The Startup CPG Podcast

Today we get to learn from an incredible marketing and customer experience expert and leader. Jess Cervellon is the Vice President of Customer Experience at Feastables, a DTC/B2B Customer & Brand Experience Consultant, and Co-host of Oopsie Podcast. If you aren’t familiar with Feastables, it’s the CPG brands of YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, better known as Mr. Beast, who is the most subscribed individual in the world with 176 million subscribers on YouTube at the time of recording. His brand Feastables so far makes chocolate bars, cookies, and gummies (shoutout to Karl Gummies as my personal favorite) which are available online, in Walmart, and a growing list of other retailers. Jess has worked across high-growth DTC, eComm and SaaS companies for the last 12+ years and was the 4th hire at Feastables. We’re really going to dig into all things customer experience in this episode and Jess has lots of practical tips for small brands.Listen in as Jess shares about:Why customer experience or CX is important to start thinking about early at an emerging brandHow to leverage chat bots on your website and the behind-the-scenes of the Feastables chat botSMS trends and how to interact with your customers through SMSThe pros and cons of outsourcing customer service and how to leverage technology as your own army of customer success reps and salespeopleConnecting DTC with retail and how Feastables leveraged their community during the Walmart National launchStories from the field, including Jess’ personal number getting leaked to the Mr Beast audienceAnd more!This episode was sponsored by Graphite Financial. Go to graphitefinancial.com/cpgThis episode was sponsored by Settle. Go to https://www.settle.com/gostartupcpgEpisode Links:Jess’ website & LinkedInFeastables’ website & Mr. Beast’s YouTubeJess on MentorPassOopsie Podcast hosted by Zoe Kahn & JessSignup for Jess’ newsletter, Sunday Postcards1-800-DTC article about Feastables featuring JessMentions: Intercom, Kustomer (CRM), Zendesk, Gorgias, Hubspot, Certainly (bot), Sendlane, Klaviyo, Postscript, Attentive, Oat Haus, Mid-Day Squares Graphite Financial LinksGraphite Financial websiteDownload a free financial model template, chart of accounts template, and more hereListen to our episode with Graphite founder, Paul Bianco, episode #96 here.Settle Links:Settle websiteTake the Settle Bill Pay for a spin hereShow Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (14K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi Freitag's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

It’s awards season! Well at least here at Startup CPG it is. If you aren't aware, we have our very own annual industry award competition at Startup CPG, and this year is the Third Annual Shelfies Awards, proudly sponsored by Floret, where we recognized the most promising emerging CPG brands. Startup CPG wanted to create opportunities for industry recognition with no entry fee, no essays, and only for emerging brands. This year the categories expanded beyond food, beverage, and supplements to include pet, beauty, and health products, and we received over 600 submissions that have been narrowed down to 76 finalists across 21 categories. I thought it would be fun to have the two main judges and coordinators behind the Shelfies on the show to talk about trends and some of the finalists. You may know the names and voices of Patricia Menegoto, Startup CPG’s Head of Marketing & Community & Jenna Movsowitz, our Startup CPG Spotlight Magazine Managing Editor. We didn't have time to discuss every finalist, even though we love them all so much, so I've linked in the show notes the latest magazine edition with all the finalist brands you'll be wanting to try and celebrate. We’d love for you to join the LinkedIn live awards ceremony in a few weeks on September 28, 2023; you can find the link in the show notes or on our Startup CPG LinkedIn page. Also, a fair number of the brands mentioned today are either backpack or innovation brands at Expo East, so if you are headed to Philadelphia, be sure to stop by to try for yourself. There will also be a Shelfies celebration meetup in LA in October and details will be in Slack and the newsletter soon. Now let’s talk Shelfies!Episode Links:Startup