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Tara Tomulka & Megan Loach Tomulka | Rawcology
92 Plays7 months ago
The snacking category is near and dear to our hearts as consumers and when we can indulge on nourishing, low-sugar goodies the guilt just melts away.
In this energetic conversation we chat with Tara and Megan from Rawcology and we talk about healthy eating habits, allergen and inflammation-free ingredients, we chat through all their delicious, grain-free granolas and plant-based snacks, and we get our organic mojo going too.
We also chat about the challenges of running a women-led business in the food industry and the power of community and consumer support for the future of the grocery store.
Visit https://rawcology.com to learn more about the snacks they make and where you buy them.
Learn more about the team behind the Aisle 42 podcast at https://www.ethicalfoodgroup.com/podcast.
Here's a summary of this episode:
Tara Tomulka and Megan Discuss Rawcology's Mission:
The co-founders of Rawcology, Tara and Megan, discuss their commitment to creating nourishing, allergy-friendly, and low-sugar food products with a focus on health and wellness.
Emphasis on Quality Ingredients:
They highlight the importance of selecting high-quality, organic ingredients that are beneficial for health and environmentally sustainable.
Vision for Future Grocery Stores:
Megan shares her vision for grocery stores as places of discovery where customers are educated about innovative ingredients and healthier eating habits.
Interactive Shopping Experience:
The concept of grocery stores as community hubs where customers interact and learn about food is emphasized, suggesting a more personalized shopping experience.
Challenges of Women-led Businesses:
The interview addresses the unique challenges faced by women in the business world, particularly in sectors dominated by men.
Supporting Women Entrepreneurs:
They discuss the importance of community support and consumer choices in promoting and sustaining women-led businesses.
Product Development and Innovation:
Details are provided about Rawcology's product lines, including grain-free granolas and plant-based snacks, and their approach to innovation in the food industry.
Health Benefits of Products:
The health benefits of their products are discussed, focusing on allergy-friendliness and the avoidance of inflammatory ingredients like seed oils.
Educational Role of Grocery Stores:
The role of grocery stores in educating consumers about health and nutrition is highlighted as a crucial element of their vision for the future.
Advocacy for Organic and Sustainable Practices:
Both founders advocate for more organic farming and sustainable practices within the food industry, emphasizing the need for consumer education on these topics.
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Transcript
Introduction & Theme of Low Sugar Snacks
00:00:00
Speaker
This is aisle 42.
00:00:07
Speaker
category is near and dear to our hearts as consumers and when we can indulge on nourishing low sugar goodies the guilt just melts away.
Rockology: Healthy Eating & Allergen-Free Granolas
00:00:15
Speaker
In this energetic conversation I chat with Tara and Megan from Rockology and we talk about healthy eating habits, allergen and inflammation free ingredients and we chat through all their delicious grain-free granolas and plant-based snacks. Oh and we get our organic mojo going too.
00:00:31
Speaker
We also chat about the challenges of running a women-led business in the food industry and the power of community and consumer support for the future of the grocery store. You're going to love listening in. Here's Megan and Tara from Rockology.
Challenges in Women-Led Business
00:00:48
Speaker
Tara, Megan, I'm so glad we're having this chat because your product has earned more water cooler talk in my office than any other brand this year. It helps that you sent us a generously large box of samples, so thanks for that. It was so interesting to watch people pick up a bag and read the front and turn it over and read the back. Some of them would say things like,
00:01:09
Speaker
What is it or grain free? I don't get it. But then they'd shove three handfuls in their mouth, steal two bags for their desks. And it was, you know, there you go. It was, it's so, so good. The product is so great. But before we talk about that, what you guys make and why you make it, let's kick things
Future of Grocery Stores: Discovery & Community
00:01:26
Speaker
off. Talk about the future for a second. If you were to imagine the perfect grocery store, what would it look like?
00:01:32
Speaker
Well, I think the perfect grocery store in my mind is what makes me most excited about grocery stores, which is the discovery element. A grocery store has a lot of power and the ability to expose their customers to what are the most innovative ingredients
00:01:47
Speaker
What are these different type of trending type of health habits? What's the freshest produce and what's different? And those are the grocery stores that I always find the most exciting. And so for the future, I hope that the grocery stores take hold of that power of education and exposure for the consumer to bring them the best products from local to global to the innovative set that really are supporting our health. We know food is very powerful in our wellness and plants are
00:02:16
Speaker
medicine and all of those different aspects and bringing in also the community component. We spend a lot of time in grocery stores. I love when I see people, oh, hey, Sue, it's a place where you run into your neighbors. You know, a lot of things moving to technology. I hope the future of grocery still remains a human element that brings kind of the best the world has to offer right to your doorstep.
