This Commerce Life

From Cologne to Canada: What We Learned Walking 10 Football Fields at AnugaPhil and Kenny take the podcast on the road to Anuga, one of the world's largest food trade shows in Cologne, Germany. Recording their raw observations while navigating German parking lots and autobahns, they share what surprised them most: Bulgaria's emerging food innovation, the surprising absence of crowds at the Chinese pavilion, and how geopolitical tensions are reshaping international food trade.The episode features candid conversations with Matt and Kim Lebeau from Lebeau Excel and Luca Felicetti from the fifth-generation Italian pasta maker. They discuss practical strategies for attending massive trade shows, the protein trend's different evolution in Europe versus North America, and why Canadian brands should consider looking east instead of south. Topics range from edible utensils and shelf-stable kombucha to the 106% tariff on Italian pasta and why Americans are apologizing for being American.Our first take on Anuga Cologne.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Shauna Fidler, founder of Design Farm and producer of the Basin Food Summit, as she takes us deep into British Columbia's Kootenay region—a place where local food culture thrives and producers connect directly with buyers who care.Shauna shares her journey from running a cookie shop in Calgary to pioneering gluten-free baking before it was mainstream, and eventually finding her home in the Kootenays where she now supports food producers through branding, packaging design, and the annual Basin Food Summit.Event Details: Basin Food Summit, November 6-8, 2025, Nelson, BC | www.basinfood.caWarning: This episode may cause extreme hunger and an irresistible urge to book a trip to the Kootenays.You can find Shauna here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauna-fidler-25226b241/Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

From Ice Cream Cart to National Brand - The Hazel's Ice Cream StoryIn this episode, hosts Kenny and Phil sit down with Sam Vermeulen, co-founder of Hazel's Ice Cream, to discuss the remarkable journey from a COVID-era ice cream cart idea to a growing national frozen novelty brand.Sam shares how what started as a father-son dream of running an ice cream shop evolved into handcrafted premium ice cream bars. Born out of necessity during the pandemic, Hazel's pivoted from scooped ice cream to bars when traditional retail wasn't an option - a decision that accidentally filled a market gap in Victoria's frozen novelty scene.

Scaling CPG Brands with Roadmap CPG's Michelle Prychidny and Koreann WebsterIn this episode of This Commerce Life, hosts Phil and Kenny welcome the dynamic duo behind Roadmap CPG - Michelle Prychidny and Koreann Webster. Together, these industry veterans share their combined decades of experience helping emerging CPG brands navigate the treacherous waters of retail scaling.From their early days at Vega and their rocket ship journey with SmartSweets to launching their own consultancy, Michelle and Koreann break down the critical foundational pieces that make or break growing brands. They dive deep into the most common pitfalls they see repeatedly: cash flow nightmares, pricing disasters, and the fundamental disconnect between profit and loss versus actual cash in the bank. check out Roadmap CPG here: https://www.roadmapcpg.com/Find Koreann here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/koreann-webster-42b43160/Find Michelle here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-mckay-prychidny-b6b0492/Thank you to Field Agent Canada f

We sit down with Sanaz Bahrami, founder of Melts Infusions, who shares her remarkable journey from aspiring surgeon to herbal wellness entrepreneur. After nerve damage derailed her medical career dreams, Sanaz discovered the power of adaptogenic herbs during a challenging period in graduate school studying biomedical engineering.What started as brewing "peace tea" in her apartment to manage anxiety and depression has evolved into a thriving business with over 500,000 TikTok followers and a loyal customer base. Sanaz opens up about her early struggles with mental health, the limitations she found with traditional pharmaceutical approaches, and how a lab mate's suggestion to try herbal remedies changed her life. Check out Melts Infusions here: https://meltsinfusion.com/Find Sanaz here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanaz-bahrami-7a067014a/Sanaz's Tiktok page is here: https://www.tiktok.com/@meltsinfusions Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

