The Startup CPG Podcast

Startup CPG
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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.

  1. 2D AGO

    #247 - How to Build a Board with Seth Goldman, JUST ICE Tea

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Seth Goldman—co-founder of Honest Tea, co-founder and CEO of Just Ice Tea, and one of the most experienced board members in the CPG space, having served as chair of Beyond Meat, Plant Burger, and Mission Guardians of Tony's Chocolonely—to answer the questions most founders never get a straight answer on: When do you actually need a board? Who should be on it? How do you manage it? And how do you protect yourself? Seth walks through every stage of the board journey—from the friends-and-family raise where you probably don't need one yet, to the angel round where you do, to the institutional raise where investors will ask for seats and you need to know how to vet them back. He shares the story of a would-be investor he turned away after learning they wanted management options to install their own CEO, how he recruited legends like Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield and Jeff Swartz of Timberland to an Honest Tea board when the company was doing a few million in sales, and why splitting your lead investment between two partners isn't just smart—it's protective. Daniel and Seth also dig into what makes a board meeting actually useful, how to avoid the nightmare scenario of surprising your board with bad news in the room, why diversity of opinion matters more than cheerleaders, and what it looks like to navigate a CEO transition as a board member. Plus: Seth's advice on how to position yourself if you want to become a board member someday—and the unsexy pallet configuration insight that saved Just Ice Tea hundreds of thousands of dollars. Together, they cover: When you actually need a board—and when you don'tHow to vet investors who want board seats before you say yesHow Seth recruited Gary Hirshberg and Jeff Swartz to the Honest Tea boardBoard composition: why you want A players, former CEOs, and real diversity of thoughtCompensation: options, terms, vesting, and the 1% rule of thumbThe "nose in the tent, hands outside" principle of healthy board governanceHow to run a board meeting that passes the test—OKRs, no surprises, every voice heardProtecting control: why splitting your lead raise between two investors mattersCEO transitions: what makes a founder-CEO hit a ceiling, and how boards navigate itHow to position yourself to become a board member Just Ice Tea is now the top-selling bottled tea in the natural channel, launching nationally this year with Kroger, Safeway Albertsons, and Publix—and Seth has a lot more to say about how governance helped get them there. Episode Links Seth Goldman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-goldman-234bb7124/ Just Ice Tea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/just-ice-tea/ Just Ice Tea: https://justicetea.com/  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 @startupcpgVisit host Daniel's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

    49 min

  2. 5D AGO ·  BONUS

    Bonus Episode: Khalil Khamis of Crafty Ramen

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Khalil Khamis, CEO of Crafty Ramen—a brand reimagining what frozen ramen can be by bringing restaurant-quality bowls to the freezer aisle. No water, no assembly. Just heat and eat in seven minutes. Crafty Ramen started as a 24-seat ramen shop in Canada, founded by husband-and-wife duo Jared and Mickey Farrell—a red seal chef and his partner who trained at the Yamato School of Ramen in Tokyo. Khalil joined the business eight years ago, leveraging his background in franchise restaurants, and officially came on as CEO in 2021 to take the brand into retail. Today, Crafty Ramen is in nearly 3,000 retail doors across Canada, partnered with every major Canadian retailer, on HelloFresh's marketplace as their first branded product, and gearing up for a nationwide U.S. launch later this summer. Caitlin shares how she tested the product as a toddler mom looking for something fast, fresh, and high quality—and how the frozen puck format (a layered block of broth, noodles, protein, and real toppings, blast-frozen from fresh ingredients) completely delivered. Khalil and Caitlin dig into the origin story that grew out of pandemic-era meal kits, the decision to never use plastic trays, what kaizen means in a CPG context, and how Crafty Ramen approaches SKU development using the restaurant as a living innovation lab. Together, they cover: How a 24-seat ramen restaurant became a pandemic-born retail brandThe "fresh frozen puck" format and why it stands apart in the freezer aisleWhy Crafty Ramen refuses to use plastic trays—and what that means for manufacturing partnershipsThe challenge of scaling a Michelin-trained chef's recipes to 10,000 units a dayWhat kaizen looks like as a core value in CPG vs. restaurantsHow the restaurant acts as a testing ground for new retail SKUsNavigating tariffs and cross-border logistics as a Canadian brand entering the U.S.The Costco roadshow experience—and the realities of a 13-week rotationKhalil's advice to CPG founders: seek out people who've done it before Crafty Ramen just took second place in the pitch competition with Advantage Solutions at Expo West—and Khalil has a lot more in the pipeline. Episode Links: Crafty Ramen Website: https://www.craftyramen.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/crafty_ramen/Khalil Khamis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalilkhamis/Crafty Ramen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/craftyramen/ 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 @startupcpgVisit host Caitlin's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

