Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

54. If you think retailers just want lower prices and bigger promos, you're missing the point. What they really want is growth—and partners who make their jobs easier.   In this in-depth conversation with former Whole Foods, Fresh Market, and Kroger executive Mathis Martines, we pull back the curtain on what retailers actually need from brands. We discuss why category managers can become your bigg...

53. When doctors gave no answers and inflammation stole her son's mobility, she didn't give up—she changed his diet and built a brand that disrupted salty snacks.   In this powerful episode, I sit down with Megan Reamer, co-founder of Jackson's Honest, to unpack how a life-or-death autoimmune crisis led to rethinking fats, carbohydrates, and the industrialization of food. We discuss ketogenic and...

52. If you're just selling a product instead of redefining when and why it's used, you're leaving massive growth on the table. Usage occasion disruption is how you reinvent categories and win at retail. Build this into your brand story. What is the difference between a $3 and $3,000 bottle of wine? Learn how to leverage that to transform your brand into an high-demand  premium staple.  In this epi...

51. If your brand exists only to sell product, you're missing the bigger opportunity. Today's consumers vote with their dollars—and they reward purpose, transparency, and impact.   In this inspiring conversation with Ahmed Rahim, co-founder of Numi Organic Tea, we unpack how a simple cup of tea became a vehicle for global change. From launching fair trade tea standards to creating the Numi Foundat...

50. If you're chasing growth without purpose—or purpose without profit—you're building on sand. Sustainable CPG leadership requires both bold vision and humility.   In this powerful conversation with Sheryl O'Loughlin (Clif Bar, Plum Organics, REBBL), we unpack what it really takes to build mission-driven brands that scale. From launching Luna Bar and redefining women's energy nutrition, to disrup...

49. If you think price drives health and wellness sales, you're missing the real growth engine in CPG. The natural shopper isn't motivated by discounts—they're motivated by trust, transparency, and mission.   In this keynote from the Category Management Association conference, I break down what's truly driving natural and organic growth across every retail channel. Organic is the gold standard. "N...

48. If your brand is only chasing velocity, you're missing the bigger opportunity. The brands that win today are built on purpose, community, and authentic connection—not just shelf space.   In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Chip Heim and Megan Shea, co-founders of The Soulfull Project, to unpack how one encounter with food insecurity sparked a mission-driven CPG brand. What began as a pr...

47. If your brand stops at "organic" but ignores how your business operates, you're missing the bigger opportunity. Regenerative agriculture is powerful—but regenerative business is transformational.   In this powerful conversation with industry veteran Neil, we unpack what makes natural truly natural—and why food is medicine is more than a slogan. From launching a natural food co-op in the 1970s...

46. If you're trying to build your CPG brand alone, you're making it harder than it needs to be. The fastest path to retail growth isn't hustle—it's community, mentorship, and aligned partnerships.   In this powerful conversation with Alex Honnold (Alpine Start) and Vice President of Naturally Boulder, we unpack how conscious growth, leadership, and innovation fuel sustainable CPG success. From le...

45. If you don't understand your numbers, you don't control your destiny. Growth without financial discipline is fragile—and retailers can see it instantly.   In this powerful conversation with TJ McIntyre, CEO of Bobo's Oat Bars, we unpack what it really takes to scale a natural CPG brand with discipline and heart. From working alongside industry legends like Steve Demos and Steve Hughes to leadi...

44. If you treat "natural" like a trend instead of a movement, you'll miss the growth engine driving modern CPG. Organic, plant-based, clean label—these aren't fads. They're redefining retail.   In this special Category Management Association webinar panel, I sit down with leaders from Jackson's Honest, Alpine Start, and Beyond Meat to unpack what truly makes natural brands win. We explore how mis...

43. If you think getting on shelf means you've won, you're just getting started. Retail success is built on shared fate—brands and retailers growing together or failing together.   In this powerful conversation with Ben Friedland, VP of Marketing at Lucky's Market, we unpack what progressive retailers actually want from brands: insights, storytelling, demand creation, and partnership. Not canned r...

