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The Missing Ingredient

CJ Bruce

The Missing Ingredient podcast with CJ Bruce — where food and beverage founders, operators, and experts share the real strategies behind building successful brands.

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September 22 · 43 min
Taste First, Mission Second With Nicole Malcolm-Manyara
Nicole Malcolm-Manyara is the Founder and Principal at AG Brands, a boutique consultancy that helps growth-stage companies transform brand strategy into measurable business growth. With a career spanning senior marketing roles at Procter & Gamble, organicgirl, and Newman's Own, where she served as CMO, Nicole has modernized legacy brands, led rebrands, and driven innovation across the food, beverage, and personal care sectors. She holds an MBA from Stanford and brings deep expertise in brand positioning, consumer insight, and building consumer-centered brands that shape culture and drive impact. In this episode… Purpose can make a food brand more meaningful, but it cannot make a mediocre product worth buying twice. So when taste and mission are both central to the story, which one should lead? For CPG growth strategist Nicole Malcolm-Manyara, the key lies in putting taste first and mission second. Mission can strengthen differentiation, she explains, but the product still has to justify the purchase and any premium, especially because consumers ultimately vote with their wallets. A compelling cause may earn attention, but a superior product experience is what gives a purpose-driven brand staying power. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is joined by Nicole Malcolm-Manyara, Founder and Principal at AG Brands, to discuss why taste must lead purpose-driven food brands. They explore how product superiority supports mission, how packaging can turn impact into tangible stories, and why repeat purchase matters more than promotional trial. Nicole also shares how brands can modernize without losing what loyal consumers already love.
September 15 · 44 min
How To Build a Food and Beverage Brand That Lasts With Casey Harshman
Casey Harshman is the Founder and CEO of Frooishen Strategy & Design Collective, a branding and package design collective that helps CPG brands build clear, distinctive identities and bring them to life across the marketplace. With 22 years in branding and package design, Casey leads strategy and creative work for emerging and established brands, shaping brand platforms, packaging, storytelling, and activation. His approach centers on building strong foundations that create consistency, differentiation, and lasting consumer connection. In this episode… Building a food and beverage brand that lasts takes more than a great product and strong packaging. It starts with a clear brand strategy that can guide growth, marketing, and every consumer touchpoint. So what does it really take to build a food and beverage brand that can scale and stand out? As a branding and package design expert, Casey Harshman believes the answer starts with defining the brand before scaling the business around it. He recommends creating a clear platform for mission, values, positioning, messaging, and design so decisions are driven by the brand rather than personal preference. From there, Casey says founders can sharpen packaging for retail, prioritize the messages consumers need most, validate key decisions with research when possible, and evolve established brands without throwing away valuable equity. The result is a more distinctive, consistent brand that can grow efficiently while earning consumer recognition and trust. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce sits down with Casey Harshman, Founder and CEO of Frooishen Strategy & Design Collective, to discuss building a food and beverage brand that lasts. Casey covers brand foundations, retail-ready packaging, and balancing founder vision with consumer needs. He also touches on consumer research, AI in creative work, and protecting brand equity during a refresh.
September 8 · 35 min
Turning an Innovative Product Into a Scalable CPG Brand With Caroline Dai
Caroline Dai is the Founder and CEO of TofuGo Snacks, a company creating savory, high-protein, shelf-stable tofu snacks for modern, on-the-go lifestyles. In her role, she leads the brand's product innovation, growth strategy, and community building. Since launching in March 2026, TofuGo has gone viral, generated $20,000 in revenue in its first month, and is on track for $1 million in revenue in 2026. Caroline previously worked in strategy and finance and draws on that experience while celebrating her Chinese heritage through flavors like Soy BBQ and Spicy Chili. In this episode… Innovative food products can generate buzz, but scaling a CPG brand takes more than a strong idea. Founders need clear positioning, steady demand, and a growth strategy that can evolve with the business. So how do you turn early traction into sustainable brand growth? Caroline Dai, a CPG entrepreneur with a background in finance and strategy, believes scalable growth comes from combining product differentiation with constant testing, strategic partnerships, and direct customer feedback. A big part of her strategy is building trust through founder-led marketing, using organic social performance to guide decisions, and creating long-term partnerships with manufacturers and retailers that support growth. Caroline also emphasizes staying lean, using organic traction to guide paid marketing, and maintaining strong customer relationships as the brand expands. Together, these strategies offer a practical roadmap for turning early momentum into a scalable food and beverage brand. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Caroline Dai, Founder and CEO of TofuGo Snacks, about turning an innovative product into a scalable brand. Caroline covers founder-led content, manufacturing partnerships, and retail growth strategy. She also discusses organic social testing, AI tools, and whole-food trends shaping the CPG market.