    26 min

  3. 6D AGO

    Founder Feature: Lex Evan of Lexington Bakes

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Lex Evan, founder of LEXINGTON BAKES, a luxury baked goods brand serving protein cookies, protein oat bars, and dessert brownies. But the luxury isn't in the price — it's in the ingredients. Lex just won a NEXTY Award at Expo West for best vegan product, and he's bringing that energy into this conversation. Caitlin and Lex dig into his 20-year career as a graphic designer, how he taught himself to bake from scratch, and why he trademarked both "radical ingredient transparency" and "no naughty ingredients" — two philosophies that sit at the heart of everything LEXINGTON BAKES does. From printing supplier logos directly on packaging to sharing every award with his ingredient partners, Lex has built a brand that puts integrity above everything else. They also get into the realities of being a solo founder — protecting your time, setting boundaries with your community, and why putting your head down and staying true to your vision is what ultimately led to winning the NEXTY Award. Plus, Lex drops some breaking news: his co-manufacturer just went out of business, and he's back to self-manufacturing while the brand continues to grow. Listen in as they discuss: How a 20-year design career at Johnson & Johnson laid the foundation for LEXINGTON BAKESWhy Lex taught himself to bake and how community feedback pushed him to turn a hobby into a brandWhat radical ingredient transparency means — and why he trademarked itWhy LEXINGTON BAKES prints supplier logos directly on packaging and shares every award with ingredient partnersWhat "no naughty ingredients" means and why Lex avoids the word "clean" entirelyThe serendipitous story of how Artisana came to him right as he was developing his nut butter-powered protein cookiesHow being a solo founder shapes every decision he makes about time, energy, and generosityWhy putting his head down and ignoring the competition led directly to his NEXTY Award winAdvice for first-time CPG founders: stay true to your vision and don't let unexpected opportunities derail where you're goingEpisode Links: Lex Evan — Founder, LEXINGTON BAKES LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lexevan LEXINGTON BAKES LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lexingtonbakes/ LEXINGTON BAKES Website: https://lexingtonbakes.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/lexingtonbakes 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 @startupcpgVisit host Caitlin's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com Episode music by Super Fantastics

    31 min

  4. APR 28

    #246 - BevNET 101 with John Craven

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with John Craven, founder and CEO of BevNET, to trace the remarkable 30-year journey of one of CPG media's most essential platforms. From a college web project in 1996 to a full media empire spanning BevNET, Nosh, Brewbound, live events, and multiple podcasts, John shares the origin story, the industry inflection points, and the hard-won wisdom that comes from watching hundreds of brands rise, pivot, and exit. John opens with a vivid picture of the CPG world he entered — one where Snapple and Arizona Iced Tea were the disruptors, where beverage founders looked up co-packers in the Yellow Pages, and where getting press meant waiting six months for a magazine to maybe run your story. He explains how BevNET was born out of a simple college assignment to build a webpage, and how the speed and accessibility of the internet gave emerging brands something legacy trade media simply couldn't: real-time visibility. The conversation covers the major inflection points that shaped the emerging CPG ecosystem — from landmark acquisitions like Snapple and Vitamin Water that fueled the next generation of founders, to the mid-2000s natural food boom that made Expo West a legitimate launching pad. John and Daniel dig into why the barriers to entry have never been lower, yet the standards have never been higher, and what that means for founders trying to break through today. They also get into what separates brands with staying power from those that flame out — why incremental innovation over existing consumer behavior almost always wins, why scarcity-to-ubiquity transitions are so dangerous (see: Prime), and why the most successful brands, like Celsius, Poppy, and Siete, are often 20-year overnight successes. John shares his perspective on the current M&A cycle, why he's bullish on CPG despite the turbulence, and why economic uncertainty historically makes CPG look like a safe bet. And in a candid closing stretch, John opens up about the loneliness of entrepreneurship, the weight of responsibility that comes with building a team, and why compartmentalizing — maybe to an unhealthy degree — is just part of surviving as a founder. Listen in as they discuss: How BevNET started as a college web project in 1996 and grew into CPG's leading media platformThe state of the industry when John started — and the landmark acquisitions that changed everythingWhy the barriers to entry are lower than ever, but the standards are higher than everHow to spot brands with real staying power vs. those riding a hype waveThe danger of going from scarcity to ubiquity too fast — and what Prime illustratesWhy incremental innovation over existing behavior almost always beats truly novel ideasJohn's read on the current M&A cycle and why he's still bullish on CPGThe loneliness of entrepreneurship, founder mental health, and the art of compartmentalizingHow to get your brand featured on BevNET and Nosh — and why you shouldn't wait until you're "ready" Episode Links: John Craven – Founder & CEO, BevNET LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cravenjohn/ BevNET LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bevnet.com-inc/ BevNET Website: https://www.bevnet.com/ Also: nosh.com | brewbound.com 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 @startupcpgVisit host Daniel's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

