Water That's Not Beer and PE Firm Buys Cracker Company

In this episode: In this episode, the CPG Week team starts with an update from Momofuku's chili crunch trademark dispute. The conversation focuses on what has transpired, the implications for Chang's appeal to consumers and how this is representative of what it takes for a CPG brand to hold a trademark. The group moves on to talk about why canned water is positioned as a beer alternative for live events and how the Liquid Death-effect is bringing new brands to the category. Later, BevNET Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman talks about his recent story covering new CPG private equity firm Forward Consumer Partners and its acquisition of a premium cracker brand. Show Highlights: 1:00 - Senior reporter Lukas Southard kicks off the podcast with an update about the headline-grabbing trademark dispute coming from David Chang's Momofuku brand. The team unpacks what the recent developments say about public perception of celebrity chefs and how to navigate competition in a culturally significant category. 7:45 - The group discusses the growing trend of canned water marketing as a beer alternative and if this branding approach can draw consumer demand in on-premise locations like bars and live music venues. 12:40 - What drew new CPG private equity firm Forward Consumer Partners to buy artisanal cracker maker Firehook Bakery as its first acquisition? Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman explains why the pedigree of Forward Consumer Partners leadership might foretell the future of the cracker brand. About the CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts