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Explore every episode of the podcast The Startup CPG Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for The Startup CPG Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Reinventing the Pizza Bagel: Bagelverse's Jacob Cooper on Nostalgia and CPG09 Oct 202600:29:18


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:


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:

#269 Retailer Spotlight: Mariano's, with Amanda Puck06 Oct 202600:40:37


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



Episode Links:


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.


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Partnership Not Ownership: Inside Main Post Partners' Investment Approach03 Oct 202600:35:04

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:


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:

Why This Architect is Choosing to Build a National CPG Wellness Brand02 Oct 202600:31:17


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
  • The difference between "optimizing" and "calibrating" your mind, and how that shapes Noon's product design
  • Jane's advice to wellness founders: hold onto integrity and long-term thinking in a crowded, trend-driven category


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:


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:

#268 The Rise of Gymkhana Fine Foods with Gulrez Arora29 Sep 202600:40:31


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
  • The differences between building awareness in the UK versus the US, where Indian food is less culturally embedded
  • Gymkhana's $8.5 million Series A with CAVU Ventures, and how that partnership has shaped the brand's growth


Episode Links:


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:

R&D RADIO: The Real Science Behind Sugar Replacement with Icon Foods' Thom King28 Sep 202600:31:04


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 protein-based sweetness modulators like thaumatin work, and why they need a sweetener backbone to succeed
  • The supply chain outlook for monk fruit, stevia, allulose, tagatose, and erythritol, including when to buy monk fruit and why to start planning 2027 purchases now
  • Why founders should work with a professional formulator rather than scaling a kitchen recipe directly


Episode Links:


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:

How "Taste to Retain" Built a Billion-Dollar Supplement Brand26 Sep 202600:41:42


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



Episode Links:


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:

How This Ex-Attorney Reinvented Hard Candy as a Health Tool25 Sep 202600:30:05


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
  • What's next for Sweeter Collective, including a packaging refresh and dream flavor collaborations


🍬 Listener Perk: Use code STARTUPCPG for 10% off your order at sweetercollective.com - one-time use per customer.


Episode Links:


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:

Should You Apply for Startup CPG's Founders & Funders?23 Sep 202600:20:25

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
  • Why building relationships with investors early, even before you're ready to raise, pays off later
  • How the roadshows can be a great alternative or complement for brands who aren't accepted to the December event


Apply for Founders & Funders by Startup CPG: https://bit.ly/podcastfnf



Episodes mentioned in this episode:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

#267: Term Sheets 101 with Giannuzzi Lewendon22 Sep 202600:44:30


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


Episode Links:


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:

The 4-Part Diligence Framework Every Founder Should Know19 Sep 202600:36:26


In this Investor Spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Ashley Hartman, Managing Partner at Bluestein Ventures, an early-stage firm investing at the intersection of culture, science, and technology in modern wellbeing and consumer brands.


Ashley's path to venture capital ran through financial consulting at NERA Economic Consulting and then operating strategy at her family's manufacturing business, giving her a rare blend of analytical rigor and hands-on operating experience. She's now co-Managing Partner at Bluestein Ventures, which evolved from a family office into an independent, family-backed VC fund, and has made more than 40 investments across her career, primarily at seed through Series A.


Hannah and Ashley dig into Bluestein's four-part diligence framework, the "unicorn" combination of traits Ashley looks for in a founder, why rapid growth can quietly mask a fragile business, what the first 90 days after an investment actually looks like, and how founders should think about timing their next raise.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Bluestein Ventures' focus, check sizes, and the market forces shaping its investment thesis
  • How family office capital differs from traditional venture capital, and what that means for founders
  • The four-part scorecard Bluestein uses in diligence: vision, playbook, engine, and terms
  • The key CPG metrics Ashley wants founders to know cold, from net revenue by channel to LTV/CAC
  • The rare "unicorn" combination of vision and operational depth Ashley looks for in founders
  • Why broad distribution right out of the gate is often a red flag, not a strength
  • What the first 90 days of a new investment partnership typically looks like
  • Why growth can conceal a fragile business, and what "capital efficiency" really means in practice
  • How Bluestein supports portfolio companies through setbacks, using two real (anonymized) examples
  • Ashley's framework for knowing exactly when a founder is ready to raise


Episode Links:


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:

Meat Stick Who? How TofuGo Turned Tofu Into a Viral Protein Snack18 Sep 202600:25:55


In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Caroline Dai, founder of TofuGo, a savory protein snack made from whole foods tofu with 12 grams of protein, zero sugar, and zero natural flavors.


Caroline grew up eating tofu daily in her Chinese family before moving to Seattle at age 13. After years working in business and finance, constantly snacking on sugary protein bars at her desk, she realized there was nothing savory, whole-food, and additive-free on the market. She launched TofuGo in March 2026, and just two weeks later, a simple living-room video went viral with over 350,000 views. Five months in, the brand is now in over 40 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, with a growing base of repeat subscribers.


Caitlin and Caroline dig into the craveable, ancient Chinese culinary craftsmanship behind the product, why she's intentionally staying savory instead of chasing every trend, how strong sell-through data has changed retailer conversations, and her vision for TofuGo as a nationwide, mainstream snack accessible to vegans, fitness enthusiasts, and families alike.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • How growing up eating tofu daily in a Chinese household inspired Caroline to build TofuGo
  • The unscripted, low-production living room video that hit 350,000 views two weeks after launch
  • Why TofuGo's two current flavors, soy barbecue and spicy chili, were chosen to bridge Asian flavors with mainstream American snacking
  • The ancient Chinese culinary technique behind removing water content to turn fresh tofu into a shelf-stable snack
  • Why TofuGo intentionally stays focused on two SKUs instead of expanding the lineup too quickly
  • How the packaging design, inspired by Chinese red envelopes, became a core part of the brand's identity
  • Why strong in-store velocity data has helped overcome retailer skepticism about "niche" Asian flavors
  • How TofuGo built inbound international demand, including an upcoming UK launch, without deliberately pursuing it
  • What's next for the brand, including an Amazon launch, more flavors, and continued retail conversations
  • Caroline's advice for early-stage founders on getting comfortable being the face of their brand


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

#266: Building an Organic Social Media Following with Lindzi Shanks, XO Marshmallow15 Sep 202600:36:52


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Lindzi Shanks, founder and CEO of XO Marshmallow, to unpack how she built an organic social following of 1.4 million across platforms and turned it into real, trackable sales.


Lindzi started XO Marshmallow 10 years ago with a background as an influencer and blogger, designing the brand from day one to be visually shareable. As short-form video took off, she realized the marshmallow-making process itself was perfectly suited to content, from ASMR-style pulling and pouring to behind-the-scenes factory footage. That instinct, paired with a willingness to constantly experiment and adapt, has turned XO into one of the most recognizable brands in confectionery, generating millions in revenue through social content and more than $2 million in TikTok Shop sales alone.


Daniel and Lindzi dig into how each platform (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook) plays a completely different role in her strategy, how she turned a single negative comment into a 26-million-view video and a still-converting ad, why viral views don't always translate to sales, and how she batches content, keeps customers coming back, and now approaches an upcoming retail expansion.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why Lindzi designed XO Marshmallow to be visually shareable from day one, before short-form video existed
  • How TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube each reward completely different types of content
  • Why "blame your content, not the algorithm" when something stops performing
  • How a single negative TikTok comment turned into a 26-million-view video and a still-converting ad
  • Why viral views don't always translate into sales, and which platforms actually drive purchases
  • How XO Marshmallow batches content one day a week and uses a freelance editor to scale output
  • Why reusing years of old B-roll footage can create content that feels brand new
  • How XO Marshmallow drives repeat purchases and reorder rates through community programs like Troop XO and Camp Cap
  • Why TikTok Shop customers are hard to retain, and how postcards and discount inserts help win them back
  • Why XO Marshmallow is redesigning its packaging and shelf life ahead of a retail expansion


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

R&D RADIO: How Startup CPG's Product Developer Database Helped This Founder Reformulate14 Sep 202600:25:04


In this episode of R&D Radio, host Adam Yee sits down with Drake Nickell, founder of Dimitri's Greek Kitchen, to talk through how he used Startup CPG's Product Developer Database to find the right partner for reformulating his brand's pita chips.


Drake and his sister built Dimitri's Greek Kitchen around traditional Greek and Mediterranean snacks with a modern twist, starting with whipped feta before pivoting into pita chips after finding a manufacturing partner who could bring the product to life. With the chips now in over 300 stores, including all 189 Jewel-Osco locations across Illinois, Drake turned to the Product Developer Database to level up the product with a well-defined scope of work rather than spending months experimenting in his own kitchen.


Adam and Drake dig into how Drake filtered and vetted eight different product developers, why having a clear scope of work upfront made those conversations more efficient, how founders and food scientists can use shared reference points like well-known snack brands to communicate flavor and texture, and what "soft skills" mattered most in choosing the right long-term partner.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • How Drake and his sister built Dimitri's Greek Kitchen around whipped feta and pita chips
  • Why a viral TikTok moment around spicy whipped feta helped validate the product idea
  • How Drake used Startup CPG's Product Developer Database to find and filter relevant experts
  • Why having a clearly defined scope of work made his vetting conversations far more efficient
  • What matters most when choosing a product developer beyond price, including communication style and personality fit
  • Why quick follow-up and pricing transparency were strong signals in choosing the right partner
  • How food scientists use a "gold standard" reference product to reverse-engineer texture and flavor
  • How Drake described mouthfeel and flavor using widely available snack brands as a shared reference point
  • Why founders shouldn't take early "no's" from experts personally, even when they sting
  • What's next for Dimitri's Greek Kitchen, including new pita chip flavors and a whipped feta relaunch


Episode Links:


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 http://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 Adam's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com 
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

How Whole Foods Invests in Emerging Brands with Ellen Gorra12 Sep 202600:30:28


In this Investor Spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Ellen Gorra of Whole Foods Market, who leads the retailer's equity investment and warrant partnership programs, to unpack how one of the industry's most influential retailers evaluates, invests in, and supports emerging brands.


Ellen's path to Whole Foods wound through equity research at Piper Sandler, buy-side coverage of hedge funds and private equity, and a stint at L Catterton in Asia, where she helped lead an $80 million investment in K-pop entertainment company YG Entertainment. After a brief detour into music at Live Nation, she found her way back to consumer - this time in food - and has been investing in and partnering with emerging brands at Whole Foods ever since.


Hannah and Ellen dig into how Whole Foods' equity and warrant programs actually work, how the warrant program ties brand sales to charitable giving through the Whole Foods Market Foundation, what trends are shaping the perishables category right now, and what founders should understand about underwriting a return before pitching an investor.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • How Whole Foods' equity investment program differs from its warrant partnership program
  • Why proceeds from Whole Foods' equity stakes are donated to the Whole Foods Market Foundation when a brand exits
  • What stage and category of brands Whole Foods typically targets for equity vs. warrant deals
  • Emerging trends in perishables, including branded produce varieties and flavor-forward breeding
  • What Whole Foods looks for when evaluating a brand's exit potential before entering a warrant partnership
  • How founders can "underwrite" their own return for potential investors, including EBITDA benchmarks and typical return multiples
  • Why revenue thresholds for a strategic acquisition have risen in recent years
  • What Ellen wishes founders understood about communication and transparency with their Whole Foods merchant
  • Ellen's advice on getting noticed by investors, including keeping outreach short and having a clear product roadmap
  • Ellen's career lessons, from cap table math to navigating LinkedIn's highlight reel culture


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

Tallow, Trust, and Testing: Inside My Neighbor's Rapid Growth11 Sep 202600:30:15


In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Harri Magaldi, founder of My Neighbor's, a regenerative tallow and vegan skincare brand manufactured in-house in the Hudson Valley.


Harri left nine years on Wall Street after her daughter developed eczema as a baby. Unable to find anything that worked, she started making beef tallow balm at home in a crock pot using suet from a local farm, initially just to help her own daughter and as gifts for friends. After encouragement from other moms, she launched at the Hudson Farmer's Market in May 2024, selling $4,000 worth of product on day one. Four months later, she was picked up by Anthropology and Terrain, catapulting the brand into wholesale. My Neighbor's is now in over 500 retailers, on track for 1,500 doors by March 2027, and manufactures everything in-house just steps from the same farmer's market where it all began.


Caitlin and Harri dig into the real difference between grass-fed and grass-finished, why sourcing and rendering suet locally matters so much for both quality and community impact, the $30,000 the brand invested unprompted in microbial, stability, and heavy metal testing, and how a chance encounter while pumping breast milk at Expo West led to a major new retail partnership.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • How Harri started making beef tallow balm at home to treat her daughter's eczema
  • Selling $4,000 in product on day one at the Hudson Farmer's Market
  • How being picked up by Anthropologie and Terrain four months in changed everything
  • The real difference between grass-fed and grass-finished, and why it matters for both meat and skincare
  • Why suet sourcing, local rendering, and naming the actual farm matters more than most tallow brands admit
  • The 12 Hudson Valley farms My Neighbor's partners with, and how the relationship benefits both sides
  • Why the brand invested $30,000 unprompted in microbial, stability, and heavy metal testing
  • How partnering with QVC pushed the brand to raise its own safety and testing standards
  • Meeting a major buyer while pumping breast milk at her booth at Expo West
  • Why Harri cares more about "regenerative" than "organic," and what that means for sourcing claims


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

#265: Marion Nestle on Food Politics and the Cereal Aisle08 Sep 202600:41:35


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Marion Nestle, Professor Emerita of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at NYU, to unpack decades of cereal industry marketing history and what it reveals about food policy today.


Marion is one of the most influential voices in food politics, having helped pioneer food studies as an academic discipline and served as Senior Nutrition Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she helped oversee the landmark 1988 Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health. She's the author of numerous bestselling books, including Food Politics, What to Eat, Soda Politics, and Unsavory Truth. Her newest book, Sugar Coated: Unboxing the Hidden Forces Shaping America's Favorite Breakfast Food, uses her decades-long personal collection of cereal boxes as a lens into the history of food marketing, health claims, and consumer behavior.


Daniel and Marion dig into how cereal went from a health food invented by Kellogg to one of the most heavily marketed, sugar-laden products on shelves, how companies use shelf space, packaging changes, and influencer marketing to reach consumers (including kids), and what today's CPG founders can learn from a century of food industry marketing tactics.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • How Marion's decades-long personal collection of cereal boxes became the basis for her new book, Sugar Coated
  • The surprising origins of cereal as a health food invented by Kellogg, a self-described "health nut"
  • Why heavily sugared cereals didn't become popular until decades after cereal's original health-food branding
  • How shifting nutrition trends, from fiber to protein, show up almost instantly on cereal packaging
  • Why cereal boxes make such a uniquely revealing marketing case study, from size to how often designs change
  • How supermarkets are paid for shelf placement, and what that reveals about products like Cheerios' many spinoffs
  • Why influencer marketing has made it harder to monitor how food companies market to kids online
  • What "ultra-processed" really means, and why it excludes most cereals currently on shelves
  • Marion's take on the wellness movement, GLP-1 drugs, and the "Make America Healthy Again" conversation
  • Marion's advice to CPG founders: if you want to be trusted, behave in a trustworthy way


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

Turning Customers Into Investors: A Popcorn Brand's Crowdfunding Playbook05 Sep 202600:38:20


In this Founder Fundraising Journey episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Tal Moore, founder and CEO of Popsmith, a design-forward stovetop popcorn brand that's landed on Oprah's Favorite Things list and is heading into Williams Sonoma nationwide this year.


Tal is a serial e-commerce founder with 25 years in the space, starting as a 12-year-old selling gumballs and candy in elementary school before building and exiting multiple online businesses, including a popcorn equipment store he ran two decades before launching Popsmith. After divesting from his other ventures, he went all-in on building the popcorn brand he always wished existed, one built around the nostalgia of movie nights and the superior taste of kettle-popped corn.


Hannah and Tal dig into the real cost of bringing a premium physical product to market, the inventory mistake that nearly sank the business in its first year, how Oprah's Favorite Things bailed them out at the perfect moment, and why equity crowdfunding on StartEngine turned out to be the ideal fundraising path for a consumer brand like Popsmith.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Tal's decades-long path through e-commerce, from candy sales as a kid to running seven-figure online stores
  • Why Popsmith set out to recreate movie-theater-quality popcorn with an heirloom-quality stovetop popper
  • The $2.2 million in personal capital and $1.6 million friends and family round that got Popsmith off the ground
  • The inventory miscalculation that nearly sank the business before Oprah's Favorite Things saved it
  • Why equity crowdfunding through StartEngine made more sense than venture capital at their stage
  • The key ingredients Tal believes make a brand succeed on an equity crowdfunding platform
  • Why Popsmith invites its own customers to become equity holders starting at just $500
  • What the new StartEngine raise will fund, from holiday inventory to accelerating marketing spend
  • Tal's biggest lesson on capital management: never let yourself get undercapitalized
  • Why 25 years of community involvement made his friends-and-family raise possible


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

She Couldn't Find a Clean Electrolyte Brand, So She Created One04 Sep 202600:30:42

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Danielle Nuss, founder of Short Story, a clean electrolyte mix made with organic fruit powder and naturally sourced minerals - and notably, zero natural flavors.


Danielle is a mom of two boys working full-time in tech who started making her own electrolytes at home during her second pregnancy after struggling to find anything clean on shelf. What began as homemade batches for personal use turned into a farmer's market launch in Denver, where she sold through her first full production run and is now heading toward retail. Danielle is also a 2026 Shelfie Award winner, a detail she didn't even know about at the time of recording.


Caitlin and Danielle dig into why natural flavors lack real transparency, how the lack of regulation around the word "natural" is more unsettling than most consumers realize, why entering a crowded electrolyte category was actually a signal of strong product-market fit, and what it looks like to build a CPG brand in the seams of an already full life.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why Danielle started making her own electrolytes during pregnancy after finding nothing clean on shelf
  • Why entering a crowded category can actually be a sign of strong product-market fit
  • The white space Danielle found for a clean, retail-ready electrolyte brand
  • Why natural flavors lack the same transparency required of everything else on a nutrition label
  • How Short Story's front-of-package approach lets the product speak for itself
  • What brands legally can (and can't) say about organic certification before it's official
  • Why "natural" isn't actually a regulated term, and why that should give consumers pause
  • How retailers like Sprouts publicly weighing in on natural flavors could shift the category
  • What it's really like building a brand as a mom of two working full-time in tech
  • Where Danielle sees Short Story in five years, from new flavors to major natural retailers


Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

#264 How Foundation Foods Became One of SoCal's Most Trusted Grocery Distributors01 Sep 202600:34:43


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Louis D'Angelo, founder of Foundation Foods, a beloved natural products distributor serving Southern California's most quality-focused retailers, to talk about how the company was built, what it takes to get on their shelves, and why strict ingredient standards have always been non-negotiable.


Louis got his start freelancing as a de facto sales rep for small organic brands before ever knowing what a broker was. His path to founding Foundation Foods took a dramatic turn when a rattlesnake bite left him hospitalized for two weeks, during which the distributor he'd been working for stopped paying him and every brand he represented. That crisis - paired with a sudden sense of clarity - led him to take out a $25,000 loan, get his own warehouse in 2018, and build Foundation Foods from the ground up.


Daniel and Louis dig into the strict organic ingredient standards Foundation Foods holds brands to, why they never charge brands beyond their margin, how they've grown from a scrappy one-truck operation into a trusted distributor for retailers like Erewhon, Jimbo's, PCC, and now Whole Foods, and exactly what brands should have ready before their first meeting.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • The rattlesnake bite and near-death experience that led Louis to launch Foundation Foods
  • Why Foundation Foods only takes a margin and never charges brands hidden or additional fees
  • The strict organic ingredient standards that have led them to reject even great products
  • Why USDA certification isn't required, so smaller brands aren't priced out of working with them
  • How Foundation Foods differs from broadliners and other SoCal-focused distributors
  • Why inventory availability is the number one factor in getting - and staying - on the shelf
  • How Foundation Foods helps brands gain organic distribution through buyer relationships and catalog visits
  • Why communicating with your regional distributor before adding a broadliner matters more than brands think
  • Common compliance mistakes that get products pulled from shelves, from pricing to Prop 65 labeling
  • Why patience matters just as much as inventory when working with retailers and distributors


Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Daniel's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danscharff
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

R&D RADIO: Building a Reliable Formula Brand with Casey Bauer, COO, Bobbie31 Aug 202600:25:10


In this special R&D Radio episode, guest host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Casey Bauer, COO of Bobbie, one of only four infant formula manufacturers in the United States, to dig into what "test obsessed" really means when your product is a baby's sole source of nutrition.


