Podcasts about cpg

What if your AI systems could explain why something will happen before it does, rather than simply reacting after the damage is done? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sat down with Zubair Magrey, co-founder and CEO of Ergodic AI, to unpack a different way of thinking about artificial intelligence, one that focuses on understanding how complex systems actually behave. Zubair's journey begins in aerospace engineering at Rolls-Royce, moves through a decade of large-scale enterprise AI programs at Accenture, and ultimately leads to building Ergodic, a company developing what he describes as world models for enterprise decision making. World models are often mentioned in research circles, but rarely explained in a way that business leaders can connect to real operational decisions. In our conversation, Zubair breaks that gap down clearly. Instead of training AI to spot patterns in past data and assume the future will look the same, world-model AI focuses on cause and effect. It builds a structured representation of how an organization works, how different parts interact, and how actions ripple through the system over time. The result is an AI approach that can simulate outcomes, test scenarios, and help teams understand the consequences of decisions before they commit to them. We explored why this matters so much as organizations move toward agentic AI, where systems are expected to recommend or even execute actions autonomously. Without an understanding of constraints, dependencies, and system dynamics, those agents can easily produce confident but unrealistic recommendations. Zubair explains how Ergodic uses ideas from physics and system theory to respect real-world limits like capacity, time, inventory, and causality, and why ignoring those principles leads to fragile AI deployments that struggle under pressure. The conversation also gets practical. Zubair shares how world-model simulations are being used in supply chain, manufacturing, automotive, and CPG environments to detect early risks, anticipate disruptions, and evaluate trade-offs before problems cascade across customers and regions. We discuss why waiting for perfect data often stalls AI adoption, how Ergodic's data-agnostic approach works alongside existing systems, and what it takes to deliver ROI that teams actually trust and use. Finally, we step back and look at the organizational side of AI adoption. As AI becomes embedded into daily workflows, cultural change, experimentation, and trust become just as important as models and metrics. Zubair offers a grounded view on how leaders can prepare their teams for faster cycles of change without losing confidence or control. As enterprises look ahead to a future shaped by autonomous systems and real-time decision making, are we building AI that truly understands how our organizations work, or are we still guessing based on the past, and what would it take to change that? Useful Links Connect with Zubair Magrey Learn more about Ergodic AI Thanks to our sponsors, Alcor, for supporting the show.

From cell-cultured protein and functional soda to premium cereal and frozen snacks, this episode spotlights innovative brands, emerging partnerships, and winning strategies gaining momentum across the CPG landscape. Show notes: 0:25: Control, This Is BTS. Faire Plays & Pops. A Magnificent Merger. Magic Mallows? Hey, Maker. – Ray and Mike kick things off by unpacking a chaotic behind-the-scenes studio setup before spotlighting standout brands from the 2026 Winter FancyFaire*, including a globally inspired popcorn line, a kid-friendly rooibos tea–based hot cocoa, vegan and gluten-free frozen churros, and Quatro Mamas' salsa macha. The hosts also review Culture Pop's limited-edition black cherry soda collaboration with musician Noah Kahan and discuss the merger of three female-led CPG brands as a savvy early-stage strategy to streamline costs and scale more efficiently. Rounding things out, they dig into Magic Spoon's new protein cereals with marshmallows and protein pastries, along with Tractor Beverage's apple cider vinegar–based "Haymaker" ready-to-drink tonics. 19:58: Interview: Lou Cooperhouse, Co-Founder & CEO, BlueNalu – Lou discusses how BlueNalu is pioneering cell-cultivated seafood, the science behind the breakthrough, and why it could be a new frontier for sustainable, chef-driven dining. 28:11: Interview: Heather Brown, Owner, Sati Soda – Heather shares how Sati Soda has grown into a nationwide brand, offering organic CBD, functional, and low-sugar beverages that resonate with health-conscious consumers. Brands in this episode: BlueNalu, Sati Soda, Nomad Snacks, Teany Tea, Madres Churros, Culture Pop, Nemi, Tuyyo, Todo Verde, Magic Spoon, Cheerios, Pop-Tarts, Tractor Beverage Co., Olipop, Poppi, Miller, Quatro Mamas

This week we are LIVE chatting with Jomaree Pinkard, one of the co-founders and Chairman from Hella Cocktail and the founding member of INCLUDED CPG, a non profit committed to empowering entrepreneurs and leaders of color in the food and beverage industry! Hella Cocktail Co. was established in 2011 by three curious friends, Jomaree Pinkard, Eddie Simeon, and Tobin Ludwig, who share a love of gathering, celebration, sharing knowledge, and of course, craft cocktailing. Hella is a brand that makes botanically-inspired mixers and bar-quality beverages with all real ingredients and no fake stuff, ever.Jomaree is ACTIVE in life and business and we cannot wait to chat CPG and the NFL playoffs or mentorship!

In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from FMI 2026 at the Simbe booth, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga speak with Julian Mintz, VP of Sales at Albertsons Media Collective, about how retail media is evolving and what brands are looking for next. Julian shares how Albertsons Media Collective is leveraging national scale, local banner strength, and true omnichannel reach to help brands connect with shoppers from the couch all the way to checkout. The conversation explores why in store media is moving into the spotlight, how measurement and closed loop attribution are shaping brand confidence, and what it takes to align media, merchandising, and promotion into a single strategy. Julian also discusses how Albertsons works with CPG partners to break down silos between traditional media, shopper marketing, and retail media, and why education and internal collaboration are critical to driving unit sales and long term growth. Key Topics Covered - What differentiates Albertsons Media Collective in a crowded retail media landscape - How Albertsons defines true omnichannel reach - Why in store media is still early but gaining momentum fast - The role of measurement and closed loop attribution in brand adoption - Aligning media, merchandising, and promotion for better outcomes - Breaking down silos between brand, agency, and shopper budgets - How technology enables precision across banners and demographics Stay tuned to Omni Talk Retail for continued coverage from FMI 2026, recorded live from the Simbe booth in the FMI Tech section. #FMI2026 #AlbertsonsMediaCollective #RetailMedia #InStoreMedia #GroceryRetail #RetailTechnology #Omnichannel #RetailLeadership #OmniTalk

In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from FMI 2026 in San Diego at the Simbe booth, Chris Walton connected with Madhav Durbha, Group Vice President of CPG & Manufacturing at RELEX Solutions. Madhav shares a practical and grounded perspective on what it really means to adopt an AI-first mindset in grocery and supply chain organizations. Drawing from his experience working with leading companies, he outlines a portfolio-style approach to AI adoption, balancing proven solutions, emerging use cases, and aspirational moonshots. The conversation emphasizes why people remain at the center of supply chain transformation, even as AI accelerates. Madhav explains why organizations must invest heavily in education, culture, and change management, and why successful AI adoption requires as much unlearning as learning. The discussion also explores how leaders are navigating AI with cautious excitement, filtering hype from reality, and rethinking processes instead of simply automating legacy workflows. Key Topics Covered: - What an AI-first mindset really looks like - A 70/20/10 framework for AI adoption - Why people and culture determine AI success - Filtering AI hype from real business value - Rethinking processes instead of automating them - The role of unlearning in digital transformation Stay tuned to Omni Talk Retail for continued coverage from FMI 2026, recorded live from the Simbe booth in the FMI Tech section. #FMI2026 #OmniTalkRetail #ArtificialIntelligence #SupplyChain #RetailTechnology #AIFirst #RELEX #FutureOfRetail

Karl Strovink, CEO of Blue Bottle Coffee, discusses the brand's evolution, its commitment to quality and sustainability, and the innovative approaches being taken to redefine coffee experiences. He highlights the importance of community, the role of creativity in coffee culture, and the challenges posed by climate change. Strovink also shares insights on leadership and the significance of caring in building a better world.Takeaways:Blue Bottle Coffee is a leader in the specialty coffee segment.The brand is known for its commitment to quality and hospitality.James Freeman's artistic influence still shapes the coffee experience.Instant coffee can be made with specialty-grade coffee.Sustainability is a core value for Blue Bottle Coffee.Exploring alternative coffee varietals is essential for the future.Climate change poses significant challenges to coffee production.Blue Bottle achieved carbon neutrality in 2024.Dairy alternatives are becoming increasingly popular among consumers.Community engagement is crucial for successful expansion. Trends blowing West and East as they expand their footprint.Sound bites:“James Freeman brought artistic sensibility into the world of coffee.”“as a brand, Blue Bottle punches way above its weight. mean, we have anywhere from 15 to 30 % mass market awareness as a brand, but we occupy less than one half of 1 % share in the marketplace.”“We strongly believe that there's a better way with instant coffee and that instant can be specialty.”“It turns out that if you actually consider what can be done with those other varietals like Robusta, and treat them the way you do Arabica species, they can produce beautiful coffees.”“We did the hard work to actually baseline ourselves to understand our footprint across the value chain from green coffee all the way through to our offices.”“We've shifted our sourcing in certain places around the world to favor more regenerative, more healthy soil systems, farms, and farming practices.”“Many guests were preferring oat milk. So we just said, why don't we just lean into it?”“We're down something like two thirds in our emissions intensity around electricity around the world from the US to China and Japan.”“We in the US made the call in 2020 to be a primarily a work from home, remote workforce. Ss you can imagine, emissions intensity goes down from that.”"We want to scale with distinction."“We're repositioning the coffee category towards an East-West axis.”“Coffee is about building community, not just harvesting of business opportunities.”Links:Karl Strovink on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-strovink-9852a517/Blue Bottle Coffee - https://bluebottlecoffee.com/us/engBlue Bottle Coffee on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bluebottlecoffeeBlue Bottle Coffee on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bluebottleBlue Bottle Coffee on X - https://x.com/bluebottleroastBlue Bottle Coffee on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyki4e6RG84BT_xzi4oYkRw…A CEO for All Seasons, Book by Kurt Strovink (and others) - https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/ceo-for-all-seasonsAmerican Nations, Book by Colin Woodard - https://colinwoodard.com/books/american-nations/…Brands for a Better World Episode Archive - http://brandsforabetterworld.com/Brands for a Better World on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-for-a-better-world/Modern Species - https://modernspecies.com/Modern Species on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-species/Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagemitchell/…Print Magazine Design Podcasts - https://www.printmag.com/categories/printcast/…Heritage Radio Network - https://heritageradionetwork.org/Heritage Radio Network on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/heritage-radio-network/posts/Heritage Radio Network on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeritageRadioNetworkHeritage Radio Network on X - https://x.com/Heritage_RadioHeritage Radio Network on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heritage_radio/Heritage Radio Network on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@heritage_radioChapters:03:00 Introduction to Blue Bottle Coffee08:04 The Evolution of James Freeman's Role10:54 Innovations from the Blue Bottle Studio13:39 Quality and Technology in Instant Coffee18:21 Securing the Future of Coffee22:27 Exploring Coffee Varietals Beyond Arabica26:46 Achieving Carbon Neutrality and Sustainability Goals33:10 The Shift to Oat Milk and Consumer Preferences37:11 East Meets West: Blue Bottle's Global Expansion41:56 Bridging Cultures: The East-West Connection42:43 Uniformity vs. Localization in Coffee44:19 Crafting Unique Experiences: The Blue Bottle Journey45:48 Balancing Innovation and Tradition49:46 Strategic Growth: Expanding with Distinction52:06 Word of Mouth: Building a Loyal Customer Base55:34 Lessons from Converse: Brand Stewardship and Leadership01:00:37 The Balance of Profit and Purpose01:04:03 Caring for Community: Building a Better WorldSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Karl and Erum sit down with Amy Trejo and Jose Carlos Garcia Garcia from Procter & Gamble to uncover how one of the world's largest consumer goods companies is leveraging biotechnology to innovate at unprecedented scale. Founded 189 years ago as a bio-waste upcycling partnership between a candle maker and a soap maker, P&G has always been rooted in biomaterials innovation—from pioneering laundry enzymes in the 1960s to developing cold water enzyme technologies that have saved billions in energy costs. Amy and JC reveal what makes biotech innovations stick in the marketplace (hint: it's all about performance), share candid advice for startups hoping to partner with P&G, and explain why the company views biotech as a critical enabler of both sustainability and superior consumer experiences. They discuss common misconceptions about working with large CPG companies, the importance of reducing ideas to practice, and how P&G's connect-and-develop model creates win-win partnerships that can impact billions of consumers worldwide. Whether you're a biotech founder, investor, or enthusiast curious about how innovative materials make it from lab to everyday products, this conversation offers rare insights into the intersection of consumer goods, biotechnology, and global scale manufacturing.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters:(00:00:00) - Introduction and Opening Remarks(00:01:00) - Erum's Article on Industrial Biomanufacturing for Lichen Ventures(00:04:00) - The Vision of Boom Towns and Interplanetary Innovation(00:07:00) - Introduction to Amy Trejo and JC Garcia Garcia from P&G(00:11:00) - Amy and JC's Backgrounds and Roles at P&G(00:13:00) - Biotech Innovations Throughout P&G's 189-Year History(00:19:00) - What Makes Biotech Innovations Stick: Performance Over Everything(00:22:00) - Biggest Misconceptions About Partnering with Large CPG Companies(00:29:00) - How to Approach P&G: Show Product, Generate Data, Demonstrate Performance(00:31:00) - The Power of Reapplication Across Product Categories(00:35:00) - Successful Biotech Partnerships: SK-II, Align, New Chapter, Base Camp Research(00:39:00) - What Catches P&G's Attention at Conferences and Trade Shows(00:42:00) - The Role of Storytelling in Biotech Innovation and Consumer Engagement(00:47:00) - Five-Year Vision: The Future of CPG and Biotech Partnerships(00:49:00) - One Piece of Advice for Biotech Innovators: Reduce Ideas to Practice(00:52:00) - Quickfire Questions with Amy and JC(00:53:00) - Closing Thoughts: Impacting Billions of Lives Through Partnership(00:54:00) - Karl and Erum's Recap and Key TakeawaysLinks and Resources:Procter & Gamble (P&G)P&G Connect + DevelopP&G PartnershipsStellar: A World Beyond Limits and How To Get ThereIndustrial Biomanufacturing Needs Its Manhattan Project Moment by Erum Azeez Khan107. Glow Big or Go Home: Andy Bass's Journey with Glowing Oceans17. Beauty and the Biome with Jasmina Aganovic of ArcaeaTopics Covered: biotech, industry, biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, agriculture, agritech, strain engineering, biotech R&D, feedstocks, chemical engineering, bioengineeringHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 Music by: Nihilore Production by:  Amplafy Media

