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. 45 min ago

    Founder Feature: Sheena Hamby of Mac Squares

    In this founder feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Sheena Hamby, founder of Mac Squares, baked mac and cheese frozen into squares, made with real aged cheddar cheese straight from the block, fresh milk, eggs, and spices, with zero cheese powder. Needing a fast comfort food that wasn't messy, Sheena created Mac Squares in a hospital kitchen while her daughter Nova was going through chemotherapy. Nurses and doctors started stopping by asking what she was cooking. Her family ate them, her kids ate them, cold or hot, and customers are now hiding the salmon SKU in their own deep freezers. Caitlin and Sheena dig into how frozen food is really just time travel, preserving the product at the exact moment it was made, Sheena's journey from hospital kitchen to her first retailer at Swamp Rabbit Cafe (which came from a Startup CPG event), her experience at the Fancy Food Show in New York, and the literal street sign that changed everything for her at a Startup CPG grocery run in Denver. Listen in as they discuss: How the idea for Mac Squares came from needing something fast and mess-free during her daughter's chemo treatmentCooking from scratch in a hospital kitchen after learning her daughter was allergic to dairyThe moment her daughter's oncologist tried Mac Squares during a Super Bowl watch and asked for the whole trayThe real ingredients behind Mac Squares: block cheddar, fresh milk and eggs, and less than 1% sodiumBuilding out five SKUs, including truffle, spinach, miso, salmon, and a dairy-free version made with oat milkHow the D2C pre-order model, shipping twice a month, allows Sheena to control logistics and productionDiscovering Startup CPG through a chance conversation, and applying to the Denver grocery run on a whimThe emotional Denver show: grieving her father, a street sign that felt like a sign, and pushing through anywayLanding Swamp Rabbit Cafe as her first grocery store accountWhy she reframes frozen food as "time travel," preserving a dish at the exact moment it was made Episode Links: Sheena Hamby - Founder, Mac Squares LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/sheenahambyWebsite: https://www.smacsquares.com/Instagram: @macsquares 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 LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

  2. 3 days ago

    #260 - Packaging Changes as you Grow with Evie's Snacks and Belmark

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Eve Ackerley, founder of Evie's Snacks, and Cody Ponsler from Belmark, one of the most recommended packaging partners in the Startup CPG community, to talk through how packaging evolves as a brand grows. Evie's Snacks makes direct-from-farm pecan snacks with only a third of the sugar of leading brands, sourced from Eve's family farms in South Texas. Eve started at farmer's markets with a simple craft bag and hand-applied black and white stickers before eventually moving to a fully custom printed pouch with Belmark. Along the way, she landed a DSD deal into 50 stores in the Northeast that forced a faster packaging upgrade than she expected, and got a piece of buyer feedback ("I thought this was laundry detergent") that reshaped how she thinks about packaging as a selling tool. Daniel, Eve, and Cody dig into the operational and strategic decisions behind pouch design: window versus no window, matte versus gloss, sizing, and why 50% of the brands Cody works with change their packaging art between their first and second production runs. Listen in as they discuss: Why Evie's Snacks only needs a third of the sugar of other brands (hint: it starts with fresh, high-quality pecans)The evolution from craft bags with hand-applied stickers to a fully custom printed pouchThe "three seconds and two questions" packaging rule Eve learned from a mentor in the potato chip industryUnderstanding the pecan category: where it's merchandised and why there's no dominant national player yetWhy Eve chose photography over a clear window, and the shelf-life tradeoff behind that decisionHow a sudden DSD deal into 50 Northeast stores forced Evie's Snacks to upgrade its packaging faster than plannedThe buyer feedback that stuck with Eve: "I thought this was laundry detergent"Why Cody recommends founders put unfinished packaging in front of real buyers before finalizing itThe overwhelming number of packaging choices founders face, and how Cody narrows them down to fit the brand storyWhy 50% of the brands Cody works with change their packaging art between their first and second production runsHow distributor shelf-life requirements (often 75% remaining) directly shape packaging decisionsEvie's Snacks' next chapter: nationwide at Sprouts and exploring new pack sizes Episode Links: Eve Ackerley - Founder, Evie's Snacks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eve-ackerley-97200a2b/Website: eviessnacks.comInstagram/TikTok: @eviessnacksCody Ponsler - Belmark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-ponsler-3852545b/Belmark has helped hundreds of small- to medium-sized CPG brands like yours solve packaging challenges - and they want to help you too. You can meet directly with one of their packaging experts and talk through whatever you're tackling. https://www.belmark.com/startup-cpg/ 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 LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