September 1 · 48 min
How Regional Density Helps Food Brands Scale With Matt Williams
Matt Williams is the Founder, CEO, and a Partner for The CPG Collective, a food and beverage brokerage helping emerging CPG brands win in California and prepare for national scale. Matt leads the firm's retail growth strategy and hands-on sales execution across more than 4,000 California retail doors. With three decades of CPG experience, including senior roles at Dean Foods, PepsiCo, Odwalla, and Bowery Farming, he specializes in building regional retail density, distributor relationships, and the performance foundation brands need to scale. In this episode… For emerging food brands, scaling retail distribution too quickly can stretch marketing budgets, sales teams, and distributor support. Building stronger traction in one market first can create a more efficient path to growth. Is regional density the key to scaling a CPG brand more successfully? With three decades of CPG sales experience, Matt Williams believes emerging brands can build a stronger foundation by focusing deeply on one geography before expanding. A regional strategy allows brands to support anchor retailers, strengthen distributor relationships, improve operational efficiency, and develop the sales data buyers want to see. Matt also recommends showing up to buyer meetings with a clear category story, realistic pricing, and proof that the product fills an unmet consumer need. The goal is to prove demand, build retail velocity, and create a repeatable model before taking on broader distribution. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Matt Williams, Founder, CEO, and a Partner for The CPG Collective, about how regional density helps food brands scale. Matt explains how focused geography improves marketing and distribution, why buyer readiness matters, and how local sales data builds a stronger case for expansion. He also touches on geo-targeted marketing and AI-driven data aggregation.
August 25 · 48 min
Scaling Food Brands With Story-Driven Video With Mitchel Dumlao
Mitchel Dumlao is the Founder and Executive Producer at Creative Haven, a video production and creative agency that helps brands grow through strategic, story-driven content. With more than 20 years of experience in film, content creation, and marketing, Mitchel has worked with brands including HBO, Sony, Spotify, and Colgate. Earlier in his career, he represented 40 clients across TV, film, animation, and comic books. Today, he helps food, beverage, and CPG companies build awareness and drive growth through strategic video content. In this episode… Great video content can do more than make a food brand look polished. When it is built around the right story, audience, and message, it can support brand awareness, customer engagement, and long-term growth. So what does it take to turn food and beverage video marketing into a strategy that actually performs? Mitchel Dumlao, a video production and content strategy expert with more than 20 years of experience, says it starts with understanding what your audience actually responds to. Brands should research their ideal customer, focus on the product benefits and pain points that matter most, test different hooks and formats, and use performance data to guide future creative. Mitchel also recommends mixing authentic content like UGC and founder videos with more polished brand storytelling, while planning shoots to create content for multiple channels at once. The result is a more efficient video strategy that helps food and beverage brands create content with a clear purpose behind it. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Mitchel Dumlao, Founder and Executive Producer at Creative Haven, about scaling food brands with story-driven video. Mitchel shares how to create stronger hooks, balance authentic and polished content, and get more value from every shoot. He also discusses AI tools and building creative teams that understand marketing.
August 18 · 55 min
Building Food Brands Consumers Trust and Remember With Nicole Rogers
Nicole Rogers is the Founder of GriffJack, a marketing consultancy for food, beverage, agriculture, and retail brands, and CMO of True Origin Foods, a pantry-staples brand focused on flavor and quality. With 25-plus years in marketing across food, beverage, lifestyle, and the arts industries, Nicole brings big-picture strategy, creative direction, and trusted specialist teams together to build clear, memorable brands that connect with consumers and create long-term value. She also helped shape Sacramento's Farm-to-Fork identity and held leadership roles with Chipotle Mexican Grill and Nugget Market. In this episode… Food brands are remembered for more than a clever campaign or polished package. Trust grows when the product delivers, the brand knows what it stands for, and the story feels relevant to the people it hopes to reach. So how can brands create that kind of connection without losing sight of what actually drives consumers to buy? According to food and beverage brand strategist Nicole Rogers, it starts with delivering a product people genuinely want, then using storytelling to deepen the relationship. Taste remains the strongest driver in food, with price and convenience close behind, so brands should avoid expecting sourcing, sustainability, or founder stories to carry a product that does not first earn trial and repeat purchase. Nicole stresses the importance of listening closely to consumers, defining a clear brand identity, and resisting the urge to be everything to everyone. When brands understand both their own convictions and what their audience values, they can make smarter decisions, build credibility, and create connections that last. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce joins Nicole Rogers, Founder of GriffJack and CMO of True Origin Foods, to talk about building food brands consumers trust and remember. Nicole explains why taste drives trial, how clear brand identity builds confidence, and why authentic storytelling creates stronger consumer connection. She also touches on retail partnerships and staying relevant without chasing every cultural moment.
