Intro

This chapter explores the complexities of developing a clean label, low sugar, plant protein bar while adapting marketing strategies for diverse sales channels. It also presents a novel solution for brands to boost profitability by leveraging insights from website visitor data.

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Episode notes

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In this episode, IQBAR founder Will Nitze shares his journey from burnout in the corporate world to launching a bar brand rooted in cognitive nutrition. He walks through the steps that took IQBAR from kitchen counter tests to Amazon bestseller and retail mainstay.

What you’ll hear is less about hacks and more about the fundamentals: why starting online mattered, how feedback drove product-market fit, and what it really takes to scale profitably in CPG today.

Key topics include:

Launching DTC to validate demand and iterate fast
Why clean label and plant protein were non-negotiables
Packaging shifts driven by real-world feedback
Scaling into retail once logistics and cost structures were optimized
Viewing DTC as one piece of an omnichannel puzzle
It’s a grounded roadmap from someone who’s done the work—no shortcuts, just thoughtful strategy.

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Timestamps:

00:00 – How IQBAR started from a personal health journey

02:55 – From kitchen experiments to product-market fit

07:10 – Why the brain-focused bar category was a white space

12:10 – DTC vs Amazon vs retail: channel strategy evolution

17:45 – Profitability, scaling, and efficient COGS in CPG

22:50 – Brand evolution: packaging, messaging, and keto pivot

27:10 – Retail shelf strategy and planogram insight

31:25 – Podcast and display ads as top-of-funnel growth levers

34:45 – DTC Twitter, omnichannel mindset, and business realism

37:55 – Exit strategy, Mars dreams, and post-exit vision

41:00 – Tariffs, supply chain chaos, and CPG realities