#158 - SupplySide West 101 with Jon Benninger and Kantha Shelke

In this episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Kantha Shelke, a certified food scientist, and Jon Benninger, VP at Informa, to delve into an overview of SupplySide West—the best known supply chain trade show for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. This event covers a wide array of sectors including food, beverage, dietary supplements, personal care, and animal nutrition.Daniel, Kantha, and Jon discuss how SupplySide West helps brands looking to connect with suppliers, discover new ingredients, explore packaging and co-packing solutions, and learn how to bring products from concept to market. They emphasize the significance of in-person networking, insights from panels on trends, compliance, and innovation, and strategies for making the most of the trade show experience, and talk about the overall importance of creating your supply chain network.From tips on setting clear goals and identifying key contacts to balancing scheduled meetings with spontaneous networking, they offer practical advice for both startups and established companies. They also share success stories, personal experiences, and insights on how to turn unexpected opportunities into valuable industry relationships.Tune in to hear how to maximize your SupplySide West experience and gain actionable advice for building and leveraging industry connections!Use code CPG50 for $50 off your Expo Pass registrationSupplySide West Registration > https://utm.io/registerhereStartup CPG Happy Hour @ SupplySide West Signup: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-cpg-meets-supply-side-west-happy-hour-tickets-1001755707287Listen in as they share about:SupplySide West OverviewHow to Navigate SupplySide WestTypes of ExhibitorsNetworking and CollaborationImportance of In-Person Interaction:Target Audience and AttendeesValue of the EventThe Role of the Event in Business GrowthPractical Advice for AttendingEpisode Links:Informa Markets LinkedInJon Benninger LinkedInKantha Shelke LinkedInDon't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.Show Links:Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Daniel's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected] music by Super Fantastics