Best Hello World Producers Podcasts (2025)

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Durian Delight and Feijoa Fun: Adventures in Banned, Forgotten, and Unusual Fruit 50:46

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6d ago50:46

50:46

This week on Gastropod, a feast of fruits! Specifically, feijoa and durian—and, if you haven’t heard of either, you’re not alone. Unlike the ubiquitous strawberry or banana, durian and feijoa are only popular in a handful of countries and almost unknown in the US, and we wanted to know why—especially because the people who love them really love the…

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World Nuclear Fuel Report and World Nuclear Symposium 42:15

6d ago42:15

42:15

More than 1,100 people gathered in London for the 50th World Nuclear Symposium, taking part in a packed programme of discussions, panels and networking. In addition to the usual broad range of topics there were also two special full day programmes - one focused on end energy users and one on finance. The event also saw the publication of 2025's Wor…

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Empower Your Team with AWG University—Training That Drives Results 28:13

12d ago28:13

28:13

In this episode of Grocer Pod, Ana Velazquez—Vice President at the Retail Learning Institute and IGA Coca-Cola Institute—returns to share how AWG University can help retailers cut costs and boost performance through effective staff training. Ana and host Sean Kosednar dive into the wide range of learning resources available, from onboarding to adva…

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Navigating New SNAP Benefit Waivers 9:02

19d ago9:02

9:02

Recent changes allow states to apply for SNAP waivers modifying, state-by-state, what products will be SNAP eligible. AWG Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Stephanie Becker is in the studio breaking down what this mean for AWG member retailers. Get the latest update of SNAP waivers for you state HERE.…

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Talking Taco 43:01

20d ago43:01

43:01

Whether or not it's Tuesday, tacos pretty much always hit the spot—and not just in their homeland in Mexico. These days, the taco can be found all over the world, although it's acquired some strange new fillings along the way, from French fries to canned corn. It's hard to imagine something so universal having to be invented—but, in fact, the taco …

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Interviews: The Cut, Sean Ellis, Splitsville, Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin 31:15

24d ago31:15

31:15

This installment of Find Your Film features interviews with The Cut filmmaker Sean Ellis and Splitsville duo Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin. The Cut photos courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures Label) Splitsville photos courtesy of NEON Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:29 Upcoming Interviews and Timestamps …

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Nuclear energy sets new record for electricity generation 24:34

28d ago24:34

24:34

Nuclear reactors worldwide generated 2667 TWh of electricity in 2024, beating the previous record high of 2660 TWh which was set back in 2006, according to World Nuclear Performance Report 2025. In this edition Jonathan Cobb, author of the report, outlines the key findings of the latest edition of the annual World Nuclear Association publication, w…

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AI for the Independent Grocer 21:17

1M ago21:17

21:17

On this week's episode, we share a Learning Lounge presentation from AWG Innovation Showcase 2025. BRdata President John Abbene presents the ways AWG members can harness the power of AI to help their business.

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Interviews: Amentum's Andy White plus GLE's Nima Ashkeboussi 32:30

1M ago32:30

32:30

Andy White, senior vice president of Energy and Environment International for Amentum, talks about his background and the work Amentum is doing in the UK and across Europe in the nuclear sector. Among the topics covered: * The change of attitudes which means that the future decommissioning process is included in the planning stages for new nuclear …

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Let ShoptoCook Help With Your Digital Media 17:45

1M ago17:45

17:45

Digital media is crucial to AWG member retailers. Sean Kosednar sat down with ShoptoCook President and CEO John Thompson at the AWG Innovation Showcase in March. Thompson explained how AWG members can use digital media to not only get new customers but maintain their existing customers as well.

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Tomatoes: A Love Story 50:48

1M ago50:48

50:48

The tomato is Gastropod’s favorite flavor of summer, and we’re not alone: today, it’s the most popular vegetable on the planet, despite the fact that it's technically a fruit. But, until a couple of hundred years ago, the tomato wasn't really anyone's favorite. In South America, where the tomato originates, no one even bothered to domesticate it; i…

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Boost Sales with AWG Brands’ Ready-to-Use Marketing Success Kits 7:15

2M ago7:15

7:15

AWG Brands Senior Marketing Specialist Rachel Frierdich joins Sean Kosednar in the studio to spotlight the power of AWG Brands’ Marketing Success Kits. Each month, the AWG Brands team curates a fully themed, plug-and-play marketing plan designed to help AWG member retailers drive sales of private brand products. These kits make it easy to showcase …

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The Most Dangerous Fruit in America 45:20

2M ago45:20

45:20

It's the epitome of summertime: there’s nothing like a cold, juicy slice of red watermelon on a swelteringly hot day. But, once upon a time, watermelons were neither red nor sweet—the wild watermelon has white flesh and a bitter taste. This episode, we scour Egyptian tombs, decaying DNA, and ancient literature in search of watermelon's origins. The…

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Energy lawyer Vince Zabielski + Sizewell C gets go-ahead 30:26

2M ago30:26

30:26

Nuclear energy lawyer Vince Zabielski, partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, has advised on numerous nuclear energy projects across the world, including the UAE nuclear new-build programme as well as those in Turkey, Bulgaria and the United Kingdom. A mechanical engineer before moving into law, he tells host Alex Hunt about the haircut that l…

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Reduce Shrink, Increase Basket Size with ProfitTrax 13:09

2M ago13:09

13:09

Sean Kosednar sat down with Founder and CEO of ProfitTrax Larry Miller at Innovation Showcase 2025 in March and learned all about how AWG members can harness the power of centralized data to improve their business.

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Don't Miss These New Item Launches From AWG Brands 9:29

2M ago9:29

9:29

On this week’s episode of Grocer Pod, we’re diving into another exciting quarterly product launch from AWG Brands. Every quarter, the team rolls out a fresh wave of new products—carefully designed to help AWG member retailers stay competitive, meet shifting shopper needs, and keep shelves stocked with high-quality, value-driven items. AWG Brands Pr…

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The Colorful Tale of Mexico's A-maize-ing Grain 50:56

2M ago50:56

50:56

This might sound corny, but the relationship between maize and humanity is essential. We rely on corn—globally, more maize is grown than wheat or rice—and, in turn, corn is utterly dependent on us, to the extent that it's lost the ability to reproduce without our help. But corn's wild ancestor is such an unappetizing weed that, for decades, archaeo…

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Outfit Your Employees and Your Stores with AWG Grocer's Kart 3:33

2M ago3:33

3:33

Big changes are coming to AWG Grocer's Kart. AWG intern Miller Brown joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod to talk about these exciting enhancements. Learn why Grocer's Kart is your one-stop shop for textiles and signage.

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Should You Be Eating Poison Oak? 31:22

3M ago31:22

31:22

Probably not. But Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz decided to try it anyway, putting his body — and specifically his butt — on the line to answer a seemingly straightforward question: Is it possible to build up a tolerance to poison oak by eating it? (Guest episode) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

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The World Bank can now support nuclear energy 24:11

3M ago24:11

24:11

The World Bank has announced that it is no longer going to be excluding nuclear energy-related projects from its lending criteria. In this episode you can hear how World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi outlined the logic behind the policy switch. It came as they announced…

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Ask Gastropod: Bubblegum, Meal Kits, and the Real Truth About Rooibos 46:13

3M ago46:13

46:13

What do bubblegum, rooibos tea, and meal kits have in common? They’re all topics that puzzle and fascinate you, dear Gastropod listeners. This episode, we're getting to the bottom of your most pressing culinary questions! Such as: Are meal kits really better for the planet than buying and cooking dinner from scratch? Can all the rooibos tea in the …

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Film Talk: Hariharasudhen Nagarajan on Tether And Dances With Films World Premiere 26:37

3M ago26:37

26:37

Filmmaker Hariharasudhen Nagarajan's feature "Tether" is world premiering at Dances With Films Sunday, June 22nd at 6:30 pm pt. Nagarajan, who is an electrical engineer, talks about how he worked towards becoming a filmmaker and he elaborates on why Dances With Films is the perfect place to world premiere Tether. Check out my interview with Nagaraj…

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Give Your Loyalty Program a Boost with GiveX 14:15

3M ago14:15

14:15

GiveX’s loyalty program can help AWG member retailers retain customers, increase basket size, and, most importantly, drive extra trips. Sean Kosednar sat down with GiveX's VP of Community Rewards Andy Ruff at the Innovation Showcase to hear all about it.

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The inaugural World Nuclear Supply Chain conference 40:05

3M ago40:05

40:05

There are big expectations for large-scale growth in nuclear energy capacity over the coming years. That's good news for established technology providers and their partners. But new capacity in new locations means that there are going to be big opportunities (and challenges) emerging. This was the focus for World Nuclear Association’s first World N…

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Feasting With Montezuma: Food and Farming in a Floating City 52:26

4M ago52:26

52:26

Five centuries ago, before Spanish conquistadors arrived, what's now Mexico City was the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan—and it took the European invaders' breath away. It was built on an island threaded with canals; it was one of the largest cities in the world; and the Spanish could hardly believe the sheer volume of food sold in the city's main ma…

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Say "Hello" to AWG Brands' New Baby Line 5:48

4M ago5:48

5:48

Hello World by Best Choice is the new baby line from AWG Brands. Vice President of AWG Brands Emily Detwiler is in the studio with Sean Kosednar to discuss the new product line.

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Integrate Your Data with North Country Business Solutions 7:46

4M ago7:46

7:46

Sean Kosednar sat down with Matt Swanson from North Country Business Solutions at the AWG Innovation Showcase. The two talked about how North Country can help AWG members better integrate their data.

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Trump executive orders aim to quadruple US nuclear energy capacity 22:44

4M ago22:44

22:44

US President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders titled Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base, Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy and Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with the goal of "re-establishing the United States as the global leader in nuclear energy". The aim is to inc…

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Bananageddon! Say Goodbye to the Banana, and Hello to the Weird and Wonderful World of Bananas, Plural 54:13

4M ago54:13

54:13

Yes, it's true: the banana we know and love is going the way of the dodo bird. An incurable strain of the fungal Panama disease known as TR4 is currently wiping out tens of thousands of acres of banana plantations, from Malaysia to Australia and Mozambique to El Salvador. But what's bananas is that this has all happened before! Is history doomed to…

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Empower Your Fresh Department with AI 18:29

4M ago18:29

18:29

This week Sean Kosednar is joined in the studio by Robert Austin and Jesse Himango from Empower Fresh. The three discuss how AWG member retailers can harness the power of AI in their fresh departments.

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Going Bananas: How a Tropical Treat Became the World's Favorite Fruit 46:11

5M ago46:11

46:11

In 1870, a strange fruit arrived on the docks in New Jersey, starting an industry that would change the world. That fruit was a banana, and, although it was a staple food in tropical regions, most Americans had never tried one. Today, a century and a half later, even the most depressing gas station, corner store, or hotel breakfast buffet in the la…

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Don't Miss These New Products from AWG Brands 9:44

5M ago9:44

9:44

On this week's Grocer Pod, AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger is in the studio with Sean Kosednar to discuss the new AWG Brands items launching in Q2.

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What is needed for nuclear fuel cycle to meet future rising demand? 22:44

5M ago22:44

22:44

In the second of a two-part special report from the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2025 conference held in Canada, Claire Maden reports on the opportunities and challenges facing players across the entire fuel sector. There is the aim to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, shared by many governments, businesses and financial institutions. But will th…

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AWG Brands Unleashes a New Breed in Pet Care, Pure Wonder by Best Choice 5:41

5M ago5:41

5:41

Celebrate National Pet Month by learning about Pure Wonder by Best Choice. Vice President of AWG Brands Emily Detwiler joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod to talk all about the new pet focused brand.

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Create Digital Circulars with Ideal 12:09

5M ago12:09

12:09

This week we have Sean Kosednar's conversation with Ideal's Adam Zimmerman. The two sat down at Innovation Showcase to talk about the company's rebrand as well as how AWG member retailers can harness the power of digital circulars.

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Can nuclear fuel cycle meet future rising demand? 17:46

5M ago17:46

17:46

In the first of a two-part special report from the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2025 conference held this month in Canada, Claire Maden reports on the opportunities and challenges facing players across the entire fuel sector. There is the aim to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, shared by many governments, businesses and financial institutions. B…

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Do We Really Have Beer to Thank for the First Writing and Cities? 55:58

5M ago55:58

55:58

Humanity's love affair with beer goes *way* back: 5,000 years ago, the civilization that arose in Mesopotamia invented writing, and one of the very first things they wrote about was... beer! But where was beer itself invented? This episode, we've got the story of beer's origins, the debate over whether humanity domesticated grains for brewing or fo…

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ECRS—Not Only POS Technology, But Whole Store Solutions 11:58

5M ago11:58

11:58

Sean Kosednar talks with Caroline Catoe and Brittany Benton from ECRS during AWG Innovation Showcase 2025.

