The Startup CPG Podcast #241 - Breaking Into Misfits Market: What the Buying Team Actually Wants
Think Misfits Market is just a place to offload short-coded inventory? Think again. In this episode, Daniel Scharff sits down with the Misfits Market buying team — Steve Edelman, Jessie Kimsey, and Emma Dineen — to pull back the curtain on the "new" Misfits Market and what it really takes to get your brand into their curated assortment.
From the treasure hunt experience they've built for subscribers to the live brand pitching session at the end, this one is packed with insight for any emerging CPG brand looking to crack e-commerce.
You will learn:
- How Misfits evolved from rescued produce to a tightly curated grocery destination of ~1,100 SKUs
- The three pathways to get on their platform: opportunity buys, LTOs, and replenishment
- What a winning pitch email actually looks like (hint: know their assortment before you reach out)
- Why transparency about your pricing, MOQs, and operations matters more than a perfect margin
- What categories they're actively looking to fill right now: dairy, frozen, charcuterie, and more
- Why some brands that underperform elsewhere absolutely soar on Misfits — and the "1 in 1,100" advantage
- Live brand pitches from the audience — and which ones made the Misfits team's eyes go wide
Episode Links:
Brands who pitched:
- Vital Halva — Brooklyn sesame bar, 19g fiber, 12g protein: https://vitalhalva.com/
- Veggie Vice — Freeze-dried veggie chips (zucchini & salt, broccoli sour cream & onion), viral on TikTok: https://www.veggievice.com/
- Nout — Macadamia nut butter with black sesame and matcha: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nout
- Aveyo — Avocado mayo made from actual avocados, 75% less fat/calories than oil-based mayo: https://www.aveyolife.com/
- Little Gourmets — Fresh, veggie-rich, globally inspired baby food: https://lilgourmets.com
- Ptashka — Fully cooked frozen sweet & savory crepes: https://www.ptashkacrepes.com
- Pezzy Pets — Pet treats made from invasive species sourced from fishermen and hunters: https://pezzypets.com/
- SAYSO — Stick pack cocktail/mocktail mixes, dehydrated, low sugar: https://drinksayso.com/
- Reclamation Foods — Upcycled Korean-style bone broth, shelf stable, jiggles in fridge: https://reclamationfoods.com/
- Pantry Gems — Single-tablespoon tomato paste portions: https://pantrygems.co/
- OH MY! — Spoonable dessert butter in jars and squeeze pouches, gluten/dairy free: https://eatohmy.com/collections/dessert-butters
- Hot Girl Sauce— Squeezable chili oil bridging chili crisp and hot sauce categories: https://thehotgirlsauce.com
Reach the Misfits buying team directly: 📧 procurement@misfitsmarket.com
Connect with the guests:
- Misfits Market Website: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/
- Stephen Edelman, Sr. Director Category Management, Misfits Market
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenedelman/ - Jessie Kimsey, Associate Director Vendor Strategy & Category Innovation, Misfits Market
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-kimsey-80023266/ - Emma Dineen, Category Manager, Misfits Market
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmadineen/ - Shop Misfits Market: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/hp58
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 (35K+ 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