Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

204. Your food system is broken—and most brands are making it worse. If you care about regenerative agriculture, sustainable seafood, and building a mission-driven CPG brand that actually makes a difference, this episode matters. In this powerful conversation with Patagonia Provisions, we unpack how regenerative organic agriculture, responsible wild-caught seafood, and supply chain transparency cr...

203. Struggling to raise capital without giving up control—or your brand's soul? If you choose the wrong investor, you can lose far more than equity. In this episode, I sit down with Stu from Green Circle Capital to unpack what founders must understand before raising growth capital. We break down today's valuation reset, why chasing top-line growth without profitability is dangerous, and how to ch...

202. Retail is broken—and it's costing you shelf space, margin, and momentum. If your brand is trapped in constant promotions and fighting for visibility, you're playing the wrong game. Retailers are addicted to trade spend, but shoppers want value, clarity, and solutions. When you understand the market basket and how your ideal consumer shops, you stop competing on price and start driving sustain...

201. Your sales stalled. Retailers stopped responding. And the playbook that used to work suddenly feels broken. If you're trying to grow your CPG brand during disruption—whether it's a pandemic, economic stress, or retailer pullback—you cannot rely on outdated strategies. Waiting it out isn't a strategy. Hoping velocity improves isn't leadership. In this episode, I sit down with Adam Retell of Su...

200. Are your promotions draining cash instead of driving growth? If you don't know your true trade promotion ROI, you're shortening your runway and giving retailers margin while your brand struggles. In this episode, I break down how to review your trade promotions the right way—starting with flawless retail execution. We'll cover why out-of-stocks, poor signage, and inconsistent store-level comp...

199. Unlock the secrets of brand longevity Discover how to keep your brand alive today and tomorrow with proven strategies.  Andrew discuss the importance of staying calm and strategic during uncertain times. They emphasize the need to reassess business situations, prioritize top accounts, and focus on customer needs. Providing value to retailers and building strong relationships can position bran...

198. Retail changed overnight—and if you don't understand how your customer shops now, you're already losing shelf space. In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Malach from Social Nature to unpack how natural CPG leaders are adapting to retail disruption, shifting shopper behavior, and explosive online growth. You'll learn how to leverage real consumer insights (not generic data), strengthen you...

197. Struggling to grow your CPG brand profitably? Most founders chase distribution before they build margin—and that mistake can cost you everything. In this episode, I sit down with master brand builder Eric Skae to unpack what it really takes to scale from startup to national success. We dive into the importance of 50%+ margins, why focus beats expansion, how to align brokers and distributors,...

196. Your brand isn't stalled because of strategy—it's stalled because your team isn't aligned. And misalignment kills growth, margin, and momentum. In this episode, I sit down with one of the most sought-after advisors in the food and beverage industry to unpack what actually separates good brands from exceptional ones: leadership clarity, disciplined process, and a unified way of thinking. We br...

195. If you're trying to grow your CPG brand alone, you're making it harder than it needs to be — and it's costing you shelf space, sales, and staying power. Your brand's strength is directly tied to the community you attract. In today's environment — where shoppers crave connection, transparency, and shared values — community isn't optional. It's your competitive advantage. In this episode, we br...

194. You're wasting trade spend—and it's quietly killing your runway. If you don't know your true promotion ROI, you're guessing with your biggest line item. In this episode, I break down 8 proven trade marketing strategies to maximize promotional ROI, increase brand awareness, and protect your margin. Most CPG brands throw money at TPRs, displays, and billbacks without measuring base lift, increm...

193. If you're trying to grow your CPG brand alone, you're making it harder than it needs to be — and it's costing you shelf space, sales, and staying power. Your brand's strength is directly tied to the community you attract. In today's environment — where shoppers crave connection, transparency, and shared values — community isn't optional. It's your competitive advantage. In this episode, we br...

192. Your product isn't losing shelf space because of price — it's losing because your value story isn't clear. When shoppers can't connect ingredients to outcomes, retailers can't see your advantage. And confusion kills velocity. In this episode, I sit down with registered dietitian Kim Kirchherr of K2 Outcomes to unpack how ingredient transparency, science-based messaging, and authentic storytel...

