Seth Bahler is the CEO of Oakridge Dairy and the Founder of Moozy and the U.S. Modern Milkman, businesses modernizing how farm-fresh dairy is produced, branded, and delivered. A fifth-generation dairy farmer, Seth guides growth, innovation, brand development, and strategic partnerships while advancing technology and sustainability across the operation. He specializes in transforming a legacy commodity business into consumer-focused brands built on quality, transparency, convenience, and fresh thinking.

Milk is a familiar staple, but younger consumers expect products to feel convenient, distinctive, and connected to their values. Reaching them takes more than updated packaging; it requires a stronger story and a better fit with modern life. How can a traditional category become relevant again?

According to fifth-generation dairy farmer and consumer-brand builder Seth Bahler, the answer is to combine great flavor with modern packaging and a transparent farm story. His approach includes placing fresh milk in aluminum cans, learning directly from Gen Z students, and emphasizing where the product comes from across social media and in-store sampling. Seth recommends treating innovation as an entry point into retail while using consumer feedback to shape branding, messaging, and distribution. Together, these ideas show that legacy categories can evolve without losing the quality and heritage that make them valuable.

In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Seth Bahler, CEO of Oakridge Dairy, about rebranding dairy for Gen Z. Seth shares how canned milk can refresh the category, why flavor and transparency matter, and how student research shaped the brand. He also discusses retail growth, farm technology, AI, and building a fifth-generation startup.

Gagan Levy is the Founder and CEO of GURU, an award-winning, Certified B Corp creative agency that helps conscious brands and purpose-driven movements grow through strategy, storytelling, digital marketing, and culture-centered design. A spiritual strategist with two decades of movement-building experience, Gagan guides founders and senior leaders through brand positioning, creative direction, organizational culture, and purpose-led growth. He is also the author of Start Your Own Damn Cult: A Founder's Field Guide.

A strong brand needs more than a meaningful mission; it also needs a clear reason for customers to care. Purpose creates depth, while research, relevance, and disciplined storytelling turn that depth into sustainable growth. How can a company expand its reach without losing the values and identity that made it distinctive?

Gagan Levy, a brand strategist specializing in purpose-driven growth and culture-centered design, believes the answer lies in balancing soul with strategy. Brands should lead with the benefit customers value most, support creative decisions with research, and introduce the impact story at the point where it can deepen loyalty rather than compete for attention. Gagan also recommends studying the deeper human truths behind cultural trends instead of simply chasing what is popular. When leadership practices, customer messaging, and organizational values reinforce one another, growth becomes an extension of the mission rather than a threat to it.

In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Gagan Levy, Founder and CEO of GURU, about building brands with soul and strategy. Gagan explains how to lead with customer value, use culture-centered insights, and scale devotion without losing purpose. He also touches on regenerative storytelling and yoga-inspired leadership.

Edward (Ed) Hoffman is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the American Egg Board, the producer-funded national organization that increases demand for US eggs through research, education, and promotion. In this role, Ed directs integrated marketing across consumer, retail, foodservice, manufacturing, and export audiences while supporting industry reputation and growth. Drawing on more than 25 years in food marketing, he brings expertise in brand strategy, research, communications, product launches, and stakeholder engagement.

When nearly every household already buys eggs, growth depends less on awareness and more on inspiring new habits. How can marketers make such a familiar staple feel fresh, useful, and worth reaching for more often?

Food marketing expert Ed Hoffman says that the answer lies in increasing usage rather than simply reaching more households. By identifying consumers most likely to change their habits, marketers can focus on addressable barriers, create campaigns around new occasions, and use research to support bold experimentation. Ed also highlights the value of creator relationships, immersive media, and real-time measurement, showing how relevance and engagement can turn a commodity into a stronger platform for growth.

In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Ed Hoffman, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the American Egg Board, about cracking the egg marketing code. Ed explores audience targeting, creator partnerships, and campaigns that increase consumption. He also touches on immersive media, AI, measurement, and career self-advocacy.

Jordan Pilosof is the Co-founder of SaltWater Co., a functional hydration brand creating clean, mineral-rich water infused with Himalayan salt and free from sugar, calories, and unnecessary additives. Drawing on his background as a high-level athlete and his experience in health and wellness, Jordan helps lead product positioning, retail growth, sampling strategy, and founder-led education around better hydration. His work centers on building a premium beverage brand for everyday performance, recovery, and cleaner hydration.

Hydration is no longer just about drinking more water. Consumers are paying closer attention to labels, function, and whether a product actually supports how they live, train, work, and recover. So how can a beverage brand deliver real hydration benefits without turning water into something overloaded or complicated?

Jordan Pilosof, a health and wellness founder with a background in high-level athletics, sees the opportunity in the middle ground between plain water and traditional sports drinks. His answer is simple: build around function first, keep the ingredient list clean, and make trial a core part of growth because people need to taste the product before they understand it. Jordan points to sodium, mineral sourcing, founder-led education, and retail sampling as key levers for earning trust in the crowded hydration category. Clean beverage innovation is strongest when it removes confusion, solves a real need, and makes the value obvious from the first sip.

In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce sits down with Jordan Pilosof, Co-founder of SaltWater Co., to discuss clean hydration and functional beverage innovation. Jordan shares how athletics shaped the brand, why sampling drives adoption, and how clean positioning helps products stand out. He also touches on co-packing, AI in CPG, and finding the right partners to scale.

Sara Couch is the General Manager of Splendor Water USA, a premium bottled water brand known for its unique mineral content sourced from volcanic springs in Ecuador. She leads US growth strategy, retail expansion, and brand development, overseeing partnerships across major retailers while shaping marketing and distribution. Sara blends her background in education policy, nonprofit leadership, and a bilingual MBA from IE Business School to scale Splendor Water in the competitive CPG market while maintaining its mission-driven identity rooted in wellness and sustainability.

