The Startup CPG Podcast

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Ryan Williams, founder of Northhall, to demystify CPG finance and accounting for early-stage consumer brands. The conversation covers everything from the bare minimum financial foundations a founder needs to get right, to the metrics investors care about most—and the hard-earned lessons Ryan has picked up from years of...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Kun Yang, co-founder of Pricklee—a natural hydration drink powered by prickly pear cactus fruit with no artificial dyes, no artificial sugars, and no plastic. Caitlin and Kun crack open the brand-new Pricklee 2.0 cans live on the podcast and dive into the four-and-a-half-year journey from launching in Boston in 2021 to...

In this solo episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff—Founder & CEO of Startup CPG—shares his complete playbook for winning at Expo West. After exhibiting at Expo West (and Expo East) more times than he can count, Daniel breaks down exactly how emerging brands can maximize ROI at one of the most overwhelming trade shows in the world: 70,000 attendees, 3,000 booths, and buyers with li...

In this mini episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Hannah Ackermann and Taylor Davis from Comet to explore the fiber and gut health trends taking over CPG—and what brands should expect to see at Expo West 2026. If last year was the year of protein, this year is shaping up to be the year of fiber. From prebiotic sodas to functional jams and bone broth, fiber is showing u...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Brian Bernstein, investor at Rich Products Ventures, to explore what corporate venture capital looks like in practice—and why it might be the strategic partner early-stage food brands didn't know they needed. The conversation dives deep into evaluating product-market fit, understanding the metrics that actually matter (...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Chef V (Vasisht Ramasubramanian), founder of Alchemy of Food—a sauce brand built on the principle that "real ingredients make real magic." After losing his sense of taste and smell from COVID-19 as a professional chef, Chef V took a sabbatical from the restaurant world and rediscovered his palate through clean eating....

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Leana Salamah from the Specialty Food Association, John Lane from The Raley's Companies, and Marc Brown, founder of ONOIN—to recap the Winter FancyFaire* 2026 in San Diego. After 18 months of planning, the SFA brought together 10,000 attendees and over 1,000 brands for three days of 70-degree sunshine, meaningful buyer-...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Hayden Williams, Partner at BrandProject, to explore what pre-launch investors look for in consumer brands—before there's even a product name or revenue. The conversation unpacks the Wonderbelly acquisition by P&G, revealing what drives conviction at the idea stage and how authentic brand building in overlooked cate...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Kartik Das, founder of Doosra, a modern Indian snack brand bringing a fresh perspective to South Asian flavors. Kartik shares his journey from growing up in Chennai and Singapore to building a food brand in New York that celebrates the rich, diverse snack culture of India. Drawing from his background as a classically trained Fren...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, hosts Daniel Scharff and Patricia Menegoto deliver the definitive preview of Expo West 2026, walking through every Startup CPG event and opportunity during the industry's most important week in Anaheim. The conversation covers Monday's Grocery Run with Gelson's 2.0 in Venice (bigger venue after last year's sellout), Tuesday's Kickoff Dinner at the Anahei...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Nate Cooper, investor at Barrel Ventures, to explore what early-stage food and beverage investors look for when backing emerging brands. The conversation dives deep into evaluating product-market fit, understanding what drives conviction in early-stage deals, and why founder characteristics matter just as much as metric...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Yaniv Simpson, founder of The Conscious Bar, for an inspiring conversation about redefining the chocolate industry through radical transparency and intentionality. Yaniv shares his unique journey from getting banned from a candy store at age five to building a date-sweetened craft chocolate company committed to proving that choco...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff reunites with fractional CMO Janice Greenwald to tackle the most frequently asked marketing questions from the 33,000+ member Startup CPG Slack community. From social media strategy to packaging design, PR investment to budget allocation, Janice brings 20 years of CPG marketing experience to answer the real questions early-stage brand...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Brian Folmer, founder of FirstLook Ventures, to explore what founders need to know before fundraising—from building compelling pitch decks to avoiding common mistakes that sink deals. Brian brings a rare full-stack perspective to consumer investing: founder, operator, ecosystem builder, and now investor backing early-st...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Heidi and William Schneider, the husband-and-wife team behind Tea Jams—the world's first organic fruit jam infused with tea that's redefining what a pantry staple can be. Chef William, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, started making Earl Grey syrups for Mother's Day brunches at a local inn where quilting group...

In this special New Year's episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff invites three founders from the Startup CPG community to share their 2026 brand resolutions—offering practical wisdom on focus, authenticity, and strategic growth for emerging CPG brands. Rebecca Styn, founder of Blind Tiger Spirit Free Cocktails, discusses her resolution to eliminate noise by being more intentional...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Trevor Rechnitz, Principal at Vanterra Ventures, to explore the realities of fundraising—not just what looks good on paper, but what truly matters to investors. Trevor brings deep consumer investing experience built over nearly a decade, from sourcing and diligence to partner engagement and post-close value creation. At...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Taylor Espinoza, founder of Unicorn Bites, a fast-emerging better-for-you snack brand known for its 100% date-sweetened, allergen-free mini cookies. Taylor shares her remarkable journey from practicing law to building a brand that’s redefining indulgence with clean, functional ingredients designed to be school-safe and family-fri...

In this solo episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, founder and CEO Daniel Scharff shares the tools he actually uses every day to save time and run his business more efficiently in 2026. None of these are sponsors or partners—just genuine recommendations from tools that have made a real difference in productivity. Daniel breaks down his toolkit into four key buckets: Core Operating System (Superhuman...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Brian Bustamante-Nicholson, a partner at Greycroft in the consumer brands vertical, to explore what growth-stage investors actually look for in consumer businesses—and how founders can build with intention from day one. Brian has spent 15 years working alongside founders building consumer businesses, developing a sharp...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Alan Scholnick, founder and CEO of Datefix, for a thoughtful conversation on innovation, wellness, and entrepreneurship in the food industry. Alan shares how his journey from real estate and private aviation to launching a natural food brand was driven by a passion for fitness and clean nutrition. Alan discusses the inspiration b...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Adam O'Connor, founder of Smidge Beverage—a lightly boozy 2.5% ABV vodka soda—and Josh Fischer, VP of Product at Cin7, to explore how early-stage founders can build scalable operations systems that support growth without breaking as they scale. Adam shares his journey launching Smidge Beverage, a premium low-alcohol vod...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Josh Wand and Sean Kelly, General Partners at the Family Fund, to explore what founders actually need to understand when navigating fundraising. The Family Fund is a deeply community-driven investment firm built by former founders who believe the best companies are built through trust, transparency, and long-term partne...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Houston Buehrle, founder of Little Zing, a premium mustard brand rooted in a century-old Danish family recipe. Houston shares how he transformed his great-grandmother’s handcrafted condiment into a fast-emerging brand in the CPG space, known for its clean ingredients, distinctive flavor, and standout branding. Throughout the conv...

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Michael Brandt, founder and CEO of Ketone IQ, to explore one of the most ambitious category creation stories in modern CPG. Ketone IQ has raised significant capital, secured military research partnerships with the Department of Defense, landed major retail distribution including Target and Sprouts, and achieved mid-eigh...