The Startup CPG Podcast

Today is our third episode in the "First Hire" series where we talk about making first hires in marketing, finance, sales, and operations. So far we've covered sales and operations, so be sure to check out those episodes, and today's subject is hiring for marketing. When is it time to hire a full-time marketing person? When and how do you hire a marketing agency? What functions should a first marketing hire cover? Here to help us answer these questions is Vanessa Ting, Owner of CPG Growth Partners, where she provides fractional CMO support and general management services. Listen is as Vanessa covers the different considerations and possible paths for a first marketing hire, how to think about hiring for/outsourcing social media and content creation, a framework for building a marketing team, the importance of agency/vendor management skills, how to prepare for your first marketing hire and common pitfalls, and more.Episode Links:Vanessa's LinkedInCPG Growth Partner's websiteShow Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (8K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Today is Part 6 our podcast series with Seth Goldman, Startup CPG's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, who has been joining us once a month to talk hot topics in CPG. This episode's questions came from you because for the first time ever, we had listeners call and write in questions for Seth! Also, last time we talked to Seth, Coca-Cola had just announced their decision to discontinue Honest Tea, and since then, Seth and team at Eat the Change have decided to launch the Just Ice Tea line, so we get the early details straight from the source. In case this is your first episode with Seth, you may know him as the co-founder of Honest Tea and author of Mission in a Bottle, and Seth is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Eat the Change, Co-Founder of PLNT Burger, and Chair of the Board for Beyond Meat. Listen in as Seth answers all your tough questions around scaling without compromising values, his most challenging low points, influencer marketing, fundraising, recessions, and more.Episode Links:Just Ice Tea announcementEat the Change’s websiteSeth’s book - Mission in a BottleHow I Built This episode with Seth about Honest TeaSeth’s TEDx talk: How Entrepreneurs Can Change SocietyShow Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (8K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Do you really know your consumer? What if you had access to data about one million natural products consumers? Today we get a look at that data with Jessica Malach, VP of Marketing & Insights, at Social Nature, a product discovery and trial platform in the better-for-you space. With over one million users in their community, they've gleaned incredible insights about the "modern wellness consumer." Listen in to hear Jessica share all things about the modern wellness consumer including: how they define health, which certifications and labels resonate most, how they find new products, what drives repurchase, how not to market to them, if and how they use promo codes, and more. Social Nature is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG.Episode Links:Social Nature’s website Jessica's LinkedInJoin the Social Nature community as a consumer here As a CPG Brand, learn more about Social Nature’s programs here or contact their team at [email protected] to “The Complete Guide to Online-to-Offline (O2O) Marketing” mentioned by Jessica and JessiFollow the #trynatural movement @socialnature Show Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (7K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

I'm so excited to share a conversation with you about kombucha and operations - two of my favorite topics! I recently was the moderator for a session that was held at UCLA Anderson by The Food & Agriculture Business Association for a group of MBA candidates where I had a fireside chat with Justin Trout, co-founder and former COO of Health-Ade Kombucha. In this conversation, Justin dives into the nitty gritty, behind-the-scenes stories about growing a kombucha business from a single farmers market to almost 50,000 retail doors during his tenure as COO and you get some snippets from me about growing LivBar. Listen in to learn the stages of Health-Ade's growth, the decision to self-manufacture, the process of transitioning from doing operations work to managing a team of operations personnel, first operations hires, overcoming a year with over 2,000 employees turning over, implementing an ERP system, discerning which experts to listen to, where Justin draws inspiration and why he loves operations, and more.Episode Links:Health-Ade's website & IG @healthadeUCLA Anderson websiteAudience questions at the end facilitated by MBA Candidate Julia Sweitzer Show Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (7K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

If you saw Encanto (which even if you haven't, you've probably have heard the song "We don't talk about Bruno"), you may remember the arepitas that can cure anything. Lucky for us, TOAST-IT is bringing delicious arepas to a store near you, and after trying, I think they also might be magical. Behind the magic is the hard work, vision, and story of co-founders and sisters Mafe and Coco, who wanted to bring the arepas from their childhood to the US. Listen in as Coco & Mafe share about pivoting from big corporate careers to entrepreneurship, launching TOAST-IT online, building their brand, getting on shelves at big retailers like Publix, and what's next in bringing their delicious arepas to more consumers.Episode Links:TOAST-IT website & IG @justtoastitCoco's LinkedInShow Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (7K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Today I'm thrilled to share a conversation with Miguel Leal, Co-Founder and CEO of SOMOS, a new brand bringing food from the heart of Mexico to your home. Miguel co-founded SOMOS alongside two former co-workers and KIND Snacks executives, Daniel Lubetzky and Rodrigo Zuloaga. With decades of food industry experience, Miguel most recently spent two years as the Chief Marketing Officer at Cholula following his three years as the CMO at KIND. As you'll hear in the episode, I may have developed a slight obsession for SOMOS products after trying, and once you try the Unusually Think and Crunchy Tortilla Chips, you'll understand. Listen in to this episode to hear Miguel share about the story behind SOMOS, building an authentic and clear brand identity, launching in thousands of retailers including HEB, Kroger, and Sprouts and supporting those launches with a digital strategy, the decision to launch with a large portfolio of SKUs in multiple categories, creating the SOMOS team, and more. Episode Links:Miguel's LinkedInSOMOS website & IG @eatsomosLearn more about Alebrijes artwork and the Sobremesa tradition Show Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (7K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Today is Part 5 our podcast series with Seth Goldman, Startup CPG's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, who has been joining us once a month to talk hot topics in CPG. At the time of recording, Coca-Cola had just announced their decision to discontinue Honest Tea, so we pivoted this episode to cover Seth's thoughts on the news. As the co-founder of Honest Tea and author of Mission in a Bottle, Seth shares his reaction, stories that he's been thinking of, and what's on his mind during a time like this. Seth is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Eat the Change, Co-Founder of PLNT Burger, and Chair of the Board for Beyond Meat, so he also shares about his continued commitment to his current work and the entrepreneurs' imperative to keep going.Episode Links:Announcement by Coca-ColaSeth's LinkedIn Post in reaction to the announcement Sourcing videos mentioned by SethRETHINK WHAT YOU DRINK videoEat the Change’s websiteSeth’s book - Mission in a BottleHow I Built This episode with Seth about Honest TeaSeth’s TEDx talk: How Entrepreneurs Can Change SocietyShow Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (7K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Welcome to the Startup CPG Podcast! Startup CPG is a community of thousands of founders and emerging brands who make food, beverage, and beauty products, aka, consumer packaged goods. Listen in to our weekly podcast, join our free 7K+ Slack community, and head to startupcpg.com to subscribe to our free newsletter for all the details on upcoming networking events, webinars, magazine releases, blog posts, and more.

Today is our second episode in the "First Hire" series where we talk about making first hires in marketing, finance, sales, and operations A couple weeks ago we covered operations, so be sure to check out that episode, and today's subject is hiring for sales. When is it time to hire a full-time sales person? How do brokers fit into the picture? How do you recruit and hire the right sales person? Here to help us answer these questions is Jake Huber, US Sales Director of St Pierre, Americas #1 brioche brand. Fun fact: Jake was our very first guest on the Startup CPG podcast for our "What the F is a broker episode" (one of our most popular episodes), and we're grateful to have him back! Listen is as Jake covers why founders should do sales as long as possible, the five functions of a broker and why they are NOT a sales hire, setting expectations for your first sales hire, and more. Episode Links: Jake's LinkedIn St Pierre Groupe's website Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (7K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Part 4 our podcast series with Seth Goldman, Startup CPG's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, who has been joining us once a month to talk hot topics in CPG. Just in time for summer, this episode is all about field marketing - interns, in-store demos, events, guerrilla marketing, grassroots marketing, and more. You may know Seth as the co-founder of Honest Tea and author of Mission in a Bottle, and Seth is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Eat the Change, Co-Founder of PLNT Burger, and Chair of the Board for Beyond Meat. Listen in as Seth covers how you can build your own field marketing program including hiring, training, and managing team members, how to take field marketing and demos beyond just sampling with merchandising, displays, customer feedback, and market research, why sampling is so important to innovation adoption, and some really great stories from the road, field, and even airplane. Episode Links: Link to Eat the Change's Field Marketing Internship application Eat the Change’s website Seth’s book - Mission in a Bottle How I Built This episode with Seth about Honest Tea Seth’s TEDx talk: How Entrepreneurs Can Change Society Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (7K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

This is the first episode in our new "First Hire" series where we'll talk about making first hires in marketing, finance, sales, and operations, and today's subject is hiring for operations. When is it time to make the leap to a full-time operations person? When should you use a consulting firm? How do you find the right fit for your company? Here to help us answer these questions is Jamie Valenti-Jordan, CEO of Catapult Commercialization Services. Catapult is a team of experienced food industry professionals focused on helping emerging and growing brands with their technical & operational development and scaling needs. Listen in as Jamie covers the difference between setting up your operations and running your operations, how to find the right operations person, navigating when to implement software solutions, how to manage an operations person or agency as a founder, and more. Episode Links: Jamie's LinkedIn Catapult Commercialization Services website Jamie's email: [email protected] Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (7K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Most of us know the term SKU for stock keeping unit, but I'm excited to introduce you to a SKU that's actually a program with opportunities for our Startup CPG community members! Today we get the chance to talk with Emily Kealey and Michelle Breyer from SKU, a world-class accelerator driven by a community of the nation’s top CPG leaders, successful founders, and industry experts. SKU's intensive programs offer best-in-class education, hand-picked teams of mentors, and access to retailers and investors, all dedicated to building brands that change lives. Both long-time CPG industry experts, Emily is the Managing Director of SKU, and Michelle is Chief Marketing Officer at SKU. Listen in as Michelle & Emily cover SKUs many programs open to CPG companies nationwide, tips for a successful application, success stories of SKU alumni like Siete, Epic Provisions, and Aura Bora, and details on how to apply for future cohorts and take advantage of SKU's many resources. SKU is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG. Episode Links: SKU website & LinkedIn Apply for SKU Dallas here (applications open until May 30, 2022) SKU FAQ & contact application contact email: [email protected] Michelle's LinkedIn Emily's LinkedIn Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (7K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Today is Part 3 our podcast series with Seth Goldman, Startup CPG's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, who is joining us once a month to talk hot topics in CPG. This episode is all about sustainability, planet-based commitments, and Earth Month. You may know Seth as the co-founder of Honest Tea and author of Mission in a Bottle, and Seth is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Eat the Change, Co-Founder of PLNT Burger, and Chair of the Board for Beyond Meat. Listen in as Seth covers how to develop planet-based commitments as a brand, the challenges of recyclable and compostable packaging, how to balance marketing and education about sustainability with a food product, Eat the Change's Earth Month efforts, and more. Episode Links: Link to the incrEDIBLE Planet Challenge Link to Seth's blog post: Our Planet-Based Commitments Link to a video of Eat the Change's Sea Shanty on Instagram Eat the Change’s website Seth’s book - Mission in a Bottle How I Built This episode with Seth about Honest Tea Seth’s TEDx talk: How Entrepreneurs Can Change Society Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (6K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Based on latest Torrance test data, 85% of today's children are less creative than their 1980s counterparts. CPG industry veterans Erin Fasano and Liz Seelye realized that part of the problem is old thinking when it comes to what kids eat and drink. They started dreaming up drinks and snacks with their kids to bring imagination back to lunchboxes and beyond and together founded Starryside. Their first product is organic, immunity-boosting Star Water in an adventure-ready, kid-sized can. Their big launch is coming up this week during World Creativity & Innovation Week, which runs from April 15th to 21st. Listen in as Liz and Erin share the story behind Starryside, how their background with some of the largest CPG brands informs their work, the process of getting to a minimum viable product including flavor development and finding a manufacturing partner, how they maximized Expo West and the Startup CPG Alley Rally, how their kids inspire them and participate in the growth of Starryside, and more! Episode Links: Starryside website & IG @starryside.co Use discount code STARTUPCPG25 for 25% off your order! Erin's LinkedIn Liz's LinkedIn More info about World Creativity and Innovation Week BevNet feature of Starryside Startup CPG Spotlight feature of Starryside Sir Ken Robinson's "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" TED talk Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (6K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Rohit Sabnis joins us to give an introduction to Prop 65 regulation, which applies to consumer products sold into California via retailer, Amazon, eCommerce, etc. Ro is a Partner at Keller & Heckman, an internationally renowned law firm with a broad practice in the areas of regulatory law, public policy, and litigation. Listen in as Ro covers the background of Prop 65, hot topic chemicals and how they may appear in your products even if they aren't on the ingredient list, how to assess your own product's risk, steps you can take now to avoid future issues and be prepared for larger retailers, and more. Keller and Heckman is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG. Note: This presentation provides general information, not legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice suitable for your specific needs. Unless you have entered into an engagement agreement with a specific law firm, you are not a client of that firm. Episode Links: Keller and Heckman’s website Rohit's LinkedIn Rohit's email is [email protected] Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (6K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Today we continue our podcast series with Seth Goldman, Startup CPG's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, who is joining us once a month to talk hot topics in CPG. This episode is all about innovation. You may know Seth as the co-founder of Honest Tea and author of Mission in a Bottle, and Seth is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Eat the Change, Co-Founder of PLNT Burger, and Chair of the Board for Beyond Meat. Listen in as Seth covers two approaches to innovation in food, how to balance taste & consumer feedback when innovating, tips for research and development on a small budget, and more. Episode Links: Link to Seth's blog posts: Innovator's Agenda & Taste Comes First Eat the Change's Cosmic Carrot Chews' launch at Expo West recap Eat the Change’s website Seth’s book - Mission in a Bottle How I Built This episode with Seth about Honest Tea Seth’s TEDx talk: How Entrepreneurs Can Change Society Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (6K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Expo West hadn’t been held since 2019, so there was a lot of anticipation leading up to the 2022 event. With 57,000 attendees, 2,700 exhibitors, and 800 people at the Startup CPG Alley Rally event, I thought we needed multiple perspectives and voices to try to sum up such a massive event. In this episode you’ll hear clips submitted by Startup CPG community member brands and then curated pieces from Food Entrepreneur's "Well-FEd" LinkedIn live Expo West recap session with Daniel Scharff, our Startup CPG Founder and the CEO of Machu Picchu Energy, Jenna Movsowitz, our Startup CPG Spotlight Magazine Editor (which if you haven’t read the latest magazine issue, here's the link), and CPG press expert, Monica Watrous, Managing Editor of Food Business News & Editor of Food Entrepreneur. Whether you weren’t able to attend Expo and are hoping to learn what is was like or if you attended and want to hear a community perspective, this episode has something for you. Episode Links: - Startup CPG article: "The Best of Expo West" by Jenna Movsowitz and Erin Fasano - Startup CPG community member brands who submitted audio clips: Renee Dunn - Founder & CEO at Amazi Foods Kim Biddle - Senior Manager, Digital Sales at Sow Good Inc. Emily Griffith - Founder & CEO - Lil Bucks Sprouted Buckwheat Peyton Spolansky - Manager of Marketing & Special Projects at Mezcla Raina Kumra - Founder of SpiceWell Veronica Fil - Co-founder of Grounded Foods Clara Lahlouh Paye - Founder and CEO at UNiTE Food Olivia Chen - Co-Founder & CMO at Twrl Milk Tea - Video recap of the Alley Rally Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (6K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Tortillas are often a mere vessel to transport their tasty contents. But what if they could be the star of the meal packed with fresh, bold flavors? Back in 2018, Henri Revel and his wife Belén had a “Eureka moment.” Inspired by Belén’s Latin roots, Henri's passion for better tortilla options, and both of their entrepreneurial spirits, they created Eureka Tortilla, a snackable craft tortilla company. Listen is as Henri shares about honing Eureka's recipes, finding the right co-packer, launching in Nugget and with Hungryroot, printing challenges, and Henri's strategic approach to networking to find great advisors and connections. And, since we recorded this episode, they have launched their online shop! Episode Links: Eureka Tortilla's website & IG @eurekatortillas Henri's LinkedIn Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (5K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Bonus Episode! At Startup CPG, we recently curated another new & free resource - the first list of freight carriers and brokers just for CPG companies. I (Host Jessi) had the pleasure of helping build this resource, and I thought it'd be fun to bring on one of the many brands who submitted their freight providers to be added to the list to chat about how some of the challenges and tips they've encountered related to freight. We'll start the episode with an interview with Alex Cree, co-founder of Baozza, followed by a few stories and insights from me. Listen in as Alex and I share about the process of finding freight partners, stories of freight gone wrong, and tips for getting your pallets from Point A to B safely and on time in a challenging environment. Episode Links: Read the Startup CPG article by Jessi about freight carriers and brokers and get access to the database here Alex's Linkedin Baozza’s website Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (5K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

