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PODCAST

The Startup CPG Podcast

The top CPG podcast in the world, highlighting stories from founders, buyer spotlights, highly practical industry insights - all to give you a better chance at success.

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

46:32

Investor Spotlight: Brian Bernstein, Rich Products...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/02/14

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Brian Bernstein, investor at Rich Products Ventures, to explore what corporate venture capital looks like in practice—and why it might be the strategic partner early-stage food brands didn't know they needed. The conversation dives deep into evaluating product-market fit, understanding the metrics that actually matter (velocity over door count, margin bridges, the "Toledo test"), and why venture capital isn't the

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28:45

Founder Feature: Chef V of Alchemy of Food

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/02/13

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Chef V (Vasudeva Rama Subramanian), founder of Alchemy of Food—a sauce brand built on the principle that "real ingredients make real magic." After losing his sense of taste and smell from COVID-19 as a professional chef, Chef V took a sabbatical from the restaurant world and rediscovered his palate through clean eating. That devastating experience led to the creation of Alchemy of Food, a line of sauces made

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40:35

#235 - Winter FancyFaire* Recap with Leana Salamah...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/02/10

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Leana Salamah from the Specialty Food Association, John Lane from The Raley's Companies, and Marc Brown, founder of ONOIN—to recap the Winter FancyFaire* 2026 in San Diego. After 18 months of planning, the SFA brought together 10,000 attendees and over 1,000 brands for three days of 70-degree sunshine, meaningful buyer-brand connections, and a reimagined trade show experience that integrated San Diego's culinary

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39:03

Investor Spotlight: Hayden Williams, BrandProject

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/02/07

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Hayden Williams, Partner at BrandProject, to explore what pre-launch investors look for in consumer brands—before there's even a product name or revenue. The conversation unpacks the Wonderbelly acquisition by P&G, revealing what drives conviction at the idea stage and how authentic brand building in overlooked categories can lead to strategic exits.Hayden shares how BrandProject approaches pre-launch

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33:34

Founder Feature: Kartik Das of Doosra

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/02/06

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Kartik Das, founder of Doosra, a modern Indian snack brand bringing a fresh perspective to South Asian flavors. Kartik shares his journey from growing up in Chennai and Singapore to building a food brand in New York that celebrates the rich, diverse snack culture of India. Drawing from his background as a classically trained French chef, he explains how Doosra combines the essence of traditional Indian snacks with

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38:53

#234 - Startup CPG's Expo West 2026 Preview

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/02/03

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, hosts Daniel Scharff and Patricia Menegoto deliver the definitive preview of Expo West 2026, walking through every Startup CPG event and opportunity during the industry's most important week in Anaheim.The conversation covers Monday's Grocery Run with Gelson's 2.0 in Venice (bigger venue after last year's sellout), Tuesday's Kickoff Dinner at the Anaheim White House featuring industry leader dinners alongside main networking with buyers from Ahold

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39:18

Investor Spotlight: Nate Cooper, Barrel Ventures

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/31

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Nate Cooper, investor at Barrel Ventures, to explore what early-stage food and beverage investors look for when backing emerging brands. The conversation dives deep into evaluating product-market fit, understanding what drives conviction in early-stage deals, and why founder characteristics matter just as much as metrics when building a fundable CPG brand.Nate shares his unconventional path from

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31:15

Founder Feature: Yaniv Simpson of The Conscious Bar

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/30

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Yaniv Simpson, founder of The Conscious Bar, for an inspiring conversation about redefining the chocolate industry through radical transparency and intentionality. Yaniv shares his unique journey from getting banned from a candy store at age five to building a date-sweetened craft chocolate company committed to proving that chocolate isn't candy.Yaniv discusses the inspiration behind The Conscious Bar—a mission to create

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46:51

#233 - Ask-Me-Anything: Marketing with Janice Greenwald

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/27

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff reunites with fractional CMO Janice Greenwald to tackle the most frequently asked marketing questions from the 33,000+ member Startup CPG Slack community. From social media strategy to packaging design, PR investment to budget allocation, Janice brings 20 years of CPG marketing experience to answer the real questions early-stage brands are asking.Janice breaks down the multifaceted nature of social media—it's not just posting

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38:36

Investor Spotlight: Brian Folmer, FirstLook Ventures

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/24

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Brian Folmer, founder of FirstLook Ventures, to explore what founders need to know before fundraising—from building compelling pitch decks to avoiding common mistakes that sink deals.Brian brings a rare full-stack perspective to consumer investing: founder, operator, ecosystem builder, and now investor backing early-stage brands through FirstLook Ventures and SPVs. His journey spans dropping out of law school to

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26:12

Founders Feature: Heidi and William Schneiders of Tea...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/23

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Heidi and William Schneider, the husband-and-wife team behind Tea Jams—the world's first organic fruit jam infused with tea that's redefining what a pantry staple can be.Chef William, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, started making Earl Grey syrups for Mother's Day brunches at a local inn where quilting groups raved about the flavor. He transformed those syrups into jams with 40% less sugar than

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33:49

#232 - 2026 Brand Resolutions

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/20

In this special New Year's episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff invites three founders from the Startup CPG community to share their 2026 brand resolutions—offering practical wisdom on focus, authenticity, and strategic growth for emerging CPG brands.Rebecca Styn, founder of Blind Tiger Spirit Free Cocktails, discusses her resolution to eliminate noise by being more intentional about opportunities. After initially going wide geographically and saying yes to numerous

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36:02

Investor Spotlight: Trevor Rechnitz, Vanterra Ventures

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/17

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Trevor Rechnitz, Principal at Vanterra Ventures, to explore the realities of fundraising—not just what looks good on paper, but what truly matters to investors. Trevor brings deep consumer investing experience built over nearly a decade, from sourcing and diligence to partner engagement and post-close value creation.At Vanterra Ventures, Trevor helps evaluate and back visionary teams and companies redefining

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23:52

Founder Feature: Taylor Espinoza of Unicorn Bites

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/16

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Taylor Espinoza, founder of Unicorn Bites, a fast-emerging better-for-you snack brand known for its 100% date-sweetened, allergen-free mini cookies.Taylor shares her remarkable journey from practicing law to building a brand that’s redefining indulgence with clean, functional ingredients designed to be school-safe and family-friendly.Throughout the conversation, Taylor discusses how Unicorn Bites evolved from a farmer’s

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14:18

#231 - Tools I Actually Use to Save Time

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/13

In this solo episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, founder and CEO Daniel Scharff shares the tools he actually uses every day to save time and run his business more efficiently in 2026. None of these are sponsors or partners—just genuine recommendations from tools that have made a real difference in productivity.Daniel breaks down his toolkit into four key buckets: Core Operating System (Superhuman for email management with snippets and reminders, Notion for project management, and Surfe for

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38:35

Investor Spotlight: Brian Bustamante-Nicholson,...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/10

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Brian Bustamante-Nicholson, a partner at Greycroft in the consumer brands vertical, to explore what growth-stage investors actually look for in consumer businesses—and how founders can build with intention from day one.Brian has spent 15 years working alongside founders building consumer businesses, developing a sharp lens for what actually drives durable growth versus what just looks good in a pitch deck. His

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26:30

Founder Feature: Alan Scholnick of Datefix

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/09

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Alan Scholnick, founder and CEO of Datefix, for a thoughtful conversation on innovation, wellness, and entrepreneurship in the food industry. Alan shares how his journey from real estate and private aviation to launching a natural food brand was driven by a passion for fitness and clean nutrition.Alan discusses the inspiration behind Datefix—a simple yet powerful concept that turns one of nature’s oldest fruits, the date,

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49:07

#230 - From Self-Distribution to Full-Service...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/06

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Adam O'Connor, founder of Smidge Beverage—a lightly boozy 2.5% ABV vodka soda—and Josh Fischer, VP of Product at Cin7, to explore how early-stage founders can build scalable operations systems that support growth without breaking as they scale.Adam shares his journey launching Smidge Beverage, a premium low-alcohol vodka soda brand in Arizona, starting with self-distribution before transitioning to third-party

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46:50

Investor Spotlight: Family Fund with Josh Wand and...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/03

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Josh Wand and Sean Kelly, General Partners at the Family Fund, to explore what founders actually need to understand when navigating fundraising. The Family Fund is a deeply community-driven investment firm built by former founders who believe the best companies are built through trust, transparency, and long-term partnership.Josh and Sean bring decades of firsthand entrepreneurial experience and an incredibly

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24:44

Founder Feature: Houston Buehrle of Little Zing

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2026/01/02

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Houston Buehrle, founder of Little Zing, a premium mustard brand rooted in a century-old Danish family recipe. Houston shares how he transformed his great-grandmother’s handcrafted condiment into a fast-emerging brand in the CPG space, known for its clean ingredients, distinctive flavor, and standout branding.Throughout the conversation, Houston discusses his commitment to ingredient integrity, his approach to product

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387 results

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