Winning Pitches with RangeMe & ECRM

In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Fresh Scent’s Andrew Allen to dive deep into the topic of developing strong retail partnerships, specifically focusing on what buyers actually need from brands to get (and stay) on the shelf. During the discussion, they examine three pillars of a successful buyer-supplier relationship: Transparency, Service, and Expertise, and how each impact...

Amazon is a competitive landscape where brands often find themselves navigating a maze of shifting fees and algorithmic hurdles. In this episode, Anders Carlson , Co-Founder of Ballard House joins ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski to share how his company acts as a force multiplier for brands looking to thrive in the marketplace without the traditional agency headaches. Unlike standard agencies that charge...

In this episode, Joseph Tarnowski sit down with Caleb and Austin Majors, the innovative co-founders of Brothers Nuts, to discuss their journey in transforming the healthy snack market, and have already gained momentum as a regular on the RangeMe Top Brands lists, and a recent ECRM win with Gelson’s Markets. The story of Brothers Nuts began in 2010 when the Majors' father was diagnosed with st...

In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Chris Clark, a retired military veteran and police officer who – despite having zero prior industry experience – has scaled his company, 3rd Day Beverages, to thousands of stores in just over a year. You’ll learn how a Tennessee family farm with a high-flow spring became the foundation for a rapidly growing beverage brand. Chris shares the un...

ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Chris Costagli, NIQ’s VP of Thought Leadership for Food & Beverage to deconstruct how shifting consumer intentionality – fueled by economic pressure and increased interest in wellness – is transforming the traditional C-store mission. From the surprising impact of weight-loss drugs like GLP-1s to the confusion surrounding SNAP benefits, they explore how t...

If you are a new or emerging brand trying to navigate the complex world of retail, this conversation is a masterclass in why working with distributors that service independent grocers is a smart way to scale.  In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Roaldo Sulejmani from HRR Foods, a specialized distributor servicing the Midwest and Northeast Atlantic.   Roaldo breaks down the uniq...

Recipe for Retail's Monique & Chevalo Wilsondebriano join ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski to share some insights from their new book, "From Kitchen to Cash Register," which was just released last month and includes best practices for those looking to launch a brand, as well as for existing brand owners looking to scale up! Monique & Chevalo are successful brand owners themselve...

For emerging founder-led brands, especially those getting ready for their first buyer meetings, this is a must listen! ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sat with Wildflower Insight's Tia Ellis to discuss everything you need to make those buyer meetings a success! During their conversation, which was recorded on location at ECRM's recent General Merchandise Sessions in Destin, Fla., Tia shared best...

In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Isaac Shapiro, co-founder of Cleanlogic and the Inspiration Foundation, who was recently honored by retailmediaIQ as one of the people who made a difference in 2025. Shapiro shares his journey of building a successful purpose-driven brand and his personal mission to advocate for the disability community in the corporate world. Among the topic...

In this episode, Joseph Tarnowski speaks with NIQ’s Katie Hazlett to unpack the high-velocity trends and consumer shifts set to define the beauty and personal care market in 2026. As beauty continues its streak as a resilient, "must-have" category with 11% total growth, they discuss how retail buyers and brands can stay ahead of the curve. From the "inside-out" wellness revolut...

Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Dave Korinek, Chief Brand Officer at Pearl Resourcing, at ECRM’s Beauty and Cough & Cold Sessions in Dallas to discuss how CPG brands can determine if it’s time to refresh their brand, and what it takes to execute a successful brand refresh.  Among the topics they discuss are: ●Beyond the Logo: Branding isn’t just a "handshake" like your logo; it’s the...

Harley Sutton, founder of Thanks Naturals, is all in on TikTok, using the platform to transform her all-natural beauty and wellness brand into a social commerce powerhouse. In this interview with Joseph Tarnowski, recorded on location at ECRM’s Everyday and Holiday Cosmetics, Skin, Fragrance & Bath Session in Dallas, Sutton shares the various ways in which she uses TikTok to stay engaged with...

Bubbles & Mane,is a hybrid salon/spa concept in Astoria, N.Y. that offers a variety of beauty and wellness services in a beautiful, community-focused space. Just launched last year, the 2,500-square-foot facility spans two floors and offers a full-service Hair salon and color bar; luxurious head spa; nail, pedicure, and body wrap treatments; and a full-service spa with traditional facials and...