  3. 4 days ago

    R&D RADIO: Natural Flavors and Taste Modulation with Lauren Senne of Imbibe

    In this episode of R&D RADIO, host and food scientist Adam Yee sits down with Lauren Senne, Senior Manager of Applications and Taste Modulation at Imbibe, a drink consultancy in Chicago, to break down the real difference between characterizing flavors and taste modulation. Lauren has spent over a decade at Imbibe and more than 13 years in the flavor industry, and is a certified flavor chemist through the Society of Flavor Chemists, a certification process that takes a minimum of seven years and, realistically, closer to a decade to complete. Adam and Lauren dig into how bitter blockers actually work at the receptor level, why describing something as simple as "cherry" or "vanilla" can mean wildly different things to different clients, and what really happens to a product's mouthfeel and flavor balance when sugar gets pulled from a formula. They also get into why flavor houses guard their formulations as trade secrets and the clean-label trends reshaping the beverage world right now. Listen in as they discuss: What flavor actually is, and the difference between characterizing flavor and taste modulationThe rigorous, decade-long path to becoming a certified flavor chemist through the Society of Flavor ChemistsWhat the certification exam actually tests, including identifying chemicals by smell aloneHow flavorists learn the natural chemical building blocks behind fruit, spice, and other flavor profilesWhy aligning on something as simple as "cherry" or "vanilla" can be surprisingly difficult with clientsUsing reference products and live tastings to get everyone in the room aligned on a flavor directionHow bitter blockers work by binding to bitter receptors so your brain can't perceive the bitterness at allWhy most of Imbibe's taste modulation work is exclusively naturalWhere CPG founders commonly get stuck: stacking too many functional ingredients and creating unexpected off-notesWhat happens to mouthfeel and sweetness curve when sugar is removed and replaced with stevia or monk fruitBeverage trends Lauren is watching: clean label, protein and fiber combinations, and clear protein sodas Episode Links: Lauren Senne - Senior Manager, Applications and Taste Modulation, Imbibe LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-senne-12102558Website: imbibeinc.comDon'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 LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

  4. 6 days ago

    Founder Fundraising Journey: Victor Guardiola, Bawi

    In this Founder Fundraising Journey episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Victor Guardiola, Founder and CEO of Bawi, a sparkling agua fresca brand bringing authentic Hispanic flavors into the modern beverage aisle with a healthier twist. Beyond the product, Victor is equally driven by a mission to increase representation for Latino and minority founders in CPG. Victor's path started with a food and beverage entrepreneurship practicum at UT Austin's McCombs School of Business, where he uncovered the data behind sugar-sweetened beverages' outsized impact on the Hispanic community and realized there was no mass-market, better-for-you Hispanic beverage to fill that gap. From there, he spent months selling on tap at farmer's markets, cold-emailing hundreds of potential investors, and eventually landing his first checks from Austin business figures like Patrick Terry of P. Terry's. Hannah and Victor dig into the brutal reality of raising a first round without a "rich uncle," the tipping-point moment when a notable investor's name unlocked the rest of the round, and how Bawi is now scaling food service and retail density across its two core markets, Texas and California. Listen in as they discuss: Why 80% of initial startup funding comes from friends and family, and what that means for founders without that accessHow a UT Austin entrepreneurship practicum turned into the idea for a mass-market Hispanic beverageSelling agua fresca on tap at farmer's markets, carbonating overnight in a commercial kitchen until 3amLanding the first equity round from Patrick Terry of P. Terry's and Torchy's Tacos founder Mike RypkaThe "golden follow-up": how one notable investor joining the cap table triggered a tipping pointWhy cold-emailing without leading with a pitch dramatically increases response ratesBuilding initial retail density through independents and the natural channel before chasing national programsThe risk of emerging-brand retail programs that can hang small brands out to dryRestructuring go-to-market strategy around food service in Texas and California, and the Cosmic Coffee case studyVictor's mission to provide a healthier alternative to sugar-laden big beverage offerings Slack Q&A: how to structure an elevator pitch and initial outreach email Episode Links: Victor Guardiola - Founder & CEO, Bawi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorhguardiola/Email: victor@drinkbawi.comInstagram: @vichgWebsite: drinkbawi.comDon'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 LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

