Elevator Talk showcases up-and-coming food and beverage brands to the industry, giving founders a chance to put their brand in the spotlight and share their story. Meet the founders behind the hottest brands hitting the market and hear their plans to stand out on shelves.
Each episode features a group of brand leaders, the host, and an industry expert, who asks follow-up questions and provides feedback for each entrepreneur.
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Watch previous episodes on our Elevator Talk video playlist.
SZENT is reinventing the way people experience beverages. Chief Creative Officer, Maddie Grandbois, says the brand aims to shake up the flavored water category with a new spin, no added ingredients. Instead, the company has patented a polymer cap ring infused with essential oils that tricks the brain into believing you are tasting the flavor.
President and CEO, Josep Bassaganya-Riera, calls Pervida a revolutionary functional drink. The brand uses all-natural ingredients and patented technology to develop highly functional beverages for the health-conscious consumer.
Element Shrub founder & CEO, Charlie Berkinshaw, has developed a non-alcoholic cocktail alternative that not only tastes good, but is also healthy and functional. The product is ACV-based, which has challenged the brand to change consumers’ perceptions of how the ingredient could taste in a beverage.
Joel Jelderks, founder of Caskai, has set forth on a mission to introduce premium cascara-based beverages to the global market, noting that coffee consumers are their first target market, as they will likely be more aware of cascara.
MANSI’s mission is to bring calamansi to the U.S. consumer base through its premium citrus beverage. CEO Charles Medenilla describes the superfruit as tart and sweet, and high in vitamin C and antioxidants.
Wonder+Well, an organic fruit-essence water for kids, provides the lovable format of a drink box but with no sugar or sweeteners. Co-founder Gregg Lefkowitz identifies that parents are looking for healthier options that get children to drink more water, while still being fun.
Som Sleep is a ready-to-drink dietary supplement designed as a natural alternative to prescriptive sleep-aids. Serial entrepreneur and Co-founder/CEO, John Shegerian, shares that within four months the company was able to expand beyond e-commerce and enter brick-and-mortar retail.
Irene Roja Stanbury, the CEO of LemonKind, brings her shelf-stable, botanically infused juices and teas offline and onto shelves through functionality and design. The line of natural beverages provides a premium experience, from the inside out. With 100% natural, high-quality ingredients, and a unique pouch package, this product is targeted to reach the millennial, health-conscious woman.
Founder and CEO of Petal, Candice Crane, is on a mission to deliver an all organic zero calorie, zero sugar botanical beverage with an empowering message. Designed primarily for women ages 18-32, Petal offers unique flavors with rose water as the star ingredient. The company recently launched in the Chicago area with plans to grow nationally in the future.
PathWater, which sells bottled water in reusable aluminum containers, is on a mission to reduce plastic waste in the beverage business. PathWater co-founder & CEO Shadi Bakour describes his team as dedicated, relentless and passionate in their efforts to change the way people think about buying packaged water.
Rambu brings Southeast Asian flavor to the U.S. market by infusing their beverage with rambutan, a tropical fruit. The company's low calorie, low sugar offering targets health-focused consumers, particularly millennial women, who care about current social issues.
In this week’s episode of Elevator Talk, meet Liquid Death -- a water brand that’s looking to make healthy hydration a rebellious experience. Tune in to hear Mike Cessario, Founder of Liquid Death, discuss how the Los Angeles-based brand is using its cool factor to target young consumers looking to stay hydrated in a fun and edgy way.
In this week’s episode of Elevator Talk, meet Poppilu -- a brand that’s trying to disrupt the refrigerated juice category starting with a health-forward lemonade. Tune in to hear Melanie Kahn, Founder of Poppilu, discuss how the Chicago-based brand is using aronia berries and fresh ingredients to bring consumers back to lemonade, touting high antioxidants and less sugar.
