It’s Baton Rouge: Out to Lunch

Hosted ByStephanie Riegel

OUT TO LUNCH finds Baton Rouge Business Report Editor Stephanie Riegel combining her hard news journalist skills and food background: conducting business over lunch. Baton Rouge has long had a storied history of politics being conducted over meals, now the Capital Region has an equivalent culinary home for business: Mansur’s. Each week Stephanie holds court over lunch at Mansur’s and invites members of the Baton Rouge business community to join her. You can also hear the show on WRKF 89.3FM.

Capital Coffee – Out to Lunch – It’s Baton Rouge

Next time you’re in a hotel room with a little coffee maker, take a look at the individual coffee pod. There’s a good chance it came from right here in Baton Rouge, headquarters of Pod Pack International. The local company manufactures  and distributes single cup brewing solutions – not only for hotels, but for offices, restaurants, convenience stores, and homes. And as of recently for every Taco Bell in the US.

Last year, the company announced plans to expand its presence in Baton Rouge and invest more than $10 million building a new larger manufacturing facility and hiring 19 more employees.

Tom Martin

Pod Pack’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Martin tells Stephanie about the company’s recent exciting successes after what Tom describes as being “a 15 year startup”.

Pod Pack isn’t the only coffee company in Baton Rouge.

Ian Melancon

Ian Melancon is the second generation owner of River Road Coffees, a family business that for 20 years has been roasting high-quality, signature blends of coffees for the Baton Rouge market. The company has a thriving retail business, both online and in supermarkets across southeast Louisiana, and sells to restaurants, office clients and convenience stores. 

In an interesting explanation of the coffee industry, both Tom and Ian explain how Starbucks hasn’t killed the coffe biz, it’s saved it. 

Stephanie Riegel

Photos over lunch at Mansur’s on the Boulevard.