The Good Food CFO podcast

Poppi's $1.95B exit is being hailed as the new "North Star" for food entrepreneurs – but Sarah isn't buying the headlines.

When she dug into the reported investor returns, the math literally doesn't work. Forbes reported returns that would individually equal the entire acquisition price – a mathematical impossibility. But if major publications can't do basic math on these deals, what else are we getting wrong?

With $39 million invest...

What happens when nostalgia meets innovation? Sarah sits down with Joe Nicchi, founder of CVT Soft Serve, who transformed a simple craving for East Coast soft serve ice cream into a nationwide success now in 3,000 stores.

After investing $150,000 in a vintage 1961 truck to bring authentic East Coast soft serve to LA, Joe spent years building cult-like brand loyalty. Then came the pivotal moment: when Jeff Bezos installed CVT's machi...

Your inventory numbers are telling a story - but do you know how to read it? 

In this episode, Sarah answers listener questions about inventory turnover ratio - the metric that reveals whether your products are converting to cash or quietly draining your resources.

She shows how to turn a confusing ratio like "2.75" into clear insights - that inventory turnover ratio means it takes your busine...

What happens when you choose to 'control your growth' instead of racing to expand? Sarah sits down with Ilay Karateke, co-founder and CEO of Bezi, the labneh brand redefining growth through meticulous data collection and strategic expansion.

Ilay shares her unconventional approach: launching direct-to-retail in handpicked New York stores, doing her own distribution, and running 5-10 demos weekly while trac...

You asked, Sarah is answering! We love these listener Q&A episodes, and today's cost of goods sold questions are absolute gold.

First up: When Google gives you two different definitions for the same term, which one should you trust? Sarah breaks it down and explains gross profit margin vs. net profit margin and which should be your starting point for healthy food business cash flow.

Then, we h...

Ever wondered why finding a co-manufacturer feels impossibly difficult? Sarah sits down with Julia Megson, CEO of ReScale, who reveals the shocking reality that co-manufacturers receive about 100 inquiries monthly but only work with one to two brands from that entire pool.

Julia's unique background – from auditing over 100 contract manufacturers at Trader Joe's to founding a tech platform specifically for ...

In this eye-opening episode, Sarah breaks down the harsh food distributor chargeback reality that many founders don't discover until it's too late. Using a real-world example of a brand that invoiced KeHE for $68,267 but received only $13,345 (just 19.5%), she dissects exactly where that money went.

From the surprising "initial PO" payment policy that can delay your first check for 3-6 months, to the speci...

Ever wonder how a food business thrives for four decades without compromising on quality? Sarah sits down with culinary visionary Ariane Daguin, who transformed America's specialty meat landscape with just $15,000 and an unwavering commitment to sustainability.

Ariane shares the unvarnished truth about building D'Artagnan from the ground up. She walks us through those challenging first ten years managing t...

In this episode of The Good Food CFO Podcast, Sarah reveals the counterintuitive financial tracking system that successful food brands actually use to drive profitability. Responding to a listener's question about which financial reports matter most, Sarah challenges conventional wisdom by presenting a strategic hierarchy that puts cash flow management at the top of the priority list—not the P&L statement many founders...

In this Building a Business on Your Own Terms episode, Sarah sits down with Matt Cross, co-founder of Harvest Chocolate, a bean-to-bar chocolate company in Tecumseh, Michigan. Matt shares how he and his wife Elizabeth transformed their culinary expertise into a thriving chocolate business that started in their kitchen during the pandemic and now operates a successful retail location with multiple sales channels.

Despite rising costs and economic uncertainty, Sarah brings her characteristic straight talk to food business finances in this timely episode: "All is not lost." 

Drawing from both historical patterns and current market insights, she explains why specialty food brands can still thrive during economic downturns as consumers continue treating themselves to small luxuries like artisan chocolate and premium co...

In this episode Sarah sits down with Christopher Hudson, the Arizona native behind Benny Blanco Tortillas. After years in food service, Christopher purchased the company in what he calls "a match made in heaven."

Christopher's approach to building a business on his own terms combines premium quality ingredients with transparent sourcing, a premium pricing strategy and a willingness to say "no" to opportuni...

Did you hear the episode where Sarah told her client they needed 70% product margins? Were you curious why it was so much higher than the usually recommended 51%? 

In this episode, Sarah pulls back the curtain on how she determines the right product margins for different food businesses, and guides you to finding yours. 

She reveals where your P&L is hiding crucial information and walks throug...

In a world where food startups chase rapid growth and quick exits, People's Choice Beef Jerky stands as a refreshing counterexample. This Los Angeles-based company has been crafting premium meat products since 1929, and is now thriving under fourth-generation leadership. Their story offers valuable lessons for food founders looking to build sustainable, profitable businesses that can withstand the test of time.

After more than 10 years away, Sarah decided to return to natural foods' biggest industry event - but why now? In this candid Season 14 opener, Sarah takes you behind the scenes of her Expo West experience, revealing what's changed, what hasn't, and whether the industry hype actually lives up to reality.

The conversation also explores the striking contrast between the big business of Expo West and the Inte...

In this eye-opening episode of the Good Food CFO podcast, Sarah Delevan talks with Stacy Mitchell, co-executive director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, about the myths of market consolidation and how food founders can fight back against corporate monopolies.

Stacy Mitchell is a writer, strategist, and policy advocate whose work focuses on dismantling concentrated corporate power and building thr...

In this special episode of The Good Food CFO podcast, we’re sharing highlights from our live Q&A session with BABOYOT members. 

These quarterly events are an awesome opportunity to connect with Founders and answer their most pressing financial questions. 

Some of the topics we tackled:

• Food Service vs. Wholesale Pricing: Disco...

In this episode of The Good Food CFO Podcast, Sarah Delevan shares candid insights from a recent meeting with the founder of a brand generating over $400 million in annual revenue, and doing it profitably. Through a series of powerful "sound bites" captured during their conversation, Sarah reveals how this founder's approach challenges traditional industry wisdom while delivering remarkable results.

You’ll...

In this episode of the Good Food CFO Podcast, Sarah Delavan sits down with Hope Lawrence, founder of Hudson Henry Baking Co., who shares her remarkable journey of building a profitable granola business on her own terms. From starting with just $4,000 in her farmhouse kitchen to reaching $1.25M in annual revenue, Hope's story proves that sustainable growth and profitability are possible without outside investment.