August 11 · 41 min
Building Food Community and Connection With Jill McLewis
Jill McLewis is the Executive Director of Naturally NorCal, a nonprofit that connects and supports Northern California's emerging and established natural-products brands through education, events, peer forums, and partnerships. She leads strategy, operations, community growth, and programs that link founders with experienced industry leaders. Jill also helped guide the merger of Naturally North Bay and Naturally Bay Area and brings a unique background as Sebastopol's mayor, a nonprofit executive, and a classically trained pastry chef and chocolate entrepreneur. In this episode… Strong industry communities grow when people share knowledge openly, make space for honest conversations, and help others avoid familiar mistakes. How can food and beverage leaders turn professional connections into lasting support? For Jill McLewis, whose expertise spans nonprofit leadership, entrepreneurship, and natural-products community building, strong communities begin when people stop treating connection as a transaction. Bringing emerging founders together with experienced leaders creates opportunities for practical guidance, while peer forums allow members to discuss real challenges and learn from one another. In that spirit, Jill recommends shaping educational programs around current business needs and using AI for focused, time-saving tasks without losing the human relationships that make a community valuable. These practices help individual brands grow while strengthening the broader industry. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Jill McLewis, Executive Director of Naturally NorCal, about building a stronger food and beverage community through authentic connection. Jill explores the merger of two regional groups, the value of peer forums and events, and ways experienced leaders can support emerging brands. She also touches on AI, omnichannel growth, and how legal, financial, marketing, and other industry partners help emerging brands succeed.
August 4 · 39 min
Making Milk Cool Again: Rebranding Dairy for Gen Z With Seth Bahler
Seth Bahler is the CEO of Oakridge Dairy and the Founder of Moozy and the U.S. Modern Milkman, businesses modernizing how farm-fresh dairy is produced, branded, and delivered. A fifth-generation dairy farmer, Seth guides growth, innovation, brand development, and strategic partnerships while advancing technology and sustainability across the operation. He specializes in transforming a legacy commodity business into consumer-focused brands built on quality, transparency, convenience, and fresh thinking. In this episode… Milk is a familiar staple, but younger consumers expect products to feel convenient, distinctive, and connected to their values. Reaching them takes more than updated packaging; it requires a stronger story and a better fit with modern life. How can a traditional category become relevant again? According to fifth-generation dairy farmer and consumer-brand builder Seth Bahler, the answer is to combine great flavor with modern packaging and a transparent farm story. His approach includes placing fresh milk in aluminum cans, learning directly from Gen Z students, and emphasizing where the product comes from across social media and in-store sampling. Seth recommends treating innovation as an entry point into retail while using consumer feedback to shape branding, messaging, and distribution. Together, these ideas show that legacy categories can evolve without losing the quality and heritage that make them valuable. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Seth Bahler, CEO of Oakridge Dairy, about rebranding dairy for Gen Z. Seth shares how canned milk can refresh the category, why flavor and transparency matter, and how student research shaped the brand. He also discusses retail growth, farm technology, AI, and building a fifth-generation startup.
July 28 · 52 min
Building Brands With Soul and Strategy With Gagan Levy
Gagan Levy is the Founder and CEO of GURU, an award-winning, Certified B Corp creative agency that helps conscious brands and purpose-driven movements grow through strategy, storytelling, digital marketing, and culture-centered design. A spiritual strategist with two decades of movement-building experience, Gagan guides founders and senior leaders through brand positioning, creative direction, organizational culture, and purpose-led growth. He is also the author of Start Your Own Damn Cult: A Founder's Field Guide. In this episode… A strong brand needs more than a meaningful mission; it also needs a clear reason for customers to care. Purpose creates depth, while research, relevance, and disciplined storytelling turn that depth into sustainable growth. How can a company expand its reach without losing the values and identity that made it distinctive? Gagan Levy, a brand strategist specializing in purpose-driven growth and culture-centered design, believes the answer lies in balancing soul with strategy. Brands should lead with the benefit customers value most, support creative decisions with research, and introduce the impact story at the point where it can deepen loyalty rather than compete for attention. Gagan also recommends studying the deeper human truths behind cultural trends instead of simply chasing what is popular. When leadership practices, customer messaging, and organizational values reinforce one another, growth becomes an extension of the mission rather than a threat to it. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Gagan Levy, Founder and CEO of GURU, about building brands with soul and strategy. Gagan explains how to lead with customer value, use culture-centered insights, and scale devotion without losing purpose. He also touches on regenerative storytelling and yoga-inspired leadership.
July 21 · 45 min
Cracking the Egg Marketing Code With Ed Hoffman
Edward (Ed) Hoffman is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the American Egg Board, the producer-funded national organization that increases demand for US eggs through research, education, and promotion. In this role, Ed directs integrated marketing across consumer, retail, foodservice, manufacturing, and export audiences while supporting industry reputation and growth. Drawing on more than 25 years in food marketing, he brings expertise in brand strategy, research, communications, product launches, and stakeholder engagement. In this episode… When nearly every household already buys eggs, growth depends less on awareness and more on inspiring new habits. How can marketers make such a familiar staple feel fresh, useful, and worth reaching for more often? Food marketing expert Ed Hoffman says that the answer lies in increasing usage rather than simply reaching more households. By identifying consumers most likely to change their habits, marketers can focus on addressable barriers, create campaigns around new occasions, and use research to support bold experimentation. Ed also highlights the value of creator relationships, immersive media, and real-time measurement, showing how relevance and engagement can turn a commodity into a stronger platform for growth. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Ed Hoffman, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the American Egg Board, about cracking the egg marketing code. Ed explores audience targeting, creator partnerships, and campaigns that increase consumption. He also touches on immersive media, AI, measurement, and career self-advocacy.
July 14 · 28 min
Redefining Hydration and Clean Beverage Innovation With Jordan Pilosof
Jordan Pilosof is the Co-founder of SaltWater Co., a functional hydration brand creating clean, mineral-rich water infused with Himalayan salt and free from sugar, calories, and unnecessary additives. Drawing on his background as a high-level athlete and his experience in health and wellness, Jordan helps lead product positioning, retail growth, sampling strategy, and founder-led education around better hydration. His work centers on building a premium beverage brand for everyday performance, recovery, and cleaner hydration. In this episode… Hydration is no longer just about drinking more water. Consumers are paying closer attention to labels, function, and whether a product actually supports how they live, train, work, and recover. So how can a beverage brand deliver real hydration benefits without turning water into something overloaded or complicated? Jordan Pilosof, a health and wellness founder with a background in high-level athletics, sees the opportunity in the middle ground between plain water and traditional sports drinks. His answer is simple: build around function first, keep the ingredient list clean, and make trial a core part of growth because people need to taste the product before they understand it. Jordan points to sodium, mineral sourcing, founder-led education, and retail sampling as key levers for earning trust in the crowded hydration category. Clean beverage innovation is strongest when it removes confusion, solves a real need, and makes the value obvious from the first sip. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce sits down with Jordan Pilosof, Co-founder of SaltWater Co., to discuss clean hydration and functional beverage innovation. Jordan shares how athletics shaped the brand, why sampling drives adoption, and how clean positioning helps products stand out. He also touches on co-packing, AI in CPG, and finding the right partners to scale.
