DTC Podcast

DTC Podcast | Ep 543: Rotten’s Retail Expansion: Seeding Strategy, Brand IP, and Standing Out at Checkout

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When we first spoke to Michael Fisher, Rotten had just launched a single product online. Now, the brand is stocked in 1,000+ retail locations including Zumiez, Safeway, Sprouts, and Hy‑Vee. In this follow-up episode, we unpack exactly how Rotten scaled while preserving product quality, unique branding, and a lean team.

This episode dives into:

  • Building a better-for-you candy that actually tastes great (60% less sugar, no synthetic dyes)
  • How Rotten validated demand and used Kickstarter as a test lab
  • What Michael learned about launching in retail through shippers and “in‑and‑out” placements
  • Why brand IP and world-building (Dr. Rotten, Frankie Freak) is key to long-term value
  • Real talk on packaging sustainability, operational scaling, and team-building

    • You’ll learn tactical insights on:

    • How to evaluate retail partners and assert boundaries
    • What content drives impulse candy purchases on TikTok Shop
    • Using surveys to prove incremental retail value without buying expensive syndicated data
    • Balancing DTC bleed-in and retail velocity
    • Creating a brand that stops people in the aisle and online

      • Rotten’s growth is a masterclass in starting lean, staying weird, and scaling smart. Don’t miss it.

      Timestamps

      00:00 Rotten’s Growth Journey and TikTok Shop Strategy

      02:00 Launching Gummy Crunchies and Multi-Texture Candy Trends

      04:00 Retail Expansion: From Zumiez to Hy-Vee

      06:00 Shippers, In-and-Outs, and Driving Off-Shelf Sales

      08:00 Better-for-You Candy Positioning and Merch Strategy

      10:00 Building the Rotten Brand World and Characters

      12:00 Halloween Marketing and Seasonal Retail Momentum

      14:00 Setting Boundaries with Retailers and Sampling Strategy

      16:00 TikTok Shop Flywheel and Content That Converts

      18:00 Measuring Retail Pickup and The Digital Bleed Effect

      20:00 Using DTC Data to Win Retail Buyers

      22:00 Scaling Challenges, Team Growth, and Culture

      24:00 Aggressive Growth Goals, Profitability, and New Doors

      Hashtags

      #DTC #Podcast #Ecommerce #CPG #CandyBrand #TikTokShop #RetailStrategy #ScalingBrands #MarketingPodcast #ConsumerBrands

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