Shelf Help: The Tactical CPG Podcast

Adam Steinberg
  • 5.0 (8)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

If you’ve ever thought, "Why doesn’t anyone talk about this in CPG?", this is the podcast for you. Host, Adam Steinberg, co-founder of KitPrint, interviews CPG leaders to uncover the real-world tactics, strategies, and behind-the-scenes insights that really move the needle.

  1. 35M AGO

    Rob Johnson - Founding Born Simple, Selling to Mizkan, and Leading Innovation Across a $1B+ Portfolio

    On this episode, we're joined by Rob Johnson, Co-Founder & CEO of Born Simple and Head of Innovation at Mizkan America - the protein-forward shelf-stable complete, prepared meals brand that pivoted from barbecue sauces and broth concentrates into a category that every buyer in the country says is desperate for a makeover.  Rob spent years running small natural and organic brands inside Conagra before leaving to build Born Simple, selling it to Mizkan in 2021, and sticking around for nearly five years - one of the longer founder tenures post-acquisition in recent memory. We dig into how Born Simple was literally born in a Whole Foods meeting - the buyer hated the existing brand but loved the products, and Rob walked out with a nationwide launch commitment across two categories before the brand even had a name. Robs gets into what he calls the "NASCAR package" problem in big CPG, the Mizkan acquisition, and what founders should actually pay attention to beyond the check size. We also cover Rob's new role leading innovation across Mizkan America, where he's trying to expand beyond what he calls "innovation behind a computer screen" and replace it with startup-style consumer empathy inside a 225-year-old, $1B+ family-owned company. --------------- Episode Highlights: 🍖 How Born Simple went from barbecue sauce to protein-forward shelf-stable meals 🛒 Landing a nationwide Whole Foods launch before the brand had a name 🎨 Brand design inspired by Brandless and Public Goods - simplicity as strategy 📦 The "NASCAR package" problem and why big CPG over-communicates on shelf 🏷️ Adapting packaging to category - why Tetra Pak pasta sauce didn't work 💰 Selling to Mizkan in 2021 and key deal terms for founders (earnouts, key man clauses) 🤝 Why post-acquisition integration speed is the #1 thing founders overlook 🔄 Pivoting into shelf-stable complete meals - a category in desperate need of a makeover 🚀 Leading innovation at Mizkan America and killing "innovation behind a computer screen" 🧪 Bringing startup thinking to a 225-year-old, $1B+ family-owned company --------------- Table of Contents: 00:00 – Intro 00:45 – Origin story and the Whole Foods meeting 03:18 – The Brandless and Public Goods insight 04:52 – Small companies doing unscalable things 05:57 – What big CPG experience actually teaches you 10:10 – Sitting on both sides of M&A 12:01 – Building Born Simple's brand identity and packaging design 14:40 – The "NASCAR package" problem 15:55 – Adapting packaging to category (Tetra Pak pasta sauce) 17:18 – The stand cap pouch and glass recycling 21:42 – Selling to Mizkan and reading the funding tea leaves 26:10 – Key deal terms and what founders should negotiate 28:15 – Post-acquisition integration and why it destroys value 32:08 – Pivoting to protein-forward shelf-stable meals 36:33 – Head of Innovation at Mizkan America 38:00 – "Innovation behind a computer screen" --------------- Links: Born Simple – https://www.bornsimple.com/ Mizkan – https://www.mizkan.com/ Follow Rob on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/robj2/ Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/ For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams, check out https://www.kitprint.co/. Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

    45 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Griffin Spolansky - Scaling Mezcla from Boston Bodegas to 9,000 Doors

    On this episode, we're joined by Griffin Spolansky, Co-Founder & CEO of Mezcla - the plant-based puff crispy protein bar brand that's gone from Boston bodegas to 9,000+ doors and $17M raised. We dive into how Griffin started iterating in a co-founder's kitchen at 20 years old, how they landed on the puff crispy format, and the gut-driven flavor decisions behind their launch lineup.  Griffin shares hard-earned advice on formulation, finding co-packers, and why keeping things simple beats trying to look sophisticated. We also get into the real mechanics of scaling from 50,000 bars in year one to a target of 20-30 million this year, why they stripped country qualifiers from flavor names to unlock supply chain flexibility, how their rebrand was driven by shelf clarity needs in mass conventional and club, and the door-to-door hustle that got them into their first 50 Boston bodegas before cracking Costco. Griffin also breaks down his profitability-first approach to growth, how he evaluates demos and secondary displays against trade spend budgets, and why he believes a founder's job is to create FOMO. --------------- Episode Highlights: 🍫 Origin story: creating a protein bar that's actually fun to eat 🧪 Formulation R&D and why they chose the puff crispy format 🏭 Finding co-packers and keeping your co-man honest 🚚 Supply chain shifts (removing country qualifiers to scale) 🎨 Packaging rebrand for shelf clarity in mass retail 🛒 Door-to-door in Boston bodegas and cracking the distributor code 💰 Growth with profitability: unit economics as the foundation 🎯 Getting into Costco through Expo West 🛍️ In-store demos, secondary displays, and trade spend math 💸 Raising $17M total and the Series B journey 🔥 Why a founder's job is to create FOMO 👀 Brands to watch: Coconut Cult and Fish Wife --------------- Table of Contents: 00:00 – Intro 00:37 – Origin story and the idea behind Mezcla 02:10 – Formulation, R&D, and choosing the puff crispy format 05:04 – Advice for up-and-coming CPG founders 06:44 – Finding and working with co-packers 09:07 – Supply chain and raw material sourcing at scale 10:36 – Packaging design and building brand identity 12:01 – The rebrand and designing for shelf clarity 15:09 – Go-to-market: door-to-door in Boston and New York 15:57 – Distributors, DSDs, and the chicken-and-egg problem 17:48 – Growth with profitability and unit economics 19:55 – Building out the board 20:51 – Pricing strategy on shelf 21:50 – Getting into Costco 23:41 – In-store demos, secondary displays, and trade spend 27:02 – Fundraising and the Series B 29:22 – Creating FOMO and the Boshon's model 32:40 – Brands and trends to watch --------------- Links: Mezcla – https://eatmezcla.com/ Follow Griffin on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/griffinspolansky/ Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/ For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams, check out https://www.kitprint.co/. Shout out to Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

    34 min

  3. APR 24

    Jason Bronstad: The MALK Organics Playbook - Velocity, Trust, and the Road to 15,000 Doors

    On this episode, we're joined by Jason Bronstad, CEO of MALK Organics, the fast-growing organic plant-based milk brand built on clean, simple ingredients with no gums, oils, or fillers.  Jason brings two decades of CPG experience across brands like Sara Lee, Mike's Hard, and Swell Cocktail Company. Jason initially came in as a consultant in late 2020, stepping into the CEO role in mid-2021. Two decades in bev alc shaped his CPG playbook: earn shelf space every review, obsess over velocity, protect trust with your consumer. We dive into "the Kerfuffle," the Thanksgiving 2021 reformulation to organic natural flavors that blew up with loyal fans including Food Babe, and how Jason did one-on-one CEO-to-influencer calls by Wednesday with a new vanilla extract formula by Friday.  Jason talks about why they cut the SKU count from 14 to 3, the creamer whitener problem, and the year-long HPP-to-ESL shift that unlocked shelf life for Publix and Kroger. We also get into the retail strategy, touching on why you shouldn't take every door in an A-tier to C-tier rollout, and why traditional demos stopped penciling post-COVID. --------------- Episode Highlights: 🥛 The MALK origin story (farmers market to 16,000+ doors) ⚠️ "The Kerfuffle": the Thanksgiving 2021 vanilla reformulation that blew up with loyal fans like Food Babe 🛠️ Monday crisis, Friday fix: rebuilding trust with one-on-one CEO-to-influencer calls ✂️ Cutting from 14 SKUs to 3 to actually commercialize 📉 Why oat fell off the cliff and where those consumers went ☕ The creamer whitener problem and the coconut creamer relaunch 🏭 Shifting from HPP to ESL for shelf life that unlocks mainstream retail 📊 Velocity is truth: 3.5x category in natural, nearly 6x at Publix 🛒 Why you shouldn't take every door in an A-tier to C-tier rollout 🎪 Why traditional demos stopped penciling and the shift to festivals 👥 Scaling 8 to 44 people with a remote-first Dreams workshop 🎯 Extreme Ownership starting at the top 🔮 More brands embracing fewer ingredients (imitation as flattery) --------------- Table of Contents: 00:00 – Intro 00:51 – MALK origin story 01:30 – From consultant to CEO 02:57 – CPG fundamentals from the bev alc years 04:11 – The Thanksgiving 2021 "Kerfuffle" and same-week reformulation 07:02 – Cutting from 14 SKUs to 3 to commercialize 08:16 – Following consumers as oat fell off the cliff 10:26 – The creamer whitener problem and relaunch 12:32 – Shifting from HPP to ESL for shelf life 14:06 – Velocity is truth: proving out in natural before MULO 15:58 – First MULO launch at Publix 18:30 – Kroger banner expansion and A-tier to C-tier rollout 20:20 – Pricing, calories, and the ingredient deck conversation 23:42 – Demo strategy shift post-COVID 27:33 – Scaling from 8 to 44 people with culture intact 28:20 – Dreams workshops and a remote-first culture 30:48 – Extreme Ownership and culture advice for growing CEOs 35:46 – 16K to 67K doors: the next phase of growth --------------- Links: MALK Organics – http://malkorganics.com/ Follow Jason on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbronstad/ Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/ For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out https://www.kitprint.co/

    39 min

  4. APR 17

    Jonathan Skaare - Brokers, Fractional Sales & the Real Mechanics of Retail Execution

    On this episode, we're joined by Jonathan Skaare, Founder & CEO of Scout CPG - the fractional sales and channel support firm built specifically for better-for-you CPG brands.  Jonathan spent over 20 years in sales leadership roles at Kellogg's, Annie's, Vital Farms, and Acme Provisions before channeling all of that experience into helping emerging brands scale smarter without breaking the bank. We dig into the real mechanics of how emerging brands should think about sales infrastructure - when to use a broker, when to go fractional, and when to bring someone in-house. Jonathan breaks down why the broker model isn't actually broken, but that most brands don't understand what brokers can and can't do, and why that misalignment is where things fall apart. We get into retail execution, distributor velocity thresholds, and why getting on the shelf is only step one - getting off the shelf is the real work. Jonathan walks through his preferred approach to the natural-to-conventional transition, why he likes retailer-specific and regional brokers at early stage, and how Scout builds a financial model for every account before a brand sells into it to make sure the numbers actually pencil out. We also cover what a dialed-in buyer presentation looks like (hint: five to six pages, not thirty), the most common mistakes brands make in buyer meetings, and how Scout's "customer plan" captures everything from COGS to promo vs. non-promo percent of sales. --------------- Episode Highlights: 🏗️ Why Jonathan built Scout CPG after 20+ years in sales leadership 🤝 Why the broker model isn't broken - brands just misunderstand it 💰 Broker compensation structures (retainer, commission, and hybrids) 🚀 Fractional sales vs. broker vs. full-time hire - how to decide 🛒 Why retailer-specific and regional brokers shine at early stage 📦 Mile wide vs. mile deep - why distribution strategy matters more than door count 📊 Velocity is king - the first 90 days on shelf 🎯 How to transition from natural/specialty to conventional retail 📝 What a great buyer deck actually looks like (5-6 pages max) 💸 Scout's "customer planner" - modeling profitability before selling in ⚠️ Common mistakes brands make in buyer meetings 👀 Why you should visit the store before you pitch the buyer --------------- Table of Contents: 00:00 – Intro 00:44 – Origin story and the why behind Scout CPG 03:05 – How Scout differs from a traditional broker 05:55 – Why the broker model isn't broken 07:16 – Broker compensation structures 10:05 – How Scout's financial model works differently 12:28 – Fractional sales vs. broker vs. full-time hire 17:00 – Regional vs. national vs. retailer-specific brokers 20:58 – Choosing the right channel and region first 23:42 – Retail execution: good ideas, bad implementation 25:44 – Going a mile wide vs. a mile deep 28:19 – The first 90 days on shelf 32:20 – Natural to conventional transition 35:33 – Building a buyer presentation that works 39:07 – The customer planner: financial modeling before selling in 42:13 – Where to follow Jonathan and Scout CPG --------------- Links: Scout CPG – https://www.scout-cpg.com/ Follow Jonathan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-skaare-b9126922/ Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/ For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out https://www.kitprint.co/

    44 min

  5. APR 14

    Phyllis Rothschild - Marketing the #1 Organic and #1 Free Range Egg Brand

    On this episode, we're joined by Phyllis Rothschild, CMO of Pete & Gerry's Organics - the #1 organic egg brand and #1 free range egg brand in the U.S.  Phyllis spent nearly 30 years in consulting at firms like McKinsey and Oliver Wyman before making the jump in-house to lead marketing. Phyllis breaks down the "word soup" problem in the egg aisle - where terms like cage free, free range, organic, and pasture raised all blur together - and the education-first strategy the team uses to cut through it, including brand-agnostic shelf signage created with retail partners. Phyllis walks through how the team manages two distinct brands in the same category, with consumer personas like "Ellie the Egg" for Nellie's Free Range and "Heather the Hen Hugger" for Pete & Gerry's pasture raised.  She shares how the avian flu crisis created a trial opportunity when commodity prices surged and Pete & Gerry's held prices flat, and what the team did to retain those new-to-brand buyers once the gap widened again. We also dig into the packaging refresh across both brands, the color blocking strategy (navy for organic, bright yellow for pasture raised, sky blue for pasture raised organic), and in-store tactics in a category where 75% of purchase decisions are made at shelf. --------------- Episode Highlights: 🥚 Why Phyllis left McKinsey for the egg aisle 📊 Data-backed decision-making from 30 years in consulting 🛒 The "word soup" problem in the egg aisle (cage free, free range, organic, pasture raised) 📖 Education-first strategy with brand-agnostic shelf signage 👥 Consumer segmentation: Ellie, Beth, and Heather 🐔 The distributed family farm model (350+ farms) and supply chain resilience 💰 Holding prices flat during avian flu while commodity prices surged 59% 🎨 Packaging color blocking: navy, yellow, sky blue 📦 The "Sacred Ribbon" and why on-shelf side panel cues matter 🏪 75% of egg brand decisions are made at shelf 📜 Cage-free legislation and the 7x free range volume lift in legislated states 🔍 Whole food sources and clean protein as a category tailwind --------------- Table of Contents: 00:00 – Intro 00:42 – Pete & Gerry's overview and brand portfolio 02:10 – Why Phyllis left consulting for Pete & Gerry's 03:56 – Transitioning from consulting to in-house 05:48 – How a consulting background shapes CPG marketing 07:45 – The "word soup" problem in the egg aisle 09:54 – Education as a growth driver 11:53 – Metrics for measuring consumer knowledge 13:24 – Managing two brands in the same category 17:28 – Consumer segmentation and price pack architecture 19:11 – Navigating the avian flu crisis 23:12 – Trial, retention, and new-to-brand metrics 25:46 – The packaging refresh and pasture raised launch 30:50 – Lessons from redesigning both brands 34:36 – In-store strategy and shelf set optimization 39:06 – Cage-free legislation and its impact on premium 42:02 – Trends: whole food sources and clean protein --------------- Links: Pete & Gerry's – https://www.peteandgerrys.com/ Follow Phyllis on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/phyllisrothschild/ Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/ For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out https://www.kitprint.co/

