You, Me & CPG by Haines

Haines

Welcome to You, Me & CPG, the podcast that cuts through the noise tomake sense of some of the biggest shifts reshaping the CPG industry. Your host, Jamie Holtum, will take you beyond the label to focus on thetopics that matter - the meaty, useful and relevant issues that are keepingCPG leaders up at night. Our ambition is simple. We want you to leave with genuine real-worldimplications you can take back to your team. Ideas that unlock growth,challenge assumptions and reframe some of the ways your business thinksor does things. Brought to you by Haines, a dedicated CPG growth partner working non-stop on the future of food, drink and wellbeing, You, Me & CPG uncoversthe conversations behind the briefs, where strategy meets reality and bigdecisions are made. Whether you’re a global giant or insurgent upstart, if you want to make animpact – this podcast if for you.  Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.haines.partners/

  1. How Tenzing Are Taking On Red Bull & Monster With The Good Energy Revolution, Ft. Huib van Bockel #29

    Apr 15

    How Tenzing Are Taking On Red Bull & Monster With The Good Energy Revolution, Ft. Huib van Bockel #29

    The energy drinks category has grown year-on-year for three decades. Red Bull and Monster have dictated play; their high-octane branding has written the rulebook for how energy drinks show up on shelf and in culture. But there’s a new wave of brands disrupting the category. Tenzing - like their Everest-conquering sherpa namesake – are pioneering a new route, leading the way in what is a burgeoning natural energy subcategory.  With a pointed perspective that ‘life is too good for bad energy’, Tenzing are tackling artificial ‘big energy’ head-on with 100% natural ingredients, low calories, and simply put, no junk.  And not so coincidentally, their founder is ex-Red Bull.. Jamie Holtum recently sat down with Huib Van Bockel to talk all things good energy. Don’t miss out on the conversation. Here’s what we discussed: Why life is too good for bad energy - unpacking the Tenzing ‘good energy mantra’How to truly adopt a challenger mindset in a big companyWhy format tweaks can instantly supersede brand and propositionWhy the tough bits of founding a brand are often over-romanticisedScaling with outside investment, while staying mission‑ledHuib van Bockel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huib-van-bockel-8454834/ TENZING: https://tenzingnaturalenergy.com/ Jamie Holtum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-holtum-85b79634/ Haines: https://www.haines.partners/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hainespartners/ https://www.instagram.com/youmeandcpg/

    47 min
  2. How NICE are Crushing Wine Category Codes with Co-Founder, Lucy Busk #28

    Apr 1

    How NICE are Crushing Wine Category Codes with Co-Founder, Lucy Busk #28

    Only a few years ago, if you wanted wine on-the-go your options were limited to the semi-palatable 187ml PET plastic bottle or its unhelpful sibling, the pseudo-wine glass with a foil lid. Neither have a great OTG consumption experience and where other categories brimmed with innovation - wine was far behind. Cue NICE, who launched in 2019 on a mission to solve the ‘OTG wine headache’ with wine in a can. Wrapped in a bright, crowd-pleasing brand and aimed at democratising wine without compromising on its quality, NICE is a brilliant case study in how to break old category codes, while honouring the right traditions. Fast forward to today, the category has evolved and so has NICE. Hot off an elevated rebrand designed to propel NICE far beyond its can-only origins, the future of wine is looking pretty NICE. We caught up with co-founder Lucy Busk in the You, Me & CPG Studio to talk rebrand, cultural relevance and how to crush old codes for growth. Here’s a snapshot of what we discussed: How To Decide Which Category Traditions Break (And Which To Keep)Why Wine Should Behave More Like A Beer In The On-TradeHow To Crack Cultural Relevance And Real Life Brand BuildingWhy Agency Relationships Are Critical to Creative SuccessWhy Low ABV is Part of Wines FutureLucy Busk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-busk-wright-52966086/ Nice Drinks: https://nice-drinks.co.uk/ Jamie Holtum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-holtum-85b79634/ Haines: https://www.haines.partners/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hainespartners/ https://www.instagram.com/youmeandcpg/

    41 min
  3. How Double Dutch are Making Mixers the Main Character with Raissa De Haas #27

    Mar 18

    How Double Dutch are Making Mixers the Main Character with Raissa De Haas #27

    Tonic water is the classic challenger brand case study, and now it’s going through a second wave of disruption. Two decades ago, the category was unloved - lacking vibrancy, cultural resonance and innovation. Then Fever Tree came along and turned everything on its head by offering ingredient-driven premium mixers designed to elevate - not downgrade - their spirit counterparts. Fast forward to 2026, Double Dutch is disrupting the category again with a voracious hospitality-first focus. Extroverted and vibrant, their flavour-driven proposition might just be the perfect tonic for the struggling on-trade. We sat down with co-founder and ‘tonic twin’ Raissa De Haas to chat challenger mindset, cultural relevance, and why focus is critical when the climate gets tough. We hope you enjoy it, and a big thanks to Raissa for jumping into the studio. This episode covers The Power of Doing One Thing WellThe Challenger Brand Hack for Cracking Consumer RelevanceWhy Gen Z Want Feeling Before FunctionWhy Hospitality-only Experiences Will Save the On-tradeWhy Big Companies often Overcomplicate NPDRaissa de Haas https://uk.linkedin.com/in/raissa-de-haas-02740a61 Double Dutch Drinks https://doubledutchdrinks.com/ https://www.instagram.com/doubledutchdrinks/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/double-dutch-drinks/ Jamie Holtum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-holtum-85b79634/ Haines: https://www.haines.partners/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hainespartners/ https://www.instagram.com/youmeandcpg/

    35 min
  4. The Fightback: Is 2026 the Year Alcohol Roars Back? With Paul Thomas, Rob Wallis & Tristram Coates #26

    Feb 18

    The Fightback: Is 2026 the Year Alcohol Roars Back? With Paul Thomas, Rob Wallis & Tristram Coates #26

    Is 2026 The Year Alcohol Roars Back? The headlines spell the end for booze: Executive departures, decline, doom. The true story? It’s much more nuanced.  In pockets, alc is flying. Gen Z participation is up. Spend is up. Dry Jan was the 'wettest' since 2014 according to The Times. What’s clear - growth is up for grabs - if brands get it right. Our latest pod challenges the doomsayers with a dose of confidence. Last episode, we looked at the future of drinking through the no & low lens (thanks to Botivo’s Imme Ermgassen and Club Soda’s Laura Willoughby!) This time, Booze fights back with an elite corner: MOTH Drink’s Rob Wallis, Paul Thomas, formerly of Diageo, Asahi and Suntory, and Tristram Coates of GHF. This episode covers why: Alcohol brands need to get their fun backPremiumisation has become too prevalent‘Share of entertainment’ is the new ‘share of throat’Brands are missing a trick by not supporting the on-trade enoughWe hope you enjoy listening.  Paul Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-thomas-8b903025/ Tristram Coates: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristram-coates-9014151a5/ Rob Wallis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8D%B8-rob-wallis-162801113/ Jamie Holtum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-holtum-85b79634/ Haines: https://www.haines.partners/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hainespartners/ https://www.instagram.com/youmeandcpg/

    1h 2m
  5. What is The Future of Drinking? Designing Drinks in a World Where Experience Trumps ABV #25

    11/05/2025

    What is The Future of Drinking? Designing Drinks in a World Where Experience Trumps ABV #25

    What does it mean to ‘go for a drink’ in 2025, and what’s at stake for those vying for a place in everyone’s glass? Gone are the days of the binary option. ‘Alcohol vs 0% beer’ has been replaced by functional beverages, ashwagandha, CBD and beyond. Today’s episode of You, Me & CPG isn’t just about the future of drinking, but by proxy it’s the future of socialising, and we couldn’t be joined by three more important guests. Laura Willoughby MBE (Club Soda Co-Founder), Imme Ergassen (Botivo Co-Founder) and Luis Osório (IWSR’s Head of Consumer Insights) see the glass half-full, but heed their warnings - there’s plenty for brands to reshape if they’re to fit the mould of the future… This episode covers The new social perspective on drinking experiences Functional beverages and blurred boundariesThe real story behind rising moderation - less about abstinence, more about optionsAuthenticity, storytelling, and brand craft as tools for market positioningNavigating the industry shift, and what the beverage sector must do to stay relevant Imme Ergassen https://www.linkedin.com/in/immeermgassen/?originalSubdomain=uk Luis Osório https://www.linkedin.com/in/luismosorio/?originalSubdomain=uk Laura Willoughby MBE https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawilloughby/?originalSubdomain=uk Jamie Holtum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-holtum-85b79634/ Haines: https://www.haines.partners/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hainespartners/ https://www.instagram.com/youmeandcpg/

    1h 4m
  6. “Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels”: How to Prepare for GLP-1's Radical Impact on Food & Drink with Unilever, Carlsberg Britvic and Mintel #24

    10/08/2025

    “Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels”: How to Prepare for GLP-1's Radical Impact on Food & Drink with Unilever, Carlsberg Britvic and Mintel #24

    GLP-1s. Miracle weight-loss drugs. They’re the single most disruptive force that CPG has faced in decades. They shrink appetites, and if you’re not paying attention, could shrink your category too… It's forecast to be a $150 billion industry by 2030, and by 2027 there’ll be GLP-1s available in pill format - food and drinks categories beware. This week’s ‘You, Me & CPG’ features 4 of the brightest minds and most sound voices that you NEED to hear right now; Rob Hobson, Jonny Forsyth, Jennifer Dyne, and Dr Caroline Withers. Their collective experience is impossible to ignore, so listen close as we explore how the recipe for success needs reformulating for a world where a personal miracle could become your business’ worst nightmare. This episode covers How new innovations in medication are reshaping consumer behaviourThe changing role of food in people’s lives, from emotional experiences to functional eatingBrands’ urgent need to adapt and stay relevant through new product developmentStaying true to brand purpose and engaging consumers with genuine, emotionally resonant messagingThe challenges and opportunities in educating consumers about nutrition, and how that feeds into buying habitsRob Hobson https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-hobson-4493ab28/?originalSubdomain=uk Jonny Forsyth https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-forsyth-91914b23/?originalSubdomain=uk Jennifer Dyne https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-dyne-49568325/?originalSubdomain=uk Dr Caroline Withers https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-withers-phd-07961958/?originalSubdomain=uk Jamie Holtum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-holtum-85b79634/ Haines: https://www.haines.partners/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hainespartners/ https://www.instagram.com/youmeandcpg/

    1h 4m

About

Welcome to You, Me & CPG, the podcast that cuts through the noise tomake sense of some of the biggest shifts reshaping the CPG industry. Your host, Jamie Holtum, will take you beyond the label to focus on thetopics that matter - the meaty, useful and relevant issues that are keepingCPG leaders up at night. Our ambition is simple. We want you to leave with genuine real-worldimplications you can take back to your team. Ideas that unlock growth,challenge assumptions and reframe some of the ways your business thinksor does things. Brought to you by Haines, a dedicated CPG growth partner working non-stop on the future of food, drink and wellbeing, You, Me & CPG uncoversthe conversations behind the briefs, where strategy meets reality and bigdecisions are made. Whether you’re a global giant or insurgent upstart, if you want to make animpact – this podcast if for you.  Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.haines.partners/