The Startup CPG Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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The Startup CPG Podcast

Startup CPG

Business

Frequency: 1 episode/5d. Total Eps: 509

The top CPG podcast in the world, highlighting stories from founders, buyer spotlights, highly practical industry insights - all to give you a better chance at success.

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Data updated on 10/10/2026

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http://www.startupcpg.com
543 shares
https://startupcpg.com/?utm_medium=podcast&amp
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https://startupcpg.transistor.fm/
385 shares

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danscharff
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessifreitag/?utm_medium=podcast&amp
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https://www.instagram.com/startupcpg
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https://www.instagram.com/mindthefont
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https://www.instagram.com/jimbosnaturally
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Reinventing the Pizza Bagel: Bagelverse's Jacob Cooper on Nostalgia and CPG

Season 4 · Episode 381

Friday, October 9, 2026 • Duration 29:18

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Jacob Cooper, founder of Bagelverse, who's reinventing the classic pizza bagel with real mini New York bagels and bold flavors like spicy vodka and barbecue chicken.

Jacob spent eight years as a CTO in AI and tech before making a complete 180 to chase a childhood nostalgic idea. He launched Bagelverse in April 2026, and in the months since has sold over 80,000 pizza bagels through pop-ups around New York City, won a Shelfie Award, and had one of the most visited booths at Summer Fancy Food.

Caitlin and Jacob dig into his unconventional career pivot, the surprisingly complex supply chain behind a "simple" pizza bagel (which requires two separate co-packers), why packaging might be the single most important investment an emerging brand can make, and how he's building genuine, long-term relationships with retailers a year in advance of launch.

Listen in as they discuss:

Jacob's total pivot from eight years as a CTO in AI and tech to founding Bagelverse
Why he built the brand entirely through in-person pop-ups and farmer's markets before ever touching CPG
The surprising complexity behind a "simple" pizza bagel, and why it requires two separate co-packers
Why he intentionally delayed finding a co-packer until he knew the brand had real traction
What Jacob learned about follow-up and note-taking after having one of the busiest booths at Summer Fancy Food
Why big retailers plan shelf resets up to a year in advance, and how that timeline actually works in a founder's favor
Why staying in touch with retailers and buyers without always having an ask builds real, lasting relationships
Why Jacob believes packaging is the single most important investment an emerging brand can make
How Bagelverse is being intentional about which retailers to pursue first, rather than chasing every opportunity
Where to find Bagelverse today, from NYC pop-ups to the brand's farmer's market side project, Little Bagel

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time?

Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more.

Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we'll get in touch.

Episode Links:

Jacob Cooper LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/pizzabagel-guy
Bagelverse LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebagelverse/home
Bagelverse Website: www.thebagelverse.com
Bagelverse Instagram: @pizzabagel.nyc

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
Join the Startup CPG Slack community (40K+ members and growing!)
Follow @startupcpg
Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker/
Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
Episode music by Super Fantastics

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#269 Retailer Spotlight: Mariano's, with Amanda Puck

Season 4 · Episode 382

Tuesday, October 6, 2026 • Duration 40:37

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Amanda Puck, Vice President of Communications and Brand Development for Roundy's, for the "Mariano's 101" episode listeners have been asking for.

Amanda has been with Mariano's since 2014, working in the grocery retail business after years in restaurants and a lifelong love of grocery shopping that started as a kid clipping coupons with her grandmother. Today she leads communications, brand strategy, and community engagement for Mariano's and Metro Market, both banners of Kroger with deep Midwest roots dating back 150 years to Roundy's founding.

Daniel and Amanda dig into what makes Mariano's feel like a European-style food discovery market, how the team runs its twice-yearly "What's Next at Mariano's" local vendor search, the exact requirements brands need (a GS1 barcode, a distributor, a sampling plan) to get considered, and real examples of local brands, from Ava's Pet Palace to Caruso Provisions, that found success on Mariano's shelves.

Listen in as they discuss:

What makes Mariano's and Metro Market feel like a European-style food discovery market
Midwest-specific food trends, from cheese and cheese curds to frozen pizza and Chicago classics
How Mariano's meets customers wherever they are, from quick app pickup orders to in-store discovery
How Mariano's shows up for the community, including partnerships with local nonprofits and chefs
The twice-yearly "What's Next at Mariano's" and "What's Next at Metro Market" vendor search program
The core requirements every local brand needs before pitching, including a GS1 barcode and a distributor
Why grassroots in-store sampling remains one of the most effective ways to drive real sales conversion
Real success stories from local vendors, including Ava's Pet Palace, Laos to Your House, and Caruso Provisions
The distributors Mariano's works with most often, including KeHE, Norman, and JFI
What categories and trends Mariano's is most excited about right now, from protein snacks to pet food

Partnership Not Ownership: Inside Main Post Partners' Investment Approach

Season 4 · Episode 380

Saturday, October 3, 2026 • Duration 35:04

In this Investor Spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Tara Hyland, Principal at Main Post Partners, to break down how growth equity differs from venture capital and what founders should understand about building an enduring consumer business.

Tara's path to Main Post started in investment banking on a consumer-focused food and beverage team, followed by a move into private equity at Swander Pace Capital. She joined Main Post, a consumer-focused private equity firm known for its "partnership not ownership" philosophy, in 2020, and works primarily with founder-led businesses navigating their first institutional capital raise.

Hannah and Tara dig into the key pillars Main Post considers during diligence, why management team strength is so critical to an investment decision, what investors actually mean when they call a company a "lifestyle business," how investors evaluate exit potential, and what separates a great business from one that's truly ready for institutional capital.

Listen in as they discuss:

How Main Post's growth equity approach differs from venture capital and private equity
The firm's investment criteria, check sizes, and its "partnership not ownership" philosophy
The Main Post mentorship group, and how the firm supports founders beyond just capital
What exit potential really means, and how investors evaluate a business's remaining "white space"
The financial benchmarks (growth rate, gross margin, differentiation) common across Main Post's successful exits
Why a strong, scalable management team matters as much as the product itself
The difference between a strategic buyer looking for portfolio protection versus a true portfolio gap
What Main Post looks for in early diligence conversations, from brand differentiation to founder buy-in
Why omnichannel presence, not just strong DTC metrics, has become critical for CPG investment today
What investors mean by a "lifestyle business," and why it isn't necessarily a bad thing

Episode Links:

Why This Architect is Choosing to Build a National CPG Wellness Brand

Season 4 · Episode 379

Friday, October 2, 2026 • Duration 31:17

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Jane Kate Wong, founder of Noon World, a cognitive wellness company making dual-layer gummies designed for mind, mood, focus, chill, and sleep.

Jane's path to Noon ran through architecture, where she designed urban planning projects, high-end residential and commercial spaces, and cultural centers, before moving into interaction design at Nike, Google, and Apple. After burning out from that work, she built Noon as a culmination of her interests in design, technology, and health, focused on what she believes is the next frontier of wellness: cognition. Her design background shows up everywhere in the brand, from the minimalist, neuro-aesthetic booth that stood out at Expo West 2025 to the scientifically engineered dual-layer gummy format built for better bioavailability.

Caitlin and Jane dig into why Noon deliberately avoided conventional grocery retail early on, what led to a nationwide Target rollout instead, how the brand uses UGC and partnerships with names like Valentino and Adidas to build trust without traditional in-store demos, and why she believes patience and integrity, not fast wins, are what will separate lasting wellness brands from the rest.

Listen in as they discuss:

What Noon World is, and how it's built around cognitive wellness rather than a single use case
The neuro-aesthetic thinking behind Noon's standout, minimalist Expo West 2025 booth
How Jane's background in architecture and interaction design at Nike, Google, and Apple shapes Noon's product philosophy
Why Noon's dual-layer, dual-cast gummy format was engineered for better ingredient loading and faster absorption
Why Noon initially failed at conventional grocery retail, and what that taught Jane about her category
How Noon's nationwide Target rollout differs from a typical CPG retail launch strategy
Why Noon relies on UGC and partnerships (like one with Hummingbirds) instead of in-store demos to educate shoppers
The unconventional brand partnerships Noon has built with Valentino, Adidas, Goop, and others

#268 The Rise of Gymkhana Fine Foods with Gulrez Arora

Season 4 · Episode 377

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 • Duration 40:31

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with his longtime friend Gulrez Arora, founder of Gymkhana Fine Foods, the retail brand born out of London's two-Michelin-star Gymkhana restaurant, to talk about building a global premium Indian food brand from scratch.

Gulrez and Daniel first met working together at Mars, where Gulrez spent nearly a decade in strategy roles across Asia Pacific chocolate and later ran an internal innovation and venture studio program. That experience taught him how hard it is to manufacture true founder energy inside a large corporation, and eventually led him to London, where a chance introduction to the founders of JKS Restaurant Group (the team behind Gymkhana) sparked the idea of bringing the restaurant's uncompromising culinary standard into center store.

Daniel and Gulrez dig into the year-long process of translating Gymkhana's restaurant recipes into shelf-stable products without cutting corners, the hybrid in-house and co-packed manufacturing model built to protect quality, why the brand has driven outsized category growth and incrementality everywhere it launches, and how lessons from Mars and consulting shaped Gulrez's approach to scaling in both the UK and the US.

Listen in as they discuss:

How Gulrez's decade at Mars, including running an internal venture studio, shaped his instincts as a founder
The serendipitous introduction to JKS Restaurant Group that led to the Gymkhana retail partnership
Why the team waited over a year to launch, refusing to bring a product to market they weren't fully proud of
The multi-layered, restaurant-style cooking process behind Gymkhana's sauces, and why there are no shortcuts
The hybrid manufacturing model, with 40 to 50% of products made in-house and the rest co-packed
Gymkhana's current product lineup, from simmer sauces to marinades, and what's coming next
Why the brand has driven 900% category growth in the UK, with the majority of sales fully incremental
How Gymkhana's in-store activation strategy, especially near meat and poultry, drives trial and repeat purchase

R&D RADIO: The Real Science Behind Sugar Replacement with Icon Foods' Thom King

Season 4 · Episode 378

Monday, September 28, 2026 • Duration 31:04

In this episode of R&D Radio, host Adam Yee sits down with longtime friend Thom King, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Icon Foods, for a deep dive on sweetener systems from a food scientist's perspective.

Thom founded Icon Foods in 1999 (originally as Steviva Brands), becoming one of the first companies to import stevia glycosides into the US. After partnering with Quest Nutrition on their first bar, the company shifted fully into ingredient supply, eventually rebranding to Icon Foods and expanding into rare sugars, fibers, and polyols. Thom holds a Master's degree in Food Science from Cornell and has spent decades helping brands solve one of the industry's toughest problems: removing sugar without sacrificing taste, texture, or consumer acceptance.

Adam and Thom break down the eight functions of sugar beyond sweetness, why fiber stacking (as seen in brands like Olipop) helps avoid gut discomfort while boosting mouthfeel, and how sweeteners like erythritol, allulose, and tagatose each behave differently in formulation. They also dig into supply chain timing, tariffs, and Thom's practical advice for founders working with a formulator versus experimenting solo in the kitchen.

