The Startup CPG Podcast

Meet Jennifer Yepez-Blundell, the new Startup CPG podcast host. Jennifer has an eternal curiosity for brands who are building better-for-you products and think outside the box, literally. She will showcase the diversity of thought behind some of today's youngest brands and highlight resources that  help emerging brands level up each day. 

Lauren Joyner is the CEO and Founder of LOCA Foods. LOCA's first product is a plant-based nacho sauce for the 21st century, made from potatoes. Lauren has really done her research to understand what it is about food that we enjoy - what purpose does it serve, in what context is it shared, how does it make us feel? This is such an important mindset for disrupting a broken food system. Understanding what doesn't work, how it got that way, and why we cling to it are essential foundations for building a better product. On this episode, Lauren and I talk about how LOCA is reinventing comfort foods in a way that's better for humans, animals and the planet. We discuss important angles for thinking about nutrition, shelf life, and even dive into the history of America's obsession with cheese.

Startup CPG is a community of passionate people who love to build products that make our bodies happy, and our world healthy. In less than a year our community has grown to over 1200 active and engaged memebers. We have bigger and better projects in the pipeline to support small CPG brands -  the best is yet to come. 

John Schiaroli loves using his years of experience in operations to support young brands as they are being molded. He builds operational frameworks for growth, helping young brands create scalable, precise and effective backbones to make sure the business works. John's experience ranges from years at multinational brands like Coke and Pepsi, to more recently leading supply chain operations for brands like RUNA, WTRMLN WTR, and Milk Bar. On this episode, John walks me through the most important lessons for effective operations strategy, whether you're building a new brand with  a few hundred thousand in the bank, or innovating at a large company, you'll find this episode helpful.  For a deeper dive into operations with John, check out his podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIqwVWUoQis.

How do you bring a traditional product to market while maintaining the integrity of family tradition?  Meet Mariam Elghani, founder of Garlic Goodness, Garlic Dips and Snacks. Produced in California with farm-fresh ingredients, Garlic Goodness bring bold yet approachable flavors to homes in California. Garlic Goodness is based off a family recipe that has traveled from the Lavant to Sacramento. One main ingredient has changed - egg whites - to make the dip plant based. Yet, the heart of the dip is still the same. Mariam oversees all the production: "it's the way that we've been making it in the restaurant for the past 12 years." On this episode, Mariam and I talk about what it is like to make essential changes to reach a larger audience while staying true to your roots.

Are you thinking about selling your products online, direct to consumer? Not sure if you should start selling on Amazon, on your own website, or somewhere else? Unclear if e-commerce can be profitable for your business? E-commerce and growth marketing experts Rachel Barge and Kate Lin discuss strategies for reaching your customers directly on episode 10. Rachel Barge is the founder of Leap Grow, a premium group of freelance growth marketers and has served as the Head of Growth/Marketing for companies like Hip Camp, Yerdle, and Gig Car Share. Kate Lin is a marketing strategist at Right Side Up. She advises companies on how to unlock additional revenue, from early stage ventures to Fortune 500 companies.

Improving something should be inherently innovative, but within the food and beverage world, what really fuels the "better for you" space? As a young company, what support exists to help you stick to your vision and values? In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, we interview Chloe Sorvino, a staff writer at Forbes. Chloe covers all things CPG, from Billionaires to Under 30 entrepreneurs. Under 30 applications just opened, so be sure to listen to the entire episode for tips from Chloe on how to stand out in your application!

What really makes a product stand out to investors and customers? Gregorio Santiago has spent his career getting to know the ins and outs of what makes a great product succeed, and why some of the most innovative products never make it to market. Formerly the head of Acceleration and Discovery at Distill Ventures and a serial entrepreneur himself, Gregorio shares some tactical stories and tips with us.

What is a Co-Man, Co-Manufacturer, or Co-Packer? If you’re a budding CPG business, should you consider partering with one to save overhead? Turns out, they can be super helpful in securing deals within your supply chain, but there’s a few things you should know before approaching a contract manufacturer. In this week’s episode of the Startup CPG podcast, we sit down with Matt Suggs, the founder of Partner Slate. He walks us through everything you need to know about getting your recipe off the ground and into stores.

Today's episode is a conversation with Clara Paye, Founder of UNiTE Food. UNiTE packs globally inspired flavors and wholesome, gluten-free ingredients and superfoods into nourishing, high-protein snacks. Clara is technically a one-woman show but she's clearly building something so much bigger than herself, and on this episode we talk about the inspiration and process of shaking up a pretty basic niche of CPG, bringing diversity and inclusion to the protein bar space.