In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Stephanie McGregor, founder of Ringa—a moringa and apple cider vinegar infused beverage with no added sugar, no sugar substitutes, and no natural flavors. After 20 years as an operator in food and beverage working on brands like Red Bull, Glacéau Vitaminwater, and others, Stephanie was ready to leave the industry until an Airbnb host in Baja, Mexico wouldn't stop talking about the moringa tree growing on her property.

Stephanie shares her journey from winding down a previous company in 2022 to launching Ringa as a mission-driven brand committed to radical ingredient transparency. The conversation explores the decision-making behind formulating with only real, pronounceable ingredients—from organic moringa tea and raw apple cider vinegar to real cucumber juice and ginger—and why "unapologetically tart" is both a product philosophy and a long-game strategy in a market addicted to sugar.

Throughout the episode, Stephanie discusses the challenges of educating consumers about what "natural flavors" really means (and what manufacturers aren't telling you), why microdosing moringa in a delicious format beats the "plug your nose and gulp it down" supplement approach, and how Ringa landed a feature in Whole Foods' 2026 trend report predicting vinegar as the next big functional ingredient. She also shares her experience as a self-proclaimed "Startup CPG groupie," attending nearly every Grocery Run and trade show opportunity to accelerate retailer discovery at a fraction of traditional costs.

Whether you're launching a better-for-you beverage, navigating ingredient sourcing for functional foods, or building a self-funded brand with operator experience, this conversation offers honest lessons on playing the long game, learning to say no, staying patient while trends catch up, and building extreme loyalty over viral growth.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Stephanie's 20-year operator background: Red Bull, Vitaminwater, and winding down a business in 2022
• The Baja, Mexico Airbnb moment that introduced Stephanie to moringa and inspired Ringa
• What moringa is: a complete plant protein with all nine essential amino acids, drought-tolerant, and nutrient-dense
• The decision to formulate with no added sugar, no sugar substitutes, and no natural flavors
• Why "natural flavors" aren't always natural—and how proprietary blends hide ingredient transparency
• The philosophy of being "unapologetically tart" and playing the long game on consumer taste education
• How real cucumber juice creates a completely different flavor experience than cucumber "natural flavor"
• Microdosing moringa: making functional ingredients delicious and palatable for daily consumption
• Landing in Whole Foods' 2026 trend report: vinegar as the "OG functional food"
• Why fiber is the macro people actually need (90% of us don't get enough)
• Attending every Startup CPG Grocery Run event: accelerating retailer discovery at a fraction of trade show costs
• Operator advice: learning to say no, staying nimble, and building a good business over chasing hockey stick growth
• Why going slow and building loyalty beats viral growth for long-term brand success

Episode Links:

Website: https://www.drinkringa.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkringa/ 

Stephanie McGregor - Founder, Ringa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieleemcgregor/

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
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• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics