52. If you're just selling a product instead of redefining when and why it's used, you're leaving massive growth on the table. Usage occasion disruption is how you reinvent categories and win at retail. Build this into your brand story. What is the difference between a $3 and $3,000 bottle of wine? Learn how to leverage that to transform your brand into an high-demand premium staple.

In this episode, I sit down with Jon Sebastiani, founder of KRAVE and Sonoma Brands, to unpack how storytelling transformed jerky from a "gas station gut stuffer" into a premium protein snack competing with Greek yogurt and nutrition bars. We discuss how texture, flavor, packaging, and romance changed the conversation, how Smashmallow disrupted marshmallows by making them snackable, and why sippable soup at Zupa required a digital pivot to survive refrigerated retail.

The takeaway? Retailers don't need ranking reports. They need insight. They need growth. And they reward brands that redefine usage, drive incrementally, and tell a story that extends beyond the register.

Download my free Turnkey Sales Story Strategies Course and learn how to build a selling story that earns you shelf space—and keeps it. Then explore additional episodes to deepen your category leadership strategy.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session52