Casey has spent almost a year at Bobbie overseeing quality, regulatory, and supply chain, following roles as COO at Kate Farms, a leading medical nutrition company, and operations leadership at Pharmavite (Nature Made) and Nutrabolt. That background in sole-source and medical nutrition shaped how seriously he takes food safety at Bobbie, where the company runs over 2,000 safety and quality checks and manufactures under one roof at its facility in Heath, Ohio.


Caitlin and Casey cover what it means to be one of only four infant formula manufacturers in the U.S., how Bobbie tests raw materials, bulk powder, and finished cans for redundancy, why the company still partners with a contract manufacturer even with in-house production growing nearly 300% year over year, and how the Bobbie promise protects subscriber inventory during shortages and recalls.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • The added pressure and responsibility of being one of only four infant formula manufacturers in the U.S.
  • What "test obsessed" looks like in practice, including 2,000+ safety and quality checks per product
  • Why Bobbie tests at multiple stages, from raw materials to bulk powder to the finished can
  • How evolving test methods and lower detection limits continually raise Bobbie's own safety bar
  • Why Bobbie still partners with a contract manufacturer even as in-house production scales
  • How Bobbie's transparency tracker lets any customer look up testing results by lot number
  • What the Bobbie promise is and how it protects subscriber inventory during shortages and recalls
  • Lessons from the 2022 infant formula shortage and what other food and beverage brands can learn from it
  • Why domestic manufacturing and staying close to the supply chain matters for food safety
  • How Bobbie vets and continuously monitors new supply chain partners through audits and ongoing reviews


Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

From Hand Sanitizer to Tomato Sauce - How Sauz Went From 10 Doors to 3,500 in a Year29 Aug 202600:50:58


In this Founder Fundraising Journey episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Troy Bonde, co-founder and CEO of Sauz, to trace the winding path from a college side hustle to building one of the fastest-growing brands in the tomato sauce category.


Troy's road to Sauz started with a hand sanitizer and thermometer dispenser he and childhood friend and co-founder Winston sold to schools during COVID, using the proceeds to fund early angel investments and, eventually, Sauz itself. Frustrated by a commoditized tomato sauce aisle with no flavor innovation, Troy and Winston sold their cars to bootstrap the brand, launched at Erewhon in July 2023, and scaled from 10 doors to 3,500 in just 12 months, landing Whole Foods, Central Market, and Target distribution along the way.


Hannah and Troy dig into how Sauz built a data story compelling enough to win over major retail buyers, when and why the brand knew it needed institutional capital, the emotional and practical challenges of fundraising, and what Troy wishes he'd done differently around unit economics and hiring.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Troy's unconventional path from teenage car salesman to M&A banking intern to tomato sauce founder
  • How a pandemic side business selling hand sanitizer dispensers funded Sauz's earliest days
  • Why Troy and Winston felt tomato sauce was overdue for the same reinvention seen in beverage brands like Poppy and Olipop
  • The surprising science behind flavors like hot honey and summer lemon marinara, and why they make dinner special
  • How Sauz turned demo data at Erewhon into distribution at Central Market, Whole Foods, and Target
  • The moment Sauz knew it needed to bring on institutional capital to fund growth
  • What made Coefficient Capital the right venture partner for Sauz
  • Why Troy believes velocity alone doesn't guarantee a smooth fundraise, and what else matters
  • Lessons learned about unit economics, hiring an ops lead sooner, and building a high-trust team
  • Troy's approach to deciding when to take outside advice versus trusting his own gut


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

Happy Caapi: The First Non-Hallucinogenic Ayahuasca Vine Supplement28 Aug 202600:33:39


In this special two-guest Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Gonzalo Bisquerra, founder of Happy Caapi, and Chris Kilham, the botanical expert known as Medicine Hunter, to talk about the first non-hallucinogenic supplement made from the ayahuasca vine.


Gonzalo spent two decades in sourcing and supply chain for major CPG companies before an ayahuasca ceremony in Panama changed the course of his life. After connecting with two friends developing an early prototype, he spent four years navigating the regulatory, sourcing, and formulation challenges of bringing Happy Caapi to market - a legal, shelf-stable way for people to access the vine's benefits without the hallucinogenic experience associated with full ayahuasca ceremonies. Chris Kilham, who has studied medicinal plants around the world for over 30 years and sat in 135 ayahuasca ceremonies himself, joined as an early advisor and friend of the brand, bringing decades of botanical sourcing expertise and his own published sustainability research on the ayahuasca vine.


Caitlin, Gonzalo, and Chris dig into the important distinction between psychoactive and psychedelic, how the vine alone delivers focus and mood benefits without the visionary effects of the traditional brew, the real story behind ayahuasca vine sustainability and sourcing, and what it takes for brands to work responsibly with botanicals.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • What Happy Caapi is and how it differs from traditional ayahuasca ceremonies
  • The critical distinction between "psychoactive" and "psychedelic," and why it matters for consumer education
  • Gonzalo's personal ayahuasca experience and what inspired him to build a shelf-stable, non-hallucinogenic product
  • Chris's multi-year field research on ayahuasca vine sustainability, published in the American Botanical Council's HerbalGram
  • The science behind how the vine's alkaloids affect mood and focus without producing hallucinogenic effects
  • Why the growing consumer openness to psychedelics and natural alternatives is shaping the timing of this launch
  • Product format decisions, from the current liquid extract to an upcoming single-serve sachet
  • Gonzalo's vision for Happy Caapi as an ingredient platform for other brands, not just a standalone product
  • Chris's advice for CPG brands sourcing and working with botanicals responsibly
  • The safety profile of Happy Caapi and how its alkaloid concentration compares to everyday psychoactive substances like caffeine


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

#263 - When Cookies Aren't Just Cookies - with Fields Good and Cognizin25 Aug 202600:46:11


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Ashley Fields and Kim Anderson, co-founders of Fields Good, and Katie Emerson of Kyowa Hakko USA (the makers of Cognizin) to unpack how a new functional cookie brand is trying to prove that healthy and heavenly don't have to be a trade-off.


Ashley Fields grew up as a self-described "nepo baker," the daughter of the founders behind the classic Fields cookie brand. She met co-founder Kim Anderson as roommates at Stanford, and together they spent 18 months developing Fields Good's line of functional cookies, including a protein peanut butter cookie, an oatmeal raisin sleep cookie, and a mocha dark chocolate focus cookie featuring Cognizin Citicoline. Katie Emerson, senior manager of scientific and regulatory affairs at Kyowa Hakko USA and a registered dietitian, brings the ingredient supplier's perspective on why branded functional ingredients are becoming mainstream.


Daniel, Ashley, Kim, and Katie dig into why functional foods and brain health ingredients are having a moment, how Fields Good flipped the usual "function first" formulation model to prioritize taste, and what actually goes into a brand's decision to feature a branded ingredient like Cognizin front and center on packaging.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why functional foods and brain health ingredients are becoming mainstream, and what's driving the shift
  • How Cognizin Citicoline compares to more familiar functional ingredients like protein and creatine
  • Why Fields Good flipped the typical formulation model to prioritize taste first, function second
  • The 18-month, thousands-of-pounds-of-dough journey to get the cookies right
  • How Fields Good matched each cookie's flavor profile to its functional goal, from mocha for focus to oatmeal raisin for sleep
  • What "permissible indulgence" means as an emerging subcategory in snacking
  • How Fields Good approaches packaging and branding to feel trustworthy without feeling overly clinical
  • What the shopper journey looks like across DTC and the brand's upcoming retail expansion
  • The brand trust factors that go into choosing a branded ingredient like Cognizin over a generic alternative
  • What's next for Fields Good and where brain health-focused products may be headed


Interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin? Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

Meet the Bone Broth Protein Bar with 20g Protein & No Protein Powder21 Aug 202600:27:35

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Mackenzie Muth and Nolan Spencer, co-founders of HOL Health Club, makers of the first and only bone broth protein bar - with 20 grams of protein and no protein powder.


Mackenzie and Nolan met in an accounting class at Indiana University and are now married co-founders. Both spent six years in investment banking on Wall Street before starting HOL - Mackenzie in consulting and then at Lazard's consumer group, where she worked on the Siete Foods sale to PepsiCo, and Nolan in technology investment banking. It was the public backlash to the Siete deal that pushed them to leave finance and build a "better-for-you" brand designed to scale without ever selling out. They ditched their jobs, bought an RV, adopted two golden retrievers, and hit the road to sell HOL bars in person across the country.


Caitlin, Mackenzie, and Nolan dig into what the Siete sale revealed about the better-for-you category, why they built their bar around bone broth instead of protein powder, the surprising R&D process that led to a real-food formula, and what it's actually like to run a fast-growing CPG brand out of an RV - from 0 to over 200 retail doors in a matter of months.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • What the public reaction to the Siete Foods/PepsiCo sale taught Mackenzie about consumer trust in "better-for-you" brands
  • Why they chose bone broth as their protein source instead of pea, soy, or whey powder
  • The gut, joint, and skin benefits of bone broth - and why traditional protein powders didn't work for Mackenzie's body
  • Their first bone broth bar prototype ("complete sandpaper") and how they landed on a real-food formula instead
  • Why they rejected the "no sugar, artificial flavors, still tons of protein" trend in favor of whole-food ingredients
  • Going from 0 retail doors in January to over 200 doors and 90 demos in 90 days
  • Why being founders on the ground, personally running demos, has driven so much of their retail growth
  • The upside and identity adjustment of running a CPG company while living nomadically in an RV
  • Their strategy of focusing on natural and independent retailers before pursuing larger conventional chains
  • Where they see HOL Health Club - and themselves - in five years



Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

Honey 101 for CPG Brands: Trends, Formulation Tips & Resources with Keith Seiz of The National Honey Board19 Aug 202600:10:53


In this mini episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Keith Seiz of the National Honey Board to unpack why honey has become one of the most in-demand ingredients in food and beverage right now - and what that means for brands and formulators looking to work with it.


Keith has spent 17 years working with the National Honey Board, traveling the country to talk with food manufacturers, distillers, brewers, and bakers about how to formulate better products with honey. In that time, he's watched the conversation shift - what used to be a handful of questions about honey itself has grown into an equal mix of curiosity about honey and the honeybees behind it, as consumers pay closer attention to where their ingredients actually come from.


Daniel and Keith dig into the data behind honey's rapid growth, the new product categories it's showing up in, the functional (not just flavor) benefits formulators are leaning on, and the free resources the National Honey Board offers CPG brands - from troubleshooting to ready-made product concepts.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why honey has become one of the hottest ingredients in food and beverage right now
  • The consumer shift toward traditional and natural sweeteners over zero-sugar alternatives
  • INOVA data showing a 16.7% increase in new products launched with honey in 2025
  • How honey has expanded well beyond baked goods into beverages, snacks, frozen foods, dairy, and confections
  • Why brands are proudly featuring honey (and honeybees) on front-of-package, unlike most other sweeteners
  • The shift from single-purpose synthetic ingredients toward multi-functional natural ones like honey
  • Honey's functional roles beyond sweetness, including binding in bars and emulsification in dressings
  • Why honey's 24 different carbohydrates make it such an effective flavor masker for nutrient-fortified products
  • What the National Honey Board offers CPG brands, including troubleshooting, innovation support, and consumer data
  • How emerging brands can get free product development support, including ready-to-use honey product concepts from the National Honey Board's innovation team


Interested in learning more? Check out www.honey.com or follow along on IG @honey4pros for more tips and updates from The National Honey Board. Or, you can email Keith directly today at keith@honey.com.


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

#262 - Beverage Manufacturing Lessons with BevSource's Bob Williams18 Aug 202600:40:52


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Bob Williams of BevSource - a beverage industry veteran Daniel calls "the beverage Oracle" - to unpack the most common (and costly) manufacturing mistakes beverage brands run into with co-packers.


Bob has spent over 25 years in the beverage industry, most of it around co-packing, quality, and manufacturing operations. He's built out eight high-speed can lines and spent his career getting called in when something has already gone wrong - troubleshooting everything from mysterious can leaks to failed micro tests. Daniel, who previously ran a beverage brand himself and worked with Bob directly, brings his own founder experience to the conversation, pulling real examples from his time scaling into thousands of retail doors.


Daniel and Bob dig into why "leakers" are almost never actually a can problem, what really happens when a co-packer cuts corners on pasteurization, how to properly vet a manufacturing facility before you sign anything, and what documentation every brand should be asking for - before and after something goes wrong.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why brewery-turned-co-packers often struggle with the regulatory and equipment shift into non-beer beverages
  • The real root cause behind most can "leakers" - and why it's almost never actually the can
  • What seam check reports are, why they matter, and how outdated equipment can produce unreliable results
  • A real case where a co-packer skipped tunnel pasteurization entirely - and what happened as a result
  • Why brands should never sign a co-packing agreement before physically touring the facility
  • What to look for on a co-packer site visit, from RO systems to master sanitation programs
  • Real warning signs Bob has seen on-site, including uncalibrated equipment and neglected water filtration systems
  • Why full documentation - batch records, QA reports, maintenance logs - should never be treated as proprietary
  • What to expect (and not panic about) during your first production run and taste-matching process
  • Why shelf life and stability testing should start the moment your formula is finalized, not after launch


Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

R&D RADIO: How to Audit a Co-Packer: The Food QA's Hermi Galstian Explains17 Aug 202600:27:47


In this episode of R&D Radio, host and food scientist Adam Yee sits down with Hermi Galstian, founder of The Food QA, to break down the real difference between food safety and quality - and what founders should actually be looking for when they walk into a co-manufacturer's facility.


Hermi's path into food safety wasn't a straight line. She started as a business major on track for law school, worked in HR recruiting, and only discovered food science after training for a marathon as a vegetarian sparked her interest in nutrition. She helped build her own graduate program in food science before spending years at Follow Your Heart, a vegan food company later acquired by Danone, and eventually launched The Food QA to help CPG brands navigate food safety, quality, and manufacturing partnerships.


Adam and Hermi dig into the core difference between food safety and quality, how to properly vet a contract manufacturer, what third-party audits like SQF and BRC actually mean, and exactly what to look for (and ask about) during a facility tour - from pest control and employee hygiene to ingredient sourcing and pre-op equipment checks.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • The core difference between food safety and quality, with real product examples
  • Hermi's winding path from pre-law to food science to 15 years in the field
  • Why referrals are the best first step when vetting a co-packer
  • Why founders should never assume a manufacturer takes full responsibility for their product
  • What third-party audits like SQF, BRC, and GFSI actually tell you
  • What to do if a manufacturer won't share audit reports or allow a tour
  • What to look for during a facility walkthrough, from corners and hot spots to pest control
  • Why employee hygiene, handwashing stations, and equipment nooks matter more than founders think
  • How ingredient sourcing and substitutions can quietly compromise safety or quality
  • How certifications and product claims (non-GMO, kosher, seed oil free) shape what gets tested

Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

Why Investor Ryan Ball Wants You to Pivot Fast and Fundraise Smart15 Aug 202600:33:19


In this Investor Spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Ryan Ball, founder of Sperian Ventures, to unpack the data, mindset, and founder qualities he looks for before writing a check into an early-stage CPG brand.


Ryan's path into investing started almost by accident, coordinating a group investment while getting his MBA at the McCombs School of Business. That first deal evolved into Sperian Ventures, an angel network that pools capital into individual deals. Ryan brings a founder's perspective to every evaluation - he's started a spice company of his own and now runs a freight logistics company that gives him a front-row seat to the operational realities CPG brands face day to day.


Hannah and Ryan dig into the metrics and data Ryan needs to see before considering an investment, why he sees pivots as a good sign rather than a red flag, the founder qualities that consistently stand out in a pitch, and what founders across different CPG subcategories should expect when it comes to fundraising.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why Ryan almost always requires sales velocity data - especially pre-, during-, and post-promo - before considering an investment
  • Why Ryan sees pivots as a positive signal rather than a red flag
  • The revenue range and business maturity Sperian typically looks for in a CPG brand
  • How Ryan's own founder and logistics experience shapes his diligence conversations
  • The founder qualities that get Ryan excited, from listening skills to staying level-headed under pressure
  • What "give the investor no reason to say no" means in practice when preparing to raise
  • Why LTV and category-specific limitations (like kids products founders age out of) matter to investors
  • The consumer trend Ryan is most drawn to right now: simple, clean-label products with few ingredients
  • What a special purpose vehicle (SPV) is and how Ryan's angel network structures individual deals
  • How to get in touch with Sperian Ventures if you're raising or interested in joining the investor network



Episode Links:


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

How Quincy Is Reinventing the Dirty Martini, One Perfect Jar at a Time 14 Aug 202600:30:10


Host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Halli Sigel, co-founder of Quincy, to talk about how a jar of olive brine turned into a category-defining mixers and garnishes brand. Quincy's mission is simple - build brand love for the other half of the glass by redefining mixers and garnishes for the modern consumer.


Before Quincy, Halli spent nearly a decade inside high-growth, venture-backed startups like Casper and Chief, working at the intersection of operations and member experience - she was employee number seven at Chief. That mix of scaling businesses and building community stuck with her, and it planted the seed for what would eventually become Quincy. The idea itself came from her own fridge - after making a batch of dirty martinis for friends, she realized the brine ran out long before the olives did, and no one was making a jar built specifically for people who actually drink martinis.


The conversation covers Quincy's origin story and the "why" behind the name, how the brand built three distinct revenue channels across retail, on-premise, and food service, what actually goes into a jar of Quincy, and how the brand has positioned itself to grow alongside both the alcohol and non-alcoholic markets. Halli also shares what's next for Quincy's single-SKU strategy and what she learned from her first Summer Fancy Food Show as an exhibiting brand.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why Quincy chose Spanish queen olives over the trendy Castelvetrano
  • The real story behind the name Quincy - and the actual person it's named after
  • How a "beertini" collab with a Brooklyn brewery became Quincy's first co-branded product
  • Building three separate revenue channels: retail, food service, and on-premise bar accounts
  • Why Quincy views the sober-curious and NA movement as a tailwind, not a threat
  • What's actually inside a Quincy jar - the ratio of brine to olives, and why it's flipped from a typical olive jar
  • How buyer feedback at larger retailers is shaping Quincy's expansion plans
  • Lessons from exhibiting at Summer Fancy Food for the first time
  • How Halli and co-founder Shelby Sims reconnected in 2023 after a false start in 2020
  • Halli's go-to at-home recipe, featuring a dill-infused gin



Episode Links:


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 http://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 CPGSlack community (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

#261 - What Makes Brands Investable at Founders & Funders? with Hannah Dittman11 Aug 202600:52:32


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff turns the mic around on one of his own co-hosts. Hannah Dittman, former investor and host of Startup CPG's Saturday investing episodes, spends a huge amount of her time talking with founders and VCs and reviewing applications for Startup CPG's Founders and Funders events. Daniel puts her on the other side of the interview to answer one of the most common questions the community asks: what actually makes a brand investable?


Hannah walks through her path from Benefit Cosmetics to private equity consulting at Parthenon Group, investing at Main Post Partners, and global brand management at Morphe before landing at Startup CPG. Daniel and Hannah then dig into what Founders and Funders and Roadshow events actually are, what goes into the application and one-pager investors receive, and the specific mistakes that keep brands from getting meetings even after they're accepted.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Hannah's path from Cal and Benefit Cosmetics through private equity, VC investing, and brand management before Startup CPG
  • What Founders and Funders and Roadshow are, and how the two event formats differ
  • Why treating fundraising like a partnership evaluation, not a job interview, changes the entire dynamic
  • What "investable" actually means to a VC: category, TAM, exit potential, and traction
  • Whether pre-revenue brands should even bother applying to investor events
  • What the Founders and Funders application actually asks for, and why the one-minute pitch video matters
  • Why skipping the pitch video is one of the fastest ways to get rejected
  • What makes an application stand out, and why "differentiated" means more than just the product
  • How investors read a brand's fundraising history, for better or worse
  • Inside the one-pager: the traction data point that matters most, and the formatting mistakes that bury it
  • Why competitive benchmarking and retailer quotes carry more weight than raw numbers alone
  • How the investing landscape has shifted over the last decade, from pure growth to profitability and omnichannel success
  • Why "challenger brands in overlooked categories" are gaining more investor interest than ever
  • Hannah's closing wish for founders: fundraising is relationship building, and investors are lucky to be part of your business too


Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Daniel's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

Springdale Ventures' Dan Graham on Financial Forecasting and Investor Communications08 Aug 202600:41:21


In this Investor Spotlight episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Dan Graham, Co-Founder of Springdale Ventures, a firm writing seed-to-Series-A checks into fast-moving consumer brands. Dan breaks down exactly what Springdale looks for between early traction and institutional readiness - and why founders who lead with data, not narrative, win the room.


