ReGen Brands Podcast

#23 - Juan Pablo Guzman @ Artisan Tropic - Trade Up Your Chip

Kyle and AC chat with Juan Guzman at Artisan Tropic
Artisan Tropic is supporting regenerative agriculture with its chip products made from plantain and cassava.
In this episode, we learn about the family origins of Artisan Tropic, the design and implementation process behind their regenerative transition, their plans for the future, and Juan’s thoughts on scaling regenerative agriculture.
Episode Highlights:
😷 The autoimmune diagnosis that sparked the brand
💯 Being 100% family-owned and operated
⚽ Juan working on the brand while playing pro soccer
🎨 Designing their regenerative transition with Terra Genesis
🌴 Using their own farm to pilot regen for other suppliers
🏅 The regen practices in their plantain and cassava systems
🤯 Doubling cassava yields with regen
♻️ Commercializing the entire agroforestry rotation
🔥 Juan’s experience in the reNourish Studio
💫 Increasing consciousness through food to “scale” regen
Links:
Artisan Tropic
Terra Genesis
reNourish Studio
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#22 - Paul Lightfoot @ Patagonia Provisions - Architecting Regenerative Supply Chains

AC chats with Paul Lightfoot at Patagonia Provisions
Patagonia Provisions is the food arm of Patagonia where they are building regenerative supply chains and products with the goal of “saving our home planet”
In this episode, we learn about the origins of Provisions and their plans for the next evolution of the business. Plus, we talk to Paul about Provisions’ role as a supply chain architect to help scale regeneratively produced products to commercial success.
Episode Highlights:
🌏 Their mission to save our home planet through food
🎯 Their new product development rubric
💡 Paul’s background at BrightFarms and what led him to regen
🗣️ Storytelling as the key to marketing regen brands to consumers
✅ The importance of the Regenerative Organic Certification
🍺 Their new regional beer partnerships and products
🚧 Leveraging existing infrastructure versus rebuilding from scratch
🔭 Provisions’ future of “product families” and category expansion
⚔️ Designing products to beat our “food enemies”
🤝 Using off-take agreements to make regen more financeable
Links:
Patagonia Provisions
Patagonia
BrightFarms
Regenerative Organic Certified
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#21 - Robby Sansom @ Force of Nature - Reclaiming The Legacy of Meat

AC and Kyle chat with Robby Sansom of Force of Nature
Force of Nature is supporting regenerative agriculture through its line of regeneratively focused meats that nourish our bodies, our soil, and our future.
In this episode, we learn about Force of Nature’s origin story, how vastly different their products are from mainstream meat, and how they’re sparking a regenerative revolution through transparency and storytelling.
Episode Highlights:
🎯 Their vision to make regenerative meat accessible at scale
⭐ Growing EPIC and selling it to General Mills
🤠 How General Mills doubled down on regenerative
🤯 The major problems with our current agricultural system
😯 Comparing their supply chains to mainstream meat
🔍 Ecosystem outcomes they track in their supply chain
😡 How consumers have been lied to about food
🥩 The challenges and opportunities of “branding” meat
💪 How consumers can force incumbents to change
🔥 Why regenerative is a necessity and not a choice
Links:
Force of Nature
Savory Institute
Land to Market
White Oak Pastures LCA
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#20 - Francisco Pergola @ Cheddies - The Regenerative Cheez-It®

AC and Kyle chat with Francisco Pergola of Cheddies
Cheddies is supporting regenerative agriculture with its cheese crackers made with regenerative cheddar cheese
In this episode, we learn about Cheddie’s origin story, why they decided to start sourcing regenerative cheese, and their big plans for the future.
Episode Highlights:
🤒 Why Cheddies started by selling to hospitals and health clinics
🙈 How they snuck into HEB to pitch a buyer
😂 The coincidental demo that landed them Hy-Vee
💯 How and why they transitioned to regen cheese
⏰ Why the need to “age” cheese complicates their supply chain
🤝 How they sold Alexandre on selling dairy to Cheddies
🚨 The best ways to market regenerative CPG
🏆 The Cheez-It versus Cheddies challenge
✈️ Eating Cheddies on an American Airlines flight
⚡ Partnering with Redbud Brands
Links:
Cheddies
Alexandre Family Farm
Dr. Stephen van Vilet
Beef Nutrient Density Study
Redbud Brands
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#19 - Abianne Falla @ CatSpring Yaupon - A Native Caffeine Resurgence

AC and Kyle chat with Abianne Falla of Catspring Yaupon.
Catspring Yaupon is supporting regenerative agriculture with its loose-leaf and bagged yaupon teas and also its new VIBE Yaupon crystals.
What is Yaupon??
It is the one and only naturally caffeinated plant that is native to North America.
In this episode, we learn all about Yaupon and Abianne’s work building both a brand and a completely new category at the same time.
Episode Highlights:
🪴 Meet Yaupon - the only naturally-caffeinated plant native to North America
🌀 Yaupon’s historical journey from ubiquity to eradication to resurgence
💥 How they sustainably wild harvest the Yaupon
😡 The challenges of building a brand and creating a category at the same time
🤯 Comparing Catspring Yaupon’s supply chain to most imported tea
🙏 Why regenerative agriculture is indigenous agriculture
🏆 Recent PR wins for Yaupon as a category
💫 Their newest innovation: VIBE - Yaupon Crystals
😧 How Abianne has raised $1M of non-dilutive capital
❌ Why regenerative food should never be a luxury good
Links:
Catspring Yaupon
Instagram - Catspring Yaupon
Facebook - Catspring Yaupon
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#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
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#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
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#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.
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#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
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#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
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