The Pour Decisions Podcast

What 14,000 Employees Taught Mike Callahan About Leadership

What does it take to go from pushing carts at 17 years old to leading one of the largest grocery banners in the country? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti sits down with Mike Callahan, Division President of Food 4 Less, to discuss his journey through retail leadership, the lessons learned from decades in grocery, and what’s next for one of the most recognized value-focused grocery chains in the U.S. Mike shares how he worked his way up through store operations, merchandising, and executive leadership while staying grounded in the people-first culture that drives the grocery business. The conversation also dives into high-volume retail, leadership transitions, career growth, and the future of Food 4 Less.

How Surfside Became the Fastest-Growing RTD Brand in America

How do you build one of the hottest beverage brands in America in just a few years? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti sits down with Clement Pappis, CEO & Co-Founder of Stateside Brands, and Bobby Bilicki, VP of National Accounts, to unpack the remarkable rise of Surfside. From Clement's family business roots and successful exit to building Stateside Brands from the ground up, this conversation explores the realities of scaling a beverage company, building a national DSD network, navigating retail expansion, launching new products, and competing in one of the fastest-growing categories in beverage. The discussion also dives into Surfside's explosive growth, how the brand surpassed category leaders in key markets, and why California may be the next major chapter in its expansion story.

How Kerry Helps Beverage Startups Go from Idea to Shelf Faster

What separates successful beverage brands from the thousands that never make it past launch? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti sits down with Shawn Gerstenkorn, Senior Director of Sales for New Beverage Ventures at Kerry, and Emmet Malone, Beverage Scientist at Kerry, to discuss how one of the world's largest ingredient and innovation companies helps emerging beverage brands go from concept to commercialization. The conversation explores formulation, commercialization, co-manufacturing, founder evaluation, beverage innovation trends, and what Kerry looks for when deciding which brands to support. Shawn and Emmet also share insights into the future of energy drinks, functional beverages, hydration, and cognitive performance products. Whether you're a founder, beverage entrepreneur, investor, or industry professional, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how successful brands are built.

How Richard Kim Built Common Collabs Into a Go-To Partner for Beverage Startups

What separates a great co-manufacturer from just another production facility? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dan Weisbach sits down with Richard Kim, CEO of Common Collabs, to discuss what it really takes to launch and scale a successful beverage brand. Richard shares his journey from investment banking to leading Common Collabs, one of the beverage industry's fastest-growing co-manufacturing partners. The conversation covers everything from RTD coffee production and minimum order quantities to founder education, cash flow management, and building long-term manufacturing relationships. If you're a beverage founder, operator, investor, or industry professional, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most critical—and often overlooked—parts of building a successful brand.

The Coconut Water Category Is Exploding—Here’s Why

Coconut water is back—and Once Upon a Coconut is leading the charge. In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dan Weisbach sits down with Matt Merson, President of Once Upon a Coconut, and Samantha Hill, Vice President of Sales, to discuss the rapid growth of the coconut water category, why hydration continues to dominate consumer trends, and how they're building one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in America. The conversation explores the resurgence of coconut water, the importance of DSD distribution, how emerging beverage brands scale nationally, upcoming product innovation, and why the team believes Once Upon a Coconut has the potential to become a billion-dollar global brand.

The AI System Running Huxley Behind the Scenes (Built by the Founder)

What does it take to build a nationally distributed beverage brand in just two years? In this episode of Pour Decisions, host Dan Weisbach sits down with Simon Solis-Cohen, Founder of Huxley, to discuss how he's challenging traditional energy drinks with a more balanced approach to energy—and how AI is transforming the way he operates his business. Simon shares Huxley's rapid growth journey, landing national retailers like Sprouts, Whole Foods, Albertsons, and Kroger, while staying lean with a team of just three people. He also gives an inside look at the custom AI-powered operating system he built to streamline sales, operations, forecasting, and retailer decision-making. Whether you're a founder, operator, investor, or beverage entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with practical insights on retail strategy, trade spend, AI implementation, and scaling efficiently.

Why Clean Ingredients Matter More Than Ever in Grocery Retail

What does it take to stay relevant in grocery retail for more than 35 years? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Pat Bolden sits down with Joe Ragusa, Vice President of Marketing & Merchandising for Lazy Acres and New Leaf Markets, to discuss his journey from Costco buyer to leading one of the most respected natural and organic grocery retailers in the country. Joe shares lessons learned from Costco, Fresh & Easy, and other retail experiences, along with insights into innovation, consumer wellness trends, functional foods, clean ingredients, and how retailers evaluate emerging brands. Whether you're a founder, retailer, brand builder, or industry executive, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at what drives success in today's evolving grocery landscape.

The Retail Innovation Playbook: Levi Wingo on Winning Before Everyone Else

What does it take to go from bagging groceries to leading innovation across more than 230 grocery stores? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Danny Stepper sits down with Levi Wingo, SVP of Product & Merchandising Innovation at Raley’s, to discuss his 24-year journey through the grocery industry, the impact of the USC Food Industry Management Program, and how Raley’s is building one of the fastest innovation engines in retail. Levi shares how Raley’s identifies emerging brands, launches products faster than most retailers, and creates opportunities for founders through programs like Get Curious, New AJ’s, and Lo Novo. The conversation also explores Hispanic innovation, private label strategy, retail leadership, and what it takes to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving grocery landscape.

From Beauty Executive to Beverage Founder: Meredith Mills-Merritt’s Journey

Most RTD brands launch with multiple flavors. Meredith Mills-Merritt built an entire company around one cocktail. In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti sits down with Meredith Mills-Merritt, Founder & CEO of The Original Southside, to discuss how she transformed a family-inspired cocktail recipe into a rapidly growing gin-based RTD brand now sold across 25 states. Meredith shares her journey from beauty brand management and product innovation to navigating the highly regulated alcohol industry. From developing a custom gin blend and building a differentiated brand identity to landing major retail accounts and sports partnerships, she offers an inside look at what it takes to build a beverage company from the ground up. The conversation also explores ingredient transparency, alcohol regulations, distributor relationships, retail growth, and why being obsessed with one product can sometimes be your greatest advantage.

How One Water Well Sparked a Movement That Changed 100,000 Lives

What does it look like to dedicate your life to serving others? In this powerful episode of Pour Decisions, hosts Dino Sarti, Danny Stepper, and Pat Bolden sit down with Justin Wren, former MMA fighter, founder of Fight for the Forgotten, and one of the most impactful humanitarians working today. Justin shares his incredible journey from professional fighting to helping Indigenous communities in the Congo gain access to clean water, land rights, healthcare, education, and sustainable livelihoods. Along the way, he discusses surviving malaria multiple times, overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles, partnering with local communities, and why contribution has become the driving force behind his life's work. This conversation is a masterclass in purpose, resilience, leadership, and creating meaningful impact.