Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

79. You can have an incredible product—but if retailers don't know where to put it, you lose the sale. And that confusion costs you velocity, shelf space, and long-term growth. In this episode, I sit down with Vincent from Dang Foods to unpack how a young brand created an entirely new retail category—coconut chips—and defended it against copycats. We dig into category management strategy, merchand...

78. You don't need a billion-dollar budget to build an iconic CPG brand—but you do need the right foundation. Most founders struggle because they try to scale without mainstream discipline, clear strategy, or retailer value. That's why so many brands stall before they ever reach velocity. In this episode, I sit down with Scott Jensen, CEO of Rhythm Superfoods and former leader at Stubb's BBQ, to u...

77. If you're fighting for shelf space in a crowded category, you're already behind—and it's costing you velocity, distribution, and long-term growth. In this episode, I sit down with Leigh and Bill from Perfect Bar to unpack how they built a refrigerated snack powerhouse in one of the most competitive CPG categories. Instead of chasing shelf-stable trends, they leaned into fresh, leveraged data f...

76. If shoppers can't find your product, you lose sales—period. And if you rely on canned reports and the 80/20 rule, you're already behind. In this episode, I unpack proven category management and merchandising strategies that help emerging CPG brands win shelf space, increase distribution, and outperform bigger competitors. A picture is worth a thousand words—especially in a retail line review....

75. If you're fighting for shelf space in a "dead" category, you're playing the wrong game — and it's costing you growth. Most brands try to win with price cuts, deeper discounts, and louder pitches. That's a race to the bottom. In this episode, I sit down with Joel Clark of Kodiak Cakes to unpack how they revived a stagnant pancake category, grew to a 54% share at Target, and built sustainable sa...

74. You're blending into a sea of red on shelf—and it's costing you velocity, leverage, and long-term growth. If your brand looks like everyone else and sells like everyone else, retailers treat you like everyone else. That's a race to the bottom. In this episode, I sit down with Dave from Dave's Gourmet to unpack how bold differentiation, relentless product improvement, and a willingness to have...

73. If you're fighting for shelf space in a crowded category, blending in is killing your brand. In this episode, I sit down with Dave Hirschkop of Dave's Gourmet to unpack how a small brand broke through a "sea of red" and built national distribution by leaning into innovation, differentiation, and strategic trade marketing. We talk about how to stand out on shelf without racing to the bottom on...

72. If Amazon owns the replenishment cycle, what's left for traditional retail? Everything—if you're willing to rethink the model. In this continuation of my conversation with Kevin Coupe, we dive into Subscribe & Save, lifetime customer value, and why replenishment models quietly lock shoppers out of physical stores. We unpack how brands and retailers must "turn toward the torpedo"—facing disrupt...

71. If your brand isn't relevant to today's shopper, you have no reason for being. And if your retail partner isn't evolving, they're already losing ground. In this first half of my conversation with Kevin Coupe of Morning News Beat, we unpack what it really means to stay relevant in a world where Amazon controls nearly half of online sales and consumers expect transparency, convenience, and conve...

70. If you launch only in brick-and-mortar, you're risking your runway before you ever gain traction. Retail is expensive. Digital is leverage. In this episode, I sit down with Jen and Jim from NatchCom to unpack why e-commerce is no longer optional for emerging CPG brands. We discuss how Amazon, social media, and direct-to-consumer platforms level the playing field against big brands—and how foun...

69. If 52% of produce is wasted and nutrients degrade before food hits the shelf, your supply chain is broken. And broken systems cost you margin, trust, and growth. In this episode, I sit down with Brandon from Local Roots to unpack how controlled environment agriculture is collapsing the traditional produce supply chain. Instead of shipping leafy greens 2,000 miles over 8–12 days, Local Roots gr...

68. If you're stuck fighting for shelf space and watching bigger brands outspend you, you don't need a bigger budget—you need a better strategy. Being just a "nose better" than your competition can 10x your results over time. In this episode, I share six proven retail growth strategies I've used to block national brands from incremental displays, earn a 4,200-unit grand opening display without pay...

