How a Syrup Brand like Torani Became a Global Flavor Empire with CEO, Melanie Dulbecco

What if scaling your business didn’t mean sacrificing your values? In this powerful episode of The Conscious Capitalists, hosts Timothy Henry and Raj Sisodia sit down with Melanie Dulbecco, the trailblazing CEO who led Torani from a small, family-owned syrup maker to a global flavor powerhouse—while keeping people, purpose, and culture at the heart of everything. Over her 34 years as CEO, Melanie redefined what it means to lead with intention. From embedding purpose into the company’s DNA to pioneering people-first practices like employee ownership, strategic learning journeys, and ethical supply chains, her approach shows how conscious leadership creates lasting impact—for both business and society. Melanie also opens up about the early life experiences that shaped her leadership style and the emotional rewards of growing a company where people genuinely love to work. Listeners will gain insights into:How Torani scaled from a small family business to a global company while staying rooted in its valuesThe role of purpose-driven culture in business longevity and innovationWhat “automate and elevate” looks like in a modern workplaceHow investing in people fuels both retention and performanceBuilding resilient supplier and community relationshipsUsing strategic learning journeys to cultivate leadership across the companyWhy emotional fulfillment and business growth can go hand-in-hand ** If you enjoy this podcast, would you consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes only a few seconds and greatly helps us get our podcast out to a wider audience. Please subscribe on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. For transcripts and show notes, please go to: https://www.theconsciouscapitalists.com This show is presented by Conscious Capitalism, Inc. (https://www.consciouscapitalism.org/) and is produced by Rainbow Creative (https://www.rainbowcreative.co/) with Matthew Jones as Executive Producer, Rithu Jagannath as Lead Producer, and Nathan Wheatley as Editor. Thank you for your support! - Timothy & Raj Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflections 00:59 Welcome to The Conscious Capitalists 01:41 Introducing Melanie Delco 03:00 Melanie's Journey with Torani 04:32 Early Challenges and Growth Strategies 07:23 Building a Resilient Company Culture 10:08 Leadership Evolution and Milestones 15:39 Purpose and Value Creation 31:01 Transformation as a Team Sport 33:13 Reflecting on the Cafe Era 33:33 Embracing the Learning Journey 34:07 Adopting New Strategies 35:30 Commitment to Community 36:54 The Big Move: Challenges and Decisions 38:33 Navigating the COVID-19 Move 39:15 Valuing Intangible Assets 43:31 Supplier Relationships and Mutual Success 46:27 Entering the Experience Era