Shelf Help: The Tactical CPG Podcast

On this episode, we're joined by Melaina Balbo, Founder & CEO of Bis - the frozen Italian sauce brand selling handmade Pomodoro al Basilico and Pesto Genovese in two ounce pucks. Melaina was deep in a PhD in Italian literature and cinema before she traded the library for the kitchen.We dive into the origin of the brand, starting with the frozen care packages her parents shipped on dry ice when she was a graduate student, and why Melaina became convinced that processing for shelf stability is what makes a jarred sauce taste like it came off a shelf. A big part of the conversation focuses on packaging. Melaina shares what it took to find an individually sealable portion cup, roughly 15 versions in, and how hard it was to get large packaging suppliers to call a small brand back. She breaks down what the new labels finally communicate on shelf, with the hero ingredient front and center.We also get into the accidental first order at her local co-op, why specialty and gourmet stores fit a product nobody expects to find in the freezer aisle, and the buyer feedback that frozen pasta sales lift when Bis sits next to them. Melaina closes with the advice she would give a founder a year behind her.---------------Episode Highlights:🇮🇹 What Bis means and why the name works❄️ The dry ice care packages that started everything🥗 Why processing for shelf stability changes the flavor🍝 Two ounce pucks built for cooking for one or two📦 Testing 15 portion cups before landing on recyclable PET🍳 Three years in an incubator kitchen 80 miles from home🏭 The co-man matrix: frozen, format, and state lines🎨 Why the old packaging was capping the brand🛒 The sample drop that turned into a first order📞 Getting large packaging suppliers to call a small brand back🏷️ Hero ingredients front and center on the label🧊 Frozen pasta sales lifting next to the pucks🔮 Home shopping, 3PL, and national distribution ahead---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:59 – What Bis means and the why behind the brand02:55 – Care packages on dry ice and the frozen insight04:29 – Portioning the sauce into two ounce pucks05:42 – The long search for the right portion cup07:58 – Chef Space and the 80 mile drive to an incubator kitchen10:41 – What to look for in a co-manufacturing partner12:21 – The packaging that was holding the brand back13:01 – The accidental first order at the co-op14:22 – Getting packaging suppliers to take a small brand seriously16:06 – What the new labels communicate on shelf18:23 – Not reinventing the wheel21:36 – Specialty markets, demos, and local visibility22:48 – DTC, 3PL, and the cost of shipping frozen23:39 – Winning shoppers away from the shelf stable jar24:57 – Why frozen is making a resurgence25:40 – Hardest lessons as a first time founder28:35 – Home shopping, national distribution, and what is next---------------Links:Bis – https://eatbis.com/Follow Melaina on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaina-balbo/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Bryan Mitchiner, Co-founder of Peasy - the free wholesale operating system built for independent CPG brands. Before Peasy, Bryan spent a decade building and selling Mustard and Co., then met his co-founder Ryan Conti at Shelf Engine, the Seattle startup that helped grocers optimize ordering.We dive into the decade Bryan spent running Mustard and Co., where he tested every inventory platform on the market, never found one that understood how he actually worked, and kept rebuilding his own spreadsheets until they became the product he wished existed. That tinkering is the direct blueprint for Peasy.Bryan breaks down the business model. Peasy is free with no contract, monetizing transaction volume the way Square, Shopify and QuickBooks do, and he walks through why that made sense when your real competitor is a free spreadsheet. He is also candid about the counterintuitive downside. When signing up is that easy, walking away is just as easy, so the product has to prove value in days instead of months.We also get into how the roadmap gets prioritized against a flood of user feedback, why most feature requests are not what the user actually needs, and the operational mistake Bryan sees sink early stage brands: growing the top line while the margins quietly go underwater.---------------Episode Highlights:🥫 A decade running Mustard and Co. and never finding the right software📊 Why spreadsheets are still the default tool at every company size🏢 What Shelf Engine taught him about the data behind the software🤝 Meeting co-founder Ryan Conti and deciding to build together🛒 Building the Shopify for the wholesale side of the house💸 Why Peasy is free and monetizes transaction volume instead🎣 Answering the "if it's free, what's the catch" objection⚠️ The hidden downside of free (easy to join, easy to leave)🗺️ How the roadmap gets prioritized against constant feedback🔍 Separating what users ask for from what they actually need🧮 The mistake that kills brands: selling more and losing more📉 Mapping every cost line before the volume shows up👀 Trends and brands he's watching (Graza, Ayoh)---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:56 – A decade running Mustard and Co.02:24 – When spreadsheets stop working04:10 – What Shelf Engine taught him about operations05:31 – Meeting Ryan Conti and starting Peasy06:28 – The Shopify for wholesale operations07:43 – A year in: how brands actually use the platform09:26 – Why Peasy is free and monetizes transactions11:30 – Answering the "what's the catch" objection12:26 – The hidden downside of free13:55 – Advice on picking a pricing model14:52 – How the roadmap gets prioritized16:14 – Separating requests from real needs17:13 – The feedback loop that converts users19:50 – Advice for SaaS founders selling into CPG21:06 – The operational mistakes that quietly kill brands24:23 – Know every cost before you scale26:00 – Brands and trends he's watching---------------Links:Peasy – https://peasyos.com/Follow Bryan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanmitchiner/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by AJ Anderson, Founder and CEO of Fast Pickle, the 3 ounce pickle juice shot brand bringing real brine into electrolyte replacement. AJ spent five years at Coca-Cola before becoming a serial entrepenenur.AJ breaks down the formulation proces, copacker sourcing, and why the new label says "intentionally hypertonic" instead of calling itself hydration. We get into the packaging design journey too, from a first label he designed himself, through public critique on BevNET's Elevator Pitch, to the black and electric green look he has now.We also cover the tactical stuff. Packing pallets in his garage, cold emailing roughly a thousand specialty stores, using Amazon Market Basket data to find climbing gyms, and the Danny Wimmer Presents festival partnership he expects will drive 25 to 30 percent of revenue this year.---------------Episode Highlights:🏃 The family health scare that reset everything🥒 Why pickle juice instead of another sweet powder🧪 Formulating a 570mg sodium shot, no added sugar📚 Hypertonic vs isotonic, and why "hydration" is wrong📦 Packing pallets in a garage at the top of a hill⚠️ Shelving the preservative free version on purpose🥫 The Recovery Seltzer and its pickle margarita flavor🎨 Three label iterations, flat green to street black🛒 Cold emailing 1,000 specialty stores, and the reply math🎸 Selling shots across 80+ bars at rock festivals📊 Amazon Market Basket data leading to climbing gyms🔮 Building a challenger brand in a challenger category---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro01:16 – Origin story04:32 – Why pickle juice05:35 – Launching January 202506:24 – Formulation and the 3 ounce format06:58 – Co-packer selection and real brine08:43 – Hypertonic vs hydration10:44 – A polarizing taste12:37 – Garage fulfillment and the first pallets15:14 – The preservative decision and natural retail17:02 – The Recovery Seltzer idea18:23 – Specialty channels and Fleet Feet19:23 – Packaging design iterations23:55 – Advice on brand identity26:00 – Go to market and profitable growth29:27 – The Danny Wimmer Presents partnership36:07 – Cold emailing 1,000 specialty stores38:56 – Climbing gyms and Market Basket data---------------Links:Fast Pickle – https://fastpickle.com/Follow AJ on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/helloaj/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Thomas Odermatt, Founder & CEO of Butcher's Bone Broth, the leading fresh, organic bone broth brand sold refrigerated at Costco, Whole Foods, Publix, and more. Thomas is a third-generation Swiss butcher who built Roli Roti, America's first gourmet rotisserie food truck, before spinning Butcher's out as a standalone brand.After deboning chicken for Bay Area tech giants, Thomas found himself staring at 10,000 pounds of leftover bones a week and, as a butcher's son, refused to throw them away. That became Butcher's Bone Broth, launched into retail around 2015 as a fresh, refrigerated product in an aisle dominated by shelf-stable aseptic cartons.Thomas walks through landing his first account at Berkeley Bowl, why he's raised the price only once in nearly 12 years, and why he still makes every bottle in-house with no co-packers and no venture capital. We get into winning the club channel at Costco without cheapening the product, pushing velocity instead of chasing margin in the expensive fresh aisle, and adding 800+ new Albertsons doors.We also cover the recent decision to spin Butcher's out as a standalone brand, the packaging thinking behind earning a female shopper's trust, and Thomas's people-first take on management.---------------Episode Highlights:🚚 The farmers market loophole behind the food truck🥼 The white chef's coat that killed the "roach coach" label🍗 Deboning chicken for Bay Area tech giants🦴 10,000 pounds of leftover bones a week🛒 Landing the first account at Berkeley Bowl💰 Raising the price just once in 12 years🏭 No co-packers, no VC, every bottle made in-house🚂 The "Union Pacific" slow-and-reliable growth model🧊 Winning the fresh aisle on velocity, not margin🎨 Spinning Butcher's out as a standalone brand📦 Packaging a butcher's brand that women trust🏬 800+ new Albertsons doors and product-market fit🐂 "Grab the bull by the horn" as a management value---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:49 – From a Swiss butcher shop to a Berkeley business plan02:51 – The farmers market loophole behind the food truck03:59 – The white chef's coat that beat the "roach coach" label06:27 – "Five products, five fingers" (and catering Paris Hilton)07:25 – The leap from food truck to retail CPG10:57 – 10,000 pounds of leftover bones, and why bone broth14:29 – Landing the first account at Berkeley Bowl16:35 – Raising the price just once in 12 years19:29 – No co-packers: every bottle made in-house20:57 – Self-funded, and the "Union Pacific" growth model22:46 – Winning the fresh aisle on velocity, not margin24:55 – Spinning Butcher's out as a standalone brand27:22 – Packaging a butcher's brand women trust29:04 – Winning the club channel without getting greedy31:34 – 800+ Albertsons doors and product-market fit33:31 – Listening, culture, and the bull by the horn37:09 – Where to follow Thomas---------------Links:Butcher's Bone Broth – https://www.butchers.co/Follow Thomas on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-odermatt-656a1449/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we're joined by John McGuckin, CEO of Clio Snacks - the first and only refrigerated Greek yogurt bar - a chocolate-dipped, cheesecake-textured snack.John took the seat as Clio's CEO in 2021 after a long track record of C-suite roles at brands like Sabra, Tribe Mediterranean Foods, and Maya Kaimal.John breaks down why he took the job, how he read the post-COVID shift toward high-protein, permissibly indulgent snacking, and what operators should stress-test before stepping into a founder-led company.John walks through the bet that changed everything: retiring the $1.19 single bar and moving retailers to four-packs and minis at $5.99, which fixed cash flow and unlocked a capital raise. We dig into going multi-channel across colleges, C-stores, and airports, building a dedicated refrigerated snacking set at retail, running cold chain at a 98% service level through a disciplined S&OP process, and Clios' 86,000 sqft plant.---------------Episode Highlights:🇺🇦 The garage origin story behind Clio (yes, a real syrok)🪑 Taking the CEO seat as the first non-founder leader🤝 What to stress-test before running a founder-led brand📊 Reading the consumer shift that made yogurt bars work💵 The singles-to-multipacks bet that fixed cash flow🚀 Going multi-channel: 450+ colleges, 20,000+ C-stores, 65+ airports🛒 Building a refrigerated snacking set at retail🎃 Why seasonal flavors and end caps drive trial❄️ Running cold chain at a 98% service level🏭 Owning an 86,000 sq ft plant instead of co-packing🎯 The single biggest velocity driver (hint: shelf position)🚚 Getting distributors and brokers to actually work for you👶 The kids' yogurt gap he's chasing next---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:58 – Clio's origin story (Ukraine, a garage, a syrok)03:26 – Where the Clio name came from04:45 – Why John took the CEO seat07:33 – Advice for stepping into a founder-led brand10:18 – Betting on a new category: the Sabra parallel13:00 – From $23M to a projected $120M: the multipack bet15:42 – Going multi-channel: food service, colleges, airports18:39 – The new-product and innovation process19:24 – Building a refrigerated snacking set at retail21:08 – Seasonal flavors and end-cap wins23:14 – Cold chain and the S&OP discipline26:33 – Where the brand sits in-store (and GLP-1)29:38 – Owning manufacturing and self-funding growth32:28 – Scaling from 1,000 to 60,000 doors34:59 – The biggest velocity driver: shelf position35:49 – Working with distributors and brokers38:15 – The kids' category he's chasing next---------------Links:Clio Snacks - https://cliosnacks.com/Follow John on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfmcguckin/Follow me 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.coShout 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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Sara Hendershot, VP of Marketing at Loonen - the glass bottled water brand that starts with a spring source, purifies it, remineralizes it, and tests every batch for over 350 contaminants. Sara was previously Director of Marketing at Momentous, and before that a two time world champion and 2012 Olympic rower for Team USA.Sara breaks down how Loonen pairs a high quality spring source with purification, remineralization using Celtic sea salt, glass only bottling, and third party testing for 350+ contaminants printed on every bottle.We get into the brand build: designing for heritage instead of trend (Levi's and L.L.Bean were the references), choosing yellow and blue to cut through a shelf of clear glass and white labels, and engineering a six pack box that can actually ship glass, and which storytelling hooks landed once they hit market.A big part of the conversation focuses on go to market: pricing at $3.79 at Sprouts versus the Amazon six pack, consolidating still and sparkling under one parent listing, growing almost entirely organic with zero paid influencers, and landing a first national account six months after launch. ---------------Episode Highlights:🐦 The loon: monogamous to one lake until it gets contaminated💧 The first water that is both spring sourced and purified🧪 Testing for 350+ contaminants when the FDA requires almost none🍼 Clara's IVF story and the water lab on her kitchen counter🏭 Ripping out PVC pipes and replacing them with stainless steel🎨 Building a heritage brand (Levi's, L.L.Bean, yellow and blue)📦 Engineering a six pack box that ships glass without breaking💸 $3.79 at Sprouts vs the Amazon six pack sticker shock📈 The storytelling hooks that landed and the ones that didn't🛒 Landing Sprouts off cycle six months after launch🛻 Route rides, field blitzes, and why every new hire sells📊 The Amazon playbook: parent listings and organic traffic🔮 Raising the standard for the entire bottled water category---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:37 – Loonen origin story and what the brand actually is03:20 – Clara and David: IVF, endocrine disruptors, and Spindrift05:15 – Why an Olympian started paying attention to her water06:35 – The bottled water category and why nobody fixed it09:30 – Sourcing springs and the story behind the loon12:05 – Educating consumers without fear mongering14:00 – Competing inside the glass bottled water set16:20 – Building a heritage brand and standing out on shelf18:15 – Pricing at Sprouts vs pricing on Amazon20:15 – The storytelling hooks that actually landed22:35 – Channel sequencing and the Sprouts launch25:15 – Route rides and selling in the field29:20 – The Amazon playbook32:45 – Demos, field blitzes, and organic social36:45 – Distributors and brokers39:15 – Lessons from David Kimmell on scaling beverage41:45 – Success, standards, and what keeps her up at night---------------Links:Loonen – https://loonen.com/Follow Sara on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahendershot/Loonen on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/loonen/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Rachel Krupa, Founder of The Goods Mart, the better-for-you convenience store that's reimagining what a 7-Eleven can be. Rachel is also the founder of Krupa Consulting, the CPG and wellness PR agency she's run since 2010, working with brands like Thrive Market, Our Place, and Goop Kitchen.We dig into how Rachel went from running her PR agency to opening a convenience store after founders kept telling her they had no strategy for the convenience channel and The Goods Mart's core bet: a tightly curated shelf of better-for-you brands, no GMOs, no artificial colors or flavors, and accessible pricing so the store never feels precious.Rachel walks through what she actually looks for in a brand, the packaging iterations every product goes through before it scales, and why a small-format store surfaces feedback that velocity numbers alone can't.We also get into the curation business that now drives much of The Goods Mart, placing emerging brands in hotel minibars and corporate pantries for clients like the Fifth Avenue Hotel, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, and OpenAI New York. Rachel shares her honest take on fundraising, her grocery consulting work, and the brands she can't stop watching.