The Community Call podcast is taking a short break as we gear up for something big and exciting here at BevNET, NOSH, and Brewbound. Stay tuned for what's next!

Justin Prochnow, regulatory attorney and partner at Greenberg Traurig, provides an in-depth update on the legal and compliance challenges facing CPG brands. He covers topics from class action lawsuits over product claims and ingredients to emerging state regulations in California, offering insights on navigating compliance, mitigating risks, and preparing for potential changes under the new administration.

Bevnet's Editor-in-Chief, Jeff Kleinman, unpacks the key trends and shifts from 2024, and shares insights on the 2025 investment landscape. We'll discuss the changing M&A and corporate venturing dynamics, and the implications for emerging brands seeking funding. Jeff offers strategic advice for founders on positioning their businesses to attract investor attention, and the importance of financial discipline. We explore how economic conditions affect capital for consumer brands, providing insights into the CPG investment landscape and tips for navigating 2025.

Sherry Frey of Nielsen IQ provides an insider’s guide to the 2025 CPG landscape, covering key trends and opportunities. Sherry delves into the latest ingredient and flavor trends, evolving snacking habits, the growing influence of global flavors, and the sustainability factors driving consumer loyalty. Highlights include growth opportunities for small BFY brands, the rising demand for sustainability, trending ingredients like collagen and electrolytes, emerging flavors such as pickle, dragon fruit, and hibiscus, and growing concerns around seed oils.

As women enter life stages marked by perimenopause and menopause, their health needs are driving demand for targeted foods, beverages, and supplements. Kate Stevenson and Julie Murphy from Brightfield Group, a social listening and consumer insights organization, join this Community Call to share data and trends on the ingredients, products, and value propositions resonating with this consumer group. As the highest-spending age bracket, they seek support for hormone balance, energy, and mood—creating a prime opportunity for brands to innovate for this highly engaged, wellness-focused audience.

The NIQ On-Premise team shares their latest data on RTD beverage trends, highlighting the biggest opportunities for brands. Joining the conversation are Ben Tilton and Matt Crompton of NIQ On-Premise, along with Ferron Salniker, BevNET's spirits editor. Together, we’ll explore the size of the RTD opportunity, key consumer demographics, channels of note, and evolving preferences around convenience, quality, and value. We’ll also dive into emerging non-alcoholic RTD trends and strategies for brands navigating the on-premise landscape.

Benji Fitts, Director of Customer Education at SPINS, shares how to run smart, cash-efficient promotions that drive velocity while protecting margin as much as possible. By focusing on market share and lift, we’ll explore strategies to fine-tune discounts, optimize timing and frequency, and leverage real-time insights to outperform competitors and turn promotions into sustainable growth.

If you're headed to Nosh Live, BevNET Live, and/or Brewbound Live, we've got a GREAT show lined up for you.  Make sure you come say hello and introduce yourself! And, if you're at home this year, catch the free livestream on Nosh.com, BevNET.com, and Brewbound.com 

BevNET started in Boston as an idea fueled by Mountain Dew and Snapple in a college dorm room, back before Mark Zuckerberg was just a twinkle in his parents’ eyes. In this episode, COO Carolyn Craven shares the story of BevNET’s 20-year journey. As we prepare for BevNET Live, NOSH Live, and Brewbound Live this December, we reflect on the trials and milestones that come with building a brand.

How do you scale a culturally rooted brand while preserving authenticity and brand identity? Kartik Das of Doosra, a modern take on Indian chai-time snacks, brought this question to our recent Community Call, where innovative brands like Nguyen Coffee Supply, Brooklyn Delhi, MìLà, and DayDayCook joined the discussion. We discussed how to balance authenticity with accessibility, use data and testing to make informed decisions, and implement scrappy, budget-friendly tactics to grow while staying true to your roots.