This Commerce Life

Latest Episodes:

Hot Sauce Without the Heat - Viggy from Tocha Foods Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

Hot Sauce Without the Heat - Viggy from Toca Foods

What happens when an aerospace engineer meets a sommelier and decides to revolutionize the condiment aisle? In this episode, we sit down with Viggy, co-founder of Tocha Foods, who's created something that sounds impossible: "hot sauce without the heat."

From his journey as a would-be rocket scientist to discovering a gap in the sauce market that left millions of people with nothing but salt and pepper, Viggy shares how he and his MBA classmate Matt built a product category that didn't exist. Their "spiced sauces" deliver all the complex flavors of hot sauce without the burn, creating what they call a "blue ocean" for consumers who were previously left out.

We dive deep into the realities of CPG life - from the importance of sell-through vs. sell-in data to navigating retail relationships and trade marketing. Viggy also shares some surprising use cases customers have discovered (including some that make our Italian co-host Kenny cringe) and why creating something genuinely new is both harder and more rewarding than following established formulas.

Plus, hear about their expansion across Canada, plans for "Tocha Sauce Club" cooking sessions, and why sometimes the best business advice is knowing what problem you're actually solving.

Whether you're a founder looking for inspiration, a food lover curious about innovation, or someone who's always wondered what to put on your eggs besides ketchup, this conversation will leave you hungry for more.

Find Toca Foods: https://tochafoods.com/ | @tochafoods on Instagram

Available: Online across Canada, Country Grocer, Gourmet Warehouse, and growing retail locations

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Thank you to LeBeau Excel for sponsoring this episode https://lebeauexcel.com/

Ashlyn Newlove, Founder of SmartSip Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

Ashlyn Newlove, Founder of SmartSip

Ashlyn Newlove, Founder of SmartSip. We had an absolute blast talking with Ashlyn Newlove, the competitive and charismatic founder behind SmartSip - a calorie-friendly, fiber-rich powdered coconut oil creamer that's taking the health and wellness world by storm.

Ashlyn proves that with the right product, solid margins, authentic social media presence, and enough competitive fire to power a small city, you can turn a road trip idea into a thriving CPG business. Even if it means staying at Holiday Inns while building your empire.

Find SmartSip at https://smartsipcreamco.com/ - and yes, Kenny's sending Ashlyn some matcha for her next video.

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Thank you to LeBeauExcel for sponsoring this episode: https://lebeauexcel.com/

Getting Graded: Inside the Wild World of Card Authentication with TGA's Tyler Stilborn Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Getting Graded: Inside the Wild World of Card Authentication with TGA's Tyler

Ever wondered how a piece of cardboard can be worth millions of dollars? This week, we dive deep into the fascinating (and slightly insane) world of sports card grading with Tyler, founder of TGA(True Grade Authentication), a new Canadian authentication company that's shaking up an industry dominated by American giants.

What You'll Learn:

Why getting a Wayne Gretzky card graded can cost you $1,000+ (hint: it's not just the grading fee)
How the hobby transformed from 25-cent packs to $25,000 boxes with "bounty" cards worth seven figures
The four critical factors that determine if your childhood card collection is treasure or trash
Why Canadian collectors were getting squeezed out by tariffs and how one entrepreneur saw an opportunity

The Real Talk: Tyler shares his journey from 11-year-old collector to business owner, explaining how a $25 Darryl Sittler rookie card sparked a 30+ year passion that led to launching TGA. We explore the tension between old-school collecting (nostalgia, sentiment, fun) and the new reality where cards are treated like stock investments.

Phil's Journey: Watch our co-host Phil go from complete card skeptic to cautiously intrigued, despite his horror at modern pack prices and complexity. Spoiler alert: Kenny's still trying to drag him to a Toronto card show, and Phil's still saying absolutely not.

Find Tyler at: https://tgagrading.com/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Thank you to LeBeau Excel for sponsoring this episode: https://lebeauexcel.com/

Kyle Schumacher of Caliente Hot Sauce Company May 27, 2025

Show notes

Kyle Schumacher, founder and owner of Caliente Hot Sauce Company, joins the podcast to discuss his entrepreneurial journey from trades worker to successful hot sauce manufacturer. Based in British Columbia, Kyle has built a unique fresh hot sauce business that operates exclusively in refrigerated retail sections.

find Kyle here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-schumacher-1a345190/

Check out Caliente here: https://calientehotsauceco.ca/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Thank you to LeBeau Excel for sponsoring this episode: https://lebeauexcel.com/

The Newfoundland Chocolate Company May 20, 2025

Show notes

In this special episode of "This Commerce Life," host Phil travels to St. John's, Newfoundland, where he tours the Newfoundland Chocolate Company with founder Christina Dove. Christina shares her remarkable journey from neuroscientist to chocolatier and gelato expert, detailing how she built her thriving business from her basement to a factory producing 40,000 chocolates daily.

