Xtalks Food Industry Podcast

Interview with Founder and CEO of BUBLUV Diana Ark Chen

This episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast features an interview with Diana Ark Chen, the founder and CEO of BUBLUV, a better-for-you bubble tea. Hear about how the brand was conceptualized and commercialized within two and half years, the R&D process and the ingredients that make BUBLUV significantly healthier than other bubble teas. Chen discusses the challenges finding the right manufacturer for BUBLUV and shipping in glass bottles. Hear about her day-to-day schedule as a CEO as well as the benefits of using various social media to promote her business. Chen has over ten years of experience working on food and lifestyle brands such as Country Crock, Green Giant and Bon Appetit. Read the related story here:BUBLUV: The Ready-to-Drink, Healthier Bubble Tea AlternativeFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Yo! Egg’s Plant-Based Poached and Sunny-Side-Up Eggs + World Food Safety Day 2022

Israeli food tech startup Yo! Egg, which has developed plant-based poached and sunny-side-up eggs, announced that it plans to launch in US restaurants later this year. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney introduces the team to Yo! Egg’s plant-based “whole egg” alternative, which is made up of two parts — the “white” and the “yolk.” While the taste and texture of Yo! Egg mimics that of chicken eggs, it contains only one gram of protein per serving. However, it offers an alternative for consumers who eat eggs, but would prefer a more animal-friendly, sustainable and cholesterol-free option. The team wonders whether people would be willing to switch out chicken eggs for Yo! Eggs and discusses the similarities between plant-based eggs and plant-based meat and dairy.Also, in this episode, Sydney talks about World Food Safety Day, which is observed each year on June 7 to mark the importance of healthy food practices and reflect on the global food system. This year, the theme for World Food Safety Day was “Safer food, better health.” The day emphasizes the importance of making food safety a priority for all to stay healthier and be more productive. Sydney discusses the history and significance of the day, and reveals some facts about foodborne illness, including that there are an estimated 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually. She also talks about ways to promote food safety within the home and on a larger scale. The team believes more needs to be done to prevent foodborne illness and that one day is not enough to bring attention to the global food safety crisis.Read the full articles here:Israeli Startup Yo! Egg is Bringing its Plant-Based Eggs to the USWorld Food Safety Day 2022: Theme, History and Ways to Get InvolvedFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Driscoll’s Strawberry Flavor Innovation + Planet FWD Helps Food Brands Track Carbon Emissions

Driscoll’s, a global producer of fresh berries, is bringing back its popular Rose Berries, along with a new high-flavor strawberry innovation, Tropical Bliss. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about Driscoll’s curated collection of strawberries, including Rose Berries, Sweetest Batch and Tropical Bliss. The collection was developed through traditional breeding methods, without genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and each flavor took 20 years to perfect and commercialize. Sydney tries Sweetest Batch raspberries and the team commends Driscoll’s for innovating a sector that has remained stagnant for decades.Also, in this episode, Sydney introduces the team to Planet FWD, a carbon assessment startup that recently secured an investment of $10 million in a Series A funding round. The startup partners with consumer products companies to measure, reduce and neutralize carbon emissions and already has 25 clients, many of which are well-known food and beverage brands. Since time is of the essence to achieve global emissions goals, companies are scrambling to find better solutions for carbon management. As a result, the past year has been one of growth for Planet FWD. The team was unaware that startups like Planet FWD existed, but believes they will be key in helping the food and beverage industry track and reduce emissions. Read the full articles here:Driscoll’s Rose Berries Are Back Just in Time for SummerCarbon Assessment Startup Planet FWD Raises $10 Million in FundingFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Mars Recalls Various Skittles, Starburst and Lifesavers + Kidfresh Offers Frozen Kid’s Meals with Hidden Vegetables