In this episode, Joseph Tarnowski speaks with Casey's Chris Stewart, VP of Merchandising, Phil Wilhelm, Senior Director of Center Store, and Lee Wilburn, Senior Director of Package Beverages, for an update on its 2nd Innovation Summit. This was the second Summit the 2,900+ store Midwest convenience chain held in partnership with RangeMe, during which selected brands met in-person with Casey’s...

This episode features the full panel discussion on the CPG Growth Journey from the recent ECRM/retailmediaIQ Founders’ Innovation Day event held December 10 in NYC.  The panel, moderated by ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski, featured three brand-owners, each at varying stages of growth: Obi Linton, Co-Founder of Nicobi Foods, a 5-year old brand that is growing fast; Luke Schneider, Founder of Fire Departmen...

In this episode, Joe from ECRM sits down with Kiowa Kavovit, founder of Eco Bandage, to discuss her journey of creating a waterproof, colored liquid bandage and skin protectant that "seals, heals, and conceals." What began with a Shark Tank appearance at age six has evolved into a decade-long formulation process to create a sustainable, flexible liquid bandage that replaces traditional s...

How do you successfully launch an international brand into the competitive U.S. retail landscape?   In this episode, Taylor Schaly, shares how she did it for Trainers Choice, a Canadian orthopedic support brand that can be found in most of the major pharmacy and grocery chains in Canada, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharma Choice, Loblaws and Metro, as well as in many independent retailers.   Tay...

Molly Blakeley, the dynamic founder of Molly Bz Cookies shares the secrets behind building an unforgettable brand and scaling a CPG business.   Molly, who has been a serial entrepreneur since her teens, began her CPG journey as a single mom with only $150 to her name, to now having her gourmet cookies, known for their "weird" combinations like Hot Cheetos and Boba, sold in thousands of s...

In this episode, Fire Department Coffee Founder Luke Schneider, a former firefighter and Navy veteran, shares the company's inspiring journey – which began in 2016 as a direct-to-consumer business with a single blend and now is a successful national brand with several lines of products in approximately 10,000 stores. Much of FDC’s success comes from adopting a highly-focused strategy rather t...

Eco Bandage, The Crystal Charged Co. & FlickaFly are brands that have squeezed every drop of opportunity out of ECRM and RangeMe. Not only have they landed retail wins and gathered valuable insights from buyer meetings at ECRM Sessions across the Health & Beauty Care, Food & Beverage and General Merchandise Categories, but they have also found packaging and ingredient suppliers as buye...

Fresh Scents’ Andrew Allen and ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski are HUGE fans of LinkedIn, and post and engage with people on the platform regularly. At a recent ECRM Session, they got together to each share what they love about the platform, and how they use it to support their efforts in connecting with other CPG retail industry folks.   They covered a lot of ground in this one, including:  Overall Linke...

Having beautifully-designed and structurally sound packaging helps get your brand onto retail shelves and into shoppers’ baskets, but in order to do that, all of the elements of the supply chain must work together seamlessly. From the brand's designers developing the concept, to the procurement team sourcing the raw materials, to the manufacturers creating and shipping it, communication and t...

Social commerce platform TikTok Shop has experienced significant growth since its launch in 2022, when ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, began beta testing a dedicated e-commerce platform in the United Kingdom and several Southeast Asian countries. It launched globally in September 2023 and ever since has been a favorite of emerging brands looking to scale up their direct-to-consumer effort...

Pholicious makes Vietnamese Pho that offers an authentic, restaurant-quality experience and can be made in just minutes. Since launching in 2021 – when Co-Founders Joseph and Ahn Trousdale sold their home and lived out of a trailer to finance operations – the brand is now in thousands of stores nationwide at retailers like Walmart, Stop & Shop, United Supermarkets, Kroger, Albertsons, Core-Mar...

Sales of THC beverages at on and off-premise locations are booming, and the customers span an array of demographics, as Scott Sousa, Beverage Director for Frenchy's and Clear Sky Restaurants, has seen at his foodservice operations and liquor store over the past few months.  And these customers are not who you would expect; they range from soccer moms to 70-year-olds, and sales of THC beverage...