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From Engineer to Food Entrepreneur: Myles Powell’s Journey with Miles Comfort Foods

This article, summarizing an episode of the B2B Vault: The Biz-to-Biz Podcast, chronicles the entrepreneurial pivot of Myles Powell, founder and CEO of Myles Comfort Foods. Powell transitioned from a career in civil engineering, using the kitchen as his escape, which eventually led to an appearance on Food Network’s "America’s Best Cook" competition.

His company is aiming to disrupt the frozen foods aisle with a line of clean-label, high-protein mac and cheese (24 grams of protein per serving) made with all-real ingredients. Their first major win was securing shelf space at Whole Foods.

From Engineer to Food Entrepreneur: Myles Powell’s Journey with Miles Comfort Foods

Sponsored by Nationwide Payment Systems

Welcome to another episode of the B2B Vault: The Biz-to-Biz Podcast, where we dive into the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders making their mark. In today’s episode, host Allen Kopelman sat down with Myles Powell, founder and CEO of Myles Comfort Foods, to talk about his journey from civil engineer to food entrepreneur, building a clean-label comfort food brand, and the challenges of scaling in the competitive frozen foods industry.

And yes — for the first time on the podcast, there was a live taste test featuring Miles’ protein-packed macaroni and cheese. Even Rocky, the office dog, wanted some, but the buffalo mac and cheese was too spicy for him.

From Engineering to Cooking

Myles started out as a civil engineer, but quickly realized that corporate life wasn’t for him. The kitchen became his escape, eventually turning into his passion and career. He began experimenting with recipes, writing a food blog, and even appeared on Food Network’s “America’s Best Cook” competition.

That experience set the stage for his entrepreneurial leap into the food industry. His first products? A raspberry barbecue sauce and a pineapple buffalo sauce — which became a cult favorite. But his big breakthrough came later with mac and cheese.

Breaking into the Frozen Foods Aisle

Frozen foods are notorious for being loaded with preservatives and fillers, but Miles wanted to disrupt that space with clean-label, high-protein comfort food. His mac and cheese is made with all-real ingredients, providing 24 grams of protein per serving, and has gained national recognition.

The company’s first big retail win was landing on shelves at Whole Foods, a pivotal moment that gave Miles Comfort Foods credibility in the marketplace.

But getting on the shelf is only step one. As Miles explained:

Getting shelf space = first base Selling through consistently = home plate

That’s where brand awareness, demos, and marketing come in.

The Hidden Side of CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods)

Behind every frozen entrée you see at the store is a long, expensive, and competitive process. Miles broke down some of the hidden challenges:

Tight margins at every step – from distributors to retailers, no one wants to eat increased costs.
Inflation pressures – when ingredients like pasta double in price, small brands often have to absorb it.
Fierce competition – billion-dollar legacy brands dominate shelf space.
Consumer psychology – shoppers often buy on autopilot, sticking to familiar brands, making it harder for new entrants.

That’s why demos, sampling, and creating viral marketing moments are critical for small brands.

Flavor, Packaging, and Consumer Appeal

Myles Comfort Foods currently offers three flavors of mac and cheese:

Home Style (classic, creamy, with Gruyère)
Buffalo Chicken (with a mild jalapeño kick)
Philly Steak & Cheese (inspired by Miles’ hometown)

Packaging plays a huge role in consumer decisions, and Miles described it as a constant balancing act between standing out and meeting FDA labeling rules. The team still does in-store demos — a proven way to win customers on taste. “The power is in how it tastes,” Miles said. “We still do demos to this day.”

Marketing in the Age of Short Attention Spans

One of the biggest shifts brands face today is how consumers discover products. Instead of watching 15–20 TV ads in a half-hour sitcom, people now scroll through hundreds of ads on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube in the same time frame.

That means brands have less than a second to grab attention.

As Allen noted, this is similar to the payments and fintech world, where smaller players must compete against giants with endless marketing budgets. The key is being targeted, creative, and willing to do things big brands won’t.

Lessons for Entrepreneurs

Myles shared one of the most important lessons he’s learned:

👉 Audience before product.

Many entrepreneurs fall in love with their product first. But the brands that succeed identify a real problem or pain point for their audience, then design a product around it. For Myles, that’s delivering frozen comfort food that’s both clean and satisfying.

Final Thoughts

As the episode wrapped, Miles reminded listeners that in chaotic times, it’s important to find small moments of joy. For him, that moment comes when he sits down with a bowl of buffalo chicken mac and cheese.

If you want to try it for yourself, check out MylesComfortFoods.com to find store locations and learn more.

And don’t forget — you can catch the full episode of B2B Vault: The Biz-to-Biz Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and anywhere you get your podcasts.

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