episode, Megan Rooney, Program Development Manager at SFA, chats with Shawn Askinosie, the visionary founder & CEO of Askinosie Chocolate, about being a bean-to-bar chocolate trailblazer, making a positive impact on the lives of cocoa farmers worldwide, his upcoming Chocolate University trip to Tanzania, and how SFA was pivotal in connecting him with buyers.
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    Denise Purcell
    Patrick Ford is the vice president of Ford’s Gourmet Foods, the family-owned brand that makes Bone Suckin’ Sauce, rubs, and seasonings, and is constantly innovating flavors and recipes to bring a dynamic breadth of products. In this episode, George Hajjar, associate editor at the SFA, speaks with Ford about working in a family business, and how it developed from humble origins into an award-winning brand.
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    Denise Purcell
    Cynthia Duran, owner of Xinca Foods, had been seeking a vegan cheese to accompany her pupusas when, at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show, she met fellow exhibitor Dina DiCenso, cofounder of RIND by Dina and Joshua, who was debuting RIND's Carrot Cheese. In this episode, recorded on the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show Big Idea Stage, Julie Gallagher, SFA’s director of content development, delves into how their serendipitous meeting led to the launch of Carrot Cheese and Loroco Pupusas.
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    Denise Purcell
    Emre Imamoglu saw an opportunity to bring healthy eating habits from the Mediterranean to a U.S. audience in the form of CiboVita. In this episode, George Hajjar, associate editor at the Specialty Food Association, spoke with Imamoglu about the company’s health-first approach, its sofi award-winning product, and the business strategies that enabled its success.
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    Denise Purcell
    Twenty years ago, Jonathan Milo Leal launched Milo’s Whole World Gourmet, an Ohio-based specialty food maker of Sofi Award winning products, that also offers boutique co-packing services. In this episode, Julie Gallagher, director of content development at SFA, chats with the entrepreneur about how he got his start, the business lessons he’s learned through the years, and the unique perspective he brings to the co-packing world.
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    Denise Purcell
    Marisol Villalobos grew up on a coffee farm and she is an expert in agriculture, microbiology, and delicious specialty food. Her one-ingredient product was the first sofi award winner from Puerto Rico! On this episode of Spill & Dish, host Gretchen VanEsselstyn talks with Marisol about the triumphs and challenges of creating and selling her plant-based, gluten-free, sustainable and eco-friendly product.
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    Denise Purcell
    In this episode, Megan Rooney, Program Development Manager, chats with David Schmunk of African Dream Foods, about delivering authentic flavors while promoting wildlife conservation through their hot sauces and spices. The 2023 SFA Leadership Award – Emerging Leader recipient discusses the curiosity that drives his career, packaging pains, and his love of trade shows.
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    Denise Purcell
    In this episode, Megan Rooney, Program Development Manager, chats with Luke Schneider of Fire Department Coffee, a veteran-owned business dedicated to providing great-tasting coffee to people everywhere. The 2023 SFA Leadership Award – Citizenship recipient discusses his Navy and firefighting background, roasting coffee in between shifts, and the importance of building good teams.
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