Unpackaged Goods

A woman started a granola brand with $5,000. Seventeen years later it might sell for $600 million. In the same week, BTS launched 30 products at Walmart on day one. Two playbooks. Both might work. But only one was built to last regardless of whether the founder stays famous.This week on Unpackaged Goods:Purely Elizabeth exploring a $600M sale — founded in 2009 with $5K in savings by holistic nutrition counselor Elizabeth Stein. Over $200M in revenue across 100,000+ doors. No VC at the start. No celebrity. No viral moment. The anti-velocity story in a market obsessed with speed.BTS launched ARIH at Walmart with nearly 30 SKUs across noodles, energy drinks, and probiotic sodas. The most ambitious celebrity CPG launch in history. Backed by Korean food giants Paldo and Hy. ARMY will deliver a massive day one. The question is month two.BERO launched at Kroger, Publix, AND Walmart in one week — full national grocery coverage in under two years. The Casamigos alumni hire paying dividends.Celsius plus Alani Nu volume up 26.3%. Alani specifically up 94% with prices rising. Pricing power plus demand growth simultaneously — the holy grail of brand economics. The $1.8B acquisition looks like one of the best deals in CPG history.Amy's Kitchen quietly approaching $1 billion in frozen. 57,000+ stores. No hype. Decades of compounding.Also covered: Celleste Bio producing cell-cultured chocolate bars for Mondelēz. Westman Atelier raising $15M approaching $100M. Hero Group acquiring The Gut Stuff in the UK. Frozen One closing $2M seed ahead of nationwide Target. Nomio closing $4M from Collab Fund for Tour de France-endorsed recovery supplements. Run The Jewels raising $2M for RTD cocktails. Laird acquiring Terrasoul for $48M. Tivoli Brewing becoming 18th largest craft brewer. Happy Dad YTD up 35.1%. Pure Genius hitting $1M in first month at Target. GLP-1 adoption doubling in the UK. TRUFF aioli launch. Capri Sun goes functional for kids. Distribution wins across Kroger, Walmart, Target, Publix, and H-E-B.The quiet compounders and the rockets are both winning. The losers are the brands in the middle — too slow for velocity, too unfocused for compounding. Pick your lane. Commit.Subscribe to The Deeter Digest: https://deetseatsnyc.substack.com/p/the-deeter-digest-2c1Follow @deetseatsnyc: https://www.instagram.com/deetseatsnyc/Pickle Advisors: pickleadvisors.com#CPG #PurelyElizabeth #BTS #BERO #Celsius #AlaniNu #AmysKitchen #UnpackagedGoods #DeeterDigest #Entrepreneurship #QuietCompounding

Two weeks ago I said every beauty and wellness founder should have their deal room ready. This week Unilever spent $1.2 billion on a supplement brand that didn't exist three years ago. Called it.This week on Unpackaged Goods:Unilever acquired Grüns for $1.2 billion — its first acquisition since merging food with McCormick and pocketing $15.7 billion in cash. Founded in 2023, Grüns scaled to $300M ARR in under three years, ships 10 million gummies daily, and has 95% repeat usage at 4-6x per week. Unilever didn't buy a supplement brand. They bought a daily habit. And they still have $14.5 billion left to spend.In the same week, David Protein's class action lawsuit was dropped — the Mean Girls comparisons, the bomb calorimetry debate, Peter Rahal's "no one is getting Regina Georged" — it's all over. The science won. The social media outrage lost. David immediately launched at Costco across five states. But co-founder and former President Zach Ranen quietly left in February to start something new. The lawsuit is over. The Costco expansion is on. And the co-founder departure opens a chapter worth watching closely.In this episode I break down:→ Unilever's $1.2B Grüns acquisition — why the 95% repeat usage stat made Unilever write a billion-dollar check→ The Unilever wellness portfolio map: OLLY, SmartyPants, Liquid I.V., Nutrafol, Grüns — each filling a specific daily habit slot→ $14.5B still in the war chest — sleep, gut health, longevity, and women's health are the obvious next targets→ The Puig x Estée Lauder $40B merger update — founding families meeting this week to finalize terms→ David Protein's biggest week — lawsuit dropped, Costco launch across five states, co-founder exits. What Zach Ranen builds next might matter more than the Costco expansion→ Reale Actives doing $1M in sales in under 5 minutes — the creator-to-brand pipeline produces launch velocity tradit

