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I sit down with Rachel Vigil, Founder of UpClose Marketing, to break down one of the most overlooked sampling channels for emerging CPG brands: vacation rentals and short-term stays. We talk about how placing products inside Airbnbs, mid-term rentals, and campgrounds allows brands to reach high-intent consumers in distraction-free environments without the high costs and chaos of festivals or in-store demos. Rachel shares which product categories perform best, how brands can collect real feedback and emails, and how this channel can support retail growth and long-term customer relationships. If you’re curious whether this sampling strategy could work for your brand, you can contact Rachel by emailing me at [email protected], and I’ll be happy to make an introduction. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

You made it onto the shelf. Great. But now the real spending begins. Trade spend is one of the biggest drivers of success in retail — and one of the fastest ways for emerging brands to lose money, stall velocity, or get discontinued. In this deep-dive conversation, I and Yuval Selik unpack the most common and most expensive trade spend mistakes founders make, and how to avoid them. We cover: Why most founders underestimate the true cost of staying on the shelfThe promo structures that quietly destroy marginHow to avoid “set it and forget it” promotions that never performWhat deductions actually mean — and how to stop paying for things you don’t oweHow to know when a promotion is working vs. when you’re just lighting money on fireThe cashflow impact that no one warns new brands aboutIf you’re selling in retail — or about to — Yuval will help you build a smarter, more profitable trade spend system from day one. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Ian Timmons and Billy Knox, founders of Beefy, and one of my favorite new snacks—featured in our Winter Foodbevy Insider Box. We talk about: what went wrong (and right) in early R&Dthe complexity of manufacturing and scaling a brand-new product formatthe GTM strategy that got Beefy their early tractionwhere they’re headed next as they expand beyond DTCStartup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

In this episode, I share how one “small” packaging change can snowball into a six-figure problem—and how to stop that from happening to your brand.  I sit down with Maureen Dollard, founder of Complete Acuity, to break down where CPG founders go wrong: missing pieces in the scope, forgetting secondary packaging, and leaving regulatory to the last minute. If you’re planning a refresh or new launch in 2026, this is your cheat sheet to avoiding costly delays, write-offs, and do-overs. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

In this episode, I sit down with Joon co-founders Cody Allen and Alexandre Bennet to talk about how they turned a 300-year-old family pistachio recipe into one of my favorite new snack brands. We dig into how they chose pistachios, grew into 1,000+ doors in just months, and built a brand that stands out in a crowded snack aisle.  If you’re a founder who loves a good origin story and wants the playbook for smart, fast growth, you’ll want to hit play on this one. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

Most founders design packaging based on gut feeling — not data. But what if you could know, before launch, exactly how consumers will respond? In this episode, I chat with Michael Keplinger, Managing Partner at SmashBrand, about how to bring the consumer voice into every stage of brand-building. We dive into the psychology behind the 3–13 second decision window, how packaging roles differ between e-commerce and retail, and how to create a testing roadmap that fits a startup budget. Michael shares how data-driven testing can help founders not only improve packaging performance but also win over retail buyers with proof that their product converts. If you’re building or rebranding a CPG product, this episode will help you make smarter decisions, reduce risk, and create packaging that sells itself. Learn more about SmashBrand. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

Getting a meeting with a retail buyer is tough — but winning that meeting is even tougher. In this episode, I talk with Tia Ellis, Founder and CEO of Wildflower Insight, about how to pitch your product to retailers the right way. Tia shares her Golden Retail Rule, breaks down the 3 types of pitches every founder should master, and reveals how to understand buyer psychology so you can connect, persuade, and close that coveted purchase order — all without relying on a broker. 💡 Want an intro to Tia or to collaborate on future episodes? Reach out at [email protected] Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

What does success really mean to you? For many founders, that answer gets buried under industry pressures, investor expectations, and comparisons to competitors. In this episode, I sit down with Howie Sher of JPG Resources to discuss how he helps founders uncover their own definition of success—and build their businesses accordingly. We’ll talk about why defining success in personal terms is essential, how to avoid chasing metrics that don’t matter to you, and practical advice for aligning your business goals with the life you want to live. Whether you’re just starting out or deep into scaling, Howie’s perspective offers both wisdom and clarity. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

When I ran my own CPG brand, supply chain headaches nearly broke me — late POs, cash crunches, and endless supplier follow-ups. In this episode, I sit down with Helen Murphy, Founder and CEO of Opply, who’s building an operating system for small and mid-sized CPG brands to simplify sourcing, forecasting, and funding. Helen shares how her background in consumer goods and tech inspired her to solve the pain points we’ve all felt — from ingredient sourcing to retail readiness — and how Opply helps founders unlock better pricing, smoother operations, and extended payment terms. If you’ve ever felt stuck managing ops instead of scaling your business, this episode is for you. 👉 Want to unlock 60–90 day payment terms with your current suppliers? Email us at [email protected] for an introduction to Opply. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

I sat down with Brad Ebenhoeh of Belay (formerly Accountfully) to unpack how CPG founders can actually make money during Black Friday and Q4 instead of burning it on discounts and excess inventory. In this episode, we talk about: Knowing your true landed costs and margins by channelForecasting demand without tying up too much cash in inventoryNegotiating supplier terms and securing credit before you need itDeciding if Q4 is really your season—or if you should shift focus to Q1Brad brings years of experience supporting CPG brands through the most stressful (and most profitable) time of the year. 👉 Want a direct introduction to Brad and the Belay Accounting team? Email us and we’ll connect you at [email protected]. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

I sat down with Garrett Otondo, Director of Strategic Operations at Little Spoon, to explore how their team scaled from DTC to retail while shipping 30,000+ fresh meals each week. We cover: Cold chain packaging + logisticsData-driven demand planning to reduce wasteHow Owlery streamlined freight and retail launch👉 Need help managing freight? Owlery is one of our partners and they’re offering CPG founders a 60-day free trial with a dedicated success manager to help you get set up and streamline shipments. If you’re sending freight every week, this is a powerful way to cut costs and ensure deliveries arrive on time. 💬 Want an introduction to Owlery? Just email us at [email protected] we’ll connect you directly. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

I sat down with Semira Nikou and Bella Hughes, co-founders of Better Sour, to share how they’re redefining the candy aisle with bold sour flavors inspired by their roots in Hawaii and Iran. We talk about scaling into 4,000+ retail doors, building a new category, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Sponsored by Highbeam – The financial platform built to protect and empower modern brands. Highbeam is a founder-focused cash and banking platform. With FDIC-insured accounts, high-yield cash management, and real-time financial visibility, Highbeam helps CPG brands stay liquid, secure, and ready for anything. Foodbevy listeners can also get access to a free FDIC-insured bank account with Highbeam, plus tools designed specifically for growing CPG brands.  Just email us directly for the introduction: [email protected] Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

I sit down with Kyle Stoulil, founder of Kyle’s Organics, to explore how a trained chef turned his home-kitchen experiments into a pioneering brand in the nut and seed milk space. From the creation of his quinoa milk to developing clean-label nutrition bars, Kyle shares the story of building the brand, the strategic choice behind quinoa, and the realities of marketing two very different product lines under one umbrella. If you’re a founder navigating a crowded category, wondering how to stand out, or looking for lessons in tenacity and taste, this conversation will give you practical insight and inspiration. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

Innovation is a buzzword in the food and beverage industry—but for emerging brands, it can be the difference between thriving and burning out. In this episode, Christy Lebor, Partner at SmashBrand, breaks down a practical approach to innovation that helps founders move beyond gut instinct into consumer-driven decision making. We’ll explore: How to avoid taking the wrong risks as an emerging brandWhy consumer testing—before launch—is your best insurance policyWhy packaging isn’t just design polish, but a core innovation driverHow to use packaging to improve velocities and even justify higher price pointsWhether you’re launching your first product or planning your next line extension, this conversation will give you clear, actionable strategies to innovate smarter. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

If you’ve ever wondered how to get funding for your startup without giving away all your equity, this episode is for you. I’m joined by Kat Weaver, founder of Power to Pitch, who helps early-stage founders master their message, win grants, and pitch with confidence. Kat turned her own scrappy startup into a six-figure business by winning pitch competitions—and now she teaches others how to do the same. In this episode, we break down: How to find and win non-dilutive grantsWhat makes a pitch investor-readyAnd how to create that elusive FOMO that gets investors to say yesWhether you’re raising money now or preparing for the future, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you fund your business on your own terms. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.