191. Retail has changed forever—and if you don't adapt, your brand could disappear. Disruption exposed fragile supply chains, shifted shopper trust back to big brands, and forced retailers to rethink everything from sourcing to shelf space. In this episode, I sit down with Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru, to unpack how the pandemic reshaped grocery, distribution, promotions, and consumer behavi...

190. If your promotions spike sales but leave you with less cash, you're shortening your runway—and you may not even know it. Most CPG brands pour 25% of gross sales into trade marketing, yet the majority of that spend fails to grow sustainable base sales. That's not a promotion problem. It's an ROI problem. In this episode, I pull back the curtain on why syndicated data misleads brands, how poor...

189. Struggling to get your CPG brand in front of retail buyers—especially when trade shows disappear? That's costing you shelf space and momentum. In this episode, I share a powerful strategy to help you get discovered by retailers and secure real buying meetings without wasting money on travel, crowded expos, or cold outreach that goes nowhere. You'll learn how platforms like ECRM and RangeMe ar...

188. Your brand will not survive this market by hiding. If you pull back now, you lose trust, shelf space, and momentum. In this episode, I sit down with Jeffrey Hayzlett of the C-Suite Network to talk about what it really means to lead during uncertainty. When trade shows are canceled, buyers are distracted, and the economy feels unstable, most brands freeze. Category leaders lean in. We unpack h...

187. You're spending 25% of your revenue on trade marketing—and most of it isn't working. That matters because wasted trade spend shortens your runway and stalls retail growth. In this episode, I break down how to set SMART trade marketing goals that actually move sales, improve ROI, and help you compete toe-to-toe with the big brands. You'll learn how to align your promotions with retailer object...

186. Are your promotions draining cash instead of driving growth? If you don't understand trade marketing, you're burning runway without realizing it. Trade marketing is the fuel that determines how fast — and how profitably — your CPG brand scales. Yet most brands waste 70–90% of their trade dollars on ineffective promotions, out-of-stocks, poor execution, and retailer programs that don't move ba...

185. You don't need millions in funding to win at retail—but you do need a mission strong enough to outlast the struggle. In this episode, I sit down with Seth Tibbott, founder of Tofurky, to unpack how he built a plant-based powerhouse from a treehouse… literally. We dig into how Tofurky carved out an entirely new retail category, why mission-driven brands outperform transaction-driven brands, an...

184. Are deductions draining your cash flow and stealing your runway? If you don't control trade spend, it will control you—and your growth. In this episode, I break down five proven strategies to dramatically reduce deductions, improve trade marketing ROI, and protect your margin. You'll learn how to become an expert in your retailer, leverage true category management, understand promotional caus...

183. If your store is losing traffic to price wars and online giants, you're not alone—and it's costing you margin, loyalty, and long-term growth. In this episode, I break down how natural retailers and emerging CPG brands can collaborate to drive profitable category sales, grow market basket, and create real competitive advantage—without racing to the bottom on price. You'll learn why natural is...

182. Are deductions draining your cash flow and stealing your runway? If you feel like an ATM for retailers and distributors, this episode is for you. Trade spend can consume up to 25% of gross sales—and most brands waste the majority of it through poor deduction management and sloppy promotional execution. In this episode, I break down practical trade marketing strategies to reduce invalid deduct...

181. Your healthy product is losing nutrients before it hits the shelf—and that's costing you sales and trust. Most brands rely on high-heat processing that destroys flavor, color, and nutritional value. In this episode, we unpack how low-temperature drying and advanced algae innovation preserve functional ingredients, extend shelf life naturally, and unlock entirely new product opportunities in o...

180. Are you walking into retailer meetings blind to what's actually driving growth in natural CPG? If you don't understand retail trends, shopper behavior, and category shifts, you're leaving opportunities—and shelf space—on the table. In this episode, I sit down with Heather Wainer of WholeFoods Magazine to unpack what's really happening inside natural retail. We discuss why small and mid-size r...