Level up your formulation game with beverage expert Donald Wilkes of Blue Pacific Flavors and hear what’s really driving the next wave of functional drinks including smarter sweeteners, better energy, and flavor that actually delivers. Find out how to stay ahead of shifting consumer tastes, making clean label work without losing impact, and how to build products that don’t just follow trends but set them.
There are a variety of ways to secure funding - the trick is aligning the right fit with the right opportunity. Join Emily Griffith, founder of Lil Bucks, and Daniela Jensen of Big Picture Foods as they share their funding journeys. Emily discusses Lil Bucks' $3M Series A raise, and Daniela talks about Atalanta’s acquisition of Big Picture Foods. We'll discuss the options they considered, why they chose their paths, and the lessons other brands can take to secure capital.
Mike Farrell of The Forest Farmers, Michael Ham of Wild Orchard Tea, and Susan Hartman of Recoup Beverage share how their brands use sustainable maple to power innovation. They explore how maple sap provides clean hydration, natural sweetness, and a functional base to beverage formulations. Our panel will discuss regenerative farming, nutritional benefits, and how tapping trees helps preserve forest, offering valuable information for brands aiming to meet growing demand for transparency, wellnes...
Headed to BevNET Live? Or still deciding?? In this episode, Jeff Klineman shares a bts look at how the show comes together and what to watch for if you're focused on building a profitable brand. From key sessions to the people you need to meet, Jeff offers tips to help you navigate with purpose. Whether you're looking to connect with investors, retailers, or future partners, we’ve got advice to help you make it count. Plus, Sarah Casagrande, Principal at Generation CPG, shares what she's most ex...
Building a business is hard as you're juggling so many roles while trying to build momentum without running out of resources. In this episode, Ashley Waldman, Founder & CEO of Jubilee's (high-nutrition kids' milk), gets advice from Ashley Selman, Co-Founder of Heywell (functional sparkling water), and Pauline Idohou, Founder & CEO of Mocktail Club (non-alcoholic cocktails). Ashely and Pauline share tips and tricks on choosing retail partners, the importance of operational excellence befo...
How does a top-tier design studio reimagine a fast-growing brand? In Part 2 of our brand refresh series, Suite 9C founder Paula Grant—joined by team members Jessy Qussar and Melissa Piombo—unveils five final design directions created for Dappy, a non-alcoholic functional beverage brand on the rise. Maddie Frank, Dappy’s founder, shares her candid reactions and reveals which concept ultimately became the new face of the brand. Together, they unpack the creative strategy behind each direction, wha...
Join Scout Brisson, CEO of De Soi, Troy Bonde, Co-Founder of Sauz, and Sarah Jahnke, CEO and Co-Founder of Homecourt as they discuss the true cost and return of attending trade shows like Expo West, sparked by Scout’s LinkedIn question: Is exhibiting at Expo West worth it? Learn how to create a memorable brand experience, measure success beyond sales through networking and media coverage, and leverage trade shows for long-term marketing, along with tips for selecting the right shows and amplifyi...
Natalie Wieder, Vice President of Category Management at Thrive Market, shares recent updates to this leading grocery e-commerce retailer’s vendor experience, including the launch of a new vendor portal, a brand insights dashboard, and a retail media platform. The conversation covers shifts in product selection strategy, key attributes Thrive prioritizes when evaluating new items, and how the platform is evolving to better support merchandising and marketing. Also discussed are the attributes of...
Join Christian Quie, VP of Sales at ChocXO, and Lillard Anthony Wong, CEO of Owlvericks Coffee, discuss how their brands are responding to sharp ingredient cost increases caused by shifting trade policies and environmental factors and. They share approaches to managing supply chain volatility, strategies for alternative sourcing, methods for communicating price changes, and ways to maintain margin and product quality.