    45 min

  5. APR 27

    R&D Radio: Colleen Cottrell, Independent Consultant at C Cottrell Consulting

    In this episode of R&D Radio, hosted by food scientist Adam Yee, Adam sits down with Colleen Cottrell, independent consultant at C Cottrell Consulting. With over a decade of experience spanning ingredient suppliers, finished CPG brands like RXBAR, and now independent consulting, Colleen breaks down one of the most underappreciated forces in product development: ingredient functionality — and why understanding it early is the difference between a product that scales and one that falls apart at the co-manufacturer. Colleen explains why the same protein can behave completely differently depending on how it's been processed — heat, pressure, and shear all play a role — and walks through simple, low-cost assays that founders can run themselves to compare ingredients before committing to a formula. She also shares the inside story of helping RXBAR expand beyond bars into oats and other categories by working closely with ingredient suppliers to engineer egg white functionality at scale. Listen in as they discuss: What ingredient functionality actually means — and why it impacts your product more than you thinkHow heat, pressure, and shear change protein behavior (using eggs as the perfect example)Liquid vs. dried egg whites: shelf life, moisture content, and functional tradeoffsWhy two pea proteins with the same label can perform completely differentlySimple DIY assays for foaming, gelling, and solubility — no lab requiredThe RXBAR oats story: engineering egg white functionality for new categoriesHow to set your non-negotiables before you scaleCurrent trends: protein and fiber maxing, the return to whole/real ingredients, and food-as-healthPDCAAS scores and why protein quality matters more than protein quantityWhy soy is dominating the protein trend — and what fibers are showing up most Episode Links: Colleen Cottrell — Independent Consultant, C Cottrell Consulting  🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleencottrell  🔗 Email: colleen@cottrellconsult.com 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 @startupcpgVisit host Adam's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

    25 min

  6. APR 26

    Opportunity Knocks: Get Direct Access to Top Retailers

    In this special episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff and Caitlin Bricker — a former retail buyer and managing editor at Startup CPG — pull back the curtain on the biggest thing Startup CPG has ever built: Opportunity Knocks. This is a brand new platform designed to give emerging CPG brands a direct line to some of the most exciting retailers, distributors, and industry stakeholders in the game — no broker required. Opportunity Knocks drops exclusively in the Startup CPG newsletter every other Friday, starting May 1st. Each opportunity opens a two-week submission window for brands to apply directly. Featured retailers include names like Raley's, The Fresh Market, Hungryroot, and Whole Foods UK — with more on the way. Many opportunities will also include a virtual fireside chat with the retailer or stakeholder, giving brands a chance to hear exactly what they're looking for before submitting. Daniel and Caitlin walk through everything brands need to know to make the most of this new platform — from what gets an application noticed to what quietly kills it. Caitlin brings her buyer lens to break down the basics that too many brands overlook, and Daniel shares the incrementality story that actually moves buyers and the mindset shift that separates brands who get picked up from the ones who keep getting passed over. Listen in as they cover:  Why Opportunity Knocks exists — and how it evolved from the retail tracker and review calendar How the submission process works: two-week windows, fireside chats, and what happens after you apply Which retailers and stakeholders are already involved — and what kinds of brands they're looking for Why your ingredient list, product packaging, and founder story all need to be on your website before you submit How to tell an incrementality story that actually gives a buyer confidence Why knowing the retailer's set — and speaking their language — can 10x your chances What consistent rejection is really telling you — and when it's time to take a hard look The ingredient and formulation trends brands should be paying attention to right now How to reach out if you're a retailer, distributor, or investor interested in participating Retailers and other industry stakeholders interested in becoming part of this campaign initiative can reach out to OK@startupcpg.com. If you’re a brand looking to submit your products to individual campaigns, sign up for our newsletter and Slack via startupcpg.com. Make sure you do it before 5/1 so you don't miss out on the first opportunity! Interested in sponsoring Startup CPG, Opportunity Knocks, and other initiatives? Reach out to partnerships@startupcpg.com. 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 @startupcpgVisit host Daniel's Linkedin Visit host Caitlin's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