    45 min

  6. MAR 24

    Harry McKaig - How the Three-Tier System Became the Five-Tier System

    On this episode, we're joined by Harry McKaig, CEO of Double Cross Vodka - the premium vodka brand distilled in the Tatras Mountains of Slovakia by an 11th-generation distilling family, and one of the few vodkas to ever score 95 points from Wine Enthusiast.  Harry brings over 20 years of beverage industry experience spanning Anheuser-Busch, Diageo, Southern Glazer's, Pernod Ricard, and The Wine Group, where he oversaw a $250M+ business. We get into the full arc of vodka premiumization from Smirnoff in the '50s through Absolut's legendary print campaigns, Grey Goose's dominance, and what the next wave looks like for premium spirits.  Harry breaks down how the three-tier distribution system has consolidated into what he calls a "five-tier" reality - with brokers on one end and delivery platforms like GoPuff and DoorDash on the other - and what that means for emerging brands trying to navigate route to market. Harry walks through his return to Double Cross after the brand was nearly wiped out during the pandemic, and the disciplined three-phase rebuild strategy he's running now across New York, New Jersey, and Florida.  We also cover his thesis on Gen Z and the "intention-behavior gap," his take on non-alc, and why he thinks better-for-you fatigue may be on the horizon. --------------- Episode Highlights: 🍸 The history of vodka premiumization (Smirnoff to Grey Goose to now) 🏔️ Double Cross origin story (68 distilleries, 11th-generation Slovak family) 🏆 Scoring 95 points from Wine Enthusiast in the vodka category 🛒 How the three-tier system evolved into five tiers 🤝 What brand owners don't learn without time on the distributor side 📞 Cold-calling e-commerce customers to understand the consumer base 🎯 Going deep not wide (250 doors vs. 900 in New Jersey) 🍹 "Build brands on, sell them off" and the post-pandemic on-premise reality 📊 The intention-behavior gap and Gen Z's delayed consumption habits 🧪 Why non-alc competes with soda, not spirits 🔮 Protein fatigue and the runway for better-for-you trends --------------- Table of Contents: 00:00 – Intro 00:52 – Origin story and the premiumization of vodka 02:55 – How the founders found their distillery in Slovakia 04:12 – Current distribution strategy: going deep, not wide 04:54 – The state of BevAlc and why headlines are misleading 07:24 – The three-tier system and distributor consolidation 09:55 – How the three-tier became five tiers (brokers, e-comm, delivery) 11:38 – How to choose the right distributor 13:56 – Lessons from the distributor side that brand owners miss 16:22 – Harry's return to Double Cross and the rebuild plan 19:24 – Choosing focus markets and reverse-engineering consumer data 21:13 – Velocity tactics: on-premise, geofencing, paid social 23:56 – Gen Z, the intention-behavior gap, and the health paradox 27:28 – Double Cross brand positioning and consumer messaging 29:34 – The non-alc space and why it doesn't threaten spirits 31:37 – Trends: protein everywhere and better-for-you fatigue --------------- Links: Double Cross Vodka – https://www.doublecrossvodka.com/ Follow Harry on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrymckaig/ Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/ For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out https://www.kitprint.co/

    34 min

  7. MAR 20

    Tia Ellis - How to Pitch Retail Buyers and Win Purchase Orders

    On this episode, we're joined by Tia Ellis, Founder of Wildflower Insight - the retail strategy and education company that teaches CPG founders how to pitch buyers and win purchase orders.  Tia is a former broker who has helped brands sell well over $100 million worth of product into major U.S. retailers.   Tia walks through the buyer psychology that drives purchasing decisions, including why buyers care most about category performance and internal KPIs, not whether they personally like your product. We get into her winning pitch deck structure, including the critical "retailer fit" slide that should change for every single retailer you pitch.   We dive into the golden retail rule - a scaling framework Tia first heard from a Walmart buyer - that maps the path from local to regional to national retail.  She shares a cautionary story about a brand that skipped steps, landed a 3,000+ store global account, and couldn't support past the fifth purchase order because of 90-day payment terms and cash flow issues.  We also cover operational readiness, logistics gaps that trip up founders (FTL vs. LTL, carrier management, warehouse transitions), pricing strategy across different retailer types, when brokers actually make sense versus when founders should pitch themselves, and why starting with retailers that don't require a distributor can save early-stage brands real money.   ---------------   Episode Highlights: 🏪 Brokers vs. pitching it yourself (and when each makes sense) 🧠 Buyer psychology - why buyers are not consumers 📊 The two pitch deck slides that matter most for data 🎨 The "retailer fit" slide (and why it changes every time) 🎯 The golden retail rule - local to regional to national ⚠️ The brand that couldn't support past purchase order #5 🚚 Operational readiness and the logistics gap founders miss 💸 Pricing strategy across Costco, Walmart, Sprouts, and specialty 🛒 Why starting with retailers that skip distributors saves money 🤝 Treating buyers like partners, not gatekeepers 🔬 Prebiotics and probiotics as the next protein trend   ---------------   Table of Contents: 00:00 – Intro 00:46 – Origin story and why Tia started Wildflower Insight 03:09 – Two types of founders Wildflower serves 06:05 – When it makes sense to hire a broker 08:46 – Buyers are not consumers 09:10 – Three pitches every founder needs to master 12:00 – The role of data in buyer meetings 12:43 – Growth, trends, and the brand sales slides 14:16 – The pitch deck structure and retailer fit slide 18:07 – The golden retail rule explained 22:36 – Cautionary tale of skipping steps 26:29 – Operational readiness and being shelf-ready 27:22 – The logistics gap (FTL, LTL, carrier management) 28:46 – Pitching Costco vs. Walmart vs. specialty retailers 29:37 – Pricing strategy across retailer types 31:37 – Starting with retailers that don't require a distributor 33:52 – Trends Tia is watching (prebiotics and probiotics) 35:29 – Where to follow Tia and Wildflower Insight   ---------------   Links: Wildflower Insight – https://wildflowerinsight.com/ Follow Tia on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiaellis/ Follow Tia on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thetiaellis/ Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/   For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out https://www.kitprint.co/

    37 min

  8. MAR 17

    Hovik Azadkhanian - The #1 Selling Coffee at Sprouts Nationwide

    On this episode, we're joined by Hovik Azadkhanian, CEO of Heirloom Coffee Roasters - the fastest-growing coffee brand in the natural channel and the first nationally available 100% regenerative organic certified specialty coffee.  Hovik has been in the coffee roasting business for over 30 years, starting alongside his dad as a kid and spending years in private label and toll roasting before launching Heirloom. We dive into how roasting millions of pounds of coffee for other brands gave Hovik the data to develop Heirloom's proprietary Culinary Roast - a technique that manipulates time, temperature, air pressure, and gas flow to unlock specific flavor profiles at scale. That process led to winning the Good Food Award against 1,700 coffees, a first for any regenerative coffee. Hovik walks through the realities of the coffee supply chain, including a USDA study that found 43% of certified organic products tested above the legal limit for banned substances. He breaks down Heirloom's triple-testing protocol across 311 synthetic pesticides and the story of rejecting tens of thousands of pounds of glyphosate-contaminated coffee. We also get into Heirloom's direct trade model, which cuts out 15-20 middlemen and pays farmers three to six dollars per pound versus 30-60 cents under the traditional model. Hovik shares the Pacayala cooperative story, how Sprouts took a gamble on an unknown brand, and what's next as Heirloom eyes mass retail. --------------- Episode Highlights: ☕ 30+ years roasting coffee (started at age 8) 🏭 From private label to building a national brand 🧪 The Culinary Roast (manipulating time, temperature, gas, air pressure) 🏆 Winning the Good Food Award against 1,700 coffees ⚠️ 43% of organic products failing pesticide standards (USDA study) 🔬 Triple-testing protocol for 311 synthetic pesticides 🌱 Direct trade model (farmer to roaster, no middlemen) 🤝 The Pacayala cooperative story in Honduras 🛒 Going national at Sprouts and becoming the #1 selling coffee 📊 Using SPINS data and shopper surveys to drive velocity 🎯 Land and expand in natural, then break into mass retail 🔧 New form factors in the innovation pipeline for 2026 👀 Brands to watch: Simply (legumes) and Painterland Sisters (yogurt) --------------- Table of Contents: 00:00 – Intro 00:33 – Origin story and why behind the brand 04:17 – Reacquiring the Oakland roasting facility 05:25 – Developing the Culinary Roast process 08:29 – Iterations and the Good Food Award win 10:20 – R&D and SKU strategy 12:41 – The glyphosate contamination story 15:25 – USDA organic study and the limits of certifications 17:37 – What CPG brands should do about independent testing 19:39 – Vertical integration and cutting out middlemen 20:45 – Building direct farm relationships 23:06 – The Pacaya cooperative in Honduras 26:00 – Farmer economics (30 cents vs $3-6 per pound) 28:45 – Retail trajectory and going national at Sprouts 30:58 – Tactics for driving velocity in natural channel 31:56 – Retail expansion plans and breaking into mass 32:22 – Food service as a brand awareness channel 33:13 – Brand identity and packaging design decisions 34:43 – 2026 goals and new form factors 35:29 – Brands Hovik is watching --------------- Links: Heirloom Coffee Roasters – https://heirloomcoffeeroasters.com/ Follow Hovik on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/hovik-azadkhanian-a2404830/ Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/ For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out https://www.kitprint.co/

    38 min
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5
out of 5
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About

If you’ve ever thought, "Why doesn’t anyone talk about this in CPG?", this is the podcast for you. Host, Adam Steinberg, co-founder of KitPrint, interviews CPG leaders to uncover the real-world tactics, strategies, and behind-the-scenes insights that really move the needle.

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