Netflix says ads are booming—but are viewers actually watching more? Kate Scott-Dawkins and Jeff Foster dig into Netflix's latest earnings: ~$3B in projected ad revenue for 2026, 325M paid memberships, and a surprisingly modest lift in hours watched. We unpack what that gap could mean for advertisers, why big IP (including Warner Bros. Discovery/WBD) suddenly looks even more valuable, and where Netflix may go next on content and sports.Plus: what P&G's results suggest about a more disciplined year for CPG ad spend, the latest on TikTok's new U.S. ownership structure (and the still-open questions around the algorithm), and OpenAI/ChatGPT testing ads—with an early focus on transparency and user control.We explore:Netflix's 2026 ad revenue guidance (~$3B) and what it takes to scale a young ad business.Why 96B hours watched in 2H 2025 only grew ~2%—and the “attention per member” problem.Content strategy and competition: ~$18B implied 2026 content spend, sports optionality, and the pull of major franchise libraries (WBD).P&G earnings and why the company isn't planning a big media ramp—what that signals for CPG budgets in 2026.TikTok's U.S. divestment outcome: who owns what, what likely stays the same for advertisers, and how pressure is rising on social platforms globally.OpenAI begins testing ads: early guardrails, what “AI-native” advertising could look like, and why this launch matters.Chapters:00:00 – Intro: Netflix, P&G, TikTok U.S. deal, OpenAI ads00:42 – Netflix: ad revenue forecast to double to ~$3B in 202601:51 – Netflix: 325M paid memberships (first update in a year)02:20 – Engagement: 96B hours watched in 2H 2025 and what it implies04:29 – Content + sports: 2026 spend plans and rights questions07:30 – The hardware challenge: Netflix vs OS-controlled platforms08:38 – P&G: growth, pricing, category performance, and ad spend tone12:32 – TikTok: new U.S. ownership structure and open algorithm questions16:12 – Social pressure: under-16 bans, lawsuits, and brand risk20:29 – OpenAI/ChatGPT: testing ads, transparency, and what's next25:27 – Weekend recommendations: AI reads/listens28:41 – Next week preview: key earnings to watch29:00 – Closing + contact

In this episode, Shray Joshi, founder of Good Peeps, discusses the shift to retail media and the importance of digital retail marketing for CPG brands. He explains the concept of a retail media network and how it encompasses third-party marketplaces, retailer. coms, and underlying technology platforms.Shray shares strategies for driving retail traffic, such as sponsored search, paid ads, and influencer content. He emphasizes the significance of organic influencer partnerships and collaborations in building brand awareness. Shray also highlights the challenges of media attribution and the need for better integration across different retail channels.‍TAKEAWAYSDigital retail marketing is a crucial aspect of CPG brands' marketing strategies, with retail media networks playing a significant role.Retail media networks include third-party marketplaces, retailer.coms, and underlying technology platforms that offer advertising opportunities.Strategies for driving traffic to retail include sponsored search, paid ads, and influencer content.Organic influencer partnerships and collaborations are effective in building brand awareness and driving traffic to retail.Media attribution remains a challenge in the retail industry, and better integration across different retail channels is needed.‍​​Where to find Shray Joshi: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrayjoshi​Website: https://www.thepeeps.co/ ‍Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it ‍SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, I talk about the idea of the "Individual Empire" and why Mr. Beast is the absolute best example of this new reality. I break down his inspiring journey of building an empire through content and his CPG brand. His success signals about the future of creator-owned IP versus the traditional studio model. I also share the current platforms and mediums where attention is still underpriced for those looking to build their own legacy.You'll learn about:Why the creator is the empireThe underpriced attention opportunities in live streamingWhy I believe Mr. Beast is a "preview, not the anomaly"How the algorithm is the report card for the audienceThe significance of Beast Games and what it means for Hollywood

Abe Kamarck is the founder and CEO of True Made Foods, the clean-label ketchup and BBQ sauce brand made with real vegetables instead of added sugar. On this episode of ITS, Abe shares his experiences with Ali as True Made Foods has lived through the full arc of modern startup CPG: The go-go growth years, over expansion, broken partnerships, logistics chaos, and the hard work of cutting back to get profitable.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the last eight years, I've publicly shared my conviction around “relaxation” building into the next functional CPG frontier, due to the growing consumer demand from today's overstimulated (especially younger) generations for products that enhance mental wellness, support relaxation and stress relief, and enable alcohol moderation. Also, during that same timeframe…I've highlighted only one single brand (repeatedly) which I believed could become the “Red Bull of Relaxation,” effectively pioneering a category counterbalancing the $26 billion U.S. energy drinks market built on stimulation. “Take a Recess.” And it might be corny to make this comparison but hearing that Recess brand tagline was like a Jerry McGuire “you had me at hello” moment. Regardless, it became super apparent to me that founder (Ben Witte) truly understood Recess would only have a chance at becoming the definitive household name in modern relaxation if the selling formula started with emotion. Obviously, there's A LOT of other internal/external business dynamics ultimately at play…and the Recess story hasn't been without twists, turns, and challenges, but recently it's entering a fundamentally new chapter. So, I was honored when (right after) its $30 million Series B fundraising (and associated leadership hiring) news was released…I got a text message from Ben Witte asking if I'd be interested in hosting himself and Kyle Thomas for their first official recorded Co-CEO fireside chat together. As you'd imagine, in an effort to best help them share the nuanced business story of how Recess is scaling into the next iconic modern beverage company…it required a wide-reaching strategic conversation, but one that undoubtedly will provide insightful nuggets across every corner of the CPG industry.

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we're excited to welcome Nicolas Christiaen, CEO and co-founder of Donna, the AI assistant revolutionizing the lives of field sales teams. Ben Murray sits down with Nicolas Christiaen (introduced as Nicolas in the episode) to dive into Donna's journey from inception in late 2023 to its rapid growth and latest $5 million seed round. You'll hear how Donna leverages AI to boost sales rep productivity, seamlessly integrates with CRMs, and is gaining traction across verticals like medical devices, CPG, manufacturing, and insurance. Nicolas Christiaen reveals their data-driven approach to finding ideal customer segments, lessons learned from fast-paced fundraising, and why partnerships with global consulting firms like Deloitte and PwC are fueling their go-to-market strategy. If you're keen to learn about what's driving growth for AI-powered SaaS, how to balance vertical focus, and why healthy SaaS margins are still possible with AI, this conversation is packed with insights you won't want to miss. Tune in to find out how Donna is scaling up in 2026 and what's next for this ambitious SaaS startup! Show Notes: 00:00 "Sales, Efficiency, and Acquisition" 05:05 "Adapting AI for Industry Needs" 06:45 "24/7 AI Assistant Support" 10:14 "Global Launch Leads to Growth" 14:59 "Early Success with Partners" 19:18 "Outbound Strategy with Multi-Channel Approach" 22:08 AI Costs Will Decrease Over Time 23:50 AI Companies Will Streamline Operations Links: Nicolas Christiaen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaschristiaen/ Donna's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/donna-by-dealside Donna's Website: https://www.askdonna.com/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

If your brand feels too small to matter, this blueprint shows why that might be your unfair advantage.In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Mark Rampolla, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner at GroundForce Capital, who unpacks how a niche idea became a global category. Mark shares the strategy that took ZICO from yoga studios in NYC to nationwide shelves, the discipline behind constant pitching and fundraising, and why exits aren't the finish line. He also discusses his new book on putting freedom first, and his work at Ground Force Capital (backer of brands like Liquid Death and Beyond Meat), helping founders scale both their companies and their lives.Key Takeaways:→ Why “inch-wide, mile-deep” focus beats broad launches for breakthrough CPG growth.→ How pairing a product with a specific usage occasion (post-hot yoga) created early traction.→ The surprising first hurdle: taste—and how “preach to the choir” accelerates momentum.→ Fundraising reality: why you either get profitable fast or get great at raising—continuously.→ The nine-year “overnight success” mindset and the decade-long horizon most wins require.Mark Rampolla is Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner at GroundForce Capital (GFC), where he works closely with founders and teams to build impactful businesses. He has represented GFC on the boards of leading companies, including Vive Organic, OWYN, Liquid Death, Kinder Farms, Flying Embers, and ZICO Rising. Prior to GFC, Mark founded and served as CEO of ZICO Beverages, pioneering the coconut water category and growing the brand into a global leader before its acquisition by The Coca-Cola Company in 2013. Earlier in his career, he held senior management roles at International Paper, overseeing joint ventures across Latin America and the Caribbean. A Peace Corps alum, Mark has advised more than 100 CEOs, raised over $1B, and invested in 40+ social-impact startups. He is the author of High-Hanging Fruit and holds degrees from Marquette University and Duke University.Connect With Mark:Website: https://www.markrampolla.co/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markrampolla/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksrampolla/

Hey Brave Table fam! We're celebrating 400 episodes, and I'm going all in with you.This isn't your average highlight reel. It's the real story of what it took to build my latest company — from scratch — while navigating motherhood, business pivots, product failures, and a whole lot of late-night decision-making (with chai in hand, of course).In this raw and real solocast, I'm walking you through the exact breakdown behind the scenes of launching Chai Tonics, my new wellness CPG brand. You'll hear how I fired 4 formulators, got rejected 27 times before landing a dream book deal, and what I've actually learned from 400 episodes of this show.This episode is for every woman with a vision, especially if you're building something new, wondering if it's all worth it, or navigating the tension between ambition, motherhood, and identity.What you'll get out of this episode… The biggest mindset shift that helped me move from idea to launchHow to make decisions when everything feels uncertainThe power of “letting go” to receive moreWhy success isn't a straight line (and what to do when things go wrong)The real cashflow & time challenges no one talks aboutWhat's next for The Brave Table, Chai Tonics, and this communityThis Episode is Sponsored by Chai TonicsStarting the year without pressure? Same. I'm choosing ritual over resolution with Chai Tonics — a calming chai ritual for focus, gentle energy, and nervous-system support when January feels loud. Try it at https://bit.ly/trychaitonics  and use code BRAVETABLE for 15% off.

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by John frost, Chief Customer Officer at Chobani, Find John Frost on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-frost-20963155/Find Chobani on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chobani/Find Chobani online at: https://www.chobani.com/Here's what we asked John:John, let's start with your journey. What path led you to Chobani, and how has your experience at Frito-Lay and PepsiCo shaped your perspective as Chief Customer Officer?The Chief Customer Officer role is all about building deep partnerships. How do you define retail customer centricity at Chobani, and how does it show up in your day-to-day?Chobani has grown from disrupting yogurt to becoming a modern  food and beverage company. How do you balance staying true to the brand's roots while  expanding into new categories?Innovation is at the heart of Chobani's DNA. How do you align with retail partners to ensure that innovation lands successfully with shoppers?Chobani has always led with purpose, from food made better to community impact. How does that purpose translate into customer partnership and retail collaboration?Consumer today demand more authenticity & transparency from brands. How is Chobani meeting those expectations in ways that build both brand equity and customer trust?Looking out to 2026, what excites you most about the future of food, beverage, and retail partnerships?For emerging leaders in CPG, what advice would you give on building trust, driving results, and being an effective customer-first leader?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

David Lester is the co-founder of OLIPOP, one of the MOST FAMOUS challenger brands in the United States. After our first interview IN PERSON at Bread & Jam Fest, London, David returns to us at Brand Growth Heroes to delve deeper into what it truly takes to scale a challenger brand at speed in the US. (cont'd below)============================================================The Brand Growth Heroes Mini MBA 2026 is back!Built for founders, marketers and brand leaders who want to grow brands the right way — with practical frameworks, real case studies and honest insight.Applications open: Monday 5th January 2026Applications close SOON: Midnight Sunday, 25th January 2026Limited places availableAll info & how to apply visit: https://www.brandgrowthheroes.com/mini-mba-2026============================================================(Cont'd) In this episode, David and I explore how businesses fundamentally change as they grow from a small founding team to an organisation of 250+ people. David shares why founders must constantly reassess their role as the company scales, how to think about hiring ahead of growth, and why senior hires should create an immediate sense of relief rather than uncertainty.The conversation also dives into fundraising across different stages of growth, with David unpacking what investors really care about at seed, Series A, B and C, why growth becomes the defining metric once revenue appears, and why raising more capital than you think you need can be a smart strategic move.Finally, David shares his perspective on expanding into the US, explaining why the scale, complexity and cost of the market are so often underestimated and why each state effectively operates like its own country.This episode is packed with practical insight for founders building teams, raising capital and navigating rapid growth especially those with ambitions to scale in the US.Useful linksConnect with David Lester on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-lester-4b71b512/Connect with OLIPOP on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/olipop-pbc/OLIPOP WEBSITE https://drinkolipop.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooJ-CAEJQJEk4PaYpk7F5mOj0_nDbLy5H5PWaqed1idZWDd50NWFollow OLIPOP on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drinkolipop/Follow OLIPOP on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drinkolipop========================================================Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes' podcast sponsor - Joelson, the commercial law firm=============================================================If you're a founder, you already know how much of your energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with your consumers.But don't forget that scaling a CPG business also comes with a maze of legal complexities that can make or break your business journey. From contracts, term sheets and regulatory compliance to protecting your brand's intellectual property as you expand, it's essential to get it right.And that starts with the right legal partner.So we're thrilled to introduce you to Joelson, a leading commercial law firm that specialises in guiding the founders of scaling CPG brands, as Brand Growth Heroes' sponsor.With long-term relationships with clients like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze, and Pulsin, Joelson is also famous for advising the innocent founders in their landmark sale to Coca-Cola! As a female team, we are especially impressed by Joelson's commitment to championing female founders in CPG.Not many law firms are also BCorps, nor do they specialise in helping founders navigate the legal challenges of scaling without stifling the creativity and momentum that got you here in the first place. So thanks, Joelson—we're delighted to have you on board for the second year running.If you'd like to get in touch to find out more, why don't you drop them a line at hello@joelsonlaw.com==============================================.Please don't hesitate to join our Brand Growth Heroes community to stay updated with captivating stories and learnings from your beloved brands on their path to success!Follow us on our Brand Growth Heroes socials: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.Thanks to our Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane, Ballagroove.com and podcast producer/content creator, Kathryn Watts, Social KEWS.

Burlap & Barrel didn't chase scale – and that's why it's winning. In this episode, Ori Zohar, co-founder and co-CEO of the single-origin spice brand, explains how resisting the urge to go mass, staying profitable, and focusing on quality and relationships helped build a durable CPG brand. Show notes: 0:25: Ori Zohar, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Burlap & Barrel – Ori joins Ray at the inaugural Winter FancyFaire* in San Diego, where the entrepreneur recounts his long friendship with Burlap & Barrel co-founder Ethan Frisch and their first business, a socially driven ice cream cart. He explains how Frisch's work in international development and frustrations with nonprofit impact, and his own disillusionment with venture capital, helped spur the creation of Burlap & Barrel. Ori talks about the founders' emphasis on a bootstrapped, values-driven approach and direct trade, trust-based farmer relationships. He highlights early validation from chefs, followed by a pivotal New York Times mention. Ori discusses the brand's focus on DTC e-commerce, thoughtful media relationships, and an educational approach that demystified spices as agricultural products. He also explains how the company has maintained profitability without outside investors, pays premium prices to its partner farmers, positions itself as a "third wave" spice company and how it evaluates collaborations with other CPG brands. Brands in this episode: Burlap & Barrel, Rancho Gordo, Anjali's Cup

Points of discussion:1. How we rebranded Cowbell Brewing [Full Case Study]-Learn more at: www.craftbeerrebranded.com / http://www.beyondbeerbook.com-Have a topic or question you'd like us to field on the show? Shoot it our way: hello@cododesign.com-Join 9,500+ food and bev industry pros who are subscribed to the Beer Branding Trends Newsletter (and access all past issues) at: www.beerbrandingtrends.com 

Andreas Remis joins the podcast to unpack low back pain in a way that finally makes sense — bridging APTA CPG classifications, real-world clinical diagnosis, and the confusing world of radiographic findings.As faculty across multiple fellowships and residencies within the Duke Health System — and an educator shaped by his own poor rehab experience as a patient — Andreas brings a thoughtful, grounded approach to one of PT's most complex conditions.In this episode:• LBP classification: CPG vs imaging vs clinical reasoning• How expert clinicians simplify diagnosis• Why radiographs often mislead clinicians and patients• The turning point when PTs begin to feel “value-confident”• Teaching LBP across OMPT pipelines• Lessons Andreas learned from being a failed patientIt's a must-listen episode for clinicians, residents, and fellows treating low back pain.

Andrew Warburton from Peak Beverage Co. joins Phil and Kenny to share his journey building a premium fruit soda brand in BC's competitive beverage market. From launching with minimal research to now being in 175+ stores across Western Canada, Andrew opens up about the realities of scaling a local CPG brand.In this conversation, you'll hear about Peak's channel strategy—why food service and wineries have been their sweet spot, how Amazon opened up eastern markets without expensive direct-to-consumer shipping, and the importance of staying connected to customers through farmer's markets and demos. Andrew discusses navigating distributor relationships, managing seasonal fluctuations in the food and beverage industry, and why understanding your consumer and picking your spots matters more than being everywhere.Whether you're launching a beverage brand or scaling a local food product, Andrew's honest, practical approach to building Peak Beverage Co. offers valuable lessons on entrepreneurship, distribution strategy, and staying true to your brand. Thank you to LGDF Wholesale for sponsoring this episode. You can find them at: www.lgdfwholesale.comYou can find Andrew at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwarburt0n/Check out Peak Beverage here: https://www.drinkpeak.ca/Buy it on Amazon here: Apple Rhubarb: https://a.co/d/eRoHXAPHaskap Lemonade: https://a.co/d/iXhD0XYTell us which one is your favourite here: https://www.instagram.com/thiscommercelife/

Wade and Gavin will be catching up solo this week! Topics will be anything and everything CPG - focusing on Winter Fancy Faire in San Diego!Some great conversation about Food Show follow up, tips, and suggestions.

In this episode, Joe Crane sits down with Ryan Hogan, a Navy veteran who transitioned from enlisted aircrewman to Surface Warfare Officer while building a career as an entrepreneur. With 15 years of active duty experience and a tenure in the Reserves, Ryan discusses the "trial-by-fire" lessons learned from early ventures like WarWear and Run For Your Lives, emphasizing the unique challenges of managing a business while serving on active duty. The conversation centers on Ryan's success as the co-founder of Hunt A Killer, the high-growth mystery game he eventually sold. He credits much of his scaling success to the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and peer-to-peer learning through Vistage, which helped him transition from a founder-led startup to a systems-driven organization. Following the sale, Ryan launched Talent Harbor to fix the inefficiencies he encountered in the hiring industry. He introduces the "Recruiting as a Service" (RaaS) model, which replaces traditional high-commission headhunting with a transparent, flat-fee monthly rate. By treating recruiting as a core operational competency rather than a one-off task, Ryan is now helping other founders build more efficient systems for finding and retaining top-tier talent. Episode Resources: Talent Harbor Ryan Hogan - LinkedIn   About Our Guest Prior to founding Talent Harbor, Ryan Hogan co-founded Hunt A Killer, a subscription-based interactive murder mystery experience. In 2019, Hunt A Killer was named by Fast Company as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies. In 2020, Inc Magazine named it the fastest-growing CPG company. Ryan started his career enlisting in the U.S. Navy as an MH-53E aircrewman, and transitioned to officer where he served as a Surface Warfare Officer onboard various warships. Along the way, Ryan founded WarWear and Run For Your Lives, honing the entrepreneurial skills that he would use in Hunt A Killer, and now Talent Harbor.   About Our Sponsors Navy Federal Credit Union   Navy Federal Credit Union offers exclusive benefits to all of their members. All Veterans, Active Duty and their families can become members. Have you been saving up for the season of cheer and joy that is just around the corner? With Navy Federal Credit Union's cashRewards and cashRewards Plus cards, you could earn a $250 cash bonus when you spend $2,500 in the first 90 days. Offer ends 1/1/26. You could earn up to 2% unlimited cash back with the cashRewards and cashRewards Plus cards. With Navy Federal, members have access to financial advice and money management and 24/7 access to award-winning service. Whether you're a Veteran of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force or Coast Guard, you and your family can become members. Join now at Navy Federal Credit Union. At Navy Federal, our members are the mission.      Join the conversation on Facebook! Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests and other listeners. A place where you can network with other like-minded veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship and get updates on people, programs and resources to help you in YOUR transition to entrepreneurship.   Want to be our next guest? Send us an email at interview@veteranonthemove.com.  Did you love this episode? Leave us a 5-star rating and review!  Download Joe Crane's Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470. Veteran On the Move podcast has published 500 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane. The podcast features people, programs, and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship.  As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 7,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of the most popular Military Entrepreneur Shows on the Internet Today.

In this Omni Talk Retail episode, recorded live from NRF 2026, Mike Wier, Vice President of Store Brands at CVS, joins Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton to discuss how CVS is rethinking private brands as a core growth engine across health, wellness, and everyday convenience. Mike explains what it means to run store brands like a “mini CEO,” overseeing product development, sourcing, branding, and growth across a 9,000-store footprint. With most CVS customers shopping quick, mission-driven trips, the conversation focuses on how simplicity, clarity, and trust at the shelf are shaping CVS's private brand strategy. Looking ahead, Mike outlines his vision for CVS private brands evolving beyond the store, becoming trusted consumer brands that extend outside of CVS's four walls and operate more like modern CPG companies. Key Topics Covered: -What it means to lead private brands as a “mini CEO” inside CVS -Why CVS simplified dozens of brands into a focused brand portfolio How short, mission-driven trips shape private brand strategy -Repositioning the CVS brand for health, wellness, and trust -Packaging simplification and shelf clarity as competitive advantages -Competing with national brands in wellness and everyday essentials -Why CVS private brands may expand beyond CVS stores -How private brands are becoming long-term growth platforms Thank you to Vusion for supporting Omni Talk Retail's NRF 2026 coverage, and thank you to our listeners for following along throughout the show. #NRF2026 #CVS #PrivateBrands #StoreBrands #RetailStrategy #HealthAndWellness #RetailBranding #RetailInnovation #OmniTalkRetail

While every non-alcoholic brand is shouting Dry January, Recess is telling you to quit. Literally. Joining us is Ben Witte, CEO and co-founder of the #1 mocktail brand, to unpack a provocative new campaign that swaps all-or-nothing resolutions for something far more realistic: balance. From a bold manifesto to a full-page New York Times ad timed for “Quitter's Day,” Ben explains why going against the seasonal grain isn't risky—it's exactly why Recess is winning. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why moderation—not elimination—is the real shift happening in drinking culture How going against category conventions can create sharper brand differentiation What most brands get wrong about Dry January and behavior change How narrative-driven branding builds permission to expand into new categories Why “do the unexpected” is more than a creative idea—it's a leadership strategy Episode Chapters (00:00) Why Recess Is Telling People to Quit (01:00) The Myth of Sober Curious and the Rise of Moderation (04:30) Why Dry January Is Losing Relevance (06:45) Anti-Perfectionism as Brand Strategy (09:45) The Hidden Downsides of Rules and Streaks (13:00) Naming, Narrative, and Building Red Bull for Relaxation (18:00) Knowing When to Push Against Conventional Wisdom (25:00) Brands That Make Us Smile About Ben Witte Ben Witte is the CEO and co-founder of Recess, a leading functional beverage company built around the idea of calm, balance, and taking a break from modern stress. Coming from a Silicon Valley background rather than traditional CPG, Ben has consistently challenged category norms—shifting the conversation from sobriety to moderation and from ingredients to outcomes. Under his leadership, Recess has grown into a category-defining brand spanning mocktails, mood drinks, and relaxation-focused products sold nationwide. What Brand Has Made Ben Smile Recently? Ben points to a Thanksgiving campaign from Tito's Handmade Vodka that flipped the familiar “Turkey Trot” on its head with the idea of a “Turkey Rot”—leaning into cultural truth with humor and self-awareness. The campaign stood out by inverting expectations, tapping into real behavior, and reminding us that the best brand moments often come from saying the quiet part out loud. Resources & Links Check out the Recess website and their Amazon store. Recess on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/recess Connect with Ben Witte on LinkedIn and X. Listen & Support the Show Watch or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon/Audible, TuneIn, and iHeart. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to help others find the show. Share this episode — email a friend or colleague this episode. Sign up for my free Story Strategies newsletter for branding and storytelling tips. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I'll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we explore the rising threat of privacy lawsuits hitting e-commerce and CPG brands. Richart Ruddie, Founder of Captain Compliance, explains how new legal technologies are helping attorneys target smaller businesses for tracking pixel violations. He shares how brands can protect themselves by automating compliance, fixing broken consent banners, and staying ahead of rapidly changing state and federal laws to avoid massive legal fees.Topics discussed in this episode:  Why privacy lawsuits target CPG brands. How AI tech speeds up legal claims. What tracking pixels cause the most risk. Why common consent banners often fail. How session replay tools invite litigation. What 20 state laws mean for merchants. Why blocking EU traffic isn't enough. How automated portals handle data requests. What litigation protection shields offer. Links & Resources Website: https://captaincompliance.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richartruddie/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@captain-complianceGet access to more free resources by visiting the show notes at https://tinyurl.com/mv6f5jj2______________________________________________________ LOVE THE SHOW? HERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS! Follow the podcast to get every bonus episode. Tap follow now and don't miss out! Rate & Review: Help others discover the show by rating the show on Apple Podcasts at https://tinyurl.com/ecb-apple-podcasts Join our Free Newsletter: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/ Support The Show On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EcommerceCoffeeBreak Partner with us: https://ecommercecoffeebreak.com/partner-with-us/

In an era of college football where bowl games don't matter anymore, it seems CPG brand marketers didn't get that memo! Imagine a world where fans are showing up (or watching at home) not just for the sport but the title sponsor's brand experience! In what has become a marketing platform for some of the wackiest shareable moments in recent memory…a select group has mastered how to turn passive viewers of college football postseason into active participants in their brand stories. But as another college football postseason ends, I wanted to quickly provide a tier ranking of every bowl game that had a CPG brand as the title sponsor, which includes the Bucked Up LA Bowl, Bush's Boca Raton Bowl of Beans, Pop-Tarts Bowl, Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, Kinder's Texas Bowl, Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, and Duke's Mayo Bowl. And my tier ranking will be based solely around how effective these sponsors were at creating brand-driven spectacles. Lastly, and this has little to do about dissecting the marketing strategies of CPG brands…but why not play these “bowl games” in the first week of the season. I'm not sure the college football teams participating would actively embrace the current-level of brand-driven spectacles…but it would certainly bring immense meaning back to those games. But in the end, maybe attention doesn't materially change either way in today's online sports betting and prediction markets era.

Who's better at making functional foods, functional beverages, and/or nutritional supplements taste the best…certified flavor chemists or famous chefs? Unless you're an industry insider like me that truly understands the rarity of certified flavor chemists is equivalent to Master Sommeliers, you most likely believe famous chefs would be able to create the best-tasting products. And I totally get…food television and social media have transformed chefs from behind-the-scenes professionals to household names and cultural influencers. And functional CPG brands are starting to realize they can successfully leverage famous chefs' skills, personality, and culinary philosophies to help differentiate themselves in crowded product categories. So, welcome to the “chef-partnered era” of functional CPG products. Most recently, we've seen IQBAR partner with Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller and Premier Protein collaborate with the iconic Christina Tosi and her team at Milk Bar. And saving the best for last…Robert Irvine was instrumental in creating FITCRUNCH protein bars that recently was acquired by 1440 Foods.

We kick off our CPG series with Dr. Erin Marasco, Senior Director of Global Biology at Cargill, who leads innovation in ingredient discovery, strain development, and biotech applications. Erin takes us on a fascinating journey from the fundamentals of fermentation to the complexities of scaling biotech products from lab bench to global supply chains. We explore Cargill's 30-year history in biomanufacturing, discuss why terms like "precision fermentation" might be doing more harm than good, and learn what it really takes for startups to partner with multinational companies. Erin shares insights on feedstock diversity across continents, the future of nutritional bioactives in everyday foods, and why success in biotech means moving from "novel" to "preferred." This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in how biology is quietly transforming every aisle of the grocery store.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters:(00:00:00) - Introduction & New Year Kickoff — Welcome to 2026 and the start of our CPG series!(00:01:00) - JP Morgan Conference & South Africa Travel(00:05:00) - New Food Pyramid Controversy(00:10:00) - Introducing Erin Marasco & Cargill's Role in Biotech(00:17:00) - Where Biotech Creates Real Leverage at Cargill(00:21:00) - Demystifying Fermentation: Why Now?(00:26:00) - How Cargill Partners with Startups(00:30:00) - Biggest Misconceptions About Working with Big Companies(00:33:00) - What Product Readiness Means to Cargill(00:38:00) - Plasmids to Pallets: Successful Partnership Examples(00:47:00) - Feedstock Diversity Across Continents(00:53:00) - The Future: Nutrition as Everyday Food(00:58:00) - Quick Fire Questions & Retiring "Precision Fermentation"(01:03:00) - Wrap-Up & What's Next in the CPG SeriesLinks and Resources:CargillCargill Fermentation BlogFermentation: nature's original biotech by CargillCantabria Labs (sunscreen from plant extracts)Viro - Sugarcane StrawsSawubona Mycelium Heliocare Cantabria Labs Andreesen Horowitz, VC fund, raised a $15 billion Topics Covered: biotech, industry, biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, agriculture, agritech, strain engineering, biotech R&D, feedstocks, chemical engineering, bioengineeringHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 Music by: Nihilore Production by:  Amplafy Media

Isabel Washington is the Founder and CEO of Laurel's Coffee, the fast-growing RTD latte brand made with organic, regenerative A2 dairy. On this episode of ITS, Ali and Isabel talk about balancing conflicting consumer preferences, building for existing rituals, and the first thing you learn as a McKinsey consultant.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Change how you look at unsold inventory in this episode with Amrita Bhasin of Sotira, joining the show to break down how poor inventory forecasting is crushing CPG brands, why nearly a quarter of all retail and e-commerce inventory never sells, and how excess inventory liquidation has become one of the biggest supply chain challenges today! We dive deeper into how Sotira is using AI to power a tech-driven reverse logistics marketplace that connects sellers, buyers, and donation partners while protecting brand equity, enforcing expiration and regional compliance laws, and improving recovery rates, how integrated freight optimization APIs help control transportation costs, why mismanaged forecasting leads to millions in deadstock, and how smarter liquidation strategies can reduce waste, unlock tax benefits, and keep inventory moving.   About Amrita Bhasin Amrita Bhasin is the co-founder and CEO of Sotira, an award winning reverse logistics company that enables retailers, manufacturers and brands to discreetly monetize and donate unsold inventory.  Amrita was named to the 2026 Forbes 30 under 30 list and the 2025 Mayfield AI List. Amrita has been invited to speak on national and international broadcast networks including CBS, Fox, ABC, Scripps, and CGTN and has been profiled in Forbes, TechCrunch, and Business Insider. She is regularly quoted as an expert by leading publications such as Reuters, Bloomberg, Wired, Fortune, CNBC, Glossy, Huffington Post, Sourcing Journal, Reader's Digest, Modern Retail, AP, Yahoo Finance, and FreightWaves. Amrita has spoken about reverse logistics at leading conferences and trade shows such as TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, Home Delivery World 2025, HumanX 2025, ReTHINK Retail 2025 and Groceryshop 2025. Amrita was a delegate speaker at the 2025 One Young World Summit in Munich, Germany. She is an upcoming speaker at Manifest 2026 and Food Waste Summit 2026.  Amrita was a 1st place winner at Shoptalk 2025 and 1st place winner at Reverse Logistics Conference and Expo 2025. Amrita has been recognized by the State of California and Stop Waste for contributions to reducing enterprise waste via reverse logistics automation.   Connect with Amrita LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrita-bhasin/  Website: https://www.sotira.co/  Email: amrita@sotira.co  

Your career spans some of the world's biggest CPG brands, from Unilever to PepsiCo to Newell. Looking back, what pivotal moments or decisions shaped your approach to marketing leadership?Consumers today interact with brands across so many touchpoints—online, in-store, social, and more. How do you approach creating a consistent, meaningful brand experience that resonates across channels while staying true to the brand's core purpose? You've led the launch of major products and platforms. What's your approach to fostering innovation in large organizations, and how do you decide which risks are worth taking?You emphasize collaboration, strategic clarity, and entrepreneurial agility in your leadership. How do you cultivate teams that can execute bold marketing strategies while staying agile in an ever-changing market?As we wrap up, is there anything you'd like to leave today's listeners with—an insight, a piece of advice, or a perspective from your journey that you hope they take away?