Consumers say they want sustainable packaging, but what do they actually care about, and how can brands deliver without tanking margins? Martin Caballero (BevNET), Simon Gainey (Hard Working Packaging), and Benjamin Puncher (Mintel) unpack it all, from the power of clear front-of-pack messaging to the value of recyclable materials and packaging that reinforces brand identity. They spotlight brands like Liquid Death, which prove that when sustainability is woven into the core story and executed i...
In part one of this two-part series, DAPI founder Maddie Frank teams up with Suite 9C—the design studio behind brands like BodyArmor, Lemon Perfect, and Core Hydration—to rethink her packaging and bring the brand closer to its vision. This episode covers how to make your packaging design work smarter, not harder; how to position a non-alc product in a fast-evolving category; how and why to infuse your brand identity into the design; and how to communicate essential info quickly enough to catch c...
Jana Goodbaugh of Happy Wolf and Jason Smith, the “Demo Dynamo” from Ithaca Hummus and former Perfect Bar retail lead, share how to turn demos from a cost center into a growth engine. From pinpointing the best sampling days to building a passionate demo team, they reveal insider strategies for driving product discovery, converting samplers into loyal customers, and proving value to retailers through measurable sales impact.
Nicola Buffo, co-founder of Pistachio—a viral pistachio butter brand dominating DTC and expanding in indie retail—is on a mission to decode CPG’s “grow slow and steady” mantra. What does smart growth really look like when you’re bootstrapped? Pierre Jamet, Fishwife’s Chief Sales Officer, shares his ingenious tricks for conserving cash, boosting velocities, and navigating retail’s competitive landscape.
At Expo West, everyone was either carrying the Belgian Boys pink bag or talking about it. The line around their booth was for the bag—waffles and pancakes took a backseat. Known for great swag, did Belgian Boys go too big this time? Was it worth the investment? When the bags ran out, did the brand see their show goals realized? Anouck Gotlib, CEO of Belgian Boys, reveals whether it paid off and what they learned from the experience.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at Expo West 2025 with two key decision-makers: Casey Gaston (Whole Foods Market) and Molly Santuli (Springdale Ventures). They break down standout trends, name breakthrough brands, and reveal what made certain products impossible to ignore. Learn how to network with decision makers like these, secure key meetings, and craft the perfect follow-up for real retail and investment opportunities.
We're launching something BIG at BevNET, NOSH, and Brewbound, and you're invited to be the first to see it! Introducing Nombase — a new digital community and directory built for the CPG world. Nombase connects CPG professionals with trusted industry partners, AI-powered insights, timely conversations, company announcements, and job opportunities — all in one place. Join us for an exclusive overview, product demo, and info on how to take advantage of what Nombase has to offer you.
The Community Call podcast is taking a short break as we gear up for something big and exciting here at BevNET, NOSH, and Brewbound. Stay tuned for what's next!
Justin Prochnow, regulatory attorney and partner at Greenberg Traurig, provides an in-depth update on the legal and compliance challenges facing CPG brands. He covers topics from class action lawsuits over product claims and ingredients to emerging state regulations in California, offering insights on navigating compliance, mitigating risks, and preparing for potential changes under the new administration.
Bevnet's Editor-in-Chief, Jeff Kleinman, unpacks the key trends and shifts from 2024, and shares insights on the 2025 investment landscape. We'll discuss the changing M&A and corporate venturing dynamics, and the implications for emerging brands seeking funding. Jeff offers strategic advice for founders on positioning their businesses to attract investor attention, and the importance of financial discipline. We explore how economic conditions affect capital for consumer brands, providing ins...
Sherry Frey of Nielsen IQ provides an insider’s guide to the 2025 CPG landscape, covering key trends and opportunities. Sherry delves into the latest ingredient and flavor trends, evolving snacking habits, the growing influence of global flavors, and the sustainability factors driving consumer loyalty. Highlights include growth opportunities for small BFY brands, the rising demand for sustainability, trending ingredients like collagen and electrolytes, emerging flavors such as pickle, dragon fru...