00:02:36
Speaker
I wholeheartedly agree with all of that Megan has said too. It's really grocery operators as a force for good. So being the ones that vet all the products to ensure that they're really offering truly nourishing and delicious
00:02:52
Speaker
There are so many products that are branded as healthy, but really that the operators are going through that process to vet the products that you have trust in your grocery stores that they're really offering the most nourishing, delicious products. And it should be fun. It should be fun. 100%.
00:03:11
Speaker
a grocery store should be fun. I agree. And you know, and sometimes we need to fill a big cart because we've got a lot of people to feed or we don't have a lot of time. And then there's other times where the grocery store feels like a destination, like an activity, like something that we can really enjoy and some entertainment factor behind it. And it's a beautiful thing when we get a chance. And I liked the way you said about discovery. That's the way I shop. I'm always, I mean, we're in the business, right? So we sort of, I know we're wired a little bit differently, but,
00:03:40
Speaker
And I am insufferable to shop with. My family doesn't want to go with me anymore. My daughter's like, can we please go? I'm like, no, this is new. I have to read everything. But when grocery stores can become a place of discovery and a place where our curiosity can be piqued and given that in many, you know, we're talking about our snacking life. We're talking about our meal prep. We're talking about lunches for the kids.
00:04:06
Speaker
Like these grocery stores are the genesis of so many activities and moments in our life when we get a chance to really explore and learn and try new things and sort of shake things up and get excited about the things that we're serving our families. It can be really fun. So I agree the future should be brighter if there's creative people doing wonderful things in the grocery store.
00:04:27
Speaker
Not everyone knows rockology like I do. So why don't you guys take a moment and talk to us a little bit about all of the things that you guys make and why you make it.
Rockology's Mission & Health Focus
00:04:37
Speaker
Amazing. Maybe Tara, you can take us through kind of the birthing, the beginning. Yes. So for those that don't know, rockology is a family owned business run by three sisters, myself, Megan, and our sister, Laura.
00:04:52
Speaker
And my background, I am a certified holistic nutritionist and wanted to create Rawcology because I didn't understand why packaged food needs to be the way that it still largely is today. Loaded with refined sugars, cheap ingredients, preservatives, food additives, they're ultimately making individuals sick. And so with Rawcology, it's always been about the ingredients. So our products, certified organic,
00:05:20
Speaker
plant-based low sugar and free from common allergens like peanuts, tree nuts, gluten and dairy so that everyone can enjoy them regardless of dietary restrictions. We first started off with a line of coconut chips that is now a very small piece of our business but going back it's always been about the ingredients and offering nourishing products so we innovated developed a line of grain-free granolas that have become
00:05:49
Speaker
our core business. And we also have a line of granola snack bites, 15 skews in total, and really nourishing delicious products that can be enjoyed and loved by the entire family.
00:06:03
Speaker
Yeah, and part of it in that kind of journey is definitely looking at, as Tara mentioned, things that everyone can enjoy. We know that gluten free is a big part of what people are looking for these days because the allergies are on the rise, people who are celiac, but also those that are actively avoiding it. And between the three sisters, I am the sister-in-law, but all of us have been on our own health journeys.
00:06:27
Speaker
you go through something personally like that it makes you really aware of what you're eating and terra had founded the business in twenty seventeen when i write when i went on matt lee with my first child and when you educate yourself on like oh i'm pregnant i shouldn't be eating this you ask yourself why is everybody else eating this
00:06:45
Speaker
And when you know better, you do better. And I think that's really the ethos of the purpose behind Rockology is we want to do better and offer food that is functional and actually good for you. And we're moms, we feed it to our kids, like making things that we're really proud of. And algae free eating is a really important category. I think, do I remember correctly, you got 10 or 11 allergens that your products are free from, which I think is remarkable.
00:07:13
Speaker
My journey in allergy stuff is up until about 10 years ago. I didn't really, I just stayed away from tuna because of some event when I was a child, sort of let me, doctors to believe that I was allergic to some preservative that was common in canned tuna. So, okay, I'll stay away from canned meat for a while.
00:07:30
Speaker
But when my wife was pregnant and then a new mom, dairy free started to kind of, it made sense for her and her kid. And it was like, oh, and then eventually I stopped buying dairy products because well, you never can kind of get through. And so allergy free eating started to kind of come into our home life a little bit.
00:07:48
Speaker
But now it's amazing. It's almost a part of almost everyday conversations. Will someone say, well, let's go for, let's go eat or let's grab something and all. I don't eat this. I don't do that. And we're not talking about a lot of necessarily doctor diagnosed allergies. It's like, it's a preference or it's a, I feel better when I don't eat that it's, it's allergy free eating is very commonplace now. And the fact that,
00:08:13
Speaker
and i'll be honest when i first saw your packaging of the grain free granola i was a little bit like grain free grain free granola i had to think about it like it wasn't like an immediate oh i understand what it is and then i poured some you know actually i didn't pour it in a bowl i pour it right into my hand i'm like i'm just gonna eat this
00:08:31
Speaker
It was extremely indulgent tasting and then i turn the package over and like actually this is not as indulgent as i thought it would be based on the taste like this tastes sweet delicious i know why is this healthy for me so it's interesting you guys are going down.
00:08:47
Speaker
this journey but you guys the number of products you have for this size of company you are is really remarkable you guys are really filling a lot of grocery stores with a lot of products so what are some of the things that your consumers are saying about your product how is it helping people in their health and in their wellness and in their eating occasions.
00:09:07
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely.
Customer Feedback & Health Benefits
00:09:08
Speaker
I mean, we like to get out and do a lot of demos ourselves. And so we get a lot of great feedback that way. And there's really kind of three specific buckets of customers that are very, very enthusiastic about our products. One is anyone who's sitting in a slightly older kind of pre-diabetes set,
00:09:28
Speaker
I think there's a huge, I mean, we know about it, the, what sugar can do to the body and all of those different aspects. And we have these very loyal customers that were carried in some Sprite stores in the US where if this one or two certain stores are out of blueberry, we get calls from these older gentlemen that like, I can't get it. And it's the only thing my doctor says I can eat that I actually like to eat.
00:09:48
Speaker
So it's this bonus of being able to satisfy this group that is now waking up to thinking, wow, I didn't eat very well as I have aged. And now I have to really watch my sugar content. I don't want to give up the flavor and I want to enjoy what I'm eating. Food should be enjoyed.
00:10:04
Speaker
and we're able with the amazing ingredients that we use that are natural like coconut sugar and wild blueberry powder and organic fruit purees to really get this amazing flavor and experience while still keeping the sugar incredibly well. Like one gram of sugar in our blueberry flavored grain free granola, it's almost unheard of in the aisle.
00:10:26
Speaker
I'll let Tara maybe talk. I mean we've got parents as well that like definitely that the nut free set is a big thing and then... Exactly. Being allergy friendly, so peanut free, tree nut free, our products are school safe. So parents can take them to schools and feel confident about the products that they're sending to school. Another big thing too are we don't use seed oils.
00:10:50
Speaker
So 95% of other granolas in the grocery store use canola or sunflower seed oils, which are highly inflammatory. So we find more and more from doing those demos that we get customers that are educated and understand the impact of those oils on their health and looking for a healthier option. And so we only use virgin coconut oil in our products.
Ingredient Insights: Oils & Organics
00:11:20
Speaker
I would love it if you could explain a little bit about inflammation from seed oils, because I'm hearing that a lot more lately. It's becoming a lot more, everyone's talking about it. Like, are we talking about like muscle joint inflammation? Are we talking like, is that what we're talking about here?
00:11:38
Speaker
it can definitely lead to muscle joint inflammation, inflammation in the brain. So really it is those seed oils like sunflower and canola have a much higher omega six to omega three ratio. And so having too much of that really throws off that balance of omega fats in the body, which lead to inflammation in the body. So really it can impact
00:12:07
Speaker
multiple areas in the body, so inflammation and brain health. I know I went recently through some issues with my liver and had to detox the liver and really looking at the sources of oils that I was consuming was so important and made sure that I wasn't consuming those types of oils. So really it can be
00:12:29
Speaker
taxing on major organs in the body like your liver to joint pain. We hear that from customers as well too that they want to live an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. So really looking at all of those inputs from food too to make sure that they're enjoying an anti-inflammatory diet because it's going to have an impact on all areas of your body in terms of inflammation.
