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Built Different with Ian Schwartzman

Built Different with Ian Schwartzman

How Eric Skae built a $100M pasta sauce empire: Carbone Fine Food

Oct 23, 2026 · 23 min · 9 segments

Carbone Fine Food CEO Eric Skae discusses his 35-year journey from driving delivery routes for Arizona Iced Tea to scaling a $100 million premium pasta sauce brand.

Spotify Website

Speakers: Eric SkaeGuestIan SchwartzmanHost

Top entities: Whole Foods Market×3 Arizona Beverage Company×12 Italian cuisine×4 The Wall Street Journal Pennsylvania

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈1 followers

The Cook Behind the Brands0:58 – 2:32

Ian SchwartzmanHost

0:58

You're very heavy in the CPG business and the restaurant business, but you seem to be the chef behind the chef.

Ian SchwartzmanHost

1:07

You seem to be the cook in the kitchen for the business.

Ian SchwartzmanHost

1:11

But I'm not a chef, I'm a cook.

E

1:13

You're a cook.

E

1:14

I'm a cook.

E

1:15

I am not a chef.

E

1:16

I'd never say I'm a chef.

E

1:18

What's the difference? I do not understand the restaurant business.

E

1:21

Wait, wait.

E

1:22

A chef can do elegant stuff.

E

1:24

I'll put something on a plate that tastes good.

E

1:25

It's not going to look good.

E

1:27

But it'll taste good.

E

1:27

It'll taste great.

E

1:28

I taught myself how to cook.

E

1:29

I met a guy named John Bellow, who founded Sobey.

E

1:32

And John would always say about a brand, it's got to have a soul.

E

1:36

And there's something about a brand that I kind of feel, and I saw that with Carbone.

E

1:43

That's what I saw.

E

1:43

If I'm traveling for the company, I'm wearing my brand.

E

1:45

It's the right way.

E

1:46

I'm wearing my logo.

E

1:47

Why wouldn't you? If I'm traveling personally and I'm going with my wife somewhere, I don't.

E

1:51

If I'm working, you're wearing a logo.

E

1:53

I'm wearing a logo.

Whole Foods MarketCompanySupermarket chain
98%3 mentions
Arizona Beverage CompanyCompanyDrink company
94%12 mentions
Italian cuisineEntityCuisine
90%4 mentions
The Wall Street JournalPeriodicalAmerican newspaper
86%1 mention
PennsylvaniaAdministrative AreaUS state
82%1 mention
Nielsen HoldingsCompanyMedia company
78%3 mentions
Ian SchwartzmanPerson
74%2 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
70%1 mention
FloridaAdministrative AreaUS state
64%2 mentions
OrlandoCityCity in Florida
64%2 mentions
Manhattan Beer DistributorsCompanyCompany
58%2 mentions
7-ElevenRestaurantConvenience stores chain
54%2 mentions
New YorkCityCity in New York State
50%1 mention
SnappleBrand
46%1 mention
County KerryEntity
38%1 mention
IrelandPlaceIsland in Europe
38%1 mention
Shannon AirportAirportInternational airport in the Republic of Ireland
38%1 mention
Frank PellegrinoPersonAmerican actor and restaurateur
30%1 mention
United AirlinesAirlineAirline
26%1 mention
Las VegasCityCity in Nevada
20%1 mention
New JerseyAdministrative AreaUS state
20%1 mention
Guaraná AntarcticaEntityDrink
14%1 mention
GodEntitySupreme being
10%1 mention
Stock keeping unitEntity
6%2 mentions
Coca-ColaProductCarbonated soft drinks
2%1 mention

Brand managementMarketing
Consumer packaged goodsBusiness > Entrepreneurship
Food industryFood
Retail marketingMarketing > Brand management
Startup financingFinance > Business finance
Packaged foodsFood > Food industry
Parental influenceFamily > Family background
Food and beverage brand buildingBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Consumer packaged goods
Carbone Fine Foods expansionBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Consumer packaged goods > Food and beverage brand building
Pasta sauce productionFood > Food industry > Packaged foods
Carbone tomato sauce quality controlFood > Food industry > Packaged foods > Pasta sauce production
Shelf placement and product samplingMarketing > Brand management > Retail marketing
Household penetration and repeat purchase growthMarketing > Brand management > Retail marketing > Shelf placement and product sampling
Bootstrapping consumer brandsFinance > Business finance > Startup financing
New Leaf Iced Tea financial failureFinance > Business finance > Startup financing > Bootstrapping consumer brands
Family food traditionsFamily > Family background > Parental influence
Work ethic and entrepreneurial valuesFamily > Family background > Parental influence > Family food traditions
Business financeFinance
Family backgroundFamily
Business
Family
Food
Finance
EntrepreneurshipBusiness
Marketing

The Cook Behind the Brands0:58 – 2:32

Ian SchwartzmanHost

0:58

You're very heavy in the CPG business and the restaurant business, but you seem to be the chef behind the chef.

Ian SchwartzmanHost

1:07

You seem to be the cook in the kitchen for the business.

Ian SchwartzmanHost

1:11

But I'm not a chef, I'm a cook.

E

1:13

You're a cook.

E

1:14

I'm a cook.

E

1:15

I am not a chef.

E

1:16

I'd never say I'm a chef.

E

1:18

What's the difference? I do not understand the restaurant business.

E

1:21

Wait, wait.

E

1:22

A chef can do elegant stuff.

E

1:24

I'll put something on a plate that tastes good.

E

1:25

It's not going to look good.

E

1:27

But it'll taste good.

E

1:27

It'll taste great.

E

1:28

I taught myself how to cook.

E

1:29

I met a guy named John Bellow, who founded Sobey.

E

1:32

And John would always say about a brand, it's got to have a soul.

E

1:36

And there's something about a brand that I kind of feel, and I saw that with Carbone.

E

1:43

That's what I saw.

E

1:43

If I'm traveling for the company, I'm wearing my brand.

E

1:45

It's the right way.

E

1:46

I'm wearing my logo.

E

1:47

Why wouldn't you? If I'm traveling personally and I'm going with my wife somewhere, I don't.

E

1:51

If I'm working, you're wearing a logo.

E

1:53

I'm wearing a logo.

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