ReGen Brands Podcast

#107 - Joe Miller @ Kalona Supernatural - Regenerative, “Almost Raw” Milk From A 19-Entity Ecosystem

On this episode of the ReGen Brands podcast, we're joined by Joe Miller from Kalona SuperNatural — a 20-year veteran of the dairy world and a passionate advocate for organic and regenerative farming. We dig into Kalona’s unique vertically integrated ecosystem (that includes 19 different businesses!), the brand’s deep partnerships with family dairy farms, and all the ways regenerative is shaping their efforts from soil to shelf.
 
Joe shares the story of how a group of farmers took matters into their own hands when the local co-op abandoned the organic market — and why practices like low-temp pasteurization and non-homogenization are helping differentiate their “almost raw” dairy offerings.
 
We also discuss the challenging questions — how regenerative dairy can thrive and scale in a landscape dominated by consolidation, consumer confusion, and razor-thin margins. And Joe gives a heartfelt case for why organic and regenerative matters more than ever — to the land, to the farmer, and to the person drinking the milk.
 
Episode Highlights:
 
🌱 Kalona was born to save organic dairy farms that got left behind
🚚 Their Iowa-based ecosystem includes 19 different entities
📍 Buying from small family farms, many with just 35–40 cows
🌾 Leveraging Land to Market certification for agronomic improvement
🥄 “Almost Raw” milk via low-temp pasteurization & non-homogenization
📊 How regen affects their marketing efforts in-store and post-purchase
🧠 Scaling to national distribution while maintaining local and regional impact
📈 The rise, stall, and hopeful revival of organic dairy in America
🤯 648,000 to 24,000: Why 95% of U.S. dairy farms disappeared
🥛 How regenerative agriculture can help make family dairy viable again
 
Links:
Kalona SuperNatural
Open Gates Group
Kalona Regenerative Network
Land to Market
Oasis Hummus
The Tipping Point
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#106 - Carrie Richards @ Richards Regenerative - Wholesale Over DTC, Regenerative in Schools, and the Problem with Big Brands

On this episode of the ReGen Brands Podcast, we're talking with Carrie Richards – the fourth-generation rancher behind Richards Regenerative. 
Carrie takes us through her incredible journey from scrappy beef sales out of a friend's freezer to supplying over 40 school districts and major retailers like Sprouts.
We dive deep into the challenges and contradictions of building a regenerative beef business – from dealing with misleading country-of-origin labeling and predatory brand partnerships to navigating the real math behind carcass utilization, processing costs, and wholesale margins.
Carrie also shares her hopes in the future use of nutrient density data, her fears about the future of the cattle market, and the launch of Harvest Path – a software platform purpose-built to help small and mid-sized ranchers thrive.
Episode Highlights:
🐄 Transitioning their family’s 6,500 acre ranch to regenerative
🛠️ “We had to build a meat company to become a finishing operation”
🌾 Rotating animals across three regions in California
🥩 Their unique model which is 90% wholesale
🏫 Serving 40+ school districts via Beef 2 Institution
👎 “The big brands use us as a marketing piece – and then disappear.”
⚙️ Harvest Path: their custom system that became a software business
📉 Concerns related to a booming cattle market and cheap imports
🔍 The hope in nutrition data and working with Edacious
💡 Musings on the state of the movement and where we’re headed
Links:
Richards Regenerative
American Grassfed Association
TomKat Ranch
Savory Institute
Cream Co. Meats
Delivered Cold
Edacious
Nutrient Density Alliance
UC Davis Health
White Buffalo Land Trust
Harvest Path
CarnivoreMD (Paul Saladino)
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#105 - Kyle Says Goodbye, Passing The Mic But Not The Mission

On this episode of the ReGen Brands podcast, we’re closing a major chapter and celebrating everything that’s made it so powerful.
Kyle is officially stepping away as the show’s regularly scheduled co-host.
In this heartfelt conversation, Kyle shares what’s driving this decision, and we both reflect on the journey to date. You’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories, favorite moments, some laughs (of course), and a lot of love.
And although I’m losing my co-host for the podcast, Kyle isn’t saying goodbye to the regenerative movement - he’s just shifting how he plans to contribute. Plus, you already know I’m recruiting him back for as many guest co-host episodes as possible, so this is definitely not the last time you’ll hear his voice on the show.
Tune in as we mark this moment, say thank you, and look forward to what’s next, together.
Episode Highlights:
🎤 Kyle signs off as co-host after 105 episodes
🙏 Gratitude for the Regen Brands community and listeners
🔥 The new ways Kyle plans to support regen
💼  How the pod inspired Kyle’s next moves
😂 AC already recruiting Kyle back for guest, co-host episodes
 
Links:
Kettle & Fire
Maui Nui Venison
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#104 - Eric Smith @ Edacious - Helping Brands Prove That Regenerative Products Are More Nutritious

On this episode, we have Eric Smith who is the Founder and CEO of Edacious.
Edacious offers radically easy lab testing and intuitive nutrition software for food system professionals. They’re working on turning nutrition data into actionable insights for people and planetary health.
Eric's on a mission to redefine food quality using hard data. Through his work at Edacious, he's helping brands measure, benchmark, and communicate the nutritional value of their products so consumers can truly understand what they’re eating.
We explore:
 
Why the current Nutrition Facts Panel fails us
How nutrient density can drive real market demand for regen products
What kinds of data regenerative brands should be gathering now
And how Edacious is building a first-of-its-kind food quality benchmarking system
You’ll hear Eric break down complex concepts like bioavailability and phytochemicals in clear, actionable ways – plus explain how regenerative brands can use this data to differentiate themselves in a crowded market.
If we weren’t already super bullish on how nutrient density can create increased demand for regenerative products, then we definitely are now.
Episode Highlights:
💪 Why Eric left climate investing to go all in on nutrition
📉 Most nutrition panels are wrong and based on outdated USDA data
🔎 Many “healthy” foods are nutrient-poor due to depleted soils and genetic dilution
🔥 The five steps every brand can and should take right now
🧾 Why regulatory risk goes away when you have third-party data
💥 Regen products often contain 10x or more of certain key vitamins
🥩 Ground-breaking insights from the recently released Beef study
👀 What brands are doing a good job marketing their nutrition data?
📊 Building the first public database of food quality benchmarks
🚀 How their Nutrition Profiling Score could change food forever
Links:
Edacious
Grantham Foundation
Bionutrient Food Association
USDA FoodData Central
Kettle & Fire
Food Fix by Dr. Mark Hyman
Stefan van Vliet (Utah State)
TomKat Ranch
Bruce Ames
Maui Nui Venison
Force of Nature
Maple Hill Creamery
Alexander Family Farm
Wildfarmed
Function Health
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#103 - Mary Purdy @ Nutrient Density Alliance - Regen’s Nutrition Advantage: What We Know & Where We’re Headed

On this episode, we have Mary Purdy who is the Managing Director of the Nutrient Density Alliance.
 
The Nutrient Density Alliance’s purpose is to ignite awareness and mobilize action around the nutritional benefits and improved food quality of soil-building regenerative agriculture to drive demand for a more sustainable food system and improve human health outcomes.
 
You’ve heard us talk a lot about how the increased nutrient density of regenerative foods will be a powerful marketing mechanism to increase demand for regenerative products and spur more adoption of regenerative agriculture. Well, Mary and her team at the NDA are at the forefront of those efforts.
 
In this episode, Mary shares powerful insights on the science linking healthier soil to more nutrient-dense food, the urgent need for research and clinical trials, and why dietitians, farmers, and brands must work together. We explore the regulatory landscape, the importance of using clear consumer language, and how the industry can avoid greenwashing while advancing nutrient density claims.
 
We also tackle some big questions: Why aren’t dietitians and food service professionals being trained to understand the connection between farming practices and nutrition? What practical steps can brands take to communicate nutrient density without regulatory risk? And how can regenerative brands get healthcare influencers involved to drive demand?
 
We’re talking phytochemicals, phytonutrients, flavonoids, and all things at the intersection of soil health, human health, and regenerative marketing.
Episode Highlights:
 
🔬 The science backing up regen’s nutrition advantage
📝 “Healthy soil equals healthy food” is a sound bite we can all use
💡 Why brands should make “statements” and not “claims”
🤝 Partnering with dietitians to increase credibility and influence
🍅 Consumers don’t know about ‘nutrient density’ - yet
🚀  Building an undeniable case through research and case studies
👎 Why healthcare pros don’t learn about ag’s connection to nutrition
🎯 Increasing awareness while maintaining integrity
👀 What can brands do? (right now)
🏆 Why linking regen to healthcare is the holy grail
 
Links:
Nutrient Density Alliance
NDA Research Repository
NDA Learning Lab
NDA Regen Protein Project
Soil & Climate Alliance
Soil & Climate Initiative
Squeeze Citrus
Diestel Family Ranch
Edacious
Western Sustainability Exchange
Recipe for Health (California)
4Roots Farm (Florida)
Fresh RX Oklahoma
Think Regeneration
Applegate
Sodexo
Aramark
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#102 - Joseph Cassinelli @ El Nacho - Tortilla Chips Reimagined Through Lucha Libre & Regenerative Ag

On this episode, we’re joined by Joseph Cassinelli, who is the Founder and President of El Nacho.
 
El Nacho is supporting regenerative agriculture with their line of tortilla chips made with certified regenerative corn.
 
In this episode, Joe shares how El Nacho was born during the pandemic and how it turned him from a seasoned restaurateur to a new CPG Founder. He details the importance of their clean ingredients, ancient processing techniques, and intentional sourcing decisions to produce a bold, flavorful chip that is better for eaters, farmers, and the planet.
 
We get a behind-the-scenes look at their brand inspiration and desire to bring storytelling and joy to the snack aisle with their bold lucha libre-inspired characters like El Nacho, Ms. Mango, and El Diablo. Joe also gives his hot takes on how we can increase consumer demand for regenerative products, and shares some top-secret information about their innovation pipeline.
 
Grab some chips and guac and dial in on this one.
 
Episode Highlights:
 
🍴 How El Nacho was born in a chef’s kitchen during COVID.
🧑‍🌾 Why regenerative corn offers more nutrient density — and flavor
🎨 Lucha libre branding lets El Nacho tap into nostalgia, culture, and community impact
🌱 Building supply from the ground up — including planting regen blue corn for fall
🇲🇽 Latino influence is rising, and Mexican cuisine is set to go mainstream
💬 “It takes a village” - The need for retailer, buyer, and consumer alignment on regen
🧪 Ancient wisdom meets modern flavor — the art and science of nixtamalization
🛍️ Educating buyers — most don’t have a high “Corn IQ”
💣 Why we need to see regenerative tortilla chips in 7-Eleven
👀 An exclusive sneak peek at what flavors are coming next
 
Links:
El Nacho
Painted Burro Restaurant Group
Expo West
AGW Certified Regenerative
Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC)Land to Market
Regenified
Siete Foods
Zack’s Mighty
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#101 - Brady Barnstable @ Seven Sundays - Regenerating Cereal Supply Chains Without Marketing Claims

On this episode, we’re joined by Brady Barnstable, Co-Founder and COO of Seven Sundays.
Seven Sundays is a breakfast brand on a mission to restore human and planetary health, one cereal bowl at a time. 
Brady takes us back to the early days of muesli inspiration in New Zealand, which inspired him and his wife, Hannah, to leave fast-paced careers in NYC and bootstrap a new CPG brand.
We get deep into the hard realities of sourcing regenerative and upcycled ingredients, the missing middle of processing infrastructure, and what it takes to scale a direct trade program at the farm level. Brady also shares how Seven Sundays has resisted the temptation to “certify and shout” — instead focusing on building long-term, meaningful grower relationships and systems-level impact.
You’ll hear why they’re bullish on sunflowers, oats, and sorghum in the Midwest, how they're navigating club and conventional retail, and what their new “Come Afield With Us” campaign is doing to bring consumers along their regenerative journey.
This episode is packed with candid insight, supply chain wisdom, and big-picture optimism. 
Episode Highlights:
🥣 Honeymoon to whole grains – how a bowl of muesli sparked a new cereal brand.
🌾 The cereal aisle of 2011 vs. today – and why Seven Sundays had to evolve to survive.
🔄 Why pivoting from product purity to consumer familiarity was key to growth.
🧑‍🌾 Building regenerative supply chains by starting with the processor, not the farmer.
🚛 Truckload volumes = regenerative scalability. Why size matters in supply planning.
🧼 Food safety friction – an underdiscussed barrier to more direct trade, regen sourcing
🌻 The Midwest sunflower model – 2,000+ acres and growing around a regional processor
🥄 Why Seven Sundays avoids certification-led regen claims on-pack (for now)
📦 Channel mix strategy – how club retail like Costco helped unlock profitability
🚜 “Come Afield With Us” – the brand’s new campaign to share their regenerative journey
Links:
Seven Sundays
Whole Grain Milling Co.
Lakewinds Food Co-op
Sustainable Food Lab
Soil Carbon Initiative (SCI)
Kiss the Ground (Film)
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Heavenly Hunks / E&C Snacks
Quinn Snacks
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#100 - Lessons from the Frontlines, Laughs Behind the Scenes, and Bold Bets for the Future of Regen CPG

What’s up, y’all - welcome to a very special episode of the ReGen Brands Podcast. This isn’t just another episode—it’s episode 100. That’s right… triple digits. 
And today, Kyle and I are taking a moment to reflect on everything this show has become since that first conversation back in 2022. We’re talking about where the regenerative CPG space was when we started and just how far it’s come—more brands, more awareness, more momentum. 
We’ll share the behind-the-scenes stuff too… the quirks, the laughs, the chaos, and the little rituals that have shaped our journey.
We’re giving out some fun awards—like grittiest guest, sweatiest guest, best background, and most listened-to episode—and yes, we roast ourselves a bit too.
We’ll also be sharing the regen products we’ve been loving lately and making some bold predictions about what’s going to happen between now and episode 200.
But most importantly, we’re taking stock of what we’ve learned, where the industry’s headed, and why we’re still all-in on this work.
Whether you’ve listened to one episode or all one hundred, we’re so grateful you’re here. 
Episode Highlights:
 
🎉 100 episodes in! Our journey from “do we even have enough brands?” to a thriving regen CPG ecosystem.
🌱 Regen CPG growth: From curiosity to conviction — how the landscape has transformed since 2022.
🧠 Learning out loud: Reflections on building expertise while staying humble and accessible.
🛠️ Industry transparency: Nearly every guest has said, “we’re an open book,” and that’s helped shape the show’s impact.
📈 Consumer trends are strong: People want better, healthier food — and regen products are gaining ground.
😂 Funniest podcast moments: From tree-climbing kids to backdrop bloopers and breakfast on air.
 
🧂 The Roast Is On: Self-aware burns, verbal quirks, podcast habits — and all the inside jokes.
🏆 Regen Awards: Toughest guest, coolest background, sweatiest guest, and even best facial hair.
🌍 Global reach: From listeners abroad to farm visits on honeymoons—this show’s community is wide and deep.
🔮 What’s next: Predictions, hopes, and big questions for the next 100 episodes and the future of regen CPG.
Links:
All Podcast Episodes (Searchable)
Alexandre Family Farms Kefir
Kalona Supernatural Sour Cream
Big Picture Foods
El Nacho Tortilla Chips
Philosopher Foods
Little Sesame Preserved Lemon Hummus
Wild Idea Bison Filet
Maui Nui Meat Sticks
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#99 - Carolyn Gahn @ Applegate - Applegate Bets Big On Regenerative Beef

On this episode, we’re joined by Carolyn Gahn who is the Senior Director of Mission & Advocacy at Applegate.
 
Applegate has just announced that they’ve achieved their ambitious goal to source 100% of the beef in their beef hot dogs from certified regenerative grasslands. By implementing this change, Applegate is helping to transition 10.8 million acres of grasslands to certified regenerative.
 
Carolyn leads Applegate’s regenerative agriculture initiatives, and she joins us to share how the brand has gone from a single experimental product to transforming its entire hot dog portfolio to be certified regenerative.
 
We explore what made Applegate double down on regen even when consumers didn’t fully understand it, and how this shift reflects the brand's long-standing mission of “changing the meat we eat.” Carolyn gives us a transparent look at the supply chain complexity, the multiple certifications chosen, and how Applegate’s position within Hormel is actually helping move regen efforts forward at scale.
 
We also dig into Applegate’s nutrient density testing and human health trials, their efforts to create true market signals for farmers, and how storytelling is evolving to make regen accessible and meaningful for everyday consumers.
 
Episode Highlights:
 
🌭 Applegate went all-in: The entire beef hot dog portfolio is now certified regenerative—ROC and a custom standard for non-organic lines.
 
🤯 Consumer confusion ≠ deterrent: Despite low consumer understanding of “regen,” Applegate committed to the transformation anyway.
 
💡 Do Good Dog learnings: Applegate's first regen product provided critical consumer insights—even if the SKU itself wasn’t the final solution.
 
🧬 Nutrient density & health trials: Applegate is conducting a human health study to compare regenerative vs. conventional beef on health biomarkers.
 
🧠 Consumer education strategy: The team is shifting toward messaging rooted in proxies like grass-fed and biodiversity—not soil science lectures.
 
🏆 Hormel backing regen: Carolyn confirms Hormel is fully supportive—proving big food can be part of the regen solution.
 
🧩 Collaborative supply chain: From aggregators to fashion brands, Applegate is working across sectors to support whole-animal utilization.
 
🌱 Farmer-first mindset: The team is focused on building systems that work with long-term supplier relationships and localized solutions.
 
🔍 Certification clarity: Applegate requires third-party certifications for all claims—driving integrity while acknowledging standard complexity.
 
📈 Beyond beef: Applegate is carefully evaluating pork, poultry, and feed systems to expand regen thoughtfully and meaningfully.
 
Links:
Applegate
Applegate Beats 2025 Regenerative Goal, Transitions All Beef Hot Dogs to 100% Certified Regenerative Beef
Hormel Foods
Regenerative Organic Certified
Land to Market
Hickory Nut Gap
Kettle & Fire
EOV (Ecological Outcome Verification)
Bionutrient Food Association
The Hormel Institute
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#98 - Cole Mannix @ Old Salt Co-Op - Montana’s Multi-Faceted Regenerative Meat Brand

On this episode, we are joined by Cole Mannix who is the Founder and President of Old Salt Co-Op.
 
Old Salt Co-Op is supporting regenerative agriculture with a collection of vertically integrated businesses bringing regeneratively raised meat to consumers. The Old Salt brand was created by a group of family ranches in Montana to provide a better food system and future for their land, their animals, and their customers.
 
Old Salt sells meat direct-to-consumers online, they operate two restaurants in Helena, Montana, and they’re also operating and acquiring meat processing facilities in the region. All with the goal of selling damn fine Montana meat based on one simple idea: land is kin.
 
In this episode, Cole details why these family ranches created Old Salt in search of a better alternative to the commodity market, why their focus is to turn consumers into citizens, and how their model can eventually triple rancher margins by creating equity upside for producers.
 
We chat with Cole about the why and how behind the complex Old Salt ecosystem of enterprises, the legendary Old Salt Festival coming up in June, why he wants to start a grain-finished program, and so much more.
 
Episode Highlights:
 
🤝 Why 3 ranching families united to start the brand
💥 Their unique corporate structure and multiple businesses
🔥 Why land and community are the same thing
🐺 How their ranching partners co-exist with wolves
💭 Building an experiential brand not tied to claims or certifications
👀 Their plans to add a grain-finished beef offering
🤯 Why downstream consolidation is the problem - not production
👎 Regulatory and financial barriers preventing regional meat processing
💯 Turning customers into citizens
👉 Their plans to triple rancher margins
 
Links:
Old Salt Co-Op
Old Salt Festival
Savory Institute
Holistic Management International
Ranching For Profit
Le Pigeon
Lazy Susan
Carman Ranch
Cairnspring Mills
Range Revolution
Dorito Effect
End of Craving
Meat Eater
Steward
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