"Intrapreneurship" with Julia Perez of OWYN
Julia Perez is the Chief Marketing Officer at OWYN (Only What You Need), the premium plant-based nutrition brand behind the #1 plant-based protein shake in the U.S.
Happy Tuesday! So many yummy recipes went up last week, including this partnership with SIMPLi for a tinned fish bean salad. I chatted with Julia Perez, CMO at OWYN, for this week’s podcast episode. If you’ve ever been interested in an entrepreneurship journey but the risk feels a little too intimidating, this is the episode for you. Julia discusses her philosophy of intrapreneurship and what that means. Let me know what you think <3
Podcast
Julia Perez of OWYN
Julia Perez is the Chief Marketing Officer at OWYN (Only What You Need), the premium plant-based nutrition brand behind the #1 plant-based protein shake in the U.S. With a decade of experience in high-growth, healthier-for-you food and beverage startups, her passion for fitness and wellness have come to fruition with OWYN, where she’s helped fuel omnichannel expansion and continued to bridge the gap between consumer-friendly appeal and the medical field. Julia has carved a niche as a self-proclaimed “intrapreneur” in the food and beverage industry, playing a pivotal role at high-growth brands that have since successfully exited to two strategic acquirers, Core Water in 2018 to Keurig Dr. Pepper ($535M) and recently, OWYN in 2024 to Simply Good ($280M.)
IG juliaperezzz | liveowyn
Rapid-fire questions —
Go-to snack plate:
Dark Chocolate OWYN, beef jerky stick, spicy pistachios, dark chocolate, medjool dates
No. 1 piece of advice:
Instead of 1 piece of advice, Julia gave a 5 step plan…highly suggest you listen to the episode to hear her amazing advice!
Listen to the episode:
Recipes
A riff on a Whiskey Highball [video]
1 shot @ritualzeroproof whiskey + 1/2 @drinkolipop crisp apple can (save the rest for a friend) + juice of half a lemon + ice
Chicken Noodle (Bean) Soup
Ingredients
Beans—
1 cup gigante beans
1 lemon, halved
Head of garlic, halved
1 sprig of rosemary
1/4 olive oil
1 tbsp salt
Water
Soup—
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1:1:1 ratio of celery, carrots, and yellow onion (~1/2 cup each)
14 fl oz chicken bone broth
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 cup bean liquid
1 chicken breast
Garnish: pecorino, freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
In a large stockpot, combine the gigante beans, lemon halves, garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt, and enough water to cover the beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 hours, or until the beans are tender. Adjust seasoning with additional salt as needed.
In a medium stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the olive oil, diced vegetables (celery, carrots, and onion), and thyme. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and aromatic.
Pour in the chicken bone broth and the reserved bean cooking liquid. Nestle the chicken breast into the broth, adding more water if necessary to ensure the chicken is fully submerged. Cover and simmer gently for 60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the soup along with the cooked beans. Simmer on low heat for an additional 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Pecorino and cracked black pepper. Serve warm.
Weekly Favorites
Personal care: this soap smells so good & I’ve finally converted to this deo
How I haven’t had a cookbook stand until now is beyond me, so luckily this one has made a perfect addition to my kitchen
Coop’s Peppermint Hot Fudge is exactly what I want to be indulging in during this transitional weather
I was reminded how much I love this book after reading the most recent edition of Loosey (another favorite this week!)
I’ll never get over my love for Tess’ content and how much she inspires me in the kitchen + life
Willa’s Barista Blend was my milk of choice for my recent pop up and I’ll never stray to another brand now (except maybe Elmhurst cashew milk)
I haven’t stopped thinking about this Alphonso Mango colored sweater and I’m so tempted to pull the trigger 🥭 Oh, and these pink pants too!
ICYMI
xx,
Lauren (Hodgen)
Dear Citrus Diaries Host | @ citrusdiaries.studio
Citrus Diaries Studio | Creative Director
If you’re interested in working together, drop me a line: hello@citrusdiaries.com 🍊