00:12:55
Speaker
So taking out the seed oils and then adding in the right ingredients, you know, we always add in superfoods. So we have beetroot powder that is really anti-inflammatory and a lot of other foods that are able to actually create anti-inflammatory aspects in the body.
00:13:13
Speaker
That's great. I love it. I think the fact that a product like yours can be free from and safe in so many ways, but what you're actually enjoying is all the wonderful things you've put into it. So talk to me about organic ingredients. It's Earth Day today too, guys. We're recording this on Earth Day.
00:13:32
Speaker
It is Earth Day. We're recording this on Earth Day, and I am becoming increasingly passionate about organic ingredients. And only because, well, it tastes better in almost every case, but it is the baseline. It's the foundation for all the other things that we need to do in the food system to make it more sustainable and to be consuming food that's healthier for us.
00:13:56
Speaker
People want to talk about all sorts of things, but if it doesn't start with organic production, organic farming, organic ingredients, then I think we might be jumping the shark. So talk to me about your organic ingredients. What's some of the process you guys go through to sourcing these organic ingredients and what are your customers saying about the taste and the flavor and the quality of these ingredients?
00:14:21
Speaker
We are very passionate about organics with our business. We've always had that organic mandate and really it is exactly as you say, it is the nutrient density. The function of those foods is so much more powerful when it's certified organic and the nutrition benefits that we can obtain from
00:14:43
Speaker
the ingredients that we're consuming when they're certified organic. So we, the majority of our, all of our ingredients, so we meet that standard for certified organic. So primarily all certified organic ingredients. And so we go through a process where we source
00:15:01
Speaker
on oral organic ingredients that are allergy friendly. So that makes it a little bit harder to making sure that they also come from allergy friendly facilities to those those ingredients. So things like sunflower and pumpkin can be a little bit more challenging because they can be sourced commonly from nut environments and just ensuring that they are high quality as well. So when we source our pure cacao, for example, to we go through
00:15:31
Speaker
an intense process in terms of tasting, where that's coming from. Soil has a huge impact on the taste of ingredients as well too. So really evaluating a variety of different certified organic suppliers when we choose the ingredients that we use in our products.
00:15:52
Speaker
And it's interesting to bring it back down to kind of like the base level, which I feel like there's this big surge in organic support. And then it, I mean, those who are passionate about it still have it. However, it seems like there's more education to be done. Like people need to be reminded about.
00:16:09
Speaker
Why organic in the first place and how can we make it so that organic is more accessible? How can we have more organic farmers using that type of farming? Because ultimately it does come back to it's better for the body and it's better for the planet. It's less chemicals that are going into our food systems, going directly into our mouths, and from the entire cycle of farming and agriculture,
00:16:29
Speaker
It is going to be part of that future aspect to make sure that we are being the most responsible and just smart eating so that we're not getting those chemicals. You know, sometimes we try and have these like feel good Fridays in the office. And, you know, there's been a few moments where I feel like I need to have like a riled up, like a fired up Friday, because it becomes this moment of how can they put this in the food and how are these chemicals even allowed on the shelves? And we hope that even a podcast like this porn and what you're doing to bring light to that is
00:16:58
Speaker
organic farming is the difference between having chemical pesticides on your food products and that goes into everything else you can see. Yeah, I really appreciate that. And I think normally I have behind me, your product would normally be there, but I ate it. So you don't get to see your product behind you. But I was looking at another product that has regenerative organic, regenerative agriculture right on the front of the package.
00:17:25
Speaker
which I thought was interesting. I think given that consumers, you know, it's already, I don't want to say it's hard, but just, you know, consumers have a lot to consider and they don't usually have a ton of time to consider everything that people like us would want to highlight and call out and bring attention to.
00:17:41
Speaker
And so when you see things like regenerative agriculture and certified organic, you see all these other claims and things that are important.
School-Safe Snacks & Family Appeal
00:17:50
Speaker
I think consumers can find it a little bit taxing in that. Well, what they need to focus on is, you know, calories. A lot of them are looking for vitamins or protein, or they're looking at salt, sodium content or sugar content. They're sort of, they have their things that they're looking for. And one of the,
00:18:07
Speaker
reasons why i think your product is so remarkable is that it's actually it's very approachable when it comes to what you guys have made and i like the fact that you have your bites school safe bites that is a category in its own where i think a lot of families are looking for healthy things to put in their kids lunches that are allowed to go to school,
00:18:29
Speaker
and that the kids actually want to eat. That's the hard part. That is the hard part. So you guys have done a great job formulating products that I think when people start eating it, they're like, oh yeah, this tastes great.
00:18:42
Speaker
Well, thank you. We have some some very exciting innovation that is is coming forward kind of on that snacking side. But it's sometimes it's wild. I recently was hungry for something and my husband had picked up some bars at Costco and I go, OK, I'm going to eat one of these kids snack bars. It's in my car because I'm starving. And I look at him like 19 grams of sugar.
00:19:04
Speaker
I'm giving a four year old like 19 grams of sugar. It's just, it really is coming back to that aspect of really looking at, okay, let's help educate as best we can. Let's put our money where our mouth is and make something that is delicious that kids want to eat, that we feel good about eating and make sure that it's available on the products and get the pricing as great as we can. We use premium ingredients. You know, that is a hard thing when you're committed to using
00:19:30
Speaker
premium organic ingredients and we hope that as the future comes that organic farming is more accessible and it comes back to also sustainable packaging. You know there's still a ways to go for technology to bring more sustainable in-home recyclable packaging and so that's constantly something that we strive to do as well as making sure that we're zero waste so we
00:19:53
Speaker
utilize eating any like not grocery ready food items, we have a process where we make sure that we don't waste it, it all gets used.
00:20:02
Speaker
That's awesome. I didn't realize that. That's fantastic. I think it's our responsibility to do everything we can. And, you know, sometimes those decisions are easy. Sometimes they're really hard. Sometimes they're expensive. Sometimes they just take a dedication and that's remarkable. What's on the horizon? So it sounded like you were hinting at something that you're not allowed to talk about. So I love a good message.
00:20:26
Speaker
I won't prod, I won't prod. But when you guys look ahead to the next year or two, what is it about the category that you're in and the grocery stores that you're in that gets you excited about what you guys are making?
Expansion Plans & Market Growth
00:20:40
Speaker
We are excited about moving a little further into the snacking category. So that's definitely something that is exciting for us. We are carried in the US. We're looking to provide more of our neighbors to the south with more of our products. And we are going to be launching into a few new grocery stores in Canada, which is really great. Which retailers are you in in the US? So we're in spreads farmers market.
00:21:09
Speaker
So wonderful retail banner, I love that grocery store. Yeah, and have to say their staff is so amazing. We make an effort to go on field trips to go down and visit the stores and do demos and call the managers and they really have a wonderful, wonderful culture that trickles down into all the managers that work in the store as well. Yeah, so innovation, something that's kind of protein-based, which we're excited about.
00:21:35
Speaker
Exactly. I think it's making it more accessible and approachable for a wider audience. And we're just really excited about what we're working on and think it'll have a big reach. Yes, without compromising ever on the ingredients. So in that way kind of is right up your alley in terms of what is that kind of marketing and branding and the positioning and how can we
00:22:00
Speaker
and be able to get the product that is so great that has this loyal following into the mouths of more people. You know, the person who buys raw ecology, they want to be healthy. They really love the positioning of it as I am the person who buys an incredibly healthy ingredient. And we want that to be in the basket of the shoppers that shop in the main aisle that are going into the cookie section that, you know, want something healthy for their kids, but maybe they are not, you know,
00:22:29
Speaker
reading health blogs and it's not at the high level, it needs to be easy, it needs to be good for them, make it simple and accessible.
Processing: Raw vs Ultra-Processed Foods
00:22:37
Speaker
your brand rawcology obviously hints on the says includes the word raw. And I think ultra processed foods is a really, uh, it's a topic that's getting a lot of attention right now where consumers, and I think the plant-based consumer is actually increasingly aware of this because a lot of plant-based alternatives were heavily processed in order to mimic or sort of replace conventional products at any given category. So I think,
00:23:04
Speaker
lightly processed or raw ingredients, I think plays a really important piece in the puzzle when it comes to people's health and eating, consuming ingredients that just are easier on their body and require less of their body to digest.