This is the first episode of a very special new podcast series from Startup CPG. Seth Goldman, Startup CPG's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, will be joining us once a month for the next few months to talk about hot topics in CPG. Today we kick off by talking all things Expo West. With twenty-one Expo West events under his belt, who better to answer our community's Expo West questions! You may know Seth as the co-founder of Honest Tea and author of Mission in a Bottle, and Seth is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Eat the Change, Co-Founder of PLNT Burger, and Chair of the Board for Beyond Meat. Listen in as Seth covers how to stand out among thousands of brands, how to craft your ten second pitch, a simple yet game-changing follow up/lead tracking plan, how to maximize Expo West even without a booth, why you should treat everyone like the most important buyer, and more. Episode Links: Link to Seth's blog post: Going to Expo West? How to Make the Most of It Eat the Change’s website Seth’s book - Mission in a Bottle How I Built This episode with Seth about Honest Tea Seth’s TEDx talk: How Entrepreneurs Can Change Society Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (6K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Less than a year ago, I (Host Jessi) had an insurance emergency at LivBar. I searched "insurance" in the Startup CPG slack and found Danielle Holyoake's name. I sent her a quick email and we jumped on a call. In record time, she solved a problem that other brokers had told me wasn't possible (full story in the episode!). I was so excited when Amelia Risk became a proud partner of Startup CPG because it meant we could do a podcast episode packed with game-changing knowledge. Danielle, is the COO and co-founder of Amelia Risk, the better-for-you insurance broker. Listen in as Danielle shares the key roles of an insurance broker, the most common types of insurance applicable to CPG and when they become relevant (think product liability, workers comp, D&O, recall, general liability), navigating insurance requirements for retailers, how to find the best policies, how umbrella insurance might not be what you think it is, and more. Amelia Risk is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG. Episode Links: Amelia Risk's website Danielle's LinkedIn Danielle's email: [email protected] Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (5K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Today we get to talk about one of the newest Startup CPG resources - a list of CPG accelerators and incubators with all the details to help you find the perfect program for your brand. Sarah Nathan, founder of Bloom CPG, a CPG consulting group, helped build this resource and joins us to talk all things accelerators and incubators. Listen is as Sarah shares how to find the right accelerator or incubator for your brand and best practices for completing your application, participating in a program, and building long-term relationships. This resource is proudly sponsored by Buttermilk Creative, a leading packaging and design studio. Episode Links: Read the Startup CPG article by Sarah about incubators & accelerators and get access to the database here Sarah's Linkedin Bloom CPG’s website Listen to our podcast episode with Mondelēz about their accelerator here Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (5K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

