Why "Vanilla" Wins: Jason Burke's Playbook for Scaling Food Brands

About this episode

What if the biggest mistake food brands make is assuming consumers want innovation more than great taste? In this episode of Behind the Shelf, Keren Novack sits down with Jason Burke, founder and CEO of New Primal, to explore the realities of building a food brand that survives and thrives on crowded retail shelves. Drawing from his journey of growing New Primal from a homemade jerky business into a brand carried in more than 10,000 stores, Jason shares why consumer behavior is often misunderstood and why repeat purchases matter far more than initial curiosity. The conversation dives into product development, retail strategy, consumer trust, and the economics of shelf space. Jason explains…