From Stadium Cleaner to Craft Brewer - The Latina Beer StoryPhil and Kenny sit down with Carlos Castro, the Venezuelan-Canadian founder of Latina Beer, for an inspiring conversation about entrepreneurship, immigration, and following your passion.Carlos shares his remarkable journey from cleaning Rogers Stadium as an entry-level job to building his own craft brewery in St. Catharines, Ontario. What started as a casual conversation with a coworker during a break led to an eight-year adventure in the beer industry - all beginning with a napkin, a homebrew recipe, and $1,500.check out Latina beer at https://www.latina.beer/      and  @latinabeer Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/  

The Kristina Farrell Episode: Fighting for Canada's Food System from the InsideIn this episode, hosts Phil and Kenny sit down with Kristina Farrell, CEO of Food & Beverage Canada, to explore the complex world of Canadian food manufacturing policy. Christina, who represents domestic food and beverage manufacturers across the country, breaks down the critical distinction between companies that actually make products in Canada versus those that simply sell here.From her team-of-two operation in Ottawa, Kristina tackles massive challenges including inter-provincial trade barriers, labor shortages, and the ongoing work on Bill C-5. The conversation reveals how 92% of Canada's food manufacturing companies have fewer than 100 employees, yet the industry remains the country's largest manufacturing sector—a fact that often gets overlooked in policy discussions.Kristina shares her journey from government bureaucracy to lobbying, explaining how she became the central coordinator between six provincial food and bever

CHFA Now Toronto 2025 Preview with Aaron Skelton & Lynsey WalkerJoin Phil and Kenny as they chat with Aaron Skelton (CEO) and Lynsey Walker (Chief Marketing Officer) from the Canadian Health Food Association for an exciting preview of CHFA Now Toronto 2025, happening September 19 - 21, 2025What's New This Year:BDC & Be Local Thursday Night Event - Special networking event at BDC Square (37th floor of CIBC Tower) with stunning lake viewsEnhanced Conference Programming - Friday's packed agenda includes a new Quebec session called "Bonjour-Hi" and the highly anticipated data & insights presentation on women's healthRevamped Industry Awards - Saturday's awards ceremony promises to be the biggest yet, with upgraded entertainment and a green carpet experienceSunday Fun Run - 3km charity run supporting Second Harvest, plus Incubator Alley pitch sessionsKey Dates:Online registration closes August 31stVIP retailer perks include free parking, Uber discounts, and food vouchersShow runs September 6-8 at the C

From Bartending Tips to 24 Locations: The Foxy Box StoryIn this episode of This Commerce Life, we sit down with Kyla, the bold founder and CEO of Foxy Box Laser & Wax Bars, who turned bar tips and brazilian waxes in her dining room into a 24-location franchise empire across Canada.Starting 12 years ago in her dining room (yes, you read that right), Kyla used her bartending tips to fund her venture into the hair removal industry. What began as giving customers shots of tequila while learning to perfect Brazilian waxes has evolved into a franchise system employing over 250 staff across four provinces.  you can find Kyla here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyla-dufresne-295867149/check out Foxy box here: https://foxyboxwaxbar.com/Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

A celebration of success. Re-sharing Caitlyn Vanderhaeghe's episode from 2022 on the evolution of Kidstar. In light of her announcement last week of getting National distribution, we thought it'd be a good time to re-share Caitlin's journey with Kidstar. A small Canadian company, that put in a lot of work to get here! Congrats Caitlyn and the Kidstar team!! Check out Kidstar here: https://kidstarnutrients.com/Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/  

Mid-Summer Update - Road Trips, Trade Shows, and What's NextPhil and Kenny reconnect for a candid mid-summer update on what's been keeping them busy and what's coming up for This Commerce Life. After spending five hours together booking travel (and learning they should have let Keelin handle it), the duo shares their exciting plans for the fall.In This Episode:Anuga 2025: The hosts are headed to Germany's massive food trade show (October 4-8) to bring back marketplace intelligenceOntario Road Trip: Kenny's coming to Toronto in late September/early October for filming across Central Ontario - from London to Barrie, or potentially east to the Belleville-Kingston areaBehind the Scenes: Meet Keelin, their "not-so-secret weapon" who keeps them organized, and why they're crystallizing their three core focusesThe Unsexy Fundamentals: Why they keep returning to the same crucial topics - cost of goods, margins, cash flow - that aren't glamorous but are essential for Canadian retail successRetail Stories: Their passion

Amy Rempel - From Third-Generation Grocery to Pioneering Kids' SkincareIn this episode, we sit down with Amy Rempel, owner of Elevation Brands and founder of Fresh Faces Skincare, Canada's first skincare line specifically designed for kids. Amy brings a unique perspective to the natural products industry as a third-generation grocery professional whose great-grandfather helped bring Metro stores to Ontario.What You'll Learn:How Amy identified a dangerous TikTok trend of kids using adult skincare products and turned it into a business opportunityThe reality of working with brokers vs. distributors and what brands need to know before making the callWhy Amy created a consulting package to bridge the gap between direct-to-consumer and retail-ready brandsThe importance of having distribution, funding, and production capacity in place before approaching brokersMajor Announcement: Amy shares her exciting news about receiving a Golden Ticket and getting Fresh Faces Skincare into Walmart stores nationwide starting Feb

Trading Cards to Facebook Fame: How One Collector Built a Digital EmpireJoin Phil and Kenny as they dive deep into the fascinating world of modern card collecting with special guest Anthony from Red Light Sports. What started as a COVID hobby digging through childhood collections has evolved into a thriving Facebook Live business that's redefining how collectors buy and sell.Anthony takes us behind the scenes of his innovative approach to card sales - from mystery bags that guarantee value to live auctions that keep hundreds of viewers engaged for hours. Discover how he built a community of 1,400+ members, created custom entertainment elements (yes, there's a theme song!), and turned what could be mundane transactions into must-watch events.In This Episode:The psychology behind mystery pulls and why "the first one's free"How to pivot from daily auction management to streamlined live showsBuilding customer loyalty through entertainment and guaranteed valueThe challenges of going live for 5-6 hours twice a week

Burgoo Restaurant's Justin Joyce on 24 Years of Comfort Food & Vancouver's Evolving Food SceneWe had an amazing conversation with Justin, owner of the four Burgoo restaurant locations in Vancouver, who joined us despite dealing with a power outage and a sick dog. What started as a discussion about his restaurants quickly evolved into a deep dive about the challenges facing independent operators in today's market.The Burgoo StoryWe learned how Justin's path to restaurants began with a detour from university. Originally headed to study English literature at the University of Alberta, he stopped in Calgary and met a mentor who offered to lend him money to open a restaurant in Vancouver. At 21, with no stress and plenty of optimism, he made the leap and opened the Funky Armadillo in the early '90s before eventually developing the Burgoo concept in 2001.What struck us was how Burgoo started as purely comfort food - originally serving only soups and stews in two sizes: "giant and enormous." They didn't even hav

Food Fraud and Authenticity Testing with Deleo De Leonardis, CEO of Purity IQIn this eye-opening conversation, Kenny and Phil sit down with Deleo De Leonardis, CEO and co-founder of Purity IQ, to discuss a critical issue that affects every consumer: food fraud and adulteration.Deleo shares her unexpected journey from 20 years in retail (including VP of Private Label at Sobeys) to becoming an entrepreneur in the science-based world of authenticity testing. Despite not being a scientist herself, she and her co-founders identified a massive gap in the industry - while labs routinely test for identity (is echinacea actually present?), they often miss adulteration, dilution, and substitution.Key Topics Covered:Why standard identity testing isn't enough to catch food fraudThe difference between targeted vs. untargeted testing methodsReal examples of adulteration in honey, olive oil, spices, and supplementsHow economic pressures and supply chain disruptions create opportunities for fraudstersThe shocking reality tha

Automating Food Safety with NormexIn this episode, we sit down with Tanguy Etoga, founder and CEO of Normex, to dive into the often overlooked but critically important world of food safety management.Tanguy shares his fascinating journey from a childhood in Cameroon—where a conversation with his father about preserving mangoes year-round sparked his passion—to becoming a food safety consultant and tech entrepreneur revolutionizing how small and medium food businesses handle compliance.What We Discovered:Why our industry is traditionally slow to adopt new technology (spoiler: we're too busy making food!)How AI and IoT sensors are transforming tedious paperwork into streamlined digital processesReal examples of companies saving $60,000+ in six months through automationThe hidden costs of manual food safety processes that most of us don't realize we're payingWhy even small food businesses with just 2 employees need proper food safety systemsHow one ice cream company freed up 3 quality employees to move into prod

Hot Sauce Without the Heat - Viggy from Toca FoodsWhat happens when an aerospace engineer meets a sommelier and decides to revolutionize the condiment aisle? In this episode, we sit down with Viggy, co-founder of Tocha Foods, who's created something that sounds impossible: "hot sauce without the heat."From his journey as a would-be rocket scientist to discovering a gap in the sauce market that left millions of people with nothing but salt and pepper, Viggy shares how he and his MBA classmate Matt built a product category that didn't exist. Their "spiced sauces" deliver all the complex flavors of hot sauce without the burn, creating what they call a "blue ocean" for consumers who were previously left out.We dive deep into the realities of CPG life - from the importance of sell-through vs. sell-in data to navigating retail relationships and trade marketing. Viggy also shares some surprising use cases customers have discovered (including some that make our Italian co-host Kenny cringe) and why creating something

Ashlyn Newlove, Founder of SmartSipAshlyn Newlove, Founder of SmartSip. We had an absolute blast talking with Ashlyn Newlove, the competitive and charismatic founder behind SmartSip - a calorie-friendly, fiber-rich powdered coconut oil creamer that's taking the health and wellness world by storm. Ashlyn proves that with the right product, solid margins, authentic social media presence, and enough competitive fire to power a small city, you can turn a road trip idea into a thriving CPG business. Even if it means staying at Holiday Inns while building your empire.Find SmartSip at smartsipcreamco.com - and yes, Kenny's sending Ashlyn some matcha for her next video. Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/Thank you to LeBeauExcel for sponsoring this episode: https://lebeauexcel.com/

Getting Graded: Inside the Wild World of Card Authentication with TGA's TylerEver wondered how a piece of cardboard can be worth millions of dollars? This week, we dive deep into the fascinating (and slightly insane) world of sports card grading with Tyler, founder of TGA(True Grade Authentication), a new Canadian authentication company that's shaking up an industry dominated by American giants.What You'll Learn:Why getting a Wayne Gretzky card graded can cost you $1,000+ (hint: it's not just the grading fee)How the hobby transformed from 25-cent packs to $25,000 boxes with "bounty" cards worth seven figuresThe four critical factors that determine if your childhood card collection is treasure or trashWhy Canadian collectors were getting squeezed out by tariffs and how one entrepreneur saw an opportunityThe Real Talk: Tyler shares his journey from 11-year-old collector to business owner, explaining how a $25 Darryl Sittler rookie card sparked a 30+ year passion that led to launching TGA. We explore the tension

Kyle Schumacher, founder and owner of Caliente Hot Sauce Company, joins the podcast to discuss his entrepreneurial journey from trades worker to successful hot sauce manufacturer. Based in British Columbia, Kyle has built a unique fresh hot sauce business that operates exclusively in refrigerated retail sections. find Kyle here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-schumacher-1a345190/Check out Caliente here: https://calientehotsauceco.ca/Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/Thank you to LeBeau Excel for sponsoring this episode: https://lebeauexcel.com/