---------------Episode Highlights:🏪 From PR agency to convenience store🥫 The better-for-you gap in convenience retail🎨 Brand pillars and the case for curation🛠️ Building the first store with no playbook☕ Accessible pricing and $2 coffee🚫 Why The Goods Mart charges no slotting fees💸 Getting creative with revenue instead📦 The packaging iterations every brand faces📊 Small-format stores and real-time customer data🏨 Curating hotel minibars and corporate pantries🏬 Consulting on grocery concepts like Flow Grocer👀 The flat drinks and gummies she's watching---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:51 – Origin story: from PR to convenience store02:55 – Brand pillars and the case for curation04:49 – Building the first Silver Lake store06:38 – Accessible pricing and everyday value07:48 – Being first to carry emerging brands08:37 – Why The Goods Mart charges no slotting fees10:58 – The financial model without slotting fees12:14 – The curation vertical and COVID pivot13:50 – Small-format stores and real-time data16:15 – What brands need buttoned up before pitching18:56 – Why it's not a shoppy shop20:19 – Everyday low price over promotions22:08 – The new Williamsburg flagship24:15 – Operating in LA vs New York25:34 – Hotel minibars and corporate pantries29:17 – Fundraising and consulting for grocers31:08 – Brands and trends she's watching---------------Links:The Goods Mart – https://www.thegoodsmart.com/Krupa Consulting – https://www.krupaconsulting.com/Follow Rachel on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkrupa/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Ashley Cameron, Founder & CEO of Love&Cookies - the clean-label frozen gourmet cookie dough brand you bake straight from the freezer in  ess than 15 minutes. Ashley was a labor and delivery nurse with no CPG background before her cookies landed on H-E-B shelves. Baking with her son Charlie during his recovery turned into a clean-label product built on a simple insight: freeze the dough and you no longer need preservatives or shelf stabilizers. Ashley shares how a customer pushed her to enter H-E-B's Quest for Texas Best, which she won six months after opening her Lakeway store, catapulting her into 250+ H-E-B locations.We get into hard pivots, co-packers' resistance to run her stand-up pouch which led Ashley build her own manufacturing facility and the tough call to eventually move to a co-packer.Ashley walks through resizing each cookie by half an ounce to make pricing work, and closing three brick-and-mortar stores to put capital behind retail.Ashley also breaks down the packaging decisions that set the brand apart, from color-coding every flavor (because most stockers were merchandising by color) to dropping her kids' names off the cookies to lift velocity. ---------------Episode Highlights:🍪 Baking with her son after a Kawasaki diagnosis becomes a brand❄️ Why freezing the dough replaces preservatives and shelf stabilizers🏆 Winning H-E-B's Quest for Texas Best six months after opening🏭 Building an in-house facility when no co-packer would take her🔄 The hard pivot from own factory to co-manufacturer for margin🎨 Color-coding every flavor so stockers and shoppers find it💸 Resizing the cookie half an ounce to fix distribution pricing🏷️ Dropping the kids'-names branding to lift velocity🛒 Live demos and the BOGO that cleared the shelf in three days🔪 Closing three brick-and-mortar stores to fund retail growth🤝 The key hires that put the business on solid footing💰 Scaling on under $500K, then a seed round toward profitability👀 The clean-label white space she's watching next---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:56 – Origin story and Charlie's diagnosis02:26 – Designing a clean-label frozen cookie dough03:46 – Opening the store and finding Quest for Texas Best04:32 – Scaling the recipe and sourcing at volume05:57 – Nailing the 13 to 15 minute bake07:24 – Building an in-house manufacturing facility10:03 – Outgrowing it and pivoting to a co-manufacturer12:04 – Packaging design and color differentiation15:53 – Removing barriers at the freezer door16:29 – Pricing strategy and resizing the cookie18:57 – Inside the Quest for Texas Best pitch22:11 – Dropping the cookie names for velocity24:24 – Driving trial with demos and BOGOs26:09 – Closing the brick-and-mortar stores28:22 – Key hires that steadied the business30:45 – Financing growth and the seed round33:47 – Why the whole store is your competition---------------Links:Love&Cookies – https://cookiesilove.com/Follow Ashley on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-cameron-534b00238/Love&Cookies on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/getloveandcookies/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Chrisi Hammer, Co-founder and CEO of Sunshine Buns, the frozen cinnamon roll brand built upon a family recipe her mom started perfecting in the late 1970s. Chrisi brings an interior design background to CPG, and it shows up in everything from the packaging to the trade show booths.We get into how Sunshine Buns went from home deliveries out of Chrisi's kitchen to thousands of doors in under two years, and why owning a commercial kitchen and storefront first gave them hundreds of hours to perfect the product. Chrisi breaks down the packaging journey, how she rebuilt the entire pack into a box that fits the frozen breakfast set while keeping the hero image consistent after being told at ExpoWest they were a breakfast product not a bread.We dig into the retail strategy putting them on track for roughly 4,500 doors by year end  how their broker at Critical Mass Group reverse-engineered a mass-market price so the product could actually move, and hiring fractional operators from bigger brands early. ---------------Episode Highlights:🌅 The family recipe born from a 1970s cinnamon roll🚪 From 750 doors to 4,500 by year end🏠 Home kitchen to commercial to co-packer🧪 Why cinnamon roll dough is so finicky🎨 Bringing an interior design eye to the brand📦 The rebrand from bread bags to breakfast box🛒 Owning one spot on the shelf before expanding💰 Pricing for volume instead of chasing margin🏬 Using the retail store as live R&D🧊 Why frozen is hard and worth it🎪 The Expo West booth that stopped traffic👀 The brands reinventing the frozen aisle---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:59 – Origin story: Mema's recipe03:33 – The parking lot decision to start the business04:48 – From 750 doors to 4,500 by year end05:45 – Home kitchen to co-packer and the science of the dough09:39 – Building the brand with an interior design eye11:40 – Bags to boxes: the packaging rebrand14:20 – Keeping the pack simple: no oven, ready fast15:51 – Advice: own one spot on the shelf first17:51 – Pricing strategy for the frozen set19:36 – Reverse-engineering price with their broker21:52 – The Orem storefront as R&D24:56 – The corporate store playbook26:22 – Convenience as the differentiator28:31 – Why frozen is hard and worth it30:09 – LinkedIn, influencers, and Hummingbirds32:57 – The Expo West booth that stopped traffic37:19 – Building the team and fractional hires---------------Links:Sunshine Buns – https://www.sunshinebuns.com/Follow Chrisi on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisi-hammer-b7b954326/Sunshine Buns on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/sunshine-buns/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Steven Kessler, Chief Sales Officer at Beyond Brands, the natural products consulting collective that acts as an outsourced management team for emerging CPG brands. Steven co-founded Steaz, the organic green tea brand behind the first USDA Organic certified soda, and scaled it across the natural channel and into Costco and Target before a 2016 exit to Novamex.We dig into the Steaz journey, from spotting that carbonated soft drinks were sliding and deciding to carbonate green tea, to landing early yes's from UNFI and Whole Foods because nobody had done it before. We walk through the pivot to cans after a Whole Foods buyer told him to get rid of the bubbles, and the freight and sustainability math that made the switch obvious.Steven gets candid about the "top line, baby" years, when he and co-founder Eric Schnell chased quarterly numbers and handed out discounts to push purchase orders until their investors finally cut them off. We talk about the turn toward a path to profitability, why margin and EBITDA decided the exit, and what acquirers like Novamex actually look for: trajectory and profit, not just a great product.On the Beyond Brands side, Steven breaks down the fractional sales model, the channel, geography, and money framework he uses to slow founders down, and how to think like a retailer who treats every inch of shelf as real estate. He also shares the brands and categories he's watching right now.---------------Episode Highlights:🍵 Carbonating green tea to build a healthier soda🏪 Why UNFI and Whole Foods said yes fast🥫 Ditching glass bottles for cans (freight and sustainability)📈 The "top line, baby" growth-at-all-costs trap💸 When investors finally cut off the money🧮 Turning toward margin, EBITDA, and profitability🤝 Selling Steaz to Novamex in 2016🎯 What acquirers really look for (trajectory and profit)🧑‍🏫 Coming back to advise their own brand🧭 The channel, geography, and money framework🪑 Fractional sales vs hiring a $200K VP🛒 Retail as a real estate game👀 The brands and categories Steven is watching---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro01:14 – What Beyond Brands does03:38 – The Steaz origin story05:17 – Creating a healthy green tea soda08:19 – The pivot to cans with Whole Foods10:27 – Top line obsession and when investors pulled back14:24 – Turning toward a path to profitability15:46 – Deciding to sell, and why Novamex17:58 – Preparing for an exit and what acquirers look for19:36 – Coming back to advise their own brand22:55 – The Beyond Brands fractional model24:59 – Channel, geography, and money27:32 – Fractional sales vs hiring a broker30:55 – Questions to ask a fractional partner32:41 – Being a good distributor partner34:23 – How retail buyers really decide37:29 – Cracking an off-cycle category review39:02 – Brands, trends, and where to follow---------------Links:Beyond Brands – https://beyondbrands.org/Follow Steven on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-kessler-aa9b445/Beyond Brands on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondbrands/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Chris Fenster, Founder and Executive Chairman of Propeller Industries - the embedded finance and accounting partner behind some of the most iconic emerging consumer brands of the last 18 years. Propeller has served more than 1,000 companies, including over a dozen unicorns, with a team of 250+ across three continents.Chris breaks down why the 40% margin founders pitch often lands closer to 12 to 18% once promos, slotting, and trade deductions come out of revenue, and why margins counterintuitively fall before they rise as brands push from natural into grocery and club.We get into the working capital death spiral, the gap between paying your co-packer and getting paid by the retailer, and the two failure modes Chris sees most: founders who size their raise off the P&L and forget the balance sheet, and brands that sprawl across too many SKUs and channels. He walks through the focus question every founder should ask, when to fund losses with equity versus layer on debt, and how to handle vendors when cash gets tight.Chris also shares the Billion Dollar Beverage Blueprint behind Olipop, Poppi, and Liquid Death, the four stages of finance hires from zero to 100 million, why the independent board member is an underused secret weapon, and what changes after a 100 million dollar raise.---------------Episode Highlights:🚲 From bike shops to founding Propeller in 2008📉 The 40% gross margin myth (and the real number)🔀 Why CPG margins fall before they rise💸 The working capital death spiral, explained🎯 Focus vs sprawl ($20M one SKU vs $30M many)🏦 Funding losses: equity first, then debt🧱 The "back against the wall" efficiency mindset🥤 The Billion Dollar Beverage Blueprint (Olipop, Poppi, Liquid Death)🪜 The four stages of finance hires (0 to $100M)🤝 Why the independent board member is a secret weapon⚠️ What really changes after a $100M raise🛏️ The Casper cautionary tale and the risk ratchet---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro01:19 – The accidental path to founding Propeller06:43 – The 40% gross margin myth09:36 – Why CPG margins fall before they rise13:06 – The working capital death spiral16:01 – Focus vs sprawl ($20M one SKU vs $30M many)19:33 – What to do when cash gets tight22:03 – Funding losses: debt vs equity23:51 – The 'back against the wall' mindset25:24 – The Billion Dollar Beverage Blueprint32:10 – The four stages of finance hires38:43 – Founder and CFO fit, and when it breaks44:00 – Minimum financial literacy for founders46:38 – The independent board member secret weapon47:50 – What changes after a $100M raise52:10 – The Casper cautionary tale56:34 – Why Chris speaks up now, and where to find him---------------Links:Propeller Industries – https://www.propellerindustries.com/Follow Chris on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisfenster/Follow Propeller Industries on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/propeller-industries/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Brad Woodgate, Founder and CEO of the No Sugar Company, Joyburst, and Wellnx Life Sciences - the serial entrepreneur behind six companies and billions in lifetime sales. Brad has spent 25 years building across supplements, snacks, and beverages, turning a thirty-thousand-dollar start into a self-funded portfolio.We start with the full origin story, from launching Wellnx Life Sciences in 2000 and scaling it to roughly 150 million a year, to the 2008 collapse that brought nine-figure lawsuits, mass layoffs, and a near-death rebuild. Brad breaks down the patterns that carried across every brand since, starting with his belief that in business there is no such thing as no, only not now.We get into his unusual club-first go-to-market, why he launches at Costco and Sam's instead of graduating into them, and how in-store demos became his most powerful marketing tool. Brad walks through the real mechanics of club margins, minimum order quantities, and the buyer and shopper differences between the two.---------------Episode Highlights:🚀 Building six companies over 25 years⚠️ Surviving the 2008 collapse and nine-figure lawsuits🔁 Why "no" really means "not now" in retail🤝 Skillful persistence vs persistently annoying🛒 Starting at club instead of graduating into it🆚 Costco vs Sam's, the buyer and the shopper💰 Planning around club's lower margins📊 Demos as his most powerful marketing tool🧪 Cracking soluble creatine for Kreo Joy🥤 Why protein soda gets won on taste📈 Joyburst's self-funded growth curve📺 The reality show that birthed Mighty Minis🔮 Implementing AI across ops and forecasting---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro01:11 – Building six companies: the origin story04:18 – The 2008 collapse and nine-figure lawsuits08:06 – Patterns for winning in retail09:30 – Skillful persistence vs being annoying11:35 – Storytelling that gets buyers to grow their category12:53 – Why he starts in the club channel15:12 – Costco vs Sam's: buyer and shopper16:54 – Planning around club's lower margins19:38 – Running demos at scale21:13 – Cracking creatine in a soda (Kreo Joy)24:55 – Where the protein soda category gets won27:47 – Joyburst's self-funded growth curve31:17 – Splitting time across six companies33:25 – The reality show behind Mighty Minis36:11 – Implementing AI across ops and forecasting---------------Links:Joyburst – https://joyburst.com/No Sugar Company – https://thenosugarcompany.com/Follow Brad on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-woodgate-b30b8113/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Mason Domecq, Founder of DIVINI, the Scottsdale honey kombucha brand that's about to take over Sprouts in the Southwest. We get into the formulation that makes the product scalable: ferment the kombucha base to zero sugar, then add back honey, fruit juice, nootropics, and a probiotic strain.We dig into why he chose cans over glass and went after people stuck on energy drinks and soda rather than the high-end Whole Foods shopper, the recent rebrand that helps the cans jump off a crowded shelf, and Mason's pricing strategy and philosophy.We also cover the community-first playbook of music and art events, how a cold LinkedIn DM to category managers led to an imminent Sprouts launch in his Phoenix backyard, and what building in public actually did for the brand.---------------Episode Highlights:🍯 Borrowing a SCOBY from a family friend's table🧪 Fermenting to zero sugar then adding honey back🏭 Cold-calling the first brewery to white label🥫 Why cans beat the $6 holistic bottle🎨 Rebranding so the product sells itself on shelf💰 Pricing from landed cost to a $4.49 Sprouts MSRP🎶 Building a community through music and art events🛒 Cold-DMing category managers into a Sprouts launch🚚 The local playbook to hit 160 to 200 doors📈 Going from a pre-seed round to a seed raise📱 Building the brand in public before a polished product🔭 What's next: more flavors and grab-and-go formats---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:51 – From investment banking to brewing kombucha03:35 – The recipe that started DIVINI04:36 – Quitting the day job and the first commercial run06:01 – Formulating honey kombucha (and why honey is tricky)07:36 – Finding the first brewery and white labeling in10:59 – Why cans, and recategorizing functional health12:29 – Packaging that sells itself on the shelf14:51 – Knowing when it's time to rebrand18:03 – Pricing and building the margin model20:39 – Building community through music and art events22:51 – The accessibility gap they had to fix23:56 – Landing Sprouts through a LinkedIn DM26:53 – The local distribution playbook28:07 – Fundraising and scaling production30:03 – Building the brand in public32:49 – Product roadmap and what's next34:27 – Where to find DIVINI---------------Links:DIVINI – https://www.livedivini.com/Follow Mason on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-domecq-2a3b34192/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Isabel Washington, Founder & CEO of Laurel's - the canned latte brand made, built for people who actually look forward to their RTD coffee. Isabel spotted the gap while working at McKinsey, noticing that roughly 90% of the RTD coffee aisle was non-dairy, ultimately leaving in early 2024 to build the dairy-forward latte she wanted to see on the shelf.We get into formulation, why decaf was the wrong white space, why every can lands at 80mg of caffeine instead of the category's usual 200, and why she bet that taste, not convenience, was the real gap in RTD coffee.We also dig into the realities of an A2 dairy supply chain, the white can and cow on the front that made people think it was canned milk, and why the most important job of a label is communicating one attribute clearly, not ten.Isabel shares how Laurel's got into Erewhon, what buyers really want (incrementality and a real promo plan), how UNFI Up Next and KeHE Elevate help young brands, pricing strategy, and the investor catch-22 that comes with scaling.---------------Episode Highlights:☕ Spotting the gap: 90% of RTD coffee is non-dairy🥛 Why 100% A2 dairy, and what makes it gut-friendly⚡ Building for 80mg caffeine, not 200🏭 From kitchen espresso shots to a real co-packer🐄 A2 supply chain risk and the Alec's Ice Cream drama🎨 Why the can is white (people thought it was canned milk)📦 Packaging advice: nail the one attribute that matters🚀 Just launch, then iterate (40 demos in her first 40 days at Erewhon)💰 The category price ceiling and making the unit economics work🛒 How Laurel's got into Erewhon (they just applied online)📊 What buyers want: incrementality, not another me-too SKU🚚 UNFI Up Next and KeHE Elevate for emerging brands👀 Brands Isabel is watching right now---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro01:05 – Origin story: from McKinsey to the RTD coffee gap05:21 – Early R&D and why decaf was the wrong bet07:36 – Why 80mg caffeine, and taste vs convenience09:11 – From kitchen espresso shots to a co-packer10:30 – A2 dairy supply chain and the Alec's drama14:07 – Why the can is white17:00 – Packaging advice: the one attribute that matters18:36 – Just launch, then iterate22:33 – Pricing and the category price ceiling25:55 – How Laurel's got into Erewhon26:48 – What buyers want: incrementality and support29:25 – Distributors: UNFI Up Next and KeHE Elevate32:30 – Being a true partner to your distributor36:52 – Velocity vs expanding distribution40:53 – National vs regional, and the investor catch-2242:24 – Brands Isabel is watching45:42 – Where to find Isabel and Laurel's---------------Links:Laurel's – https://drinklaurels.com/Follow Isabel on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabeldwashington/Laurel's on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/drinklaurels/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Jason Wright, Founder and CEO of WILDE Protein Snacks - the brand that figured out how to turn chicken breast into a thin, crispy chip (and now crackers!) and has since grown into a $100M+ business across 20,000+ retail doors. Jason walks through the full journey - from a failed meat-based protein bar to the eureka moment at the bottom of a potato chip bag, through R&D at Colorado State's meat science lab, a disastrous test run at a pork rind facility, and the moment that inspired WILDE's now-patented production equipment.We get into why WILDE had no choice but to vertically integrate and what it took to build a 55,000 sq ft facility in Kentucky during COVID - WILDE is now opening a 130,000 sq ft plant. Jason also breaks down pricing strategy, why demos remain the top velocity driver, and how TikTok creators are scaling a "disbelief" marketing message.We also dig into WILDE's innovation pipeline - the hard lesson from discontinuing a pork chip, and why the brand is now focused on formats. Crackers just hit the shelf, a tortilla chip is coming later this year, and a pita chip is on the horizon.---------------Episode Highlights:🥣 From granola founder in NYC to chicken chip inventor🧪 R&D at Colorado State's JBS-built meat science lab🏭 The pork rind facility disaster and what came next🔧 A bulldozer-inspired idea that led to patented equipment⚠️ IP leakage at a co-man (Conagra, Tyson, Hershey)🏗️ Building a 55K sq ft facility during COVID - and now a 130K sq ft plant🎨 Naming the brand after Oscar Wilde (and the trademark fight)🛒 How Whole Foods pioneered the protein snack set🚀 Demos as the #1 velocity driver (and scaling TikTok creators)💡 The "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" marketing philosophy🧀 Launching the WILDE cracker (chicken breast + four cheeses)🎯 Why WILDE is now focused on formats, not proteins👀 Innovation roadmap: tortilla chips, pita chips, flat pretzels---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro01:00 – Origin story: Feed Granola and health food in NYC03:17 – The failed meat-based protein bar06:57 – R&D at Colorado State's meat science lab08:03 – The pork rind facility disaster09:30 – The bulldozer moment and patented equipment11:00 – Why WILDE had to vertically integrate12:01 – Co-man in Virginia and IP leakage risks14:00 – Why Kentucky and how they financed the build18:11 – Brand identity and "protein chips" framing20:07 – Naming the brand after Oscar Wilde22:17 – Pricing strategy and retail expansion24:05 – Landing at Whole Foods and the protein snack set26:27 – Driving velocity: demos, TikTok, and disbelief marketing29:25 – Distribution: UNFI, KeHE, going direct31:03 – Pork chip lessons and the pivot to formats35:51 – New product launch challenges39:12 – Fundraising tips: seed vs. growth stage---------------Links:WILDE Protein Snacks – https://www.wildebrands.comFollow Jason on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-wright-ceo/WILDE on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wilde-protein-snacks/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Bar Bruhis, Founder and CEO of Boostcous, the gluten-free, high-protein couscous brand that packs 18 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber into a five-minute meal. Before going all in on Boostcous, Bar spent a decade in SaaS and DTC, running day to day at KnoCommerce and helping start Sumo.com.Bar walks through the two-year formulation grind: roughly a hundred failed kitchen batches, a promising overseas manufacturer that collapsed the moment tariffs hit, and the decision to rebuild the supply chain and vertically integrate production in the US.We dig into how Bar funded the first run for under $50K, the signal that made him leave KnoCommerce to go all in, the five customer segments, and why he personally texts and calls one-star reviewers.We also talk about cracking paid ads with a founder video he spent 70 hours making, going viral through Snaxshot and the New York Times, finagling his way into ExpoWest for free, and the aisle-placement that puts Boostcous next to rice and quinoa instead of pasta. ---------------Episode Highlights:🥣 Why regular couscous is just a carb bomb🧪 Two years and 100 failed kitchen batches⚠️ How tariffs killed the overseas manufacturing plan🏭 Vertically integrating production in the US💸 Launching for well under $50K🚀 The signal that made him leave KnoCommerce👥 The five customers he never expected📞 Why he texts and calls one-star reviewers🛒 The first 500 orders sold from his garage📈 Going viral via Snaxshot and the New York Times🎬 The 70-hour founder ad that cracked paid🛍️ Finagling his way into Expo West for free🤖 Building the company AI-first---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:50 – Origin story02:55 – The product: 18g protein, 11g fiber, three ingredients03:25 – The two-year formulation journey05:22 – Tariffs blow up the plan, rebuilding in the US07:12 – Moroccan vs Israeli couscous10:18 – Funding the first run (write it to zero)12:28 – The signal to go all-in and leave KnoCommerce14:17 – Who the core customer actually is17:08 – Finding your real customer fast19:05 – The first 500 orders from Bar's garage20:04 – Brand identity and naming Boostcous22:58 – Cracking paid and going viral25:01 – The 70-hour founder ad26:44 – Expo West strategy28:48 – First retail doors and velocity learnings33:05 – Building the company AI-first35:42 – Product roadmap and flavors37:14 – Where to follow along---------------Links:Boostcous – https://boostcous.com/Follow Bar on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbruhis/Boostcous on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/boostcous/Follow Bar on X – https://x.com/BbruhisFollow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Morgan Zanotti, Founder and CEO of Waay - the sparkling protein water brand with 10 grams of protein, zero sugar, and 45 calories a can.Morgan co-founded Primal Kitchen, which she helped grow from a kitchen to roughly $50 million in revenue before a $200 million exit to Kraft Heinz.We get into the origin of Waay, starting with the clear whey protein isolate that made Morgan wonder why no one had put it in a sparkling water. Morgan walks through the rapid launch timeline, the rollout across Whole Foods, Sprouts, and a Target protein end cap, where a sparkling protein belongs on shelf, and why the brand took off on Amazon and TikTok Shop faster than she expected.We also talk about the importance of reaching profitability ASAP in order to maintain ownership, what five years inside Kraft Heinz taught her, and what strategics and PE really look for in a brand.---------------Episode Highlights:💡 The clear whey protein "aha" moment behind Waay💪 Why the protein message finally tells women to eat more🥤 10 grams of protein, zero sugar, 45 calories🔁 Why a second-time founder gets back in the ring📊 Chasing a $40 billion TAM instead of a niche🛒 Landing a Whole Foods national yes with blank silver cans⏱️ Three months to build a brand from scratch🏁 Riding Target's protein end cap, and the risk📦 Why beverage blew up on Amazon and TikTok Shop💰 Staying profitable to keep ownership🏢 Five years inside Kraft Heinz after the exit🔭 The brands and trends she's watching now---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:49 – The origin story: a millennial mom and clear whey protein01:40 – How the message to women shifted to protein03:06 – Why a second-time founder jumps back in04:55 – True innovation and a $40 billion TAM06:40 – How GLP-1 reshaped the category08:13 – Selling Whole Foods national with silver cans and a trademark10:43 – Three months to build a brand, find a co-packer, and nail the taste14:09 – The protein arms race and a "support, not solution" position14:55 – Sprouts, Target, and the end cap bet16:31 – Where a sparkling protein sits on shelf17:57 – Why beverage took off on Amazon and TikTok Shop19:11 – Staying profitable to keep ownership21:28 – Her cap table approach vs Primal Kitchen22:30 – Five years inside Kraft Heinz and "keep being you"24:40 – What acquirers actually look for27:21 – Reading an exit, and why she loves Good Culture29:56 – Brands and trends she's watching---------------Links:Waay – https://drinkwaay.com/Follow Morgan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-buehler-zanotti-31989620/Waay on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/drinkwaay/posts/?feedView=allFollow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Rogers Healy, Founder and CEO of Morrison Seger Venture Capital Partners, the Dallas-based venture firm backing consumer and CPG brands like Waterloo, MOSH, WHOOP, and G.O.A.T. Fuel. Before going all in on venture, Rogers spent two decades building one of Texas' largest independently owned real estate brokerages.We dive into how Rogers built Morrison Seger as a deal-by-deal SPV firm, and how he only writes checks for simple, non-controversial consumer products he can authentically pitch himself. He breaks down his thesis across beverage, food, snacks, pet, and family, and what it actually takes to get conviction in a crowded category.Rogers shares the founder traits he bets on, the talent he says can't be taught, and the single habit that separates founders who survive from the ones who stall out: relentless over-communication. We also talk about why he's so focused on women-led brands when less than 3% of venture funding goes to them, the parent and family space he's watching, and the baby boom he's betting on next. ---------------Episode Highlights:🎸 Naming a VC firm after Van Morrison and Bob Seger🥤 Why he only backs simple, non-controversial consumer brands💵 Running a self-funded firm on deal-by-deal raises🔎 The founder talent that can't be taught📣 Over-communication as the No. 1 survival trait⚠️ The one thing that makes him walk away from a deal⭐ What gives celebrity-backed brands real staying power📉 Why deals actually fall apart🚺 Backing women-led brands when under 3% of VC goes to them🍪 Miracle Mama and spotting under-the-radar founders👶 The baby boom he's betting on next📧 What a strong investor update actually includes🔮 The unconventional path into CPG venture capital---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:49 – Origin story and naming the firm03:55 – The investment thesis06:48 – What non-controversial really means09:45 – The self-funded, deal-by-deal model10:44 – Writing checks in crowded categories like beverage12:37 – Spotting talent that can't be taught15:53 – The trait that separates founders who survive17:26 – The dealbreaker that makes him walk away18:00 – Celebrity-backed brands and real staying power20:08 – Why deals fall apart21:58 – Backing women-led brands23:39 – The parent and family space and Miracle Mama25:10 – The baby boom call26:23 – What makes a great elevator pitch29:24 – What a great investor update looks like30:51 – Breaking into VC from an unconventional path32:42 – Where to find Morrison Seger---------------Links:Morrison Seger – https://www.morrisonseger.com/Follow Rogers on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogershealy/Morrison Seger on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/morrison-seger/posts/?feedView=allFollow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Alan Chen and Conner Mennig, Co-founders of Frozen One, the high-protein ice cream brand packing 40 grams of protein, under 400 calories, 75% less fat and 62% less sugar than traditional ice cream into every pint.Alan and Conner walk through the formulation journey from flavored protein powders and Oreos to milk protein concentrate, and how they tested 50 grams of protein per pint but landed at 40 as the functional ceiling.We also get into finding their first co-packer outside Austin, the in-house packaging design, and expanding from six Royal Blue Grocery doors (averaging 25.9 units per store per week) to Central Market, Bristol Farms, Wegmans, Raley's, Heinen's, Busch's, Schnucks, Fresh Thyme, a Kroger First Pitch win at Expo West, and an upocoming 1,464-door Target launch.We break down how Target deal came together, the scramble to fund the first big order, the oversubscribed $2M round led by Supernatural Ventures and The Angel Group, and the important thing on Alan and Conner's mind right now.....hiring.---------------Episode Highlights:🍦 The Ninja Creamy origin story (still memorialized in the office)🧪 Real ice cream science, freezing point depression and the refreeze problem💪 Why 40 grams is the functional protein ceiling (50 grams blew gaskets)🏭 Finding a small local co-packer willing to run 100-pint test batches🎨 Building the brand and packaging in-house with a friend✏️ How the name "Frozen One" came from "The Chosen One"🛒 First retail: Royal Blue Grocery, portable freezer, sell sheet, repeat visits💰 Pricing evolution from $9.99 super-premium to $6.99–$8.99 conventional mass📊 25.9 units per store per week as the early velocity proof point🚀 The Target inbound, the broker, and 1,464 doors in 15 months💸 The fundraising scramble when no lender would touch them🤝 The three hires that unlock the next stage (sales, frozen ops, digital marketing)🔮 Why the ice cream category still has massive white space---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:51 – Origin story and how Frozen One started02:55 – Late-night R&D in the Ninja Creamy05:20 – The protein source and the 40-gram ceiling07:49 – Choosing the three core flavors09:05 – Finding the right co-packer11:48 – Co-packer advice for founders13:04 – Brand identity and packaging design14:25 – The naming process15:16 – First retail accounts at Royal Blue Grocery17:00 – Pricing strategy and moving from premium to mass18:20 – Early velocity and the role of demos19:47 – Landing Target through a cold website inbound21:00 – The fundraising scramble and the $2M round23:30 – What makes Target different (Roundel, granular data)24:30 – Managing multiple retailer launches at once25:59 – One tip for first-time CPG founders26:57 – Building the team and the three key hires29:04 – How to reach Alan and Conner29:30 – Staying ahead of the protein ice cream pack30:39 – Biggest risks and opportunities ahead31:48 – Brand crushes (Fruit Riot, Graza)---------------Links:Frozen One – https://www.frozen-one.com/Follow Alan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanychen7/Follow Conner on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/conner-mennig-84a469170/Frozen One on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/frozen-one/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Russell and Julia Menez, husband-and-wife Co-Founders of RJ Naturals, makers of Nature's Candy Bar, the refrigerated, organic, whole-food snack bar made with grass-fed butter. The brand was born out of Russell's stage 4 cancer journey, when Julia started making bars from scratch to support his recovery.We dive into how those homemade bars turned into a SoCal brand now in some of most iconic retailers in the region, including Mother's Market, Lassen's Natural Foods, Clark's Nutrition, Fermentation Farm, as well as a growing presence on the East Coast. Russell and Julia break down the formulation behind a bar built on dates, sprouted oats, grass-fed butter, coconut, raw honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and sea salt, why they chose Deglet Noor dates over Medjool, and why most co-manufacturers resist butter.Julia  also walks through the role of coffee shops, gyms, and wellness studios in building community, and how a single networking event landed their anchor retailer and first distributor in the same afternoon.---------------Episode Highlights:🩺 The cancer journey that started the brand🧈 Why grass-fed butter is the hero ingredient🌴 Deglet Noor vs Medjool dates (and why it matters)🥶 Why most bar brands won't go refrigerated🍠 The next flavor in the pipeline (hint: ube)🏭 Interviewing over 20 co-packers to find the right one✋ Going from 600 bars a day by hand to thousands per run🎨 Evolving from RJ Naturals to Nature's Candy Bar🛒 Landing Mother's Market and a distributor in one room☕ Why gyms, coffee shops, and wellness studios still matter📣 Demos plus social as the velocity engine🚦 Saying no to shiny objects as you scale🎯 The Q4 Whole Foods regional plan---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro01:13 – Origin story and the stage 4 cancer journey04:38 – Formulation and R&D06:30 – Why grass-fed butter08:00 – Deglet Noor vs Medjool dates08:46 – Flavor pipeline and the ube hint10:22 – Refrigerated by design, not by default12:49 – Home kitchen to commercial kitchen13:41 – Moving to a co-packer15:38 – Interviewing 20+ co-manufacturers18:09 – Sticking to the formulation at scale21:31 – Evolving the brand from RJ Naturals to Nature's Candy Bar25:11 – Landing Mother's Market and a distributor in one room26:43 – Coffee shops, gyms, and wellness studios as the community layer27:30 – Demos and social as the velocity engine28:53 – Saying no as you scale30:50 – Biggest risks and opportunities31:32 – Q4 Whole Foods regional launch32:30 – Trends and brands they're watching---------------Links:RJ Naturals – https://rjnaturals.us/Follow Russell on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellmenez/Follow Julia on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliahsuh/Follow RJ Naturals on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/rjnaturals/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by William Underwood, Founder of Talent Brew - the CPG-focused recruiting and headhunting firm helping scaling beverage and food brands find the right talent through competitive-set focused outreach.William breaks down what the CPG talent market looks like right now. With post-COVID reorgs, acquisitions, and layoffs, brands have historic access to exceptional talent, but many don't know how to vet or retain it. We get into the roles trending up, from DTC and TikTok Shop managers to channel-specific account roles, and why AI fluency is becoming a must-have even though most CPG brands don't know exactly what that hire looks like yet.We also dig into the hiring roadmap for scaling brands - who to hire first, and the common traps like chasing logos on resumes and inflating titles too early. ---------------Episode Highlights:🍳 From executive chef to CPG recruiter (the origin story)🍺 Launching a beer-focused firm during the worst market since Prohibition📊 Why it's a historic buyer's market for CPG talent right now🛒 Roles trending up: DTC, TikTok Shop, channel-specific managers🤖 AI fluency as an emerging (but undefined) hiring requirement💸 The real cost of a bad hire (financial, emotional, mental bandwidth)🎯 Competitive set focused recruiting (50-100 companies, 3 referrals per placement)⚠️ The trap of chasing logos and inflating titles too early🔥 "Fire in their belly, throwing elbows, and polish"🏢 Culture = what your employees do that you don't talk about🧹 How to fix a struggling culture (and when to fire fast)👀 Brands he's watching: Recess, Trip, Go Brewing, Throne Sport Coffee---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:44 – William's origin story (from executive chef to recruiting)02:55 – Expanding from craft beer to broader CPG03:50 – The current CPG talent market (buyer's market)05:30 – Roles trending up right now07:00 – TikTok Shop and ecom hiring challenges08:31 – AI fluency in CPG hiring10:22 – The real cost of a bad hire11:45 – Smart hiring roadmap for scaling brands14:00 – Common founder hiring mistakes (logos and titles)15:55 – Generalist vs. specialist (and leveraging agencies)17:00 – Competitive set focused recruiting explained19:55 – Red flags when evaluating a recruiting firm22:07 – Interview questions that actually work (go past tense)25:02 – What brands want vs. what they actually need in a hire26:36 – Ideal candidate profiles by revenue stage29:00 – Building and maintaining company culture33:20 – Brands and trends William is watching35:00 – Where to find William and Talent Brew---------------Links:Talent Brew – https://mytalentbrew.com/Follow William on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-underwood-405677245/Follow Talent Brew on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/mytalent-brew/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Hannah Awada, Co-founder and CEO of Hummus Goodness - the Michigan-based brand making authentic, clean-label Lebanese-style hummus with real ingredients and zero preservatives.We talk about selling hummus out of her kitchen window in Shanghai to expats on WeChat, to re-launching Hummus Goodness in a church kitchen in Michigan in 2019. Hannah walks through the formulation decisions that keep the product authentic - olive oil over soybean oil, fresh lemon juice, no citric acid - and how a made-to-order production model protects cash and margin.A big part of the conversation focuses on the Meijer relationship - how a competitor recall opened the door, how Hannah grew from 3 local format stores to all 278 Meijer locations, and why in-store demos remain her number one velocity driver. Hannah also breaks down the brand's major packaging refresh, going from a clear cup with a white lid to bold, personality-driven packaging with playful flavor names like Garlic Glory and The Big Dill.We also get into the anchor account strategy Hannah uses for new market expansion, bootstrapping for five years before a pre-seed round with Michigan Rise, and the tight-knit Michigan CPG founder community she leans on.---------------Episode Highlights:🏠 Origin story: selling hummus out of a kitchen window in Shanghai🧪 Formulation: olive oil, fresh lemon, and zero preservatives⏱️ Made-to-order production (not made-to-stock)⛪ From a church kitchen to a 7,000 cups/week operation🏭 Finding a manufacturing partner through family connections🛒 How a competitor recall opened the door at Meijer📈 Growing from 3 local format stores to all 278 Meijer locations🎯 In-store demos as the #1 velocity driver🎨 The packaging rebrand that matched the brand's personality✈️ Food service channel (Delta Sky Lounges, universities)💸 Bootstrapping for 5 years before a pre-seed round🤝 The Michigan CPG founder community👀 "Kitchen Couture" and the rise of beautiful packaging---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:48 – Origin story: Shanghai to Michigan03:30 – Lessons from selling hummus in Shanghai05:08 – Formulation and shelf life without preservatives07:10 – Church kitchen to own facility09:36 – Scaling from 700 to 7,000 cups a week for Meijer11:00 – Finding a manufacturing partner13:17 – Co-packer relationship advice15:00 – How a competitor recall opened the door at Meijer17:03 – Growing to all 278 Meijer stores19:29 – Bootstrapping for five years22:07 – Anchor account strategy for new markets25:20 – Driving velocity at retail27:02 – The packaging rebrand31:13 – Rebrand rollout lessons33:10 – Food service as a channel36:13 – Michigan CPG founder community38:18 – Kitchen Couture and trends to watch---------------Links:Hummus Goodness – https://www.hummusgoodness.com/Follow Hannah on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanadyawada/Follow Hummus Goodness on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/hummus-goodness/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Rob Johnson, Co-Founder & CEO of Born Simple and Head of Innovation at Mizkan America - the protein-forward shelf-stable complete, prepared meals brand that pivoted from barbecue sauces and broth concentrates into a category that every buyer in the country says is desperate for a makeover. Rob spent years running small natural and organic brands inside Conagra before leaving to build Born Simple, selling it to Mizkan in 2021, and sticking around for nearly five years - one of the longer founder tenures post-acquisition in recent memory.We dig into how Born Simple was literally born in a Whole Foods meeting - the buyer hated the existing brand but loved the products, and Rob walked out with a nationwide launch commitment across two categories before the brand even had a name.Robs gets into what he calls the "NASCAR package" problem in big CPG, the Mizkan acquisition, and what founders should actually pay attention to beyond the check size.We also cover Rob's new role leading innovation across Mizkan America, where he's trying to expand beyond what he calls "innovation behind a computer screen" and replace it with startup-style consumer empathy inside a 225-year-old, $1B+ family-owned company.---------------Episode Highlights:🍖 How Born Simple went from barbecue sauce to protein-forward shelf-stable meals🛒 Landing a nationwide Whole Foods launch before the brand had a name🎨 Brand design inspired by Brandless and Public Goods - simplicity as strategy📦 The "NASCAR package" problem and why big CPG over-communicates on shelf🏷️ Adapting packaging to category - why Tetra Pak pasta sauce didn't work💰 Selling to Mizkan in 2021 and key deal terms for founders (earnouts, key man clauses)🤝 Why post-acquisition integration speed is the #1 thing founders overlook🔄 Pivoting into shelf-stable complete meals - a category in desperate need of a makeover🚀 Leading innovation at Mizkan America and killing "innovation behind a computer screen"🧪 Bringing startup thinking to a 225-year-old, $1B+ family-owned company---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:45 – Origin story and the Whole Foods meeting03:18 – The Brandless and Public Goods insight04:52 – Small companies doing unscalable things05:57 – What big CPG experience actually teaches you10:10 – Sitting on both sides of M&A12:01 – Building Born Simple's brand identity and packaging design14:40 – The "NASCAR package" problem15:55 – Adapting packaging to category (Tetra Pak pasta sauce)17:18 – The stand cap pouch and glass recycling21:42 – Selling to Mizkan and reading the funding tea leaves26:10 – Key deal terms and what founders should negotiate28:15 – Post-acquisition integration and why it destroys value32:08 – Pivoting to protein-forward shelf-stable meals36:33 – Head of Innovation at Mizkan America38:00 – "Innovation behind a computer screen"---------------Links:Born Simple – https://www.bornsimple.com/Mizkan – https://www.mizkan.com/Follow Rob on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/robj2/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 https://www.kitprint.co/.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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Griffin Spolansky, Co-Founder & CEO of Mezcla - the plant-based puff crispy protein bar brand that's gone from Boston bodegas to 9,000+ doors and $17M raised.We dive into how Griffin started iterating in a co-founder's kitchen at 20 years old, how they landed on the puff crispy format, and the gut-driven flavor decisions behind their launch lineup. Griffin shares hard-earned advice on formulation, finding co-packers, and why keeping things simple beats trying to look sophisticated.We also get into the real mechanics of scaling from 50,000 bars in year one to a target of 20-30 million this year, why they stripped country qualifiers from flavor names to unlock supply chain flexibility, how their rebrand was driven by shelf clarity needs in mass conventional and club, and the door-to-door hustle that got them into their first 50 Boston bodegas before cracking Costco.Griffin also breaks down his profitability-first approach to growth, how he evaluates demos and secondary displays against trade spend budgets, and why he believes a founder's job is to create FOMO.