The conversation centers around the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), a USDA initiative aimed at supporting farmers in transitioning to organic practices. Ben Bowell and Jessy Beckett Parr discuss the program's origins, goals, and the collaborative efforts of various organizations involved. They highlight the importance of technical assistance, mentorship, and community building in fostering a successful organic farming network. The discussion also touches on the program's impacts, future sustainability, and the significance of respect and collaboration in achieving a better world for agriculture.Takeaways:TOPP is a USDA initiative with a $100 million budget.The program aims to support farmers transitioning to organic practices.Collaboration among organizations is key to the program's success.Technical assistance includes one-on-one support and mentorship.The program has reached thousands through various educational events.Farmers are compensated for mentoring new organic farmers.The program is designed to be community-based and regionally tailored.Future funding and sustainability are ongoing concerns for the program.The program aims to increase domestic organic production to meet consumer demand.The national partners are Organic Farmers Association, Trade Association, and Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems.The Regional Leads are Oregon Tilth, CCOD, OCIA, MOSA, Florida Organic Growers, and PCO.Modern Species developed their 2025 Impact Report which helped them secure the remainder of their grant after the government funding freeze.Sound bites:“If there's already the organic demand, we just need to meet the supply domestically.”“People in the United States who are inside of larger agricultural corporations, food-based corporations, see the disconnect and the need to invest resources in domestic supply and production.”“We all cooperatively wrote the organic standards together, along with other movement aligned groups in the 90s.”“One of the emergent themes for us of this work has been how important the network itself is and how keeping people in collaboration across organizations and state boundaries supports all of our success.”“I love hearing the stories of the farmer to farmer sharing. It's really powerful.”“I really feel like a better world looks like a world that's full of respect, for the people, for the planet and its delicate balance of biology and ecology.”"It's about continuous improvement."Links:Transition to Organic Partnership Program - https://www.organictransition.org/Impact Report for Transition to Organic Partnership Program - https://www.organictransition.org/impact-report/Ben Bowell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-bowell-85901a1b3/Jessy Becket Parr on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessy-beckett-parr-a5a681185/…Brands for a Better World Episode Archive - http://brandsforabetterworld.com/Brands for a Better World on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-for-a-better-world/Modern Species - https://modernspecies.com/Modern Species on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-species/Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagemitchell/…Print Magazine Design Podcasts - https://www.printmag.com/categories/printcast/…Heritage Radio Network - https://heritageradionetwork.org/Heritage Radio Network on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/heritage-radio-network/posts/Heritage Radio Network on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeritageRadioNetworkHeritage Radio Network on X - https://x.com/Heritage_RadioHeritage Radio Network on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heritage_radio/Heritage Radio Network on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@heritage_radioChapters:03:00 Introduction to the Transition to Organic Partnership Program04:33 Understanding the Transition to Organic Partnership Program07:57 The Role of Partnerships in Organic Transition09:07 Regional Partners and Their Selection Process11:31 Goals and Objectives of the Transition to Organic Partnership Program15:20 Highlights and Accomplishments of the Program20:14 The Importance of Collaboration and Community23:37 Managing a Successful Collaborative Program26:54 Getting Involved in the Program29:13 Who is the Program For?31:06 Free Resources and Support for Farmers32:16 Future Plans for the Program35:00 Funding Opportunities and Strategies37:36 Advice for Collective Action and CollaborationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Dish Media's new head of programmatic partnerships, Kristinnsson is helping turn advanced TV into a single, addressable marketplace.  Episode TranscriptPlease note, this transcript  may contain minor inconsistencies compared to the episode audio.Damian Fowler (00:00):I'm Damian Fowler.Ilyse Liffreing (00:01):And I'm Ilyse Liffreing.Damian Fowler (00:02):And welcome to this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (00:09):Today, we're joined by Liam Kristinnsson, head of programmatic partnerships at Dish Media, where he's helping shape how the company connects advertisers with premium audiences across both linear and digital environments.Damian Fowler (00:23):Dish has been pushing hard into the programmatic space. From Dish Connected, it's addressable solution across the ecosystem to Advantage, which links programmatic buying with linear inventory in real time. It's all part of a broader move to bring automation and accountability to advanced TV.Ilyse Liffreing (00:39):We'll talk with Liam about how Dish is tackling fragmentation, what premium really means in a mixed green world, and where the next phase of programmatic growth is headed.Damian Fowler (00:51):So let's get into it.Liam Kristinnsson (00:57):Dish Connected has really revolutionized our product in the marketplace. We've been able to convert an additional four million to five million households into tangible CTV devices across real-time bidding systems across the industry. And it's kind of given us a leg up against some of our more linear competition where we now have full autonomy over our inventory and can enable and provide transparency downstream to any client.Damian Fowler (01:28):That's amazing. I mean, there was a moment there where there was a sort of either all linear or CTV, but this is something that's kind of connecting thoseLiam Kristinnsson (01:38):Two worlds. I think this is the start of the convergence. I know it probably truly started post-pandemic, I would say, but the reality is now that what is perceived as underutilized impression-based audiences are now becoming tangible and kind of overlapping with their traditional legacy linear purchases. And there's much more value to it because we are not enabling people to find attribution in a more roundabout extrapolated way, but we can provide meaningful real time results to third party attribution vendors or measurement vendors.Damian Fowler (02:20):And that brings us to Advantage, which you introduced in May to Power Programmatic and Linear at the same time. Could you tell us a little bit more about that?Liam Kristinnsson (02:30):Yeah. So the beauty of Advantage is it really expands upon what we've already built for Programmatic in Disconnected, but it provides solutions across the whole suite of products we have. Our addressable business can tap into real-time kind of innovations, real-time optimizations against audiences, ensure that we are better delivering across the target audience and finding that incremental reach that in the past may have been next to impossible to verify. And now we have all that inventory in one place. It's kind of like a grocery store when I think the industry has become accustomed to going to a bodega. That's very New York with me, I understand. I like that. But sometimes bodegas have eggs, they have a deli, they might have milk, but they might not always have milk and seltzer and all the little things that you want on a day-to-day basis. And the reality is something lacking when it comes to you being able to actually fill your fridge.(03:35):Now we have all those components that the customer or the client is looking for.Damian Fowler (03:40):Yeah. I like that analogy.Ilyse Liffreing (03:41):It's a good one. Yeah, no, I like that. And now Liam, I'm curious about the advertisers you're working with. Is there a new segment of buyers that Programmatic is really opening the door to here? What is basically your sense of that cohort?Liam Kristinnsson (03:58):Yeah, I think it really has grown overnight programmatic in general, but I think it allows us to have expanded exposure across all clients that are looking for that more meaningful kind of results. I think we are seeing a lot of success in generating a lot of traction across the CPG world, the direct to consumer world. And I think we're finding a nice overlap from a category perspective of what we traditionally looked at as direct IO or addressable business, but maybe not all those brands or clients in maybe like a pharmaceutical vertical would tap or earmark dollars for commitments early in their planning phase. Now they have the liberty and the luxury to find that right audience and enable dollars downstream where we're just not hunting in that lane and now we can kind of, instead of spreading ourselves thin, the technology can enable us to really kind of tap into all those brands, whether it be the CPG or the pharmaceuticals.(05:05):Now on the CPG side, I would double down further. I think because in the linear world, traditionally there's a level of fragmentation when you were to buy linear and you're only getting a percentage of the marketplace. Now the transparency and data that we're passing downstream really changes that, right? Because now these CPG brands are looking to trade off their kind of gross rating points, but kind of understand, all right, am I serving a family that would buy my products? And now we're freeing up the inventory and making it available to those brands that maybe were not always keen on addressable or linear didn't provide enough eyeballs. We're compensating for that with the data we'reIlyse Liffreing (05:49):Providing. Do you have an example of a brand you're working with?Liam Kristinnsson (05:52):Yeah. So I mean, more specifically, even though that wasn't in some of the categories I called out, there was one or two major financial brands that we've been able to elevate our profile quite significantly with and then partner with them around some of their initiatives on the backend. And I think it kind of shows some of the flexibility that a publisher can now provide brands that I don't think they ever associated with a conglomerate or a media company like ourselves.Damian Fowler (06:23):On that point, there is a perception that the space is fragmented and that there's linear here and then there's streaming here. Do you think that that is changing that perception, maybe thanks to some of the work that you're doing?Liam Kristinnsson (06:36):I think that's a lot of our goal. I think that we are simplifying the process and enabling a household or a device level, right? And the device level tends to be at the unique user level and we have the ability to kind of triangulate that and make sure that we're providing good and strong data down to our partners. I think that as a marketplace holistically, I think the fragmentation has changed and I think a lot of that's around some consumer behavior that has changed or specifically around the way consumers are watching more free content or there's pockets where they're not required to provide a subscription. And I think that there's still a gap there and we do have some front porch access to our apps, but we are looking on our end to continue to develop and then enable through Advantage how we can kind of provide those, specifically those returning viewers, that clean look to the advertisers on the back end and really kind of leveraging deterministic data and first party signals to really define that audience more cleanly in some ways that competitors of ours maybe can't do.Ilyse Liffreing (07:53):Overall, how would you describe your measuring the success of these programmatic partnerships?Liam Kristinnsson (08:00):Yeah. So I think that that's a really unique place because that's something that has been our bread and butter. We have our own targeting and attribution team. They've worked very diligently on the direct IO side. I think a lot of the legacy information that they've been able to provide clients and the insights and the ways that we've been able to either cut our inventory or kind of group or the target audiences for these clients have helped demonstrate the programmatic partners the value in not just our audience, which I think is somewhat being underserved because Dish tends to be middle America and maybe they have less apps or maybe they leverage less apps. So they have been underserved. We have a legacy of success around specific verticals and we're able to kind of provide that to these brands. I think the challenge is it's a little bit of a black hole sometimes of how they tie it back to each other.(08:56):And I think there needs to be a little bit more assistance on our end. And by us, I mean the royal we across the industry of like providing some of those insights that I kind of alluded to earlier, whether it's, are we targeting and talking about unique users? Are we looking at success at a household level? And there is some innovation that's required there in the industry, but I think what we're doing is really at the forefront of enabling that.Ilyse Liffreing (09:23):Are there any particular channels that have surprised you in terms of performance or even advertiser adoption?Liam Kristinnsson (09:31):Sure. I mean, I think I imagine everybody talks about the success of sports. Sports has been a real catalyst to the boon of CTV enablement in general, but I think that I'd be remiss not to call out that a lot of our entertainment brands have shined, but not in the ways that traditionally they've been leveraged, right? Even though certain pockets of inventory is not super desirable in the marketplace at times, like news, there are a ton of clients that we've seen a lot of traction there and like pick up incremental success and really drive reach by anonymizing the content that they buy and focusing on the audience.Damian Fowler (10:20):That's interesting. Is there still some resistance to the idea of being around current affairs and news?Liam Kristinnsson (10:26):Yeah. I think I myself came from the website world years ago and I saw firsthand when a certain brand would be next to a certain type of content. And I understand the urgent need to not expose a valuable legacy luxury brand to something that may or may not be bad, right? Yeah. But the reality is often there is a disconnect from the content being consumed and the pod of commercials that's watched, right? Yeah. And while we often, and I'm sure we ... My mother certainly will watch news for hours and hours upon day, which is maybe not healthy for her lifestyle, but I think what's great about it, specifically when she goes to sit down, she is glued in to the TV. And that's something I think that a lot of people are trying to figure out, are people watching? Are they tuned in? Are they walking away?(11:30):And that's the black box of advertising, but I know that people that watch news are glued into the TV and consuming the content between segments. It's kind of like sports, right? Yeah.Damian Fowler (11:43):I think that's true. And I think that's true across all channels as far as I know people reading digital news as well, but I don't want to go off on a massive digression about news, but anyway. But it is fantastic. Can we pull back and look at the big picture a little bit? And we were wondering if there were any precedents or points of inspiration inside or outside of media that inform how you think about programmatic partnerships at Dish?Liam Kristinnsson (12:10):Sure. I mean, I think that back to what I was saying about evolution, I think often in the media industry, we look at things like baseball teams are run today. Not to use a sports analogy. I know you guys are probably sick of them, but- We love sports analogies here. Nelly said the trade death.(12:32):But the reality is these days people want home run hitters. And I think back in the day, that's a little bit of a cyclical history. People always want home run hitters and like big stats, but you win championships with diversity. And I think what partnerships means today is not what it maybe meant 12 or 13 years ago. I think there's a ... We're becoming a world where people, we're all playing Tetris and there's a way to make it all fit together if we cooperate and enable each other. So it's not one size fit all fits all. I think there's a lot of small partnerships and that's good for the competition of the industry and it doesn't take away from the value of these big partnerships. And I think I don't think in my time in TV there's ever been more opportunity there than there is today.Ilyse Liffreing (13:28):Something we often write about at the current is the value of like premium content versus maybe like user generated. For instance, what would you say is the importance of premium and I guess what kind of premium content is most popular? I mean, you brought up sports, but are there any others?Liam Kristinnsson (13:50):Yeah. I mean, I think premium content, I'm sure many people discuss across the course of ad week or just in the industry and in general, how valuable, unique and what's deemed as traditionally primetime TV is. But the reality is it's even more valuable than that because you are in a lot of ways demanding an eclectic audience to watch your spectrum of content and you can't always guarantee that in other places. There is also, sure there's some oversaturation for specific channels and maybe the product that they air, but the reality is it is not what everybody is consuming these days, right? It's Halloween. Everybody can find a bunch of great horror movies or Halloween's coming up, I should say. Everybody could find a bunch of great horror movies across the board, can't always guarantee what is in that content, how glued in they are versus just kind of like, "Oh, it's in season." I think with premium content, specifically around live TV, there's 365 days a year of people competing against each other from a content perspective, but it demands eyeballs.(15:07):And I think we're also starting to see a surprising jump in the youth getting app fatigue, I suppose, that is better enabling that premium content to ensure eyeballs there, but they're paying attention and I cannot stress that enough. In a world of a short attention span, they want to know what's going on and they consumeDamian Fowler (15:28):It. I would almost say it's short form content fatigue to a certain extent. There's something nice about a long form, a game,Liam Kristinnsson (15:41):ADamian Fowler (15:41):Football game,Liam Kristinnsson (15:42):A soccer game, or a movie. To that point, right? I was probably part of the problem with TV from a consumer point of view. I became like a cinephile which didn't help a company's ability to monetize myself, but the more meshed I get into the industry and the more, I don't know, popular I get, the less time I have to go find a film, right? The more time I have to maybe watch a drama about women in New York and I will watch the rerun that I just saw the week before at eight o'clock in anticipation of what's going to happen at nine o'clock, but really because I want to see the reunion or the interview at 10 o'clock, right? So now I'm consuming the same content twice, but I'm even more engaged in the live TV and there's something afterwards that is actually, maybe taped, but it feels live, right?(16:37):Yeah.Damian Fowler (16:37):And that's the proposition that Dish is getting into. I'd want to ask you, how's Dish Media building on the momentum that you've already created?Liam Kristinnsson (16:45):Yeah, I think right now it's what more can we do and how can we keep providing and enabling inventory for the right providers? I think that the assumption in the marketplace for any new product that comes out is, wow, this is it, it's here. 100% of it's enabled. That's never the case, right? It takes a year to ramp up typically for the average product, sometimes as much as three for us. We've been hitting the gas and I think now we're about to go from fifth to sixth speed and really kind of enable our inventory holistically to the marketplace. So for us, it's a little bit of crawl, walk, run from an enablement perspective and with that comes even greater insights into what are they consuming, what's the audience? How do we help define and clean up that audience downstream and then let others maybe do what they do best.(17:45):But we are really in a great position to keep kind of growing that and exposing net new insights about users that I'm not sure everybody's contemplating.Damian Fowler (17:56):Yeah, I'm sure.Ilyse Liffreing (17:57):Very cool. I have a question here about the economy and as you know, and everybody does, it's on kind of shaky ground, you don't know. How do you see spend evolving in the programmatic space at this time?Liam Kristinnsson (18:16):Well, I'm glad you asked that. I think there is marketplace concerns about what is happening on the demand side and a lot of them are valid. A lot of them are maybe being overthought perhaps, but I think there's some rocky roads ahead for specific industries, but it presents a unique opportunity. And I think from a publisher perspective, maintaining the value of inventory and the premium content that they have is absolutely a must because we are going to continue to provide insights and improve products that ultimately will provide better outcomes for backend users. If we kind of enable knee-jerk reactive spend, I think that actually goes against the grain of supply path optimization and increasing outcomes holistically under the guise of potentially lower rates or what have you. But I truly believe that if one category is down, another needs to go up. And I think advertising is like a mutual fund like that where I have lived in Europe in the past and there's a phrase in Scandinavia that like, no matter what happens to our small economy, people will advertise beer because somebody will buy it, right?(19:46):And I think that's much more universal than just in a few select small countries. And I think in a lot of ways we saw that in the pandemic, right? Direct to consumer brands, a lot more variety of entertainment companies or hardware products or TVs were able to kind of put their best foot forward and give the consumer options, right? And I think it's some of their responsibility to provide those options. What we, the publishers can do is enable and ensure they're getting the right results for the content and fitting them in the content or audiences that they really can get the best out of them, right?Damian Fowler (20:28):Absolutely. Okay. We're going to bring this home now with some quick fire questions, right? And here's the first one. What are you obsessed with figuring out right now?Liam Kristinnsson (20:38):Well, this might be a little divisive, but I am obsessed with continuing to improve supply path optimization, but I believe that comes with the slow sunsetting of linear. When I got to Dish, we were still primarily, while our bread and butter was addressable, we were still primarily from a percentage basis, linear, right? Since then, we've completely flipped the script. We are by far and away, mostly impression based. And the reality is I think that we are leveraging too many legacy tools to tell and provide stories on outcomes that are not always as accurate as they should be. We live in a world where transparency is key, maybe not full transparency all the time, but enough transparency where I, the client or brand should be getting a return on our investment or understanding why the audience or the content I was targeting is not working for me.(21:42):And I think that's, those are the pockets we need to start exploring and understanding, not so much the, how do I understand foot traffic on a day-to-day basis, but not convert that to sales when I'm extrapolating out 32 families, right? So that's really, really what I think needs to happen. And I think there's a lot of work to be done there and it's not going to happen overnight, but it starts here and starts with an advantage really.Ilyse Liffreing (22:06):Wow. And why do you think that the slow death of linear, as you said, has to happen for that?Liam Kristinnsson (22:15):I shouldn't say it has to happen. I think there is a time and a place for it, right? I think if I'm going to a bodega and I think I want a soft drink, that's their goal is to make sure that the first thing I think of is whatever the product is, but I think that time and a place is actually creating a lot of noise downstream and creating a lot of challenges for folks on the attribution and measurement side to actually understand and holistically look at their media purchases. And I think it's okay to have gross in terms of volume, ways of looking at how media should be purchased and leveraged, but I believe nine out of 10 clients really, they deserve the insights and the understanding of who is buying their products and how we can figure out how to kind of tie that together and improve into the next year.(23:10):That's how their products are going to build, especially with some of this like in certain categories. There's maybe too many brands or too little, right? Better data will inform beyond individual clients, but it'll enable people to start unique businesses that can compete in an area where there's clearly a lot of eager consumers,(23:35):Right?Ilyse Liffreing (23:36):Very cool. What's one piece of wisdom you'd pass on to other media leaders navigating the shift to programmatic?Liam Kristinnsson (23:43):Yeah. So I hate to say the same thing twice, but if I were to give one piece of wisdom is value your inventory that is going to be the future of your business and there are ways that you can improve your product and enable and improve a third party client or vendor's product, but racing to the bottom for what is happening tomorrow will not enable you next year. And it's a real concern in the marketplace, but my concern is actually twofold that it doesn't actually just hurt publishers, but it ends up ultimately hurting the brands and the people buying the inventory because they are going to receive exponentially more noise, right? And I think that as an industry with a lot of noise, we should really think about like how we can kind of isolate it into, and harness it into, into actual meaningful outcomes.Damian Fowler (24:48):If you could pick one brand that's really nailing programmatic right now, who would it be?Liam Kristinnsson (24:53):Without explicitly calling out a unique brand, but I'll give you two types of folks that are really nailing programmatic. One, I think is second tier auto brands where they are unlocking, and I really think Disconnected plays a great role here. They are unlocking and understanding how they can better access inventory for the right audiences, period. That could be isolating and understanding how I could serve ads from a reach perspective across the city of Des Moines, or it can be somebody looking for blonde-haired men that have two boxer dogs. Secondly, and I think this is part of the paradigm shift across the industry. I think there's quite a number of CPG brands that legacy-wise have really had outstanding success reaching mass eyeballs, whether it's through billboards, radio, traditional linear television. But now again, like they are able to fill a void across the whole ecosystem by getting better, more dynamic insights into the audiences that they're selling to, but also they're actually getting insights, period.(26:13):Retail data, you're talking about? Retail data, yes. And I think if I'm a chip brand, sometimes I want people to know my name first. And that's great. There's a need for that, but eventually you have to start focusing on how you can get money back from that. It's not just about getting your name out there, or it could be diversified. Maybe your name is out there, but now other names have come in, right? Now, how do you leverage the dynamic component of programmatic to diversify your creative and your ability to deliver to the same audience? It'll change the way we think and look at maybe traditional frequency capping or traditional exposure, but now the brand through Programmatic can really lead the new age of creative storytelling and how people understand or change the way people think they know products.Damian Fowler (27:13):And that's it for this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (27:15):This show is produced by Molten Heart. Our theme is by Love and Caliber, and our associate producer is Sydney Cairns.Liam Kristinnsson (27:22):And remember ... We're also starting to see a surprising jump in the youth kind of getting app fatigue, I suppose, that is better enabling that premium content to ensure eyeballs there, but they're paying attention.Ilyse Liffreing (27:37):I'm Damian. And I'mDamian Fowler (27:38):Ilyse. And we'll see you next time. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to a new type of episode where we sit down with some celebrities of our industry to find out where they grew up, what they did before this. What passions, activities and how they spend their time having fun outside of Ecommerce and Retail. We hope everyone enjoys getting to know Martin Heubel better. Martin has been the leading voice on LinkedIn for Amazon Vendors for many years now and has a very successful consulting business working with some of the biggest and best CPG companies in the world. Martin created his company Consulterce before the pandemic after he spent 5 years as a Vendor Manager and then Sr. Category Manager in the CPG space at Amazon. He talks about his childhood, some jobs you will never imagine and how he was drawn to tech and Amazon. Not to mention his music choices might surprise you! Enjoy Always Off Brand is always a Laugh & Learn!    FEEDSPOT TOP 10 Retail Podcast! https://podcast.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/?feedid=5770554&_src=f2_featured_email Guest: Martin Heubel  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinheubel/ Website: https://consulterce.com/ QUICKFIRE Info:   Website: https://www.quickfirenow.com/ Email the Show: info@quickfirenow.com  Talk to us on Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quickfireproductions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quickfire__/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@quickfiremarketing LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/quickfire-productions-llc/about/ Sports podcast Scott has been doing since 2017, Scott & Tim Sports Show part of Somethin About Nothin:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/somethin-about-nothin/id1306950451 HOSTS: Summer Jubelirer has been in digital commerce and marketing for over 17 years. After spending many years working for digital and ecommerce agencies working with multi-million dollar brands and running teams of Account Managers, she is now the Amazon Manager at OLLY PBC.   LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/summerjubelirer/   Scott Ohsman has been working with brands for over 30 years in retail, online and has launched over 200 brands on Amazon. Mr. Ohsman has been managing brands on Amazon for 19yrs. Owning his own sales and marketing agency in the Pacific NW, is now VP of Digital Commerce for Quickfire LLC. Producer and Co-Host for the top 5 retail podcast, Always Off Brand. He also produces the Brain Driven Brands Podcast featuring leading Consumer Behaviorist Sarah Levinger. Scott has been a featured speaker at national trade shows and has developed distribution strategies for many top brands. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-ohsman-861196a6/   Hayley Brucker has been working in retail and with Amazon for years. Hayley has extensive experience in digital advertising, both seller and vendor central on Amazon. Hayley lives in North Carolina.  LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-brucker-1945bb229/   Huge thanks to Cytrus our show theme music "Office Party" available wherever you get your music. Check them out here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cytrusmusic Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cytrusmusic/ Twitter https://twitter.com/cytrusmusic SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6VrNLN6Thj1iUMsiL4Yt5q?si=MeRsjqYfQiafl0f021kHwg APPLE MUSIC https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cytrus/1462321449   "Always Off Brand" is part of the Quickfire Podcast Network and produced by Quickfire LLC.  

"The value you get out of Zucca and all the things it can do is far cheaper than what it would take to hire another person or hire an external consultant to do that work." —Karen Huh   Building a CPG product should not feel like juggling spreadsheets at midnight. Teams lose time, money, and clarity when formulas, costs, and decisions are scattered across multiple locations. This conversation confronts that reality head-on and addresses why speed and focus are crucial in the food, beverage, and supplement industries right now. Karen Huh shares how two decades in CPG at companies shaped her view of broken product development workflows. That experience led her to build Zucca, an AI-powered operating system designed to unify how CPG teams ideate, formulate, cost, and scale products. Listen to hear how modern CPG teams are using AI to work smarter and move faster. Building an AI-powered operating system for CPG product development Why product launches break down as brands grow How AI supports formulation, costing, and iteration Reducing time to scale-ready formulas Collaboration and single source of truth for CPG teams Using AI as a teammate, not a replacement What founders misunderstand about AI and speed The future of AI in food and beverage innovation   Meet Karen:  Karen Huh is the co-founder and CEO of Zucca, an innovative operating system for product development in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, powered by AI. With over 20 years of experience, Karen has held leadership roles at Starbucks and numerous venture-backed brands, building a strong track record in product innovation and business development. Drawing on her in-depth knowledge of CPG workflows, she is dedicated to streamlining and unifying product development processes through advanced technology. Karen leads a diverse, expert-driven team at Zucca, helping brands of all sizes create, manage, and scale products more efficiently. Website  LinkedIn   Connect with NextGen Purpose: Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube   Episode Highlights: 02:12 What Inspired Zucca 05:32 Early Exposure to AI  11:24 Challenges and Surprises in AI Development 16:30 Zucca's Unique Features and Benefits 19:02 User Experience and Implementation  24:59 Impact on CPG Companies 28:12 Customer Success Stories     30:47 Accessibility and Pricing   