She co-founded Hims & Hers in 2017 and helped build it into a $4 billion telehealth company. Now Hilary Coles is back — and she's coming for your morning coffee.This week on Unpackaged Goods, I sit down with Hilary Coles and Emily Boschwitz, the co-founders of POCA — portable, zero-sugar coffee and matcha syrups that are reinventing how we flavor our drinks. Hilary co-founded Hims & Hers and built out their physical products and brand. Emily was their first marketing hire. Together, they watched wellness overtake big pharma by 4x over the last decade and decided the next frontier was the one vice we're all still allowed to have: coffee.We talk about the Hims & Hers origin story and what they learned building a company that proved lowercase-h healthcare was real. Why coffee and matcha are the last sacred rituals in a world optimized to death. How they formulated zero-sugar syrups using rare sugars like monk fruit and allulose that actually dissolve in iced drinks — because 75% of Starbucks orders are iced and traditional syrup sinks to the bottom. The pistachio flavor that's giving people an emotional reaction. Building a second company as moms with young kids. Why the GLP-1 movement is creating unexpected demand for flavor in protein-heavy diets. And why they worked with the Glossier design team to make POCA feel like a beauty moment, not a food product.Plus the weekly CPG news breakdown:→ Unilever x McCormick is official — $20B revenue, $60B combined value, $15.7B cash payment→ KDP closes $18B JDE Peet's and splits into Beverage Co. and Global Coffee Co.→ Chomps approaching $900M in revenue — 36% growth at massive scale→ IM8 hits $100M ARR in 11 months — Beckham, Giannis on the cap table→ Mars Men hits $100M in 18 months — $27.5M Series A from L Catterton→ Create closes $20M — Mike Repole and Unilever Ventures invest→ The Casamigos Alumni Effect — former CEO launches Por Qué No canned cocktails→ Khloud Protein Chips debuting exclusively at Target→ Cadence, Clean Simple Eats, and Boka all launching at 2,000+ Walmart doors→ Cleanlogic at 6,000+ CVS stores→ Something Sweet nationwide at Whole Foods→ Bloom Sparkling Energy launching in Canada via KDPThe mega deals are closing. The rockets are launching. And the co-founder of one of the most important consumer health companies of the last decade just told you where she thinks the next opportunity lives — in the cup you're holding right now.Subscribe to The Deeter Digest for the full weekly breakdown: https://deetseatsnyc.substack.com/p/the-deeter-digest-80eFollow @deetseatsnyc on Instagram & TikTokLearn more about Pickle Advisors: pickleadvisors.comCheck out POCA: https://pickpoca.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooZl8fro92SgJTKY0ZLhh7Ah6p9CW8LMjQmxAHo1uVZofiKAGil#CPG #ConsumerGoods #POCA #HimsAndHers #Coffee #Matcha #Unilever #McCormick #Chomps #IM8 #MarsMen #LCatterton #Create #UnpackagedGoods #DeeterDigest #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #FunctionalBeverages #WomenFounders

