
Category: Podcast


The Alchemy of Seitan, Pizza, Wings, and Self-Manufacturing
Emanuel Storch is the CEO of Blackbird Foods, a plant-based food company producing wholesale and retail seitan, frozen pizza, and plant-based meat. His passion for social entrepreneurship, animal welfare, the environment, and public health inspired Emanuel to found Blackbird. As one of the first te [more...]
The Alchemy of Soup Dumplings, Traditions, and D2C
Jennifer Liao is the Co-founder of Xiao Chi Jie (XCJ), a direct-to-consumer food company specializing in authentic Chinese street food. As a second-generation Asian American, she founded the brand with her husband to connect with family history and create new and genuine representations of their ex [more...]
The Alchemy of Expo East 2022
Taja Dockendorf is the Founder, Owner, and Creative Director at Pulp+Wire, a female-founded, award-winning, full-service, CPG branding and marketing agency. Pulp+Wire specializes in helping natural and organic foods, cannabis, hemp, and lifestyle brands discover their identities and create websites [more...]
The Alchemy of Alchemical Skincare
Nick Grossenbacher is the Founder and Chief Product Formulator at REÅLEA Skincare, which delivers potent, topical solutions rooted in global traditions of medicinal alchemy. He has studied herbalism and traditional healing with regional experts worldwide and trained as an academic historian of pre [more...]
The Alchemy of Tech, Spices, and Ayurveda
Raina Kumra is the Founder of Spicewell, the world’s first nutrient-dense, Ayurvedic line of pantry essentials. As an operational leader, investor, and advisor, she is a Partner at The Fund — where she leads healthcare and consumer deals — the former CEO of Juggernaut, and the former Co-found [more...]
The Alchemy of Seafood, Family, and Salmon Burgers
Nina Damato is the Managing Partner at Blue Circle Foods, a company that provides consumers with clean, nutritious, 100% traceable seafood using best sustainability practices. Her mother, father, and uncle founded the brand in 2005 with the goal of delivering organic seafood through transparent pro [more...]
The Alchemy of Sauces, Community, and Universe Alignment
Hawa Hassan is the CEO and Founder of Basbaas Foods, an authentic, packaged line of Somalian hot sauces and chutneys. The brand has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, Eater, and many other notable publications. As a dynamic chef, recipe developer, and entrepreneur, Hawa is the author of I [more...]
The Alchemy of Kombucha, Vermont, and Entrepreneurship
Jeff Weaber is the Owner of Aqua ViTea, a Vermont-based brand that brews authentic kombucha. Previously, he was a Brewer at Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, where he gained experience in fermentation and helped the brewery scale to meet increasing demands. After moving from Oregon to Vermont, Jeff launched [more...]