In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, we sit down with Xeba Zareie—founder of Preme Foods, a wellness-driven CPG brand helping people with chronic illness and sensitive stomachs enjoy indulgent nutrition again.

What started as a personal battle with gut health turned into a mission: create functional, prebiotic-powered products that don’t compromise on taste or ingredients. From handmaking puddings to launching a shelf-stable, collagen-rich cocoa mix, Xeba’s story is equal parts resilience, research, and real innovation.

We talk about:

• Why most gut health products on shelves are not made for sensitive stomachs
• The difference between prebiotics and probiotics (and why that matters)
• How Xeba scaled from small-batch to co-manufacturing without compromising quality
• What most new founders get wrong about packaging, messaging, and retail
• Her exact process for landing ideal retail partners—including a few bold outreach tactics
• Why powders > puddings (at least to start)

If you’re building a wellness brand, formulating a CPG product, or launching on Shopify, this episode is packed with firsthand lessons from the trenches.

Also: it’s our Aries birthday episode—cheers to that!

Connect with Xeba Zareie
Instagram: @x_eba
Brand: @drinkpreme
More info: drinkpreme.com

Products mentioned during the episode:

• Zero to One by Peter Thiel
• Ramping Your Brand by James F. Richardson PhD
• 7 Laws of Spiritual Success by Deepak Chopra
• Organify Shilajit Gummies
• Revolve
• Erewhon
• Pistakio
• Charmlee
• Nour Dressing

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Preme Foods and Xeba Zareie

02:11
The Science Behind Gut Health and Nutrition

06:18
Founder's Journey: From Personal Struggles to Business

11:09
Scaling Production: Challenges and Solutions

12:03
Transitioning from Puddings to Powders

13:39
Navigating Retail Partnerships and Consumer Education

19:16
Marketing Strategies for D2C Success

21:19
Lessons Learned and Future Directions