The FMCG Guys

Our guests are Gardar Stefánsson, Founder & CEO, and Lauren Larsen, Global Marketing Director at GoodGood, the Icelandic brand disrupting the spreads aisle with no-added-sugar jams, nut butters, and chocolate spreads. What started as a pivot from surplus stevia stock has become a fast-growing business with products now in Europe and major U.S. retailers like Whole Foods, Walmart, and Kroger. With a mission to make everyday pantry staples healthier—without compromising on taste—GoodGood runs a lean, global team and blends data-driven decisions with gut instinct to build a loyal consumer base. Tune in to hear about: How a jam experiment in an Icelandic kitchen sparked a global food brand Why GoodGood’s spreads have 88% fewer calories—without cutting flavor The bold move to the U.S. and how it unlocked rapid growth Using smart packaging and cultural insights to win U.S. shoppers Running a $10M+ business with just 15 people and clear OKRs Balancing community-building, authenticity, and data in brand marketing More Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Our friends, The CPG Guys' Sri Rajagopalan & Peter VS Bond muse current industry topics.

In this episode, Daniel sits down with Laura Mehren, Head of Performance Marketing and User Experience at S. Oliver Group, to explore how data-driven marketing powers growth in the competitive world of fashion retail. With a background spanning B2B and B2C, Laura shares her perspective on the evolving performance landscape, the synergy between brand and performance marketing, and how UX and creative optimization shape conversion success. Tune in to hear about: Laura’s career path from B2B marketing to fashion e-commerce How S. Oliver balances brand building with performance efficiency The evolving role of creative in a post-targeting world The impact of AI, retail media, and rising CPCs on performance strategy Why user experience and webshop design are vital to conversion Building internal alignment between marketing, e-commerce, and tech Her take on mobile-first design and the role of brand-owned apps  

This episode was originally aired in August 2023. Paul Accornero is the Chief Commercial Officer at the De'Longhi Group, a Global Leader in Small Appliances. He joins us to speak about how he's led the organization through turbulent times in a growing category and: Today's commercial scenario in Appliances: Wholesale, DTC and eCommerce The evolution of his leadership style and working from home or the office Sustainability's stategic importance The ups and downs of the category in the last 4 years

When Ross Farquhar took over the role at Little Moons, a viral TikTok moment unexpectedly catapulted the brand into the spotlight, driving a 2000% sales spike in just one week. In this episode, Ross shares how he and the team turned that overnight success into long-term brand growth — transforming a mochi novelty into an increasingly global snacking player. Drawing from a career spanning Cadbury, Diageo, agency life, and hospitality, he explains how to scale a distinctive brand through smart innovation, clear positioning, and deep consumer empathy. Tune in to hear about: How a single TikTok video led to 2000% sales growth Turning virality into lasting brand equity and retail expansion Why frozen snacking is an untapped category with huge potential Balancing brand, performance, and social strategy How innovation, trends, and shopper empathy drive growth Lessons from a career across blue-chip FMCG, agencies, and start-ups Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Founded in 1987 in New Zealand, Kathmandu is a certified B Corp (since 2019) specialising in responsibly made technical apparel and gear for travel and adventure. In this episode, we sit down with their CEO, Megan Welch, to explore her unique leadership journey and the brand’s bold push toward global expansion. From nearly two decades at Crocs to relocating to Christchurch, New Zealand, Megan shares what drew her to Kathmandu and how she’s leading the company through its transformation from a New Zealand and Australia staple to a challenger brand in global markets. Key Takeaways: Megan’s global leadership career path Kathmandu’s purpose-driven mission focused on wellbeing through the outdoors, with deep roots in sustainability. A new partnership with the New Zealand Olympic Committee is set to boost global visibility and brand recognition. The dual challenge of maintaining ANZ market leadership while positioning Kathmandu as a global challenger brand.   Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

This episode was originally aired in May 2024. Since then, Stephanie as has taken on a new role as VP Transformation at Reckitt.   Our guest is Steph Lilley, General Manager for Reckitt’s Hygiene Business Unit in their home market, the UK, and Ireland. She joins Christine and Daniel to speak about her career from a graduate program to becoming a General Manager, with some international moves in between, but always focusing on development and with a prominence of P&L roles. Tune into this conversation to hear about: Steph’s first leadership experience The learning curve when taking an international assignment in Russia The leadership style she’s developed in time Balancing being genuine with “getting results” Her experience being a woman in commercial roles Approaching diversity, equity and inclusion Leveraging Reckitt’s popular brands for societal change

Mark Jagger (former P&G, Reckitt, Sanofi) returns to The FMCG Guys for a deep dive into one of the most pressing topics in the industry today: Pricing and Revenue Growth Management. Now running his own consultancy, JAGSS, Mark shares a candid view of why pricing has become the default growth lever—and why it’s no longer sustainable. With Cristina Nicolaou co-hosting, the discussion explores how FMCG companies can unlock healthier, more resilient growth by going back to basics, sharpening execution, and embracing shopper-centric strategies. Tune in to hear about: Why pricing has become “lazy growth”—and its long-term risks for brands The real difference between pricing and revenue management How RGM can go beyond pricing and promo to uncover hidden value Mark’s take on “a-commerce” and AI’s impact on shopper behaviour The basics that still matter: distribution, pack formats, and in-store execution How retailers can be allies—not just adversaries—in protecting shopper value More Revisit Mark's prior appearence: https://www.fmcgguys.com/mark-jagger-sanofi-alain-attias-baybridgedigital/  Agentic Episodes: https://www.fmcgguys.com/?s=agent  Revenue Managment Episodes: https://www.fmcgguys.com/?s=revenue+management  Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Benoit Menard is Puma Group's Senior Regional Director Marketing Europe and a leader who’s worked across advertising, sports federations, media, and top global brands. From his early days organizing tournaments as a student to leading major campaigns at Adidas and Puma, Benoit shares how he’s built a career grounded in creativity, curiosity, and people-first leadership. We talk about how to lead marketing teams in fast-moving environments, how to stay close to culture, and why brand building still matters in a performance-driven world. Tune in to hear about: Benoit’s career path from agencies to Adidas and Puma Leading the Puma x Olympique de Marseille relaunch Why local culture is central to global brand strategy The power of trust and risk-taking in team leadership Balancing data, gut feel, and long-term thinking Why great marketers think like scouts and storytellers More Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dS0N6LYRiMk  Gael Peigné, VP Strategic Marketing at Shalion, is back on the show to explore how AI—especially Large Language Models (LLMs)—is transforming the way consumers discover and buy products. We dive into the evolution of Food Service Aggregators (FSAs), the rise of autonomous agents in eCommerce, and how brands need to rethink digital visibility in a world where search is becoming conversational. From Generative Engine Optimization to the future of retail media, Gaël unpacks what brands must do to stay relevant as technology reshapes the path to purchase. Tune in to learn about: How FSAs like Deliveroo and DoorDash are evolving into multi-service platforms Why LLMs and AI agents are disrupting the shopper journey The shift from keyword-based SEO to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) How retailers and brands can prepare for agent-led commerce What structured data and AI-readability mean for product content strategy Why the future of retail media could be embedded in LLMs like ChatGPT and Amazon Rufus