67. If you're stuck trying to figure out brokers, distributors, co-packers, or how to pitch a retail buyer, you don't need more hustle—you need better guidance. Most emerging brands waste time and money learning lessons the hard way. In this episode, I sit down with Julie from FMI to unpack FMI Emerge , a new platform built specifically to help emerging food and beverage brands scale sustainably....

66. If you're pitching retailers without a clear, data-backed selling story, you're hoping—not selling. And hope is expensive in CPG. In this live coaching-style episode with the founders of The Gluten Free Bar, we unpack what it really takes to compete in one of the most crowded categories in retail. We talk about becoming an expert in your shopper, understanding why consumers choose your competi...

65. If you're trying to build your CPG brand alone, you're wasting time, money, and momentum. The right community can compress years of trial and error into a few focused conversations. In this episode, I sit down with Doug and Zach, founders of Colorado Food Works, a grassroots CPG networking community that grew from 16 people to over 450 engaged members in just 15 months. What started as two fou...

64. If your brand feels transactional instead of transformational, you'll struggle to build loyalty, drive velocity, and earn lasting retail support. Products don't build movements—missions do. In this episode, I sit down with Neil Grimmer, founder of Plum Organics and Habit, to unpack how to build a brand people rally around. From launching the baby food pouch category to pioneering personalized...

63. If you're trying to outspend big CPG brands at retail, you'll lose. The game isn't about bigger budgets—it's about better strategy and extending your runway. In this episode, I sit down with John Grubb, formerly of Sterling-Rice Group and now Summit Venture Management, to unpack the structural shift happening between big brands and emerging natural disruptors .   We discuss why legacy CPG stru...

62. If you're walking into buyer meetings with ranking reports instead of actionable insights, you're already behind. Retailers don't need to hear how great you are—they need you to help grow the category. In this episode, I sit down with Todd from Lundberg Family Farms to unpack how a legacy organic brand competes head-to-head with global CPG by leveraging true category management. We discuss hol...

61. If you ignore independent natural retailers, you're ignoring the heart and soul of natural CPG. And that's where real loyalty is built. In this episode, I sit down with Corinne Shindelar of INFRA (Independent Natural Food Retailers Association) to unpack why independent natural retailers remain critical to brand growth. We discuss how purchasing cooperatives level the playing field, how shared...

60. If you think what worked yesterday will work tomorrow, you're already losing. Complacency is the silent killer of CPG brands—and retailers see it instantly.   In this powerful conversation with Michael Sansolo, former executive at FMI and thought leader behind MorningNewsBeat, we unpack why relevance is the new table stakes in retail. We discuss personalization, technology, social media, categ...

59. If you're betting on legacy CPG brands to carry the future of retail, you're betting on the wrong consumer. A $2 trillion purchasing power shift is underway—and millennials are not buying what their parents did.   In this powerful conversation with Steve Hughes, former CEO of Boulder Brands and founder of Sunrise Strategic Partners, we unpack how small natural brands are replacing big CPG—and...

58. If your brand is only chasing profit, you're already losing. Today's consumers demand authenticity—and retailers reward mission-driven growth.   In this powerful conversation with Kyle from Organic India, we unpack how starting with a mission in mind builds stronger brands, deeper loyalty, and sustainable retail growth. From transforming farming communities in India to building a Certified B C...

57. If your brand isn't clear about what's in your food—and why it matters—you're already behind. Today's shoppers demand transparency, and they're voting with their dollars.   In this episode, I sit down with Steve Hoffman of Compass Natural to unpack the real differences between organic, non-GMO, regenerative agriculture, and the confusing new "bioengineered" labeling proposal. We discuss why th...

56. If you think rice is just a commodity, you're missing one of the biggest opportunities in sustainable CPG. How rice is grown impacts water use, methane emissions, farmer income—and your brand story.   In this episode, I sit down with Caryl Levine of Lotus Foods to unpack how a vision quest to China led to building a B Corp brand rooted in heirloom rice, direct and fair trade partnerships, and...

55. If you think organic is just a label, you're missing the bigger mission. Organic is about protecting soil, water, air—and building a food system that lasts.   In this episode, I sit down with Katherine DiMatteo, former Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association and leader within IFOAM, the Sustainable Food Trade Association, and the Climate Collaborative. We unpack the history of orga...