Join Hayden Thomson as he hosts The Pack Heavy Podcast, a must-listen show for business owners and operators competing in the CPG and food processing industries. Featuring insightful interviews with industry leaders and special guests, this podcast shares valuable knowledge on the challenges, failures and successful strategies that have shaped their businesses. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, tune in weekly to help prioritize what matters most and take your business to the next level.
Episodes
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
On this must listen episode, Cathline shares but a fraction of her life story with us and the pertinent pieces that led to the development and operation of Wise Bites.
Having successfully started and operated 5 unique businesses of her own, Cathline (also a mother of three) is a powerhouse of business knowledge and definitely a voice worthy of our attention.
Most noteworthy was CJ Trade consulting, an international consulting company that Cathline built where her work included research, writing training modules and delivering training for Women Entrepreneurs in developing countries. Her clients included the United Nations, the International Labor Organization, the International Trade Organization, Women in International Networking (W.I.N.), the Private Sector and NGOs.
Cathline shared her approach to market testing, scaling production, management of cash flow and supply chain, distribution, marketing, sales and her grand vision for the future.
We go into some detail on the rigorous process required to become certified vegan, gluten free, nut-free, Kosher & non-GMO - the enormous amount of time, record keeping and costs associated, AND the rewarding value & credibility that it can bring to your business.
It was an absolute pleasure speaking with Cathline, and a privilege to have had an hour of her time to dig into the world of Wise Bites and business in general.
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Founded in 2012, Wise Bites is a family owned food manufacturer and distributor of certified vegan, gluten free, nut-free, Kosher & non-GMO baked goods that are produced in their own dedicated facility, located in Richmond, B.C.
With a current collection of over 23 SKUs of various cookies, muffins & treats (all of which are proudly free of the top 11 allergens) Wise Bites can be found in all of the large retail banners right across Canada in the gluten free and health food section.
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
On this episode, Isabelle and I have a really fun conversation that covers the full gamut of the Remix startup story.
We discussed how leveraging grants assisted in the early growth of their operation, the decision to make an early pivot from producing trail mix to bark, their appearance on Dragons Den (Season 13, episode 12), the story behind the brand that they have built and why they keep close with their tight knit industry network.
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Founded in 2018 Remix Snacks is a Montreal / Toronto based company committed to making simple, delicious and healthy snacks that are good for their consumers’ well-being and good for the environment.
Bean Bark is the market’s first vegan chocolate bark made with beans instead of nuts; it's also high-fibre, high-iron and protein-rich. By using both plant-based protein, beans, and upcycled fruits in their products, they make chocolate healthier while also using ingredients that have less of an environmental impact.
Created by Isabelle and Jamie, and with the addition of their team's valued skill sets, Remix are certainly blazing their own trail in this very competitive CPG category.
To receive free shipping on any Remix item use the promo code : PACKHEAVY
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com
Thursday Aug 12, 2021
Thursday Aug 12, 2021
Liza generously tells the Mood Milk story, going into great detail on the major mechanics involved when getting her startup CPG business off the ground and into the world.
Liza breaks down where she has seen early success, including the decision to appear at a trade show for the sole purpose of gathering quantifiable feedback on her product, price point, messaging and brand all prior to officially launching.
By leveraging her background in Nutrition to build the physical product itself, Liza is also heavily focused on the development of an online community that provides virtual workshops and content to support a holistic approach to health and wellness.
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Liza is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner specialising in stress management and women's health. Towards the end of 2019, Liza co founded Mood Milk which is an online packaged beverage brand that manufactures organic superfood lattes to help individuals feel their best, physically and mentally.
Each of their 4 SKUs contain a combination of superfoods and botanicals and can be used to make a hot frothy latte, a refreshing iced drink, smoothie or addition to your favourite food.
To receive 15% off Mood Milk use the promo code : PACKHEAVY15
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
Located in Victoria, BC and established in 2019 Justo’s is not only a hot off the press business with a focus on creating delicious plant based dips - but also a business that's on a mission to leave a positive impact on their local community by sourcing locally as often as possible and by feeding the underserved through their Hummus Helps initiative.
The team at Justo’s have also created and implemented a jar return program which is helping to reduce their environmental impact - in their first year alone, over 7000 jars were returned and reused.
With over 70 retailers located on Vancouver Island, the Justo’s team of four - Justin, Eric, Tyler & Adam are clearly building a company with a big and clear vision that will continue to make a huge impact.
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
Jacky and I cover a lot of ground during this conversation including when someone should consider incorporating their business idea, a good look at entity structures such as sole proprietorship vs a corporation, critical questions to ask a financial advisor and the information that you should come prepared with.
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Jacky Ip is a Certified Financial Planner at Ocean 6 Wealth Advisory located in Vancouver, BC.
Jacky & the team specialise in helping business owners and entrepreneurs get clarity and confidence in their financial future by creating financial plans that fast forwards their financial journey so they can start enjoying their ideal life today instead of at age 65.
Jacky believes the only way you can get true financial advice that’s in your best interest is if you pay for it. Asking how your financial advisor gets paid is the best way to find out if they are trying to sell you a product or give advice that’s the right fit for you.
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
East Van Jam was founded in 2013 by Natalie who lives in East Vancouver with her husband and two boys.
Having spent 3 years teaching community canning classes and proudly feeding her family with her own unique & delicious jam, Natalie saw an opportunity to start something of her own, sourcing local BC fruit to produce her highly acclaimed jam.
East Van Jams brand is extremely recognisable and iconic over here on the west coast, largely due to the talented Scott Bilstad who has created original artwork for each of Natalies individual SKUs.
With gourmet flavour pairings and a mere fraction of the sugar, East Van Jam produces fun and guilt-free spreads inspired by the eclectic variety of characters that make East Vancouver so unique.
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Jessica Malach is currently the VP of Partnerships and insights at Social Nature which is an online discovery platform helping better-for-you brands get on & off retail shelves and validate their products across the life-cycle with real-time consumer data.
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Jessica has over 15 years of experience in a host of senior roles in the natural CPG sector in both the USA & Canada. Jessica speaks regularly at industry events and is a contributor on consumer and plant-based trends with the Canadian Health Food Association, Canadian Securities Exchange, Plant Based Foods Association and the Whole Foods Magazine to name but a few.
Most recently Jessica completed a graduate certificate program in mindfulness-based teaching and training at the University of Fraser Valley, and is delivering workshops at national consumer events and workplaces on ways to cultivate mindfulness, self-care and resilience to reduce stress & improve wellbeing and performance.
JRE #1678 - Michael Pollan : Head to mark 2hr :41min : 25sec
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com
Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
This is a must listen episode if you’re contemplating selling or have just started selling your food based CPG on Amazon. Myra goes into some great detail on the hoops that you will need to jump through to get listed, some typical growing pains that you may be confronted with and their marketing and advertising approach and strategy.
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Founded in 2016 Bake In A Minute is committed to providing quality, nutritious, delicious and versatile bread mixes that are categorised as keto, paleo & low carb.
As well as their own online store, Bake in a Minute is sold on both the Amazon Canada & US platforms which is quite a feat, and of course in specialty retailers like Neha Charnalia’s SwitchGrocery who I featured on episode 28, and who also happened to introduce us.
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
On this episode, as well as sharing the Piquant business story (which on its own is absolutely worth the listen), Lindsay discusses the importance of building a marketing roadmap to grow your business during the first few years, being clear on your marketing / sales funnel, how imperative it is to pay attention when listening to your customers (what questions are they asking, what language are they using, how are they asking it etc), the must do activity of building your email list and WHY YOU NEED TO INVEST IN YOUR PACKAGING!
I recommend heading over to the Piquant website and seriously considering the courses that Lindsay has available for food based business owners & operators just like you!
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Piquant was founded in 2016 by Lindsay to connect Vancouver's food scene with people who are hungry for something delicious.
Made up of a team of influential, smart, and driven foodies and health geeks who know the landscape, Piquant offers simple solutions for food and health brands to support or manage integrated marketing campaigns starting with basic packages through to complete management of marketing activities.
http://www.piquantmarketing.com/
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
If you’re aged between 18-39, in need of funding to turn your idea into a tangible reality or get your startup off the ground AND love the idea of being paired with a mentor, I recommend that you get in touch with Mina Haghighi from Futurpreneur Canada - contact details below.
Futurpreneur has been driving the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for two decades and is the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39.
With an internationally recognized mentoring program that matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,000 volunteer mentors, you will be on your way to Packing Heavy on your businesses success.
Futurpreneur has been on my radar for a while now as William McKinnon from Canadian Alliance Terminals Inc. and episode 14 was a mentor and Lanna Lucas from Hunter Browns and episode 27 said nothing but great things about her experience!
Mina certainly didn’t disappoint with this extremely insightful episode, providing us with a huge amount of detail on the Futurpreneur program, the value that it can bring to you as an early stage founder and the programs that you can leverage to level up your game.
Mina Haghighi
C. 604-362-5344
W. https://www.futurpreneur.ca/en/
Please show your support - leave a review, rate the show and if you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com