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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

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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50:38

#229 - The Rise of Ketone IQ: Creating a New Energy...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/30

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Michael Brandt, founder and CEO of Ketone IQ, to explore one of the most ambitious category creation stories in modern CPG. Ketone IQ has raised significant capital, secured military research partnerships with the Department of Defense, landed major retail distribution including Target and Sprouts, and achieved mid-eight figures in revenue with a $110 million valuation—all while educating consumers on an entirely

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38:33

Operator Spotlight: R&D Insights with Matt Craighead,...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/27

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Matt Craighead, R&D Manager at Trubar, to explore the real product development process—from initial concept and benchtop formulation to scaled production and everything in between. Matt brings a rare blend of technical depth, operator empathy, and practical insights to what is often the most misunderstood part of the CPG journey: how products actually get created.Matt shares how Trubar approaches R&D for

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33:19

Founder Feature: Stephanie McGregor of RINGA

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/26

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Stephanie McGregor, founder of Ringa—a moringa and apple cider vinegar infused beverage with no added sugar, no sugar substitutes, and no natural flavors. After 20 years as an operator in food and beverage working on brands like Red Bull, Glacéau Vitaminwater, and others, Stephanie was ready to leave the industry until an Airbnb host in Baja, Mexico wouldn't stop talking about the moringa tree growing on her

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33:12

#228 - Spotlight on Grocery Run Events with Amna...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/23

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with two founders who've leveraged Startup CPG's Grocery Run events to accelerate their retail growth: Amna Mettmann of Brause and Jocelyn Ramirez of Todo Verde. The conversation provides an inside look at how these curated retailer events create high-ROI opportunities for emerging brands to close deals, build relationships, and gain invaluable feedback from buyers—often in a single day.Amna shares how Brause used

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43:23

Investor Spotlight: Alex Borschow, Rocana Ventures

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/20

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Alex Borschow, Managing Partner at Rocana Ventures, to explore what Series A investors actually look for in consumer brands. The conversation dives deep into defining product-market fit, understanding traction metrics across channels, and why thoughtful, mission-driven capital matters for building sustainable CPG brands.Alex shares how Rocana Ventures approaches Series A investments ($7-25M revenue) with a focus

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30:47

Founder Feature: Amie Kesler of Carolyn's Krisps

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/19

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker speaks with Amie Kesler, founder of Carolyn’s Krisps—a rapidly growing, better-for-you snack brand reinventing a cherished family recipe into a modern, dairy-free and gluten-free product line. What began as a nostalgic cheddar crisp made by Amie’s grandmother has evolved into a differentiated portfolio of sweet and savory snacks defined by unique texture, bold flavor profiles, and a strong emphasis on inclusivity and quality.Amie

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36:17

#227 - Operations Ask-Me-Anything with Jamie...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/16

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff speaks with Jamie Valenti-Jordan, CEO of Catapult Commercialization Services, a leader in food and beverage product development, scale-up, and manufacturing strategy. Jamie brings decades of experience guiding brands from concept to commercialization, and a mission-driven focus on helping innovators build sustainable food systems for a rapidly growing population.Throughout the conversation, Jamie breaks down the realities of

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41:15

Investor Spotlight: Nick Giannuzzi, Humble Growth

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/13

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Hannah Dittman speaks with Nick Giannuzzi, founder and managing partner of Humble Growth—an investment firm intentionally designed to shift the traditional power dynamic between founders and investors. Nick traces his career from representing Vitaminwater in its early days to building a leading CPG-focused law firm, and eventually launching a $312M growth fund backed by industry operators who understand firsthand the realities of scaling consumer

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4:41

Startup CPG's Grocery Run with KeHE

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/12

Sign up for the Startup CPG slack at www.startupcpg.com for application details!

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30:04

Founder Feature: Liv Truesdell of FROST Buttercream

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/12

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker interviews Liv Truesdell, founder of FROST Buttercream, an emerging brand bringing bakery-quality, meringue-based buttercream to retail shelves with fewer ingredients, less sugar, and a noticeably elevated taste profile. Liv shares her journey from investment banking to building a family-run food business, working alongside her mother as co-founder, and developing a product designed to meet consumer demand for cleaner, less cloying

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52:42

#226 - Hungryroot 101: Launch Your Brand & Master...

The Startup CPG Podcast ·

2025/12/09

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with the Hungryroot team for an exclusive inside look at how the fast-growing food tech platform curates products, personalizes grocery shopping through its innovative Smart Cart technology, and simplifies meal planning for millions of customers.The Hungryroot buyers reveal exactly how they evaluate new products, source clean ingredients across categories like meat, seafood, and snacks, and navigate operational

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