42. If you think organic is just a label, you're missing the bigger mission—and the bigger market opportunity. Organic isn't a trend. It's economic, environmental, and human sustainability.   In this powerful conversation with Gary Hirshberg, co-founder of Stonyfield Yogurt, we unpack how a bootstrap startup with 297 individual investors proved that organic farming is viable, profitable, and essen...

41. If you treat "natural" like a marketing claim instead of a movement, you'll lose the trust of today's most powerful consumer. Natural isn't a label. It's a philosophy.   In this powerful conversation with Robbie Vitrano of Good Spread, we unpack the connective tissue that makes natural CPG different. This isn't about flavor extensions or clever packaging. It's about transparency, regenerative...

40. If you're building a beverage brand in isolation, you're already behind. Success in CPG isn't just about product—it's about community, insight, and access to the right conversations.   In this episode, I sit down with John Craven, Founder & CEO of BevNET, to unpack how brands can leverage industry media, conferences, education, and networking to accelerate growth. From dorm-room product sample...

39. If you think organic lives only on the perimeter, you're leaving money on the table. Produce isn't just a department—it's the gateway that drives shoppers into center store.   In this CMA webinar replay, I break down why organic produce is the "tip of the spear" for retail growth. We unpack Nielsen data showing organic produce growing double digits, generating nearly $5B in sales, and attracti...

38. If your brand stands for nothing beyond the four corners of the package, you're replaceable. Retailers don't need more SKUs—they need brands that drive purpose, loyalty, and growth.   In this powerful conversation with Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea and Executive Chairman of Beyond Meat, we unpack what it really means to bake mission into your brand DNA. From launching Honest Tea as a les...

37. If your mission stops at what's inside the package, you're missing the bigger responsibility—and the bigger opportunity. Packaging and climate strategy are no longer optional in CPG.   In this powerful conversation with Lara Dickinson, co-founder of OSC2 and leader of The Climate Collaborative, we unpack how mission-driven brands can work together to build regenerative business models. From co...

36. If consumers can't find your product, they can't buy it. And if you don't have a powerful selling story, you won't earn shelf space in the first place.   In this candid conversation with John Foraker (Annie's, Once Upon a Farm), we break down the single most important thing every CPG brand must do: get your product into more shoppers' hands by building a fact-based, category-driven selling sto...

35. If you're waiting for permission to disrupt a category, you'll never earn shelf space. Beyond Meat didn't ask to sit in frozen—they redefined the meat case.   In this powerful conversation with Chuck Muth, Chief Growth Officer at Beyond Meat, we unpack how a mission-driven plant-based brand earned placement inside the fresh meat department—without planograms, without buying space, and without...

34. If you still think plant-based is a niche for vegans, you're missing one of the fastest-growing profit drivers in retail. Plant-based isn't about restriction—it's about better-for-you choices that grow the entire basket.   In this episode, I sit down with Mike Cooke, VP of Sales at Daiya Foods, to unpack how plant-based products are reshaping category growth across natural and conventional ret...

33. If you're trying to scale your CPG brand without real consumer connection, you're building on sand. Loyalty isn't bought with discounts—it's earned through values, story, and trust.   In this powerful conversation with Justin Perkins of OLOMOMO and Care2, we unpack what it really takes to build a natural products brand from scratch—and how digital strategy can accelerate or destroy momentum. J...

32. If you're too busy running your brand to see what's happening at retail, you're already behind. The brands that win anticipate trends—they don't chase them.   In this powerful conversation with Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru, we unpack how brands can stay ahead of shifting consumer behavior, retail innovation, and emerging food trends. Phil explains why small natural brands drive sustainab...

31. If you're ignoring natural and organic growth, you're ignoring the engine driving sustainable category profit. Total food may be up modestly—but natural and organic are growing exponentially and fueling the rest of the store. In this CMA webinar replay, I break down why "natural" means nothing, why organic is government-verified trust, and how clean label confusion impacts shopper behavior. We...

30. If you're walking into buyer meetings saying "me, me, me," you're already losing shelf space. Retailers don't need another product—they need partners who grow their category and drive traffic.   In this foundational episode, I break down why most brands fail at retail and what retailers REALLY want. It's not slick sell sheets. It's not hype. It's a unified, fact-based selling story rooted in c...