43 percent of small businesses in the United States don’t track inventory, or do so using a manual system. In CPG, our inventory has the added complexity of lot/batch tracking, expiration dates, recalls, compliance, and certifications. Brands who win have a handle on their inventory, margins, and operations. That's why we had Ken Ojuka join us to talk all things inventory and physical product movement. Ken is the CEO of Fiddle, modern inventory operations software for CPG brands and manufacturers. Listen in as Ken walks through how to think about inventory in CPG, how and when to choose an inventory system, and other best practice tips to manage your inventory like a pro. Fiddle is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG. Episode Links: Fiddle’s website Ken's LinkedIn Listen to the The Physical Product Movement Podcast Request a 30-min Fiddle demo here Get free access to "The Ultimate Supplier & Co-Packer List" here "The Ultimate Inventory Management Guide For Growing CPG Brands" by Fiddle is available here Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (5K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

What are the major watch-outs for a co-man contract? What should be there, and what shouldn't? What's boilerplate, and what might hurt you and the relationship in the long-run? Lauren Handel joins us to cover both the legal and the common-sense side of these agreements. Lauren is the Principal Attorney of Handel Food Law, a law firm dedicated to food, beverage, and farming businesses. Listen in as Lauren walks through the process of forming a great contract with your co-manufacturer from key contract provisions, to common red flags, to planning for amicable endings, and more. Handel Food Law is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG. Note: This presentation provides general information, not legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice suitable for your specific needs. Unless you have entered into an engagement agreement with a specific law firm, you are not a client of that firm. Episode Links: Handel Food Law’s website Lauren's LinkedIn Contact [email protected] for more information Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (5K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

The earliest records of herbal tea date back nearly 5,000 years, yet when Zahira Marmar moved her family to the US from St Martin, she could not find anything like the medicinal bush teas she grew up with to send with her kids to school. On the edge of tea brewing burnout from keeping her family and community stocked with herbal tea, Zahira founded Hrbvor (pronounced her-bi-vore), so that her sparkling herbals teas would be readily available in cans and to be able to more widely spread the message of the benefits of herbs. Listen in as Zahira shares the challenges and surprises of getting her creation to shelf - from the can shortage, to label challenges, to sourcing, to the inspiration behind each brew and more. Episode Links: Hrbvor's website & IG @hrbvor Zahira's LinkedIn Exciting News: The Startup CPG Podcast has been named the #2 CPG-Themed Podcast! Thank you for all of your support! Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (5K+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

79% of consumers have bought a new product in the last month; how do you make sure your brand is one of the the new products in a consumer's cart? Today we welcome Annalea Krebs, founder and CEO of Social Nature, a product discovery and trial platform in the better-for-you space. Listen in as Annalea covers the landscape of product discovery and trial amidst the pandemic (including demos, subscription boxes, coupons), her recommendations for top consumer insights questions to ask, her tips for building communities (Social Nature's community has nearly 1 million people!), and actionable ideas for how to best create online brand awareness, drive offline purchase, get consumer feedback, and turn consumers into brand advocates. Social Nature is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG. Episode Links: Social Nature’s website Annalea’s LinkedIn Join the Social Nature community as a consumer here As a CPG Brand, learn more about Social Nature’s programs here or contact their team at [email protected] Link to “The Complete Guide to Online-to-Offline (O2O) Marketing” mentioned by Annalea and Jessi Follow the #trynatural movement @socialnature Special offers from Social Nature for Startup CPG members: 20% off new Digital Demo subscription plans Complimentary Market Research Add-on for Sampling Projects ($2500 value) Exciting News: The Startup CPG Podcast has just been named the #2 CPG-Themed Podcast! Thank you for all of your support! Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (4,900+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Have you heard of Oreos? Ritz? Cadbury? Then you know just a few brands in the portfolio of Mondelēz International, one of the largest snack companies in the world. Today we get the chance to talk with Brigette Wolf and Jackie Haney from SnackFutures, Mondelēz International's innovation and venture hub, about CoLab, SnackFutures’s start-up engagement program designed to support early-stage well-being brands. Brigette is the Global Head of SnackFutures, and Jackie is the Innovation and CoLab Program Manager. Listen in as Brigette & Jackie cover how to prep now for future potential acquisition, tips for forming lasting strategic partnerships, and everything you need to know about how the CoLab program works and how to apply to the 2022 cohort. SnackFutures is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG. Episode Links: SnackFutures website If you’re a mission-driven well-being start-up, apply for CoLab here! Article on the partnership between Startup CPG & CoLab Brigette's LinkedIn Jackie's LinkedIn Mondelēz International's State of Snacking annual report mentioned by Jessi Exciting News: The Startup CPG Podcast has just been named the #2 CPG-Themed Podcast! Thank you for all of your support! Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (4,900+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

With 200 million prime members worldwide and 60% of online purchases starting with an Amazon search, CPG brands can't ignore the opportunities available on Amazon. At Startup CPG, we're committed to helping small brands succeed on all channels, including Amazon and that's why we've partnered with Marketplace Ops. Today we welcome Fernando Campos, co-founder of Marketplace Ops, a leading online marketplaces brand management agency that helps CPG companies accelerate their growth on Amazon and Walmart. Listen in as Fernando covers pre-launch and launch tips, how to handle negative reviews, Amazon's VINE program, data-based strategies for optimizing your main image, a better way to think about ACOS targets, tips for choosing an Amazon vendor, and strategies for Black Friday, Cyber Monday. Marketplace Ops is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG. Episode Links: MarketplaceOps website Fernando's LinkedIn Browser extensions for estimating market size: Helium, Jungle Scout, & Viral Launch Amazon IP Accelerator Amazon AI tools: PACVUE, Perpetua Tool for polling campaigns: PickFu Link to Marketplace Ops Resource page with blog posts and playbooks Popular "9 Things CPG Companies Commonly Miss When Selling on Amazon" blog post Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (4,500+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

Health. Happiness. Hydration. Did you know the fruit of a cactus could help bring you all three? That’s why Kun Yang and four of his other pharmacist friends decided to found Pricklee, and create the quenchiest prickly pear cactus juice. Listen in to hear how coconut water is moving over for a new plant-based water with half the sugar and calories yet that’s filled with antioxidants. Kun is the CEO of Pricklee and an active member of our Startup CPG community, and he shares about Pricklee’s origin story, running around New York in a cactus suit, Pricklee's recent Today show spotlight, and his tips for other aspiring CPG entrepreneurs. Episode Links: Pricklee's website & IG @drinkpricklee Pricklee's recent feature on the Today Show Pricklee's recent feature in Entrepreneur Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (4,500+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

We’ve got a bonus episode for you! Expo East 2021 took place Sept 22-25 at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Startup CPG founder, Daniel Scharff hosted a live panel on LinkedIn with Jessica Rubino from the New Hope Network, John Craven from BevNET, and first-time exhibitor Sunanda Patel from TumiBee winner of the Startup CPG and New Hope Network booth giveaway. Listen in for how the first Expo event since 2019 unfolded and what to expect for Expo West 2022. Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (4,500+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg

Kirk Visola is an active member of our Startup CPG community with a heart for sharing his design expertise and helping people navigate the complex world of packaging and branding. He has a no-nonsense approach to life and client work. With over 20 years of design expertise working with some of the largest brands in the world, he now operates his own agency, Mind the Font, making his caliber of work available to brands of all sizes. Listen in as Kirk shares about why he started his own agency, tips for approaching a packaging project, and how to build a great relationship with a designer for long term success. Episode Links: Mind the Font website & IG @mindthefont Kirk's LinkedIn & IG @kirkvisola Check out Kirk's weekly Clubhouse session with his mom: Mondays With Marilyn every Monday at 12 noon PST Check out Kirk's weekly Startup CPG Clubhouse session on packaging with Andy Kurtts from Buttermilk Creative, "Kirk & Kurtts," every Thursday at 12 noon PST Kirk mentions Brandon Hernandez as a resource for operations, co-packing, and more at Whole Brain Consulting Kirk mentions Unsplash as a free photo resource Get a blast from the past and look up Iomega Zip Drives Show Links: Join the Startup CPG Slack community (4,500+ members and growing!) Follow @startupcpg Visit host Jessi's Linkedin or website Questions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at [email protected]

It’s been my pleasure to be the host of Season 2, and now it's time to pass the torch for Season 3! This episode is to introduce you to Startup CPG's new podcast host, Jessi Freitag. She’s no stranger to entrepreneurship and and knows what it takes to build a CPG Brand. She’s a curious mind and a podcaster who loves conversations - so - let’s meet Jessi! @livbars @irohs.corner Jessi's LinkedIn profile Say hi at [email protected]

Nopales, or cactus in English, is one of the oldest plants in Mexico, it's been said that nopales was grown and eaten in Central Mexico before the Spanish even arrived. Today, the vegetable is still widely eaten throughout Mexico and United States. It's being called the "Plant of the Future" due to it's drought-resistant qualities, needing little water to survive, plus it's packed with fiber and antioxidants. Human rights attorney, Regina Trillo, is doubling down on nopales in a big way! She's combined her passion for health, transparency and love for chips to create Nemi's, a crunchy, nutrient-dense snack, inspired by Mexican flavors. Listen in as Regina shares how she's building a sustainable, better-for-you snack brand. @Nemi @MindTheFont @StartupCPG

Janie's Life-Changing Baked Goods has been transforming lives, including her own. Janie credits baking as giving her hope after she struggled with addiction and homelessness as a young adult. She's also changing the lives of those around her through service and hiring historically marginalized community members. Listen in as she shares her journey through darkness to the bright lights of the Food Network's Chopped Sweets, QVC, and beyond.

Sparkling craft cocktails from the heart of Los Angeles. Vervet is harnessing the cultural wealth of California and Co-Founder, Tuan Lee, is set on redefining what it means to be an American brand. @DrinkVervet If your brand is needing clarity on how to show up authentically in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) space, email me. Along side executive producing the Startup CPG podcast I run my own consultancy, Merida Consulting, working at the intersection of DEI + Marketing Communications. Email me at [email protected]

If your brand is feeling a bit stuck in a rut, not quite connecting with consumers, or if you're struggling to set yourself a part from competitors, it might be time to refresh your Brand Strategy. In this episode we'll hear from Rebekah Hubbard, Managing Director at Heart Creative, a content & digital marketing agency. Listen in and take notes as Rebekah lays out the framework for refining your brand in 3 simple steps. Special thanks to our Community Partner Heart Creative, you can find them at HeartCreative.co

Never mix your cocktails from scratch again. Meet Alison Nathenson, co-founder of Steep't cocktails. Alison and her partner Chole are making it easier for you to create restaurant caliber cocktails in your own home for the fraction of the cost. Not staken, not stirred, Steep't. Take a listen.

If you are new around here, we are a community dedicated to helping young CPG brands succeed. We do this a few ways like giving access to phenomenal resources like our guest today, Mary Allen, who has expertise in taking brands global. She not only advise brands in this space, but she's also done it herself! She sells Savvy Green, a line of eco-clean detergent products, internationally. Listen in, as Mary dives into what type of products should be thinking about expanding internationally and resources to help you on the journey.

Meet Emily, a midwest mom, MBA-student and professional who is leading her family's journey to sustainable foods. Listen as we spotlight an array of consumer profiles, think 1-on-1 qualitative research, digging into the minds of today's consumers. Make sure to reference the other Consumer Profiles in season 2.

What if I told you there is a sweet icing dip made from plant protein powder…and it’s actually tasty?! Well believe me, it’s paradise in a jar. I’m talking to Emily Edwards, founder of Paradise Icing, she’s a former social worker turned food entrepreneur. Her story is one of health struggles, perseverance, and a whole lotta optimism! Listen in as we chat about how she’s building a brand that’s tastefully wholesome.

In a crowded marketplace where anyone can open a Shopify site to sell a product, you have to fight for attention. On today’s episode we will hear from Florian Radke, an expert in building successful direct-to-consumer brands. Listen as he breaks down what is really needed to have a thriving brand on Shopify.

Meet Brianna, a self-described plant-based, pescatarian and an avid label reader. She's new to city life and enjoying the easy access to new cultures, flavors and brands - even during a pandemic. Listen as we spotlight an array of consumer profiles, think 1-on-1 qualitative research, digging into the minds of today's consumers.

Melanie Kahn, founder of Poppilu Lemonade, shares how she’s been able to land on the shelves of top retailers like Walmart & soon to be Target. And how going bold on product innovation is paying off. Follow Poppilu on Instagram @drinkpoppilu

Meet Jennifer Yepez-Blundell, the new Startup CPG podcast host. Jennifer has an eternal curiosity for brands who are building better-for-you products and think outside the box, literally. She will showcase the diversity of thought behind some of today's youngest brands and highlight resources that help emerging brands level up each day.

Lauren Joyner is the CEO and Founder of LOCA Foods. LOCA's first product is a plant-based nacho sauce for the 21st century, made from potatoes. Lauren has really done her research to understand what it is about food that we enjoy - what purpose does it serve, in what context is it shared, how does it make us feel? This is such an important mindset for disrupting a broken food system. Understanding what doesn't work, how it got that way, and why we cling to it are essential foundations for building a better product. On this episode, Lauren and I talk about how LOCA is reinventing comfort foods in a way that's better for humans, animals and the planet. We discuss important angles for thinking about nutrition, shelf life, and even dive into the history of America's obsession with cheese.

Startup CPG is a community of passionate people who love to build products that make our bodies happy, and our world healthy. In less than a year our community has grown to over 1200 active and engaged memebers. We have bigger and better projects in the pipeline to support small CPG brands - the best is yet to come.

John Schiaroli loves using his years of experience in operations to support young brands as they are being molded. He builds operational frameworks for growth, helping young brands create scalable, precise and effective backbones to make sure the business works. John's experience ranges from years at multinational brands like Coke and Pepsi, to more recently leading supply chain operations for brands like RUNA, WTRMLN WTR, and Milk Bar. On this episode, John walks me through the most important lessons for effective operations strategy, whether you're building a new brand with a few hundred thousand in the bank, or innovating at a large company, you'll find this episode helpful. For a deeper dive into operations with John, check out his podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIqwVWUoQis.

How do you bring a traditional product to market while maintaining the integrity of family tradition? Meet Mariam Elghani, founder of Garlic Goodness, Garlic Dips and Snacks. Produced in California with farm-fresh ingredients, Garlic Goodness bring bold yet approachable flavors to homes in California. Garlic Goodness is based off a family recipe that has traveled from the Lavant to Sacramento. One main ingredient has changed - egg whites - to make the dip plant based. Yet, the heart of the dip is still the same. Mariam oversees all the production: "it's the way that we've been making it in the restaurant for the past 12 years." On this episode, Mariam and I talk about what it is like to make essential changes to reach a larger audience while staying true to your roots.

Are you thinking about selling your products online, direct to consumer? Not sure if you should start selling on Amazon, on your own website, or somewhere else? Unclear if e-commerce can be profitable for your business? E-commerce and growth marketing experts Rachel Barge and Kate Lin discuss strategies for reaching your customers directly on episode 10. Rachel Barge is the founder of Leap Grow, a premium group of freelance growth marketers and has served as the Head of Growth/Marketing for companies like Hip Camp, Yerdle, and Gig Car Share. Kate Lin is a marketing strategist at Right Side Up. She advises companies on how to unlock additional revenue, from early stage ventures to Fortune 500 companies.

Improving something should be inherently innovative, but within the food and beverage world, what really fuels the "better for you" space? As a young company, what support exists to help you stick to your vision and values? In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, we interview Chloe Sorvino, a staff writer at Forbes. Chloe covers all things CPG, from Billionaires to Under 30 entrepreneurs. Under 30 applications just opened, so be sure to listen to the entire episode for tips from Chloe on how to stand out in your application!