Holly and John Arbuckle, founders of Singing Pastures Farms, are building a unique, clean-label, pasture-raised, woman-owned meat snack brand. They’re navigating the complexities of earned PR to gain meaningful exposure and drive brand awareness that translates into sales. Sara Brooks, from Goldilocks and Fridays digital marketing firm, joins to share the latest PR strategies, including affiliate marketing, social media tactics, and influencer partnerships, to help your brand shine.
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 56
Target may be a major retail powerhouse, but there's a unique pathway for emerging brands to get their product on shelf and be successful. Target's Director of Activation & Growth, Le'Spencer Walker, outlines the three retail-ready factors he considers for emerging brands: packaging and branding, business performance data (even for small brands), and marketing and promotion capabilities. Mazaah CEO, Yasmin Sajadi, shares her brand's 2-year journey to secure placement at Target, along with in...
Oct 10, 2024•57 min•Ep. 55
Casey Gaston, Executive Leader of Local and Emerging Brands at Whole Foods Market, offers key updates and strategies for emerging brands who want to partner with this key retailer. In this session, she discusses how to navigate the current category review process and provides details on the LEAP accelerator program. Casey also shares her top tips for crafting a compelling pitch, along with smart strategies for brand success—from effectively communicating your story to understanding the nuances o...
Oct 03, 2024•50 min•Ep. 54
Walmart's Open Call program is a unique opportunity for emerging brands to enter one of the world’s largest retailers. Our guests—Scott Gutche, Sr. Development Executive at Walmart, Molly Blakeley of Molly Bz Cookies, and Yasmin Curtis of Two Fish Foods—share their experiences with the program, from the application process to preparing to pitch. They discuss the importance of flexibility, demonstrating brand fit, and why the exposure gained is valuable, even without an immediate deal. Scott Gutc...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 53
Slotting fees, free fills, retail markups, distribution costs, trade spend & marketing—making money in retail is expensive and complex. But just how long does it take? Jia Liao, founder of Hotpot Queen, wants to find out. Join us as experts Dwight Richmond, Director of Center Store at Town & Country, and Sarah Dorey, partner at Synergy Sales, share their insights on the timeline and offer tips to accelerate the process.
Sep 19, 2024•56 min•Ep. 52
Derek Majewski, Sr. Partner Development Manager at Amazon's Buy with Prime, and Robert Principe, President at eTail Advisors, explain Amazon's Buy with Prime feature, which allows brands to integrate the Prime button on their own websites. In this episode we discuss the benefits, logistics, and strategic considerations for CPG brands, covering the differences between FBA and Buy with Prime, fulfillment economics, inventory management, brand readiness, subscription services, shipping speeds, fees...
Sep 12, 2024•55 min•Ep. 51
The Conagras and Nestlés of the world have business fundamentals and levers that drive smart innovation and product development, which aren't always available to smaller brands. Monica Watrous, managing editor of Nosh, and Glenn Pappalardo, co-founder of Integral CPG, clarify the attributes and themes big brands center their innovation strategy around to help smaller brands put together smart innovation strategy. This Community Call is a companion piece to an article on NOSH.com.
Sep 05, 2024•53 min•Ep. 50
POD Foods offers a distribution solution that stands out from broadline options, particularly benefiting early-stage brands. Dan Rabens, Director of Growth at POD Foods, explains how their model emphasizes transparency, eliminates deductions, and improves speed-to-shelf. We’ll break down POD Foods' fee structure and discuss how they provide support with capital financing, warehousing, and brokering, making them a comprehensive partner for emerging brands.
Aug 29, 2024•56 min•Ep. 49
Kimberle Lau, founder of Bake Me Healthy’s upcycled, allergen-friendly baking mixes, is preparing to launch a new product line but wants to set herself up for success by ensuring it answers a consumer need. Robyn Carter from Jump Rope Innovation brings her experience from big CPG to help Kimberly figure out what her core consumers like about Bake Me Healthy and how to use that information to launch a new set of products that will hit the ground running.
Aug 22, 2024•49 min•Ep. 48
To succeed in retail, building direct relationships at the store level can grow your food or beverage business, creating valuable "eyes inside." Cedar's Hummus has its roots in DSD and store relationship building. Aimee Tsakirellis, EVP of Marketing at Cedar's, will share tips on forging strong relationships with store teams, expanding into new regions, and collaborating with retailers to boost sales.
Aug 15, 2024•46 min•Ep. 47
We’ve all heard that owning your backyard and going a mile deep is key for gaining traction in CPG. The GNGR Labs team self sold their product into to every indie store and bodega in NYC, building a grassroots base. Their scrappy approach allowed them to test and refine their ginger shots before partnering with a distributor, leading to investment and wide-scale distribution. Join Daniel Chechelnitsky and Namik Sultan to understand how to use NYC's distribution system to your advantage, how to b...
Aug 08, 2024•48 min•Ep. 46
The Nosh editorial team joins the Community Call to announce and honor our 2024 NOSH Notables—individuals who make the CPG industry enjoyable, successful, and fulfilling. Visit NOSH.com to see the full list!
Aug 01, 2024•54 min•Ep. 45
Join Jamie Borteck, board member and advisor, and Matt Weiss from RIND Snacks as they guide you through assembling the ideal team to support your CPG brand's growth. We'll cover selecting advisors who complement your skills, building a board for exponential growth, compensation strategies, approaching potential partners, and maximizing your partnerships.
Jul 25, 2024•59 min•Ep. 44
Lorena Arathoon and her team at Tasu Chips have launched their brand on Amazon and are looking to refine their strategy. Betsy McGinn, an Amazon guru and e-commerce strategist, joins Community Call to provide Lorena with ideas that will steadily grow sales. Find out how to create the perfect listing, the advertising that's worth investing in, and what you should avoid at all costs on the platform. Find Betsy's companion deck shared on this episode in our Slack Community, join us: https://slack.b...
Jul 18, 2024•41 min•Ep. 43
Monica Watrous, Managing Editor of NOSH, and Amrit Richmond, CPG Strategist, join Community Call to discuss the key trends in food and beverage. We explore the ingredient consumers are avoiding, despite reassurances from the FDA, Harvard School of Public Health, and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. We also delve into trends in production, distribution, eating for healthspan vs. lifespan, and alternative meats + proteins. This podcast complements NOSH.com's Trendlines series, so be sure to vis...
Jul 11, 2024•37 min•Ep. 42
Sun Noodle, a global leader in ramen noodles and the preferred choice of ramen shops like Momofuku, has been pivotal in establishing the ramen industry in America. Founded in 1981, Sun Noodle began during a time when ramen in America was, for the most part, microwaveable Cup Noodles. Join Sun Noodle's President, Kenshiro Uki, and his team as they trace their journey from crafting premium ramen noodles to becoming a foremost producer nationwide. Find out their secrets to using customer feedback i...
Jul 03, 2024•50 min•Ep. 41
National Co+op Grocers (NCG) represents 164 food co-ops operating over 230 stores with annual sales of over $2.6 billion. Heidi Traore, Supplier Relationship Development Manager at National Co+op Grocers (NCG), will explain how brands can leverage NCG's expansive network to amplify their sales and distribution. Tune in to uncover strategies for successful collaboration and learn how to maximize your brand's impact in the co-op market.
Jun 28, 2024•59 min•Ep. 40
Mable helps food and beverage brands achieve growth in both food service and retail, even if they’re early-stage businesses not currently set up with distributor partners. Arik Keller, Founder and CEO of Mable, Lauren Ricciardi, Mable's Marketing Director, and Adrianne Deluca, reporter for BevNET & NOSH, share essential tips for creating a "pro" profile, best practices for seamless drop-shipping, and strategies to grow consumer demand on the platform. This Community Call complements an artic...
Jun 20, 2024•56 min•Ep. 39
Scott Romano, VP of Innovation at Sprouts Farmers Market, and Elliot Begoun, founder of TIG Brands, share best practices on getting on shelf at this important natural channel retailer, and how to achieve ongoing growth. Join us as we follow the journey from initial contact to thriving on Sprouts' shelves. From crafting the perfect pitch to understanding the intricacies of a successful roll out to driving velocities, we'll provide a detailed roadmap of everything you need to know.
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 38
Kathy Yuh, VP at VMG Partners, discusses the venture fund's current investment strategies, partnerships, and evolving criteria amidst shifting market conditions. We'll explore valuation trends, best P&L practices, and notable categories and trends.