  5. 31 Jul

    Founder Feature: TUYYO FOODS - Jocelyn Ramirez, Regina Trillo, Stefanie Garcia Turner

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Jocelyn Ramirez, Regina Trillo, and Stefanie Garcia Turner of Tuyyo Foods - a heritage-rooted modern Latin food company born from the merger of three separate brands. Toto Verde's umami chef-crafted taco seasoning, Tuyyo's redesigned agua fresca stick packs with electrolytes, and Nemi Snacks' high-protein chips made with nopal and prickly pear all came together under one name. Tuyyo means "you and me" and "yours" in Spanish, a name rooted in community and the belief that food is the great equalizer. Jocelyn, Regina, and Stefanie each ran solo CPG brands before deciding, over car rides between trade shows and late-night calls, to merge into one company instead of competing for the same shelf space. In just 10 months, they've rebranded, launched at Whole Foods and Raley's, and built a company that divides marketing, sales, and operations across their individual strengths. Caitlin and the three co-founders dig into why they chose to merge instead of go it alone, how they brought retailers into the conversation before making the change, and their current revenue-share Wefunder campaign to fuel inventory and growth. Listen in as they discuss: Why three solo Latina founders decided to merge their brands instead of competing for the same shelf spaceThe Uber ride and late-night calls that turned into an official merger conversationWhat each founder does and doesn't miss about running a business soloWhy they landed on the name Tuyyo, and what it actually meansHow they brought retailers into the rebrand conversation before making any changesSplitting responsibilities by strength: marketing, sales, and operationsBuilding at record speed: 10 months from merger to retail launches at Whole Foods and Raley'sThe family stories behind each founder's path into food, including a grandmother's aguas frescas and a mother's tamalesWhy community and farmer relationships are central to Tuyyo's missionThe revenue-share Wefunder campaign to raise $500K for inventory and growth Episode Links: Jocelyn Ramirez, Regina Trillo, Stefanie Garcia Turner - Co-Founders, Tuyyo Foods LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-trillo-a5055711/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanie-garcia-turner/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelyncramirez77/  Website: tuyyofoods.comInstagram/TikTok: @tuyyofoodsWefunder campaign: wefunder.com/tuyyofoods 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 LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics Head to eatmezcla.com and use code STARTUPCPG for 20% off your first order.Promo code expires on September 30th 2026.

  6. 28 Jul

    #259 - Mini-Episode: Legal Considerations for Co-Branding Agreements with Foster Garvey

    In this mini episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Hillary Hughes from Foster Garvey - a full-service legal firm supporting CPG brands across business formation, capital raising, IP protection, and regulatory compliance - to break down the legal fundamentals of co-branding agreements. Brand collaborations are everywhere right now, from Doritos Locos Tacos to Oreo-flavored Coke Zero, but the legal groundwork behind them is where brands most often get caught off guard. Hillary brings years of experience helping CPG companies structure these deals from both sides of the table, walking through exactly what needs to be spelled out before two brands put their names on the same product. Daniel and Hillary dig into the difference between true co-branding and simple licensing, how smaller brands can use collaborations to access a larger brand's customer base without the acquisition spend, and why the "divorce" clauses matter just as much as the excitement of the launch. Listen in as they discuss: What co-branding actually means, with real examples: Doritos Locos Tacos, Intel Inside, and the Oreo/Coca-Cola collaborationWhy smaller brands often benefit most from co-branding with a larger, established partnerCross-category co-branding opportunities beyond food, including travel and hospitality partnershipsThe difference between a true co-branding partnership and a simple licensing dealKey legal components every agreement needs: product scope, new IP ownership, term length, and economicsStructuring the deal: fixed fee vs. per-unit royalty vs. revenue share, and how to justify the numbersWhy termination and "divorce" clauses matter as much as the launch, covering recalls, scandal, bankruptcy, or acquisitionSupply chain and quality commitments: what happens if a co-branding partner can't fulfill their side of the dealMarketing approval rights and why both brands should have some obligation to actually promote the collaborationWhen to bring in a lawyer, and what founders can safely handle on their own first Episode Links: Hillary Hughes - Foster Garvey Email: hillary.hughes@foster.comFoster Garvey CPG Practice Website: foster.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillaryhhughes/ 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 LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