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How to Participate in Viral Food Trends in Your Store 12:49

6M ago12:49

12:49

AWG Marketing Services Specialist Maggie Wilson and Sean Kosednar discuss some of the latest food trends sweeping social media on this week's Grocer Pod. They also talk about ways you can take advantage of these trends in your store.

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Seed Oil Scare: The Curious Case of Canola 47:46

6M ago47:46

47:46

If you've been hearing that canola is a killer, you're not alone. It's one of the so-called "hateful eight" seed oils: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. says it's among the most deadly things you can eat, and Joe Rogan agrees. But is it true? This episode, we get to the bottom of the debate over the plant formerly (and still, in some places) known as rapeseed…

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How to Increase the Potential Buyer Pool for Your Store 14:50

6M ago14:50

14:50

This week is the first installment of conversations recorded at AWG Innovation Showcase 2025. Carey Berger from Crossroads is back on Grocer Pod to lead things off. Sean Kosednar talks with him about what AWG member retailers can do to increase the pool of potential buyers when it comes time for them to sell their stores.…

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Nutrition Advice Decoded: What Foods Are Actually Good For Us, What Should We Avoid, and Why Is It All SO Confusing? 56:33

6M ago56:33

56:33

Are eggs going to give you high cholesterol, or are they the base of a great protein-rich meal? Will coffee give you cancer, or will it help you live longer? If you're confused about what nutrition science has to say about which foods are healthy and which are not, you're not alone. But why is it so hard to figure out what's good for us, and why do…

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Bruce Power's James Scongack on nuclear's life-saving medical isotopes 34:04

6M ago34:04

34:04

Bruce Power's Chief Operating Officer James Scongack is Chairman of the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council and, as he explains, the country aims to play a leadership role in nuclear medicine, not just for Canada's benefit, but also to provide health benefits for the rest of the world. He outlines the life-saving diagnostics and treatments that now ex…

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REPLAY: Anticipatory Grocery - Accelerating Innovation and Growth with Daniel Burrus 27:52

7M ago27:52

27:52

We are all excited for AWG Innovation Showcase 2025. To get ready, here is a look back to last year's keynote speaker, Daniel Burrus.

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The Rise and Fall of Quinoa: From Incan "Superfood" to Buddha Bowl Basic 47:38

7M ago47:38

47:38

Quinoa is everywhere these days, the base for a million salads and grain bowls. But, until recently, barely anyone outside the nutritious seed's ancient's homeland—the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes—had ever heard of it. This week, we're telling the story of how a gorgeous spinach-like plant traditionally grown in a remote, high-altitude region of Sou…

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Ella Thomas On "Know Mercy," Producing An Indie Film, And Love For "Desperation Road" 45:25

7M ago45:25

45:25

Producer/actress/screenwriter Ella Thomas talks about her new film "Know Mercy." She also talks about her work in the features "Desperation Road" and "Nightbitch." Follow Ella Thomas on Instagram and Facebook. Check out the Video Version of my Ella Thomas interview on Deepest Dream or on YouTube. Timestamps (0:00) - Intro (11:35) - Ella Thomas Know…

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New Offerings From AWG Brands 7:09

7M ago7:09

7:09

On this week's Grocer Pod, AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger is in the studio with Sean Kosednar to discuss the Q1 new items and what is still to come from AWG Brands this year.

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India's plans for rapid nuclear energy expansion 32:46

7M ago32:46

32:46

There have been a raft of announcements from India in February relating to new nuclear energy capacity. Retired diplomat, author and distinguished fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation, Ambassador D. P. Srivastava, is the coordinator of a foundation task force report on the energy transition in the country and he joins us to discuss th…

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The Shocking True Story of the World's First Seed Bank—And The Scientists Who Sacrificed Their Lives to Save It 46:39

7M ago46:39

46:39

During World War II, the Soviet city of Leningrad was surrounded, cut off from food supplies for nearly two and a half years. People were desperate: they ate boiled leather, machine oil, toothpaste, and wallpaper paste just to stay alive. But, in the center of the city, a group of botanists spent their days surrounded by food that they refused to t…

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Learn More About AWG's New Cross-Dock Program with KeHE 9:49

7M ago9:49

9:49

AWG members will soon be able to take advantage of a new cross-dock program with KeHE. Group Vice President of Center Store Merchandising & Sales Scott Evans joins Sean Kosednar in the studio this week to explain the new program and how it will help AWG member retailers.