May 30, 2024•56 min•Ep. 37
RangeMe is an important digital platform that connects brands with retailers and retail opportunities. How strong is your RangeMe game? Join Vir Satyan, SVP of Supplier Success at RangeMe, on Community Call as he helps brands craft their best profiles and put their strongest foot forward. We'll explore the buyer's dashboard, discuss the elements of a strong profile, learn about special retailer programs, and talk about maintaining an optimal presence on a limited budget.
May 23, 2024•52 min•Ep. 36
We've seen exponential growth in the plant-based category, but this acceleration is stalling in some areas while thriving in others. SPINS' Client Insights Manager, Kelli Howard, dissects data on food and beverage trends within the plant-based sector. Discover thriving and declining categories, how successful brands are evolving to meet customer demand, understand the plant-based consumer profile, and learn about notable ingredients and the most sought-after plant-based proteins.
May 16, 2024•48 min•Ep. 35
Kristi Palmer from Kiva Confections and Lukas Southard, Senior Reporter at BevNET, join Community Call to discuss the profound impact of hemp-derived D9 on the cannabis edibles and beverage industry. Learn how brands are seizing new opportunities, the looming regulatory challenges, and consumer safety concerns surrounding lab testing and regulatory standards.
May 09, 2024•52 min•Ep. 34
When Outfox Hospitality, parent holding company for Foxtrot Market and Dom's Kitchen and Market, suddenly shuttered its doors, CPG brands were left in the lurch. Affected businesses face not only lost inventory but also the missed opportunity to showcase products with retailers that were known for taking chances on new items. We'll talk to Couplet Coffee, Lexington Bakes, Better Sour, Parch, and Glonuts, all brands carried by Foxtrot, and Trent Moffat of Gotham Brands, and Sarah Dorey of Synergy...
May 02, 2024•53 min•Ep. 33
Join Michael Movitz of Brandjectory and Monica Watrous, managing editor of Nosh, for a discussion on tactical insights for founders navigating challenging market conditions. They'll share examples of brands that have chosen to stay the course, pivot, or close up shop, providing valuable insights into the decision-making process. Plus, the key questions founders should be asking themselves and their teams, and how to use the answers to chart a path forward.
Apr 26, 2024•43 min•Ep. 32
In an environment where venture firms are leaning toward conservatism, businesses are even more dependent on securing growth capital at earlier stages from angel investors. We talk to two seasoned angel investors, Nicole Bruno and Gefen Skolnick, alongside Ruth Berhane-Williams, founder of Equitea, who is actively exploring the angel investment landscape. Hear tips for identifying angel investors, understanding their preferences, and nurturing successful partnerships.
Apr 18, 2024•54 min•Ep. 31
Join Melissa Li, investor at Offline Ventures, Brad Avery, senior reporter at BevNET/NOSH, and Peter Barrick, CEO of snack brand Rivalz, as they unravel the intricate world of AI within the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. We'll take a look at AI beyond chatbots and image creation and explore how it's revolutionizing the way brands like Rivalz operate. From its capabilities to its limitations, discover how emerging brands are leveraging technology to propel themselves forward, and the imp...
Apr 11, 2024•51 min•Ep. 30
Bob Burke, a "known to most" CPG consultant and expert in the natural products industry, shares insights on how CPG brands can save money and improve cash flow. He explains strategies for SKU rationalization, strategic trade spending, and recognizing high-return sales opportunities such as Costco, TJX, and private label programs that drive cost out of the system.
Apr 04, 2024•51 min•Ep. 29
Industry veterans Gerry Khermouch and Beverage Whisperer Ken Sadowsky share their tips how to tighten business expenditures and improve cash flow. Learn the tactics they recommend for dialing in DSDs, honing in on product-market fit, when to say "no", and how to identify worthwhile growth opportunities.
Mar 28, 2024•53 min•Ep. 28
Ghia is taking the non-alcoholic market by storm and generating exposure with a thoughtful strategy that includes strategic out of home marketing. Melanie Masarin, CEO & Founder of Ghia, and Tom Shea of Adgile media explain how they decide when and where to put resources, how to track results (yes, it's possible!), tactical tips that help squeeze value from each campaign, and specific techniques that drive brand awareness.
Mar 21, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 27