CPG Spotlight Magazine: Frozen Edition & Shelfie FinalistsAttend the Shelfies Awards Ceremony on LinkedIn Live on September 28, 2023Shelfies Award sponsor FloretJenna’s LinkedInPatricia’s LinkedInStartup CPG Pet Judges Video on InstagramMentions: Toum by Saha, Sohha Savory, Culture Kitchn Kombucha, Pedestrian Project, Daybird, Jaded CBD, Bonny, Funk It Wellness, Tend Prenatal, Recoup Wellness, Twrl Milk Tea, Hooch Booch, Immorel, Krushwell, Thrive Market, House of Kajaana, Kula, NoBull, Something Sweet, Kind Roots, Ghost Town Oats, Seeductive Foods, Rebel Cheese, Goddess Mousse, Full of Beans Kitchen, Better Sour, Bundle & Joy, Petaluma, A Better Treat, Homescape PetsThis episode was sponsored by Settle. Go to https://www.settle.com/startupcpgThis episode was sponsored by Graphite Financial. Go to graphitefinancial.com/cpgSettle Links:Settle websiteFind out your Settle financing power hereGraphite Financial LinksGraphite Financial websiteDownload a free financial model template, chart of accounts template, and more hereListen to our episode with Graphite founder, Paul Bianco, episode #96 here.Show Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (14K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi Freitag's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

Last time we talked about equity crowdfunding on the show, many of you let me know that you wanted more equity crowdfunding content. When I saw that Ghost Town Oats had launched their second Wefunder campaign, I thought it would be a great opportunity for us to talk more about equity crowdfunding and to introduce you to Ghost Town Oats if you aren’t familiar. Ghost Town Oats is the first Black-owned, queer-owned, barista-owned oat milk company. Ghost Town Oats was developed by three baristas, Michelle R. Johnson, Eric Grimm, and Ezra Baker, who were a part of oat milk’s initial rise to fame in some of the first shops to carry it. Having been unpaid ambassadors while also seeing its marketability skew towards the upper economic class of society, it was time to flip the script: make a premium oat milk of their own and create a brand that appealed to a broader audience. They formulated Ghost Town Oats for incredible taste, steaming capability, and versatility, and the reviews are in: it’s a hit! They reached $1 million in revenue 10 months after launch, they’ve already produced over 1 million units of oat milk, and they are already carried in over 500 coffee shops. Our guest today is Ghost Town’s Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder Ezra Baker.Listen in as Ezra shares about:How Ghost Town Oats got started during the pandemicTheir first Wefunder equity crowdfunding campaign in 2022 where they raised over $210,000 from almost 500 investors in less than a week and NBA all-star Jimmy Butler was a lead investorTheir second and currently ongoing Wefunder campaign, from what they learned from the first campaign to how it works to set up a campaignHow they distribute to 500+ coffee shops and what’s next for Ghost Town in the foodservice channelFirst hires for Ghost Town and how they plan ahead for their next hiresPress opportunities like Good Morning AmericaAnd moreGet your ticket to the Expo East Mic Drop party for a chance to win a spot on the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/4nafz284This episode was sponsored by Settle. Go to https://www.settle.com/startupcpgThis episode was sponsored by Graphite Financial. Go to graphitefinancial.com/cpgEpisode Links:Ghost Town Oats websiteCurrent Ghost Town Oats Wefunder campaignOrder Ghost Town Oats on DayglowNo Free Refills PodcastEzra’s LinkedInMentions: Tetra Pak, Shoreline, Go Get Em Tiger, CBC Specialty Beverage, Stan’s Donuts, Dom's Kitchen & Market, Cafe Grumpy, Saveur, Prosperity Market, Black Market FleaMic Drop Party at Expo East Giveaway:Enter the giveaway to win a spot on this podcast and The Dish by buying your ticket to the Mic Drop party in Philadelphia on September 21, 2023 hereNote: Giveaway only available to CPG brands and must be present at party in-person to win. If you already bought a ticket, you’ve automatically been entered!Settle Links:Settle websiteFind out your Settle financing power hereGraphite Financial LinksGraphite Financial websiteDownload a free financial model template, chart of accounts template, and more hereListen to our episode with Graphite founder, Paul Bianco, episode #96 here.Show Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (14K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi Freitag's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

I’m so excited to introduce you to today’s guest and for the chance to feature an incredible organization everyone in CPG should know about, Project Potluck. Kathleen Casanova is the Founding Executive Director of Project Potluck, which is the largest professional community inclusively for People of Color (POC) in CPG. People of Color face systemic barriers to accessing social, human, and financial capital. As a result, today’s CPG industry is not representative of the US population or the consumers that support and purchase products, especially natural and organic products.  Currently, 40% of the US population are POC but only 16% of leadership teams in CPG Natural Products are POC. Project Potluck is empowering People of Color to build successful companies and careers in the CPG Industry. If you are a Person of Color, this episode will introduce you to Project Potluck as a resource. If you are not, this episode will introduce you to how to support the Project Potluck community and contribute to serving 1,000 People of Color in CPG, creating a more colorful CPG industry, and a more equitable society.Listen in as Kathleen shares about:How Project Potluck got startedResources and events available to membersHow people can support Project PotluckAnd more!Get your ticket to the Expo East Mic Drop party for a chance to win a spot on the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/4nafz284This episode was sponsored by Settle. Go to https://www.settle.com/startupcpgThis episode was sponsored by Graphite Financial. Go to graphitefinancial.com/cpgEpisode Links:Project Potluck websiteKathleen’s LinkedInMic Drop Party at Expo East Giveaway:Enter the giveaway to win a spot on this podcast and The Dish by buying your ticket to the Mic Drop party in Philadelphia on September 21, 2023 hereNote: Giveaway only available to CPG brands and must be present at party in-person to win. If you already bought a ticket, you’ve automatically been entered!Settle Links:Settle websiteFind out your Settle financing power hereGraphite Financial LinksGraphite Financial websiteDownload a free financial model template, chart of accounts template, and more hereListen to our episode with Graphite founder, Paul Bianco, episode #96 here.Show Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (14K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi Freitag's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

Today’s guests are active members of the Startup CPG community and were a crowd favorite Backpack Brand at Startup CPG’s Expo West Alley Rally! Hannah and Behzad Varamini are the co-founders of Tend, the first snackable, real food prenatal. They are reinventing multivitamins, replacing synthetic, hard-to-stomach pills and gummies with superior real food supplements for every stage of life - beginning with pregnancy. I loved getting to hear more about their story and am so excited for you to hear about their journey so far.Listen in as Hannah and Behzad shares about:The process of founding Tend and how Hannah’s prenatal pill experience paired with Behzad’s PhD background to create a new productHow they went from kitchen science project to commercialization and brandingTheir experience with accelerators including SKU and the Target Forward Founders AcceleratorHow they use qualitative and quantitative consumer dataTheir Expo West experiences and tips and what it was like to be a Backpack Brand at the Alley RallyThe experience of being married and co-foundersWhat’s next for TendAnd more!Get your ticket to the Expo East Mic Drop party for a chance to win a spot on the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/4nafz284This episode was sponsored by Graphite Financial. Go to graphitefinancial.com/cpgThis episode was sponsored by Settle. Go to https://www.settle.com/startupcpgEpisode Links:Tend’s websiteHannah’s LinkedInBehzad’s LinkedInMic Drop Party at Expo East Giveaway:Enter the giveaway to win a spot on this podcast and The Dish by buying your ticket to the Mic Drop party in Philadelphia on September 21, 2023 hereNote: Giveaway only available to CPG brands and must be present at party in-person to win. If you already bought a ticket, you’ve automatically been entered!Graphite Financial LinksGraphite Financial websiteDownload a free financial model template, chart of accounts template, and more hereListen to our episode with Graphite founder, Paul Bianco, episode #96 here.Settle Links:Settle websiteFind out your Settle financing power hereShow Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (14K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi Freitag's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

I don’t always love talking about insurance, but I love talking about insurance with today’s guest, Danielle Holyoake, because I always learn so much and end up feeling more empowered with knowledge. Danielle, is the CRO and co-founder of Amelia Risk, a CPG insurance brokerage equipped to handle all lines of commercial insurance, and I actually met Danielle through the Startup CPG Slack back in 2021 when she helped me with an urgent insurance issue. Last year, in 2022, Danielle came on the show for a CPG insurance 101 level episode of Let's Demystify Insurance - How to navigate insurance in CPG, which is linked in the show notes and may be helpful to listen to before or after this episode, as it’s packed with really great information about general liability, product liability, recall, and worker’s comp insurance. Today we continue with our 100 level CPG insurance knowledge by focusing in on two areas of insurance that often get overlooked, but become super important as a CPG company scales: D&O or Directors & Officers insurance and stock throughput insurance, which come into play around conversations about fundraising and inventory respectively.This episode was sponsored by Amelia Risk.Listen in as Danielle shares about:Why D&O insurance comes up during fundraising and why it’s often a requirement of investorsWhen to start thinking about D&O insurance and what it coversWhy stock throughput insurance is important and surprising areas where your inventory may be unprotectedHow inventory is covered from an insurance perspective during freight transit, at 3PL warehouses, and why you might need insurance to protect itExamples of insurance claim and inventory loss scenarios when insurance can and cannot help, including spoilage, and temperature control issuesHow to find the right insurance broker and why choosing a broker before shopping for policies is importantAnd more!Get your ticket to the Expo East Mic Drop party for a chance to win a spot on the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/4nafz284This episode was sponsored by Kickfurther. Go to https://www.kickfurther.com/startupcpgThis episode was sponsored by Graphite Financial. Go to graphitefinancial.com/cpgEpisode Links:Amelia Risk websiteDanielle’s LinkedInDanielle’s email: danielle [at] ameliarisk.comLink to our other episode with Danielle: Let's Demystify Insurance - How to navigate insurance in CPGMic Drop Party at Expo East Giveaway:Enter the giveaway to win a spot on this podcast and The Dish by buying your ticket to the Mic Drop party in Philadelphia on September 21, 2023 hereNote: Giveaway only available to CPG brands and must be present at party in-person to win. If you already bought a ticket, you’ve automatically been entered!Kickfurther Links:Kickfurther websiteSee how much inventory funding you qualify hereGraphite Financial Links:Graphite Financial websiteDownload a free financial model template, chart of accounts template, and more hereListen to our episode with Graphite founder, Paul Bianco, episode #96 here.Show Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (14K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi Freitag's Linkedin or websiteQuestions or comments about the episode? Email Jessi at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

Amy Zitelman, co-founder and CEO of Soom Foods, joins the show to discuss the 10-year journey of her company. Topics covered include starting Soom with her sisters, focusing on the foodservice channel, launching nationally in Sprouts and Whole Foods, the process of rebranding, balancing family and startup growth, and navigating financial challenges.

