63. Extend Runway & Outmaneuver Big CPG With John Grubb, Summit Venture Management and Sterling Rice Group

63. If you're trying to outspend big CPG brands at retail, you'll lose. The game isn't about bigger budgets—it's about better strategy and extending your runway. In this episode, I sit down with John Grubb, formerly of Sterling-Rice Group and now Summit Venture Management, to unpack the structural shift happening between big brands and emerging natural disruptors .  We discuss why legacy CPG struggles to innovate, how millennial consumers reshaped food tribes, and why today's funding ecosystem favors nimble, mission-driven brands. More importantly, we break down tactical advice: don't accept opportunistic distribution you can't support, go deep before going wide, build velocity before chasing facings, and leverage social presence instead of buying share. Retail is a contact sport—and capital efficiency wins. Strategic Solutions to Grow Your Brand, learn how to use Category Management to level the playing field. Then explore additional episodes to deepen your retail execution and trade marketing ROI strategy. Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session63