As women enter life stages marked by perimenopause and menopause, their health needs are driving demand for targeted foods, beverages, and supplements. Kate Stevenson and Julie Murphy from Brightfield Group, a social listening and consumer insights organization, join this Community Call to share data and trends on the ingredients, products, and value propositions resonating with this consumer group. As the highest-spending age bracket, they seek support for hormone balance, energy, and mood—crea...
The NIQ On-Premise team shares their latest data on RTD beverage trends, highlighting the biggest opportunities for brands. Joining the conversation are Ben Tilton and Matt Crompton of NIQ On-Premise, along with Ferron Salniker, BevNET's spirits editor. Together, we’ll explore the size of the RTD opportunity, key consumer demographics, channels of note, and evolving preferences around convenience, quality, and value. We’ll also dive into emerging non-alcoholic RTD trends and strategies for brand...
Benji Fitts, Director of Customer Education at SPINS, shares how to run smart, cash-efficient promotions that drive velocity while protecting margin as much as possible. By focusing on market share and lift, we’ll explore strategies to fine-tune discounts, optimize timing and frequency, and leverage real-time insights to outperform competitors and turn promotions into sustainable growth.
If you're headed to Nosh Live, BevNET Live, and/or Brewbound Live, we've got a GREAT show lined up for you. Make sure you come say hello and introduce yourself! And, if you're at home this year, catch the free livestream on Nosh.com, BevNET.com, and Brewbound.com
BevNET started in Boston as an idea fueled by Mountain Dew and Snapple in a college dorm room, back before Mark Zuckerberg was just a twinkle in his parents’ eyes. In this episode, COO Carolyn Craven shares the story of BevNET’s 20-year journey. As we prepare for BevNET Live, NOSH Live, and Brewbound Live this December, we reflect on the trials and milestones that come with building a brand.
How do you scale a culturally rooted brand while preserving authenticity and brand identity? Kartik Das of Doosra, a modern take on Indian chai-time snacks, brought this question to our recent Community Call, where innovative brands like Nguyen Coffee Supply, Brooklyn Delhi, MìLà, and DayDayCook joined the discussion. We discussed how to balance authenticity with accessibility, use data and testing to make informed decisions, and implement scrappy, budget-friendly tactics to grow while staying t...
Sven Alwerud, founder of Celerity CPG, and Sarah Gordon, VP of Marketing at Evergreen, share their tried-and-true tactics for leveraging retail media to boost product velocity. Find out how advertising directly on retailer websites and apps can empower you to compete with big CPG on an emerging brand's budget. We'll discuss how to set up high-ROI campaigns, target the right keywords and audiences, allocate your budget wisely, and use retailer-specific tricks to help you succeed on the shelf....
Maya French, founder of HappyPop and Koia, and Kendra Bennett, CMO of Bon Bee Honey, each turned unexpected hits of PR exposure into sustained brand growth. They’ll share the key decisions they made—and wish they had made—on prioritizing accounts when you're tight on product, ramping up production for unexpected demand, and using pre-orders and customer service tactics to retain new customers, even if you can't service them immediately. They also share how to leverage viral exposure beyond e-com...
Inclusive hiring strengthens communities and benefits your brand. Adrianne DeLuca of BevNET, Joshua Velasquez of Shire's Naturals, and Kevin McGahren of Greyston Bakery discuss how they use non-traditional hiring, share effective hiring and training tactics, and explain the positive impact on both business and communities. Find out how equitable hiring boosts loyalty, taps into overlooked talent, and creates a strategic advantage for your business
Supplement trends, such as the popularity of collagen, protein, and nootropics, often forecast shifts in food and beverage CPG trends by tracking consumer behavior. We welcome Darren Viscount, Senior Natural Living Category Manager/OTC Category Manager at Bristol Farms, to discuss these natural living trends and their impact on food and beverage products. We’ll also learn what brands need to get on the shelf, succeed at Bristol Farms, and build lasting partnerships.