    26 min

  7. APR 25

    Investor Spotlight: Rogers Healy, Morrison Seger Venture Capital Partners

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Rogers Healy, Founder and CEO of Morrison Seger Venture Capital Partners—a consumer-focused venture firm backing some of the most iconic CPG brands of this generation. Rogers is a serial entrepreneur with over two decades of experience building and scaling businesses, including one of Texas's largest independently owned real estate firms. After years of investing on the side while running his real estate companies, Rogers made the leap to venture capital full time, founding Morrison Seger—named after his two favorite musicians, Van Morrison and Bob Seger—with a mandate rooted in personal conviction, family values, and gut instinct. Morrison Seger operates through SPVs, writing checks from $500K to $10 million across all stages, with a particular love for beverage. Rogers brings a deeply personal lens to every deal—if he isn't a consumer of the product, his family is. His portfolio includes Waterloo Sparkling Water and Sanzo, among others, and he actively backs brands he believes can earn a place in people's everyday lives. Hannah and Rogers dig into what it really takes to build a brand investors get excited about, how to navigate the founder-investor relationship, and what separates the deals Rogers jumps into from the ones he passes on. He also shares hard-won lessons from a long career in entrepreneurship—on communication, patience, staying true to your why, and betting on yourself even when the odds feel stacked against you. Listen in as they cover:  Rogers's path from real estate grinder to full-time venture capitalist—and why it took him until 41 to make the leap How Morrison Seger was founded, what the name really means, and the SPV model that powers it Investment criteria: personal consumption, family values, check size, and what gets Rogers excited Why branding has to pop immediately—and the difference between a brand with real pull and one that's trying too hard The stacking-by-stage strategy Rogers uses across verticals like sparkling water and pistachios What Rogers looks for in founders: communication, details, presence, and the ability to not act like they're doing you a favor Why the founder-investor relationship is like a marriage—and how to do your diligence before you're in too deep The questions founders should be asking investors before they sign What kills a deal during diligence—and why getting someone's name wrong is a red flag Lessons learned: trust your gut, burn the ships, and always ask how you can help Episode Links: Morrison Seger Venture Capital Partners: https://www.morrisonseger.com Rogers Healy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogershealy/ Rogers Healy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rogershealy/ Morrison Seger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/morrison-seger/ Morrison Seger on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morrisonseger/ Rogers Healy Bio: https://www.morrisonseger.com/rogershealy Morrison Seger Portfolio: https://www.morrisonseger.com/portfolio 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 @startupcpgVisit host Hannah's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

    36 min

  8. APR 24

    Founder Feature: Maria of The Purple Drop

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Maria Velasquez, founder of Purple Drop — a Peruvian super drink made from purple corn grown high in the Andes. Maria is bringing chicha morada, a staple in every Peruvian household, to the US market for the first time as a better-for-you RTD. And she is doing it with her mother-in-law's recipe, organic agave, and zero compromise on the integrity of the original. Caitlin opens with a passage from her personal library on ancient fermentation that captures just how deep the history of chicha actually goes. Maria meets that with her own origin story: a Moroccan woman who married into a Peruvian family, fell in love with the culture and the cuisine, and had a lightbulb moment in Lima over Christmas that turned into a brand. She also explains why the one RTD version already on the market — packed with sugar, additives, and coloring — was exactly what she did not want to make. From there the conversation covers the functional story behind purple corn (studies show it has 10 times more antioxidants than blackberries), the co-packer journey that eventually landed at a brewery, a rebrand that brought llamas and vibrant color to life, and a launch strategy built around winning Peruvian Americans first before casting a wider net. Maria spent a decade in B2B cybersecurity marketing and it shows — in the community-first approach, the food service play she is already running with Peruvian restaurants in the NYC tri-state area, and the PR box she is designing to transport people straight to Peru. Listen in as they cover: How a Christmas trip to Lima and a mother-in-law's recipe became the foundation of Purple DropThe functional benefits of purple corn and why anthocyanins make this more than just a great-tasting drinkThe co-packer challenge of commercializing a product that American manufacturers had never made beforeHow Maria is building community by winning Peruvian Americans firstThe rebrand that brought the brand's personality to lifeWhat's next: lucuma flavors, concentrated antioxidant shots, energy ideas, and a spring launch on Shopify Whether you are a founder navigating the beverage aisle with something truly new, a buyer looking for the global flavor story your customers are asking for, or someone who has always wanted to try chicha without booking a flight to Lima, this episode is for you. Episode Links:  Purple Drop Website: https://www.thepurpledrop.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heypurpledrop/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-purple-drop/ Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-vepa/ 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 @startupcpgVisit host Caitlin's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.

    26 min
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4.9
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Startup CPG
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    430
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Startup CPG
  • Show Website
    The Startup CPG Podcast

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