Dan's path to venture was anything but linear. After studying computer science and philosophy at UT Austin and starting law school, he co-founded a printing company in 2006 that grew for over a decade before selling to VistaPrint in 2018 for $280 million. That exit funded his family office, Notley, and years of direct consumer investing before he partnered with Genevieve Gilbert to launch Springdale Ventures,.


Hannah and Dan dig into Springdale's investment thesis and check size,how diligence splits between hard metrics and founder assessment, and the most common fundraising mistakes he sees at both early and later stages. They also unpack how forecasts are actually used in diligence and post-close, what "traction" really means in an intro email, and Dan's hard-won perspective on the emotional toll of founding a company.



Listen in as they discuss:

  • The transition from a personal family office to launching a focused venture fund
  • Springdale's thesis: seed-to-Series-A, better-for-you and repeat-purchase consumer products
  • How Goodles exemplifies bringing disruption to an "old sleepy category"
  • The split between quantifiable diligence (margin, velocity, CAC) and founder assessment
  • Why Springdale sees 250 deals a quarter and how warm intros cut through the noise
  • What makes First Day's Alice a "quintessential" founder in Dan's portfolio
  • The narrative-vs-traction mismatch that trips up early-stage founders
  • Why over-forecasting is a big pitfall for later-stage founders raising institutional money
  • How investors actually use (and pressure-test) a founder's financial model before and after close
  • Dan's advice for founders with zero finance background, including using AI as a thought partner
  • What "traction" means in concrete terms when reaching out to an investor cold



Episode Links:
Dan Graham - Co-Founder, Springdale Ventures
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/maharg
Email: dan@springdaleventures.com
Company LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/springdale-ventures
Website: www.springdaleventures.com
 Instagram: @springdaleventures 


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 http://www.startupcpg.com.


Show Links:

Founder Feature: Sheena Hamby of Mac Squares07 Aug 202600:30:03


In this founder feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Sheena Hamby, founder of Mac Squares, baked mac and cheese frozen into squares, made with real aged cheddar cheese straight from the block, fresh milk, eggs, and spices, with zero cheese powder. Needing a fast comfort food that wasn't messy, Sheena created Mac Squares in a hospital kitchen while her daughter Nova was going through chemotherapy. Nurses and doctors started stopping by asking what she was cooking. Her family ate them, her kids ate them, cold or hot, and customers are now hiding the salmon SKU in their own deep freezers.


Caitlin and Sheena dig into how frozen food is really just time travel, preserving the product at the exact moment it was made, Sheena's journey from hospital kitchen to her first retailer at Swamp Rabbit Cafe (which came from a Startup CPG event), her experience at the Fancy Food Show in New York, and the literal street sign that changed everything for her at a Startup CPG grocery run in Denver.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • How the idea for Mac Squares came from needing something fast and mess-free during her daughter's chemo treatment
  • Cooking from scratch in a hospital kitchen after learning her daughter was allergic to dairy
  • The moment her daughter's oncologist tried Mac Squares during a Super Bowl watch and asked for the whole tray
  • The real ingredients behind Mac Squares: block cheddar, fresh milk and eggs, and less than 1% sodium
  • Building out five SKUs, including truffle, spinach, miso, salmon, and a dairy-free version made with oat milk
  • How the D2C pre-order model, shipping twice a month, allows Sheena to control logistics and production
  • Discovering Startup CPG through a chance conversation, and applying to the Denver grocery run on a whim
  • The emotional Denver show: grieving her father, a street sign that felt like a sign, and pushing through anyway
  • Landing Swamp Rabbit Cafe as her first grocery store account
  • Why she reframes frozen food as "time travel," preserving a dish at the exact moment it was made


Episode Links:

  • Sheena Hamby - Founder, Mac Squares LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/sheenahamby
  • Website: https://www.smacsquares.com/
  • Instagram: @macsquares


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

#260 - Packaging Changes as you Grow with Evie's Snacks and Belmark04 Aug 202600:44:11


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Eve Ackerley, founder of Evie's Snacks, and Cody Ponsler from Belmark, one of the most recommended packaging partners in the Startup CPG community, to talk through how packaging evolves as a brand grows. Evie's Snacks makes direct-from-farm pecan snacks with only a third of the sugar of leading brands, sourced from Eve's family farms in South Texas.


Eve started at farmer's markets with a simple craft bag and hand-applied black and white stickers before eventually moving to a fully custom printed pouch with Belmark. Along the way, she landed a DSD deal into 50 stores in the Northeast that forced a faster packaging upgrade than she expected, and got a piece of buyer feedback ("I thought this was laundry detergent") that reshaped how she thinks about packaging as a selling tool.


Daniel, Eve, and Cody dig into the operational and strategic decisions behind pouch design: window versus no window, matte versus gloss, sizing, and why 50% of the brands Cody works with change their packaging art between their first and second production runs.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why Evie's Snacks only needs a third of the sugar of other brands (hint: it starts with fresh, high-quality pecans)
  • The evolution from craft bags with hand-applied stickers to a fully custom printed pouch
  • The "three seconds and two questions" packaging rule Eve learned from a mentor in the potato chip industry
  • Understanding the pecan category: where it's merchandised and why there's no dominant national player yet
  • Why Eve chose photography over a clear window, and the shelf-life tradeoff behind that decision
  • How a sudden DSD deal into 50 Northeast stores forced Evie's Snacks to upgrade its packaging faster than planned
  • The buyer feedback that stuck with Eve: "I thought this was laundry detergent"
  • Why Cody recommends founders put unfinished packaging in front of real buyers before finalizing it
  • The overwhelming number of packaging choices founders face, and how Cody narrows them down to fit the brand story
  • Why 50% of the brands Cody works with change their packaging art between their first and second production runs
  • How distributor shelf-life requirements (often 75% remaining) directly shape packaging decisions
  • Evie's Snacks' next chapter: nationwide at Sprouts and exploring new pack sizes


Episode Links:


Belmark has helped hundreds of small- to medium-sized CPG brands like yours solve packaging challenges - and they want to help you too. You can meet directly with one of their packaging experts and talk through whatever you're tackling.


https://www.belmark.com/startup-cpg/


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Daniel's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

R&D RADIO: Natural Flavors and Taste Modulation with Lauren Senne of Imbibe03 Aug 202600:28:24


In this episode of R&D RADIO, host and food scientist Adam Yee sits down with Lauren Senne, Senior Manager of Applications and Taste Modulation at Imbibe, a drink consultancy in Chicago, to break down the real difference between characterizing flavors and taste modulation. Lauren has spent over a decade at Imbibe and more than 13 years in the flavor industry, and is a certified flavor chemist through the Society of Flavor Chemists, a certification process that takes a minimum of seven years and, realistically, closer to a decade to complete.


Adam and Lauren dig into how bitter blockers actually work at the receptor level, why describing something as simple as "cherry" or "vanilla" can mean wildly different things to different clients, and what really happens to a product's mouthfeel and flavor balance when sugar gets pulled from a formula. They also get into why flavor houses guard their formulations as trade secrets and the clean-label trends reshaping the beverage world right now.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • What flavor actually is, and the difference between characterizing flavor and taste modulation
  • The rigorous, decade-long path to becoming a certified flavor chemist through the Society of Flavor Chemists
  • What the certification exam actually tests, including identifying chemicals by smell alone
  • How flavorists learn the natural chemical building blocks behind fruit, spice, and other flavor profiles
  • Why aligning on something as simple as "cherry" or "vanilla" can be surprisingly difficult with clients
  • Using reference products and live tastings to get everyone in the room aligned on a flavor direction
  • How bitter blockers work by binding to bitter receptors so your brain can't perceive the bitterness at all
  • Why most of Imbibe's taste modulation work is exclusively natural
  • Where CPG founders commonly get stuck: stacking too many functional ingredients and creating unexpected off-notes
  • What happens to mouthfeel and sweetness curve when sugar is removed and replaced with stevia or monk fruit
  • Beverage trends Lauren is watching: clean label, protein and fiber combinations, and clear protein sodas


Episode Links:

  • Lauren Senne - Senior Manager, Applications and Taste Modulation, Imbibe LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-senne-12102558
  • Website: imbibeinc.com


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Adam's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

Founder Fundraising Journey: Victor Guardiola, Bawi01 Aug 202600:45:16


In this Founder Fundraising Journey episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Victor Guardiola, Founder and CEO of Bawi, a sparkling agua fresca brand bringing authentic Hispanic flavors into the modern beverage aisle with a healthier twist. Beyond the product, Victor is equally driven by a mission to increase representation for Latino and minority founders in CPG.


Victor's path started with a food and beverage entrepreneurship practicum at UT Austin's McCombs School of Business, where he uncovered the data behind sugar-sweetened beverages' outsized impact on the Hispanic community and realized there was no mass-market, better-for-you Hispanic beverage to fill that gap. From there, he spent months selling on tap at farmer's markets, cold-emailing hundreds of potential investors, and eventually landing his first checks from Austin business figures like Patrick Terry of P. Terry's.


Hannah and Victor dig into the brutal reality of raising a first round without a "rich uncle," the tipping-point moment when a notable investor's name unlocked the rest of the round, and how Bawi is now scaling food service and retail density across its two core markets, Texas and California.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why 80% of initial startup funding comes from friends and family, and what that means for founders without that access
  • How a UT Austin entrepreneurship practicum turned into the idea for a mass-market Hispanic beverage
  • Selling agua fresca on tap at farmer's markets, carbonating overnight in a commercial kitchen until 3am
  • Landing the first equity round from Patrick Terry of P. Terry's and Torchy's Tacos founder Mike Rypka
  • The "golden follow-up": how one notable investor joining the cap table triggered a tipping point
  • Why cold-emailing without leading with a pitch dramatically increases response rates
  • Building initial retail density through independents and the natural channel before chasing national programs
  • The risk of emerging-brand retail programs that can hang small brands out to dry
  • Restructuring go-to-market strategy around food service in Texas and California, and the Cosmic Coffee case study
  • Victor's mission to provide a healthier alternative to sugar-laden big beverage offerings 
  • Slack Q&A: how to structure an elevator pitch and initial outreach email


Episode Links:

  • Victor Guardiola - Founder & CEO, Bawi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorhguardiola/
  • Email: victor@drinkbawi.com
  • Instagram: @vichg
  • Website: drinkbawi.com


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Hannah's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

Founder Feature: TUYYO FOODS - Jocelyn Ramirez, Regina Trillo, Stefanie Garcia Turner31 Jul 202600:32:26


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Jocelyn Ramirez, Regina Trillo, and Stefanie Garcia Turner of Tuyyo Foods - a heritage-rooted modern Latin food company born from the merger of three separate brands. Toto Verde's umami chef-crafted taco seasoning, Tuyyo's redesigned agua fresca stick packs with electrolytes, and Nemi Snacks' high-protein chips made with nopal and prickly pear all came together under one name. Tuyyo means "you and me" and "yours" in Spanish, a name rooted in community and the belief that food is the great equalizer.


