Retail and Social: Exploring The Connection

Brent Sisco the former President of Dumpling Daughter joins us to share how Dumpling Daughter went from three restaurants to 5,000 grocery doors nationwide — and what it really takes to build a frozen CPG brand from scratch. A few topics we covered: How COVID pivot turned a restaurant group into a CPG brand, the brutal realities of cold chain logistics, when to graduate from DSD distributors to na...

George Milton and Erin Link, co-founders (and real-life couple) of Yellowbird Foods, joined us to share the story behind one of the most recognizable hot sauce brands on shelves today. What started as a kitchen passion project turned into a brand now sitting in nearly 18,000 retail doors across the US. In this episode: How George and Erin built Yellowbird from the ground up as a couple, and what a...

John Waller shares his journey through the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, highlighting his experiences from mentorship to starting his own brand, Humble Nut Butter. He discusses the challenges of navigating the CPG landscape, including working with distributors and the decision to shut down his business. John reflects on the lessons learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey and offer...

In this conversation, Rifle Hughes shares his extensive experience in the food and beverage industry, discussing his career journey from telecom to consulting. He emphasizes the importance of cross-functional teams and the need for brands to balance passion with professionalism. Rifle also highlights the differences between emerging and established brands, the significance of timing in innovation,...

In this episode, we sit down with Peter G! Peter Gialantzis, COO of Pod Foods, to talk about how the company is shaking up the world of grocery distribution. Peter breaks down how Pod Foods is making the supply chain simpler for brands, helping them scale in the fast-moving retail world, and why the traditional distributor model just isn’t cutting it anymore. He shares lessons from his career in g...

Big Swings, Real Vibes: How Brands Break Through Ed Starr, partner at BMF Media, joins us to talk all things experiential marketing—what works, what wows, and why authenticity beats polish every time. We chat about what worked for Poppy, smart trade show strategy, and how mid-sized CPG brands can punch above their weight by showing up boldly and building real community. Ed brings the heat with sha...

Is SEO Dead? Not Even Close. Jane Phelps, Founder of Know Agency, joins us to unpack how AI is shaking up the world of SEO — and why it’s actually a huge opportunity. We talk user-generated content, smart strategies for staying visible, and how brands can thrive in the age of AI search. If you're ready to outsmart the algorithm, this one’s for you. Chapters 00:00Introduction to SEO and AI in W...

In this episode, we hang out with Kyle Koehler, CEO ofWildway, as he shares how he traded spreadsheets for superfood. Kyle takes us on his journey from corporate accounting to launching a regenerative granola brand that’s shaking up the food system. We chat about the wild world of food industry incentives, why playing the long game matters, and how regenerative practices can actually change the ga...

Neil Murphy, Chief Revenue Officer at Bridg joins us to talk his journey from a minor league baseball player to a leader in retail media. He shares his extensive experience at Walmart, where he helped develop their advertising business, and his current role at Brid, focusing on identity resolution and customer insights. Neil emphasizes the importance of understanding customers, especially for regi...

Ryan Merry, the creative director of El Nacho, shares his journey from hospitality to the world of CPG. He discusses the importance of owning manufacturing, the unique branding inspired by luchador culture, and the strategic pivots that have positioned El Nacho as a competitive player in the snack market. The conversation also covers retail strategies, the role of innovation, and future directions...

 Matt Cohen the Founder of Kidfresh meals joins us. He discusses the evolution of Kidfresh, a brand focused on providing healthy food options for kids. He shares insights on the brand's strategic decisions, including their approach to retail partnerships, the importance of packaging redesign, and the role of social media in engaging with consumers. Matt emphasizes the significance of understan...

Ryan has a new job! We talk through what else is new and a quick preview of the upcoming season

In this episode, Lewis Goldstein, CEO of Better with Buckwheat, shares his journey from Maine Crisp to rebranding the company. He discusses the challenges and strategies involved in the rebranding process, the importance of understanding market dynamics, and the reception from retailers. Lewis emphasizes the need for simplicity in marketing and the significance of consumer engagement as the brand...

As Isaac and I continue to deep dive regenerative agriculture we caught up with David Brown who is the Chief Marketing Officer at Alec's Ice Cream. We delve into the concept of creating an emotionally healthy brand and the unique positioning of Alex Ice Cream. Also, the retail and social strategy that the team deploys in this growth stage. A little buyer perspective sprinkled in and finally we...

Our first returning guest Ryan Blad comes on to talk through his teams viral video for Sun Warrior. We talk all about how this video came to life and what's next for the video and the brand.

In an effort to continue our deep dive on Regerenerative Agriculture we invited Mary Purdy, from the Nutrient Density Alliance to discuss the importance of connecting regenerative agriculture with nutrient-dense outcomes. We explore the challenges of getting buy-in from various stakeholders, including consumers, farmers, retailers and food industry leaders. It also delves into the need for educati...

In this episode, we interview Daniela, the founder of Big Picture Foods, a brand that focuses on regenerative farming and produces olives, peppers, and capers. Daniela explains the traditional slow curing process of olives using salt and how it has been replaced by industrialized methods. She emphasizes the importance of natural fermentation and the use of wild native cultures derived from the soi...

We are joined by Alex Temple from Mable Marketplace. Mable is turning itself into a valuable tool for emerging brands and Alex tells us how. Mable is a marketplace technology for distributors and a selling platform for brands in the food and beverage industry. They enable distributors to sell third-party products to their customers without warehousing them, and they enable emerging brands to drop...

Marcus Lasky from FDM Sales discusses his background and the role of FDM in the consumer goods industry. He highlights the importance of supply chain and omni-channel strategies in the CPG business, as well as the role of social media in brand marketing. Marcus emphasizes the value of FDM's personal touch and its role as an extension of the brand. He also provides insights on trade shows, incl...

In this episode, Isaac and Ryan are joined by Anthony Corsaro and Kyle Krull, hosts of a ReGen Brands Podcast. They discuss the concept and benefits of regenerative agriculture, the challenges of defining and certifying these products, and the importance of building a supply chain. Brands like Kettle & Fire and Zack's Mighty are highlighted as examples incorporating regenerative principles...

Isaac discusses the social influence scorecard created by him and his team at Socialike. The scorecard focuses on midsize retailers and their ability to help CPG brands. Isaac explains that retailers can be considered influencers, as they already have a social following and a level of trust from consumers. The scoring methodology takes into account factors such as the number of stores, follower co...

In this episode, Ryan, Isaac, and guest Mike Scavuzzo from Numerator discuss various trends and challenges in the beverage industry. They dive into the trending category of prebiotic and probiotic soda, highlighting brands like Ollipop and Poppi. They also explore the rise of non-alcoholic beverages and the challenges of merchandising these products. The conversation touches on the synergy between...

Kamal Jarrett from Hillside Harvest discusses his journey in the food industry and the growth of his brand. He highlights the importance of regional collaboration and the impact of events like Naturally New England. Kamal shares his experience in expanding his brand's reach and the challenges and opportunities of marketing Caribbean-inspired products. He emphasizes the need for authenticity an...

In this episode, we interview Alex Adam from Boredom Kills Creative, a creative agency based in England. We discuss Alex's background in music and how he transitioned to working with CPG brands. We also explore the value of mascots in branding and building a tribe. Alex shares insights on the importance of food imagery in packaging and staying ahead of design trends. We talk briefly on the dif...

Matt Levine, founder of Chlorophyll Water, shares his journey in the beverage industry and the success of his brand. He discusses the brand partnership with Alo and how it has influenced the growth of Chlorophyll Water. Matt also talks about the importance of strategic placement in stores and the approach to retail expansion. He emphasizes the focus on one core product and the frugal approach to g...