The Startup CPG Podcast #242 - KeHE Grocery Run Recap
In this special episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with the three winning brands from Startup CPG's biggest-ever Grocery Run event — held the night before the KeHE Summer Show in Denver. Kiki Couchman (co-founder of Sourmilk), Cam Loyet (founder of Honeymoon Chocolate), and Ryan Raish (founder of Fave) share what it was like to compete among 70 vetted brands in front of 400 buyers and KeHE account managers, and what the night led to for each of their businesses.
Kiki describes how the Grocery Run served as the perfect training ground before Expo West — her brand's very first trade show experience — and how every single conversation felt worth the flight to Denver. Cam shares how the reaction to his brand-new honeycomb chocolate product completely blew away his expectations compared to years of selling bars at Whole Foods. And Ryan reveals how a 15-minute huddle at the event turned into a verbal commitment from Sprouts for a national launch into their innovation set in June — completely reshaping Fave's go-to-market strategy.
Throughout the episode, the founders share hard-won advice on how to stand out at a trade show: bringing a physical hook to the table (like a raw honeycomb frame or a cocoa pod), using bright visuals and branded tablecloths, asking questions instead of pitching, and keeping the energy low-pressure and relationship-first. Ryan also opens up about what made him finally launch his own brand after years in the industry — and why his 4-year-old daughter naming the company "Fave" during a preschool taste test was the sign he needed.
Whether you're preparing for your first trade show, evaluating whether KeHE is the right distribution partner, or just trying to understand what these Grocery Run events are all about, this episode is packed with real, actionable insight from founders who just lived it.
Listen in as they discuss:
- What it actually feels like to exhibit at a Grocery Run event — the energy, the camaraderie, and the buyer openness
- How Sourmilk used the event to identify which regions were responding best to their product without paying for SPINS data
- Why Honeymoon Chocolate's new honeycomb product stole the show — and what it means for their product strategy going forward
- How Fave secured a verbal commitment from Sprouts for a national innovation set launch — all from a 15-minute conversation at the event
- Booth setup tips: physical hooks, branded tablecloths, tall pitchers, and light leave-behinds buyers will actually carry
- How to get a buyer's attention without being pushy — asking for feedback instead of selling, calling out the double-take, and keeping it friendly
- Why Ryan spent years in CPG before launching his own brand — and the personal criteria he required before doing it
- What early-stage brands can realistically expect from a KeHE onboarding opportunity
Episode Links:
Thank you to KeHe Distributors and our sponsors from our Denver Grocery Run!
IGNITE Sales Services (a Division of Acosta)
What's Next? KeHE Holiday Show Grocery Run, Chicago, June 9th
APPLY NOW: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCr-xzT5_hPGE0CpRhVE2QnTIK_pysg-Sz-o-TP2l_rDsVBQ/viewform
Kiki Couchman – Sourmilk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsten-kiki-c-242929112/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourmilk/ Website: https://www.sourmilk.com/
Cam Loyet – Honeymoon Chocolate
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camloyet/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honeymoonchocolates/
Website: https://hmchocolates.com/
Ryan Raish – Fave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanraish/
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/favemixes/
Daniel Scharff – Founder, Startup CPG
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danscharff/
Startup CPG Newswire: https://startupcpg.com/newswire
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)
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- Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
- Episode music by Super Fantastics