Jocelyn, Regina, and Stefanie each ran solo CPG brands before deciding, over car rides between trade shows and late-night calls, to merge into one company instead of competing for the same shelf space. In just 10 months, they've rebranded, launched at Whole Foods and Raley's, and built a company that divides marketing, sales, and operations across their individual strengths.


Caitlin and the three co-founders dig into why they chose to merge instead of go it alone, how they brought retailers into the conversation before making the change, and their current revenue-share Wefunder campaign to fuel inventory and growth.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why three solo Latina founders decided to merge their brands instead of competing for the same shelf space
  • The Uber ride and late-night calls that turned into an official merger conversation
  • What each founder does and doesn't miss about running a business solo
  • Why they landed on the name Tuyyo, and what it actually means
  • How they brought retailers into the rebrand conversation before making any changes
  • Splitting responsibilities by strength: marketing, sales, and operations
  • Building at record speed: 10 months from merger to retail launches at Whole Foods and Raley's
  • The family stories behind each founder's path into food, including a grandmother's aguas frescas and a mother's tamales
  • Why community and farmer relationships are central to Tuyyo's mission
  • The revenue-share Wefunder campaign to raise $500K for inventory and growth


Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics


Head to eatmezcla.com and use code STARTUPCPG for 20% off your first order.
Promo code expires on September 30th 2026.

#259 - Mini-Episode: Legal Considerations for Co-Branding Agreements with Foster Garvey28 Jul 202600:22:50


In this mini episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Hillary Hughes from Foster Garvey - a full-service legal firm supporting CPG brands across business formation, capital raising, IP protection, and regulatory compliance - to break down the legal fundamentals of co-branding agreements.


Brand collaborations are everywhere right now, from Doritos Locos Tacos to Oreo-flavored Coke Zero, but the legal groundwork behind them is where brands most often get caught off guard. Hillary brings years of experience helping CPG companies structure these deals from both sides of the table, walking through exactly what needs to be spelled out before two brands put their names on the same product.


Daniel and Hillary dig into the difference between true co-branding and simple licensing, how smaller brands can use collaborations to access a larger brand's customer base without the acquisition spend, and why the "divorce" clauses matter just as much as the excitement of the launch.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • What co-branding actually means, with real examples: Doritos Locos Tacos, Intel Inside, and the Oreo/Coca-Cola collaboration
  • Why smaller brands often benefit most from co-branding with a larger, established partner
  • Cross-category co-branding opportunities beyond food, including travel and hospitality partnerships
  • The difference between a true co-branding partnership and a simple licensing deal
  • Key legal components every agreement needs: product scope, new IP ownership, term length, and economics
  • Structuring the deal: fixed fee vs. per-unit royalty vs. revenue share, and how to justify the numbers
  • Why termination and "divorce" clauses matter as much as the launch, covering recalls, scandal, bankruptcy, or acquisition
  • Supply chain and quality commitments: what happens if a co-branding partner can't fulfill their side of the deal
  • Marketing approval rights and why both brands should have some obligation to actually promote the collaboration
  • When to bring in a lawyer, and what founders can safely handle on their own first


Episode Links:

  • Hillary Hughes - Foster Garvey Email: hillary.hughes@foster.com
  • Foster Garvey CPG Practice Website: foster.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillaryhhughes/


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Daniel's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

Founder Fundraising Journey: Frozen One, Alan Chen & Conner Mennig25 Jul 202600:39:02


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Alan Chen and Conner Mennig, co-founders of Frozen One - a protein ice cream brand built to prove that "better for you" doesn't have to mean sacrificing taste. Frozen One delivers 40 grams of protein and under 400 calories per pint, a fraction of what a traditional pint of ice cream contains, and has grown into one of the fastest-rising frozen brands in the country.


Alan and Conner met at UW Madison in 2020 and reconnected in Austin while both stuck in unfulfilling sales jobs. A single gym conversation in January 2025 about the lack of good high-protein options turned into a Ninja Creami machine that same night - and a trademark filed two days later. Together they run a scrappy, relationship-driven operation: Conner focused on operations and finance, Alan on product and marketing, both present at every investor and buyer meeting.


Hannah and the co-founders dig into the three fundraising milestones that took Frozen One from a Ninja Creami in an apartment to over 2,300 doors nationwide, including Target, Wegmans, and Central Market.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • How a single gym complaint in January 2025 turned into a trademark filing two days later
  • Landing a $250K first check on a SAFE from a local Austin investor Conner met at a house party
  • The scramble to close an oversubscribed $2M round after Target asked for 1,500 doors in three months
  • Splitting founder responsibilities: Alan on product and ice cream R&D, Conner on operations and finance
  • Landing Central Market by cold-calling the buyer - and how that velocity data fueled investor conversations
  • Building the team: a creative director roommate, a "head of ice cream," an ad-ops hire, and a new COO from Van Leeuwen
  • Why the current $5.5M round with Brand Foundry is primarily focused on closing the team and bandwidth gap
  • Turning investor "no's" into direct, honest feedback conversations instead of walking away quietly
  • What surprised them most about CPG: just how genuinely difficult and slow retail execution is, even after landing the deal


Episode Links:

  • Alan Chen – Co-Founder, Frozen One Email: alan@frozen-one.com (domain inferred from Conner's confirmed email - please verify)
  • Conner Mennig – Co-Founder, Frozen One Email: connor@frozen-one.com
  • Frozen One Instagram: @frozenoneprotein
  • Website: frozen-one.com


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Hannah's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

Founder Feature: Bar Bruhis of Boostcous24 Jul 202600:29:22


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Bar Bruhis, founder of Boostcous - the world's first better-for-you couscous, built to fill a gap in a grocery aisle that hasn't seen a single innovation while pasta brands like Banza and Goodles have completely reinvented their category. Boostcous delivers 18 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber per serving using just three ingredients - chickpeas, lentils, and peas - with zero fillers or xanthan gum.


Bar was born in Israel, grew up eating couscous, and spent two years and over 100 kitchen batches formulating a version that actually tastes good. He comes from a DTC and SaaS background, launching direct-to-consumer first to prove product-market fit before ever approaching a retailer - hitting 10,000 Shopify orders in six months.


Caitlin and Bar dig into his immigrant mentality and why he built such a strong network early, the genius post-purchase survey question that got him a call with a Costco buyer, and why he's now in Lieber's Locavore and pitching Whole Foods and Walmart after his first trade show at Summer Fancy Food.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why the couscous aisle has seen zero innovation while pasta has been completely reinvented by brands like Banza and Goodles
  • How a licensing deal with an Italian protein-couscous manufacturer collapsed overnight because of Trump-era tariffs
  • Betting a small, capped amount of personal capital with a U.S. co-man just to test product-market fit
  • Hitting 10,000 Shopify orders in six months and why starting DTC-first was non-negotiable
  • Bar's immigrant mentality, early mentorship from Noah Kagan, and building an entire events business (D2Ski) just to deepen his CPG network
  • The one post-purchase survey question that turned into a Costco buyer call within three days
  • Going from zero in-person sampling to landing on shelf at Lieber's Locavore through Startup CPG's Denver grocery run
  • Key lessons from Boostcous's first major trade show at Summer Fancy Food, including new conversations with Whole Foods and Walmart
  • Why gluten-free shoppers and parents of toddlers have become two of Boostcous's strongest customer demographics


Episode Links:

  • Bar Bruhis – Founder, Boostcous LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbruhis/
  • Website: boostcous.com
  • Instagram: instagram.com/boostcous


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics


Head to eatmezcla.com and use code STARTUPCPG for 20% off your first order.
Promo code expires on September 30th 2026.

#258 - How Dossier Disrupted the Fragrance Industry21 Jul 202600:44:07


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Sergio Tache, co-founder of Dossier, the fragrance brand that grew from hand-filling bottles in a Brooklyn basement in 2019 to $150 million in sales — including the #1 perfume spot at Walmart and #3 at Target — culminating in a recent successful sale of the business. Though Daniel and Sergio go back to their business school days playing rugby together, this is the first time the full Dossier story gets told in public.


Sergio breaks down the "aha moment" that started it all: realizing that a $52 bottle of luxury perfume costs roughly a dollar to produce, and that there was a massive opportunity to deliver the same quality — same French perfumers, same ingredients — at a fraction of the price. From there, Dossier built a DTC engine around fragrance "impressions" (legally distinct from counterfeits), a no-questions-asked return policy, and one of the most disciplined approaches to packaging economics in the category.


Daniel and Sergio also get into the brutal realities of scaling into wholesale — the cash flow shock of net-30/60/75 terms, a $33 bank balance four days before payroll, and a packaging redesign that took far longer than anyone expected — plus what's next as Dossier pushes its original fragrance line toward a $60 million goal by 2027.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • The math behind Dossier's founding insight: luxury perfume margins and why a $52 bottle can cost about a dollar to make
  • How "impressions" work legally — and why Dossier leaned into quality instead of just chasing the lowest price
  • Building trust for fragrance e-commerce with a no-questions-asked return policy that kept returns under 5%
  • Why using one bottle, pump, and cap design across all SKUs helped both branding and unit economics
  • The CAC-as-rent mindset and why average order value matters as much as margin in DTC
  • How an unsolicited email nearly got deleted before it turned into Dossier's Walmart partnership
  • The steep learning curve of moving from DTC to wholesale — brokers, 3PL specialization, and demand planning
  • The packaging crisis: why a "brand box" built for DTC completely failed on retail shelves
  • Surviving a cash crunch with $33 in the bank four days before payroll — and what separates a good supplier from a great one
  • Why fragrance is one of grocery's fastest-growing categories, driven by mass-tier accessibility rather than premiumization


Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Daniel's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

R&D RADIO: Non-GMO, Organic, or Gluten-Free? How to Decide Which Certifications Are Worth It20 Jul 202600:28:10


In this episode of R&D RADIO, hosted by food scientist Adam Yee, Adam sits down with Esther Levy, founder of Evolve Food Consultants, to unpack the real decision-making process behind third-party certifications — organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, and beyond. Esther holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and an MBA, brings over 15 years of experience in manufacturing, regulatory compliance, food labeling, and food safety, and spent a decade specializing in organic juice before founding her own consulting firm.


Esther and Adam get into why "getting certified organic" sounds simple but rarely is — breaking down the three forces that make or break a certification decision: ingredient supply, cost, and manufacturer availability. From an organic potato chip project that turned out to be nearly impossible to source, to the difference between making a substantiated claim versus paying for the trademarked logo, this episode maps out exactly what founders are getting into before they commit.


Listen in as they cover:

  • Why organic is often "doable" in theory but category-dependent in practice — and what determines whether it's a launch-day decision or a year-two goal
  • The real cost gap between organic and conventional ingredients, from pricing to minimum order quantities
  • Why an "organic potato chip" is one of the hardest products in food to actually source and produce
  • The difference between making a substantiated claim (like "non-GMO") and paying for a certification logo like the Non-GMO Project butterfly
  • How Esther uses hard data and real supplier quotes — not theoretical debate — to help founders make fast, informed certification decisions
  • Why even simple three-ingredient products are often the most complex to certify and manufacture at scale
  • The evolving nature of formulation and branding, and why almost no retail brand launched exactly as it exists today
  • Current food trends Esther is watching: upcycled and novel fibers, prebiotic claim substantiation, and rising demand for ingredient transparency
  • Why unsubstantiated claims — even from small brands — can trigger costly legal exposure, using the Poppi prebiotic lawsuit as a cautionary example
  • Why staying organized with documentation isn't just a nice-to-have — it's what protects a brand when a claim gets challenged


Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Adam's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

The Case for Frozen Muffins: How Unrefined Foods Is Bringing Whole Grain Nutrition to the Freezer Aisle17 Jul 202600:28:32


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Melissa Bermudez, founder of Unrefined Foods — frozen muffins made with 100% stone-milled whole grains and real fruits and vegetables. Melissa's path to founder started far from the kitchen: investment banking at JP Morgan, a hedge fund, business school, and stints at Walden Local Meat and a Big Ag financing firm, before landing at her kitchen counter with three kids under three (including twins) and a KitchenAid full of shredded zucchini.


What began as batch-freezing muffins to survive school lunch mornings turned into a mission-driven brand tackling one of the most overlooked corners of the food system: wheat. While gluten-free has dominated the conversation for years, Melissa is betting on fresh-milled, stone-ground wheat — and the direct farmer relationships needed to source organic and regenerative grain in a market where only 2% of U.S. wheat production is certified organic.


Caitlin and Melissa dig into why fresh-milled flour tastes nothing like store-bought whole wheat, the operational tradeoffs of a two-day shelf life muffin, why the freezer aisle might be the real frontier for changing how families eat, and the viral added-sugar demo that turned heads (and briefly a customer's stomach).


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why fresh-milled wheat flour is a completely different product from anything on grocery shelves — and the coffee bean analogy that explains why
  • Melissa's path from Big Ag financing to founder, and what working directly with farmers taught her about the realities of the commodity system
  • Why only 2% of U.S. wheat is organic, and how Unrefined Foods is building direct farmer relationships to change that
  • The chaotic kitchen-counter origin story: three kids under three, an overflow of neighbor zucchini, and a muffin recipe that became a business
  • Why Unrefined Foods chose frozen over fresh — and how a 2-day shelf life shaped the entire product format
  • The case for the freezer aisle as an underrated tool for delivering high-quality, less-processed food to time-strapped parents
  • How Unrefined Foods is using bakery-adjacent placement (like near pie crusts and waffles) to become a "category expander" in the frozen section
  • The maple syrup demo video that showed shoppers exactly how much added sugar is hiding in a typical bakery muffin
  • Why Melissa deliberately keeps her muffins less sweet — and lets parents decide whether to doctor them up


Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

#257 Co-Man Due Diligence 101 with Riot Energy and Kelley Drye & Warren LLP14 Jul 202600:50:44


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Laura Jakobsen, founder of Riot Energy, and Daniella Carelli, Special Counsel at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, for a deep dive into co-manufacturer due diligence — finding the right partner, evaluating them properly, and getting a solid contract in place before things go wrong.


Riot Energy has scaled from an early-stage beverage brand into nationwide distribution across Whole Foods, Costco, and convenience, all while pushing co-packers to produce a next-gen energy drink with no artificial sweeteners, no added sugar, and real ingredients. Laura brings the brand-side battle scars; Daniella brings nearly a decade of legal experience representing both brands and co-manufacturers, giving the conversation a rare view from both sides of the negotiating table.


Together they unpack what actually separates a good co-man relationship from a costly one — not just price per unit, but reporting transparency, yield loss tracking, IP protection, and the kind of contract flexibility that only shows up when you ask the right questions upfront.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why the "partnership approach" matters more than price when evaluating a co-manufacturer
  • The three reporting buckets every brand needs from day one: attainment, inventory, and shipping/receiving
  • A real contract clause example — flavor-swap flexibility when ingredients don't show up on time
  • How to protect trade secrets when a co-packer has full visibility into your recipe, including working with flavor houses to fragment the formula
  • What to actually look for during a facility walkthrough, from hairnets to batch cards to QA culture
  • Why founders should build their own baseline co-man agreement instead of just redlining the co-packer's template
  • The case for flexible payment terms over the lowest per-unit price — and how that impacts cash flow
  • Why yield loss tracking is one of the most overlooked (and costly) blind spots for early-stage brands
  • When a PO-to-PO relationship is fine — and when it's time to invest in a formal long-form contract
  • How to test whether a potential co-man will actually be a partner, not just a vendor, before you sign anything


Episode Links:

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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Daniel's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

Oddball's Path From Idea to Funding a Nationwide Target Launch11 Jul 202600:32:35


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Sophia Cheng, Founder and CEO of Oddball, for a Founder Fundraising Journey conversation. Oddball is reimagining snacking for a new generation with jiggly, nostalgic fruit cups made from real fruit juices and purees — no artificial flavors or colors — inspired by the fruit-based snacks Sophia grew up with in Singapore. The brand is currently sold exclusively at Target and Target.com, with a nationwide expansion and new SKU launching just four months after its initial rollout.


Sophia's path to founder was anything but conventional: from management consulting to Bridgewater Associates under Ray Dalio, to a strategy director role at Estée Lauder, where she watched indie beauty brands reshape an entire industry before eventually building Oddball on the side — testing benchtop formulations at farmers markets and pitch competitions before ever raising a dollar.


Hannah and Sophia get candid about what it actually takes to fundraise as a first-time, minority woman founder in CPG: the mental shift from "convincing" to "aligning," why the hardest round is always the first, and how to build investor relationships that function more like real friendships than transactions.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • How a corporate career at Bridgewater and Estée Lauder shaped Sophia's point of view on brand-building and category trends
  • The origin of Oddball: catching up to her own junk-food habits and reimagining a nostalgic fruit snack without artificial ingredients
  • Validating the idea before raising a dollar — bringing a benchtop product to Sprouts and pitch competitions first
  • Why CPG fundraising is fundamentally different from tech, and why 2023's shifting investor landscape made a first raise even harder
  • The mindset shift from "convincing people to believe in you" to "finding the people who already do"
  • Understanding investor incentives as a structured game — and why cap table strategy depends on your own founder style
  • How many investors typically participate in a raise (a direct answer to a Startup CPG Slack community question)
  • Building investor relationships rooted in transparency and respect, including Sophia's rapport with lead VC Springdale Ventures
  • Embracing fear as a compass — and treating fundraising rejection as fuel rather than a source of bitterness
  • What's next for Oddball: nationwide Target expansion, a new flavor launch, and the goal of becoming "the Willy Wonka of fruit"


Episode Links:

  • Sophia Cheng – Founder & CEO, Oddball: LinkedIn
  • Oddball: Available at Target and Target.com
  • Contact: Sophia@oddballworld


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Hannah's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

Building a Clean-Label Tart Cherry Beverage with No Natural Flavors and No Added Sugar in the Midst of a Booming Ingredient Trend10 Jul 202600:27:03


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Lindsey Fredrick, founder of Tart, a healthy lifestyle beverage built around tart cherry and house-made mineral water — just five organic ingredients, with zero natural flavors and no added sugar. Lindsey's path into CPG started in her college kitchen, where she was managing 35 different food allergies and searching for nutrient-dense foods she could actually eat and enjoy.


What began as a personal recipe (and a popular hangover cure among her college friends) turned into a canned RTD launched on January 1st of this year — and within two weeks, Tart had a booth in the Startup CPG section at Winter Fancy Food Show. Lindsey walked in with zero expectations and no formal CPG background, and walked out having handed out a thousand samples and met buyers across the board.


Caitlin and Lindsey dig into the packaging pivot that led to Tart's now-iconic red can, why organic certification became an unexpected retail differentiator, and Lindsey's refreshingly minimal approach to trade show booths and retail activations — proof that when the product is strong, it doesn't need much dressing up.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • Why Lindsey makes her own mineral water in-house instead of shipping it in — and what actually goes into it
  • How a lifelong list of 35 food allergies led her to formulate Tart in her college kitchen
  • The packaging near-miss: how Lindsey almost passed on the design that became her standout red can
  • Going from a January 1st launch to a booth at Winter Fancy Food Show two weeks later, with zero expectations
  • Why organic certification — despite months of delays — became one of Tart's biggest competitive advantages in retail
  • The "no natural flavors, no added sugar" formulation philosophy and why it's resonating with today's de-influenced consumer
  • Lindsey's low-budget, high-impact trade show booth strategy: letting the product speak for itself
  • Running retail activations solo — from fitness studios to beaches — while prepping simultaneous launches in California and Texas
  • Why tart cherry became the "trending flavor of 2026" the same month Tart hit the market


Episode Links:


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

#256 - What Is Grocery Run? with Dan Choi (NA Beverage Co) and Stephanie McGregor (Ringa)07 Jul 202600:39:08


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with two founders who have attended and sampled at some of the most Startup CPG Grocery Run events: Dan Choi, founder of NA Beverage Company, and Stephanie McGregor, founder of Ringa. Together, they share what Grocery Runs are actually like from a brand perspective, how they decide which ones to attend, and what founders should do before, during, and after the event to make the most of the opportunity.


Dan’s brand, NA Beverage Company, is on a mission to redefine the way people drink, connect, and celebrate through functional sparkling teas for social moments. Stephanie’s brand, Ringa, creates consciously crafted, functional, plant-powered products inspired by moringa, one of the most nutrient-dense plants in the world. Both founders have used Grocery Runs as a way to meet buyers, build relationships, learn regional markets, strengthen distributor conversations, and create real momentum for their brands.


Daniel, Dan, and Stephanie get into all of it — what a Grocery Run is, how the format works, why showing up matters even if you are not selected to sample, and how these events can help founders build relationships with retailers, distributors, fellow entrepreneurs, and regional partners. They also discuss how to think strategically about which events to attend, how to prepare your samples and sales materials, and why Grocery Runs are not just about immediate authorizations but about playing the long game in a relationship-driven industry.


Listen in as they cover:


● What a Startup CPG Grocery Run is and how the event format works


● The difference between retailer-specific, regional, and distributor-focused Grocery Runs


● Why Grocery Runs can feel like mini trade shows with a lower barrier to entry


● How brands can use Grocery Runs to meet buyers, distributors, category managers, and regional partners


● Why showing up in person can create opportunities that cold emails and LinkedIn messages cannot


● How Dan used Grocery Runs to build momentum with Fresh Thyme, Hawaii retailers, NorCal accounts, and UNFI


● How Stephanie thinks about Grocery Runs as a self-funded founder with limited resources


● Why founders should match each Grocery Run to their regional, distribution, and retail strategy


● How to make the most of a trip by visiting stores, doing demos, dropping samples, and learning the local market


● Why getting selected to sample is valuable — but attending with samples can still create opportunity


● What founders should bring to a Grocery Run, including samples, sell sheets, brand swag, and clear pricing


● Why this industry is driven by relationships with retailers, distributors, accounts, and fellow founders


● Why a “yes” from a buyer is only valuable if you are ready for the next step


● How Startup CPG designs Grocery Runs to help brands get time with relevant buyers in the most accessible way possible


Whether you are planning to apply to sample at your first Grocery Run, thinking about attending as a general admission brand, or trying to understand how in-person events can fit into your retail strategy, this episode is a practical guide to showing up prepared, building relationships, and making every buyer interaction count.


Episode Links:


NA Beverage Company: www.thenabeveragecompany.com 


Dan Choi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danychoi 


Ringa: www.drinkringa.com   


Stephanie McGregor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieleemcgregor/ 


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Daniel's Linkedin 
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics 

R&D RADIO: Consumer Research, Product Platforms, and How to Scale Food Products the Right Way with Guru Hari of Guru Food Design06 Jul 202600:25:48


In this episode of R&D RADIO, hosted by food scientist Adam Yee, Adam sits down with Guru Hari Khalsa, founder of Guru Food Design — a product development and innovation consultancy helping CPG brands move from creative product vision to commercially scalable food and beverage products. Guru has over 40 years of experience in food and beverage product development, food science, manufacturing scale-up, and innovation, with experience across brands like Yogi Tea, Trader Joe’s, Kraft, IQBAR, and more.


Guru’s path started with a love of cooking, biology, and curiosity about how things are made. After beginning on the culinary side of food, he moved into production, food science, stability, packaging, and large-scale manufacturing — building a career around the challenge of taking something that tastes great in a kitchen and making it work at commercial scale.


Adam and Guru get into all of it — why consumer research matters more than founder passion alone, how to think about cost of goods from the very beginning, why building a product platform is more powerful than building one product, and how founders can follow science to spot future trends before they become mainstream. Guru also shares examples from Yogi Tea, Trader Joe’s, plant-based mousse, and the microbiome space to explain what great product development looks like in practice.


Listen in as they cover:


● Guru’s path from biology and cooking to food production, food science, and product development


● The difference between making food in a kitchen, a restaurant, and a packaged product that needs shelf life


● Why most early food founders underestimate marketing, sales, and consumer validation


● Why friends and family feedback can be dangerous if it is the only research you rely on


● How founders can run scrappy consumer testing without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars


● Why you should formulate with your cost of goods target from the very beginning


● How to balance formula, nutrition, packaging, manufacturing, and price point at the same time


● Why successful CPG brands should think in terms of product platforms, not just individual products


● How Guru helped create Yogi Tea’s Perfect Energy platform with caffeine, herbs, and L-theanine


● How Trader Joe’s cereal platforms became long-lasting store staples


● Why innovation should come from the platform, not just the flavor


● Why Guru is excited about microbiome-focused food platforms and where the science is heading


● Why founders should follow the science before consumer trends become obvious


● Why educating consumers is expensive — and why the market has to be ready for your idea


Whether you are a founder trying to scale your first food product, a CPG operator thinking through formulation and manufacturing, or someone trying to understand how great product development actually works, this episode is packed with practical advice from someone who has spent decades helping brands turn ideas into commercially viable products.


Episode Links:


Guru Food Design Website: https://www.gurufooddesign.com


Guru Hari on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guru-hari-khalsa-52658a28/ 


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 http://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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Adam's Linkedin 
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics


Ready for honest product feedback? Join Startup CPG's Founders & Formulators event on July 12 and connect directly with leading food scientists and product developers. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-cpg-founders-formulators-july-2026-tickets-1989688128754

Latest CPG Deals and Market Insights: Drew Fallon, CEO Iris Finance04 Jul 202600:39:29


In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Drew Fallon, Co-Founder and CEO of Iris Finance, an AI-powered financial planning and forecasting platform helping emerging consumer brands make smarter financial decisions, improve profitability, and prepare for long-term growth.


Before launching Iris Finance, Drew spent nearly a decade building and scaling consumer brands, including serving as CFO of Mad Rabbit during its rapid growth. Today, through Iris, he works alongside hundreds of CPG founders, giving him a unique perspective on fundraising, acquisitions, financial planning, profitability, and the market forces shaping the next generation of consumer brands.


Hannah and Drew take a step back to examine the broader CPG landscape, discussing the current acquisition environment, why headline acquisitions don't always reflect the overall health of the market, and how founders should think about building businesses that remain valuable regardless of shifting investment cycles. They also explore where strategic buyers are placing bets, how changing consumer behavior is reshaping billion-dollar portfolios, and why the strongest brands continue to focus on financial fundamentals instead of chasing short-term trends.


Listen in as they cover:

  • Why today's acquisition headlines don't tell the full story of the CPG market
  • The difference between mature categories and emerging white-space opportunities
  • Why strategic buyers are restructuring portfolios and actively searching for new growth
  • How founders can build companies with real exit potential
  • The categories attracting the most acquisition and investment activity
  • Why valuation multiples have changed over the past several years
  • How profitability and contribution margins have become increasingly important
  • Why scaling revenue without healthy fundamentals can actually reduce enterprise value
  • How GLP-1 medications and changing consumer behavior are creating entirely new markets
  • The biggest similarities among brands that consistently outperform competitors
  • Where Drew believes the next wave of acquisitions will come from
  • Practical advice for founders thinking about fundraising, growth, and long-term value creation


Whether you're fundraising, building your first consumer brand, preparing for an eventual exit, or simply trying to better understand where the CPG market is headed, this episode offers thoughtful, practical insights into what investors, operators, and strategic acquirers are looking for in today's environment.


Episode Links


Drew Fallon — LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-f-74947b117/ 


Iris Finance

https://www.irisfinance.co/ 


Iris Finance — LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/irisfinancial 


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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Hannah's Linkedin 
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics


Founder Feature: Reinventing Honey Through Design, Packaging, and Consumer Psychology with Noah Phillips of Honey Department03 Jul 202600:27:25


Honey is one of the world's oldest pantry staples—yet it's also one of the least changed. After years working in branding and design, Noah Phillips couldn't stop wondering why consumers were still buying honey from the same bear-shaped bottle they'd seen for decades. That question became Honey Department, a brand using thoughtful packaging, premium ingredients, and consumer psychology to rethink how people buy, use, and even talk about honey.


In this episode of Founder Feature, Startup CPG Managing Editor Caitlin Bricker sits down with Noah Phillips, Founder of Honey Department, to discuss how a simple observation turned into one of the most talked-about emerging food brands of the year.


Growing up with a father who kept bees as a hobby, Noah always appreciated great honey. But it wasn't until he was asked to design labels for his dad's honey that he began questioning why the category had barely evolved. While nearly every consumer product has embraced modern branding and better user experiences, honey remained stuck in the same jars and squeeze bears consumers have known for generations.


Drawing on his background in advertising, industrial design, and branding, Noah set out to create a product that was just as enjoyable to use as it was to look at. The result was Honey Department: 100% raw thick honey packaged in an aluminum tube that encourages consumers to keep honey on the counter instead of hidden away in the pantry.


Noah shares how packaging can fundamentally change consumer behavior, why creamed honey creates a better everyday experience, and the challenges of sourcing authentic raw honey in a market where adulterated products have become increasingly common. He also discusses launching as a self-funded founder, why he intentionally avoided the traditional honey aisle, and how thoughtful design has helped Honey Department stand out in an established category.


Listen in as they cover:


• How Noah's background in advertising and design inspired Honey Department


• Why the honey category has remained largely unchanged for decades


• The story behind the aluminum tube and why packaging changes consumer behavior


• What creamed honey is and why it's different from traditional liquid honey


• How to identify authentic raw honey


• The realities of sourcing high-quality honey and manufacturing at scale


• Why Honey Department intentionally avoided launching in the traditional honey aisle


• Retail strategy, specialty retail, and creating intentional purchasing decisions


• Future product launches, collaborations, and gifting opportunities


• Lessons learned from building a premium food brand as a solo founder


Whether you're thinking about packaging innovation, disrupting an established category, or building a premium CPG brand from the ground up, this episode offers valuable lessons on branding, product positioning, and consumer psychology.


Episode Links


Honey Department Website:

https://honeydepartment.org


Honey Department Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thehoneydept


Noah Phillips LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-phillips-8630b825 


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 (35K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's Linkedin 
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics

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