  7. 25 Jul

    Founder Fundraising Journey: Frozen One, Alan Chen & Conner Mennig

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Alan Chen and Conner Mennig, co-founders of Frozen One - a protein ice cream brand built to prove that "better for you" doesn't have to mean sacrificing taste. Frozen One delivers 40 grams of protein and under 400 calories per pint, a fraction of what a traditional pint of ice cream contains, and has grown into one of the fastest-rising frozen brands in the country. Alan and Conner met at UW Madison in 2020 and reconnected in Austin while both stuck in unfulfilling sales jobs. A single gym conversation in January 2025 about the lack of good high-protein options turned into a Ninja Creami machine that same night - and a trademark filed two days later. Together they run a scrappy, relationship-driven operation: Conner focused on operations and finance, Alan on product and marketing, both present at every investor and buyer meeting. Hannah and the co-founders dig into the three fundraising milestones that took Frozen One from a Ninja Creami in an apartment to over 2,300 doors nationwide, including Target, Wegmans, and Central Market. Listen in as they discuss: How a single gym complaint in January 2025 turned into a trademark filing two days laterLanding a $250K first check on a SAFE from a local Austin investor Conner met at a house partyThe scramble to close an oversubscribed $2M round after Target asked for 1,500 doors in three monthsSplitting founder responsibilities: Alan on product and ice cream R&D, Conner on operations and financeLanding Central Market by cold-calling the buyer - and how that velocity data fueled investor conversationsBuilding the team: a creative director roommate, a "head of ice cream," an ad-ops hire, and a new COO from Van LeeuwenWhy the current $5.5M round with Brand Foundry is primarily focused on closing the team and bandwidth gapTurning investor "no's" into direct, honest feedback conversations instead of walking away quietlyWhat surprised them most about CPG: just how genuinely difficult and slow retail execution is, even after landing the deal Episode Links: Alan Chen – Co-Founder, Frozen One Email: alan@frozen-one.com (domain inferred from Conner's confirmed email - please verify)Conner Mennig – Co-Founder, Frozen One Email: connor@frozen-one.comFrozen One Instagram: @frozenoneproteinWebsite: frozen-one.comDon'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 LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

  8. 24 Jul

    Founder Feature: Bar Bruhis of Boostcous

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Bar Bruhis, founder of Boostcous - the world's first better-for-you couscous, built to fill a gap in a grocery aisle that hasn't seen a single innovation while pasta brands like Banza and Goodles have completely reinvented their category. Boostcous delivers 18 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber per serving using just three ingredients - chickpeas, lentils, and peas - with zero fillers or xanthan gum. Bar was born in Israel, grew up eating couscous, and spent two years and over 100 kitchen batches formulating a version that actually tastes good. He comes from a DTC and SaaS background, launching direct-to-consumer first to prove product-market fit before ever approaching a retailer - hitting 10,000 Shopify orders in six months. Caitlin and Bar dig into his immigrant mentality and why he built such a strong network early, the genius post-purchase survey question that got him a call with a Costco buyer, and why he's now in Lieber's Locavore and pitching Whole Foods and Walmart after his first trade show at Summer Fancy Food. Listen in as they discuss: Why the couscous aisle has seen zero innovation while pasta has been completely reinvented by brands like Banza and GoodlesHow a licensing deal with an Italian protein-couscous manufacturer collapsed overnight because of Trump-era tariffsBetting a small, capped amount of personal capital with a U.S. co-man just to test product-market fitHitting 10,000 Shopify orders in six months and why starting DTC-first was non-negotiableBar's immigrant mentality, early mentorship from Noah Kagan, and building an entire events business (D2Ski) just to deepen his CPG networkThe one post-purchase survey question that turned into a Costco buyer call within three daysGoing from zero in-person sampling to landing on shelf at Lieber's Locavore through Startup CPG's Denver grocery runKey lessons from Boostcous's first major trade show at Summer Fancy Food, including new conversations with Whole Foods and WalmartWhy gluten-free shoppers and parents of toddlers have become two of Boostcous's strongest customer demographics Episode Links: Bar Bruhis – Founder, Boostcous LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbruhis/Website: boostcous.comInstagram: instagram.com/boostcous 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 LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics Head to eatmezcla.com and use code STARTUPCPG for 20% off your first order.Promo code expires on September 30th 2026.

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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
    477
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Startup CPG
  • Show Website
    The Startup CPG Podcast

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