---------------Episode Highlights:🍫 Origin story: creating a protein bar that's actually fun to eat🧪 Formulation R&D and why they chose the puff crispy format🏭 Finding co-packers and keeping your co-man honest🚚 Supply chain shifts (removing country qualifiers to scale)🎨 Packaging rebrand for shelf clarity in mass retail🛒 Door-to-door in Boston bodegas and cracking the distributor code💰 Growth with profitability: unit economics as the foundation🎯 Getting into Costco through Expo West🛍️ In-store demos, secondary displays, and trade spend math💸 Raising $17M total and the Series B journey🔥 Why a founder's job is to create FOMO👀 Brands to watch: Coconut Cult and Fish Wife---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:37 – Origin story and the idea behind Mezcla02:10 – Formulation, R&D, and choosing the puff crispy format05:04 – Advice for up-and-coming CPG founders06:44 – Finding and working with co-packers09:07 – Supply chain and raw material sourcing at scale10:36 – Packaging design and building brand identity12:01 – The rebrand and designing for shelf clarity15:09 – Go-to-market: door-to-door in Boston and New York15:57 – Distributors, DSDs, and the chicken-and-egg problem17:48 – Growth with profitability and unit economics19:55 – Building out the board20:51 – Pricing strategy on shelf21:50 – Getting into Costco23:41 – In-store demos, secondary displays, and trade spend27:02 – Fundraising and the Series B29:22 – Creating FOMO and the Boshon's model32:40 – Brands and trends to watch---------------Links:Mezcla – https://eatmezcla.com/Follow Griffin on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/griffinspolansky/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/.Shout out to 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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Jason Bronstad, CEO of MALK Organics, the fast-growing organic plant-based milk brand built on clean, simple ingredients with no gums, oils, or fillers. Jason brings two decades of CPG experience across brands like Sara Lee, Mike's Hard, and Swell Cocktail Company.Jason initially came in as a consultant in late 2020, stepping into the CEO role in mid-2021. Two decades in bev alc shaped his CPG playbook: earn shelf space every review, obsess over velocity, protect trust with your consumer.We dive into "the Kerfuffle," the Thanksgiving 2021 reformulation to organic natural flavors that blew up with loyal fans including Food Babe, and how Jason did one-on-one CEO-to-influencer calls by Wednesday with a new vanilla extract formula by Friday. Jason talks about why they cut the SKU count from 14 to 3, the creamer whitener problem, and the year-long HPP-to-ESL shift that unlocked shelf life for Publix and Kroger.We also get into the retail strategy, touching on why you shouldn't take every door in an A-tier to C-tier rollout, and why traditional demos stopped penciling post-COVID. ---------------Episode Highlights:🥛 The MALK origin story (farmers market to 16,000+ doors)⚠️ "The Kerfuffle": the Thanksgiving 2021 vanilla reformulation that blew up with loyal fans like Food Babe🛠️ Monday crisis, Friday fix: rebuilding trust with one-on-one CEO-to-influencer calls✂️ Cutting from 14 SKUs to 3 to actually commercialize📉 Why oat fell off the cliff and where those consumers went☕ The creamer whitener problem and the coconut creamer relaunch🏭 Shifting from HPP to ESL for shelf life that unlocks mainstream retail📊 Velocity is truth: 3.5x category in natural, nearly 6x at Publix🛒 Why you shouldn't take every door in an A-tier to C-tier rollout🎪 Why traditional demos stopped penciling and the shift to festivals👥 Scaling 8 to 44 people with a remote-first Dreams workshop🎯 Extreme Ownership starting at the top🔮 More brands embracing fewer ingredients (imitation as flattery)---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:51 – MALK origin story01:30 – From consultant to CEO02:57 – CPG fundamentals from the bev alc years04:11 – The Thanksgiving 2021 "Kerfuffle" and same-week reformulation07:02 – Cutting from 14 SKUs to 3 to commercialize08:16 – Following consumers as oat fell off the cliff10:26 – The creamer whitener problem and relaunch12:32 – Shifting from HPP to ESL for shelf life14:06 – Velocity is truth: proving out in natural before MULO15:58 – First MULO launch at Publix18:30 – Kroger banner expansion and A-tier to C-tier rollout20:20 – Pricing, calories, and the ingredient deck conversation23:42 – Demo strategy shift post-COVID27:33 – Scaling from 8 to 44 people with culture intact28:20 – Dreams workshops and a remote-first culture30:48 – Extreme Ownership and culture advice for growing CEOs35:46 – 16K to 67K doors: the next phase of growth---------------Links:MALK Organics – http://malkorganics.com/Follow Jason on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbronstad/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Jonathan Skaare, Founder & CEO of Scout CPG - the fractional sales and channel support firm built specifically for better-for-you CPG brands. Jonathan spent over 20 years in sales leadership roles at Kellogg's, Annie's, Vital Farms, and Acme Provisions before channeling all of that experience into helping emerging brands scale smarter without breaking the bank.We dig into the real mechanics of how emerging brands should think about sales infrastructure - when to use a broker, when to go fractional, and when to bring someone in-house. Jonathan breaks down why the broker model isn't actually broken, but that most brands don't understand what brokers can and can't do, and why that misalignment is where things fall apart.We get into retail execution, distributor velocity thresholds, and why getting on the shelf is only step one - getting off the shelf is the real work. Jonathan walks through his preferred approach to the natural-to-conventional transition, why he likes retailer-specific and regional brokers at early stage, and how Scout builds a financial model for every account before a brand sells into it to make sure the numbers actually pencil out.---------------Episode Highlights:🏗️ Why Jonathan built Scout CPG after 20+ years in sales leadership🤝 Why the broker model isn't broken - brands just misunderstand it💰 Broker compensation structures (retainer, commission, and hybrids)🚀 Fractional sales vs. broker vs. full-time hire - how to decide🛒 Why retailer-specific and regional brokers shine at early stage📦 Mile wide vs. mile deep - why distribution strategy matters more than door count📊 Velocity is king - the first 90 days on shelf🎯 How to transition from natural/specialty to conventional retail📝 What a great buyer deck actually looks like (5-6 pages max)💸 Scout's "customer planner" - modeling profitability before selling in⚠️ Common mistakes brands make in buyer meetings👀 Why you should visit the store before you pitch the buyer---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:44 – Origin story and the why behind Scout CPG03:05 – How Scout differs from a traditional broker05:55 – Why the broker model isn't broken07:16 – Broker compensation structures10:05 – How Scout's financial model works differently12:28 – Fractional sales vs. broker vs. full-time hire17:00 – Regional vs. national vs. retailer-specific brokers20:58 – Choosing the right channel and region first23:42 – Retail execution: good ideas, bad implementation25:44 – Going a mile wide vs. a mile deep28:19 – The first 90 days on shelf32:20 – Natural to conventional transition35:33 – Building a buyer presentation that works39:07 – The customer planner: financial modeling before selling in42:13 – Where to follow Jonathan and Scout CPG---------------Links:Scout CPG – https://www.scout-cpg.com/Follow Jonathan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-skaare-b9126922/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Phyllis Rothschild, CMO of Pete & Gerry's Organics - the #1 organic egg brand and #1 free range egg brand in the U.S. Phyllis spent nearly 30 years in consulting at firms like McKinsey and Oliver Wyman before making the jump in-house to lead marketing.Phyllis breaks down the "word soup" problem in the egg aisle - where terms like cage free, free range, organic, and pasture raised all blur together - and the education-first strategy the team uses to cut through it, including brand-agnostic shelf signage created with retail partners.Phyllis walks through how the team manages two distinct brands in the same category, with consumer personas like "Ellie the Egg" for Nellie's Free Range and "Heather the Hen Hugger" for Pete & Gerry's pasture raised. She shares how the avian flu crisis created a trial opportunity when commodity prices surged and Pete & Gerry's held prices flat, and what the team did to retain those new-to-brand buyers once the gap widened again.We also dig into the packaging refresh across both brands, the color blocking strategy (navy for organic, bright yellow for pasture raised, sky blue for pasture raised organic), and in-store tactics in a category where 75% of purchase decisions are made at shelf.---------------Episode Highlights:🥚 Why Phyllis left McKinsey for the egg aisle📊 Data-backed decision-making from 30 years in consulting🛒 The "word soup" problem in the egg aisle (cage free, free range, organic, pasture raised)📖 Education-first strategy with brand-agnostic shelf signage👥 Consumer segmentation: Ellie, Beth, and Heather🐔 The distributed family farm model (350+ farms) and supply chain resilience💰 Holding prices flat during avian flu while commodity prices surged 59%🎨 Packaging color blocking: navy, yellow, sky blue📦 The "Sacred Ribbon" and why on-shelf side panel cues matter🏪 75% of egg brand decisions are made at shelf📜 Cage-free legislation and the 7x free range volume lift in legislated states---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:42 – Pete & Gerry's overview and brand portfolio02:10 – Why Phyllis left consulting for Pete & Gerry's03:56 – Transitioning from consulting to in-house05:48 – How a consulting background shapes CPG marketing07:45 – The "word soup" problem in the egg aisle09:54 – Education as a growth driver11:53 – Metrics for measuring consumer knowledge13:24 – Managing two brands in the same category17:28 – Consumer segmentation and price pack architecture19:11 – Navigating the avian flu crisis23:12 – Trial, retention, and new-to-brand metrics25:46 – The packaging refresh and pasture raised launch30:50 – Lessons from redesigning both brands34:36 – In-store strategy and shelf set optimization39:06 – Cage-free legislation and its impact on premium42:02 – Trends: whole food sources and clean protein---------------Links:Pete & Gerry's – https://www.peteandgerrys.com/Follow Phyllis on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/phyllisrothschild/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Harry McKaig, CEO of Double Cross Vodka - the premium vodka brand distilled in the Tatras Mountains of Slovakia by an 11th-generation distilling family, and one of the few vodkas to ever score 95 points from Wine Enthusiast. Harry brings over 20 years of beverage industry experience spanning Anheuser-Busch, Diageo, Southern Glazer's, Pernod Ricard, and The Wine Group, where he oversaw a $250M+ business.We get into the full arc of vodka premiumization from Smirnoff in the '50s through Absolut's legendary print campaigns, Grey Goose's dominance, and what the next wave looks like for premium spirits. Harry breaks down how the three-tier distribution system has consolidated into what he calls a "five-tier" reality - with brokers on one end and delivery platforms like GoPuff and DoorDash on the other - and what that means for emerging brands trying to navigate route to market.Harry walks through his return to Double Cross after the brand was nearly wiped out during the pandemic, and the disciplined three-phase rebuild strategy he's running now across New York, New Jersey, and Florida. We also cover his thesis on Gen Z and the "intention-behavior gap," his take on non-alc, and why he thinks better-for-you fatigue may be on the horizon.---------------Episode Highlights:🍸 The history of vodka premiumization (Smirnoff to Grey Goose to now)🏔️ Double Cross origin story (68 distilleries, 11th-generation Slovak family)🏆 Scoring 95 points from Wine Enthusiast in the vodka category🛒 How the three-tier system evolved into five tiers🤝 What brand owners don't learn without time on the distributor side📞 Cold-calling e-commerce customers to understand the consumer base🎯 Going deep not wide (250 doors vs. 900 in New Jersey)🍹 "Build brands on, sell them off" and the post-pandemic on-premise reality📊 The intention-behavior gap and Gen Z's delayed consumption habits---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:52 – Origin story and the premiumization of vodka02:55 – How the founders found their distillery in Slovakia04:12 – Current distribution strategy: going deep, not wide04:54 – The state of BevAlc and why headlines are misleading07:24 – The three-tier system and distributor consolidation09:55 – How the three-tier became five tiers (brokers, e-comm, delivery)11:38 – How to choose the right distributor13:56 – Lessons from the distributor side that brand owners miss16:22 – Harry's return to Double Cross and the rebuild plan19:24 – Choosing focus markets and reverse-engineering consumer data21:13 – Velocity tactics: on-premise, geofencing, paid social23:56 – Gen Z, the intention-behavior gap, and the health paradox27:28 – Double Cross brand positioning and consumer messaging29:34 – The non-alc space and why it doesn't threaten spirits31:37 – Trends: protein everywhere and better-for-you fatigue---------------Links:Double Cross Vodka – https://www.doublecrossvodka.com/Follow Harry on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrymckaig/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Tia Ellis, Founder of Wildflower Insight - the retail strategy and education company that teaches CPG founders how to pitch buyers and win purchase orders. Tia is a former broker who has helped brands sell well over $100 million worth of product into major U.S. retailers. Tia walks through the buyer psychology that drives purchasing decisions, including why buyers care most about category performance and internal KPIs, not whether they personally like your product. We get into her winning pitch deck structure, including the critical "retailer fit" slide that should change for every single retailer you pitch. We dive into the golden retail rule - a scaling framework Tia first heard from a Walmart buyer - that maps the path from local to regional to national retail. She shares a cautionary story about a brand that skipped steps, landed a 3,000+ store global account, and couldn't support past the fifth purchase order because of 90-day payment terms and cash flow issues. We also cover operational readiness, logistics gaps that trip up founders (FTL vs. LTL, carrier management, warehouse transitions), pricing strategy across different retailer types, when brokers actually make sense versus when founders should pitch themselves, and why starting with retailers that don't require a distributor can save early-stage brands real money. --------------- Episode Highlights:🏪 Brokers vs. pitching it yourself (and when each makes sense)🧠 Buyer psychology - why buyers are not consumers📊 The two pitch deck slides that matter most for data🎨 The "retailer fit" slide (and why it changes every time)🎯 The golden retail rule - local to regional to national🚚 Operational readiness and the logistics gap founders miss💸 Pricing strategy across Costco, Walmart, Sprouts, and specialty🛒 Why starting with retailers that skip distributors saves money --------------- Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:46 – Origin story and why Tia started Wildflower Insight03:09 – Two types of founders Wildflower serves06:05 – When it makes sense to hire a broker08:46 – Buyers are not consumers09:10 – Three pitches every founder needs to master12:00 – The role of data in buyer meetings12:43 – Growth, trends, and the brand sales slides14:16 – The pitch deck structure and retailer fit slide18:07 – The golden retail rule explained22:36 – Cautionary tale of skipping steps26:29 – Operational readiness and being shelf-ready27:22 – The logistics gap (FTL, LTL, carrier management)28:46 – Pitching Costco vs. Walmart vs. specialty retailers29:37 – Pricing strategy across retailer types31:37 – Starting with retailers that don't require a distributor33:52 – Trends Tia is watching (prebiotics and probiotics)35:29 – Where to follow Tia and Wildflower Insight --------------- Links:Wildflower Insight – https://wildflowerinsight.com/Follow Tia on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiaellis/Follow Tia on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thetiaellis/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Hovik Azadkhanian, CEO of Heirloom Coffee Roasters - the fastest-growing coffee brand in the natural channel and the first nationally available 100% regenerative organic certified specialty coffee. Hovik has been in the coffee roasting business for over 30 years, starting alongside his dad as a kid and spending years in private label and toll roasting before launching Heirloom.We dive into how roasting millions of pounds of coffee for other brands gave Hovik the data to develop Heirloom's proprietary Culinary Roast - a technique that manipulates time, temperature, air pressure, and gas flow to unlock specific flavor profiles at scale. That process led to winning the Good Food Award against 1,700 coffees, a first for any regenerative coffee.Hovik walks through the realities of the coffee supply chain, including a USDA study that found 43% of certified organic products tested above the legal limit for banned substances. He breaks down Heirloom's triple-testing protocol across 311 synthetic pesticides and the story of rejecting tens of thousands of pounds of glyphosate-contaminated coffee.We also get into Heirloom's direct trade model, which cuts out 15-20 middlemen and pays farmers three to six dollars per pound versus 30-60 cents under the traditional model. ---------------Episode Highlights:☕ 30+ years roasting coffee (started at age 8)🏭 From private label to building a national brand🧪 The Culinary Roast (manipulating time, temperature, gas, air pressure)🏆 Winning the Good Food Award against 1,700 coffees⚠️ 43% of organic products failing pesticide standards (USDA study)🔬 Triple-testing protocol for 311 synthetic pesticides🌱 Direct trade model (farmer to roaster, no middlemen)🤝 The Pacayala cooperative story in Honduras🛒 Going national at Sprouts and becoming the #1 selling coffee🎯 Land and expand in natural, then break into mass retail---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:33 – Origin story and why behind the brand04:17 – Reacquiring the Oakland roasting facility05:25 – Developing the Culinary Roast process08:29 – Iterations and the Good Food Award win10:20 – R&D and SKU strategy12:41 – The glyphosate contamination story15:25 – USDA organic study and the limits of certifications17:37 – What CPG brands should do about independent testing19:39 – Vertical integration and cutting out middlemen20:45 – Building direct farm relationships23:06 – The Pacaya cooperative in Honduras26:00 – Farmer economics (30 cents vs $3-6 per pound)28:45 – Retail trajectory and going national at Sprouts30:58 – Tactics for driving velocity in natural channel31:56 – Retail expansion plans and breaking into mass32:22 – Food service as a brand awareness channel33:13 – Brand identity and packaging design decisions34:43 – 2026 goals and new form factors---------------Links:Heirloom Coffee Roasters – https://heirloomcoffeeroasters.com/Follow Hovik on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/hovik-azadkhanian-a2404830/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Cassie Maschhoff, Co-Founder of Lottie's Meats - the sister-owned, chef-crafted premium pork sausage brand. Cassie left a career in tech (including time at Google) to team up with her sister Chelsea, a CIA-trained chef, to reintroduce pork the way it should be.We dive into what it takes to build a premium meat brand from scratch, from three years of recipe experimentation to working with eleven different co-packers. Cassie walks through USDA facility requirements, the "messy middle" of co-packer hunting, and how most co-manufacturers in meat still operate on handshake deals.Cassie breaks down why food service has been a brand-building flywheel, how customers discovered Lottie's at Denver restaurants before finding them on shelf, and the pricing mistakes she made early on.We also get into their retail expansion playbook, from flying to NorCal to drop off samples and locking in Berkeley Bowl as an anchor account, to convincing regional distributors to come on board.We talk about why demos have been their most effective velocity tool for a premium-priced product, the unique dynamics of marketing in the meat department, and why building relationships with the people behind the meat counter matters more than most CPG tactics.---------------Episode Highlights:🐷 Sixth-generation pork farm origins and the sister co-founder dynamic🏭 Working with eleven co-packers to find the right fit🧪 Why clean-label sausage is an art and a science (no preservatives, no shortcuts)🎨 Building a brand identity that breaks from typical meat aisle packaging🍕 Food service as a brand-building flywheel (bakeries, pizzerias, breweries)💸 The pricing mistake in food service and how they fixed it🛒 The retail expansion playbook (Denver to NorCal to SoCal to Midwest)📈 Berkeley Bowl as the anchor account that opened NorCal🎯 Why demos are their most effective velocity tool🤝 Building relationships with the people behind the meat counter👀 Brands to watch: One Trick Pony, Painterland Sisters, Huxley, C&Chilies---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:32 – Origin story and the Lottie's lineup02:26 – Building a business with your sister06:10 – R&D, formulation, and iterating on recipes08:13 – The messy middle of co-packer hunting11:00 – Maintaining quality across multiple co-packers14:00 – Handshake deals and the co-packer relationship16:18 – Brand identity and packaging design philosophy19:02 – Tips for building a brand that resonates in meat20:30 – Simplifying labels vs. claim overload22:30 – Food service as a channel and brand-building tool24:26 – Stumbling blocks in food service (pricing mistakes)26:42 – Retail expansion from Denver to NorCal and beyond30:10 – Velocity tactics: demos, promos, and shelf marketing33:00 – Building relationships with meat counter staff---------------Links:Lottie's Meats – https://www.lottiesmeats.com/Follow Cassie on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassie-maschhoff-8055b058/Follow Lottie's Meats on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/lottie-s-meats/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Mike Fransz, Director of Marketing at Nova Naturals - the naturals division of Novamex (the company behind Jarritos) that's home to C2O Pure Coconut Water and Steaz organic tea. Mike brings 25 years of beverage marketing experience, including early days at Red Bull and Neuro Brands.We dive into what Mike learned building Red Bull from 1,500 cases a month to 150,000 in Orange County, including how they found "opinion leaders" before influencers existed and why everyone at Red Bull was treated as a marketer.Mike walks through the Steaz brand refinement, how the team went back to original founders Eric Chanell and Steven Kessler to rediscover the brand's why, and the process that led to reworking everything from sourcing to mission and making Steaz the first regenerative organic certified ready-to-drink tea in the U.S. We also get into running a shared services model across C2O and Steaz, Mike's time at Neuro Brands as an early functional wellness beverage, and why the protein revolution is just getting started.---------------Episode Highlights:🍵 How Steaz became the first regenerative organic certified RTD tea🏭 Forming Nova Naturals as a dedicated division inside Novamex🎯 Red Bull's "opinion leader" strategy before influencers existed📈 Growing Red Bull from 1,500 to 150,000 cases a month in Orange County🤝 Going back to the original Steaz founders to rediscover the brand's why🌱 Regenerative organic vs. sustainability (and why the difference matters)🔄 The shared services model for managing C2O and Steaz together🧪 Neuro Brands as an early functional beverage and lessons from multi-functionality📦 Why packaging format matters (single-use plastic vs. cans and aluminum)🥩 The protein revolution, GLP-1, and brands like Chomps and Fishwife👀 Trends Mike is watching in functional beverages and healthier lifestyles---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:49 – Nova Naturals origin story and brand portfolio03:04 – How the beverage industry has changed over 25 years05:09 – The shift from natural niche to mainstream07:04 – Red Bull and the rise of "opinion leaders"10:02 – Product market fit then and now13:39 – Why Mike left Red Bull for natural products16:31 – How Red Bull scaled its field marketing org21:16 – Image building vs. consumption building28:31 – Forming Nova Naturals and the shared services model34:33 – The Steaz brand refinement and going back to the founders38:23 – Steaz as the first USDA organic and now regenerative organic RTD tea43:00 – Regenerative organic certification explained44:55 – How to think about a brand refresh (start with why)55:47 – Neuro Brands and the functional beverage category01:02:00 – The communication quagmire of multi-functional brands01:06:33 – The protein revolution, GLP-1, and trends Mike is watching---------------Links:Nova Naturals – https://nova-natural.com/Follow Mike on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikefransz/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Corey Dickinson, VP of Marketing at Wilding Brands - the Colorado-based craft beverage platform that's brought together Denver Beer Co, Great Divide, Upslope, Stem Ciders, Funkwerks, and more under one roof. Corey spent over a decade building leading marketing at some of Colorado's most well-known craft breweries before stepping into the VP role across the full Wilding portfolio.We dive into how Wilding came together through a series of mergers and acquisitions in 2024, and what it actually looks like to integrate legacy craft brands with decades of history and loyal consumer bases. Corey shares how his team shifted from brand-specific managers to channel-based silos - wholesale, retail, and partnerships - after realizing the original structure wasn't leveraging the full portfolio. He breaks down why the taproom experience is still the highest-margin, highest-loyalty channel for craft brands, and how that firsthand experience becomes a flywheel into off-prem distribution.We also cover the launch of Formation Brewing in Phoenix's Roosevelt Row neighborhood, a brand built from scratch to fit the Arizona market rather than exporting Denver Beer Co's identity. ---------------Episode Highlights:🍺 How Wilding Brands came together (Denver Beer Co, Great Divide, Upslope, and more)🏭 Integrating legacy craft brands without losing their identity🧪 Pausing Hop Boosted when the liquid wasn't ready (and why that matters)🎨 Restructuring marketing from brand-specific to channel-based silos🛒 Why the taproom is your highest-margin, highest-loyalty channel🤝 Leveraging a multi-brand portfolio for festival and event partnerships📊 The distributor landscape and what it means for smaller craft brands🍻 Launching Formation Brewing in Phoenix from scratch📦 Building DTC e-commerce around merch and non-alc (not beer)🏪 Why Wilding stays behind the scenes as a non-consumer-facing brand👀 What's coming up across the Wilding portfolio---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:59 – The origin story of Wilding Brands03:35 – Mergers and acquisitions in 202406:33 – Hop Boosted innovation and the decision to pause09:39 – Evaluating and repositioning acquired brands13:46 – Marketing org structure across a multi-brand portfolio19:03 – Allocating time and priorities across brands21:06 – Why the taproom experience still matters most23:53 – The distributor landscape for craft brands29:27 – THC beverages and where Wilding stands30:43 – Launching Formation Brewing in Phoenix34:43 – Building DTC e-commerce in craft beverage37:14 – What's coming up across the portfolio---------------Links:Wilding Brands – https://wildingbrands.com/Follow Corey on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreydickinson4/Follow Wilding Brands on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wilding-brands/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Elan Halpern, Co-Founder of Sourmilk - the NYC-based functional greek yogurt brand designed to actually deliver real probiotic benefits, not just the perception of them. Elan is a Stanford CS grad and former tech PM who, alongside co-founder Kiki, started out selling yogurt on bikes out of backpacks across New York City.We dive into the science behind why most yogurts fall into one of three probiotic traps, and how Elan narrowed forty thousand bacteria strains down to the handful that are probiotic, survive in yogurt, and taste good.Elan breaks down organic dairy sourcing realities, demand planning for a perishable product, building a two-thousand-person waitlist before the first production run, and selling the first pallet on city bikes in seven days. We also dig into the forced rebrand from Beny to Sourmilk, launching with one SKU in bright blue packaging to stand out in the yogurt aisle, why Happier Grocery was the right first retail partner, and what Elan's tech background brought to CPG.---------------Episode Highlights:🥛 Why most yogurts fail at being truly probiotic (three traps)🧪 Narrowing 40,000 bacteria strains to find the right probiotic combo🏭 Finding a dairy co-packer the old-fashioned way (cold calls, not Google)🐄 Organic vs conventional dairy supply chain economics📦 Building a 2,000-person waitlist before the first production run🚲 The "drug deal model" - selling yogurt on city bikes in brown bags💻 Custom-coding a Shopify pickup feature (Stanford CS advantage)✏️ Cease and desist to rebrand - from Benny to Sourmilk🎨 Bright blue packaging to stand out in the sea-of-white yogurt aisle🛒 Why Happier Grocery was the right first retail partner🎯 Localized activations - gym pop-ups near retail stores to drive velocity---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:43 – Origin story and the gut health problem04:32 – Formulation and the three yogurt traps06:22 – R&D - narrowing 40,000 bacteria strains07:43 – Finding a co-packer in an old-fashioned industry09:48 – Scaling from home kitchen to co-man production11:49 – Organic dairy supply chain and sourcing challenges17:27 – Demand planning with a perishable product18:48 – The drug deal model - selling yogurt on city bikes20:01 – What tech taught him about building in CPG22:28 – The rebrand - from Benny to Sourmilk26:10 – Packaging design and standing out in the yogurt aisle28:46 – Straddling the food vs supplement brand identity30:00 – Pros and cons of the direct-to-consumer pickup model34:41 – Getting into retail and using zip code data35:49 – Why Happier Grocery was the first retail partner36:32 – Advice for brands launching into their first retailer37:51 – Retail expansion strategy - NYC first, then regional38:30 – Brands and trends they're watching40:29 – Where to follow Sourmilk---------------Links:Sourmilk – https://www.sourmilk.com/Follow Elan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/elan-halpern-99a018193/Follow Sourmilk on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourmilk/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Christian Karim Khalil, Founder & CEO of Yaza - the fast-growing brand bringing traditionally made, clean-ingredient labneh and Mediterranean dips to the U.S. market. Christian brings years of global CPG experience from a handful of countries around the world. Christian walks through the nine-month R&D process, the grueling six-month search for a dairy co-packer (printing hundreds of pages from the FDA's IMS certificate list and cold-calling every company on it), and the production challenges that came with scaling up for Whole Foods.We get into the Yaza rebrand, why Christian pushed for it early, and his framework for deciding when a rebrand is worth the investment: it has to solve specific problems, not just look better. Christian also breaks down what it took to land Whole Foods nationwide before even having product in market, the Costco roadshow model and selling a unit every 30 seconds, and the consumer education playbook for a category that's still new to the majority of American shoppers.---------------Episode Highlights:🧀 How labneh is traditionally made (and why it's different in the U.S.)🏭 The six-month co-packer search (FDA binders, cold calls, near-quitting)🧪 Nine months of R&D to match Lebanon's gold standard🎨 Why Yaza rebranded early and the problems it solved🛒 Landing Whole Foods nationwide before having product in market📈 Growing 200%+ at Whole Foods through strategic promotions🏪 The Costco roadshow model (selling a unit every 30 seconds)🍽️ Labneh on Michelin-star menus as a consumer education driver📦 Building a "brand block" with baba ganoush and muhammara🚀 Why Yaza skipped Expo West (and where that $100K+ goes instead)👀 Why protein and fiber shouldn't be "trends" - they should be daily staples---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:54 – Origin story and the Hashimoto's connection02:57 – Early R&D and making labneh at home05:09 – Researching the market at Whole Foods05:40 – Finding a co-packer (the IMS binder story)07:18 – Perfecting the formulation10:04 – Scaling production for Whole Foods11:35 – Brand identity and the first packaging13:43 – The rebrand: why, when, and how16:00 – Expanding the product line (baba ganoush, muhammara)19:25 – Advice on when a rebrand is worth it22:01 – Landing Whole Foods nationwide24:55 – Costco roadshows and what they revealed28:04 – Consumer education and category creation29:37 – Driving velocity: demos, promotions, social media33:07 – Why Yaza skipped Expo West34:30 – Trends, brands, and what's next for Yaza---------------Links:Yaza – https://yazafoods.com/Follow Christian on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-karim-khalil-8b615b185/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Betsy Gillette, Co-Founder and CEO of Synergy Sales Consulting Group - the specialized sales management firm that acts as the full sales team for emerging CPG brands looking to scale nationally across grocery, natural, and mass channels. Betsy brings deep industry experience from leadership roles at UNFI, White Wave, Ignite Sales Management (before it sold to Acosta), and a decade at Jewel-Osco.Betsy walks through the common mistakes she sees founders make, including hiring a marketer before a salesperson, staffing a friend in a sales role they'll outgrow in a year, and expecting retailers to just fall in love with their product off-cycle. We get into building a strong sales deck, what a one-pager needs to include, how to communicate price increases, and when to be transparent with retailers about supply chain issues.We also cover how to partner with UNFI and KeHE, why their sales teams won't sell on your behalf, how to select and manage brokers, and what metrics matter in a category review beyond units per store per week.