In this episode, I’m joined by Tenley Fitzgerald, Vice President of Marketing at Yes! Apples—a bold, modern apple brand with deep roots in New York agriculture. With over 100 years in the apple business, Yes! Apples is a network of 50+ family farms growing more than 10 high-quality varieties—and stands out as the only female-run apple organization in the country.

Tenley began working with the team as a freelancer in 2017 and ultimately led the charge to take the Yes! Apples brand from concept to consumer launch. Since then, she’s built a powerhouse in-house marketing team and brought apples into the lifestyle and CPG conversation—partnering with brands like Martinelli’s and Ithaca Hummus, and showcasing the brand at Pop Up Grocer and Cherry Bombe Jubilee. With past experience at FreshDirect, Blue Apron, and Beyond Good, Tenley brings a deep understanding of integrated marketing, storytelling, and brand building in food.

Inside the Episode:

• How Tenley transformed Yes! Apples from a traditional grower network into a national lifestyle apple brand

• The strategy behind turning apples into an experience

• Advice for brand marketers looking to evolve heritage categories with a fresh, modern voice

This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds is a platform that connects everyday, smaller creators with brands to share in-store user-generated content, drive brand awareness in specific retailers, and capture competitive market share. They’re an awesome platform that I recommend to all my clients that you should absolutely check out. Go to hummingbirds.com for all the details.

In this episode, I’m joined by Derek Springston, CEO and Managing Partner of Moxie Sozo—the award-winning, Boulder-based branding and design agency celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Derek’s journey is a true creative arc: he started as an unpaid intern and worked his way up to lead the agency that now serves some of the most disruptive brands across food, beverage, and beyond.

Under his leadership, Moxie Sozo has created standout work for brands like Boston Beer Company, Campari America, and Danone—along with countless natural food startups and global lifestyle brands. His approach blends design strategy with business acumen, helping brands break through crowded categories with bold, authentic creative.

Inside the episode

• How Derek went from unpaid intern to CEO of one of the most respected creative studios in CPG

• The strategy behind building iconic, emotionally resonant packaging—and why it still matters

• Advice for founders investing in branding for the first time, and what great branding

This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds is a platform that connects everyday, smaller creators with brands to share in-store user-generated content, drive brand awareness in specific retailers, and capture competitive market share. They’re an awesome platform that I recommend to all my clients that you should absolutely check out. Go to hummingbirds.com for all the details.

In this episode, I’m joined by Kristy Snyder, lifelong educator and co-founder of the Enthuse Foundation—an organization dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs in the CPG space through education, community, and funding. Kristy’s passion for teaching and mentorship has been a constant throughout her career, and with Enthuse Foundation, she’s helping create access and opportunity for the next generation of female founders.

From grant programs to pitch competitions, community events to founder education, the Enthuse Foundation is focused on breaking down barriers and building up women-led brands with the tools and support they need to grow.

Inside the Episode:

• How Kristy’s background in education inspired the creation of the Enthuse Foundation

• The foundation’s approach to founder support through grants, learning, and connection

• Advice for women in CPG navigating early-stage growth and how to tap into available resources

This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds is a platform that connects everyday, smaller creators with brands to share in-store user-generated content, drive brand awareness in specific retailers, and capture competitive market share. They’re an awesome platform that I recommend to all my clients that you should absolutely check out. Go to hummingbirds.com for all the details.

In this episode, I’m joined by Jeni Britton, celebrated entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and founder of the iconic Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. Now, she’s channeling her creativity and industry insight into her latest venture: Floura & Co., a brand on a mission to change the way we think about food waste—and fiber.

Floura reinvents fresh produce trimmings as delicious, nutrient-dense foods with the ambitious goal of diverting 100 million pounds of upcycled produce from the commercial food waste stream annually. At the same time, the brand aims to help close the massive dietary fiber gap in the U.S., bringing joyful, sustainable innovation to pantries across the country.

Inside the Episode:

• How Jeni’s experience building a national brand shaped her approach to launching Floura

• Why upcycled produce and dietary fiber are two of the biggest untapped opportunities in food today

• Advice for founders ready to reimagine a category— with community and customer feedback

This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds is a platform that connects everyday, smaller creators with brands to share in-store user-generated content, drive brand awareness in specific retailers, and capture competitive market share. They’re an awesome platform that I recommend to all my clients that you should absolutely check out. Go to hummingbirds.com for all the details.

In this episode, I’m joined by Larry Yu, founder of Sage Matcha—a brand on a mission to bring the magic of ceremonial-grade matcha to your daily routine, no matter how busy life gets. Originally from New Jersey, Larry’s love for matcha started in high school. But it was during his time at NYU Tisch—navigating long hours, creative hustle, and constant movement—that the idea for a more convenient, high-quality matcha latte was born.

Sage Matcha’s single-serve sticks combine ceremonial-grade matcha with oat milk powder, organic ingredients, and superfood blends, making it easy to sip something both functional and elevated, anytime, anywhere.

Inside the Episode:

• How Larry’s lifestyle as a student and creative inspired the idea for Sage Matcha

• The importance of sourcing, formulation, and flavor when building a functional beverage

• Advice for emerging founders entering the wellness beverage space—and how to differentiate with simplicity and substance

This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds is a platform that connects everyday, smaller creators with brands to share in-store user-generated content, drive brand awareness in specific retailers, and capture competitive market share. They’re an awesome platform that I recommend to all my clients that you should absolutely check out. Go to hummingbirds.com for all the details.

In this episode, I’m joined by Keya Wingfield, award-winning pastry chef, Food Network Baking Champion, and founder of Keya’s Snacks—a bold, flavor-packed snack brand redefining the chip aisle through cultural representation and culinary excellence.

Originally from Mumbai, Keya moved to the U.S. without ever having used an oven—only to become a sought-after pastry chef and culinary instructor. During the pandemic, she began offering modern Indian American meals to-go. With each order, she included a small bag of homemade "Bombay chips" as a personal touch. The unexpected twist? Customers couldn’t stop asking for just the chips—and retailers quickly took notice.

Keya’s Snacks is now a growing line of award-winning chips, rooted in Indian flavors and crafted to challenge the status quo of mainstream snacking.

Inside the Episode:

• How Keya went from culinary student to Food Network winner to snack aisle innovator

• The unexpected product pivot that launched a category-first chip brand

• Why cultural storytelling matters on retail shelves

This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds is a platform that connects everyday, smaller creators with brands to share in-store user-generated content, drive brand awareness in specific retailers, and capture competitive market share. They’re an awesome platform that I recommend to all my clients that you should absolutely check out. Go to hummingbirds.com for all the details.

In this episode, I’m joined by Regina Trillo, founder of Nemi Snacks—a boldly flavored snack brand rooted in Mexican heritage with clean ingredients. Originally from Mexico City and now based in Chicago, Regina launched Nemi Snacks after feeling unrepresented in the grocery aisle. She saw Mexican culture reduced to stereotypes and products packed with artificial ingredients—and knew there was a better way.

Before building her brand, Regina spent her legal career advocating for human rights, providing legal services to immigrants, and leading global initiatives across Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the U.S. That same spirit of advocacy now fuels Nemi Snacks—a brand that honors tradition, elevates representation, and brings something truly different to the snack aisle.

Inside the Episode:

• How Regina’s personal journey and human rights background shaped the mission behind Nemi Snacks

• The strategy behind launching a culturally rooted brand centered around a hero ingredient: nopal

• Advice for founders navigating representation, authenticity, and innovation in the better-for-you space

This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds is a platform that connects everyday, smaller creators with brands to share in-store user-generated content, drive brand awareness in specific retailers, and capture competitive market share. They’re an awesome platform that I recommend to all my clients that you should absolutely check out. Go to hummingbirds.com for all the details.

Meet Gloria Chou—award-winning PR strategist and host of the Small Business PR Podcast, known for helping resourceful founders land top-tier press without a publicist, agency, or insider connections. Her untraditional (but proven) pitch strategies have helped thousands of small businesses earn over a billion organic views and secure features in The New York Times, Oprah’s Favorite Things, Vogue, Forbes, and more—all without pay-to-play.

This episode is like a quick PR masterclass. Gloria shares straightforward, actionable advice to help you start pitching your CPG brand today—no media list or press kit required. If you're launching or scaling and want to land press that drives awareness and trust, this conversation is for you.

This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds is a platform that connects everyday, smaller creators with brands to share in-store user-generated content, drive brand awareness in specific retailers, and capture competitive market share. They’re an awesome platform that I recommend to all my clients that you should absolutely check out. Go to hummingbirds.com for all the details.