00:23:21
Speaker
I would love Tara to take you through, because I love this as like a key point that I like to tell customers when I'm handing out samples, is about the fact that we sprout our seeds and we dehydrate the product. So you share that information. Exactly. The whole meaning behind rockology too, it's so much more than just
00:23:40
Speaker
raw foods. It represents pure whole foods to us, but we do follow raw food principles. So that includes sprouting the sunflower and pumpkin seeds in our products. So with that, we go through a process where we soak the seeds in waters. It removes the enzyme inhibitors in the seeds and allows the seeds to become a much more nutritious
00:24:05
Speaker
nutrient-dense seeds. So they're easier to digest that way, and you're going to be able to assimilate the nutrients from the seeds. So magnesium, zinc,
00:24:14
Speaker
from those seeds so much more powerful that way when you've gone through the spouting process. And so few companies are going through that process of spouting their ingredients and then also to re-dehydrate the products at a low temperature. So technically they are living foods. So they're giving you as much nutrition as possible that you can obtain from foods when they're processed in a low heat.
00:24:43
Speaker
but tastes still crunchy like a normal granola. Like some people love that. And some people are like, what? I don't know. But it's, you know, it's dehydrated in a warm area, but it's at a lower temperature and over a longer period of time. Like we don't do anything the easy way. We do the process that takes longer, but it means what you're eating is more bioavailable and actually has
00:25:04
Speaker
I love you guys' one-two punch. Here's the reason why. And don't worry, it still tastes good. That's a good one. Don't worry yet. Yes. Totally hippie food. We're like, Tara's in the kitchen. She's in the kitchen mixing it up. She's our recipe developer. I'm sales and marketing. I'm the business developer, being like, it tastes good. Yes.
00:25:26
Speaker
I was eating, speaking of snack bars, this one wasn't high in sugar. When I was trying, it was really high in sodium. Unfortunately, it was way too high in sodium. It had all these amazing things in it, and it tasted horrible. It was like, oh, I would like this in my life, but I can't swallow it. So not going to happen. Taste is number one.
00:25:46
Speaker
Have a good product because you're not gonna want to eat it and food is the essence of wanting it to be enjoyable and also when you're trying to feed other people whether you be you know in your 60s and you're a diabetic or you're for and you're hungry after school.
00:26:02
Speaker
Tara, I do appreciate the explanation of sprouted, by the way. I actually think that was one of the best descriptions I've ever heard. It was just scientific enough. And I think it's important for us to... Because we see it on grocery store shelves. We see sprouted this and in that. And it's not always clear to consumers why that's important and how that's helpful to them.
00:26:25
Speaker
I think nutrient density is a really big factor and also absorption that our bodies can actually do something with it instead of it just kind of going right through us. So I think that's really important. So I appreciate you saying that.
Support & Challenges for Women-Led Businesses
00:26:39
Speaker
My last question for you is around being a women-led business. And I'm a father of an entrepreneurial daughter. She is every weekend. She's selling something on the street corner, trying to make a buck. She's got to feed that Roblox habit somehow. Or she's always buying phone cases for a phone that doesn't work.
00:26:59
Speaker
Um, or that we don't let her use anyway. Um, what's it like running a business? What's it like having that? I mean, you know, I don't know how do I say this in a world full of men? What's it like running a food business?
00:27:15
Speaker
Yeah, I think that we talk about this a lot. Obviously, we always celebrate International Women's Day. We are lucky of coming from households with very strong women as our guides, whether they be our mothers or our grandmothers. But it is not an obstacle that is done. I think it's really the conversation that we have made incredible strides from, say,
00:27:37
Speaker
Our mother's era, but there are a lot of of hindrances. There's a lot of stereotypes There's a lot of very basic things that you can see in the facts of how many female led businesses get funded say venture capital investment is it's Procious in terms of the level of it versus the stats of the success of female led businesses like it doesn't it doesn't quite compute and We know that there are basic
00:28:02
Speaker
discriminations that happen on a daily in terms of a shipping guy coming in his truck and being like, where's your shipping guy? And we're like, we're the person and we're going to lift it. And the disconnect there or just being really talked down to or needing to have that feeling of like, oh, we should have a man in the room if you're going to negotiate that.
00:28:20
Speaker
That's not done yet and the only way we're going to change it is by advocates asking a question like that on a podcast and being able to speak to our daughters and our families and inspire those to continue to push forward and by also supporting women-led businesses.
00:28:35
Speaker
your dollars to vote for what you believe in. I mean, we do that from the perspective of sustainable businesses, ethically sourced businesses, the ones that are doing what we believe is right and moral in the world and also have a good product. And that's part of how people can support it. But it's definitely something there that we we battle with every day and we do it with grace, grit and determination. Mm hmm. And that power of community, as Megan mentioned, is so powerful.
00:29:03
Speaker
We all hold immense power in changing the outlook for women in business. And so grateful for you asking that question because it is important to have these conversations and for people to understand that there still really are those stereotypes and challenges that women face in running a business. So be the ones that support other women in business and that will have a powerful impact.
00:29:33
Speaker
And when you see it, you can believe it. I mean, we're of the generation that now has seen, you know, Joanna Griffiths of Nix, you know, the largest exit from a female business owner. And we're a part of, you know, being kind of like right under her in terms of that age group and being able to see, okay, it's there and it's possible. And we continue to be that example moving forward as well.
00:29:55
Speaker
wonderfully said. I really appreciate your answers on that. By the way, I've never asked this question, that question of anyone before, probably because I was afraid to ask it. Like, how do I ask? Is this appropriate to ask? But, you know, my daughter's 10 and, you know, she listens to a song by Taylor Swift, the song about if I was a man, I would be the man.
00:30:17
Speaker
And in that song, she understands that someone like Tater Swift has challenges in her work, in her art, in her business because of what men say or do. It is a world that terrifies me as a father.
00:30:32
Speaker
And when i see her at her doing her like she sells bubbly by the way for two dollars a can on the street corner i'm like that's a good way to talk too much business on this podcast but there's a good margin. Lesson to be learned as i told her i was very impressed with her pricing strategy but she.
00:30:50
Speaker
doesn't feel like there's any barriers right now in her world. And when she hears about women, girls, having barriers or struggles because they're girls, it doesn't even compute. She's like, I'm frustrated. It's a real head game for her. And I think being able to share with her brands and food products and people, entrepreneurial women that are making things and doing things and doing it well and doing it,
00:31:19
Speaker
More in the sense of community like you said Tara as well. It's just like that's a beautiful thing And I think it's a great example So I just want to say thank you for doing what you guys are doing it being women led and owned is a beautiful thing and a wonderful thing and I want nothing but the best for you guys So thank you for making what you guys make doing what you do. Thank you so much Thank you. And your daughter's got a bright future ahead of her if she's doing that now See there you go the generation below
00:31:48
Speaker
Yeah, and I love that, too, that she doesn't believe that there are the barriers. And when you say that, it comes to mind that as an all-female team, we understand that there are the barriers there, but it doesn't stop us. We have that determination and strength of mindset that is pushing us forward every single day. Awesome. Thank you, Meghan, Tara, for doing this. Really appreciate it. Thank you so much for having us. Such a pleasure. Great to be on. Thank you so much, Corwin.
00:32:20
Speaker
And that's a wrap on this
Podcast Goals & Listener Gratitude
00:32:21
Speaker
conversation. I hope you enjoyed hearing Megan and Tara's passion for healthy snack. Please visit RawCology.com to learn more about their snacks and where you can buy them. Now, before you jump to the next part of your day, I want to say a quick thank you for listening to aisle 42. I'm on a mission with this podcast to crack the top 10 of food podcasts in Canada, and you're helping make that happen.
00:32:43
Speaker
The highest we've ranked so far is 15th out of 250, but the competition is stiff. The Food Network, BBC, Gastropod, Eater Magazine, Bon Appetit, even Trader Joe's podcast is ranked 60th this week. People keep telling me that they're sharing episodes with their friends and their family, and I'm just so grateful for the support.
00:33:05
Speaker
The future of the grocery store can be brighter and healthier if we make better choices when we're shopping. And I love that you enjoy hearing from food makers that give a damn about the ingredients, processes and products that we pull up the shelves and bring into our home. So again, thank you for making this podcast a part of your life. OK, that's it for me. I'm Corwin Hebert from Ethical Food Group, and I'll see you in the future.
00:33:42
Speaker
you