Todd Carmichael, who co-founded pioneering third-wave coffee company La Colombe, is once again breaking new ground with the launch of innovative “shimmering water” brand Loftiwater. In this episode, Carmichael spoke about how the pandemic influenced his decision to step away from La Colombe and inspired a fresh start, his ambitious vision for Loftiwater and why the brand’s early start included a chartered plane to Venezuela.

In Taste Radio’s final episode of 2021, the hosts spoke about why entrepreneurs launching new and innovative concepts need to consider the addressable market for their brands and products going into 2022. They also discussed the news that a high-profile kombucha company has leapt into the growing pool of probiotic sodas, a fast-growing snack brand’s recent raise and a number of notable products that crossed their respective desks over the past week.

This special edition of the podcast features highlights from interviews with six founders, creators and innovators who joined us on the show during the second half of 2021. Our guests include award-winning television host, chef and writer Andew Zimmern; Vanessa Pham, the co-founder and CEO of Omsom; Erewhon chief growth officer Kabir Jain; Catherine Dockery, the founder of Vice Ventures; Foxtrot Market co-founder and CEO Mike LaVitola; and Danielle LiVolsi, the founder and CEO of Nuttzo.

Hector Saldivar, the founder and CEO of Tia Lupita, explained why the brand is focused on updating and innovating upon authentic Mexican food, how he’s educating consumers about esoteric ingredients, the retail strategy for three distinct product lines and what he’s learned as an immigrant entrepreneur.

Taste Radio’s hosts reflected on a nine-day, three-event, four-competition extravaganza, discussed the value of in-person networking and connecting with entrepreneurs for the first time after two years of virtual meetings. They also chatted about the decision of a well-known entrepreneur to step down as CEO of his company and riffed on new products that came to market over the past month.

Maxine Kozler Koven, co-founder of LDR Ventures & Consulting, discussed the venture capital firm’s investment philosophy and portfolio, which includes stakes in Sweetgreen, Thrive Market and Shaka Tea, the importance of nurturing the development of early-stage founders, the relevance of innovation when evaluating new concepts and the historical lack of funding for female-led companies.