In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Jake Karls, the unapologetically authentic and refreshingly relatable Co-founder & Chief Rainmaker of Mid-Day Squares, the good-for-you chocolate brand that went from a Montreal condo kitchen to tens of millions of bars sold across thousands of retail stores.

Jake brings a no-BS approach to brand building. For him, the real differentiator isn’t just product innovation—it’s human connection, consistent storytelling, and having the courage to be fully yourself in a crowded category. As Mid-Day Squares scaled from idea to retail reality, Jake played a pivotal role in building community first, leveraging radical transparency, and turning everyday snackers into loyal superfans.

Widely recognized as a rising star in business, Jake has been a finalist for EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year, landed on Forbes 30 Under 30 (Food & Beverage, 2023), and has become a familiar voice in media across North America.

In our conversation, Jake takes us through the creative and chaotic early days of the brand, how daily content evolved into a trust-building machine, and why vulnerability became their most powerful marketing strategy. We explore how the founders navigated rapid growth without compromising authenticity, how they intentionally built a movement rooted in empowerment and inclusivity, and what their journey reveals about the future of food brands that resonate on a human level.

This episode offers an inside look at how Mid-Day Squares disrupted an entire category simply by showing up as themselves.

Website: https://www.middaysquares.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middaysquares/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MidDaySquares/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-karls-653106ba/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mid-day-squares/

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
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Thanks for listening!

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Jeff Lahey, Co-Founder & COO of Humble Chips, the brand turning organic potatoes and a sustainability-first mindset into a movement in snack food. With more than 20 years of experience across Frito-Lay, Guru Organic Energy, and Amplify Snack Brands (SkinnyPop), Jeff brings deep industry insight and a mission to create snacks that are good for consumers and the planet.

Jeff and his co-founder saw a major gap in the “better-for-you” space, plenty of snacks claimed clean ingredients, but almost none tackled the growing issue of packaging waste and plastic pollution. Their own shift toward natural and organic eating inspired the launch of Humble Chips: certified organic potato chips cooked with the skins on, seasoned with intention, and packaged in eco-friendly Plastic Neutral packaging.

In our conversation, Jeff shares how they uncovered an unmet consumer need, the complexities of sourcing organic ingredients and sustainable packaging, and how they built early momentum through authenticity, purpose, and strong retail partnerships. We dive into the realities of scaling a mission-driven snack brand, why transparent storytelling matters, and how Humble continues to put purpose over profit.

This episode goes beyond the crunch, it's a deep look at what it takes to build a brand that stands for something, leads with values, and resonates with the modern conscious consumer.

Website: https://humblechips.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humblepotatochips/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humblepotatochips/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humble-snacks/

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
• Connect with Peter on LinkedIn
• Follow us on Instagram

Thanks for listening!

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Mitchell Scott, co-founder & CEO of The Better Butchers, a Canadian brand building the next generation of meat alternatives.

Mitchell comes with deep experience in the food industry, he previously co-founded another major alternative-protein brand and now is on a mission to remove animals from the food chain while building purpose-driven CPG brands.
In our conversation, Mitchell shares how The Better Butchers uses mushroom-based proteins and mycelium technology to craft sustainable meat alternatives, how they plan to launch cultivated/fermented meat products, and how they’re positioning themselves in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

We also dive into the lessons learned from scaling disruptive food brands, navigating investor and regulatory hurdles, and what it takes to build a brand that resonates with modern consumers who care about flavour and the planet.
This episode is for entrepreneurs and food-brands looking to build with purpose, and make meaningful impact in the supermarket aisle.

Website: https://www.thebetterbutchers.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebetterbutchersmeat/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Better-Butchers-100088953283487/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchell-the-scott/

If you like what you heard leave us a comment or a review and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :

peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com

Keep informed and up to date about the latest news in the food industry, and follow us on social media:

• Join our weekly SKUFood newsletter
• Connect with Peter on LinkedIn
• Follow us on Instagram

Thanks for listening!