the Joshua Schall Audio Experience

Is Conor McGregor’s new MAC Energy drink another stroke of beverage industry genius, or a desperate gamble? In this video, I break down the high-stakes CPG business strategy, advanced ingredient science, and massive marketing risks behind the July 2026 launch. Conor McGregor previously shocked the beverage industry with a historic $600 million exit for Proper No. Twelve. But as he trades his whisk...

If you weren’t aware, there’s a growing “sustainability” threat brewing within the multibillion-dollar U.S. coffee segment coffee of Keurig Dr Pepper! And since I believe Batman doesn’t need caffeine to get through his dark nights, the Bat-Signal would likely prove ineffective at summoning the superhero. So, where does KDP turn next? Maybe Anthony DiSilvestro doesn’t look like your typical DC Comi...

How long before Celsius Holdings swaps its corporate name to Alani Nu Holdings? But in all honesty, Celsius Holdings has come a long way from a single energy drink product launched more than two decades ago to a scaled platform with multiple billion-dollar beverage brand powerhouses. Although why does it feel like there’s still so much more that needs done? Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ: CELH) had quar...

More Competition. More Promotions. More Innovation. The Protein RTD market set-up is getting really interesting...just like I predicted two years earlier! BellRing Brands (NYSE: BRBR) is a portfolio that owns a collection of convenient nutrition brands like Premier Protein and Dymatize Nutrition, which was previously wholly-owned by Post Holdings. A fast-paced and busy lifestyle is pushing consume...

The line between your pantry and your vanity is officially gone. I called this more than four years ago, but beauty routines now include various dietary considerations that can provide a glow-up in every bite. So, could the beauty market of the future be largely edible? Possibly. Not only has the global collagen peptides market surpassed $10 billion recently, and ingredient-specific content on Tik...

Business is not a spectator sport…although shouldn’t you be curious why THG Nutrition just delivered its strongest start to a year since 2021? THG (aka the company formerly known as The Hut Group) recently updated the public markets by releasing its Q1 2026 trading statement. I’ll be utilizing all available publicly disclosed information to obviously update you on the recent performance of THG Nut...

Ever wonder where those viral packaged foods and beverages go once the hype dies? Welcome to the grocery aftermarket…and it’s thriving partly because the TikTok “Bullwhip Effect” is seemingly in overdrive. And that virality can trigger thousands of orders in hours, causing CPG brands to rush (now inflated) production runs. Although by the time the inventory hits warehouses and retail shelves, the...

Is Optimum Nutrition Winning the "Protein Mania" Era? 🥤💪 Glanbia just released its Q1 2026 interim management statement, and the numbers tell a fascinating story about where the global nutrition market is headed. Despite a volatile economic backdrop, the "house that Optimum Nutrition built" continues to show massive strength, but there are some strategic shifts worth watching...

Is the final frontier the ultimate high-trust marketing channel? In this content, I break down how a single floating jar of Nutella during the Artemis II NASA livestream might have just rewritten the CPG marketing playbook. Traditional advertising is dying behind adblockers, but space remains one of our last "monocultural moments." When a CPG product appears in a lunar habitat, it carrie...

CPG brands have spent decades perfecting the art (and science) of "winning the shelf." Fighting for eye-level placement, negotiating complex distribution deals, and pouring tons of money into top-of-funnel brand awareness to ensure “mental availability” at the point of purchase. Although the "shelf" CPG brands know could be evaporating quickly, as we enter the era of agentic co...

Since it’s natural…does that inherently make it better? Everyone knows by now that RFK Jr. took aim at synthetic dyes, generally made from petroleum and/or concocted in labs, claiming they can compromise our health. Think “Yellow 5” that makes Mountain Dew a neon shade or those bright-red Skittles courtesy of “Red 40.” Arguably, well before the MAHA report was published…the broader CPG industry ha...

After telling my wife I’d be spending A LOT less time going forward on my fantasy football rosters, I could see the extreme joy on her face…until she found me yelling at my laptop after a heifer named Daisy had another “low output” performance. Then, I asked her if skipping dinner was cool, as my roster obviously needed a major overhaul now and this upcoming rookie class of New Zealand dairy cows...

The "Ozempic Era" winner won't just be the company that ships the most pens...it’ll be the one that provides the most holistic support for the patient's new metabolic reality. For years, Hims & Hers has been the gold standard for "full-stack" digital health, successfully turning stigmatized medical treatments into lifestyle rituals. But as they dive deeper into the...

Move over Diet Coke, there’s a new Trump beverage in town. Barron Trump (along with some former classmates) are launching SOLLOS, a yerba mate brand seeking to capture the "Sunshine State" lifestyle. It’s naturally caffeinated, slightly bitter, and already getting trolled into oblivion online. But let’s not get caught up on politics. Yerba mate is skyrocketing as a natural coffee alterna...

For decades, soda giants fought over sugar and fizz…but now the battlefield has shifted to protein shakes. In my latest content, I break down why Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) is no longer content being an RTD Protein categorical spectator, as The Coca-Cola Company (via fairlife) and PepsiCo (via Muscle Milk) dominate the shelves. From "nostalgia-hacking" the market with the upcoming GHOST x Yo...

What’s driving the “herbs and botanicals” category, which has emerged as a powerhouse within the supplement industry…and demonstrating robust growth that’s significantly outpacing vitamins and minerals? Preferences are evolving in terms of product formulation. So, while the market has traditionally preferred isolated herbal extracts, more consumers are increasingly seeking synergistic botanical bl...

Is soda actually becoming...healthy? For over a century, soda was the "villain" of the American diet...full of sugar, bubbles, and empty calories. But something weird is happening in the beverage aisle. We are witnessing the “Great Soda U-Turn.” In this video, I dive deep into the fascinating history of the biggest carbonated soft drink (CSD) brands and how they started as medicinal toni...

Everyone is talking about the price tag, but they’re missing the real story. In this content, I break down why Unilever just dropped $1.2 billion to acquire Grüns, a gummy supplement startup less than three years old. I'll dive deep into the "Great Uncoupling" of 2025, exploring how CEO Fernando Fernandez is aggressively shedding heritage "pantry" brands to transform Unilev...

About one quarter of the 150K+ convenience stores have spoken, and they shared some interesting opinions about the growing energy drinks category. And even if you aren’t familiar with every insight regarding this beverage category, I’m sure you intuitively recognize that convenience is the most important sales channel (by sales dollars) for energy drinks in the U.S. market. But here are my top “ca...

In today's video, I'm breaking down the Simply Good Foods (SMPL) fiscal 2026 Q2 Earnings report. It was a rocky quarter with net sales down 9.4% YoY, leading to a massive leadership shakeup. Former CEO Joe Scalzo is back in the driver's seat, but he’s inherited a portfolio facing a "protein snacking tsunami." In this deep dive, I'll cover... Leadership Reset: Why Geoff Ta...

Is the "mid-round glizzy" officially dead? For decades, the "golf diet" was a punchline...defined by hot dogs at the turn and light beers. But a seismic shift is happening. From the "Tiger Effect" to the new "Athlete Era," golf is transforming from a leisure hobby into a high-performance endurance sport. In this video, I'll break down the rise of golf-fo...

If it wasn’t enough that sports nutrition brands face increasingly stronger private label threats from large retailers…they must now contend with competition from Quince, a bargain-priced luxury online marketplace that built its name from selling $50 cashmere sweaters. But if you’re thinking, “developing collagen supplements and cashmere sweaters cannot much in common,” you’d be wrong…and I’m not...

Is FitLife Brands actually growing, or is the Irwin Naturals acquisition just masking deeper issues? In my latest video, I'm breaking down the FitLife Brands (FLTF) Q4 2025 earnings report released on March 31, 2026. While the consolidated revenue jumped an impressive 73% YoY to $25.9 million, a closer look at the data reveals a much more complex story. Irwin Naturals Impact: How the August 20...

All we ever hear about is the intense competition between the United States and China for dominance in artificial intelligence. But what about our race against the UAE for precision fermentation marketplace control? If you’re not familiar, precision fermentation has become increasingly competitive, especially due to advancements in AI and computational biology that can more effectively create new...

Did Applied Nutrition just take a page out of its competitor’s (i.e. MyProtein) strategic playbook? Applied Nutrition Plc (LSE: APN) is a leading sports nutrition brand sold in over 80 countries worldwide. There are several product ranges, including the namesake Applied Nutrition, All Black Everything (ABE), Body Fuel, and Endurance. Additionally, because of a trademark issue, the U.S. division se...