The conversation explores Christina's commitment to all-natural ingredients, avoiding preservatives and artificial dyes by using fruit-infused white chocolate for coloring. Listeners will discover how the brand has grown from a small operation to wholesaling across Canada while promoting Newfoundland's culture through its packaging and products.

Christina provides insights into her inclusive workplace philosophy, highlighting how she designs her production processes to accommodate neurodiversity and support employees from various backgrounds. The factory incorporates braille, multiple languages, and color-coding systems to ensure everyone can communicate effectively.

From navigating pandemic challenges with 113 staff to creating innovative treats like chocolate capelin and gelato made with Newfoundland ingredients, this episode offers an inspiring look at a business that combines scientific precision with cultural celebration and human-centered management.

Find Christina here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-dove/

Check out Newfoundland Chocolate Company here: https://www.newfoundlandchocolatecompany.com/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast. https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Sarah Harper and the Fiery World of Stoke The Fire Hot Sauce May 13, 2025

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Sarah Harper and the Fiery World of Stoke The Fire Hot Sauce

Join hosts Phil and Kenny for an engaging conversation with Sarah Harper, the self-proclaimed "Sauceress" and CEO of Stoke The Fire Hot Sauce. This episode takes you on a journey from Sarah's fascinating background as a performance artist and Arctic chef to her current life as a passionate pepper farmer and hot sauce creator in British Columbia's Similkameen Valley.

Sarah shares the story of how she and her partner Stu transformed their backyard garden into a thriving 7-acre farm with over 40 varieties of specialty hot peppers. Discover how their brand "Stoke The Fire" was born, the inspiration behind their best-selling "Bear Spray" sauce (hint: it involves actual bears!), and their commitment to organic, honey-sweetened products with no refined sugars.

The conversation explores Sarah's unique approach to farming, her indigenous partnerships, and her vision for connecting food producers across British Columbia. From her beekeeping adventures to her new commercial kitchen facility, Sarah offers insights into sustainable small-scale farming and the supportive community of food producers in BC.

Whether you're a hot sauce enthusiast, a farming aficionado, or simply love stories of passion-driven entrepreneurship, this heartwarming episode showcases the authentic connection between good people, great food, and the land they cultivate.

Check out Stoke the fire here: https://www.stokethefirehotsauce.com/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

From Restaurant Owner to Tea Entrepreneur with Nicole Keats May 06, 2025

Show notes

From Restaurant Owner to Tea Entrepreneur with Nicole Keats

Join hosts Phil and Kenny as they sit down with Nicole Keating, founder of The Newfoundland Tea Company. In this candid and energetic conversation, Nicole shares her remarkable journey from running a fine-dining bistro in Gander to building a premium organic tea brand that's rapidly expanding beyond Newfoundland's shores.

Nicole opens up about weathering personal and professional challenges—including a divorce, health struggles, and the devastating impact of the pandemic on her restaurant business—before finding unexpected success in the tea industry. Learn how her distinctive moose logo came to be, why premium tea is finding its market in a coffee-dominated world, and the creative ways she's incorporated tea into everything from cocktails to merchandise.

This episode showcases an entrepreneur whose resilience, gut instincts, and commitment to quality have helped her navigate career transitions while staying true to her roots. Whether you're a tea lover, an aspiring entrepreneur, or simply enjoy stories of reinvention, Nicole's authentic and spirited take on building a business from the heart offers inspiration and practical insights for the commerce life.

check out Nicole's product here: https://www.thenewfoundlandteaco.com/

Find Nicole here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-keats-084444266/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Owner of Wild Moon Organics Sean Smith looks at brands, owning a bone broth company a little differently. Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

Owner of Wild Moon Organics Sean Smith looks at brands, owning a bone broth company a little differently.

Check out Wild Moon Organics here: https://wildmoon.ca/

Find Sean here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-smith-1551b953/overlay/photo/

Thank you to Fieldagent for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Nathanael Hollands and Kinvest Impact Foundation are building market innovations in Rural Africa Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Nathanael Hollands and Kinvest Impact Foundation are building market innovations in Rural Africa. They invest in agribusiness farms near marketplace communities. By combining development in marketplaces with commercial farms, they help foster a complete economic system where value is created, jobs and wages grow, and money is recirculated into the local economy.

Connect with Nathanael here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fixr/

check out Kinvest here: https://kinvestglobal.com/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

Be sure you sign up for CHFA West - see you there! https://www.chfanow.ca/vancouver/

Dinner with Christos. The founder of Aelo, talks about their new launch, Limoncello and how this one is special Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

Dinner with Christos. The founder of Aelo, talks about their new launch, Limoncello and how this one is special. He also talks about how he thinks about flavours, and keeping Aelo special.

Check out Aelo here: https://www.drinkaelo.com/

Connect with Christos here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christos-kalaitzis-b7942378/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for sponsoring the podcast: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/

We're excited to go to CHFA West - head to https://www.chfanow.ca/vancouver/