The hardest part of building a consumer brand isn't the product; it's everything that comes after. Caliwater co-founder Oliver Trevena knows this firsthand. In a candid conversation, Oliver, who launched the cactus water brand alongside fellow actor Vanessa Hudgens, pulls back the curtain on the less glamorous side of entrepreneurship. He speaks openly about the realities of fundraising, the challenges of securing and scaling distribution, and the emotional toll that building a brand can take. Oliver shares a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a consumer brand that stands on its own, beyond the power of celebrity names. Show notes: 0:25: Oliver Trevena, Co-Founder, Caliwater – Oliver discusses his move from Los Angeles to Miami, noting the city's strategic importance as a new market for the brand. He explains how Caliwater was created to be a functional hydration beverage with lower sugar and calories than coconut water. Oliver emphasizes the importance of authenticity in celebrity-backed brands and highlights Vanessa's hands-on involvement. He addresses the challenges of building a beverage company and notes that the impact of celebrity isn't as impactful as may seem. Looking ahead, Oliver discusses his long-term vision for Caliwater and why patience is a virtue in CPG. Brands in this episode: Caliwater

David Stever is the former CEO and CMO of beloved ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's. David started with the company back in the early 80's, working as a tour guide at their factory in Waterbury, Vermont. Over time, David ascended within Ben & Jerry's, helping to grow the then start-up into an iconic, multinational corporation. Over the course of his decades-long career there, David led marketing initiatives, drove massive brand growth, expanded global market share, and helped facilitate reinvention and product innovation, all while keeping Ben & Jerry's social mission front and center. He joins Roy to discuss his journey from tour guide to C-Suite, the many learnings he took from founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the profound effect of pursuing a triple bottom line, and much more.        Highlights from our conversation include: David's initial interest in the ice cream industry and how it evolved into his career (1:32)Working with Ben and Jerry in the early days (3:50)Leadership lessons learned through periods of massive growth and scaling (6:13)David's strengths and keys to success as Ben & Jerry's CMO (8:48)What surprised him the most when he transitioned from CMO to CEO (13:48)What it means to do “business as unusual” (15:29)The influence of Ben & Jerry's blend of activism and commerce on his leadership (18:12)How David defines Ben & Jerry's unique culture and how he helped sustain it through the years and through acquisition (20:26)Successful hiring throughout Ben & Jerry's different phases (22:48)Qualities David sought in his top leadership team (27:40)What he believes is often overlooked when assessing prospective talent (28:47)David's next chapter and what he's most excited about in looking ahead (31:00)Visit HowIHire.com for transcripts and more on this episode.Follow Roy Notowitz and Noto Group Executive Search on LinkedIn for updates and featured career opportunities.Subscribe to How I Hire:AppleSpotifyAmazon

Most brands fail—not because their ads are bad, but because they're not seen enough. In this episode, Mark and Justin unpack the misunderstood power of frequency and how it drives real results in CPG advertising. You'll learn how often consumers really need to see your message before they act, why "being a little bit pregnant" with your budget leads to wasted spend, and how to engineer frequency that converts—even on a tight budget. • The science behind the "rule of 7" vs. the "rule of 17" • How creative quality impacts frequency effectiveness • Why spreading your ad dollars too thin is a losing game • How to pick media platforms that maximize impact Listen now and make sure your next campaign actually breaks through.  

On today's episode, we welcome Jen Hardell, Founder & CEO of Subourbon Life — the bourbon-based ready-to-drink cocktail brand redefining how—and when—America's native spirit is enjoyed.Jen is a visionary founder with deep operational experience in consumer and spirits businesses. With Subourbon Life, she identified a clear gap in the fast-growing RTD category: while vodka and tequila dominated shelves, bourbon lacked a lighter, more social, lifestyle-forward expression. She set out to change that by creating non-carbonated bourbon cocktails made with real aged bourbon, thoughtfully sourced ingredients, and a strong emphasis on community through the brand's “Find Your People” philosophy.In this episode, Jen shares how she translated operational rigor into building a founder-led spirits brand, the challenges of bringing an RTD bourbon from concept to shelf, and how Subourbon Life balances quality, consistency, and scalability in a crowded market. From flavor development and branding to distribution and leadership, this conversation offers valuable insight for founders, operators, and anyone curious about innovation in CPG and spirits. Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at karagoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks. To learn more about Jen Hardell and Subourbon Life:https://www.subourbonlife.comhttps://www.instagram.com/drinksubourbonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-hardell-287715334/ Sponsored By:LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.Odoo - Discover how Odoo can take your business to the next level, by visiting Odoo.comAcorns - Head to Acorns.com/KARA or download the Acorns app to get started.Fora - Become a Fora Advisor today at ForaTravel.com/karagoldinBilt - Join the loyalty program for renters at JoinBilt.com/KARAGOLDIN Check out our website to view this episode's show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/786

Scott Jennings of Anaplan talks about retail inventory optimization, planning challenges, AI & how Anaplan enables retailers to sell more and carry less.   [03.37] An introduction to Scott, his background, and experience in the industry. "Siloes are present functionally across different pieces of the business, whether it's merchandise, supply chain or finance. But they're also persistent inside the systems that support those different groups – and that's where it gets tricky." [05.53] An overview of Anaplan and what they do. [06.53] How retail planning has historically worked, and the limitations of that approach. "Retail suffers from siloed planning, disconnected processes and latent decision-making, which leads to buying the wrong inventory and having the wrong inventory at the wrong place at the wrong time, with little ability to adjust based on market feedback." [09.58] Why retail planning is arguably more complex than CPG or consumer goods supply chain planning. "Retail is detail." [12.55] How challenges and limitations have impacted the industry, particularly in light of additional external factors like increasing customer demand. "Getting ahead is important. But being able to react in an agile way, in season, is also extremely important. Retailers have fallen behind because that demand signal is all over the place." [16.14] From data to specificity, the foundations needed for retailers considering AI solutions, and the problem of 'testing fatigue.' "People are sick of testing and learning." [22.25] How retail planning technology will continue to evolve over the next 12 to 24 months. [24.28] Scott's advice for retailers looking to implement AI in their planning and ensure successful implementations. "It starts with the ROI you're looking to drive… If you can't define the ROI: skip it." [28.39] The biggest opportunities for retailers embracing evolving technology and a new approach to retail planning. [30.08] How Anaplan Intelligence and its retail engine enables retailers to harness the power of AI to plan at a granular level not possible before, and the importance of hyper-localization. [33.01] How Anaplan focuses on retail-specific best practices to achieve higher forecast accuracy and boost sell-through rates for their customers, ultimately helping them sell more and carry less. [34.37] What Anaplan is focusing on for 2026.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Head over to Anaplan's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Anaplan and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn or YouTube, or you can connect with Scott on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Anaplan, listen to Emily Nicholls talk about how integrated business planning helps automotive OEMs navigate EV growth on episode 499: Navigating the EV Revolution, with Anaplan. Check out our other podcasts HERE.

This week Adam speaks with Raj Babu, partner at BFG Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in emerging food, beverage, and consumer brands. Prior to joining BFG, Raj served as President of Birch Benders, the #1 natural pancake and waffle mix brand and a BFG portfolio company. Under his leadership, the business expanded to four product lines in over 10,000 stores, leading to an acquisition by Sovos Brands. In this episode, Raj talks about the nuances of investing in the food sector, particularly consumer packaged goods (CPG), and the innovation from Colorado's natural food industry with companies like Bobo's Oat Bars and Caulipower as examples of standout successes. He also shares insights on identifying lasting trends versus fleeting fads and emphasizes that great ideas can come from anywhere within an organization.Listen now on: Amazon Music (Alexa) | Spotify | Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts!Connect with hosts Adam and Chris and the Range VC team on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/range-ventures/Check out more about what we're up to at Range.vc This podcast is powered by The Plug Podcast Agency See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Megan Young Gamble kicks off 2026 with a focus on consistency and real industry impact, sharing the top trends shaping the beauty and packaging industries. Key highlights include the rise of health-first beauty and holistic wellness, AI-powered hyper-personalization, the increasing dominance of digital and social commerce, and accelerated biotech innovation for sustainability. On the packaging front, Megan details trends like mono-material design (driven by new regulations like Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), accessibility and inclusive packaging, smart connected packaging using QR, AR, and AI, personalized eco-luxury packaging, and the continued importance of refill and closed-loop systems. Throughout, Megan emphasizes practical advice for brands and startups, regulatory compliance, and the ongoing shift towards a consumer-centric, sustainable future. She also encourages listener engagement and ongoing conversation around industry changes. Listen to the additional podcasts mentioned on the show Kickoff 2025 Trends & Transitions. Listen hereInside MakeUp in New York: Day 1 - Innovation and Tech. Listen hereInside MakeUp in New York: Day 2-Packaging & Sustainability. Listen hereSustainability and Cost-Effective Measures in Packaging and Product Development. Listen hereWhen to Optimize Your Packaging. Listen hereHow Connected Packaging Shapes Sustainability and Traceability. Listen hereWTF! What the TariFfs! Pt1. Listen hereWTF! What the TariFfs! Pt2. Listen hereAffiliate & Other Links:[Megan Young Gamble Links][AFFILIATE] Ready to crank out your content in as little as 5 minutes? Use Castmagic, AI powered tool to take your content creation from overwhelmed to overjoyed by saving hours of developing content. Save 20 hours by Signing up today! https://get.castmagic.io/Megan [FREEBIE] Learn about “day in the life” of a Packaging Project Manager → Get our “Starter Packaging PM Freebie” [link] https://glc.ck.page/thestarterpackagingprojectmanager [FREEBIE] Access commonly referenced organizations and tools in ONE PLACE with our handy guide HERE [link] https://bit.ly/OSTPlay Subscribe & Access our Video Vault YouTube Channel [ link] https://bit.ly/GLConYouTubeJoin our Email List [link] https://glc.ck.page/55128ae04b Follow and Connect with Megan on LinkedIn [link] https://linkedin.com/in/megangambleLearn about GLC, Packaging & Project execution firm for CPG brands http://www.getlevelconsulting.comAre you a STARTUP Brand? Join my FREE COMMUNITY ->https://theacceleratesquad.com Work with Me @ GLC, Schedule Discovery Call https://calendly.com/getlevelconsulting/15-minute-insight-sessionGot a topic you'd love us to cover? Share your ideas here [link] https://bit.ly/ppptopicformAdditional Resources:NIQ's State of Beauty 2025 preview report : https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/2025/niqs-state-of-beauty-2025-beauty-breaks-boundaries-with-10-growth-digital-surge-wellness-shift/Genz Focused Trend Report : https://www.designerpeople.com/blog/packaging-design-trends-2026/Myers Packaging Report : https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/2025/niqs-state-of-beauty-2025-beauty-breaks-boundaries-with-10-growth-digital-surge-wellness-shift/Quotes and Hooks:  It's a new year, but it's the same impact that we're delivering.I really believe in not giving fluff. I really believe in just giving straight facts.Beauty is evolving to more of a holistic lifestyle category.Personalization has always been consistent within the beauty realm.Digital and social commerce continues to dominate retail strategy.Sustainability means something different to everybody.Packaging is becoming the digital passport.in 2026 sustainability is becomes a compliance priority in the US because states are activating EPR extended producer responsibility laws that makes brands responsible for packaging waste

In this episode, Cassidy Johnston shares her journey from growing up in the city to becoming a first-generation large scale beef producer and ranch consultant. She talks about a college research project exploring the relationship between environmentalists and ranchers and how that led her to an internship where she met her husband, and eventually to her life on a farm. She discusses the complexities of ranching at scale, the importance of animal welfare, her thoughts on regenerative and organic practices, and the communication challenges that arise ag people and non-ag people make assumptions about each other. Cassidy advocates for building a more resilient food system that prioritizes collaboration and understanding among all stakeholders, and dreams of a better world where more people have access to high quality food.Takeaways:Cassidy Johnston is a first-generation beef producer and consultant.She transitioned from urban life to ranching, finding her place in the rural community.The importance of understanding the relationship between ranchers and environmentalists.Regenerative practices in agriculture are complex and vary by region.Communication between agriculture and corporate sectors is crucial for progress.Quality of food production should be prioritized over sheer efficiency.Hands-on experience is essential for those looking to enter the ranching industry.A better food system requires collaboration and understanding among all stakeholders.Sound bites:"I have an environmental studies degree from CU Boulder, which is a hippie degree from a hippie school.”“ That happened to be the day that I met the guy who would later become my husband.”“That paper really focused on the fact that ranchers and environmentalists have many of the same goals.”“I think the trouble with regenerative is it's really difficult to wrap it up in a neat bow and say this is regenerative and this isn't.”“We have to be really, really cognizant of the fact that a lot of people are struggling to afford groceries and telling people that they should be paying nine or $12 or $15 a pound for regenerative ground beef is absolutely ridiculous.”“I've heard people say the cow is just a means to an end. No, she is her own sentient being. She deserves quality care.”“People will kind of look down on us for being the big guy, but when something goes wrong in their place, they call us to help because we have the skills.”“In order to understand how you can do things differently, you have to understand where we came from first.”“I think there's a lot of people in the corporate sphere who don't care. They're focused on making money. But, I also think there's a lot that do care, and it's our job to find them and help them do the best that they can with the power that they have.”“I would like to see a higher quality of pretty much everything. I don't care if you're large or small. I don't care if you're first gen or sixth gen. What is the quality of your operation?”“What are the things we can scale to fix these problems for everybody? Not just an elite few that have the money to pay for it. How do we make this better food more accessible? How do we give people the tools to fix it?”Links:Cassidy Johnston on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/casskjohn/JRC Consulting - https://jrcranchconsulting.com/JRC Consulting on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jrc-ranch-management-consulting/CKJ Communications & Consulting - https://casskjohnston.com/…When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (Book) - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25899336-when-breath-becomes-air…Brands for a Better World Episode Archive - http://brandsforabetterworld.com/Brands for a Better World on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-for-a-better-world/Modern Species - https://modernspecies.com/Modern Species on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-species/Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagemitchell/…Print Magazine Design Podcasts - https://www.printmag.com/categories/printcast/…Heritage Radio Network - https://heritageradionetwork.org/Heritage Radio Network on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/heritage-radio-network/posts/Heritage Radio Network on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeritageRadioNetworkHeritage Radio Network on X - https://x.com/Heritage_RadioHeritage Radio Network on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heritage_radio/Heritage Radio Network on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@heritage_radioChapters:03:00 Introduction to Cassidy Johnston's Journey09:08 Navigating the Urban-Rural Transition14:59 The Intersection of Ranching and Environmentalism20:54 Understanding Regenerative Practices in Agriculture32:49 The Role of Communication in Agriculture44:47 Quality vs. Quantity in Food Production56:31 Advice for Aspiring Ranchers62:30 Building a Better Food SystemSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There were more flavors of QUEST Chips just announced...which undoubtedly means more protein, but what about more revenue? In this latest episode, I'll utilize the Q1 2026 Simply Good Foods Company (NASDAQ: SMPL) financial statements, earnings call, and supplemental presentations for my expanded strategic commentary around convenient nutrition market dynamics and trends. In fiscal Q1 2026, Atkins Nutritionals brand dragged down the overall portfolio performance, but Quest Nutrition (up 12% YoY) and OWYN (up 17.8% YoY) beat categorical competitors in tracked and untracked combined channel retail takeaway. What's at the heart of the Quest Nutrition success? Quest Nutrition is still primarily known for the original Quest Bar, but that's quickly changing with the rise of its protein chips (and "salty snacks" product platform). In fact, QUEST has proven it's one of the few CPG brands that can successfully extend across multiple product forms...and its customer base expects them to come into an indulgent snacking category and flip it into great tasting (high protein, low sugar) offerings. The salty snacks segment of Quest Nutrition, which now accounts for half of all retail sales...had quarterly retail takeaway growth of about 40% YoY. And after representing only 20% of the total Quest Nutrition retail sales three years ago, “salty snacks” is on target to become the largest product platform by the end of fiscal year 2026. Yet, Quest Nutrition is arguably only scratching the surface of this multibillion-dollar (Simply Good Foods redefining) level of opportunity! And while Big CPG jumping further into protein snacking does (obviously) bring a slew of challenges…it also includes numerous second-order effects that (absolutely) increases the overall market opportunity for QUEST. Also, I examine what's causing the weak brand performance at Atkins and explain which actions the company is taking to change it. The most difficult task has been flipping the historical Atkins brand messaging from this negative “restriction diet” emphasis to its nutritional snacking products being viewed as a more positive, proactive convenient foundational nutrition focus. Moreover, Atkins must contend with dramatically changing behavior in the “weight management” consumer cohort (a major cause of this change has been the rise of GLP-1 weight loss pharmaceuticals). And then, OWYN retail takeaway growth came from a balance of distribution gains and velocity growth. Moreover, OWYN has significantly accelerated performance across all major sales channels (including ecommerce) and all key retail customers.

This episode is brought to you by Novi. Novi is the infrastructure powering brand growth in AI commerce. By connecting brands, certification bodies, and major retailers, Novi ensures verified product data is accurate, consistent, and surfaced where shoppers and AI models search, turning credibility into authority, visibility, and conversion. Learn more at noviconnect.com As we look ahead to the next holiday season, will your marketing strategy even matter if an AI agent is making the final recommendation for the consumer? Agility requires more than just the latest AI tools. It sometimes requires fundamentally re-engineering how your brand earns visibility and trust in an algorithm-driven world. It demands a shift from winning clicks on a search page to becoming the definitive answer for an AI agent. Today, we're going to talk about how agentic AI is quietly becoming the new gatekeeper between brands and consumers, radically changing e-commerce discovery and purchase behavior, especially in the CPG and retail space. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Kimberly Shenk, CEO at Novi, our Resident Expert on AI-Driven Commerce. Kimberly, welcome to the show! About Kimberly Shenk Kimberly Shenk is co-founder and CEO of Novi, a technology company that helps CPG brands and retailers ensure consumers can easily discover and select their products when using AI assistants to shop. A serial tech entrepreneur, Shenk has led data science teams at early and midstage startups such as Eventbrite, Domino Data Labs and NakedPoppy, where she was a co-founder and Head of Product. Before transitioning to the private sector, Shenk served as a United States Air Force Captain for five years, holding the chief data scientist position at the Pacific Air Force headquarters in Hawaii. She holds a BS from the U.S. Air Force Academy and an MS in data science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 2025, she was named to the Inc. Female Founders 500 list for a second time. Kimberly Shenk on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyshenk/ Resources Novi: https://www.noviconnect.com/ This episode is brought to you by Novi. Novi is the infrastructure powering brand growth in AI commerce. By connecting brands, certification bodies, and major retailers, Novi ensures verified product data is accurate, consistent, and surfaced where shoppers and AI models search, turning credibility into authority, visibility, and conversion. Learn more at noviconnect.com Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://www.thecrmc.com/ Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agileConnect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Ilay Karateke is the co-founder and CEO of Bezi, the labneh brand on a mission to make the Middle Eastern spreadable cheese a mainstream category in America. On this episode of ITS, Ilay walks Ali through the primary questions she continually asks herself as she's building Bezi, explains why she is turning down bigger distribution, and why slow and steady is key when you're working with constraints like the refrigerator and awareness.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support In The Sauce by becoming a member!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for their second annual NRF must-see tech preview, showcasing five breakthrough retail technologies solving critical operational challenges. From AI employees autonomously negotiating supplier contracts to overhead RFID achieving 99% inventory accuracy, discover the solutions delivering measurable ROI and transforming how retailers operate in 2026. Featured companies and innovations: • Gain - AI employees Natalie and Bob executing end-to-end supplier negotiations and replenishment, closing deals from repair parts to $2-3M agreements • ESW - Cross-border commerce platform reducing international duties by 60% and enabling launches across 200+ countries without the $2.5-4.5M per-country build cost • PervasID - Overhead RFID technology (Trackmaster 3X) delivering 98-99% stock accuracy with 6-8 month ROI and 5-10% sales increases through improved on-shelf availability • Diebold Nixdorf - Visual AI at checkout reducing shrink from 3% to under 1% through intelligent nudging, with 80% of shoppers self-rectifying when prompted about missed scans • Cleveron - Robotic parcel lockers deployed in 300+ Zara stores across 38 countries, eliminating click-and-collect friction with QR code scan delivery in seconds Whether you're a retail technology executive planning your NRF booth strategy, building your 2026 technology roadmap, or looking to move beyond pilots to production deployments, this preview delivers real deployment data, ROI calculations, and operational insights from retailers like Zara, H & M, Calvin Klein, and other major CPG companies already scaling these solutions. #RetailTechnology #NRF2026 #AgenticAI #CrossBorderCommerce #RFID #ComputerVision #RetailAutomation

In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, host David Carothers interviews Heather McKinnon, a "Protege" contestant from Horizon Insurance Services in Columbus, Ohio. Heather shares her atypical journey into the insurance world, transitioning from a background in biochemistry and CPG brand management to joining her husband's agency. They discuss the chaotic reality of balancing family life (including holiday stress and broken appliances) with the demands of being a producer, why "solving and serving" is the most effective form of selling, and how new producers can leverage referral networks to build trust before they even walk in the room. Key Highlights: The "Atypical" Path to Insurance Heather describes her background in biochemistry and brand management before being "recruited" by her husband to join the family agency. While she jokingly calls herself atypical, David points out that almost no one plans to go into insurance—most successful producers stumble into it from other careers. Solving and Serving IS Selling Heather admits she doesn't like "selling" in the traditional sense but loves solving problems. David validates this, noting that the best producers are often educators and problem solvers who don't need to use high-pressure tactics because they lead with value and solutions. The Power of Walking Away David shares a detailed story about a prospect with messy data and four other agents involved. By setting boundaries, demanding transparency (unredacted policies), and being willing to walk away, he flipped the power dynamic and won the account. This serves as a masterclass for new producers on why scarcity creates value. Time Management Sprints David breaks down his 50/10 rule for productivity: working with intense focus for 50 minutes (no phone, no email) and then taking a 10-minute break. This simple system eliminates distractions and ensures that no client waits longer than an hour for a response. Building a Referral Ecosystem For new producers battling imposter syndrome, David advises building a referral network with B2B salespeople (payroll, IT, etc.) who are calling on the same accounts. By establishing regular accountability meetings and sharing target lists, producers can generate warm leads and bypass the cold-calling grind. Connect with: David Carothers LinkedIn Heather McKinnon LinkedIn Kyle Houck LinkedIn Visit Websites: Power Producer Base Camp Horizon Insurance Services Killing Commercial Crushing Content Power Producers Podcast Policytee The Dirty 130 The Extra 2 Minutes

Strong execution is what separates momentum from noise and Delivra Health Brands (TSXV: DHB | OTCQB: DHBUF) continues to build on the progress achieved in 2025. In this interview, President & CEO Gord Davey shares how the company is translating product innovation, disciplined cost control, and channel expansion into real market performance.The discussion covers how Dream Water® and LivRelief™ are impacting everyday lives, why new product formats and international expansion matter, and how the company continues to deliver positive EBITDA while reinvesting in growth. Furthermore, the CEO offers a look at what investors should be watching as the company moves into 2026.Learn more about Delivra Health Brands: https://www.delivrahealthbrands.com/Watch the full YouTube interview here: https://youtu.be/uxY95lHlApEAnd follow us to stay updated: https://www.youtube.com/@GlobalOneMedia