Mars Wrigley announced a voluntary recall of various candy products after consumers reported thin metal strands in the candy itself or loose in the bag. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the latest Mars recall, which included Starburst, Skittles and Life Savers gummies that were manufactured by a third party and distributed across North America. She brings up several other recent recalls and explains why metal contamination is such a prevalent occurrence in the food and beverage industry. The team wonders whether more can be done to prevent metal contamination during manufacturing and whether this recall will impact Mars’ sales.Also, in this episode, Sydney introduces the team to Kidfresh, a New York-based brand of frozen children’s food featuring hidden veggies. All Kidfresh products are made without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and are frozen immediately after being cooked to preserve the nutrients and flavors. Founded in 2016 by parents Gilles Deloux and Matt Cohen, the pair sought to create delicious and nutritious versions of classic children’s foods. Now, Kidfresh products are available in over 10,000 grocery stores nationwide and target children aged six to eight. The team applauds the company for appealing to both children and parents and discusses how far children’s food has come in the past few decades. Read the full articles here:Mars Recalls Select Skittles, Starbust and Life Saver Gummies over Possible Metal ContaminationKidfresh: The Better-For-You Kid’s Brand with Hidden VeggiesFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

How Voyage Food Reverse-Engineered Popular Foods + Boochcraft Hard Kombucha

Voyage Foods, a California-based startup that has reverse-engineered chocolate, peanut butter and coffee, recently closed a $36 million Series A investment round. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about how Voyage Foods found the main molecules that make up chocolate, peanut butter and coffee, and then found those molecules in other food sources and combined them with additional ingredients to make their replacements. She discusses the problematic sourcing and production challenges associated with chocolate and coffee, as well as the millions of Americans that have peanut allergies. The team put forward some potential challenges for consumers in adopting these products, but understand why they are necessary replacements. Also, in this episode, Sydney introduces the team to Boochcraft, a hard kombucha maker that recently became a Certified Benefit Corporation (B-Corp). This label is awarded to companies that voluntarily meet high social and environmental performance standards. All the fruit scraps used to make Boochcraft are composted, producing over one million pounds of compost annually, and any unused fruit is donated to feed people who are food insecure. Boochcraft has also established a healthy and financially supportive workplace by committing to pay all employees 25 percent above the set minimum wage and offering other benefits. The team applaud the company for its environmental and social standards and discuss the niche hard kombucha market. Read the full articles here:Voyage Foods is Taking the Cocoa out of Chocolate, Peanuts out of Peanut Butter and Beans out of CoffeeBoochcraft Becomes First Hard Kombucha Brand to Earn B-Corp StatusFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

The Paleo Diet Certification Program + Miso Robotics’ Plan to Save the Fast-Food Industry

The Paleo Diet LLC, the founding organization behind the corresponding lifestyle movement, has launched a new Paleo certification program. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney delves into the details of the new program, which is based on the organization’s principle of encouraging the avoidance of dairy products, genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), grains, highly processed foods and legumes, among other foods. She discusses the global market for Paleo foods, which is projected to reach $12.6 billion by 2027, label literacy and popular criticism of the Paleo diet. The team is critical of the science behind the Paleo diet, but contend that the certification program is positive for those who follow the diet. Also, in this episode, Sydney introduces the team to Miso Robotics, a California-based startup that’s hoping to save the nearly $300 billion US fast-food industry with its robots. It starts by creating a line of kitchen robots that automate almost all the components of standard fast-food meals. The company’s leading creation, Flippy, can already be found in Caliburger restaurants, as well as White Castle, Jack in the Box and other fast-food chains. Since the introduction of robots could boost fast-food margins by as much as 300 percent, Miso is entering the market at a perfect time. Rather than fearing robots, the team posits that we should embrace automation that improves efficiency and the lives of customers and workers alike. Read the full articles here:The Paleo Diet Launches a Paleo Certification Program for Food PackagingMiso Robotics Wants Fast-Food Employees to Work Alongside Its Robots, Not Replace ThemFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Air Protein Makes Meat out of Thin Air + How Jelly Drops Boosts Water Consumption

California-based startup Air Protein developed an alt meat called Air Meat, which is made using microbes that turn recycled carbon dioxide (CO2) into protein. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about how “the meat of tomorrow” was designed to replicate the flavor and texture of real meat products like chicken, pork, steak and seafood. She discusses how far the alt meat sector has come in the last decade and asks the team whether this is the pinnacle of innovation. While Vera posits that the sector has reached its peak, Ayesha thinks it is just getting started and Sydney agrees with both stances. Also, in this episode, Sydney introduces the team to Jelly Drops, a UK-based brand designed to boost hydration among those who struggle to consume enough water. Made with 95 percent water, a grip-friendly shape and a variety of flavors, Jelly Drops have become popular among people with Alzheimer’s, seniors and others who struggle to stay hydrated. The bite-sized, teardrop-shaped candies are sugar free, low-calorie, gluten-free, vegan and non-laxative. The team brings further attention to the fact that people with memory issues often forget to consume enough water and applauds the brand’s founder for catering to an unmet market.Read the full articles here:Air Protein: The Alt Meat Startup Making Plant-Based Protein Out of Thin AirHow Jelly Drops Help Boost Hydration Among People with Dementia and Cognitive ChallengesFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

BUBUV Better-For-You Bubble Tea + Gerber Plant-Based Baby Food

New York-based startup BUBLUV, Inc. recently launched its first product: a better-for-you, ready-to-drink bottled bubble tea. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about how the brand differs from others bubble teas on the market, namely that it contains fewer calories and sugar than its competitors. She talks about how the growing bubble tea market and the constant demand for better-for-you beverages will help BUBLUV succeed. The team bring attention to relatively unhealthy aspects of traditional bubble tea and commend the brand for creating a healthier alternative.  Also, in this episode, Sydney discusses Gerber’s new line of plant-based baby food called Plant-tastic. The line features a full range of organic plant-based toddler foods, from pouches to snacks to bowls. Created to offer a richer source of plant protein, the products are made with nutrient-dense beans, whole grains and veggies. Despite being a leading name in baby food, Gerber will compete with other brands offering plant-based baby food, including Once Upon a Farm and Earth’s Best. The team wonder whether a plant-based diet is sufficient for a baby’s development and posit that Plant-tastic would be best used supplementally.Read the full articles here:BUBLUV: The Ready-to-Drink, Healthier Bubble Tea AlternativeGerber Launches Its First Line of Plant-Based Baby FoodFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

RoboBurger Vending Machines + Fast-Food NFTs

Typical vending machines dispense chips, sodas and other snacks, but one startup decided that burgers deserve vending machines of their own. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about RoboBurger, a Newark, New Jersey-based company that claims to have created America’s first burger vending machine. For $6.99, the machine grills a hamburger patty, toasts the bun, dispenses selected condiments including ketchup and mustard and assembles the burger in about six minutes. The team discuss whether they would try a burger from a vending machine and talk about its usefulness on college campuses, where fast-food restaurants often close before students are finished studying.Also, in this episode, Sydney discusses how non-fungible token (NFT) adoption is picking up steam across the food and beverage industry, specifically among fast-food chains. She talks about Starbucks’ interest in releasing an NFT before the end of the year and how both McDonald’s and Burger King used NFTs for promotional purposes and contests. However, those are just a few of many well-known brand names that have delved into the NFT industry. The team posits that fast-food chains are using NFTs for branding and customer loyalty rather than to make a profit and wonder whether they will just be a passing fad.Read the full articles here:RoboBurger: America’s First Burger Vending MachineThese Fast-Food Companies are Serving Up Food NFTsFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

New Kit Kat Flavor + Ferrero Recalls Select Kinder Chocolates

Just in time for Spring, Hershey released a new Kit Kat flavor inspired by a classic baked good. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the new Blueberry Muffin Kit Kat, which features the classic Kit Kat wafers at the center of a blueberry muffin-flavored exterior with graham cookie pieces folded in. She discusses other limited-edition Kit Kat flavors and explains why the chocolate bar is so popular in Japan. The team say they are curious to try the new flavor and wonder why both Hershey and Nestlé can produce different varieties of Kit Kat bars in North America and Asia, respectively.  Also, in this episode, Sydney discusses the recent voluntary recall of select Kinder chocolates. The multi-country recall started with a case of Salmonella identified in the UK in January. Now, the European Food Safety Agency and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control say that as of last week, at least 142 cases of Salmonella have been reported, mainly in children, across nine countries. The team wonder why food safety regulations are not being properly upheld and whether consumers should be held responsible for protecting each other against foodborne illnesses.Read the full articles here:Kit Kat Flavors Expand with Limited-Edition Blueberry MuffinFerrero Recalls Select Kinder Chocolates Before EasterFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @XtalksFood Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured