ReGen Brands Podcast

#18 - Dax Hansen @ Oatman Farms - A Southwestern, Regenerative Wheat Revolution

AC and Kyle chat with Dax Hansen of Oatman Farms.
Oatman Farms is supporting regenerative agriculture through its portfolio of regenerative organic baking mixes that are made with heritage and drought-resistant wheat varieties.
In this episode, we learn how Dax started Oatman Farms to save his family ranch, their plans to grow the brand and regen consumption at large, and probably most importantly, we dive into “how what we grow where” is just as important as “how we grow it.”
Episode Highlights:
🏜️ The rich history of Oatman Flats Ranch and Dax’s battle to save it
🌾 Why Dax decided to embrace regenerative organic management
🚨 Oatman Farms varieties & practices versus their conventional peers
🤯 How changing what we grow in the West can solve our water crisis
🏭 The need to vertically integrate a brand to create a return
🏆 How a secret weapon helped with Oatman Farms' product development
🌟 Rave reviews from a James Beard Award-winning chef
😡 The lack of infrastructure and markets to support a regen wheat transition
😦 How the deck is stacked against regen brands in our current system
✍️ Why we are 3-5 years away from mass consumer adoption
Links:
Oatman Farms
Cairnspring Mills
Bob Quinn
Grain by Grain
Regenerative Organic Certified
Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Pizza
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

#17 - Tucker Garrison @ Imlak'esh Organics & CHi Foods - Indigenous Wisdom & Regen Plant-Based Meat

AC and Kyle chat with Tucker Garrison of Imlak’esh Organics & CHi Foods.
These two organizations are supporting regenerative agriculture through a variety of superfood offerings from Imlak’esh and the first-ever certified organic plant-based meat from CHi Foods. In this episode, we learn about Tucker’s journey living with and learning from various indigenous peoples and how it inspired him to start a CPG company. We learn about the Sacha Inchi nut, which is a regenerative, perennial superfood that powers both of these brands. Tucker is a true joy to spend time with, and we’re excited to get 2023 started off with him as our first guest
Episode Highlights:
🤕 How Tucker’s childhood migraines led him to change his diet
🌎 Tucker’s journey living with and learning from indigenous peoples
🎁 How the name Imlak’esh was gifted to him and what it means
🤝 Building an “ethical bridge” between farmers and a global marketplace
💪 What is the Sacha Inchi nut and why is it a superfood?
🤔 The inspiration behind launching CHi Foods
⚡ How they turn Sacha Inchi nuts into plant-based meat
🤤 Why food has to taste good to change the world
👀 What is in the CHi Foods product pipeline
🥳 How “throwing a better party” will lead to more market share
Links:
Imlak’esh Organics
CHi Foods
Carol Sanford
Terra Genesis
Regen Network
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

#16 - What We’ve Learned & What’s Next

AC and Kyle sit down to talk about their 4 key takeaways from the first 15 episodes and what is to come from the podcast in 2023.
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

#15 - Phil Graves @ Wild Idea

AC and Kyle chat with Phil Graves of Wild Idea. In this episode we learn about Dan O’Briens journey starting Wild Idea, Phil and their team’s big plans for future growth, and just how vital the American bison is to regeneration as our keystone ruminant species here in the United States.
Links:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

#14 - Sarela Herrada & Matt Cohen @ SIMPLi

AC and Kyle chat with Sarela Herrada & Matt Cohen of SIMPLi. In this episode we learn about Sarela and Matt’s journey starting SIMPLi and their big vision to ethically source the highest quality, single-origin ingredients while tackling fraudulent international supply chains, combating climate change, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and their communities.
Links:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

#13 - Joni Kindwall-Moore @ Snacktivist

AC and Kyle chat with Joni Kindwall-Moore of Snacktivist foods. They talk about Joni’s journey from ethnobotany and nursing to CPG entrepreneur, her vision to scale ancient, regenerative grain production, and the unique challenges of running a CPG startup and raising capital as a female entrepreneur.
Links:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

#12 - Justin Mares @ Kettle & Fire

AC and Kyle chat with Justin Mares of Kettle & Fire. They dive into Justin’s journey from tech employee to CPG entrepreneur, how he built Kettle & Fire from scratch, and how they put together the regenerative supply chain for their 2 regen, broth SKU’s
Links:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

#11 - Stephanie & Blake Alexandre @ Alexandre Family Farm

AC and Kyle chat with Stephanie & Blake Alexandre of Alexandre Family Farm. We learn about Stephanie and Blake’s deep family roots as dairy farmers, their journey from conventional to regenerative production, and how they’ve built their own vertically integrated CPG brand from scratch.
Links:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

#10 - Tim Richards @ Philosopher Foods

AC and Kyle chat with Tim Richards of Philosopher Foods. They talk about Tim’s nutritional awakening in college and how that inspired his company, the problem with conventional almonds and what can be done to make them more sustainable, and all the ins and outs of building a ReGen Brand in the nut butter category of CPG.
Links:
Website
LinkedIn
Instagram
Additional Resources:
Philosopher’s WeFunder Campaign
Ecdysis Foundation Almond Studies
Jimbo’s S.O.I.L. Program
What Your Food Ate Book
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

#9 - Caryl Levine & Ken Lee @ Lotus Foods

AC and Kyle chat with Caryl & Ken of Lotus Foods. We learn about Lotus Food’s origin story, their mission to keep the biodiversity of rice alive, and how they’re partnering with smallholder farmers to produce regenerative rice using the “System of Rice Intensification.”
Links:
Website
Instagram
Jubilee Justice
Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn