In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Mitchell Scott, co-founder & CEO of The Better Butchers, a Canadian brand building the next generation of meat alternatives.

Mitchell comes with deep experience in the food industry, he previously co-founded another major alternative-protein brand and now is on a mission to remove animals from the food chain while building purpose-driven CPG brands.
In our conversation, Mitchell shares how The Better Butchers uses mushroom-based proteins and mycelium technology to craft sustainable meat alternatives, how they plan to launch cultivated/fermented meat products, and how they’re positioning themselves in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

We also dive into the lessons learned from scaling disruptive food brands, navigating investor and regulatory hurdles, and what it takes to build a brand that resonates with modern consumers who care about flavour and the planet.
This episode is for entrepreneurs and food-brands looking to build with purpose, and make meaningful impact in the supermarket aisle.

Website: https://www.thebetterbutchers.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebetterbutchersmeat/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Better-Butchers-100088953283487/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchell-the-scott/

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If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

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Thanks for listening!

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Natalie Frederick-Wilson, Business Advisor at the Centre for Women in Business and program lead for SPICE – the Specialized Program in Cooking Entrepreneurship.

With a focus on empowering under-represented women—particularly Black Nova Scotian, Indigenous, immigrant, and newcomer entrepreneurs—Natalie shares how SPICE helps food founders turn their passion for cooking into sustainable, scalable businesses. From accessing commercial kitchens to understanding food safety regulations and navigating co-packing partnerships, she reveals the practical supports and community connections that help level the playing field in Canada’s food industry.

Hear how SPICE is reshaping food entrepreneurship through hands-on business training, mentorship, and manufacturing readiness—and why inclusive support systems are key to building a stronger, more diverse food ecosystem.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-frederick-wilson-338b1873?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

https://www.centreforwomeninbusiness.ca/about/our-team/natalie-frederick-wilson/

https://www.centreforwomeninbusiness.ca/learning/spice-specialized-program-in-cooking-entrepreneurship/

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
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Thanks for listening!

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Pedja Radjenović, a CPG strategist who helps founders transform their brand stories into strategies that actually sell.

After building multi-million dollar brands at Molson Coors and Carlsberg, Pedja discovered that the difference between a good product and a great brand comes down to one thing, how well you tell your story. With experience leading brand growth across borders, he understands the nuances of positioning, messaging, and selling in different markets.

Today, Pedja works with food and beverage founders to sharpen their positioning, clarify their message, and stand out in the crowd. In this conversation, he shares what makes a story stick, the kind that consumers connect with and retailers rally behind.

This episode is a must-listen for founders ready to move beyond features and claims, and start building a brand narrative that opens doors and keeps shelves stocked.

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/predragradenovic?originalSubdomain=ca

Email: pr@wtnv.ca

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
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Thanks for listening!

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we sit down with Han Yue, co-founder of OHME! Foods. OHME! Foods is a Vancouver-based brand redefining what healthy snacking can be.

With backgrounds in healthcare, Jenny and Han witnessed firsthand how small, daily habits can transform long-term well-being. As busy professionals and parents, they struggled to find snacks that were both nourishing and truly enjoyable, so they made their own. What began as a kitchen experiment with freeze-dried fruit quickly grew into a brand with a mission to make healthy snacking joyful, convenient, and delicious.

Today, OHME!’s signature Yogurt Crunch snack, made simply with Greek yogurt and real fruit, are available in over 450 stores across Canada and the U.S. and have even earned recognition from Good Housekeeping.

In this conversation, Han shares how they turned a family passion project into a fast-growing, award-winning brand. We discuss the power of purpose-driven entrepreneurship, the realities of scaling production while staying true to your values, and how OHME! continues to bring joy, health, and heart to every crunch.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohmefoods

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohmefoods

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ohme-foods/

Website: https://www.ohmefoods.com/

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
• Connect with Peter on LinkedIn
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Thanks for listening!

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we sit down with Red Seal Chef Sarah Bennetto O’Brien, founder of The Handpie Company, makers of chef-crafted, savory personal handpies that bring quality, local ingredients, and real flavor to Atlantic Canada’s frozen food aisles.