Every major story this week is about deciding what you want to be when you grow up.McCormick and Unilever are in talks to merge food divisions — Hellmann's, Knorr, Cholula, Frank's Red Hot under one roof in a deal worth tens of billions. Danone paid $1.15 billion for Huel because meal replacement was a billion-dollar category all along. L Catterton is shopping Thorne for up to $4 billion after buying it for $680M three years ago — the most impressive PE flip in wellness history. Sazerac acquired Dirty Shirley after 934% sales growth. And Glossier is closing 9 of 12 stores to focus on hero products.In this episode, I break down:→ Why the McCormick x Unilever deal signals the end of the diversified conglomerate era→ What Danone's $1.15B Huel acquisition means for every founder in functional nutrition→ The math behind L Catterton's potential 6x return on Thorne — and why vertical integration commands a $4B valuation→ How Dirty Shirley turned childhood nostalgia into 934% growth and a Sazerac acquisition→ Why Glossier closing stores is actually the most bullish signal for the brand in years→ General Mills selling $350M in Brazilian food to go deeper into pet care→ Ferrero buying another protein brand because the company behind Nutella decided protein bars are the future→ The 15,000-brand beverage problem — and what separates winners from the graveyard→ DryWater adding 41,000 doors approaching $100M — the next Liquid I.V.?→ Tilray completing the BrewDog hat-trick across three continents→ Funding rounds from Habiza, Good Girl Snacks, Laoban, Yough, JiYu, and Funny Water→ Distribution wins at Target, Sprouts, H-E-B, Sam's Club, Kroger, and ErewhonThe consolidation wave isn't coming. It's here. The big are getting bigger. The focused are getting smarter. And the window between emerging brand and acquisition target just got shorter.Subscribe to The Deeter Digest for the full weekly breakdown: https://substack.com/home/post/p-191864754Follow @deetseatsnyc on Instagram and Tik TokLearn more about Pickle Advisors: pickleadvisors.comRate us five stars if this episode changes how you think about portfolio strategy.#CPG #ConsumerGoods #McCormick #Unilever #Danone #Huel #Thorne #LCatterton #DirtyShirley #Sazerac #Glossier #Ferrero #GeneralMills #PrivateEquity #MergersAndAcquisitions #UnpackagedGoods #DeeterDigest #BusinessStrategy #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital

The firepower is real this week. David Protein gets hit with a class action lawsuit claiming 83% more calories than labeled — but the internet completely missed the science. Coefficient Capital closes $530M across two funds. PepsiCo launches meat sticks and proves they read the Bain insurgent brands report. Hims & Hers goes from GLP-1 victim to GLP-1 distributor in 14 days. George Clooney applies the Casamigos formula to non-alc beer. Monster quietly launches FLRT to chase the female energy consumer. And Once Upon a Farm posts 30% revenue growth — then watches the stock drop 20%. This is the episode that explains why your moat isn't distribution anymore.In this episode: The David Protein lawsuit — what the lab got wrong and why EPG changes everythingCoefficient Capital's $530M — what it means if you're raising a Series A or BPepsiCo's Good Warrior meat sticks — Big Food just read the Bain reportHims & Hers' 14-day strategic pivot — the most impressive sequence in consumer health in yearsGeorge Clooney's Crazy Mountain — can the Casamigos formula work twice?Monster's FLRT — can a corporate brand win the female energy consumer on authenticity?Once Upon a Farm's public market reality check — 30% growth gets champagne in a boardroom. On Wall Street it gets a haircut.Rapid fire: Henkel acquires Not Your Mother's, Morinaga buys My/Mochi, Grüns at Costco, Poppi at Starbucks, and moreSubscribe to The Deeter Digest for the weekly newsletter that goes deeper than the podcast. Link below. Rate us 5 stars if this episode made you rethink who your real competitors are. ---  Unpackaged Goods is hosted by Jonathan Deeter, founder of Pickle Advisors and creator of Deet's Eats Media.  Newsletter: deetseatsnyc.substack.comInstagram/tik tok: @deetseatsnyc

This week I sit down with Bar, the founder of BoostCous — a gluten-free couscous packed with protein and fiber that's rethinking one of the most overlooked staples in the grocery aisle. We talk about how he came up with the concept, the challenges of reformulating a centuries-old product, and what it takes to build a better-for-you brand in a category nobody's innovating in.This week in CPG news: 🔹 Hims & Hers drops $1.15B on Australian digital health platform Eucalyptus 🔹 Bain Capital shops a $3B dessert empire 🔹 Nestlé officially exits ice cream after decades of trying 🔹 Happy Dad dominates Dry January with 31% YoY growth 🔹 Patrick Mahomes' Throne Sport Coffee raises $10M 🔹 J.M. Smucker makes Uncrustables fridge-friendlyGet the full breakdown in The Deeter Digest 👉 linktr.ee/deetseatnycFollow along: @deetseatnyc | @unpackagedgoodspod | @pickleadvisors

This week the business world officially lost its mind. A TikTok creator became Chief Creative Officer of a German candy company, Kraft Heinz reversed a billion-dollar corporate split to invest $600M in growth, and someone created probiotics that flush forever chemicals from your body.In this episode:[0:00-2:00] Intro: Are We Living in a Simulation? When TikTok creators become C-suite executives and legacy giants reverse course on major restructuring, traditional business rules are officially dead.[2:00-8:00] The Creator Economy Takeover Jake Shane's appointment as Katjes CCO signals a seismic shift toward cultural relevance over traditional credentials. Why LinkedIn is officially a graveyard and what this means for business leadership.[8:00-15:00] Kraft Heinz's $600M Strategy Reversal Steve Cahillane perfected corporate splits at Kellogg, then decided NOT to split Kraft Heinz. Instead: $600M investment in growth. Why financial engineering is dead and brand building won.[15:00-19:00] Reliance's Australian Platform Play India's biggest conglomerate bought a portfolio of Australian better-for-you beverage brands. Strategic international expansion through premium brand acquisition.[19:00-23:00] Forever Chemical Probiotics & Environmental Health Danish startup Cambiotics raised €4M for probiotics targeting PFAS removal. When environmental contamination meets precision nutrition, new categories emerge.[23:00-26:00] Happy Dad's Dry January Masterclass How they grew 31% during the month people stop drinking while White Claw struggled and Truly declined. Having a cult vs. having a product.The Big Picture: Cultural relevance trumps corporate credentials. Growth investment beats financial engineering. Authentic problem-solving creates new categories. Community building outperforms traditional marketing.Subscribe: Apple, Spotify, YouTube | Newsletter: The Deeter DigestWhat shocked you most this week? Let us know in the comments.

This week the CPG world officially lost its mind. Willie Nelson built an $80 million cannabis beverage empire in under 12 months, someone paid $400 million for barbecue sauce, and a baby food company is now trading on the NYSE next to Apple and Tesla.In this episode:[0:00-6:00] The Week CPG Broke RealityOnce Upon a Farm's $198M NYSE debut proves baby food is Wall Street materialWillie Nelson's $80M cannabis run rate validates authentic celebrity brandsMarzetti's $400M Bachan's acquisition signals ethnic condiments are institutional assets[6:00-12:00] The Funding Frenzy ContinuesCAVU Consumer Partners raised $325M (exceeding target) for Fund VSEMCAP doubled down on Good Culture with $55M follow-on investmentProper Wild raised $10M after 550% energy shot growth[12:00-17:00] When Sunscreen Meets SodaVacation x Pepsi Wild Cherry lip balm collaboration chaosLemme x Kylie Cosmetics gummy partnership strategyWhy unexpected brand collaborations actually work[17:00-23:00] The Creatine ExplosionKoia launching creatine protein shakes exclusively at PublixMomentous expanding creatine chews with new flavorsHow strength training went mainstream and created category gold rush[23:00-29:00] Distribution Wins & Strategic ExitsHain Celestial's $115M snack division divestment strategyTony's Chocolonely defying chocolate industry trends with 20% growthWhy premium brands continue conquering mass retailThe Big Picture: Authenticity and execution beat innovation every time. When country music legends build cannabis empires, barbecue sauce commands $400M valuations, and baby food trades publicly, we've entered an era where solving real problems for specific populations creates institutional investment opportunities.Subscribe: Apple, Spotify, YouTube | Newsletter: The Deeter DigestWhat shocked you most this week? Let us know in the comments.

This week I took over The Shelf NYC for a special edition of "The Humans Behind the Hustle" - diving deep into the stories of five incredible food founders who are building authentic brands through relentless execution and genuine passion.In this episode:[0:00-29:00] This Week's CPG ChaosFormer poker player Brian Tate raises $45M for Oats Overnight after hitting $200M revenueBen Stiller's distribution-first soda strategy proves celebrity brands can workOnce Upon a Farm kicks off $200M+ IPO roadshow for premium kids' nutritionAmazon abandons all grocery stores except Whole Foods in massive retreatTHC beverages officially hit Chicago Bulls gamesGood Bacteria raises $3.2M to "rewild" the American microbiomeWhy 2026 is the year every business rule got thrown out the window[29:00-31:00] Bous Cous - Authentic Middle Eastern Heritage The founder's mission to bring real couscous to American tables, navigating cultural positioning, and building trust around heritage ingredients.[31:00-33:00] Challah Hallah - Artisanal Bread at Scale From neighborhood bakery to retail distribution while maintaining traditional quality, building community around heritage bread, and the operational nightmares of scaling fresh products.[33:00-34:30] Livis Dates - Premium Date Revolution Transforming dates from basic snacking to gourmet experiences, managing complex supply chains, and creating luxury in commodity categories.[34:30-35:30] G's Cheese - Specialty Dairy Innovation Taking on established cottage cheese giants, perfecting the artisanal-to-mainstream transition, and why authentic cottage cheese innovation matters in an oversaturated market.[35:30-37:30] Eza Chia Cups - Superfoods Made Simple Making nutrient-dense foods convenient for busy lives, cracking the grab-and-go healthy snack code, and the manufacturing challenges of chia-based products.The Bigger Story: While CPG giants chase trends and venture-backed brands burn cash, these founders prove that authenticity, quality, and solving real problems still create lasting value. The Shelf represents the future of food discovery - where genuine innovation meets real consumers.Subscribe wherever you listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Newsletter: The Deeter Digest (link in bio)What founder story resonated most? Let us know in the comments.

This week in CPG was absolute chaos. Tom Brady's selling protein powder, Beyond Meat launched beverages, and someone raised $10 million for alcoholic sports drinks that taste like Gatorade. Categories officially don't exist anymore.In this episode:[0:00-25:00] This Week's CPG MadnessSpikedAde's brilliant $10M sports drink cocktail thesisTom Brady and Mike Repole's NOBULL nutrition expansionBeyond Meat's desperate beverage pivot$110M+ in M&A deals including Kroger's strategic acquisitionsAG1's Vitamin Shoppe conquest and Target's premium food accelerationWhy category convergence is accelerating exponentially[25:00-60:00] Michael Zabar Interview - Building MotifFrom Zabar family legacy to coffee innovationWhy coffee shops are stuck with terrible syrup optionsThe strategic four-flavor launch (Pistachio, Cinnamon Babka, Vanilla, Chocolate)Competing against International Delight and Torani giantsPlans for retail expansion beyond the coffee shop channelBuilding naturally flavored products in an artificial worldKey Takeaway: Whether you're making coffee syrups or sports drink cocktails, follow customer behavior, not category definitions.Subscribe: Apple, Spotify, YouTube | Newsletter: Substack - The Deeter Digest

Episode 12: The $500 Million Cottage Cheese EconomyL Catterton just valued cottage cheese at half a billion dollars. Sprouts put THC drinks next to kombucha. Parents paid $15M to hide vegetables in waffles. And someone put mushrooms in fake martinis. Welcome to CPG in 2026.IN THIS EPISODE:[2:30] - Why Good Culture's $500M+ valuation actually makes sense [10:30] - How Sprouts just legitimized the entire THC beverage category [17:30] - The hidden vegetable economy and why parents will pay anything [23:30] - Zero-proof cocktails get functional (because of course they do) [28:30] - Rapid fire: Clear protein, Honey Mama's at Costco, AB InBev dominance [36:30] - The Optimization Economy: Have we gone too far? [41:30] - Predictions for 2026 and what this means for your brandKEY TOPICS:Good Culture's path from farmers market to $500M valuationWhy forgotten categories hide billion-dollar opportunitiesSprouts' 120-store THC rollout and what happens nextThe psychology of hiding vegetables in kids' foodHow AB InBev is winning the RTD cocktail warsWhy everything needs protein and adaptogens nowThe blueprint for modern CPG successMENTIONED BRANDS: Good Culture, L Catterton, Manna Tree Partners, Sprouts Farmers Market, Cann, Jeng, Evergreen, Dry & Dirty, Bloom Nutrition, Honey Mama's, AB InBev, Cutwater, BeatBox, MUD\WTR, RYZE, Ritual, Target, Costco, Whole FoodsEPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:"They're not buying cottage cheese. They're buying the ability to convince millennials that forgotten foods are cool again.""When Sprouts says cannabis is groceries, the regulatory moat just disappeared.""We've turned eating into a complex optimization problem. And somehow, it's working.""The next billion-dollar brand is probably in your grandma's pantry right now."ABOUT THE SHOW: Unpackaged Goods is the CPG industry's source for unfiltered analysis, founder stories, and insights into what's really selling. Hosted by Jonathan Deeter, founder of Pickle Advisors and Deets Eats Media.CONNECT WITH JONATHAN: 📧 Newsletter: The Deeter Digest (subscribe at [https://substack.com/@deetseatsnyc]) 📱 Instagram/TikTok: @deetseatsnyc 💼 Advisory: pickleadvisors.com ✉️ Email: [email protected] THE SHOW:Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTubeLeave a 5-star review (it really helps!)Share with someone building a CPG brandSubscribe to The Deeter Digest for weekly CPG analysis

Unpackaged Goods Episode 11: The $200 Frying Pan EconomyWelcome to 2026, where your cookware costs more than your groceries and the Poppi founder is already building his next billion-dollar brand.In this week's episode, we break down:🚀 The Poppi Playbook 2.0: Why Stephen Ellsworth immediately joined DropOut Companies after his $2B PepsiCo exit to launch Bronco breakfast sandwiches (and why Tyson should be terrified)🌏 Australia Buys California: The $173.5M Cobram Estate acquisition that just changed your olive oil forever - and what it signals about agricultural imperialism💊 100 Million Gummies: How First Day quietly built a vitamin empire without celebrities, viral marketing, or VC hype🛒 Private Label's Hostile Takeover: Store brands hit 21.2% market share with 74% quality perception - why national brands are officially on defense🍳 The PFAS Apocalypse: January 1st bans in Maine, Connecticut, and Vermont just made "clean" products a luxury category (yes, your non-stick pan really costs $200 now)📦 The Infrastructure Wars: Walmart's $152M Arizona play, Amazon's grocery panic, and why supply chain excellence is the new brand differentiationPlus: Jonathan's 2026 predictions, why ceramic coating technology is actually fascinating, and which CPG categories are ripe for disruption this year.Whether you're a founder, investor, or just someone who shops for groceries, this episode explains why everything about consumer packaged goods just changed overnight.Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.Follow @unpackagedgoodspod and @deetseatsnyc for daily CPG insights

In Episode 10 of Unpackaged Goods, we correct last week's mistake: Reuters revised the BeatBox acquisition to $490 million for 85% (not $700 million outright). The real numbers tell an even better story about discipline returning to CPG M&A – AB InBev paying just 1.4x retail sales with a smart earnout structure.Then we explore L'Oreal's interest in acquiring Armani Beauty – a €1.5 billion business they already operate under license until 2050. Why buy what you already run? Because ownership beats renting, even with 25 years left on the lease.We also celebrate Borough Broth's £7.5 million raise after 9 years of bootstrapping to £10 million revenue. Started with just £6K, this is what patient building looks like in an impatient industry.Other stories this week:AMASS launches sparkling protein water (because water needs gains?)Mike's Hot Honey enters beverages with barista syrupREI invests in Dune Suncare through Path Ahead VenturesLVMH backs BDK Parfums at 45% growthSnif launches Notewrks cologne line at $40M revenue run rateEveryone adds protein to everything – peak supplementation achievedFrom corrected valuations to patient capital to protein water absurdity, this episode explores what happens when discipline meets desperation in modern CPG.Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In Episode 9 of Unpackaged Goods, we unpack Anheuser-Busch's $700 million acquisition of BeatBox Beverages – a surprisingly rational 2.8x revenue multiple that signals discipline returning to CPG M&A. Plus, Suja Life's bold IPO filing tests whether Wall Street is ready for another juice story (spoiler: they better have a platform pitch).Then we dive into the great fund raising bonanza of 2025:Monogram Capital: $350M for Fund III ($1.75B AUM)Prelude Growth: $600M after scoring exits from PHLUR and 8GreensWhy every fund is suddenly flush with LP capital againWhat this means for CPG valuations going forwardOther stories this week:Perelel raises $27M from Prelude for women's health expansionBUILT opens second Utah factory, creating 500 jobsBUM Energy's 800% growth and talent raid from Liquid DeathYETI's puzzling $38M acquisition of Helimix shaker bottlesOddity launches telehealth dermatology platform MethodiqBellRing Brands delivers 16% growth in Q4From rational exits to loaded funds to actual factory construction, this episode explores why CPG's adults are finally back in charge.Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In Episode 8 of Unpackaged Goods, we unpack the biggest CPG deal of the decade: Kimberly-Clark's $49 billion acquisition of Kenvue (Tylenol, Band-Aid, Neutrogena). Plus, Mid-Day Squares proves you don't need venture capital to scale, announcing plans to triple manufacturing capacity using cash flow and debt.Then, Daniel from Dirty Gut joins us to discuss:Why he named his gut health brand "Dirty Gut" instead of something safeBuilding an education-first supplement brand that actually talks about poopThe Gut Reset Kit system approach vs. single supplementsCompeting with $100M-funded wellness brands on a bootstrap budgetMaking digestive health conversations mainstream (and profitable)Other stories this week:Cymbiotika raises $25M at $150M revenue (Post Malone, Daymond John invest)Dua Lipa launches skincare with Augustinus BaderWELD introduces 18g protein energy drinksVital Farms delivers 37% growth in Q3Celebrity CPG continues with Alex Cooper's energy playFrom $49B acquisitions to brands tackling taboo topics, this episode explores the different paths to CPG success - and why the uncomfortable conversations might be the best opportunities.Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In Episode 7 of Unpackaged Goods, we cover the biggest moves in CPG this week, including Recess's $30M Series B as they expand beyond CBD, Fruitist's $150M raise at $400M revenue, and Target's aggressive push into wellness shots.Then, we sit down with the founders of Stesh to discuss how they're revolutionizing the nut butter category with premium California pistachio butter. We explore:Building a luxury brand in a commodity categoryThe challenges of pistachio sourcing and productionConverting consumers at premium price pointsTheir vision for expanding beyond traditional nut buttersPlus: A critical segment on the SNAP benefits crisis affecting 42 million Americans. As the government shutdown threatens food assistance, we discuss how CPG brands can help make their products accessible to everyone - because premium doesn't have to mean exclusive.Other stories this week:Novak Djokovic joins Cob as co-founder (sorghum popcorn)Chomps opens second manufacturing facilityMan Cereal launches with creatine-infused breakfastMagic Mind, Supergut, and more score major distribution winsListen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.#CPG #Entrepreneurship #FoodJustice #UnpackagedGoods #ConsumerGoods

In Episode 6 of Unpackaged Goods, Jonathan tackles this week's viral Consumer Reports article about heavy metals in protein powder - and explains why the fear-mongering doesn't match the science.This week's major moves:LVMH explores exit from Fenty Beauty ($450M in sales)Grüns crosses $300M in revenue while staying profitableAdvent seeks $2B for luxury fragrance brandsUnilever's $9B ice cream spinoff delayed by shutdownCarbone Fine Food expands to simmer sauces near $100M markPlus: A fact-based breakdown of the protein powder controversy. We compare actual heavy metal levels to everyday foods, explain why California Prop 65 is meaningless, and share what consumers should really focus on when buying supplements.The truth? Your spinach has more lead than your protein powder. But fear sells better than facts.Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere you get podcasts.

In Episode 5 of Unpackaged Goods, Jonathan covers the week's biggest CPG moves including BUILT Bar's potential sale, Sprinter Spirits' $4M raise, and why luxury butter needs venture funding.Then, the founder of Trelli Health shares their mission to create cleaner alternatives to everyday medicines. We discuss:Building plant-based alternatives to Tylenol, cold medicine, and IBS reliefWhy the OTC medicine aisle hasn't innovated in decadesThe challenges of competing with pharmaceutical giantsCreating trust in a category dominated by legacy brandsTheir vision for the future of wellness medicinePlus: Pop-Tarts adds protein, someone put creatine in a candy bar, and mac & cheese now comes with 47 grams of protein. We've officially reached peak protein absurdity.Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere you get podcasts.#CPG #HealthTech #Wellness #Entrepreneurship #UnpackagedGoods

In this solo episode of Unpackaged Goods, Jonathan breaks down the week's biggest CPG collapses, comebacks, and contradictions. We analyze PRIME's staggering fall from $1.3B to $300M, Flow Water's receivership, and why DUDE Wipes is somehow crushing it at $130M.This week's stories:Flow Water and Uncle Nearest's financial troublesPRIME's 77% sales collapse (what happens when hype dies)Alec's Ice Cream raises $11M for A2 dairy expansionDeath Wish Coffee vs. Liquid Death legal battleMars/Kellanova's $36B merger gets EU approvalPlus: I break down Whole Foods' 2026 trend predictions (beef fat is trendy now?) and share my super early 2027 predictions including "The Great Creator Crash" and why AI-personalized CPG might actually happen.No guest this week - just unfiltered takes on why the fake money era is ending and real businesses are finally winning.Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere you get podcasts.#CPG #BusinessNews #FoodTrends #Entrepreneurship #UnpackagedGoods

In Episode 3 of Unpackaged Goods, Jonathan breaks down Once Upon a Farm's IPO filing, Smucker's protein-powered PB&J launch, and why everyone's putting weird stuff in non-alcoholic beer.Then, the founders of Byte'm Brownie Bites share their journey from college best friends to CPG entrepreneurs. We discuss:Building a brownie brand on pure nostalgiaWhy they refused to make "healthy" browniesScaling from dorm room to retail shelvesThe power of friendship in businessTheir advice for college students with CPG dreamsPlus: Joyride beats Skittles at Target, PRIME sales collapse 50%, and someone made kratom beer (yes, really).Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere you get podcasts.

In Episode 2 of Unpackaged Goods, Jonathan breaks down the week's biggest CPG moves including Tito's historic first acquisition (LALO Tequila), Heineken's $3.2B infrastructure play, and why an NFL quarterback is investing in jumbo blueberries.Then, Grace Finerman, founder of Date Smarter, shares her journey from TV news anchor to CPG founder. We discuss:How 3 AM wake-up calls led her to discover date powderBuilding a better-for-you candy brand that actually tastes goodCreating chocolate caramels with natural ingredientsThe challenges of launching in the crowded healthy candy spaceHer transition from telling stories on TV to building a brand storyPlus: Ben Stiller makes soda, Charlie Sheen goes non-alcoholic, and we debate whether the world needs sperm performance supplements.Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere you get podcasts.

In our premiere episode, The Lucky Ox reveals how they transformed nostalgic Asian flavors into a premium Asian beverage brand. We discuss their journey from working together at Nike, and Jonathan breaks down this week's biggest CPG news, including the founders of Ben & Jerry's stepping down and Alice mushroom chocolates raising $ 8 million.