The Curious Consumer

Express Checkout

The Curious Consumer digs deeper than headlines to uncover the context, connections, and cultural shifts driving the world of consumer products. Join hosts (and CPG nerds) Nate and Jenna for analysis and conversations with the people and businesses shaping tomorrow's shopping cart. www.expresscheckout.co

  1. 19H AGO

    What Super Bowl ads told us about consumer trends

    This week, we're diving into the Super Bowl ads (CPG trend version), what Once Upon a Farm’s IPO tells us, how BigCo brands are getting squeezed by private label, and more. Check out our most recent newsletter: The Breakdown: 00:00 What Super Bowl ads tell us about CPG trends 12:45 Once Upon a Farm’s IPO and the better-for-you kids space23:19 PepsiCo's price cuts and squeezing the middle26:45 Discontinuing Minute Maid’s frozen juice29:58 Creatine controversy32:18 Lactaid enters the creamer market36:34 Bachan's acquisition 🎧 Love the show? Subscribe to The Curious Consumer wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop weekly. 📧 Get the inside scoop Subscribe to Express Checkout, our newsletter packed with consumer insights, trends, and exclusive content straight to your inbox at expresscheckout.co. 🗣️ Let’s connect! Follow us for behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and more: @expresscheckout 💬 Join the conversation Have a product you’re curious about? DM us your questions or drop them in the comments—your topic could be featured in our next episode! If you have any thoughts/questions/suggestions, feel free to email us at hello@expresscheckout.co :) ⭐ Help us grow If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other curious consumers find us! Get full access to Express Checkout at www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe

    40 min
  2. Why gummy supplements are everywhere now

    FEB 4

    Why gummy supplements are everywhere now

    Welcome back! Today we have our very first guest, the one and only rachel mansfield. Rachel is a recipe creator, and influencer with over 1M followers on Instagram, she pens a Substack called more, please by rachel mansfield, and most recently co-founded Cadootz Snacks, a new organic kids' protein snack brand. In this episode we also go into the wonderful world of gummy supplements, discuss how stadiums are the next launching platform for THC beverages, the rise of Sprouts market, and so much more! The breakdown: 00:00 Intro00:28 Interview: Rachel Mansfield of Cadootz Snacks11:36 The rise of gummy supplements24:27 THC beverages hit the arena30:00 Allergy care, but make it "clean"34:32 Sprouts expansion37:00 Oats Overnight's success story 🎧 Love the show? Subscribe to The Curious Consumer wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop weekly. 📧 Get the inside scoop Subscribe to Express Checkout, our newsletter packed with consumer insights, trends, and exclusive content straight to your inbox at expresscheckout.co. Let’s connect! Follow us for behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and more: @expresscheckout 💬 Join the conversation Have a product you’re curious about? DM us your questions or drop them in the comments—your topic could be featured in our next episode! If you have any thoughts/questions/suggestions, feel free to email us at hello@expresscheckout.co :) ⭐ Help us grow If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other curious consumers find us! Get full access to Express Checkout at www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe

    42 min
  3. "Clean" medicine and non-ultraprocessed soda

    JAN 28

    "Clean" medicine and non-ultraprocessed soda

    Welcome back! This week, we're sharing our favorite products of the week (and yes, Nate's is packed with protein...), some of the unique challenges of building a celebrity brand, the inside scoop on the new Non-Ultraprocessed Food Verification, the weirdly big business of hand sanitizer, and more! The breakdown:00:00 Favorite bites of the week04:56 Building the "perfect" celeb CPG brand12:32 The new Non-Ultra Processed Food Certification18:56 Elf's first-ever fragrance23:23 Ulta's new wellness "shop-in-shops"27:18 The big biz of hand sanitizer34:54 P&G acquires the new-age Tums (Wonderbelly)39:44 Outro 🎧 Love the show? Subscribe to The Curious Consumer wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop weekly. 📧 Get the inside scoop Subscribe to Express Checkout, our newsletter packed with consumer insights, trends, and exclusive content straight to your inbox at expresscheckout.co. Let’s connect! Follow us for behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and more: @expresscheckout 💬 Join the conversation Have a product you’re curious about? DM us your questions or drop them in the comments—your topic could be featured in our next episode! If you have any thoughts/questions/suggestions, feel free to email us at hello@expresscheckout.co :) ⭐ Help us grow If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other curious consumers find us! Get full access to Express Checkout at www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe

    41 min
  4. Every single trend in one can

    JAN 21

    Every single trend in one can

    Welcome back to The Curious Consumer! This week, we've got another roundup of protein launches (shocking!)—but this time from some unlikely sources. Plus, we're exploring how Target became the new go-to retailer for emerging brands, actually exciting innovation from a food tech company, and the future of THC bevs. The breakdown: 00:00 Intro02:07 Starbucks and Dunkin take protein04:15 Beyond Meat's new protein beverage?09:45 Prebiotic. protein. soda.12:50 PRIME enters protein15:12 Why Target is the new hub for emerging brands27:40 Innovation that EXCITES.31:05 Spiked Gatorade??34:54 THC/hemp ban legislation update38:32 Consolidating brands 🎧 Love the show? Subscribe to The Curious Consumer wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop weekly. 📧 Get the inside scoop Subscribe to Express Checkout, our newsletter packed with consumer insights, trends, and exclusive content straight to your inbox at expresscheckout.co. Let’s connect! Follow us for behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and more: @expresscheckout 💬 Join the conversation Have a product you’re curious about? DM us your questions or drop them in the comments—your topic could be featured in our next episode! If you have any thoughts/questions/suggestions, feel free to email us at hello@expresscheckout.co :) ⭐ Help us grow If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other curious consumers find us! Get full access to Express Checkout at www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe

    45 min

  5. JAN 15

    Protein for pleasure

    Another week of countless protein launches—this time, positioned for women—plus Target’s wellness expansion, the latest THC retailer launch, how Good Culture won the unsexiest category, and more. The breakdown: 00:00 Intro 00:20 Food + bev trade show highlights 01:45 The next big flavor of 2026: PB&J 07:24 David protein sent what to who? 13:02 GORGIE launched protein + energy 14:14 The clear protein boom 19:26 Lemme launches creatine gummies 24:03 Target’s wellness expansion 28:17 THC beverages launching in Sprouts 34:34 Good Culture’s cottage cheese revolution 39:17 Some quick thoughts on the new dietary guidelines 41:14 Conclusion If you’re interested in learning more about the “Flipped Pyramid”, check out Jessica Knurick, PhD, RDN’s Substack here: 🎧 Love the show? Subscribe to The Curious Consumer wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop weekly. 📧 Get the inside scoop Subscribe to Express Checkout, our newsletter packed with consumer insights, trends, and exclusive content straight to your inbox at expresscheckout.co. Let’s connect! Follow us for behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and more: @expresscheckout 💬 Join the conversation Have a product you’re curious about? DM us your questions or drop them in the comments—your topic could be featured in our next episode! If you have any thoughts/questions/suggestions, feel free to email us at hello@expresscheckout.co :) ⭐ Help us grow If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other curious consumers find us! Get full access to Express Checkout at www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe

    42 min
  6. Frozen food's glow-up era

    JAN 7

    Frozen food's glow-up era

    Welcome to our first episode of The Curious Consumer in 2026!! We're excited to be back and sharing some of the latest stories in consumer brands, from how the frozen aisle is changing to the next big format in protein (hint: it's weirdly.... juvenile). The breakdown: 00:00 Intro + snacking resolutions03:25 The future of the frozen aisle13:37 Trader Joe's challenges Olipop and Poppi17:38 Canned protein milk's moment22:42 The nuanced story of plant-based brand shutdowns28:38 Beauty brands enter body care33:10 Domestic olive oil for the win?38:04 Conclusion 🎧 Love the show? Subscribe to The Curious Consumer wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop weekly. 📧 Get the inside scoop Subscribe to Express Checkout, our newsletter packed with consumer insights, trends, and exclusive content straight to your inbox at expresscheckout.co. Let’s connect! Follow us for behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and more: @expresscheckout 💬 Join the conversation Have a product you’re curious about? DM us your questions or drop them in the comments—your topic could be featured in our next episode! If you have any thoughts/questions/suggestions, feel free to email us at hello@expresscheckout.co :) ⭐ Help us grow If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other curious consumers find us! Get full access to Express Checkout at www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe

    39 min
  7. A year in consumer brands + retail: 2025 in review

    12/24/2025

    A year in consumer brands + retail: 2025 in review

    Welcome to our final podcast of 2025! We’re walking through some of the biggest themes and headlines from the year, from redefining “function” (with protein, THC, and caffeine) to the new target demographics for skincare + fragrance and the future of retail. Thank you for being a listener this year—we are so grateful, and can’t wait to continue providing more for you in 2026. If there’s anything else you’d like to see from us next year, feel free to reach out at hello@expresscheckout.co 😊 * Want to dig deeper into the protein trend? Check out our two protein podcast episodes: https://expresscheckout.co/p/protein-is-not-a-trend and https://expresscheckout.co/p/proteins-new-era * Looking for more info on energy drinks? We got a pod on that too: https://expresscheckout.co/p/energy-drinks-are-for-the-girls * And if you’re trying to check out all of the major headlines and themes from 202, snoop through our archive of newsletters at https://expresscheckout.co/archive The Rundown 00:00 Intro 01:58 Biggest theme of 2025: Redefining “function” 02:52 Proteinification 06:21 Energy drinks (are for the girls) 08:55 THC category boom 10:26 Magnesium/sleep 13:04 The next gen of retail 20:37 Teens and men: The new targets of beauty/skincare 27:00 How the big guys streamlined 29:08 The crazy headlines you probably forgot 36:37 Winners of 2025 44:12 2026 predictions 49:08 Bye 2025!!! 🎧 Love the show? Subscribe to The Curious Consumer wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop weekly. 📧 Get the inside scoop Subscribe to Express Checkout, our newsletter packed with consumer insights, trends, and exclusive content straight to your inbox at expresscheckout.co. Let’s connect! Follow us for behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and more: @expresscheckout 💬 Join the conversation Have a product you’re curious about? DM us your questions or drop them in the comments—your topic could be featured in our next episode! If you have any thoughts/questions/suggestions, feel free to email us at hello@expresscheckout.co :) ⭐ Help us grow If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other curious consumers find us! Get full access to Express Checkout at www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe

    50 min
  8. Why every brand has a lip balm now

    12/17/2025

    Why every brand has a lip balm now

    This week, we’re chatting about the sneaky strategy behind lip balms, the future of female-focused energy drinks, Rao’s rise to success, why Oreo and Instacart are getting heat, and so much more. Our latest newsletter gets into more details on all of the above. Read it here: https://expresscheckout.co/p/how-brands-are-winning-with-lip-balm The Rundown 00:00 Intro 00:45 The “lipification” of beauty 11:07 Unwell’s new energy drink 19:08 Oreo Zero Sugar (and its response…) 24:21 The two camps of supplement launches 30:16 Instacart’s pricing controversy 33:32 Going all-in on pasta sauce 39:42 Conclusion 🎧 Love the show? Subscribe to The Curious Consumer wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop weekly. 📧 Get the inside scoop Subscribe to Express Checkout, our newsletter packed with consumer insights, trends, and exclusive content straight to your inbox at expresscheckout.co. Let’s connect! Follow us for behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and more: @expresscheckout 💬 Join the conversation Have a product you’re curious about? DM us your questions or drop them in the comments—your topic could be featured in our next episode! If you have any thoughts/questions/suggestions, feel free to email us at hello@expresscheckout.co :) ⭐ Help us grow If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other curious consumers find us! Get full access to Express Checkout at www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe

    41 min
See All (19)

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

The Curious Consumer digs deeper than headlines to uncover the context, connections, and cultural shifts driving the world of consumer products. Join hosts (and CPG nerds) Nate and Jenna for analysis and conversations with the people and businesses shaping tomorrow's shopping cart. www.expresscheckout.co

Information

  • Creator
    Express Checkout
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Express Checkout
  • Show Website
    The Curious Consumer

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