In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Grace Kennedy sits down with Cason Crane, the founder of Explorer Cold Brew, to explore his journey from endurance athlete and consultant to the creator of a caffeine-conscious coffee brand. Cason shares his unique story, which includes summiting the highest peaks on every continent and competing on Race to Survive Alaska, and how these experiences shaped his perspective as a founder.

They dive into the origin of Explorer Cold Brew, born out of Cason’s own need for decaf options during the COVID lockdown, and discuss the company’s mission to bring low-caffeine and decaf cold brew to coffee lovers everywhere. Cason speaks candidly about the challenges of building a brand in the competitive CPG space, from customer acquisition to establishing retail partnerships with Whole Foods and Sprouts, and his strategy to achieve profitability while remaining true to Explorer’s values.

If you're a founder, coffee enthusiast, or curious about navigating the CPG industry, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest reflections on the startup journey.

Tune in now to fuel your entrepreneurial spirit!

Listen in as they share about:

• Explorer Cold Brew’s Unique Selling Point
• Challenges of Building a CPG Brand
• Customer Acquisition Strategy
• Future Retail Expansion
• Advice on Strategic Partnerships
• Honest Perspective on Startup Challenges
• Engagement with Startup CPG Community

Episode Links:

Website:  https://explorercoldbrew.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casoncrane/ 

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's Linkedin 
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
• Episode music by Super Fantastics