Wellness products often look simple on the surface, yet the path from early traction to retail scale is rarely straightforward. Every decision, from packaging to positioning, influences whether a brand can grow beyond its first wave of customers. So what actually determines which products succeed in mainstream retail?

Sara Couch, a CPG operator and beverage brand executive, explains that scaling a wellness beverage comes down to aligning story, product integrity, and channel strategy from the beginning. She emphasizes that DTC traction is critical for validating demand and shaping how brands approach retail partnerships. Sara also points to packaging as a major decision point where sustainability, cost, and usability must stay in balance, while highlighting that team structure and selective use of AI help brands scale without losing identity. The result is a clearer view of how disciplined decisions across early growth stages determine long-term success.

In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is joined by Sara Couch, General Manager of Splendor Water USA, to discuss launching a unique wellness beverage in today's market. Sara unpacks how Splendor Water evolved from an Ecuadorian spring discovery into a layered wellness brand with a strong mineral-driven identity. She also shares advice on lean teams, using AI for efficiency, and protecting focus on strategy over daily execution.

Laurie Buckle is the Founder and CEO of CookIt Media, an influencer marketing and talent management agency with expertise in the food and lifestyle space. With more than three decades of experience in food publishing and media, she has helped dozens of food bloggers and creators develop their brand stories, content strategies, and business growth plans. An alum of renowned publications including Bon Appétit, Fine Cooking, and Better Homes & Gardens, Laurie brings a unique perspective at the intersection of media, talent, content, and brand partnerships.

In the creator economy, attention may start with a post, but long-term success depends on what happens beyond it. Brands want measurable results, creators want to protect their voice, and both sides are trying to build something that lasts. So how can creator-led businesses stay relevant, valuable, and sustainable as platforms, algorithms, and marketing expectations continue to shift?

Laurie Buckle, a food media and creator economy expert, believes the answer is moving beyond one-off brand partnerships and building diversified businesses rooted in authentic content, trusted relationships, and long-term strategy. Rather than treating creators like sales channels, brands need to understand that the strongest partnerships happen when creators can make content they know will work for their audience while brands influence the process without over-controlling it. Laurie also emphasizes that success is not always a clean conversion path; influence often shows up through awareness, trust, engagement, and eventual purchase behavior that is difficult to track one-to-one. For creators, her advice is to focus on great content, build lasting partnerships, and expand into revenue streams like websites, cookbooks, product lines, and other brand extensions that increase both income and relevance.

In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce talks with Laurie Buckle, Founder and CEO of CookIt Media, about future-proofing creator businesses. Laurie explains how creators can diversify beyond brand deals, why authentic content outlasts algorithm changes, and how long-term partnerships benefit brands and creators. She also touches on AI, in-person relationships, and emerging food and supplement trends.

Fred Hart is a Brand and Design Consultant at Hart Brands, a creative consultancy helping CPG brands unlock growth through strategy, design, and packaging. Over the past decade, he built a 30-person branding agency, transformed more than 137 CPG brands, and partnered with founders, growth-stage companies, and Fortune 500 teams. Fred brings a research-informed, principle-led approach to crafting brands that stand out on shelves, connect with consumers, and move businesses forward across competitive categories.

A product's brand can shape the buying decision before anyone ever opens the package. In a crowded CPG aisle, how do brands earn attention, build trust, and turn design into real business growth?

According to Fred Hart, a design strategist and branding consultant focused on CPG, the answer starts with clarity. He believes strong brands know what to emphasize, what to simplify, and what to leave off the front of pack. Whether he's talking about retail visibility, product hierarchy, naming, or packaging strategy, Fred shows how thoughtful design can help brands stand out without overwhelming the consumer.

In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce is joined by Fred Hart, Brand and Design Consultant at Hart Brands, to discuss unlocking growth through strategic branding and design. Fred covers how design fuels each stage of growth, why retail context matters, and how simplification strengthens brand communication. He also shares insights on research, AI, naming, and building brands with room to evolve.

Jake Ahles is the Founder and Creative Director at Morel Creative, a creative agency that helps purpose‑driven food, beverage, and CPG brands grow through strategic storytelling and visual content strategy. He also co-founded The FareTrade, a CPG curation subscription box that highlighted conscious brands. Jake brings firsthand experience in brand growth and creative execution, having helped brands secure shelf space, win investment, and build memorable narratives. He guides clients in turning brand DNA into content that resonates across audiences.

Growth in the food and beverage space isn't just about flashy campaigns or going viral — it's about telling a story that resonates with both consumers and the buyers who put products on shelves. Many brands struggle to clarify their message across different channels or fail to connect emotionally with their audience. How can businesses craft a cohesive brand story that truly drives results?

Jake Ahles, an expert in brand storytelling and creative strategy, explains that the key lies in the Four C's: clarity, cohesion, consistency, and connection. He emphasizes focusing on the emotional core of a brand rather than just listing product features. Jake also recommends auditing existing content to ensure it speaks directly to the ideal consumer and using frameworks to turn brand DNA into actionable storytelling. By applying these principles, brands can strengthen messaging, improve engagement, and increase shelf impact.

In this episode of The Missing Ingredient, CJ Bruce chats with Jake Ahles, Founder and Creative Director of Morel Creative, to discuss why cohesive storytelling drives brand growth. Jake shares insights on the Four C's framework, how to avoid common brand mistakes, and strategies for connecting with buyers and consumers. He also touches on using AI thoughtfully and auditing content to refine messaging.