The VentureFuel Visionaries podcast

#Tech #Entrepreneur #Business #VentureFuel

15:52

Twinkle twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are…. No, really – what are stars made of and how did they get all the way up there in the sky? Let’s find out more with astrophysicist, Dr Kirsten Banks! Get ready to blast off in 5, 4, 3, 2 1!

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Visionaries are defined as having extraordinary foresight and imagination. Those who can see what isn't there. They can imagine the unimaginable and they have the grit to make it happen. Business Visionaries are the change-agents embracing new opportunities to drive outsized results. From the C-Suite to the up-and-coming disruptors, they are blazing new paths, discovering inventive solutions and powering the future. Join us each week as we speak with these Visionaries: the entrepreneurs, investors and corporate leaders driving transformative change across business and society.

269 episoder

The VentureFuel Visionaries

updated for 6 dage siden

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269 episoder

#Tech #Entrepreneur #Business #VentureFuel

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The VentureFuel Visionaries

1
Redefining Healthcare Innovation – Northwestern Medicine Director of Ventures and Innovation Kali Arduini Ihde 25:39

for 6 dage siden25:39

25:39

We go inside Northwestern Medicine’s Innovation Engine to see how they are solving healthcare’s biggest challenges with Kali Arduini Ihde, Director of Ventures and Innovation at Northwestern Medicine. Kali is at the forefront of bringing emerging technologies into one of the country’s top academic health systems to help shape the future of patient care through innovation. She leads the Northwestern Medicine Healthcare Accelerator, which partners with AI and digital health startups to solve real, high-impact challenges in healthcare. We discuss the value of creating organized programmatic innovation to solve important problems (prior authorization, physician burden, supply chain) in a safe space that allows for co-creation to accelerate scale.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Unlocking Strategic Impact from Startup Engagement: Building the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs’ Insights Engine 43:25

for 13 dage siden43:25

43:25

In this episode, we bring you an exclusive recording from the Innov8rs LearningLab featuring Tito Obaisi, Senior Manager of Pipeline and Insights at Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs, in conversation with our Founder and CEO Fred Schonenberg. Tito shares how his team captures and socializes insights from startup collaborations across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky to inspire colleagues, educate teams, and uncover opportunities for transformation. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at how strategic partnerships with startups fuel enterprise-wide innovation and shape the next generation of products, technologies, and services.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Strategic Capital and Commercialization – TELUS Global Ventures Partner Rohit Nuwal 31:18

for 20 dage siden31:18

31:18

Rohit Nuwal is a Partner at TELUS Global Ventures, Canada’s largest and most active corporate venture capital fund, with over 100 investments across transformative sectors such as HealthTech, AgTech, IoT, and AI. In this episode, we explore TELUS’ unique approach to commercialization beyond capital — and how they leverage deep insights from their global businesses to provide investment partners with a pathway to real-world traction and growth. Rohit shares how their Strategic Portfolio Development team, combined with a distinctive incentive structure within the core business, accelerates adoption — generating over $100M in P&L value.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Procurement as a Powerhouse for Public Innovation – Rikesh Shah, Connected Places Catapult 28:54

for 27 dage siden28:54

28:54

Rikesh Shah is a visionary in public sector innovation and the driving force behind the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre at Connected Places Catapult. Rikesh shares how rethinking procurement can catalyze transformative solutions in the public sector, fostering environments where governments proactively solve pressing societal challenges. Drawing from his groundbreaking experience at Transport for London, Rikesh reveals how opening up city data empowered entrepreneurs to reshape mobility for millions, and how adopting a venture mindset in public procurement can deliver remarkable outcomes. Tune in to explore how procurement strategies can shift from cautious compliance to bold innovation, redefining what's possible for cities around the world.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Tasting Tomorrow Today – Tastewise Co-Founder and CEO Alon Chen 23:28

for 5 weeks siden23:28

23:28

Today’s guest is Alon Chen, Co-Founder and CEO of Tastewise, and former Google CMO — who just raised a $50M Series B to transform how the food and beverage industry leverages AI. We dive into why big companies shouldn’t build everything in-house, especially when AI is costly to develop and maintain, and why they should instead focus on their true edge. Alon shares how Tastewise predicted the rise of air-fried vegetables, leading to 3x profits for one client. We talk about the future of food and beverage, how AI enables companies to stay close to their customers. From trend forecasting to strategic innovation, this is a must-listen for anyone navigating the intersection of AI, technology, and taste.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Women’s Venture Summit – Stella Foundation CEO Flossie Hall 20:57

