Shelf Help: The Tactical CPG Podcast

On this episode, we’re joined by Brittney Cook , the Co‑Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Something Sweet , a family‑run frozen cookie dough brand that’s redefining indulgence with clean ingredients and a heartfelt mission. Brittney and her mom and sisters turned a deeply personal loss into a business that delivers small‑batch, brown‑butter cookie dough you can bake straight from the freezer. In...

On this episode, we’re joined by Michael Marra , the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Budder Creative , the agency behind modular fixture systems like Budder Groove™ and some of the most immersive dispensary retail spaces in North America.  With roots in industrial design for global beauty and apparel brands, Michael has spent the last decade translating “best-of-CPG” shopper insights into a...

On this episode, we’re joined by Luke Montgomery‑Smith , Co‑founder of Plink! , the effervescent hydration tablet brand that’s rethinking what it means to enjoy a drink without the waste of bottles or cans. Before launching Plink!, Luke co‑founded Wild Fizz Kombucha, a multi‑award‑winning beverage that saw early success before the pandemic forced a shutdown. Now, as a second‑time founder , he’s br...

On this episode, we’re joined by Mitesh Patel , the Senior Director of Creative & Design at High Tide Inc. , one of Canada’s largest and most diversified cannabis companies. Mitesh oversees all creative across High Tide’s portfolio, which includes over 200 retail locations under banners like Canna Cabana plus global ecommerce and accessories brands like Grasscity , Smoke Cartel , and Daily Hig...

On this episode, we’re joined by Paulo Lacerda Sobral , the CEO of Lolli Soda - classic soda, remixed with cannabis. Lolli focuses on legacy flavors like Cherry Cola, Grape Soda, and Orange Soda. Paulo honed his beverage chops at big names like PepsiCo and Sierra Nevada Brewing before diving into the cannabis beverage space. He brings deep expertise in beverage manufacturing, distribution strategy...

On this episode, we’re joined by Brandon Castaneda , Co-founder and CEO of EZ Bombs - a breakout Hispanic food brand that went from zero to $20 million in just one year by turning traditional Mexican recipes into viral “bath bombs” - and B en Amaya , the brand’s Director of Marketing . What started in Brandon’s mom’s kitchen exploded on TikTok Shop , where EZ Bombs quickly became the #1 food brand...

On this episode, we’re joined by Kyle Peters , the Senior Director of Emerging Brands at Jack Link’s , where he leads brand strategy, P&L, and innovation across a portfolio of growth-stage and incubation brands - including Golden Island, Jack Link’s Chili, and more. Kyle brings a unique lens to scaling emerging brands within a legacy organization, drawing on his experience as a founder of a hi...

On this episode, we’re joined by Chris Bauer , CFO at Catapult Commercialization Services , the product development and commercialization “fixer” for the CPG industry - from R&D and formulation to supply chain setup, manufacturing, co-packers, and go-to-market strategy. Chris provides a masterclass on the world of co-packers. He breaks down how to actually pick the right co-packer, how to stru...

On this episode we’re joined by serial entrepreneur , Sorosh Tavakoli , the Founder and CEO of Stockeld Dreamery , a bold food-tech brand reinventing cheese without animals, using fermentation and legumes (this ain’t your typical plant-based cheese). Stockeld first launched in food service with their own take on cream cheese and MELT, sliced yellow cheese that actually melts. A big retail push is...

On this episode, we’re joined by Andrew Thomas , VP of Marketing at Archer , the fast-growing meat snack brand formerly known as Country Archer . With a new name, bold new packaging, and a fresh retail strategy, Archer is repositioning itself from niche natural to mainstream powerhouse on track to hit ~$400M in sales in 2025. Prior to Archer, Andrew led marketing at brands like KeVita , PepsiCo ,...

On this episode, we’re joined by Bryan Shelton , the VP of Sales & Marketing at Giorgio Fresh — the largest grower, shipper, distributor of fresh mushrooms. Before joining Giorgio, Bryan held senior sales roles at legacy CPG companies like Del Monte , Pinnacle Foods , and Kellogg . At Giorgio, he’s leading a modern transformation of a nearly 100-year-old company, pushing mushrooms into the spo...

On this episode, we’re joined by Ryan Gill , the Director of Marketing at Three Chord Bourbon , and a spirits industry veteran with deep roots in off-premise retail. Before joining the team at Three Chord, Ryan spent over a decade running top-tier off-premise locations across the South, managing $XXM+ stores and building high-performance teams. That front-line retail experience gave him a rare len...

On this episode, we’re joined by Tara Foster , the COO of Evergreen (a better-for-you waffle brand), and the former COO of nutpods . Tara was part of the founding team at nutpods, where she helped scale the plant-based creamer brand to a nine-figure run rate and the #2 brand in the category. With over a decade of experience across ingredient sourcing, supply chain strategy, and operational leaders...

On this episode, we’re joined by Will Nitze , the Founder and CEO of IQBAR , a functional nutrition brand pioneering “brain + body” fuel for the modern consumer. Launched in 2017, IQBAR is on track to hit $125M this year with just nine full-time employees , spanning 10,000+ retail doors including Walmart , Costco , and Target . Will unpacks how he built one of the most capital-efficient brands in...

On this episode, we’re joined by Jim Baudino , the President of Iconic Tonics - a joint venture with Snoop Dogg - and Partner at Harmony Craft Beverages , an incubator focused on cannabis and hemp beverages. Jim joined Shelf Help to break down one of the most exciting categories in CPG today. From velocity benchmarks and dosing trends to on-premise strategy, retail readiness, and the ever-changing...

On this episode, we’re joined by Laura Morris , VP of Marketing at Sempio Foods , Korea’s oldest registered food brand . Sempio was founded in 1946 on a simple promise: never sell a product the founder wouldn’t serve his own family. Today, they’ve grown into a global powerhouse in fermented sauces, noodles, kimchi, teas, and more that’s distributed in 75+ countries. Before Sempio, Laura led market...

On this episode, we’re joined by Tyler Mayoras, Managing Director at Manna Tree Partners . Tyler has spent over 15 years in private equity CPG, partnering with brands like Simple Mills , Health-Ade , New Primal , and Verde Farms . But he’s also been on the operator side, building Cool Beans from scratch, launching into retailers like Sprouts and Wegmans, and learning firsthand how to navigate the...

On this episode, we’re joined by Ian Montgomery , a sustainable design strategist at EcoEnclose and the former founder of Guacamole Airplane, a studio known for pioneering some of the most creative and technical work in sustainable packaging. Ian has worked with top-tier brands like Nike , Whole Foods , Allbirds , Dell , and Flamingo Estate , helping them radically rethink how materials, storytell...

On this episode, we’re joined by Sam Rose , the founder and CEO of RoseBud Ice Cream , a Denver-based brand crafting nostalgic, indulgent ice cream with unapologetically high standards. Sam launched RoseBud after years of self-teaching, boxing, and perfecting pints out of a Walmart ice cream maker. What began as a THC- and CBD-infused experiment has since evolved into a super-premium brand stocked...

On this episode, we’re joined by Juan Niño , the Director of Marketing at Artisan Tropic, a family-owned, better-for-you snack brand rooted in Colombian heritage and powered by plantains, cassava, and regenerative agriculture. Juan’s journey is anything but typical. After a career as a professional fútbol player in Colombia , he found himself helping his aunt and uncle fulfill e-commerce orders fo...

On this episode, we’re joined by Hannah Perez , the Co-Founder and Brand Visionary behind SEEQ — the clear protein brand that’s pioneering one of the most refreshing (literally) new categories in sports nutrition. What started with a college friendship has turned into a rocketship brand that's now stocked nationwide at Target , growing a cult following on TikTok, and giving legacy supplement...

On this episode, we’re joined by Douglas Raggio , the founder of Pass the Honey and author of So You Wanna: Start a Food or Beverage Business . Douglas spent a decade as an investor reviewing over 12,000 food and beverage deals before launching Pass the Honey — a single-serve honeycomb brand on a mission to combat one of the most pervasive forms of food fraud in the world. Today, the brand is scal...

On this episode, we’re joined by Joe Rotondo and Drew DiSpirito , the co-founders of Smearcase — the world’s first frozen cottage cheese dessert, also known as FroCo . What started as a post-run craving turned into one of the most disruptive frozen product launches in recent memory. Smearcase packs 40 grams of protein per pint , uses clean-label ingredients (no gums, no seed oils), and is now stoc...

On this episode, we’re joined by Victoria Foster , the Senior Director of Marketing at Rivalz™ , a plant-based snack brand pioneering a new era of better-for-you salty snacks. Before joining Rivalz as the second employee, Victoria led growth and innovation at Hometown Foods and ConAgra for iconic brands like PF Chang’s, Bertolli, and Frontera. Now at Rivalz, she’s helping build a brand around a on...

On this episode, we’re joined by Ana Kornegay, the VP of Marketing at Santo Spirits, the premium tequila brand co-founded by Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar. Before leading the charge at Santo, Ana spent over 15 years at Brown-Forman overseeing iconic spirits like Gentleman Jack and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel. She's also the founder of Hummingbird Branding & Marketing, and holds a Master’s in...