The Startup CPG Podcast

Startup CPG
  • 4.9 (638)
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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. 1d ago

    #266: Building an Organic Social Media Following with Lindzi Shanks, XO Marshmallow

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Lindzi Shanks, founder and CEO of XO Marshmallow, to unpack how she built an organic social following of 1.4 million across platforms and turned it into real, trackable sales. Lindzi started XO Marshmallow 10 years ago with a background as an influencer and blogger, designing the brand from day one to be visually shareable. As short-form video took off, she realized the marshmallow-making process itself was perfectly suited to content, from ASMR-style pulling and pouring to behind-the-scenes factory footage. That instinct, paired with a willingness to constantly experiment and adapt, has turned XO into one of the most recognizable brands in confectionery, generating millions in revenue through social content and more than $2 million in TikTok Shop sales alone. Daniel and Lindzi dig into how each platform (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook) plays a completely different role in her strategy, how she turned a single negative comment into a 26-million-view video and a still-converting ad, why viral views don't always translate to sales, and how she batches content, keeps customers coming back, and now approaches an upcoming retail expansion. Listen in as they discuss: Why Lindzi designed XO Marshmallow to be visually shareable from day one, before short-form video existedHow TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube each reward completely different types of contentWhy "blame your content, not the algorithm" when something stops performingHow a single negative TikTok comment turned into a 26-million-view video and a still-converting adWhy viral views don't always translate into sales, and which platforms actually drive purchasesHow XO Marshmallow batches content one day a week and uses a freelance editor to scale outputWhy reusing years of old B-roll footage can create content that feels brand newHow XO Marshmallow drives repeat purchases and reorder rates through community programs like Troop XO and Camp CapWhy TikTok Shop customers are hard to retain, and how postcards and discount inserts help win them backWhy XO Marshmallow is redesigning its packaging and shelf life ahead of a retail expansion Episode Links: Lindzi Shanks LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lindzi-shanks-6689b6101Lindzi Shanks Instagram: @lindzi.shanksXO Marshmallow LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/xo-marshmallowXO Marshmallow Website: www.xomarshmallow.comXO Marshmallow Instagram: @xo.marshmallowXO Marshmallow Facebook: www.facebook.com/xomarshmallowXO Marshmallow YouTube: xomarshmallowXO Marshmallow Pinterest: za.pinterest.com/xomarshmallowXO Marshmallow TikTok: @xo.marshmallowDon'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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Daniel's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danscharffQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com Episode music by Super Fantastics

  2. 2d ago

    R&D RADIO: How Startup CPG's Product Developer Database Helped This Founder Reformulate

    In this episode of R&D Radio, host Adam Yee sits down with Drake Nickell, founder of Dimitri's Greek Kitchen, to talk through how he used Startup CPG's Product Developer Database to find the right partner for reformulating his brand's pita chips. Drake and his sister built Dimitri's Greek Kitchen around traditional Greek and Mediterranean snacks with a modern twist, starting with whipped feta before pivoting into pita chips after finding a manufacturing partner who could bring the product to life. With the chips now in over 300 stores, including all 189 Jewel-Osco locations across Illinois, Drake turned to the Product Developer Database to level up the product with a well-defined scope of work rather than spending months experimenting in his own kitchen. Adam and Drake dig into how Drake filtered and vetted eight different product developers, why having a clear scope of work upfront made those conversations more efficient, how founders and food scientists can use shared reference points like well-known snack brands to communicate flavor and texture, and what "soft skills" mattered most in choosing the right long-term partner. Listen in as they discuss: How Drake and his sister built Dimitri's Greek Kitchen around whipped feta and pita chipsWhy a viral TikTok moment around spicy whipped feta helped validate the product ideaHow Drake used Startup CPG's Product Developer Database to find and filter relevant expertsWhy having a clearly defined scope of work made his vetting conversations far more efficientWhat matters most when choosing a product developer beyond price, including communication style and personality fitWhy quick follow-up and pricing transparency were strong signals in choosing the right partnerHow food scientists use a "gold standard" reference product to reverse-engineer texture and flavorHow Drake described mouthfeel and flavor using widely available snack brands as a shared reference pointWhy founders shouldn't take early "no's" from experts personally, even when they stingWhat's next for Dimitri's Greek Kitchen, including new pita chip flavors and a whipped feta relaunch Episode Links: Drake Nickell LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drake-nickell-267b54161Dimitri's Greek Kitchen Website: www.dimitrisgreeksnacks.comDimitri's Greek Kitchen Instagram: @dimitrispitachips   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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpg Visit host Adam's LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com Episode music by Super Fantastics

  3. 4d ago

    How Whole Foods Invests in Emerging Brands with Ellen Gorra

    In this Investor Spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Ellen Gorra of Whole Foods Market, who leads the retailer's equity investment and warrant partnership programs, to unpack how one of the industry's most influential retailers evaluates, invests in, and supports emerging brands. Ellen's path to Whole Foods wound through equity research at Piper Sandler, buy-side coverage of hedge funds and private equity, and a stint at L Catterton in Asia, where she helped lead an $80 million investment in K-pop entertainment company YG Entertainment. After a brief detour into music at Live Nation, she found her way back to consumer - this time in food - and has been investing in and partnering with emerging brands at Whole Foods ever since. Hannah and Ellen dig into how Whole Foods' equity and warrant programs actually work, how the warrant program ties brand sales to charitable giving through the Whole Foods Market Foundation, what trends are shaping the perishables category right now, and what founders should understand about underwriting a return before pitching an investor. Listen in as they discuss: How Whole Foods' equity investment program differs from its warrant partnership programWhy proceeds from Whole Foods' equity stakes are donated to the Whole Foods Market Foundation when a brand exitsWhat stage and category of brands Whole Foods typically targets for equity vs. warrant dealsEmerging trends in perishables, including branded produce varieties and flavor-forward breedingWhat Whole Foods looks for when evaluating a brand's exit potential before entering a warrant partnershipHow founders can "underwrite" their own return for potential investors, including EBITDA benchmarks and typical return multiplesWhy revenue thresholds for a strategic acquisition have risen in recent yearsWhat Ellen wishes founders understood about communication and transparency with their Whole Foods merchantEllen's advice on getting noticed by investors, including keeping outreach short and having a clear product roadmapEllen's career lessons, from cap table math to navigating LinkedIn's highlight reel culture Episode Links: Ellen Gorra LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ellengorraWhole Foods Market LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/whole-foods-market/homeWhole Foods Market Website: www.wholefoods.comWhole Foods Market Instagram: @wholefoodsDon'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: http://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-dittman-011b844b/Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

  4. 5d ago

    Tallow, Trust, and Testing: Inside My Neighbor's Rapid Growth

    In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Harri Magaldi, founder of My Neighbor's, a regenerative tallow and vegan skincare brand manufactured in-house in the Hudson Valley. Harri left nine years on Wall Street after her daughter developed eczema as a baby. Unable to find anything that worked, she started making beef tallow balm at home in a crock pot using suet from a local farm, initially just to help her own daughter and as gifts for friends. After encouragement from other moms, she launched at the Hudson Farmer's Market in May 2024, selling $4,000 worth of product on day one. Four months later, she was picked up by Anthropology and Terrain, catapulting the brand into wholesale. My Neighbor's is now in over 500 retailers, on track for 1,500 doors by March 2027, and manufactures everything in-house just steps from the same farmer's market where it all began. Caitlin and Harri dig into the real difference between grass-fed and grass-finished, why sourcing and rendering suet locally matters so much for both quality and community impact, the $30,000 the brand invested unprompted in microbial, stability, and heavy metal testing, and how a chance encounter while pumping breast milk at Expo West led to a major new retail partnership. Listen in as they discuss: How Harri started making beef tallow balm at home to treat her daughter's eczemaSelling $4,000 in product on day one at the Hudson Farmer's MarketHow being picked up by Anthropologie and Terrain four months in changed everythingThe real difference between grass-fed and grass-finished, and why it matters for both meat and skincareWhy suet sourcing, local rendering, and naming the actual farm matters more than most tallow brands admitThe 12 Hudson Valley farms My Neighbor's partners with, and how the relationship benefits both sidesWhy the brand invested $30,000 unprompted in microbial, stability, and heavy metal testingHow partnering with QVC pushed the brand to raise its own safety and testing standardsMeeting a major buyer while pumping breast milk at her booth at Expo WestWhy Harri cares more about "regenerative" than "organic," and what that means for sourcing claims Episode Links: Harri Magaldi LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/harrimagaldiMy Neighbor's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/my-neighborsMy Neighbor's Website: www.myneighbors.coMy Neighbor'sInstagram: @myneighbors.coDon'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: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbrickerQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com Episode music by Super Fantastics

  5. Sep 8

    #265: Marion Nestle on Food Politics and the Cereal Aisle

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Marion Nestle, Professor Emerita of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at NYU, to unpack decades of cereal industry marketing history and what it reveals about food policy today. Marion is one of the most influential voices in food politics, having helped pioneer food studies as an academic discipline and served as Senior Nutrition Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she helped oversee the landmark 1988 Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health. She's the author of numerous bestselling books, including Food Politics, What to Eat, Soda Politics, and Unsavory Truth. Her newest book, Sugar Coated: Unboxing the Hidden Forces Shaping America's Favorite Breakfast Food, uses her decades-long personal collection of cereal boxes as a lens into the history of food marketing, health claims, and consumer behavior. Daniel and Marion dig into how cereal went from a health food invented by Kellogg to one of the most heavily marketed, sugar-laden products on shelves, how companies use shelf space, packaging changes, and influencer marketing to reach consumers (including kids), and what today's CPG founders can learn from a century of food industry marketing tactics. Listen in as they discuss: How Marion's decades-long personal collection of cereal boxes became the basis for her new book, Sugar CoatedThe surprising origins of cereal as a health food invented by Kellogg, a self-described "health nut"Why heavily sugared cereals didn't become popular until decades after cereal's original health-food brandingHow shifting nutrition trends, from fiber to protein, show up almost instantly on cereal packagingWhy cereal boxes make such a uniquely revealing marketing case study, from size to how often designs changeHow supermarkets are paid for shelf placement, and what that reveals about products like Cheerios' many spinoffsWhy influencer marketing has made it harder to monitor how food companies market to kids onlineWhat "ultra-processed" really means, and why it excludes most cereals currently on shelvesMarion's take on the wellness movement, GLP-1 drugs, and the "Make America Healthy Again" conversationMarion's advice to CPG founders: if you want to be trusted, behave in a trustworthy way Episode Links: Marion Nestle LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marion-nestle-9515ba8/Food Politics LinkedIn Newsletter: www.linkedin.com/newsletters/food-politics-7348413124078649347/Food Politics Website: www.foodpolitics.comMarion Nestle Instagram: @marionnestleDon'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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danscharff/Questions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com Episode music by Super Fantastics

  6. Sep 5

    Turning Customers Into Investors: A Popcorn Brand's Crowdfunding Playbook

    In this Founder Fundraising Journey episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Tal Moore, founder and CEO of Popsmith, a design-forward stovetop popcorn brand that's landed on Oprah's Favorite Things list and is heading into Williams Sonoma nationwide this year. Tal is a serial e-commerce founder with 25 years in the space, starting as a 12-year-old selling gumballs and candy in elementary school before building and exiting multiple online businesses, including a popcorn equipment store he ran two decades before launching Popsmith. After divesting from his other ventures, he went all-in on building the popcorn brand he always wished existed, one built around the nostalgia of movie nights and the superior taste of kettle-popped corn. Hannah and Tal dig into the real cost of bringing a premium physical product to market, the inventory mistake that nearly sank the business in its first year, how Oprah's Favorite Things bailed them out at the perfect moment, and why equity crowdfunding on StartEngine turned out to be the ideal fundraising path for a consumer brand like Popsmith. Listen in as they discuss: Tal's decades-long path through e-commerce, from candy sales as a kid to running seven-figure online storesWhy Popsmith set out to recreate movie-theater-quality popcorn with an heirloom-quality stovetop popperThe $2.2 million in personal capital and $1.6 million friends and family round that got Popsmith off the groundThe inventory miscalculation that nearly sank the business before Oprah's Favorite Things saved itWhy equity crowdfunding through StartEngine made more sense than venture capital at their stageThe key ingredients Tal believes make a brand succeed on an equity crowdfunding platformWhy Popsmith invites its own customers to become equity holders starting at just $500What the new StartEngine raise will fund, from holiday inventory to accelerating marketing spendTal's biggest lesson on capital management: never let yourself get undercapitalizedWhy 25 years of community involvement made his friends-and-family raise possible Episode Links: Tal Moore LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/talmoorePopsmith LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/popsmithPopsmith Website: www.popsmith.comPopsmith Instagram: @ilovepopsmithDon'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: www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-dittman-011b844bQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.com Episode music by Super Fantastics

  7. Sep 4

    She Couldn't Find a Clean Electrolyte Brand, So She Created One

    In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Danielle Nuss, founder of Short Story, a clean electrolyte mix made with organic fruit powder and naturally sourced minerals - and notably, zero natural flavors. Danielle is a mom of two boys working full-time in tech who started making her own electrolytes at home during her second pregnancy after struggling to find anything clean on shelf. What began as homemade batches for personal use turned into a farmer's market launch in Denver, where she sold through her first full production run and is now heading toward retail. Danielle is also a 2026 Shelfie Award winner, a detail she didn't even know about at the time of recording. Caitlin and Danielle dig into why natural flavors lack real transparency, how the lack of regulation around the word "natural" is more unsettling than most consumers realize, why entering a crowded electrolyte category was actually a signal of strong product-market fit, and what it looks like to build a CPG brand in the seams of an already full life. Listen in as they discuss: Why Danielle started making her own electrolytes during pregnancy after finding nothing clean on shelfWhy entering a crowded category can actually be a sign of strong product-market fitThe white space Danielle found for a clean, retail-ready electrolyte brandWhy natural flavors lack the same transparency required of everything else on a nutrition labelHow Short Story's front-of-package approach lets the product speak for itselfWhat brands legally can (and can't) say about organic certification before it's officialWhy "natural" isn't actually a regulated term, and why that should give consumers pauseHow retailers like Sprouts publicly weighing in on natural flavors could shift the categoryWhat it's really like building a brand as a mom of two working full-time in techWhere Danielle sees Short Story in five years, from new flavors to major natural retailers Episode Links: Danielle Nuss LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/daniellenussShort Story LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/drinkshortstoryShort Story Website: www.drinkshortstory.comShort Story Instagram: @drinkshortstoryDon'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: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbrickerQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

  8. Sep 1

    #264 How Foundation Foods Became One of SoCal's Most Trusted Grocery Distributors

    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Louis D'Angelo, founder of Foundation Foods, a beloved natural products distributor serving Southern California's most quality-focused retailers, to talk about how the company was built, what it takes to get on their shelves, and why strict ingredient standards have always been non-negotiable. Louis got his start freelancing as a de facto sales rep for small organic brands before ever knowing what a broker was. His path to founding Foundation Foods took a dramatic turn when a rattlesnake bite left him hospitalized for two weeks, during which the distributor he'd been working for stopped paying him and every brand he represented. That crisis - paired with a sudden sense of clarity - led him to take out a $25,000 loan, get his own warehouse in 2018, and build Foundation Foods from the ground up. Daniel and Louis dig into the strict organic ingredient standards Foundation Foods holds brands to, why they never charge brands beyond their margin, how they've grown from a scrappy one-truck operation into a trusted distributor for retailers like Erewhon, Jimbo's, PCC, and now Whole Foods, and exactly what brands should have ready before their first meeting. Listen in as they discuss: The rattlesnake bite and near-death experience that led Louis to launch Foundation FoodsWhy Foundation Foods only takes a margin and never charges brands hidden or additional feesThe strict organic ingredient standards that have led them to reject even great productsWhy USDA certification isn't required, so smaller brands aren't priced out of working with themHow Foundation Foods differs from broadliners and other SoCal-focused distributorsWhy inventory availability is the number one factor in getting - and staying - on the shelfHow Foundation Foods helps brands gain organic distribution through buyer relationships and catalog visitsWhy communicating with your regional distributor before adding a broadliner matters more than brands thinkCommon compliance mistakes that get products pulled from shelves, from pricing to Prop 65 labelingWhy patience matters just as much as inventory when working with retailers and distributors Episode Links: Louis D'Angelo LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/louisdangeloFoundation Foods LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/foundationfoodsFoundation Foods Website: www.foundationfoods.comFoundation Foods Instagram: @foundation.foodsDon'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: www.linkedin.com/in/danscharffQuestions or comments about the episode? Email podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics

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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
    497
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Startup CPG
  • Show Website
    The Startup CPG Podcast

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