On this week's episode, Wade and Gavin talk to Peter and Jeff with Brandartica! Brandartica builds brands that want more than just “pretty”.
They craft strategy, storytelling, and design that drive results in CPG, food, beverage, and lifestyle.
Founder Peter Jude Ricciardi spent 15 years at Disney mastering emotional storytelling, joined by partner Jeff Litcofsky, who brings 25+ years of technical, marketing, and UX expertise.
We look forward to connecting with Peter and Jeff and talk all things marketing, branding, how they craft strategy and the most impactful ways they can work with CPG brands!
http://brandartica.agency
This week Wade and Gavin recap the last few months of their guests, focusing on Leadership, Brokers, Data Insights, Retail and their upcoming guests!
On this episode we will chat with Scott Dicker, Sr. Director of Market Insights from SPINS! SPINS connects shopper values to product innovation by combining POS data across the conventional, eCommerce, and natural channels with deep product knowledge.Key topics will include where Grocery is at today, what trends Scott is seeing, what categories are performing in this inflationary time as well as the NEXT generation of consumers. As we all know, Millennials and Gen Z are redefining the CPG industry in how new trends are formed, product discovery through different channels and how they have reshaped the "modern kitchen"!
http://www.spins.com
http://www.spins.com/ignite
On this week's episode Wade and Gavin will chat with Steve Black. Steve has over 46 years of retailing experience with executive leadership at Sunflower, Henry's, Sprouts, Lucky's, and Rouses Markets (where he was President and COO). Steve is also an Author, "Rules for Success" which helps readers achieve or visualize success through habits by setting goals, being disciplined, positive and persistent. Steve has been a part of so many career defining experiences through acquisitions, managing talent, leading companies, building foundations, elevating people and so much more. If you have any questions for Steve - show up, comment questions below, like, & share!Steve's website: https://abrighterday.life/
On this week's episode, Gavin and Wade will be chatting with Alison Cayne, a veteran in the CPG space! Alison founded Haven's Kitchen, a cpg brand, nearly 14 years ago. She started a podcast, In The Sauce, about 8 years ago (BEFORE IT WAS COOL) and most recently took on an Adjunct Professor role at Columbia Business School. If you think that's pretty awesome - you're right! When Alison is not busy as hell - she is dropping knowledge bombs all over her LinkedIn that's incredibly relevant for established CPG founders or emerging ones. Her honesty, transparency and curiosity are exactly why you should tune in to this week's episode!
On this week's episode, Wade and Gavin will dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly with Brokers featuring the Founder & CEO of SMB Sales & Marketing, Shawn Berg.
Shawn has an extensive background in consumer goods, and natural sales at conventional grocers. He is a veteran broker in the CPG industry with previous brokerage experience at; Presence Marketing, iLevel, and now his own company, SMB Sales & Marketing.
Shawn has grown in the brokerage world from AE, to SVP, and to Founder/CEO. SMB Sales & Marketing is a regional southeast focused brokerage with a current team of four teammates.
On this week's episode Wade Yenny and I will be chatting with Jake Karls from Mid-Day Squares and Andrew Henry from Revival Tea!
Jake Karls is a legend in his role at Mid-Day Squares where he is a co-founder and rainmaker. If you know Jake - he is unapologetically himself and when it comes to building relationships he is second to none.
He will meet with Whole Foods on Thursday and visit his local stores the next day back in Montreal creating Tik Toks with his first retail partners.
Andrew Henry is the founder and CEO of Revival Tea Company. He is on a mission to give tea in America its long-overdue craft moment. Revival has recurring customers in all 50 states through its E-Commerce platform and is now building out distribution in in retail!
We will be talking all things scaling, building, raising, distribution, customers, retailers and even burnout!
On this week's episode we will be talking to the CEO of Mark's Snacks, Mark Samuel.
Mark is a serial entrepreneur with 20+ years of leading companies through various stages of growth.
Mark has amassed nearly 70k follower on LinkedIn and built a loyal community through that platform. Mark's Snacks is a BFY kettle chip baked in avocado oil and sea salt.
They have recently launched in the last few weeks and raised over $190k on WeFunder. We are PUMPED to talk to this legend!
We have some surprising and sad news: Alex Bayer, our esteemed co-host and co-founder of CPG Vibes, is stepping down to focus on some personal items in his life.
With someone stepping down, this means someone else needs to step up. In walks Gavin Konkel. He is the Director of Retail Sales for Be Amazing Beverage and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience both from the buying side (Fresh Thyme and Earth Fare) and also the brand side (Blackbird, TRU Drink, Be Amazing, and more)
This episode we will welcome Gavin and find out more about him, what makes him tick, and what he is passionate about. You don't want to miss this historic episode!
Our episode sponsor is Rich NutsInvest in them at www.wefunder.com/richnuts
We are back with our second edition of our Spotlight Series with the Founder and Visionary of one of the fastest growing natural meat stick snacks in the country.
Jason created his brand at the kitchen counter and has now grown his distribution to over 10,000 doors. Hear the story on how he started and how he got to where he is today.
Our premiere sponsor is Creative Kaiju.
**Get 10 % off by clicking the link below, signing up, and mention CPGVIBES in the discount field**
This week Wade returns from a week off and we will be doing what we do best: No Script, Just Chat!
This is our next edition of the random babble series. We cover anything and everything CPG related and items that are even outside of CPG. Just Alex and Wade talking shop!
We will shout out comments and questions from the viewers as always. Enjoy!
This week we are bringing back our coveted Master Series and are bringing on seasoned investors and growth experts in the CPG space.
Our guests are investors, advisors, and partners in CPG brands and they are highly skilled at supporting brands for scale with proper strategy and capital.
We are bringing on:
Jeff Lichtenstein - CEO - Next In Natural
Michael Bush - Managing Partner - GrowthWay Partners
Mike Fata - CPG Investor/Advisor
Whether you are growing your own CPG brand, or investing in a CPG brand and helping them scale with your guidance, this is a must see/listen!
Welcome to the first edition of our newest segment: The Spotlight Series. We highlight a commendable brand, investor, individual, or in this case: Distributor.
Hi Touch Libations has been distributing emerging, natural brands for over 10 years in Southern CA.
They have brought brands to market such as Suja, Poppi, Vive Organic, Koia, and many more. And with their partnership with LA Libations, they are now expanding to conventional stores such as Albertsons and beyond.
Their model is DSD (direct store delivery) where they go to the stores and put the product right on shelf in participating stores.
They literally add 'hi touch' to their products ensuring they make it to shelf and move faster with care and special attention.Join us for our first edition of the Spotlight Series!
You don't want to miss this!
We are PUMPED for this episode, featuring 4 founders with emerging brands breaking into the CPG scene in natural stores, independents, and eventually conventional grocery stores.
These founders will discuss the story of how they got the idea and kickstarted their business, and all the challenges that happened along the way and that are still happening on a daily basis.
We are featuring:
Dan Choi
Founder of The NA Beverage Co
Stacey Wood
Founder
Whole Harmony
Kristen Charbo
Founder
Glonuts
Tania Sweis
Co-Founder
Brune Kitchen
Enjoy this great episode and make sure to tune in and not miss this one!
After a highly watched and successful Buyer Series last week, we are back to our classic format of Alex and Wade chatting it out about CPG.
A big part of our show is sharing perspectives both from the brand side, the buying side, and also the broker side. Alex ran a CPG brand for over 10 years and on this episode, he will share about what to consider when you are launching a CPG Brand.
Wade brings over 25 years of experience as a corporate retail category manager/buyer and now is a broker/master sales specialist and he also plans to share more insights on how to work with brokers and maximize the relationship.Tune in, you don't want to miss this one!
We are back for our second edition of the buyer series and this week we are excited to bring on very knowledgeable and community driven buyers from all different areas of the country. In no particular order:
Robert Johnson - New Seasons Market
Jason Hostettler - Buehler's Market
Kenny Hausmann - Fresh Thyme Market
As always, it's "No Script, Just Chat." We will cover a range of topics surrounding buyers, tips to present to a retailer and get on shelf, how to approach a buyer at trade-shows, and much more!
This week is back to our normal format of Alex and Wade rapping back and forth about all things CPG. We will be focusing on the major security breach and national system outage with UNFI and how this has affected brands and retailers.
With Wade's experience in attending trade-shows and some upcoming shows (Summer Fancy Food Show, Newtopia Now) he will be reviewing his tips and strategies on how to navigate the shows and getting the most out of them.
It's time for another episode of our coveted Master Series. These don't come around often, and this is sure to be a good one.
We are featuring the movers and shakers in the CPG industry with people, companies and brands that have changed the landscape forever for CPG.
We are bringing on:
Chris Hunter - Co-Founder of KOIA - Delicious Plant-Based Protein
Mike Fata - CPG Investor and Advisor and Founder of Manitoba Harvest
Kari Pedriana - Co-Founder of Green Spoon Sales - The Nation's Premier Natural Broker
Nick Saltarelli - Co-Founder of Mid-Day Squares - Fast Growing Chocolate Brand
This week, we are going to focus on the short and long-term benefits of helping others and expecting nothing in return. We are finding the most successful people simply give with no strings attached and attract an energy that propels them personally and professionally.
Wade and Alex will share how they have helped others and gained a great return for themselves.
Our second topic is an important one as well: Running or working with a CPG brand is pure and utter chaos. Everyday, something goes wrong and a fire needs to be put out. How do you find gratitude and calmness amidst chaos? Wade and Alex have both run their own business and have a combined nearly 40 years of CPG experience, so they will detail tips on how to not lose sight of the bigger picture when things aren't going as planned in the short term.
How about an episode with no planned topics at all and Wade and Alex discuss whatever they want for an hour?
We of course will cover topics in CPG but it could go off the rails and we can be talking about anything whether it's Wade hiking in the middle of nowhere, Alex golfing, tariffs, and so much more!
This is our second installment of the Random Babble Series. Sit back, grab a beer (or your favorite social non-alc tonic) and enjoy!