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Episode 90: Julie Podolec, Founder and CMO of Modern Pop

By Lori Taylor

Mar 18, 2020, Updated May 22, 2021

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When life gives you lemons, make strawberry lemonade fruit bars.

When Julie Podolec’s son was teething, she wandered the aisles of the grocery store to find a natural frozen treat to help soothe his sore gums. However, as she read the ingredient lists she quickly realized that these weren’t products she would be purchasing for her child. The treats were characteristically high in sugar, low in fruit, and/or listed water as the first ingredient.

Instead of becoming discouraged, Julie went home, rolled up her sleeves, pulled out her blender, and made the treats that she couldn’t find in stores.

And the Modern Pop was born.

Julie Podolec is the Co-founder and CMO of this fun and futuristic desserts brand that is taking over the West Coast. The company markets its products using bright colorful imagery and weaves in the essence of mid-century California. The company goes far beyond just selling another “product.” This is aspirational, mood provoking and energy packaged in a box!

“The brand commitment is ‘fruit first.’” -Julie Podolec (5:15) 

What’s in Modern Pop… or more importantly, what isn’t?!

If you, like Julie, were to seek out a frozen bar for yourself or your family, you would find that fruit doesn’t make a mention until about halfway down the ingredient list.

Modern Pop isn’t satisfied with a middle-of-the-pack fruit bar, and is committed to making fruit the first ingredient on the list! They don’t stop there! The fruit they use is individually quick frozen (IQF), meaning it is picked and preserved at the peak of harvest. This method maintains high nutrient value and produce integrity, and is highly regarded in the produce industry.

All of their bars are vegan certified and non-GMO. They steer clear of additives like gums and keep their ingredient list to a minimum.

“We’re extremely excited to be solving a problem for people who are vegan, or those switching over to a dairy free lifestyle.” – Julie Podolec 

Creating a healthier indulgence. 

Modern Pop began with the frozen fruit bar, but they have recently embarked into new territory. Their goal was to create an indulgent bar that could still be dairy free, nutrient dense, and not loaded with sugar.

The building blocks of a frozen dessert indulgence (like your very favorite ice cream) typically include dairy, fat, and sugar.

Modern Pop began to seek out a healthier way to incorporate all of these elements.

Avocados are no stranger to produce fans, but utilizing them in dessert? Modern Pop took these nutrient-dense fat bombs and began experimentation.

The result?  A creamy, dessert base with a flavor mild enough to complement new imaginations of classic desserts! Mint Chip. Chocolate Fudge. Cookies N’ Cream.  All vegan, dairy free, and most importantly, delicious and full of nutrients for your family.

Modern Pop is dedicated to creating products that everyone can enjoy and love. Julie is an incredible example of a Produce Mom who saw a need and stepped up to create a solution. And we’re so glad she did!

Modern Pop is than a product, it’s a passion that Julie and her family have dedicated their lives to pursuing and sharing with the world.

Grab a box today, and take a bite of the California sunshine!

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us – we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
• Use Modern Pop’s location finder to see if they are in a grocery store near you

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

[bctt tweet=”This week on #TheProduceMoms #podcast we’re chatting with Julie Podolec, Founder and CEO of @themodernpop. It was an absolute treat to hear how they have created a delicious frozen treat you can feel good about feeding your kids!” username=”theproducemom”]

Previous episodes you may enjoy 

• Episode 89: The Future of AG Technology with Vonnie Estes, Vice President of Marketing at the Produce Marketing Association
• Episode 88: How to Eliminate Plastic Waste in Your Kitchen with Andrea Watson, Founder and Chief Brand Ambassador of Nature Knows
• Episode 87: The Essential Nutrients Your Children are Missing with Jonathon Wolfson, Founder and CEO of Brainiac Kids
• Episode 86: The Future of Nutrition is Personalized with Allison Baker, VP of Business Development at Baze
• Episode 85: Facts on the ‘French Fry Famine’ of 2020 with Frank Muir, President and CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission