65. Why Community Accelerates CPG Growth With Zach Greenberg, Colorado Food Works

65. If you're trying to build your CPG brand alone, you're wasting time, money, and momentum. The right community can compress years of trial and error into a few focused conversations. In this episode, I sit down with Doug and Zach, founders of Colorado Food Works, a grassroots CPG networking community that grew from 16 people to over 450 engaged members in just 15 months. What started as two founders trading notes evolved into a powerful ecosystem of dot connectors—bringing together emerging brands, seasoned operators, brokers, retailers, and service providers. We unpack why most early-stage brands don't even know the right questions to ask, how meaningful networking accelerates growth, and why access to experienced operators can prevent costly mistakes. We also discuss Denver's rise as a food innovation hub and how collaborative ecosystems create long-term competitive advantage. Build a unified selling story that earns you an equal seat at the table. Then explore additional episodes to deepen your retail and category management strategy. Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session65