In the Sauce Podcast: Building Sturdy Food Businesses

The food business is more than restaurants and cookbooks. It encompasses a multi-billion dollar industry of natural foods. Over 250 episodes, Alison Cayne shares interviews with experts, retailers, and investors who can help founders and operators build sturdy consumer businesses. With hours of brass-tacks advice from finance, legal, operations, and supply chain experts to helpful hacks from brand marketing and social media specialists, It is a critical podcast for emerging brands.

In the Sauce is produced in partnership with Naturally New York, a community organization dedicated to fostering sustainable and responsible business practices, stimulating conscious business growth, supporting entrepreneurship, and cultivating exceptional leadership within the natural products industry in the Greater New York area.

 

In the Sauce host Alison Cayne is best known as the founder and CEO of Haven's Kitchen, a nationally-recognized cooking brand that grew from a brick-and-mortar cooking school in Manhattan to a multifaceted CPG business with products in over 5000 stores, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Target. 

A champion of emerging brands and the teams that build them, Alison Cayne is a coach, advisor, and angel investor. She is also a guest lecturer and adjunct professor at NYU’s Food Studies Program and Columbia Business School, with expertise in food systems, brand building, and food entrepreneurship.

Alison is the author of the critically acclaimed Haven’s Kitchen cookbook (Artisan 2017) and has contributed to publications including The New York Post, Forbes, Architectural Digest, and Food52. She started recording In the Sauce, a podcast for early-stage founders and operators about building consumer brands, in 2018 after her first purchase order for 14 NYC Whole Foods locations.

One of the most intriguing episodes aired in November 2025 with Troy Bonde and Winston Alfieri, who are CEO, CMO and Co-Founders of Sauz, the pasta sauce brand known for its bright colors and killer flavors. On this show, the two execs talked about brand building, true differentiation in a massive, commodity category, and how they acquire and then keep consumers.

 Another ear-worthy episode aired in late October 202, with Nick Wiseman is the CEO and Co-Founder of Little Sesame, a chef-founded, hummus brand rooted in sustainable farming and ingredient integrity. On the show, host and guest talked about self-manufacturing, hospitality-focused CPG, brand building, and why choosing the best chickpea in America makes all the difference.

In the Sauce, which is part of the Heritage Radio Network (HRN), possesses many of the positive attributes of HRN shows -- excellent sound design, a convivial, knowledgeable, and passionate host, and guests that convey insightful information on building consumer brands. The show even has a sponsor, Hummingbirds, which helps brands engage with niche communities through "everyday creators," amplifying brand stories and creating measurable impact.

 Heritage Radio Network (HRN) is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit covering the world of food, drink and agriculture. The member-supported radio station has more than one million monthly listeners in over 200 countries.

Since its inception in 2009, Heritage Radio Network has broadcast more than 4,000 shows and produced more than 30 regular weekly podcasts about such topics as food technology, beer, cheese, food history and politics, and cocktails. Shows feature guests ranging from chefs, food policy analysts, farmers, restaurateurs, musicians, and artists. 

HRN Chairman of the Board Ronald Pruett, Jr, says: "HRN’s mission is to build a more sustainable world by shifting how we think about food. Through storytelling, we amplify voices, spotlight solutions, and inspire change that helps foster equity and environmental stewardship for all."

 Here's the key part that makes HRN so attractive to Ear Worthy and potentially to listeners.

Mr. Pruett explains: "HRN is a non-profit, so we always have a David and Goliath battle versus the larger networks to attract funding, advertisers and listeners. I like to say we have a non-profit model but a for-profit mindset. We seek to provide the best programming to attract listeners interested in our genre. Many of our listeners are serious foodies. It's good fun, actually."

 

In the Sauce is an excellent destination for listeners who enjoy hearing about brand building in business, especially the natural food industry, and about food as a business. 

I must admit that, after listening to the episode about Sauz pasta sauce, I had to buy it and try it. My conclusion: The Vodka and marinara sauces are to-die-for!