July 7 · 49 min
Launching a Unique Wellness Product in Today's Market With Sara Couch
Sara Couch is the General Manager of Splendor Water USA, a premium bottled water brand known for its unique mineral content sourced from volcanic springs in Ecuador. She leads US growth strategy, retail expansion, and brand development, overseeing partnerships across major retailers while shaping marketing and distribution. Sara blends her background in education policy, nonprofit leadership, and a bilingual MBA from IE Business School to scale Splendor Water in the competitive CPG market while maintaining its mission-driven identity rooted in wellness and sustainability. In this episode… Wellness products often look simple on the surface, yet the path from early traction to retail scale is rarely straightforward. Every decision, from packaging to positioning, influences whether a brand can grow beyond its first wave of customers. So what actually determines which products succeed in mainstream retail? Sara Couch, a CPG operator and beverage brand executive, explains that scaling a wellness beverage comes down to aligning story, product integrity, and channel strategy from the beginning. She emphasizes that DTC traction is critical for validating demand and shaping how brands approach retail partnerships. Sara also points to packaging as a major decision point where sustainability, cost, and usability must stay in balance, while highlighting that team structure and selective use of AI help brands scale without losing identity. The result is a clearer view of how disciplined decisions across early growth stages determine long-term success. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is joined by Sara Couch, General Manager of Splendor Water USA, to discuss launching a unique wellness beverage in today's market. Sara unpacks how Splendor Water evolved from an Ecuadorian spring discovery into a layered wellness brand with a strong mineral-driven identity. She also shares advice on lean teams, using AI for efficiency, and protecting focus on strategy over daily execution.
June 30 · 44 min
Future-Proofing Creator Businesses With Laurie Buckle
Laurie Buckle is the Founder and CEO of CookIt Media, an influencer marketing and talent management agency with expertise in the food and lifestyle space. With more than three decades of experience in food publishing and media, she has helped dozens of food bloggers and creators develop their brand stories, content strategies, and business growth plans. An alum of renowned publications including Bon Appétit, Fine Cooking, and Better Homes & Gardens, Laurie brings a unique perspective at the intersection of media, talent, content, and brand partnerships. In this episode… In the creator economy, attention may start with a post, but long-term success depends on what happens beyond it. Brands want measurable results, creators want to protect their voice, and both sides are trying to build something that lasts. So how can creator-led businesses stay relevant, valuable, and sustainable as platforms, algorithms, and marketing expectations continue to shift? Laurie Buckle, a food media and creator economy expert, believes the answer is moving beyond one-off brand partnerships and building diversified businesses rooted in authentic content, trusted relationships, and long-term strategy. Rather than treating creators like sales channels, brands need to understand that the strongest partnerships happen when creators can make content they know will work for their audience while brands influence the process without over-controlling it. Laurie also emphasizes that success is not always a clean conversion path; influence often shows up through awareness, trust, engagement, and eventual purchase behavior that is difficult to track one-to-one. For creators, her advice is to focus on great content, build lasting partnerships, and expand into revenue streams like websites, cookbooks, product lines, and other brand extensions that increase both income and relevance. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Laurie Buckle, Founder and CEO of CookIt Media, about future-proofing creator businesses. Laurie explains how creators can diversify beyond brand deals, why authentic content outlasts algorithm changes, and how long-term partnerships benefit brands and creators. She also touches on AI, in-person relationships, and emerging food and supplement trends.
June 23 · 48 min
Unlocking Growth Through Strategic Branding and Design With Fred Hart
Fred Hart is a Brand and Design Consultant at Hart Brands, a creative consultancy helping CPG brands unlock growth through strategy, design, and packaging. Over the past decade, he built a 30-person branding agency, transformed more than 137 CPG brands, and partnered with founders, growth-stage companies, and Fortune 500 teams. Fred brings a research-informed, principle-led approach to crafting brands that stand out on shelves, connect with consumers, and move businesses forward across competitive categories. In this episode… A product's brand can shape the buying decision before anyone ever opens the package. In a crowded CPG aisle, how do brands earn attention, build trust, and turn design into real business growth? According to Fred Hart, a design strategist and branding consultant focused on CPG, the answer starts with clarity. He believes strong brands know what to emphasize, what to simplify, and what to leave off the front of pack. Whether he's talking about retail visibility, product hierarchy, naming, or packaging strategy, Fred shows how thoughtful design can help brands stand out without overwhelming the consumer. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is joined by Fred Hart, Brand and Design Consultant at Hart Brands, to discuss unlocking growth through strategic branding and design. Fred covers how design fuels each stage of growth, why retail context matters, and how simplification strengthens brand communication. He also shares insights on research, AI, naming, and building brands with room to evolve.
June 16 · 33 min
The Four C's of Brand Growth With Jake Ahles
Jake Ahles is the Founder and Creative Director at Morel Creative, a creative agency that helps purpose‑driven food, beverage, and CPG brands grow through strategic storytelling and visual content strategy. He also co-founded The FareTrade, a CPG curation subscription box that highlighted conscious brands. Jake brings firsthand experience in brand growth and creative execution, having helped brands secure shelf space, win investment, and build memorable narratives. He guides clients in turning brand DNA into content that resonates across audiences. In this episode… Growth in the food and beverage space isn't just about flashy campaigns or going viral — it's about telling a story that resonates with both consumers and the buyers who put products on shelves. Many brands struggle to clarify their message across different channels or fail to connect emotionally with their audience. How can businesses craft a cohesive brand story that truly drives results? Jake Ahles, an expert in brand storytelling and creative strategy, explains that the key lies in the Four C's: clarity, cohesion, consistency, and connection. He emphasizes focusing on the emotional core of a brand rather than just listing product features. Jake also recommends auditing existing content to ensure it speaks directly to the ideal consumer and using frameworks to turn brand DNA into actionable storytelling. By applying these principles, brands can strengthen messaging, improve engagement, and increase shelf impact. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce chats with Jake Ahles, Founder and Creative Director of Morel Creative, to discuss why cohesive storytelling drives brand growth. Jake shares insights on the Four C's framework, how to avoid common brand mistakes, and strategies for connecting with buyers and consumers. He also touches on using AI thoughtfully and auditing content to refine messaging.
June 9 · 24 min
Proven Marketing Strategies for Food and Beverage Brands With CJ Bruce
CJ Bruce is the Founder and CEO of The Missing Ingredient, a marketing agency dedicated to helping food and beverage brands grow through performance marketing, brand building, influencer partnerships, and AI-driven strategies. Under his leadership, The Missing Ingredient has helped brands 5x their sales over five years, and CJ himself is recognized for building marketing systems that drive measurable results and long-term impact. With a background in film, political science, and hands-on culinary experience, CJ brings a unique, creative perspective to food and beverage marketing. In this episode… Food and beverage brands often chase every marketing tactic at once — ads, influencers, email, social — hoping something will stick. But in a crowded digital landscape, what actually moves the needle for brands trying to scale? According to CJ Bruce, a marketing strategist who works closely with growing food and beverage brands, the biggest mistake is trying to do everything at once instead of building marketing in layers. He explains that brands often spread themselves too thin across channels when they would be better off focusing on the platforms where their audience already spends time and where their team can consistently create content. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is interviewed by Chad Franzen of Rise25 to discuss proven marketing strategies for scaling food and beverage brands. He explains why spreading marketing across too many channels hurts growth, how brands should balance awareness and conversion strategies, and how to approach influencer partnerships for stronger engagement. CJ also shares advice on planning effective product launches and avoiding common timing mistakes.
June 2 · 48 min
Building Resilient Brands, Not Hype Unicorns With WavenDean Fernandes
WavenDean Fernandes is the Brand Activation Director at TIG Brands, a business advisory platform that helps entrepreneurs build nimble, capital-efficient, and resilient consumer brands. With over 40 years of experience in branding, design, and marketing, WavenDean has worked across global companies and leading agencies, including Apple and Landor. Today, he supports founders in scaling with purpose, combining strategic guidance, industry connections, and focusing on long-term, sustainable growth. In this episode… Some brands chase explosive growth and billion-dollar valuations, only to burn out just as quickly. But what if the real goal isn't becoming a unicorn at all, but building something that can survive anything thrown its way? For WavenDean Fernandes, the key lies in building what he calls "tardigrade brands" — businesses designed for resilience, not hype. Drawing from decades of experience shaping global brands and agencies, WavenDean explains that true success isn't about rapid scale but about staying power, adaptability, and purpose. Like the microscopic organism that can survive extreme conditions, the strongest brands are those that can endure volatility and continue forward with resilience and intention. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is joined by WavenDean Fernandes, Brand Activation Director at TIG Brands, to discuss building resilient, capital-efficient brands that last. WavenDean explores why founders should define success beyond exits, how packaging influences behavior at a subconscious level, and why human connection matters more in an AI-driven world. He also shares advice on building brands with purpose, responsibility, and a long-term mindset.
May 26 · 41 min
Building An Authentic, Resilient Food Brand From Scratch With Sonya Patel
Sonya Patel is the Founder of PUR Spices, a Cleveland-based food brand creating boldly flavored, top allergen-free sauces, spice blends, and freeze-dried snacks inspired by her family's experience with food allergies. Since launching in 2019, Sonya has grown PUR Spices from a grassroots startup into a multi-channel business, with nationwide reach through Amazon and select regional retail partners. With a background spanning management consulting, nonprofit leadership, and education, Sonya brings a mission-driven approach to food manufacturing, with a focus on authenticity, ingredient integrity, and building a brand rooted in purpose. In this episode… Building a food brand from scratch can look glamorous from the outside — beautiful packaging, stocked shelves, growing buzz. But what happens when the reality behind the scenes is far less polished, and every decision carries real financial and operational weight? For Sonya Patel, the key lies in understanding that building a food business is fundamentally about discipline and clarity, not hype. She explains that success comes down to knowing your numbers, understanding your supply chain, and the true costs of getting a product into customers' hands. Whether selling through retailers or online, without a firm grasp on margins, sustainability quickly slips away. That perspective reframes growth not as visibility, but as the ability to build something that actually lasts. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is joined by Sonya Patel, Founder of PUR Spices, to discuss building an authentic and resilient food brand from the ground up. Sonya explores the realities behind scaling in CPG, navigating Amazon versus retail, and staying grounded in your non-negotiables. She also shares advice on pivoting through supply chain challenges and staying true to your brand.
May 19 · 43 min
Navigating Creative Tension To Build Iconic Brands With Nikki Peyraud and Alexander Deleuse
Nikki Peyraud and Alexander Deleuse are the Co-founders of BOTH/AND, a systems change company that helps organizations radically transform by embracing the creative tension between divergent perspectives. Under their leadership, BOTH/AND has worked with top brands across industries, demonstrating impressive results in brand growth and organizational alignment. Nikki brings over 20 years of experience in brand strategy and a background in spiritual psychology, while Alexander combines 15-plus years in brand experience design with deep study in eastern philosophy. In this episode… Creative breakthroughs rarely come from perfect alignment. More often, they emerge from friction — the kind that feels uncomfortable, unresolved, or inefficient in the moment. So what happens when you stop trying to resolve that tension too quickly and instead learn to work within it? According to Nikki Peyraud, a leader in navigating complexity and human-centered strategy, and Alexander Deleuse, a brand strategist grounded in relational and philosophical thinking, the key lies in resisting the instinct to default to quick, either/or decisions. They explain that the best ideas don't come from compromise, but from holding space for opposing perspectives long enough for something entirely new to emerge. By staying in that tension rather than escaping it, teams unlock more thoughtful, innovative solutions. The result is work that feels less like a trade-off and more like a breakthrough. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is joined by Nikki Peyraud and Alexander Deleuse, Co-founders of BOTH/AND, to discuss how embracing creative tension leads to stronger brand outcomes. They explore the shift from output-driven work to relational collaboration, how to balance performance and brand without compromise, and why staying in the unknown leads to better ideas. Nikki and Alexander also talk about building alignment across stakeholders to unlock deeper, more impactful solutions.
May 12 · 39 min
Scaling Impactful Food Brands With Aubrea Alford
Aubrea Alford is the Founder of Starflower Marketing, a boutique consultancy helping purpose-driven food and lifestyle brands grow through strategic storytelling and brand development. With over a decade in CPG marketing, Aubrea has led brand and innovation initiatives that helped scale Hope Hummus into the top organic hummus in the natural channel and supported companies like Traditional Medicinals on sustainability efforts. Her work blends data, creativity, and impact to build authentic, lasting brands. In this episode… Great brands don't just scale on distribution or clever marketing; they scale on meaning. But in a world full of surface-level storytelling and "purpose-washing," what actually makes a food brand's impact feel real? For Aubrea Alford, a seasoned CPG marketer shaped by years inside fast-growing, mission-driven brands, the key lies in building purpose from the inside out. Aubrea explains that sustainability and social impact shouldn't start in marketing but in operations, where decisions about ingredients, packaging, and processes are made. When purpose is embedded at that level, it stops being a campaign and becomes something consumers can genuinely feel and trust. In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is joined by Aubrea Alford, Founder of Starflower Marketing, to discuss how food brands can scale with both purpose and performance. Aubrea breaks down lessons from scaling a national hummus brand, the role of innovation like HPP in growth, and how to balance profit with sustainability. She also shares advice on blending data and creativity through the art and science of marketing.

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