The Startup CPG Podcast

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Grace Kennedy chats with Gloria Allorbi, CEO and founder of Gloria’s Shito®️, a spicy chili oil brand inspired by Ghana’s traditional condiment, Shito. Gloria shares her entrepreneurial journey, from creating her product for personal use to scaling it into a thriving business in U.S. grocery stores.  They dive into the challenges of maintaining aut...

In this episode of Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Aaron May, the manager of UNFI's UpNext program, UNFI's major program that helps helps emerging and diverse brands thrive in the retail space. Aaron shares insights into how UpNext supports small brands by offering guidance, networking opportunities, and access to UNFI's trade shows, all while helping them navigate the challenge...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Grace Kennedy chats with Leanne Viola and Jesse Baruch, the co-founders of WHIMS Delights, a better-for-you confectionery brand. They share their inspiring journey of creating low-sugar, gluten-free, and dairy-free treats, born out of their personal health challenges. Leanne and Jesse discuss the obstacles they faced entering the CPG industry with no pri...

In this episode of Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff is joined by Grace Kennedy, Startup CPG Podcast Host, and Jess Windell, owner of Maven Consulting and Co-Founder of Dryft Sleep, to explore the launch of Startup CPG Newswire. This innovative, free service is designed to help emerging CPG brands distribute their news and secure media coverage, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditio...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Grace Kennedy chats with Samantha Edwards, founder of the plant-based food brand New Breed. Samantha shares her inspiring journey, rooted in her Caribbean heritage and nonprofit work, which led her to create a line of flavorful, plant-based products like Jamaican Jerk CHICK’N. She opens up about how her mother’s recovery from cancer through a plant...

In this new series on the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff and Jamie Valenti-Jordan from Catapult Commercialization Services take callers who have had 'Ops Nightmares' that plague many brands. Joining them are Katherine Harvey, co-founder and CEO of Bare Bones Broth, who faced a bone broth launch disaster at Costco due to manufacturing and contamination issues; Brett Perrotta, co-founder and Ch...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Grace Kennedy  sits down with the co-founders of Tamarind Heads— Sashi Kumar, Brittney Lim, and Jim Giberson—to explore the story behind their tamarind-based barbecue and hot sauce brand. They share how tamarind, a fruit familiar around the world but lesser-known in the U.S., became the key ingredient in their unique sauces. The founders dive into...

In this episode of Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Ryan Williams, founder of FABID (Food and Beverage Investment Database) and former CFO at RISE Brewing Co., to explore the evolving landscape of fundraising and valuations in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) sector. With his extensive background in finance and investment banking, Ryan offers a deep dive into the shifting valuat...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Grace Kennedy interviews Hannah Perez, the co-founder of SEEQ Supply, a brand known for its clear protein products. Hannah shares the inspiring origin story of Seeq, which she and her co-founder, Ben, launched during the pandemic after Ben's job offer was unexpectedly revoked. They were driven by the idea of creating a refreshing alternative to tra...

In this episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Daniel Scharff is joined by Whole Foods Local & Emerging Brands team Kelly Landrieu (Global Coordinator/Director, Local and Emerging Brands) and Kristin Sherman (Principal Local Forager) as well as George Daines, formerly national beverage category manager at Whole Foods and now Director at Cultivate CPG, a retail sales brokerage that’s a sponsor of...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Grace Kennedy sits down with Mackie Swan, CEO of Woo More Play, to delve into the world of premium organic intimacy products for women. Mackie shares the inspiring story behind Woo More Play, highlighting the brand’s dedication to pleasure and natural ingredients while tackling societal taboos and navigating the retail landscape of the sexual welln...

In this episode of Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Emily Curran, Senior Manager of Product at SPS Commerce, to talk about the role of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) in optimizing supply chain processes. Emily breaks down how EDI automates the exchange of business documents between retailers, distributors, and brands, offering listeners an introductory understanding of its bas...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Grace sits down with Alison Cayne, the founder of Haven's Kitchen, to discuss the transformation of her business from a cooking school to a thriving CPG brand. Alison shares the challenges and lessons learned during this journey, touching on topics like sustainable packaging, navigating new food industry categories, and the strategic launch of a li...

In this episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Kantha Shelke, a certified food scientist, and Jon Benninger, VP at Informa, to delve into an overview of SupplySide West—the best known supply chain trade show for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. This event covers a wide array of sectors including food, beverage, dietary supplements, personal care, and animal nu...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Grace Kennedy is joined by Jen Liao, co-founder of MìLà, a brand renowned for its delicious frozen Chinese soup dumplings. Jen reveals the fascinating journey of transforming MìLà from a local restaurant into a thriving direct-to-consumer brand amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges of developing recipes for freezing, the complexities of s...

In this episode of Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff is joined by Jason Murrell, the Director of Grocery at JIMBO’S, a leading organic and natural foods retailer in San Diego. Jason shares his inspiring journey through the grocery retail industry and provides an inside look at JIMBO’S commitment to high ingredient standards and sustainability. Discover how JIMBO’S fosters strong ties with local...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Grace Kennedy is joined by Patricia Menegoto and Kiki Huddleston from the Startup CPG team for an insider look at the 2024 Shelfie Awards. They dive into the intricacies of the judging process, the criteria for selecting finalists, and the standout products that are making waves in categories like skincare, pet care, Beverages, Condiments & Spi...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Grace Kennedy sits down with Cam Mathias, the visionary founder of Huntaway, an innovative pet food brand. Discover how Huntaway emerged during the COVID-19 lockdown with a mission to deliver nutritious, convenient, and sustainable food for dogs. Cam reveals the story behind Huntaway’s unique use of wild venison as a protein source and shares the j...

In this episode of Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff is joined by Glenn Cunningham, Director of Center Store for Village Supermarkets, which owns tastemaker New York stores Fairway Market, Gourmet Garage, and local area ShopRites, and is part of the  Wakefern Co-op. Glenn sheds light on the cooperative model of Wakefern, providing valuable insights into grocery shopping trends and strategies for...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Grace Kennedy and Patricia Menegoto are joined by Veena Krishnan and Whitney McElwain, co-founders of Daybird, an innovative "anti-beauty" brand. Daybird's flagship product is a 4-in-1 serum skin tint that blends skincare and makeup into one streamlined solution. They delve into Daybird's unique approach, which rejects traditional beauty standards...

In this episode of the Startup CPG podcast, join Daniel Scharff and a distinguished panel of investors, Salle Jian, Alex Malamatinas, Brandon Yahn, and Connor McKenna  from the beverage industry as they explore the latest trends and opportunities in the non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverage market. They share insights from their experiences with brands like Seedlip, Kin Euphorics, and Liquid Deat...

Join Grace Kennedy in this bonus episode of the Startup CPG podcast as she sits down with Cassie and Chelsey Maschhoff, the inspiring founders of Lottie's Meats. Raised on a family pork farm, the sisters share their journey to revolutionize the meat industry with high-quality, natural ingredients through their Denver-based venture.  They delve into dispelling myths, overcoming challenges as female...

Join Daniel Scharff in this episode of Startup CPG Podcast for the release of Startup CPG's Financing Database, an amazing resource crowdsourced from our community that lists all the non-dilutive lending options we could find, categorized by loan type and with info on the minimums for each provider. The database is proudly sponsored by our friends at BAGS. On today's podcast, Daniel Taylor, Co-Fou...

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Grace Kennedy sits down with Sam Davis-Allonce, the founder of Hot N Saucy, a unique line of hot sauces. Sam shares her inspiring journey from being a chef in New York to launching her own hot sauce brand during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by her culinary creativity and personal cravings. She delves into the challenges and success she faced while...

In this episode of the Startup CPG podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Tyler Killgore, Central Buyer and Category Manager at GreenAcres Market. Tyler shares his expansive journey within the grocery industry, from his rapid progression and previous experience in direct store delivery ventures to his current pivotal role. He provides deep insights into his responsibilities at GreenAcres, focusing...