Launched in 2017 with a mission to create grab-and-go meals that don’t compromise on taste or integrity, The Handpie Company uses real butter, Island beef, potatoes, and more. Every pie is chef-made in a CFIA-licensed production facility, ensuring consistent quality in every bite.

Sarah shares how she turned a love of local ingredients into a thriving brand, navigating challenges like scaling artisan quality for the freezer aisle, maintaining local sourcing, and expanding into new retail channels. Today, their products are stocked in over 100 locations throughout the Maritimes, including grocery frozen food aisles, cafés, and taprooms.

We also dive into the early “pie in the sky” idea, the leap from café menus to owning their name and space, and how the team has stayed true to their core values, chef-made, locally sourced, and convenience without compromise.

This conversation is about more than pies, it’s about building a local food brand with community, blending taste and integrity, and pushing the boundaries of what a frozen product can be.

Website: https://www.handpie.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehandpieco/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehandpieco/

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
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Thanks for listening!

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Tom, the driving force behind Healthy Berries Ltd. and the vision behind Superfruit Purée.

With over 40 years in the food industry, Tom’s leadership philosophy is simple yet powerful: give people the targets and tools they need—and then trust them to succeed. That mindset has helped him build a passionate team dedicated not only to innovation but also to keeping the business focused on long-term profitability.

We explore the journey of Superfruit Purée, a unique product made from wild blueberries using patented technology that preserves the whole fruit—peel, seeds, pulp, and all. Alongside developing their own brand, Healthy Berries has also expanded into co-packing, helping other food businesses grow while building a stronger and more resilient operation themselves.

Tom also shares what it was like to step into the national spotlight on Dragon’s Den, pitching Superfruit Purée to a panel of investors, and how that experience impacted their business.

This conversation is about more than just berries, it’s about leadership, innovation, profitability, and the courage to put your business on the line in front of the Dragons.

Website: https://www.superfruitpuree.ca/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/superfruitpureecan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superfruitpureecan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/superfruitpureeCAN/

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
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Thanks for listening!

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we sit down with Joshua Counsil, engineer-turned-entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and co-founder of Good Robot Brewing and The Beverage Factory.

Raised by murder mystery dinner theatre owners, Joshua brings a unique blend of creativity, strategy, and storytelling to the world of food and beverage. In 2014, he and his friends left behind their engineering careers to launch Good Robot Brewing, a quirky brewpub in the North End of Halifax that has since grown into three award-winning hospitality venues and a wholesale brand recognized across Canada.

Most recently, Joshua and his partners opened The Beverage Factory, a $6.5M co-manufacturing facility producing everything from wine to energy drinks for dozens of Atlantic Canadian companies.

In this conversation, Joshua shares his insights on building businesses that balance community, creativity, and scale. From the leap of faith that started it all to the complexities of launching a large-scale production facility, this episode offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs who want to grow while staying true to their roots.

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
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Thanks for listening!

In this episode of Recipes for Success, we’re joined by Gary Hughes, Local Program Specialist at Sobeys, who has spent over 27 years growing with the company and building a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in grocery retail.

Gary began his career as a clerk at a Garden Market IGA and worked his way up to Store Manager, before moving into buying and category management roles overseeing multiple categories across Sobeys, Safeway, and IGA in Western Canada. In 2017, he joined the newly created Field Merchandising team with a mission close to his heart, helping local products come to life on Sobeys shelves across the Prairies.

With a lifelong passion for small business, Gary now works with hundreds of entrepreneurs and startups, guiding them through the process of getting their locally made products into grocery stores. In this conversation, he shares insights on what retailers are looking for, how local suppliers can stand out, and the steps that can help small producers expand from community-based sales into larger retail opportunities.
If you’re a food entrepreneur looking to grow your retail presence, this episode is packed with practical advice from someone who knows both sides of the shelf.

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
• Connect with Peter on LinkedIn
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Thanks for listening!