Xtalks Food Industry Podcast

Food Supply Chain Resiliency + Rowdy Mermaid’s Mushroom-Based Sparkling Beverage

How did COVID-19 impact the food supply chain? In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney discusses how the pandemic caused significant food shortages last fall. Hear clips from Sydney’s interviews with Nader Mikhail, CEO and founder of Elementum, and Sam Agyemang, co-founder of HaulerHub, who discuss the media frenzy that caused food hoarding and how tech will eventually help improve the efficiency of the food supply chain. Also in this episode, Mira talks about Rowdy Mermaid’s new mushroom-based sparkling beverages and the technology used by the company to extract beta-glucans from reishi mushrooms. The team discusses their likelihood of trying out the sparkling immunity tonics and explore whether they will find success in the crowded functional beverage market.Read the full articles here: How COVID-19 Impacted the Food Supply Chain For Better and for WorseRowdy Mermaid Introduces Mushroom-Based Sparkling BeverageFor 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

Baby Food Safety Act + Mango Pepsi

Is there arsenic in your baby food? In this week's episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney discusses the Baby Food Safety Act of 2021 which aims to help the FDA regulate heavy metal contamination in baby food. Also in this episode, Mira talks about Pepsi’s unique social media campaign surrounding the launch of its new flavor Pepsi Mango. The team discusses why mango Pepsi may have been chosen as the brand’s first new permanent flavor in five years, and whether Pepsi’s social media-based matchmaking promotion will translate to higher sales of the soda.Read the full articles here: Baby Food Safety Act of 2021: Why Didn’t FDA Regulate Heavy Metals Sooner?Mango Pepsi Newest Permanent Flavor in Five YearsFor 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

GoodSport Milk-Based Sports Drink + Carbon-Neutral Food Companies

This podcast was recorded on March 15, 2021What exactly is a sports drink made “from the goodness of milk”? In Episode 3 of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Mira tells the team about a sports drink made with an upcycled byproduct of the dairy industry. Also in this episode, Sydney talks about what it means to be carbon neutral in the food industry, and how even food giants like Maple Leaf can achieve this sustainability goal. Hear a clip from Sydney’s interview with Austin Whitman, the founder and CEO of Carbon Neutral, about how food companies might not be counting all sources of carbon emissions when declaring they’ve achieved carbon neutrality.Read the full articles here: GoodSport Milk-Based Sports Drink Upcycles Dairy Byproduct3 Food and Beverage Companies That Are Carbon NeutralFor 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

Slate Chocolate Milk + Aunt Jemima Rebrands

This podcast was recorded on February 23, 2021Sydney tells the team about a new chocolate milk called Slate, which was designed for adults, in Episode 2 of the Xtalks Food Podcast. Tune into this episode to hear a clip from Sydney's interview with Manny Lubin, one of the co-founders of Slate, who shares why chocolate milk was in need of a rebrand. In this episode, Mira also discusses Aunt Jemima's rebranding to Pearl Milling company in an effort to eliminate the company's role in perpetuating racial stereotypes. The podcasters debate whether this move is enough of a response from the brand in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement and racial inequality in North America.Read the full articles here:Slate Chocolate Milk: The Better-for-You, Canned Dairy Beverage Designed for AdultsAunt Jemima Rebranding to Pearl Milling Company to Eliminate Racial StereotypesFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @XtalksFoodInstagram: @XtalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferencesYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Nestlé Acquires Essentia + Canopy Growth’s CBD-Infused Sparkling Water

This podcast was recorded on March 10, 2021In Episode 1 of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney discusses Nestlé's acquisition of functional beverage brand Essentia Water, a decision announced after the food giant dumped its bottled water portfolio. Essentia's premium positioning may have motivated the purchase; however, the acquisition of a plastic bottled water brand calls into question Nestlé’s global sustainability goals.Also in this episode, Mira talks about the US launch of Canopy Growth's CBD-infused sparkling water, Quatreau, and the important way in which the American version of the beverage will differ from the product sold in Canada. The team discusses the cannabis industry and the problems behind making health and wellness claims about CBD-containing food and beverages.Read the full articles here:Nestlé Acquires Functional Beverage Brand Essentia Water After Selling Bottled Water PortfolioCanopy Growth Enters US Market With CBD-Infused Sparkling WaterFor more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @XtalksFoodInstagram: @XtalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferencesYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured