Winning Pitches with RangeMe & ECRM

Joe Tarnowski
  • 3.0 (4)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Weekly

Stories, insights & advice from Retail & Foodservice Pros.Every day, RangeMe and ECRM empower brands and buyers from retail and foodservice industries to make connections that matter. Now, we're collecting stories, insights, and advice from the entrepreneurs and professionals who are shaping markets today to help you grow your business tomorrow.

  1. 1d ago

    Episode #70 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Circana’s Dan Sadler

    In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski speaks with Circana’s candy guru, Dan Sadler, to unpack the forces reshaping the confectionery category. Drawing from insights shared at ECRM's everyday and summer seasonal candy session, Dan breaks down how macroeconomic pressures, digital commerce, evolving consumer demographics, and seasonal shifts are changing how people buy and experience candy. Key Highlights Macroeconomic Pressures & Category Resilience: Dan breaks down how rising cocoa prices and broader economic angst are impacting shelf prices, while explaining why candy maintains an extraordinary household penetration rate of nearly 100%.Segment Standouts: While overall food and beverage volume remains flat, gummies continue to grow, unit sales for breath fresheners hold steady – potentially tied to GLP-1 side effects like dry mouth – and larger chocolate bar packs face unit softness as consumers scale down spending.The New Innovation Playbook: Discover how the traditional model of retail-first distribution is giving way to social commerce on platforms like TikTok Shop, where creator video demos drive direct sales, rapid reviews, and category growth for emerging brands.Gen Z & Flavor Exploration: Learn why Gen Z is fueling double-digit dollar growth across chocolate and non-chocolate categories, driving demand for "swicy" (sour-spicy) flavor combinations, nostalgic cotton candy, and novel textures.Health & Wellness Claims: A look into why "no/low sugar" has become the primary health claim across confectionery, alongside strong demand for vegan and gluten-free options.Maximizing Seasonal Candy Moments: Strategic insights on leveraging early seasonal momentum – such as "Summerween" marketing driving a 77% growth in August Halloween candy sales – and navigating unique calendar events, including the 2027 overlap where Valentine’s Day and the Super Bowl land on the exact same date.

  2. Oct 27

    Episode #69 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Pearhead Inc.

    In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Theresa Meyers from Pearhead Inc. to discuss how sensory, tactile stationery and customizable back-to-school products are capturing the market and helping people creatively capture memorable moments.  Episode Highlights From Keepsakes to School Supplies: Learn how Pearhead evolved from a baby keepsake company into a back-to-school trendsetter, alongside its sister brand, Ubbi.The Power of Tactile Trends: Discover why sensory-driven, fidget-friendly items – like customizable letterboard notebooks, charm journals, and denim pin journals – are performing exceptionally well with both young students and adults.Functional & Fun Products: Explore Pearhead's popular butter-themed collection and Ubbi’s dishwasher-safe, food-grade silicone "plate mates" built for lunchboxes.Retail Growth: Get behind-the-scenes insights into Pearhead's current retail distribution in major chains like Target and Walmart.Revolutionizing the Trade Show Meeting: Hear why Theresa designed a standing-only, table-free booth space to maximize engagement during fast-paced, 10-minute ECRM buyer meetings.Expanding into Pets: Learn how Pearhead translates its core mission of capturing special moments to pet owners through paw-print keepsake frames and durable pet supplies.Learn more about ECRM’s School & Office Supply Sessions! Read the blog post coverage from the interview here!

  3. Oct 20

    Episode #68 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Circana's Ben Arnold

    In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski speaks with Ben Arnold, Consumer Tech and Office Category Analyst at Circana, to unpack changing consumer spending habits, back-to-school dynamics, and emerging retail trends impacting the school and office supplies category at retail. Episode Highlights Macro Economic Realities: Unpack how inflation and higher shelf prices are impacting consumer behavior, causing buyers to seek efficiency through bigger packs or channel jumping while overall market revenues remain flat.Back-to-School Timing Shifts: Learn why back-to-school sales are shifting toward late-arriving shoppers in the final weeks before school starts, requiring brands to adopt localized, regional marketing strategies.Top-Performing Segments: Discover which categories are thriving, from traditional essentials like writing instruments and office paper to shipping supplies and viral art/creative items.The Hybrid Worker Impact: Explore how out-of-pocket spending by remote workers (44%) is expanding the definition of office supplies to include workspace decor, lighting, and under-desk wellness products.The Analog Resurgence: Examine why younger generations are embracing screen-free activities like journaling, viral crafts, retro digital cameras, and wired headphones for mindfulness.AI & Next-Gen Productivity: Review emerging tech tools transforming workspaces, including communal smart wall displays for family organization, e-ink tablets, and wearable AI note-taking gear.  Learn more about ECRM’s School & Office Sessions!

  4. Oct 13

    Episode #67 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Mirchi Labs

    In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski speaks with Sudhanshu Gupta, Founder and CEO of Mirchi Labs, to unpack the hidden operational hurdles emerging brands face after securing their first retail deal – specifically, dealing with “messy” product data! Episode Highlights Navigating Retailer Compliance: Discover why every retailer speaks a different "data language" – from varying image counts to requiring anywhere from 20 to 50 distinct product attributes.The Cost of Messy Data: Gupta shares how incomplete descriptions, inaccurate weights, and missing specs create downstream bottlenecks that delay launches and erode potential revenue.Auditing Your Catalog: Learn how Mirchi Labs' Shelf-Ready Score tool lets brands upload product spreadsheets to catch compliance errors before submission.AI with a Human-in-the-Loop: Mirchi Labs utilizes AI to accelerate content creation while maintaining human oversight for total data precision.Managing Growth & Regulations: Understand how to keep product listings compliant as you scale, including handling state-specific requirements like California's Prop 65 certifications.The Execution Layer: Learn how Mirchi Labs acts as the operational bridge between brands and retailers, handling product data setup so founders can stay focused on product development.

  5. Oct 6

    Episode #66 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - NIQ’s Kaleigh Theriault

    In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with NIQ’s Beverage Alcohol expert Kaleigh Theriault to dissect the economic headwinds, channel shifts, and evolving consumer habits shaping the beer, wine, spirits, and RTD segments, both on-premise and off. Episode Highlights On-Premise vs. Off-Premise Disconnect: Discover why bar and restaurant visitation remains steady due to celebratory occasions and sporting events, while off-premise retail channels face plateauing declines.RTDs as a Mega Category: Learn how breaking out malt, wine, and spirits-based RTDs as a fourth mega-category reveals steep underlying declines in core spirits.Flavor Evolution & Gen Z Nostalgia: The rise of "sweet heat" flavor combinations, hydration-inspired branding, and analog trends among younger consumers looking to disconnect from screen time.Re-Defining Moderation: Wellness priorities and economic pressures are intersecting, driving behaviors like pre-drinking for 1 in 4 consumers and boosting sales in dollar and club channels.N/A and THC Category Realities: Learn about how the non-alcoholic beer is reaching category maturity, the expansion of canned mocktails, and the regulatory landscape for hemp-derived THC beverages.Strategic Playbooks for Brands: Review key recommendations on winning specific consumer occasions, executing intentional innovation, and using creative on-premise experiences to build off-premise loyalty.Learn more about ECRM’s On & Off Premise Adult Beverage Session!

  6. Sep 29

    Episode #65 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Twist Foods

    In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Anisha Patel, co-founder of Las Vegas-based Twist Foods. After operating family restaurants for over 14 years, Anisha and her husband turned customer demand into a thriving CPG brand offering clean-label curry simmer sauces. Discover how Twist Foods navigated the transition from restaurant prep to retail packaging, overcame co-packer hurdles, and landed placement with major retail partners like H-E-B, Hy-Vee, and KeHE in under two years from RangeMe Immediate Opportunities and ECRM Sessions. 🔑 Key Highlights  Transitioning from Restaurant to CPG: How Twist Foods adjusted fresh restaurant recipes into shelf-stable sauces using real ingredients like cashew butter and fresh cream instead of artificial thickeners or powders.Overcoming Co-Packer Challenges: Why finding co-packers willing to cook with fresh onions instead of onion powder took patience, negotiation, and persistence.Winning Buyer Pitch Strategies: How Anisha shifted her buyer meetings from long product pitches to shorter, insight-driven conversations focused on solving buyer needs.Leveraging Retail Platforms: How Twist Foods maximized success using RangeMe category reviews and face-to-face ECRM sessions to secure major retail distribution.Targeting Modern Consumers: Why Gen Z and health-conscious families are driving demand for clean labels, seed-oil-free products, and versatile fusion flavors.Product Testing Grounds: How Twist Foods uses its brick-and-mortar restaurant and local farmer's markets to beta-test new products before launching them into production.What’s Next for Twist Foods: A sneak peek at upcoming flavor innovations, including date-based chutneys and curried hot sauces.

  7. Sep 22

    Episode #64 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - PartnerSlate

    Finding the right contract manufacturer is often one of the biggest roadblocks emerging brands face when trying to scale. Cold calls, misaligned equipment needs, and unexpected costs can leave founders feeling like they’ve hit a brick wall. In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski chats with Vincent Tseng, CEO of PartnerSlate, to demystify the co-manufacturing search. They dive deep into why finding a co-manufacturer or co-packer is more like a marriage than a vendor transaction, how to evaluate if your brand is truly ready to make the leap, and how PartnerSlate’s curated platform and RangeMe partnership streamlines the matching process. Key Takeaways The "Marriage" Mindset: Why treating your co-packer like an investor rather than a simple vendor is the secret to building a successful, long-term manufacturing partnership.When Are You Ready?: The real numbers behind scaling up—why staying in a commercial kitchen longer might be the smartest move, and the sales volume or capital you need before making the jump.Commercial Kitchens vs. Co-Manufacturers: A breakdown of the core differences in quality control, equipment specifications, and upfront requirements.Managing Growth & Secondary Co-Packers: How to handle sudden viral growth or major retail purchase orders without overwhelming your primary supply chain.Curated AI Matching: How PartnerSlate uses anonymous, targeted matching to connect brands with qualified co-manufacturers within 48 hours.Exclusive RangeMe Perks: How RangeMe Pro, Premium, and Starter subscribers can access free or discounted project listings on PartnerSlate.

  8. Sep 15

    Episode #63 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Bhavana Foods

    In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Ruchir Vimawala, Co-Founder of Bhavana Foods. Vimawala shares how he brought an iconic culinary brand with an 80-year legacy in India to the U.S. market, all while maintaining his full-time career as a medical device engineer.  From delivering products to independent grocers from the back of a Kia Optima to landing major retail deals with Grocery Outlet, KeHE, and United Supermarkets / Albertsons from ECRM meetings, Vimawala breaks down what true grit, hustle, and passion look like in the CPG startup world. Episode Highlights: The Culinary Origin Story: How a nostalgic trip back to India sparked Vimawala’s passion to bring authentic, non-preservative Indian meals to American consumers.The Name Behind the Brand: The heartfelt story behind naming the company "Bhavna Foods" after his wife, who serves as his Co-Founder, anchor, and biggest cheerleader.Innovating for the American Market: How Bhavana Foods transformed standard vegetarian entrees into convenient, shelf-stable, all-in-one combo meal kits designed for busy professionals and students.The 100-Hour Workweek: The realities of balancing a corporate engineering job Monday through Friday while spending weekends driving across state lines to pitch retailers out of the trunk of his car.Mastering the 10-Minute Buyer Pitch: Ruchir’s unique pitch philosophy—from wearing traditional Indian attire to treating buyers like VIPs—and how he closed a $50,000 purchase order in just seven minutes into a meeting during his first ECRM session.Turning Feedback into Product Design: How direct retailer feedback led to major packaging pivots, including split 12-pack shipping cases that double as ready-to-shelf display trays.Featured Quote: "People live American life. I live the American dream. This is a country—a gold mine of opportunities. The more you dig, the more gold you will find." — Ruchir Vimawala

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4 Ratings

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Stories, insights & advice from Retail & Foodservice Pros.Every day, RangeMe and ECRM empower brands and buyers from retail and foodservice industries to make connections that matter. Now, we're collecting stories, insights, and advice from the entrepreneurs and professionals who are shaping markets today to help you grow your business tomorrow.

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