for 6 weeks siden20:57

20:57

On today’s show, I sit down with Flossie Hall, CEO of Stella Foundation, a powerhouse organization serving 10,000 women founders and investors worldwide. Flossie shares her journey from serial entrepreneur—having built and exited multiple seven-figure businesses—to leading a global movement that empowers women to launch, scale, and sustain their ventures. We will talk about how Stella’s initiatives, including the acclaimed Women’s Venture Summit, have facilitated over $200 million in fundraising for women-led companies. The conversation dives into the mission of Stella: to inspire, equip, and propel diverse female founders while cultivating a thriving network of investors to increase equality for women-led startups.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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CVC Masterclass – Merck Global Health Innovation Fund President Bill Taranto 27:34

for 7 weeks siden27:34

27:34

A CVC masterclass from Bill Taranto, Founder and President of Merck’s Global Health Innovation Fund, a $600M fund that is considered one of the most impactful corporate venture funds in the world. Bill has over 20 years of healthcare investing and is focused on digital health companies transforming the future of care. Bill was just named to the Global Corporate Venturing Power List for the 14th time. We talk about the dual mandate to predict and prepare as well as the unique structure he has created which includes multiple levers like accelerators, studios, the growth equity fund, and a private equity roll-up function. We talk about the right relationship with the corporate parent, flying too close to the sun in the strategic/financial balance and why communication is often what determines success and makes innovation tangible for large organizations.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Insights at the Speed of AI – Comcast NBCUniversal. Sr. Manager of Pipeline and Insights Tito Obaisi 25:09

for 8 weeks siden25:09

25:09

On today’s show, we have Tito Obaisi, the Senior Manager of Pipeline and Insights for Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs. Tito leads efforts to identify strategically relevant, enterprise ready AI startups that are at the cutting edge of new technology that not only deliver new capabilities but also shape insights from working with the world’s largest media and technology companies. Tito brings a unique perspective on how large organizations can drive innovation through collaboration – the value of an always learning mindset, grounding insights in tangible business needs, delivering insights at the speed of AI. We talk about the disruption of SaaS, Agentic Orchestration, Intelligence Allocation and how Enterprise-Ready startups are spinning up faster, with less people, and more impact for enterprise organizations.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Igniting Dairy Innovation – California Milk Advisory Board CEO Bob Carroll 28:46

for 9 weeks siden28:46

28:46

Now in its seventh year, the Real California Milk Excelerator has become a powerhouse for commercializing breakthrough dairy innovations. With over 60 startups and 100+ mentors participating to date, the program continues to elevate the dairy category by fueling scalable, consumer-ready products. In this episode, Bob Carroll, CEO of the California Milk Advisory Board, shares what’s new in the program and why dairy is having a major moment. From wellness trends to sustainable innovation, Carroll reveals how legacy industries can stay ahead through bold thinking and fresh partnerships. If you're into food innovation, scaling startups, or future-proofing traditional sectors, you don't want to miss this conversation. For founders go to www.realcamilkexcelerator.com to apply by Aug 4, 2025.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Agentic AI For Retail – ALDO Group Vice President of Data & AI Fatih Nayebi 36:50

for 10 weeks siden36:50

36:50

Fatih Nayebi is the Vice President of Data & AI at ALDO Group where he leads AI initiatives that transform retail operations and customer experiences. He’s also a Faculty Lecturer at McGill University and the author of Foundations of Agentic AI for Retail, the first book on autonomous AI systems in retail. He demystifies agentic ai, federated learning and the promise of A2A (agents to agents) and while these advances will still need humans in the loop. Come learn how AI is reshaping retail and the opportunities of scaling these technologies.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Pilots to Portfolios: Comcast's Integrated Corporate Growth Startup Strategy 23:40