---------------Episode Highlights:🏪 Why Synergy caps their portfolio at 10-12 brands💸 Hiring a sales agency vs. building an internal sales team⚠️ Why hiring a marketer before a salesperson is a costly mistake🛒 How retail buyers actually make decisions (and what founders get wrong)📊 Metrics that matter beyond units per store per week (dollar sales, household penetration)📝 What a strong sales deck and one-pager need to include💰 How to communicate a price increase through distributors🤝 Partnering with UNFI and KeHE (and what brands misunderstand about them)🚚 When and how to select and manage brokers🎯 What a well-rounded go-to-market strategy looks like🔬 Trends: protein, fiber, GLP-1s, and the new food pyramid guidance---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:52 – Origin story and what Synergy does05:26 – When it makes sense to hire a sales agency07:50 – Why 10-12 brands is the sweet spot09:28 – Sales agency vs. internal sales team11:13 – Buyer turnover and younger buyers at retailers13:30 – What to look for in sales leadership hires16:52 – The mistake of hiring a marketer before a salesperson18:17 – How founders misunderstand retail buyer decisions21:10 – Getting into retailers off-cycle (and why it rarely works)23:13 – Key metrics for a strong sales story24:52 – Preparing for category reviews25:58 – Communicating price increases to retailers26:20 – Being transparent with retailers about supply chain issues28:31 – What a go-to-market strategy looks like30:18 – What a good sales deck and one-pager should include33:21 – How to truly partner with your distributor36:01 – What brands misunderstand about distributors37:54 – When and how to select and manage brokers41:19 – Trends: protein, fiber, GLP-1s42:35 – Where to find Betsy and Synergy---------------Links:Synergy Sales Consulting Group – https://www.synergyscg.com/Follow Betsy on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsy-gillette-2712074/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Andy Kurtts, Creative Director and Founder of Buttermilk Creative - the North Carolina-based CPG design firm behind some of the most recognized better-for-you brands on shelf. Andy breaks down the most expensive packaging mistakes he sees founders make, specifically how RGB-to-CMYK color mismatches compound across substrates and SKUs, and why the nutrition facts panel is not the place to get creative.We also get into the tension between designing for yourself vs. your target customer, why your logo probably isn't the most important thing on pack, and how hierarchy and clarity beat loud, busy design. Andy walks through the Blue Zones Kitchen project, including the design sprint with multiple agencies, the handcrafted ceramic bowl that became the brand's most ownable asset, and why they're refreshing the packaging based on what they learned behind the freezer door.We also cover DTC-to-retail packaging transitions, the debate around owning a color block on shelf vs. a rainbow approach, where AI is actually useful for design teams today, and the CPG trends Andy is tracking, including protein's staying power and how brands are visually tackling the dye removal movement.---------------Episode Highlights:🛒 What retail buyers actually look for (hint: shelf-readiness over taste)📦 Why back panel formatting can disqualify you before the tasting🎨 The most expensive packaging mistake (RGB vs. CMYK color builds)🖌️ Designing for your customer, not yourself✨ Great packaging clarifies, it doesn't shout🔤 Why your logo isn't the most important thing on pack🧊 The Blue Zones Kitchen design sprint and freezer door lessons🏺 The handcrafted ceramic bowl that became a brand asset🌈 Owning a color block vs. the rainbow shelf approach🤖 Where AI actually helps design teams (and where it doesn't)👀 Trends: protein's staying power and the dye removal movement---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:44 – Lessons from nearly a decade at The Fresh Market03:30 – How retail buyers evaluate private brand packaging06:12 – What buyers actually look for in new products08:52 – Packaging deal breakers that disqualify brands11:10 – Designing for your customer, not yourself13:58 – Great packaging clarifies, it doesn't shout15:54 – The most expensive packaging mistakes (color)20:04 – Unconventional design inspiration (museums, art, global markets)23:11 – DTC vs. retail packaging27:01 – Hierarchy on pack and why your logo can be secondary29:12 – The Blue Zones Kitchen design story34:47 – Owning a color on shelf vs. the rainbow approach38:07 – AI in packaging design42:21 – CPG trends: protein and the dye removal movement---------------Links:Buttermilk Creative – https://buttermilkcreative.com/Follow Andy on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/andykurtts/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Kiera Kehoe, Brand Manager at Smash Kitchen - the organic condiments and cooking oils brand co-founded by actor Glenn Powell.Kiera previously built and ran Lift Off, a demo and merchandising agency covering roughly 40 states, and honed her brand management chops at cool brands like Zack's Mighty.We dive into the real mechanics of building and running a demo program from the ground up. Kiera walks through how she thinks about budget allocation (sponsored search first, demos second), when brands should start demoing (three to four months after launch, not day one), and which categories see the best demo ROI - impulse-priced items like snacks and beverages versus low-margin singles where the math rarely works.We get into how to find, hire, and motivate top brand ambassadors (referrals first, Facebook groups second), the case for starting with an agency before building in-house, and how to diligence demo agencies by asking where their strongest regions are. Kiera also talks candidly about the realities of scaling a national demo program, including why most brands eventually have to pull back on demo spend around the two-year mark as they move into conventional retail.---------------Episode Highlights:🛒 How Lift Off demo agency was born from Zack's Mighty🎯 Two marketing buckets: like your brand vs. buy your product💰 Budget priority: sponsored search first, demos second📊 Metrics that matter (samples distributed, sales, reorders)🍟 Demoing frozen products (the tater tot air fryer story)🤝 Why ambassadors are your best source of store-level intel🎨 Table setup details that actually drive traffic🔍 How to find great brand ambassadors (referrals and Facebook groups)👀 The future of demos and co-demoing to cut costs---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:32 – How Lift Off demo agency started03:08 – What a great demo actually accomplishes04:08 – Biggest misconceptions about demos05:14 – Common mistakes brands make with demos06:47 – When demos make sense (and when they don't)08:16 – Categories where demos work best09:54 – Demoing frozen and cooked products11:24 – Allocating marketing budget to demos13:01 – Choosing which stores to demo at13:45 – What a great demo setup looks like15:17 – Reporting and tracking ROI with Piñata16:06 – Metrics that matter during and after demos18:10 – What makes a great brand ambassador19:34 – How to motivate and incentivize ambassadors20:53 – Where to find top brand ambassadors22:13 – Agency vs. in-house demo teams24:22 – How to diligence a demo agency25:58 – In-store realities and what goes wrong29:04 – Common consumer objections at demos30:16 – Scaling a national demo program32:04 – Core tools for running a demo program (Piñata, Gusto)33:16 – The future of demos34:25 – Wrap up---------------Links:Smash Kitchen – https://smashkitchen.com/Follow Kiera on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieragk/Follow Smash Kitchen on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/smash-kitchen/Follow me 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 https://www.kitprint.co/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. 

On this episode, we're joined by Sam Nebel, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Goodwipes, a fast-growing eco-friendly wet wipes brand that's secured shelf space in pretty much every major retailer across the country. In this episode, Sam shares the wild origin story of Goodwipes - which started with a bathroom conversation at a Florida State fraternity house - and breaks down how they've built a premium flushable wipes brand that's revolutionizing the restroom routine for millions of Americans.We dive into their scrappy early days, the importance of bootstrapping and building on a budget, and how they navigated formulation challenges to create a product that truly stands out. Sam gets tactical on brand identity and packaging design, explaining why "in-home aesthetics" matter just as much as shelf appeal, and walks through the naming process that led to Goodwipes.We also cover retail strategy at scale - what's unique about Walmart, Target, and Kroger, why placement in the toilet paper aisle vs personal care matters, and how they've successfully scaled into 10,000+ doors. Sam shares insights on the challenges of sampling wipes, their growing presence in airports, and what it takes to launch new products successfully.---------------Episode Highlights:🚽 The fraternity house origin story💪 Bootstrapping lessons from franchising and nightlife🧪 Formulation R&D and product iteration📦 Brand identity, packaging, and "in-home aesthetics"✏️ The naming process and creating approachability🛒 Walmart, Target, Kroger—what's different about each📍 Why aisle placement matters (TP aisle vs personal care)✈️ The airport channel opportunity📈 Scaling from 100 to 1,000 to 10,000+ doors🚀 New product development and hitting timelines🎯 Risk and opportunity ahead👀 Trends and brands Sam is watching---------------Table of Contents:0:00 - Intro0:47 - Origin story and goodwipes overview3:21 - Lessons as a franchisee5:22 - Lessons as a nightlife agency owner7:59 - Building on a budget, fundraising11:02 - Formulation and R&D14:00 - Product roadmap and innovation15:32 - Brand identity and packaging design19:41 - The importance of in-home aesthetics21:43 - The naming process23:32 - Walmart, Target and Kroger and beyond27:41 - Sampling wipes?29:12 - Airports31:10 - Scaling into 10K+ doors32:28 - NPD decision process, getting it right35:15 - Risk and opportunities36:58 - Trends and brands Sam is watching---------------Links:Goodwipes – https://www.goodwipes.comFollow Sam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kingofwipes/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Seth Waite, Partner at Schaefer, the buyer psychology firm that helps brands understand why people actually buy. Seth has spent his career building, advising, and investing in businesses at the intersection of CPG, ecommerce, and analytics, with a deep focus on turning consumer insight into commercial clarity.Seth breaks down how Schaefer approaches buyer research, why brands routinely misdiagnose demand, and the lies teams tell themselves about customer behavior. He introduces the single highest-leverage question a brand can ask to uncover true motivation and walks through Schaefer’s core frameworks, including the Kingpin Strategy and the Why People Buy Pyramid.We also get into the Marketing Efficiency Paradox, why functional benefits alone rarely create durable advantage, and how brands accidentally make shoppers do the work through over-messaging and feature overload. Seth brings the theory to life with real-world examples, from kale at Pizza Hut buffets to what French’s Mustard teaches us about focus, meaning, and growth across DTC and retail.---------------Episode Highlights:🧠 How Schaefer studies buyer psychology❌ The lies brands tell themselves about why customers buy❓ The highest-leverage question in consumer research🎳 The Kingpin Strategy and why focus beats expansion📉 The Marketing Efficiency Paradox🔺 The Why People Buy Pyramid🥬 Kale at Pizza Hut buffets and what it proves🛒 Why brands shouldn’t make shoppers do the work🟡 Lessons from French’s Mustard🏬 DTC vs. retail: what actually changes📦 Why “functional” is rarely enough🔮 Trends and brands Seth is watching---------------Table of Contents:00:00 - Intro00:47 - Schaefer breakdown07:08 - Lies that brands tell themselves about why customers buy09:20 - The highest leverage question a brand can ask13:11 - The Kingpin Strategy17:18 - The Marketing Efficiency Paradox19:58 - The Why People Buy Pyramid28:54 - Kale at Pizza Hut buffets and beyond30:31 - Don’t make shoppers do the work33:25 - What we can learn from French’s Mustard37:42 - DTC vs Retail42:43 - Functional this, functional that45:00 - Brands and trends Seth is watching---------------Links:Schaefer - https://schaefer.co/Why People Buy - https://whypeoplebuy.com/Follow Seth on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwaiteFollow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Jeff Grogg, Founder & Managing Director of JPG Resources - one of the most influential food and beverage innovation and operations platforms in CPG. He's also a Co-founder of RCV Frontline Ventures.Jeff has spent decades building, scaling, and advising brands across every stage of growth - from early formulation through commercialization, scale, and exit.Before founding JPG Resources, Jeff held senior R&D and innovation roles at Kellogg and Kashi during its hypergrowth years. Since then, he’s worked alongside hundreds of emerging and established brands.Jeff breaks down the current state of innovation in food and beverage, where founders are quietly taking on the biggest risks without realizing it, how to build a true culture of innovation, when product portfolio expansion makes sense (and when it absolutely doesn’t), and how brands can launch products on time and on budget without blowing up margins.Jeff also shares hard-earned insights on convenience as a growth driver, reducing COGS without sacrificing quality, navigating co-manufacturer relationships, the difference between chasing microtrends versus building around durable macro shifts, and how brands should think about preparing for an exit.---------------Episode Highlights:🥦 Scaling Caulipower into a nine-figure brand🧠 The current reset happening in CPG innovation⚠️ The biggest hidden risks founders take with innovation🏗️ Building a real culture of innovation📊 When product portfolio expansion is justified⏱️ Launching products on time and on budget🛒 Why convenience drives repeat and scale💰 Practical ways to reduce COGS🏭 How to work with co-manufacturers strategically🌊 Macro vs. micro trends in food & beverage🔮 Where Jeff sees the biggest opportunities ahead🚪 What it really takes to prepare for an exit---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:55 – Origin story, JPG Resources services & venture investing03:10 – Scaling Caulipower to nine figures04:10 – The state of innovation in CPG07:46 – One of the biggest risks to innovation10:09 – Building a culture of innovation12:43 – Justifying product portfolio expansion14:53 – Launching products on time and on budget17:19 – The importance of convenience20:48 – Reducing COGS24:21 – Co-manufacturers29:10 – Macro vs. micro trends31:06 – Trends and opportunities33:40 – Getting ready for an exit---------------Links:JPG Resources – https://www.jpgresources.comFollow Jeff on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgrogg/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Kathrin Henon, Founder & CEO of Planet Bake - the better-for-you donut brand making sugar-free, low-carb, gluten-free, plant-based donuts that actually taste indulgent.Kathrin shares her journey from a design and fashion background to building Planet Bake during the pandemic, driven by a desire to solve real problems around sugar, metabolic health, and access to healthier indulgences. Growing up in Germany shaped her perspective on food quality and sugar consumption, and that lens heavily influences how she thinks about formulation, branding, and product strategy today.We get deep into the tactical side of building an early-stage CPG brand. Kathrin walks through brand identity and packaging decisions, early formulation and R&D challenges, how Planet Bake explored different sweeteners before landing on the right solution, and what it takes to find and work with co-packers early on.A big part of the conversation focuses on early-stage financial pressure: managing cash when vendors want upfront payment, tools that can help bridge cash gaps, and why fundraising, banking, and credit are especially broken for emerging CPG brands. ---------------Episode Highlights:🍩 Building a better-for-you donut brand from scratch🇩🇪 How Kathrin’s German upbringing shaped Planet Bake🎨 Brand identity and packaging design decisions🧪 Formulation, R&D, and sweetener exploration🏭 Finding and working with co-packers early💸 Cash flow challenges most founders underestimate🧰 Tools that help relieve early-stage cash crunch🤝 Fundraising and financial support for early brands📦 Velocity vs. distribution in the early days👥 Building demo collectives to drive sell-through🚚 Distributors, brokers, and retail strategy🚀 2026 goals and trends Kathrin is watching---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:48 – Origin story02:57 – Kathrin’s German upbringing04:22 – Brand identity and packaging design06:31 – Formulation and R&D09:36 – Sweetener exploration11:52 – Product roadmap12:29 – Co-packers15:56 – Cash flow challenges17:52 – Tools to help with the cash crunch20:08 – Fundraising at the early stage21:54 – Support communities for early-stage founders24:04 – Velocity vs. distribution in the early days25:41 – Building a demo “collective” to drive sell-through26:42 – Distributors and brokers29:18 – 2026 goals, Sprouts29:54 – Trends Kathrin is watching---------------Links:Planet Bake – https://planet-bake.com/Follow Kathrin on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrinhenon/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Jake Tannenbaum, Founder & CEO of Craftmix - the instant cocktail (and other things) mixer brand built for people who want better drinks without the mess, prep, or sugar bombs. Jake started Craftmix after years of bartending and realizing that even he couldn’t make a decent cocktail at friends’ houses with what they actually had on hand. That insight turned into a new product format - single-serve powdered mixers - and eventually an entirely new product category. We get into the early days of Craftmix, from six months of kitchen R&D and roommates spitting out bad iterations, to the “brownie mix” insight that explains why a little bit of participation makes products more fun. Jake breaks down the decision to move from DIY production to co-packers, what founders consistently underestimate about formulation and scale, and how building a brand is very different from building a product category. We also dig into demand planning lessons from selling out multiple times, how brand identity and packaging design impact shelf clarity and velocity, why the target demographic ended up being different than expected, and what it really took to win on Amazon before expanding into retail. We cover Kroger learnings, corporate gifting as a legitimate channel, how QVC works behind the scenes, and what’s next on Craftmix’s product roadmap.