Today’s episode is a celebration. A celebration of 100 episodes of The Startup CPG Podcast! Can you believe it? If you’ve been listening since the beginning, that’s amazing! If this is your first episode, that’s also amazing - welcome! I want to give a heartfelt thank you to each of you as listeners and to our incredible sponsors - you all have allowed us to keep the show going!I thought to commemorate the occasion, I’d share my top 100 moments on the podcast - just kidding, I’ll just share 10-ish things. From most used metaphors to most surprising stories to most actionable tips to fan favorite episodes, we’re going to count backwards to the #1 moment on the podcast so far. I also made a playlist in the shownotes of all the episodes mentioned in this roundup in case you want to check out the full conversations.I hope you enjoy and would love to hear from you - what’s your favorite episode or moment on the show? Send me a message on LinkedIn or in the Startup CPG slack (or post it to LinkedIn!). Also, just a quick note that it was incredibly difficult to narrow down this list of moments - there are so many incredible guests and episodes not in today’s roundup - I used a mix of download data + your feedback + my own memory to curate this.Enter the July 2023 podcast review giveaway by completing this form: https://tinyurl.com/28zyjr3eThis episode was sponsored by Shopify. Go to shopify.com/startupcpgThis episode was sponsored by Kickfurther. Go to https://www.kickfurther.com/startupcpgThis episode was sponsored by Graphite Financial. Go to graphitefinancial.com/cpgEpisode Links:Playlist with all episodes mentioned#10 - The “Pure Gold Series” with Seth Goldman (4:10): From: #51 Pure Gold Series: Ask Seth Goldman Anything! Plus the Announcement of Just Ice Tea#9 - Unlikely Meetings (6:29): #57 Shark Tank, Sea Moss, and an Ocean of Potential with Alexiou Gibson#71 Building Content Creation Muscles - Behind Dream Pops’ Marketing with David Greenfeld (+ Nowhere Bakery)#8 - Shark Tank Moments (11:43): #80 From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez#77 Making a deal on Shark Tank with wildwonder's Rosa Li#7 - Marriage and Dating Fundraising Metaphors (14:41): #60 Venture Capital & Private Equity 101 with VMG Partners' Wayne Wu#68 How to Raise $10 Million: Fundraising Aura Bora Style with Paul Voge#6 - Early Episodes (17:33): How to Mind your Packaging, Branding, (and the Font) with Designer and Agency Owner Kirk VisolaMove over coconut water - Pricklee cactus water brings health, happiness, & hydration#5 - Best Advice (23:43): #83 Trade Spend & Retail Promotions 101 with Jake Huber (+ Niramaya)#73 In-Store Demos 101: Building a Successful Demo Program (+ Funky Mello)#81 Meet the Press: Behind the scenes on media publishing with Monica Watrous at Food Business News#4 - Fan Favorites (28:03): #70 Angel Investing 101 with Marcia Dawood (+ Uproot Teas)#62 Affiliate & Influencer Marketing 101 with Kim Biddle#3 - Cold Outreach (31:24): #59 Welcome to the Oat Haus! Celebrity Collaboration, Sprouts Launch, and Mental Health with Ali Bonar#92 Behind the Dream [Pie] Collaboration of Ben & Jerry’s and Partake Foods with Marlo Giudice#2 - Authenticity behind the scenes (36:15): #47 Authenticity 101: Developing a clear & authentic brand identity at SOMOS with Miguel Leal#95 GT Dave - Founder & CEO of GT’s Living Foods: 25+ years of building the kombucha industry one batch at a time#1 - Liquid Death (41:37): #76 How Liquid Death is Murdering Lame Marketing with Hamid SaifyJuly 2023 Podcast Review Contest:Enter the giveaway by completing this form (it only takes 1-2 minutes!)By completing the form, you’ll be entered to win one of six prize packages, each filled with goodies from past guests: Tsubi Soup, GoNanas, Forij, Amazi, Chia Smash, Eureka Tortilla, and Nowhere Bakery.Giveaway open to US residents only, age 18+. Giveaway ends on July 31st, 2023 at 11:59 pm PST. The winner will be notified via email.Thank you for listening to the show and helping new listeners find us!Shopify Links:Start a free trial and enjoy 2 months of Shopify for $1/monthKickfurther Links:Kickfurther websiteSee how much invent...

I’m so excited to bring back a very popular guest from last year, Jenna Cameron, for another foodservice episode! We released episode #74 with Jenna during December of last year as part of the First Hire Series, and our conversation focused on first hires for foodservice sales. Our community seems hungry for foodservice knowledge and so we asked Jenna to come back on the show to walk us through the biggest players in foodservice from distributors, to operators, to buying groups and more. Jenna is currently the sales lead at SIMULATE and has 10+ years of experience in plant-based foodservice sales for growing brands.Listen in as Jenna shares about:Key term definitions to frame the conversation including operators versus buying groups versus redistributorsMajor distributors to know in foodservice, including details on Dot, Sysco, US Foods, and more, plus other regional distributors and how to work with eachSome of Jenna’s favorite operators from campus stores to Disney to Red Robin and others and specific nuancesAn overview of key buying groups like Compass and Aramark and how to get started with a buying groupC-store & convenience store channel ideasResources for finding a regional broker for foodservice or an advisorAnd right at the end we cover Groceraunt, which is incidentally my new favorite wordAnd more!Please note that Jenna drops a ton of detailed information in this episode and if you are worried about catching the company names she’s dropping, fret not! I included all the distributors, buying groups, and operators she mentions in the show notes with links.Enter the July 2023 podcast review giveaway by completing this form: https://tinyurl.com/28zyjr3eThis episode was sponsored by Shopify. Go to shopify.com/startupcpgThis episode was sponsored by Kickfurther. Go to https://www.kickfurther.com/startupcpgThis episode was sponsored by Graphite Financial. Go to graphitefinancial.com/cpgEpisode Links:SIMULATE websiteJenna’s LinkedInLink to our other podcast episode with Jenna: #74 First Hire Series: Foodservice Sales with Jenna CameronFoodservice 101 webinar recordingCompanies mentioned: Distributors mentioned: Dot Foods, Sysco, US Foods, BiRite, PFG / Vistar, Gordon Food, Chefs’ Warehouse, Vegan Distribution, Shamrock, Webstaurant, FoodServiceDirect, SunbeltRedistributors mentioned: Alpine, Dot FoodsOperators mentioned: Follett Bookstores/Campus Stores, Peet’s Coffee, Bareburger, Philz Coffee, Lemonade, Red Robin, Disney, Next Level Burger, Plant Power Fast FoodC-Store Operators mentioned: Loop Convenience, 7-11, Plaid PantryBuying Groups mentioned: Compass (Chartwells, Foodbuy), Aramark, SodexoCollege & Universities Trade Show: NACUFSRegional brokers: Herspring-Gibbs, Acclaim, Fidler MarketingAdvisors: Elohi Strategic Advisors (general foodservice strategy), Green Nature Marketing (strategic nationwide coverage), Advanced Natural Group (micromarket/c-store/corporate cafeterias)Groceraunt Trade Show: IDDBAJuly 2023 Podcast Review Contest:Enter the giveaway by completing this form (it only takes 1-2 minutes!)By completing the form, you’ll be entered to win one of six prize packages, each filled with goodies from past guests: Tsubi Soup, GoNanas, Forij, Amazi, Chia Smash, Eureka Tortilla, and Nowhere Bakery.Giveaway open to US residents only, age 18+. Giveaway ends on July 31st, 2023 at 11:59 pm PST. The winner will be notified via email.Thank you for listening to the show and helping new listeners find us!Shopify Links:Start a free trial and enjoy 2 months of Shopify for $1/monthKickfurther Links:Kickfurther websiteSee how much inventory funding you qualify hereGraphite Financial LinksGraphite Financial websiteDownload a free financial model template, chart of accounts template, and more hereListen to our episode with Graphite founder, Paul Bianco, episode #96 here.Show Links:Join the Startup CPG Slack community (13K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Jessi Freitag's

Ali Miller, Vice President of Product Management, Ads at Instacart, shares her expertise on the cutting-edge integration of AI in grocery shopping. She discusses how Instacart's four-sided marketplace benefits consumers, brands, and retailers. Ali elaborates on the evolution of their advertising tools, highlighting new features like shoppable video formats and the ChatGPT plugin. She offers insights for emerging brands on optimizing their presence and leveraging personalization through AI, paving the way for a smarter shopping experience.