Manage episode 493046524 series 3658694
On this episode we’re joined by serial entrepreneur, Sorosh Tavakoli, the Founder and CEO of Stockeld Dreamery, a bold food-tech brand reinventing cheese without animals, using fermentation and legumes (this ain’t your typical plant-based cheese).
Stockeld first launched in food service with their own take on cream cheese and MELT, sliced yellow cheese that actually melts. A big retail push is now under way.
We dig into brand positioning, go-to-market strategy, raising ~$25M out the gate, the decision to prioritize quality over speed, and what it takes to build trust with both chefs and consumers in a category with an historically terrible reputation.
Episode Highlights:
🧀 Stockeld’s mission to reinvent cheese without animals
🌱 Why quality is key in the “third wave” of plant-based dairy
🍔 How they launched through iconic NYC foodservice spots
📦 Packaging and messaging in a skeptical category
🏭 Building a pilot plant and scaling fermentation tech
📊 Category stagnation and where innovation is heading
🛒 Preparing to scale the retail channel
💰 Raising ~$25M out the gate
Table of Contents:
01:05 – Intro, Sorosh’s Background, Origin Story
03:05 – Products in Market
05:50 – Building in CPG as a Former Exited Tech Entrepreneur
08:06 – Commercialization
13:50 – Why Legumes
17:00 – Launching in Food Service
27:40 – Kicking Things Off With Distributors
31:30 – Packaging Design
40:48 – Raising ~$25M Out the Gate
Links:
Stockeld Dreamery – https://www.stockeld.com
Follow Stockeld – https://www.instagram.com/stockeld_dreamery/
Follow Sorosh on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sorosh/
Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/
Check out https://www.kitprint.co for CPG production design support
21 episodes