---------------Episode Highlights:🍸 Bartender-to-founder origin story and the real problem Craftmix solves🧪 Formulation and R&D lessons from early kitchen experiments🧁 The “brownie mix” variable and why interaction matters🏭 When and how to transition to a co-packer📦 Building a brand while educating consumers on a new category📊 Demand planning, inventory risk, and avoiding stockouts🎨 Brand identity and packaging design in a cluttered aisle🎯 How and why the target demo shifted🏆 Winning on Amazon before expanding into retail🏪 Retail velocity, Kroger learnings, and category education🎁 Corporate gifting as a real, scalable channel📺 QVC: live selling, pressure, and unexpected upside🧭 Product roadmap and trends JT is watching---------------Table of Contents:00:00 - Intro00:00 - Origin story02:37 - Formulation and R&D03:43 - The “brownie mix” variable05:13 - Transitioning to a copacker10:34 - Building a brand AND a product category12:10 - Demand planning14:43 - Brand identity and packaging design16:43 - Target demo17:51 - Winning on Amazon21:11 - Breaking into retail26:23 - Brand awareness and product category drive velocity27:19 - Winning in Kroger28:16 - Corporate gifting is a real channel29:26 - QVC31:41 - Product roadmap32:21 - Trends JT is watching---------------Links:Craftmix – https://www.craftmix.com/Follow Jake on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-tannenbaum-a21876128/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Matt Borish, VP of Marketing at Union Chill Cannabis Co. - a multi-state cannabis retailer operating in New Jersey and New York.We get into the realities of driving foot traffic and new customer visits when paid media options are limited and competition ramps quickly. Matt breaks down how Union Chill approaches the Super Bowl of cannabis, how they think about platform spend, and how to balance acquisition versus retention in a category where margins are constantly under pressure.We also dive deep into promo mechanics, product mix decisions, and how category trends like beverages and infused prerolls are reshaping the retail experience. Matt shares how Union Chill thinks about tech stack, consumer demographics, and what he’s watching as the cannabis retail landscape continues to evolve.---------------Episode Highlights:🌿 Driving foot traffic with limited paid media🔥 Green Wednesday strategy and promo planning💸 Marketing budget allocation and platform spend🔁 Balancing acquisition vs retention in cannabis retail📊 Building repeatable promo frameworks🧠 Retail tech stack and tooling decisions🚀 Launching dispensaries in new adult-use markets📦 Product mix strategy and category performance🥤 Beverages and infused preroll trends👥 Understanding shifting consumer demographics📉 Marketing under 280E constraints📈 Trends shaping the future of cannabis retail---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:42 – Matt’s journey in cannabis03:16 – Green Wednesday04:00 – Driving traffic and new customers to retail06:55 – Marketing budget allocation09:12 – Platform spend10:15 – Retention strategies11:25 – Recurring promo strategy14:37 – Tech stack15:54 – Dispensary launch strategy17:58 – Building out a retailer promo framework in a new cannabis market19:29 – Product mix20:51 – Beverages22:22 – Infused prerolls22:54 – Consumer demographics25:43 – Optimizing for 280E26:24 – Trends---------------Links:Union Chill Cannabis Company – https://unionchillco.com/Follow Matt on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-borish-09933b27/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Jessica Berger, Founder & CEO of Bundle X Joy, the female-founded, purpose-driven pet brand rethinking dog nutrition, branding, and community.Jess brings nearly two decades of experience from inside the pet industry, including building private label brands and working across major retailers, before stepping out to create the brand she wished existed.We get into the realities of launching a modern pet brand from scratch - how early formulation and R&D decisions shape everything that comes next, how to think about initial SKU strategy, and what founders should know about pet co-packers and commercialization before scaling.We also dig deep into brand identity and packaging design and why Jess trusted her gut despite some tough feedback. Jess shares how she built community before launch, the go-to-market strategy that unlocked early traction, and what it really took to land major retailers like Walmart and Costco.---------------Episode Highlights:🐶 Jess’s origin story and journey through “Big Pet”🏭 Building private label brands and lessons from inside the industry🧪 Formulation, R&D, and early SKU decision-making📦 Working with pet co-packers and commercializing products🎨 Brand identity and packaging design decisions✏️ The naming process behind Bundle X Joy🤝 Building community before launch🚀 Go-to-market strategy and early traction🛒 What it really took to land Walmart🏬 Lessons from selling into Costco🔮 Brands and trends Jess is watching next---------------Table of Contents:00:00 - Intro00:43 - Origin story03:33 - “Big Pet” experience, building private label brands07:07 - Formulation and R&D, go-to-market SKU decisions10:53 - Pet co-packers and commercialization14:44 - Brand identity and packaging design, sticking with your gut19:49 - The naming process22:12 - Building community pre-launch23:56 - Go-to-market strategy29:45 - Walmart and beyond34:17 - Costco35:46 - Brands and trends Jess is watching---------------Links:Bundle X Joy – https://bundlexjoy.comFollow Jess on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicarberger/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Gabriel González, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Casalú, the rum-based RTD cocktail brand.In Gabriel’s own words, his goal is to build the Red Bull of Latino culture.We dive into the initial insight that rum was missing from the hard seltzer boom, and the broader cultural shift that made a Latino-first brand not just viable, but necessary. Gabriel shares how Casalú was built for their own community first, and why Latin culture becoming pop culture fundamentally changed the opportunity.We also dig into early formulation and R&D decisions, including painful product failures and fermentation issues that forced production shutdowns and hard resets. Gabriel walks through what those moments taught them about liquid development, co-packers, and knowing when to rethink both product and process.We talk candidly about starting with self-managed distribution, learning the hard way how to actually drive velocity, and what it really takes to succeed with major retailers like Walmart. Gabriel also breaks down Casalú’s recent brand refresh, why clarity at shelf matters more than just being “cool,” and how they’re thinking about culture, community, and scale heading into 2026.---------------Episode Highlights:🍋 Why rum was missing from the hard seltzer boom🧪 Early formulation and R&D lessons🏭 What they learned working with co-packers⚠️ Product failures that shut down production🎶 Building the Red Bull of Latino culture📈 Growing a following from nothing🚚 Starting with self-managed distribution⚡ Tactics for driving real retail velocity🏪 Getting in the door and succeeding at Walmart🎨 The strategy behind the Casalú brand refresh🎯 2026 goals and what’s next---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:51 – Origin story02:55 – Formulation and R&D05:20 – Co-packers10:22 – Formulation challenges and failed product12:32 – Building the Red Bull of Latino culture19:07 – Building a following from nothing22:21 – Starting with self-managed distribution25:40 – Tactics for driving velocity29:48 – Getting in the door and succeeding at Walmart32:30 – The what and why of the Casalú brand refresh40:46 – 2026 goals---------------Links:Casalú – https://casalu.com/Follow Gabriel on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielgonzalezorta/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Cody Allen and Alex Bennet, Co-Founders of Joon Foods, the award-winning pistachio brand that’s gone from zero to roughly 1,500 doors in just seven months.Built on a 300-year-old family recipe and a modern, flavor-forward approach, Joon is showing consumers what pistachios “really taste like”.We get into the realities of formulation and R&D, how they approached finding the right manufacturing partner for a unique cooking process, and why they chose to start with just three flavors instead of chasing constant innovation.They also unpack their go-to-market strategy - from leaning into C-stores early (thanks to Cody’s family distribution background) to using Faire as both a revenue driver and an unexpected marketing engine. We talk pricing, velocity versus door count, grocery delivery platforms like Thrive and Hungryroot, and how they think about scaling without getting ahead of themselves.This is a tactical, in-the-weeds conversation about building a modern snack brand the hard way through distribution, data, and discipline.---------------Episode Highlights:🥜 Turning a 300-year-old family recipe into a modern CPG brand🚀 Growing to ~1,500 doors in seven months via C-stores🏭 Formulation, R&D, and finding the right manufacturing partner🌿 Clean-label flavor strategy (no seed oils, no artificial flavors)🎨 Brand identity, naming, and award-winning packaging design💰 Pricing a premium product across channels📦 Lessons from multi-generation food distribution🛒 Using Faire as both a sales and marketing engine📊 Velocity vs distribution and avoiding overexpansion🔍 Snack brands and trends Alex and Cody are watching---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro01:06 – Origin story04:05 – Formulation and R&D07:08 – Finding and partnering with a co-packer08:45 – Flavor strategy12:49 – Brand identity, naming, and packaging design19:49 – Pricing22:52 – Lessons from Cody’s family distribution business25:22 – Starting with C-stores28:26 – Faire29:15 – Grocery delivery30:22 – Velocity vs distribution, Faire41:02 – Brands and trends Alex and Cody are watching---------------Links:Joon Foods – https://eatjoonfoods.com/Follow Cody on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/codyallen24/Follow Alex on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alFollow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Mac Anderson, Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer of Cleveland Kitchen (formerly Cleveland Kraut) - the #1 kimchi and kraut brand in the U.S.Mac, his brother Drew, and their brother-in-law Luke built the company from Saturday farmer’s markets into a national fermented-foods platform spanning kraut, kimchi, pickles, and more, now sitting at roughly 15,000 doors.We get into the real mechanics of building in the fermented category. Mac breaks down how farmer’s markets became their most valuable feedback engine, what finally gave him the confidence to leave his day job, and how they approached formulation and R&D when “fermented” is both a flavor and a process.Mac also walks through what it takes to scale without losing quality - minimizing batch variance, deciding when to go vertical with in-house manufacturing, and how a cold-chain, time-based product fundamentally changes the business model.We dig into brand identity and packaging decisions that help Cleveland Kitchen win on shelf, how they think about defending territory as the category leader, and what they learned from acquiring Sonoma Brinery.---------------Episode Highlights:🥬 Building Cleveland Kitchen with family🧺 Why farmer’s markets are the best real-world product lab in CPG🚪 When it actually makes sense to leave your full-time job🧪 Formulation & R&D in a process-driven category📉 Minimizing batch variance as you scale🏭 Going vertical: when in-house manufacturing becomes the edge🧬 The fermentation business model (time, cold chain, inventory)🎨 Brand identity & packaging decisions that drive velocity📈 Scaling into ~15,000 doors🛡️ Defending territory as the market leader🤝 Lessons from acquiring Sonoma Brinery🔭 Trends and brands Mac is watching right now---------------Table of Contents:00:00 - Intro00:47 - Cleveland Kitchen origin story, building with family05:54 - Farmer’s Market learning lessons07:34 - When to leave your full-time job10:01 - Formulation and R&D12:29 - Minimizing batch variance at scale14:06 - Going vertical (in-house manufacturing)17:26 - The fermentation business19:59 - Brand identity and packaging design22:48 - Scaling into 15,000 doors26:52 - Defending territory as the market leader29:59 - Acquiring Sonoma Brinery34:06 - Trends and brands Mac is watching---------------Links:Cleveland Kitchen – https://www.clevelandkitchen.com/Follow Mac on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mac-anderson-98500973/Follow me 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. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Kristina Marino, BevAlc consultant and marketing leader, who’s helped scale brands like Mr Black and Kombrewcha just to name a few. Kristina brings an operator’s lens to today’s bevalc reality: tougher distributor dynamics, shifting shopper behavior, and the need to design brands that earn repeat in both off-prem and on-prem.We get into what’s working now in bevalc: how to earn a distributor’s attention without overspending, why on-prem needs a purpose-built SKU or ritual, and how early wins come from ruthless focus on route-to-market and velocity metrics (not just awareness).Kristina also shares her brand identity playbook, the levers that actually move repeat purchase, and what the post-M&A integration process looks like from the inside.---------------Episode Highlights:🥃 Learning lessons from scaling Mr. Black and Kombrewcha📉 Distributor reality in 2025🧭 Route-to-market first🍸 On-premise with purpose🔁 Driving repeat purchase🪪 Brand identity playbook: briefs that translate, system-first packaging, and shelf ↔ digital alignment🧩 Post-M&A integration📈 Where she’d place bets now and the spirit trends she’s watching---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:39 – Kristina’s experience in the bevalc03:12 – The current bevalc landscape05:14 – Trends Kristina is seeing09:25 – Today’s bevalc distributor landscape11:53 – How a bevalc startup can win in today’s market13:42 – What category Kristina would focus on today if she started a brand15:43 – Brand identity playbook in bevalc17:34 – On-premise vs off-premise in the early days18:49 – Driving repeat purchase21:37 – What the post-M&A integration process looks like23:17 – Brand and trends Kristina is excited about in spirits---------------Links:Follow Kristina on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/krimarino/Follow me 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. 

 On this episode, we’re joined by Tyrel Johnson, the Co-Founder & CEO of Natty Ice Cream, the high-protein, clean-label ice cream brand rapidly breaking into the frozen set. Tyrel and his brother Garrett turned a home fitness journey, a Ninja Creami obsession, and relentless R&D into a brand that's gaining traction fast.Tyrel shares the inside story of building Natty from a Breville machine to a fully licensed dairy manufacturing facility, then making the pivotal decision to shift from in-house production to a co-packer to support scale. We dive deep into brand identity and how Natty’s bold, dark packaging and Greek-god iconography carve out visual white space behind foggy freezer doors. Tyrel shares tactics on breaking into frozen retail, working with brokers and distributors, managing trade spend, and building a brand that wins the first trial and earns repeat.---------------Episode Highlights:🍦 The fitness journey that inspired Natty Ice Cream🧪 How they cracked the code on high-protein ice cream texture🏭 Building a licensed dairy facility - then pivoting to a co-man🎨 Why contrast drives frozen aisle packaging strategy🔍 Visual storytelling and owning white space in frozen📈 Breaking into Erewhon and early retail traction🤝 Working with brokers, distributors, and deciding when to scale📊 Modeling trade spend, margins, and operational realities🚀 Emerging brands and trends Tyrel is tracking across CPG---------------Table of Contents:00:00 - Intro00:37 - Natty Ice Cream origin story03:12 - Building a brand with family05:33 - Early days of formulation and R&D09:46 - Product roadmap10:48 - Pivoting to a copacker13:34 - Brand identity and packaging design18:24 - Operating in the frozen category20:35 - Strategies to stand out in frozen at retail23:30 - Erewhon27:37 - Brokers and distributors31:22 - Brands and trends Tyrel is watching---------------Links:Natty Ice Cream – https://nattyicecream.com/Follow Tyrel on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyreljohnson/ Follow me 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.