Listen in as they discuss:

The eight core functions of sugar that formulators have to account for beyond sweetness
Why fiber stacking, like Olipop's approach, helps avoid GI discomfort while replicating sugar's viscosity
A breakdown of common alternative sweeteners, including erythritol, allulose, and monk fruit, and where each works best
Why stacking sweeteners (like erythritol with allulose and a high-intensity sweetener) often beats using just one
How monk fruit and stevia combined can actually mask each other's bitter off-notes
What tagatose is, how it’s made from lactose, and why it scorches faster than other reducing sugars in baked goods
Why allulose not being accepted at Whole Foods may matter less than founders think, and why Target can be a stronger retail runway
Why vegetable glycerin is an underrated tool for preventing bars and baked goods from going stale or crumbly

How "Taste to Retain" Built a Billion-Dollar Supplement Brand

Season 4 · Episode 374

Saturday, September 26, 2026 • Duration 41:42

In this Operator Spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Hye Rin (Juliet) Choi, VP of Product at Grüns, to unpack the product philosophy and process behind one of the fastest billion-dollar acquisitions in CPG history.

Hye Rin (Juliet) started her career in brand management at Johnson & Johnson's consumer health division, working on brands like Neutrogena and Tylenol, before pursuing her MBA at Stanford, where she met Grüns founder and CEO Chad Janis. She joined as employee number nine and the company's first product hire, helping build the product function from the ground up as Grüns scaled to over 130 employees and was acquired by Unilever roughly three years after launch.

Hannah and Hye Rin (Juliet) dig into the "taste to retain" philosophy that drives Grüns' product decisions, the rigorous, multi-stage testing process behind every formula, why bringing R&D and science/regulatory in-house was one of the company's biggest unlocks, and what it actually takes - sometimes 30 to 40 iterations - to bring a new gummy to market.

Listen in as they discuss:

How Hye Rin (Juliet) went from brand management at Johnson & Johnson to becoming Grüns' first product hire
The "taste to retain" philosophy behind Grüns' approach to product innovation
Why solving for daily adherence, not just efficacy, was the real unlock behind Grüns' success
How Grüns collects and acts on customer feedback throughout the entire development process
Why 30 to 40 iterations are often needed to land a more complex gummy formulation
The multi-stage testing process, from lab-scale research to third-party labs, that ensures product efficacy
Why bringing R&D and science/regulatory functions in-house transformed Grüns' quality and speed
The unique manufacturing challenges of working with gummies, from texture to shelf-life stability
How Grüns evaluates whether a new product category or line extension is worth pursuing
Hye Rin (Juliet)'s advice on documentation, version control, and protecting IP as a brand scales

How This Ex-Attorney Reinvented Hard Candy as a Health Tool

Season 4 · Episode 375

Friday, September 25, 2026 • Duration 30:05

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Erica Haft, founder of Sweeter Collective, an organic hard candy brand modernizing the category with just 16 calories, less than 3 grams of sugar, and nearly 2 grams of fiber per piece.

Erica spent almost 10 years as an attorney before leaving law behind to build the brand. Her inspiration was close to home: her mother, a registered dietitian, has eaten hard candy daily for over 30 years to satisfy her sweet tooth without derailing her health goals. After nearly two years of R&D, including an early attempt at the old-school "panning" technique used for jawbreakers, Erica landed on a boiling method using soluble tapioca fiber and oats to create a long-lasting, slow-dissolving candy in a custom round sphere mold.

Caitlin and Erica dig into why the panning technique didn't work out, how Erica found a co-manufacturer willing to make an unconventional round candy shape, the planetary branding inspired by her hometown of Jupiter, Florida, real feedback from in-store demos at Sprouts, and how she's positioning hard candy not as a treat to restrict, but as a daily tool for mindfulness and control.

Listen in as they discuss:

How Erica's mother's 30-year hard candy habit as a registered dietitian sparked the idea for Sweeter Collective
Why Erica initially tried the old-school "panning" technique used for jawbreakers, and why it didn't work
How she landed on a boiling method using soluble tapioca fiber and oats for a slow-dissolving candy
Why finding a co-manufacturer with a round sphere mold (instead of the standard disc shape) took months
The planetary branding, inspired by her hometown of Jupiter, Florida, that shapes the "Sweeter Universe" concept
Real customer feedback from in-store demos at Sprouts, including hesitation around price point
Why Erica frames Sweeter Pops as "the cheapest tool in your toolbox" compared to other wellness spend
How the brand is evolving its packaging to better educate shelf shoppers on what makes it different
Why positioning hard candy as a mindfulness tool, not a restriction, is central to the brand's message

Should You Apply for Startup CPG's Founders & Funders?

Season 4 · Episode 376

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 20:25

In this bonus solo episode, host Daniel Scharff breaks down everything founders need to know about Founders & Funders, Startup CPG's flagship fundraising event happening December 10th in New York City, to help you decide whether you should apply.

Daniel explains why he built the event: after hearing founders describe spending up to 50% of their time on fundraising, he wanted to create a highly efficient, application-based summit that brings together the top 100 VCs in emerging CPG with the community's strongest brands for a single, high-impact day. Unlike the free, ticketed regional roadshows Startup CPG runs throughout the year, the December event is capped, competitive, and application-based, designed around fast, curated one-on-one meetings rather than open networking alone.

Daniel walks through exactly how the day works, from the one-pager application brands submit ahead of time (which VCs review to select the meetings they want) to what a typical five-to-ten-minute investor conversation actually looks like. He also shares who's already confirmed to attend, from major retailers to dozens of top consumer VC firms, and offers honest, practical advice on applying, including how early you should apply and what actually matters in your application video.

Listen in as he covers:

Why Daniel created Founders & Funders after hearing founders describe spending half their time on fundraising
The difference between Startup CPG's free, ticketed roadshows and the application-based December summit
How the one-pager application works, and why VCs use it to pre-select which brands they want to meet
What a typical one-on-one meeting at the event actually looks like, and how long they really last
Why Daniel believes even brands not actively fundraising yet should consider applying for 2027
The retailers and VCs already confirmed to attend this year's event, including 7-Eleven Ventures, Albertsons, Walmart, and dozens of leading consumer VC firms
How the rolling, batch-based application review process works, and why applying early matters
What to actually include in your application video, and why it doesn't need to be polished

#267: Term Sheets 101 with Giannuzzi Lewendon

Season 4 · Episode 372

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 • Duration 44:30

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Adam Marsh and Gabrielle McGonagle, partners at Giannuzzi Lewendon, a top-tier CPG law firm, for a deep dive on term sheets and what every founder needs to understand before raising capital.

Adam has spent nearly 13 years practicing law focused on the CPG space, while Gabrielle brings over a decade of experience at the firm, including work on major exits like BodyArmor's $8 billion sale. Together, they've guided countless CPG brands through fundraising, from pre-revenue startups to companies doing nine figures in revenue, and are frequent partners of Startup CPG's Founders and Funders events.

Daniel, Adam, and Gabrielle break down what a term sheet actually is, why founders should consider proposing their own terms instead of waiting on investors, and the key levers, beyond valuation, that determine how good a deal really is. They cover protective provisions, board control, liquidation preferences, option pools, redemption rights, and more, offering founders a practical framework for knowing what to fight for and what to let go.

Listen in as they discuss:

What a term sheet actually is, and why founders should consider proposing their own
Why negotiating a term sheet properly upfront saves time and money in the long run
What investor blocking rights (protective provisions) are, and how far they can extend
Why a seemingly small board block can function as a backdoor block on future financing
The critical difference between protective provisions held by an investor versus a board director
Why budget approval rights should stay at the board level, not the investor level
How founders can maintain board control even as the board grows with each funding round
The difference between participating and non-participating preferred stock, and why it matters
How option pools work, and why founders should push for them to be calculated post-money
What redemption rights, pro rata rights, and reporting obligations mean for founders long-term

The Startup CPG Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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