Reinventing Hydration (and Ditching the Bottles and Cans!) | Luke Montgomery-Smith, Plink!

On this episode, we’re joined by Luke Montgomery‑Smith, Co‑founder of Plink!, the effervescent hydration tablet brand that’s rethinking what it means to enjoy a drink without the waste of bottles or cans.Before launching Plink!, Luke co‑founded Wild Fizz Kombucha, a multi‑award‑winning beverage that saw early success before the pandemic forced a shutdown. Now, as a second‑time founder, he’s bringing those hard‑won lessons into a new category.Luke dives deep into how he’s building Plink! as a second-time founder, how they nailed a distinct packaging form factor, and how to stand out and win in a crowded market. We explore everything from designing for impulse purchases to the realities of working with retailers like GNC, plus how to scale a demo and sampling strategy.—---------------Episode Highlights:🚀 How second‑time founders approach growth differently🎯 Standing out in a crowded category with unique positioning📦 Designing a packaging form factor that drives trial🎨 Visual identity that sparks curiosity and shelf appeal🛒 Creating packaging for impulse purchases🔑 “Trojan Horse” messaging that drives adoption🛤️ Go‑to‑market strategy and early traction🏬 Winning at GNC📈 Retailer velocity expectations and what sets them apart🥤 Demoing and sampling strategies that convert—---------------Table of Contents:00:52:57 – Plink origin story03:59:07 – Launching Plink after shutting down Wild Fizz Kombucha07:25:22 – Learning lessons as a second time founder09:57:24 – Standing out in a crowded market13:52:18 – Nailing down a unique packaging form factor19:26:00 – Visual identity and packaging design22:43:09 – Designing for the impulse purchase25:17:01 – Messaging, positioning, “Trojan Horse”28:19:14 – Go-to-market31:32:00 – Launching in GNC35:13:15 – Retailer differences, velocity expectations37:51:05 – Demos and sampling at scale—---------------Links:Plink! – https://drinkplink.comFollow Luke on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukejms/Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees.