The Jungle Jim's Podcast

Nutrient dense pita chips is not a phrase I thought i'd say so frequently but here we are. We sat down with Alexander Harik, founder of ZestyZ, to talk all about navigating the CPG space, launching products, tips for other creative types out there, and so much more - this was a great, emotional episode that really unlocks a lot of secrets to many peoples' success in the food industry. I love an inspiring episode full of hope, which...

Steamed interview questions? They're clearly grilled. We are so thrilled to have had Bill Oakley join us on the show. If you're unfamiliar with Bill and his work, let me share a little more from him directly: Bill Oakley is an Emmy-winning writer and producer best known for his iconic work on The Simpsons, where he co-ran the show during its critically acclaimed seventh and eighth seasons. He co-created the cult classic animated se...

This week, i'm joined by Pet Department Manager Mike, and we're recapping so many products from the Global Pet Expo. We've got a ton of new stuff in right now from brands like Kona, Canidae, Blue Buffalo, a hilarious collaboration with KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Sustainably Yours, and a REALLY fun product from Kong Connects where I will be training my animals to become prized boxers. Amazing stuff. Then we're joined by friend of...

Tyler from Onima Pantry stops into Jungle Jim's on his tour across America to talk about his product lines. We learn about pigeon languages, the secret behind Onima's name and origin, everything you could want to know about garums (fermented fish sauce that was used as a condiment in the cuisines of Phoenicia, ancient Greece, Rome, Carthage and later Byzantium), and so much more. We really should try to make a garum here in the stu...

Today we're joined by Barbie of That Dam Jam - she makes all kinds of excellent spiced jams that will absolutely rule your parties this summer. Great for gifts, great for eating, and if you don't try it soon, we'll make sure you have a chance at this year's Weekend of Fire Festival. What you may not know is how many of these brands, especially those launched during COVID, got a huge boost by working with Jungle Jim's. We here at th...

This week we're joined by not only Jungle Jim himself, but Matt from Nature Fresh Farms based out of Canada. If you're unfamiliar with Nature Fresh, here's a little more: Nature Fresh Farms® is a pioneer in greenhouse-grown produce, committed to nourishing people and the planet through innovation and sustainability. Based in Leamington, Ontario, with facilities across North America, we're not just growers; we're innovators. We buil...

This week, we're prepping for the Sweets & Snacks Expo, one of the best trade shows in the world. All kinds of huge brands come out and show off their best treats for the next year or so, and we get to try them. Stay tuned to our social media to see some clips! Meanwhile, friend of the show and host of the podcast "Full Spin Club," Dave Stewart, joins us to go through some of the previous year's snacks from the expo. Cmon by the Os...

A few months back, we had the pleasure of bringing in the hilarious comedian, Gianmarco Soresi. Make sure you watch our video of us shopping around the store to get all of these items. We tried international produce, chips from all over the world, unique drinks, and more while talking about Gianmarco's career in comedy, discussing the effects of crowd works in the modern entertainment landscape, and so much more. Gianmarco, I can't...

This week, we're trying the new Thai Yellow Curry and Korean Spicy BBQ chips from Calbee, we're talking about the Findlay Kitchen Fundraiser I'm emceeing and how you can try so many of their products RIGHT HERE in Jungle Jim's, and diving into our first live exit interview with an employee. Ray Jones was one of our head cashiers, and when he moved, I saw an opportunity to do something silly - and that opportunity turned into someth...

We brought in Griffin, best known as SodaSeekers, joins us this week to compare international beverages to US made ones! SodaSeekers is the largest beverage-dedicated news account on Instagram - Griffin talks all things drink and drink accessory and he felt like the PERFECT person to compare all these international sodas! He also writes for the Mythical Kitchen's site Sporked.com where you can read his reviews and some great write ...

Today i'm joined by friend of the show, Billy Sutherland of Iron Road, and Billy brings along the excellent Teresa Lampl from The Ohio Council. If you're unfamiliar with The Ohio Council, The Ohio Council is a statewide trade and advocacy association representing over 170 private businesses providing community-based prevention, substance use, mental health, and family services throughout Ohio. Our member organizations care for indi...

This week, we're joined by comedian Shawn Braley from the Commonwealth Sanctuary - looking forward to our future collaborations. We're trying some international treats, like Moshi's Uji Matcha White Strawberry soda, Arctic Ocean's tangerine beverage, some new samples from CPG company Fruve, and some treats from the UK. We talk about the comedic landscape changing and some of creative people we're bringing to the greater Cincinnati ...

We kick it off with a short recap on Pickle Wars (only for the YouTube viewers) and announce that we are bringing Sandwiches of History to Jungle Jim's International Market Fairfield in March, and I get to be his guest star! I am SO SO stoked for this! If you haven't, check out Sandwiches of History on all social platforms. Then, I'm joined this week by musician Benjamin James Howard to talk about our favorite products that have go...

WHOA! Ok, no words are needed for this. Two Cincinnati Titans have come together to create this incredible new treat, the Skyline Spice ice cream with oyster crackers! I absolutely loved it, which I guess is a spoiler, but I cannot wait for Cincinnati to try. I was so thankful to sit down with Shannon from Graeter's to talk all about the brand, their ideation process, how they partnered with Skyline for this excellent treat, and th...

This week, we're hanging out with our friend Mullet Review - if you're unfamiliar with his work, he's taken the area by storm with his excellent, authentic, and funny restaurant reviews. Maybe you've seen him on our TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram before - we love him. This week, we tried to dethrone ranch dressing by sampling things like Remia's Frites Sauce Classic, Kewpie's Onion Dressing, Alreef's Iraqi Sauce, barbecue sauce fro...

This week I sit down with the family behind Velvet Ice Cream to learn all about their product line, the ideation process, and so many other fun things. Even cooler, they came in to make some REALLY unique sundaes with me - like the pickle ice cream sundae, a Blue Moon Orange Sherbet float, potato chip sundae, and more! I learned more about ice cream than I thought I could, which is why I've been eating so much of it while writing u...

It's a week of snow days here in the greater Cincinnati area, but Jungle Jim's International Market is open for YOU! This week, Lucky and I dive into some comfort foods with a twist - can we prepare them inside of this Pokemon-themed panini press we got from our toy department? I think the answer is mostly yes. In the meantime, we talk about our personal opinions on dyes in food, chemicals in food, all while pressing Screaming Sici...