for 11 weeks siden23:40

23:40

Join our Founder & CEO, Fred Schonenberg, alongside Laura Plunkett, Vice President, Startup Engagement, Head of Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs, and Marc Silberman, Partner at Comcast Ventures, for a fireside chat entitled From Pilots to Portfolios: Comcast’s Integrated Corporate Growth Startup Strategy recorded earlier this year during the Global Corporate Venturing & Innovation Summit 2025. The discussion delves into how LIFT Labs' strategic pilots with business units seamlessly complement Comcast Ventures' investment strategy in adjacent and emerging markets, with a particular focus on AI technologies. VentureFuel is proud to serve as the operating partner for the new accelerator—focused on identifying and supporting startups that align with Comcast’s strategic priorities.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Innovating In Your Own Voice – Tahaji Felder Corporate Innovator and Startup Mentor 29:14

for 12 weeks siden29:14

29:14

Tahaji Felder, a seasoned social entrepreneur, corporate innovator and community leader. She has over a decade of experience supporting startups and founders to accelerate their emerging brands. Her TEDx on the power of embracing your unique voice is simply awesome. She has launched her own lifestyle brand, is a “Corporate Champion”, has mentored over 150 entrepreneurs, and is a champion of inclusive innovation through program leadership and social impact.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Visionary of the Year - Charlotte Newman 23:52

for 13 weeks siden23:52

23:52

VentureFuel’s Visionary of the Year is an honor voted on by peers in corporate innovation for the change agent who seizes new opportunities that drive outsized results. This year’s winner, Charlotte Newman, is the former Global Head of Underrepresented Founder and Investor Startup Business Development at AWS, former founder, and a passionate advocate in the Senate and US House of Representatives for diversity, equity, and inclusion, driving initiatives that empower marginalized entrepreneurs worldwide. Join us to hear her inspiring journey and insights on transforming the innovation ecosystem through collaboration and access.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Accelerator Program Design – Wharton School Professor Valentina Assenova 25:04

for 14 weeks siden25:04

25:04

Valentina Assenova is the Edward B. and Shirley R. Shils Endowed Term Assistant Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She is renowned for her insightful research on entrepreneurship and innovation, particularly in how cultural and societal factors influence entrepreneurial ecosystems around the world. She recently released a study “Exploring the relationship between accelerator program design and startup performance.” She has a Ph.D. from Yale University and an M.B.A. from the University of Cambridge and has collaborated with organizations like FINCA International and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to advance entrepreneurship globally. We discuss the dynamics of Capital and Ideas, and define what an accelerator is, why program design matters so much, and how corporates can receive and deliver the most value from their work with entrepreneurs.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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AI Drug Discovery – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Innovation Hub Manager Rick Peng 29:07

for 15 weeks siden29:07

29:07

On today’s show we’re excited to welcome Rick Peng, the Innovation Hub Manager and Digital Licensing Professional at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. We talk about how your organization can build an outside-in, external innovation program to deliver outsized results. Rick breaks down the secret sauce of the MSK Innovation Hub, an accelerator program designed to encourage collaborations between Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and digital health companies, focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of cancer patients. We discuss their new Innovation Hub Challenge focused on AI Drug Discovery – and why the access to data sets, is a key unlock for ai driven solutions.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Future Cities – CEO of Smart City Expo USA Aarti Tandon 26:44

for 16 weeks siden26:44

26:44

Aarti Tandon, CEO of Smart City Expo USA, is a visionary leader at the crossroads of technology, entertainment, and justice, known for driving innovation that builds smarter, more inclusive, and future-ready cities. With a diverse background as a lawyer, activist, and documentary producer, she brings a unique perspective on how cutting-edge technologies like AI and blockchain can drive global competitiveness and uncover how smart cities can shape a more modern and inclusive future for communities across America. There are some awesome startups, new technologies and stories within this episode across Sports Tech, Agentic AI, Data Sovereignty, Water Sensors. Autonomous Mobility, Blockchain – and the need for mental gymnastics and how we can all get 1 hour back in each of our days.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Blueberry Boost Accelerator – President of US Highbush Blueberry Council and North American Blueberry Council Kasey Cronquist 21:53

for 17 weeks siden21:53

21:53

Since 2019, Kasey has been the President of both the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Blueberry Council where he is dedicated to making blueberries the world’s favorite fruit through strategic marketing, industry collaboration, and innovation. He has led initiatives like the "Grab a Boost of Blue" campaign and launched "The Business of Blueberries" podcast to connect and educate the industry. We discuss the new Blueberry Boost Accelerator and how innovation is a growth lever to move the industry “beyond the morning” by promoting the great taste, energy, fun and health halo to help find a “home for every berry” and grab their deserved “share of stomach.”…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Outside The Norm – Founding Partner of Outside VC Ethan Austin 27:57

for 18 weeks siden27:57

27:57

Ethan Austin is the Founding Partner of Outside VC, a pre-seed venture fund dedicated to backing “outsider” founders. He is a seasoned entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and advocate for financial inclusion. Before Outside VC, Ethan co-founded GiveForward, the world’s first medical crowdfunding platform, which raised over $200 million to help families cover medical expenses and was later acquired by GoFundMe. Today, Ethan shares insights on spotting Founders who think differently, that have asymmetric insights and the grit to deliver scaled solutions. Learn how he is moving outside founders to the inside track.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Inside Corporate Venture Capital - Editor-In-Chief of Global Corporate Venturing Maija Palmer 28:00

for 19 weeks siden28:00

28:00

Maija Palmer is the Editor-in-Chief of Global Corporate Venturing (GCV), a community and media platform that helps corporations drive innovation through strategic investments and partnerships with startups., Maija is one of the top leading voices in corporate venturing and we talk about the evolution of Corporate Venture Capital (CVC), how corporations best utilize Venture Clienting and the relationship between strategic and financial KPIs.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Transforming Healthcare – Former Chief Strategy Officer John Muir Health Authors George Sauter 25:24

for 20 weeks siden25:24

25:24

George Sauter is an accomplished healthcare executive with decades of experience driving innovation to transform legacy systems with meaningful results. As the former Chief Strategy Officer at John Muir Health, George has been at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge technologies through impactful partnerships to improve patient care and operational efficiency. His expertise spans clinical transformation, strategic planning, and leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance healthcare delivery. Today, we talk about everything from finding champions internally, to navigating highly regulated industries, to driving innovation in low-margin environments as well as new technologies like AI Scribes and MuscleMatrix (a hydrogel that regenerates muscle tissue).…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Expo West 2025 - Key Insights and Emerging Trends 17:02

for 20 weeks siden17:02

17:02

In this episode, we dive into the breakthrough trends and innovations unveiled at Expo West 2025. Our very own Innovation team members, Katrina Zheleznyak and Beau Bergman break down the highlights from this massive event, which brought together over 65,000 industry professionals and more than 3,000 exhibitors. From game-changing products to sustainable solutions and cutting-edge technologies, they share key takeaways that showcase what’s shaping the future of food. Tune in now to discover what’s next in food innovation! Note: parts of this episode were produced using the Audio Overview feature from NotebookLM, a personalized AI research assistant.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Harvesting Innovation – FEI’s Seth Adler 23:43

for 21 weeks siden23:43

23:43

From Clayton Christensen to Steve Wozniak to Mookie Wilson, we cover a lot of ground with Seth Adler who is the head of IMI Media at Informa and a driving force behind All Things Insights and All Things Innovation. Seth has spent his career bringing people together through dynamic content, including events, podcasts, and written works. He’s also played a pivotal role in shaping conversations at industry-leading events like FEI: Front End of Innovation, where he facilitates impactful discussions on topics such as AI trends, business transformation, and consumer insights. Today we talk about FEI 2025 which focused on the intersection of business strategy and innovation with its theme of “Harvesting Innovation: Sowing the Seeds of Future Growth."…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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The AI Marketing Canvas – Kellogg School of Management Professor Jim Lecinski 32:46

for 22 weeks siden32:46

32:46

Jim Lecinski, Clinical Professor of Marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, has over 30 years of marketing experience, including a distinguished 12-year tenure as Vice President of Customer Solutions for the Americas at Google. He is a leading expert in marketing strategy and digital transformation, best known for pioneering the concept of the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT), which revolutionized how consumers research products online before buying, as detailed in his influential book Winning the Zero Moment of Truth. Jim’s latest work, The AI Marketing Canvas, offers a practical five-stage roadmap for integrating artificial intelligence into marketing strategies and is widely recognized as a top AI and business book. In this conversation, Jim shares insights from his career, discusses the evolving role of AI in marketing, and introduces a powerful 2x2 framework for corporate leaders to begin thinking strategically about AI adoption in their organizations. Tune in for expert guidance on winning in today’s digital and AI-driven marketing landscape.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Midwest Dairy Accelerator - Research and Innovation Manager Sidney Herr 18:58

for 23 weeks siden18:58

18:58

Midwest Dairy represents over 4,000 dairy farms across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and eastern Oklahoma. Their mission is to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in dairy products and production practices. Sidney Herr, the Research & Innovation Manager at Midwest Dairy, plays a pivotal role in advancing dairy innovation, particularly with the upcoming Midwest Dairy Accelerator (midwestdairyaccelerator.com) which supports and accelerates entrepreneurs with new dairy-based products. Applications open through May 11, 2025.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Unlocking Microsoft's Innovation Secrets – Authors JoAnn Garbin and Dean Carignan 29:14

for 26 weeks siden29:14

29:14

Dean Carignan and JoAnn Garbin, authors of The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft, delve into the strategies and practices that have driven Microsoft's most groundbreaking innovations over the past 50 years. From the Xbox revolution to the rise of Bing in AI, Dean and JoAnn share behind-the-scenes stories and insights into the company's approach to innovation. We discuss the risks of fast-following, how not to “get Googled,” the value of biomimicry and infinite innovation loops, the evolution from know-it-alls to learn-it-alls, how to transform a weaponized org chart to open-sourced, extreme collaborator. We talk about how entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs must be storytellers, boundary crossers (“habitual line-steppers”) and salespeople that always build coalitions. We also talk about creating a culture of trust where you can and must “Say It Ugly” to pretty it up later, together.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

1
The 3 Jobs of Corporate Innovators – Innov8rs Chief Hans Balmaekers 21:59

for 27 weeks siden21:59

21:59

Hans Balmaekers is the Chief of Innov8rs, a global community dedicated to empowering corporate innovators. Hans has spent over a decade collaborating and learning about how to innovate within the world’s top organizations and shares some of his top tips with us, such as how the best corporate innovators have a day job (innovation, the work), a night job (gathering support and buy-in) and a weekend job (transforming ways of working). VentureFuel is a proud sponsor of Innov8rs and their upcoming conference, that isn’t really a conference in Phoenix this April where we will be hosting a workshop on how to tune your corporate innovation practice to deliver results today, while preparing your business for tomorrow.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Driving Innovation Through Collaboration: Insights from VentureFuel Visionary of the Year Finalists 7:12

for 28 weeks siden7:12

7:12

In this episode of VentureFuel Visionaries, we explore how collaboration drives innovation with five visionary leaders. From AWS’s Charlotte Newman on global founder support to LG’s Marita McGinn on equity-free startup models, we dive into the power of partnerships. MassRobotics’ Sokwoo Rhee shares insights on public-private alliances, REI’s Dan Kihanya highlights community-driven growth, and ExxonMobil’s Kyle J. Basler-Reeder explains venture clienting. Tune in to discover how these leaders are reshaping innovation through strategic collaboration.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Al-Ran to Interconnected Realities - Nokia Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting Leslie Shannon 23:14

for 33 weeks siden23:14

23:14

On today's show, we have Leslie Shannon, the Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting at Nokia, where she specializes in identifying disruptive technologies that are shaping the future of connectivity. She is an accomplished author of two influential books: "Interconnected Realities," which explores the Metaverse, and "Virtual Natives." We discuss everything from the timeline for GenAl adoption in Hollywood to Al Cat Doors and Autonomous Dishwashers at CES to Al-RAN tech that would place Nvidia GPUs in the radio access network. This would enable next-level edge computing that would have massive implications for telcos, their suppliers, consumers, and the enablement of future technologies like AR, VR, and the like.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

1
Health Trends and Consumer Preferences in Dairy 37:27

for 34 weeks siden37:27

37:27

Dive into the latest health trends and shifting consumer preferences in the dairy industry with a dynamic panel featuring John Crawford, SVP of Client Insights for the Dairy Category at Circana; Donna Berry, Editor & Consultant at Dairy & Food Communications Inc.; Patrycja Kotowska, Category Strategy Manager at Sprouts Farmers Market; and Fred Schonenberg, Founder & CEO of VentureFuel. Recorded live at the Real California Milk Excelerator’s Future of Dairy Expo in November 2024, this discussion covers everything from lactose-free products to sourcing transparency and the growing demand for products that align with consumer values.…

The VentureFuel Visionaries

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Balancing Tradition and Innovation in Dairy 33:45

for 35 weeks siden33:45