Tash sits down with Becs Caughey — the mind behind Cook & Nelson, importer/distributor of some genuinely excellent global products, and founder of Good Sh*t Soda — to mark the launch of their new Apple flavour. Becs unpacks how Good Sh*t became the world’s first pre- and probiotic soda, why fibre deserves “its full belt-singing moment,” and what four years of working with international scientists looks like when you’re trying to make a probiotic shelf-stable without refrigeration. The conversation moves from can design into the bigger picture: GLP-1 medications, an FMCG sector forced to do more with less food, and why “wellness” has quietly become a trust argument as much as a taste one. Becs and Tash also trade notes on apple and whisky pairings, because … priorities.
In this episode:
The origin story: a stalled shipping container, a tiny American brand and a decision to build something local
Why the prebiotic fibre matters as much as the probiotic — “it’s like a dog with a bone”
The science behind an ambient, non-refrigerated probiotic that “wakes up” on your tongue
Designing a can that’s colour-blocked, uniform, and built to make the ingredient list the hero
Apple flavour development: nostalgia, orchard-fresh aromatics, and getting the granny smith/braeburn balance right
GLP-1 drugs, shrinking portion sizes, and what that’s doing to restaurant menus and bar pours overseas
Why Good Sh*t makes zero claims on pack — and the food lawyer reality behind that decision
Distribution: where to find it in NZ, and the early export push into Australia and Asia
