Startup To Scale

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Startup To Scale is your resource for growing your food, beverage, and CPG company from a young company to a successful business.

  1. 251. How Insurgent CPG Brands Stand Out in Crowded Categories

    3 DAYS AGO

    251. How Insurgent CPG Brands Stand Out in Crowded Categories

    In this episode, I talk with John Ferrante from EO Space about how high-growth CPG brands find white space, build emotional differentiation, and use packaging as a true growth lever. We break down why functional claims are no longer enough, how standout brands earn attention and convert on shelf and on social, and what founders should focus on when positioning their product to win in competitive categories. Perfect for CPG founders rethinking branding, packaging, and long-term growth. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

    24 min
  2. 250. How Vacation Rental Sampling Helps CPG Brands Reach High-Intent Consumers

    30 JAN

    250. How Vacation Rental Sampling Helps CPG Brands Reach High-Intent Consumers

    I sit down with Rachel Vigil, Founder of UpClose Marketing, to break down one of the most overlooked sampling channels for emerging CPG brands: vacation rentals and short-term stays. We talk about how placing products inside Airbnbs, mid-term rentals, and campgrounds allows brands to reach high-intent consumers in distraction-free environments without the high costs and chaos of festivals or in-store demos. Rachel shares which product categories perform best, how brands can collect real feedback and emails, and how this channel can support retail growth and long-term customer relationships. If you’re curious whether this sampling strategy could work for your brand, you can contact Rachel by emailing me at intro@foodbevy.com, and I’ll be happy to make an introduction. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

    21 min
  3. 249. The Trade Spend Traps: The Biggest Mistakes Brands Make After Getting Into Retail

    15/12/2025

    249. The Trade Spend Traps: The Biggest Mistakes Brands Make After Getting Into Retail

    You made it onto the shelf. Great. But now the real spending begins. Trade spend is one of the biggest drivers of success in retail — and one of the fastest ways for emerging brands to lose money, stall velocity, or get discontinued. In this deep-dive conversation, I and Yuval Selik unpack the most common and most expensive trade spend mistakes founders make, and how to avoid them. We cover: Why most founders underestimate the true cost of staying on the shelfThe promo structures that quietly destroy marginHow to avoid “set it and forget it” promotions that never performWhat deductions actually mean — and how to stop paying for things you don’t oweHow to know when a promotion is working vs. when you’re just lighting money on fireThe cashflow impact that no one warns new brands aboutIf you’re selling in retail — or about to — Yuval will help you build a smarter, more profitable trade spend system from day one. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

    24 min
  4. 248. A Pit Master and a Navy Aviator Create a Meat Chip

    08/12/2025

    248. A Pit Master and a Navy Aviator Create a Meat Chip

    In today’s episode, I’m joined by Ian Timmons and Billy Knox, founders of Beefy, and one of my favorite new snacks—featured in our Winter Foodbevy Insider Box. We talk about: what went wrong (and right) in early R&Dthe complexity of manufacturing and scaling a brand-new product formatthe GTM strategy that got Beefy their early tractionwhere they’re headed next as they expand beyond DTCStartup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

    20 min
  5. 247. The Hidden 6-Figure Mistakes Hiding in Your Packaging

    24/11/2025

    247. The Hidden 6-Figure Mistakes Hiding in Your Packaging

    In this episode, I share how one “small” packaging change can snowball into a six-figure problem—and how to stop that from happening to your brand.  I sit down with Maureen Dollard, founder of Complete Acuity, to break down where CPG founders go wrong: missing pieces in the scope, forgetting secondary packaging, and leaving regulatory to the last minute. If you’re planning a refresh or new launch in 2026, this is your cheat sheet to avoiding costly delays, write-offs, and do-overs. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

    19 min
  6. 246. 1500+ Doors on 6 Months, Joon Pistachio’s Tremendous Growth

    18/11/2025

    246. 1500+ Doors on 6 Months, Joon Pistachio’s Tremendous Growth

    In this episode, I sit down with Joon co-founders Cody Allen and Alexandre Bennet to talk about how they turned a 300-year-old family pistachio recipe into one of my favorite new snack brands. We dig into how they chose pistachios, grew into 1,000+ doors in just months, and built a brand that stands out in a crowded snack aisle.  If you’re a founder who loves a good origin story and wants the playbook for smart, fast growth, you’ll want to hit play on this one. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

    18 min
  7. 245. How to Use Consumer Testing to Build High-Performing Packaging with Michael Keplinger of SmashBrand

    10/11/2025

    245. How to Use Consumer Testing to Build High-Performing Packaging with Michael Keplinger of SmashBrand

    Most founders design packaging based on gut feeling — not data. But what if you could know, before launch, exactly how consumers will respond? In this episode, I chat with Michael Keplinger, Managing Partner at SmashBrand, about how to bring the consumer voice into every stage of brand-building. We dive into the psychology behind the 3–13 second decision window, how packaging roles differ between e-commerce and retail, and how to create a testing roadmap that fits a startup budget. Michael shares how data-driven testing can help founders not only improve packaging performance but also win over retail buyers with proof that their product converts. If you’re building or rebranding a CPG product, this episode will help you make smarter decisions, reduce risk, and create packaging that sells itself. Learn more about SmashBrand. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

    23 min
  8. 244. Pitch to PO: How to Win a Retail Buyer Meeting Without a Broker

    29/10/2025

    244. Pitch to PO: How to Win a Retail Buyer Meeting Without a Broker

    Getting a meeting with a retail buyer is tough — but winning that meeting is even tougher. In this episode, I talk with Tia Ellis, Founder and CEO of Wildflower Insight, about how to pitch your product to retailers the right way. Tia shares her Golden Retail Rule, breaks down the 3 types of pitches every founder should master, and reveals how to understand buyer psychology so you can connect, persuade, and close that coveted purchase order — all without relying on a broker. 💡 Want an intro to Tia or to collaborate on future episodes? Reach out at intro@foodbevy.com Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

    24 min
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About

Startup To Scale is your resource for growing your food, beverage, and CPG company from a young company to a successful business.

Information

  • Creator
    Foodbevy
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    250
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Startup To Scale
  • Show Website
    Startup To Scale

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