Amy Rempel - From Third-Generation Grocery to Pioneering Kids' Skincare

In 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 opportunity
• The reality of working with brokers vs. distributors and what brands need to know before making the call
• Why Amy created a consulting package to bridge the gap between direct-to-consumer and retail-ready brands
• The importance of having distribution, funding, and production capacity in place before approaching brokers

Major Announcement: Amy shares her exciting news about receiving a Golden Ticket and getting Fresh Faces Skincare into Walmart stores nationwide starting February 2025 - and how she's already thinking strategically about execution rather than just celebrating the win.

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between wants vs. needs in emerging categories
• How to position new products in conventional retail (hint: clear shelf signage is everything)
• Why understanding your retailer's customer base is crucial for success
• The evolution of brand partnerships and when it's time to level up

Amy's pragmatic approach to business development and her deep industry knowledge make this a must-listen for anyone looking to scale their brand or work with brokers effectively.

Check out Fresh faces here: https://freshfacesco.com/

Find Amy Rempel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-rempel/

Trading Cards to Facebook Fame: How One Collector Built a Digital Empire

Join 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 shows
• Building customer loyalty through entertainment and guaranteed value
• The challenges of going live for 5-6 hours twice a week
• Why Anthony's girlfriend's AI skills became a game-changer
• Phil's continued resistance to card collecting (spoiler: 2,000 cards is apparently "nothing")
• Kenny's potential future as a guest auctioneer

Whether you're into cards, curious about Facebook Live selling, or fascinated by how hobbies become businesses, this episode offers insights into community building, digital entrepreneurship, and the passion that drives collectors.

Plus: Plans for an epic Vancouver ice cream tour featuring 218 flavors at La Casa Gelato - because apparently that's how card people network.

Find Anthony at https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CqUYjddbr/

Check out La Casa Gelato here: https://www.instagram.com/lacasagelato?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: www.fieldagentcanada.com

Burgoo Restaurant's Justin Joyce on 24 Years of Comfort Food & Vancouver's Evolving Food Scene

We 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.

We 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 have plates when they first opened, serving everything in bowls. No sandwiches, no appetizers, just 10 soups and 15 stews. The menu has evolved dramatically over 24 years, finally adding french fries just this past year after resisting for over two decades.

Check out Burgoo here: https://www.burgoo.ca/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Food Fraud and Authenticity Testing with Deleo De Leonardis, CEO of Purity IQ

In 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 fraud
• The difference between targeted vs. untargeted testing methods
• Real examples of adulteration in honey, olive oil, spices, and supplements
• How economic pressures and supply chain disruptions create opportunities for fraudsters
• The shocking reality that less than 1% of imported products are actually inspected
• Why "Product of Italy" doesn't guarantee authentic olive oil
• The innovative QR-enabled certification system that educates consumers in real-time

Sobering Statistics:

• Some botanical supplements contain over 80% maltodextrin filler instead of active ingredients
• Food fraud has existed since ancient Rome and flourishes during economic uncertainty
• Most labs focus on facility audits (GMP) rather than actual product testing

This conversation will change how you think about the products on grocery store shelves and highlights why consumers, brands, and retailers need to ask better questions about authenticity testing. As Deleo puts it: "You may think you're doing all the right things - you're missing a really big component."

Find Purity IQ here: https://purity-iq.com/

Find Deleo here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delsue28/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Automating Food Safety with Normex

In 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 processes
• Real examples of companies saving $60,000+ in six months through automation
• The hidden costs of manual food safety processes that most of us don't realize we're paying
• Why even small food businesses with just 2 employees need proper food safety systems
• How one ice cream company freed up 3 quality employees to move into production

My Key Takeaways: From temperature monitoring that used to require hourly manual checks to AI-powered corrective action plans, Tanguy shows us practical applications of technology that actually work—not just buzzword solutions. This isn't about replacing people; it's about eliminating the mundane tasks so our teams can focus on what matters: making great food safely.

Whether you're a food processor, manufacturer, restaurant, or anywhere in our supply chain, this conversation offers valuable insights into protecting your business, your customers, and your reputation. I'll admit, food safety isn't the sexiest topic we've covered, but it might be one of the most essential.

Connect with Normex at normex.ca or follow their educational content on LinkedIn for weekly food safety insights.

Find Tanguy at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanguyetoga/?originalSubdomain=ca

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/

Hot Sauce Without the Heat - Viggy from Toca Foods

What 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 genuinely new is both harder and more rewarding than following established formulas.

Plus, hear about their expansion across Canada, plans for "Tocha Sauce Club" cooking sessions, and why sometimes the best business advice is knowing what problem you're actually solving.

Whether you're a founder looking for inspiration, a food lover curious about innovation, or someone who's always wondered what to put on your eggs besides ketchup, this conversation will leave you hungry for more.

Find Toca Foods: https://tochafoods.com/ | @tochafoods on Instagram

Available: Online across Canada, Country Grocer, Gourmet Warehouse, and growing retail locations

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/

Ashlyn 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 https://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/

Ever 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 figures
• The four critical factors that determine if your childhood card collection is treasure or trash
• Why Canadian collectors were getting squeezed out by tariffs and how one entrepreneur saw an opportunity

The 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 between old-school collecting (nostalgia, sentiment, fun) and the new reality where cards are treated like stock investments.

Phil's Journey: Watch our co-host Phil go from complete card skeptic to cautiously intrigued, despite his horror at modern pack prices and complexity. Spoiler alert: Kenny's still trying to drag him to a Toronto card show, and Phil's still saying absolutely not.

Find Tyler at: https://tgagrading.com/

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/