Ep. 217: Daniel Staackmann - Seitan to the Rescue!

In 2006, young entrepreneur, Daniel Staackmann, took out a home equity line of credit and started Upton’s Naturals in his hometown of Chicago.

He placed his money on seitan and in his 17 years of business, that gamble has clearly paid off. Upton’s Naturals is the #1 selling brand of seitan in the United States and their products are sold in thousands of stores throughout the United States and beyond.

Dan, a 30-year ethical vegan, prides himself on being the sole proprietor of his company and his slow growth model has allowed him to avoid so many of the landmines and pitfalls of the food industry as a whole.

Today, he and Rip share the many intricacies of running a food line from labeling, brand name, sourcing ingredients, getting placement on shelves, growth strategies, and so much more.

It’s an insightful peek behind the curtain on the food industry and the amount of work and passion it takes to bring delicious food from concept to shelves everywhere!

Rip and Dan discuss:

• The humble (and personal) beginnings of Upton’s Naturals in 2006 and Dan’s “Do It Yourself” approach to entrepreneurship
• How he came up with the unique company name
• Why he chose seitan as his main product?
• His biggest wins as a young entrepreneur
• How his “slow growth” model has benefitted his business and his personality
• The nutritional value of meat alternatives and why Upton’s branched out into soups, jackfruit, and fava as brand extensions
• How remaining sole proprietor has allowed him to maintain control and avoid the "minefields" of the food industry.
• His vision for the future of Uptons and other expansions

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