Episode # 104. Today, our guest is Greg Esslinger, former SRM (Buyer) at UNFI.

Greg discusses what it takes for a small/emerging brand to work with large distributors such as UNFI and KeHE as well as what he looked for in a brand and what he expected of them.

Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or on our YouTube channel. Plus, give us a follow-on LinkedIn. Learn more at https://www.road2retail.com.

Among the topics covered with Greg today include:- What tells a brand that they are ready to do business with a large distributor like UNFI or KeHE? - What does a distributor look for in an emerging brand before taking them into distribution? A commitment from a significant retailer is extremely helpful! - What questions did you ask an emerging brand (or what up front research would you do) while considering accepting them into distribution? Sufficient funding for operations is critical. - What does a brand have to get right to be successful with UNFI? - What are the watch outs a brand should be aware of when working with a big distributor? There are many fees, markups, and promotional expectations a brand needs to understand and account for in their P&L. - Understanding all the fees and terms associated with securing distribution: slotting, payment terms, promotional support requirements for both the distributor and retailer.- What are the pros and cons of an emerging brand “going it alone” when working with a large distributor? Spoiler alert: going it alone is not recommended!

Episode # 103. Today we speak with Maggie Olczyk - Founder of Avi Foods. Maggie talks to us today about the origin story of her brand which started when she searched for healthy, good tasting foods that would help her parents with their medical condition. Aside from building her brand- Maggie's other job is a commercial airline pilot flying 757 & 767 jets. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Among the discussion points covered with Maggie today include: - We learn about the many health benefits of Lupini beans. - The importance of differentiation versus other granolas: high protein, grain & gluten free ingredients, and a formula that does not impact the glycemic index.- The importance of launching with retailers whose shoppers' demographic profile matches that of your brand. Be in the right place versus being every place.- An honest take on the highs and lows of starting a CPG brand. All the challenges to overcome and work through as well as the role luck plays with a brand.- The important role sampling and demos have played in building her brand and the learning she has gained from listening to consumers immediate feedback after trying the brand.- And finally- she educates us on the band 'Slightly Stupid' and tells us of her favorite airports to fly to. Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.

Episode # 102. Today, our guest is Jake Nelson, General Manager at ZT Distribution. Jake discusses what it takes for a small/emerging brand to work with a regional distributor and what he looks for and requires to work with a brand. Jake also discusses what services a regional distributor provides to a small/emerging brand. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or on our YouTube channel. Plus, give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at https://www.road2retail.com.Among the topics covered with Jake today include:What do you look for in a small/emerging brand?What tells you a brand is ready for retail? What are the requirements and capabilities an emerging brand needs to work with a regional distributor?What are the promotional support elements and assets an emerging brand must have to be successful? What is the best way to work with a regional distributor? Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or on our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at https://www.road2retail.com.Running a retail business means making nonstop decisions—inventory, staffing, marketing, tech. The SKUpe is the weekly newsletter designed to help you make smarter calls, faster.Curated by industry experts, The SKUpe delivers clear, trustworthy insights on what’s working for small and mid-sized retailers today. Join 20,000 owners and operators who rely on it to stay sharp and ahead of the game.Subscribe at t-h-e-s-k-u-p-e dot c-o. Please subscribe : https://www.theskupe.co/?cid=678aaa6cd5126?cid=679bca6723dd3

Episode # 101. Today the Road 2 Retail team discusses how a Key Account manager, or really any Sales professional, can position themselves to be a high value supplier in the eyes of their retail account. Sales is a profession with a great deal of pressure and responsibilities for the company they work for. Based on our 30+ years in CPG- we share what we believe are some "best practices" that should help a sales professional become even more valuable to their retail partner. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Discussion points include: - The importance of preparation for a meeting, communicating the purpose of the meeting in advance, and nailing your follow up.- Know the key personnel within your retail account: buyer, assistant buyer, head of merchandising, inventory, promotion, logistics. Your responsibilities go way beyond just knowing your buyer's email address.- Be accountable for everything at your retail account. When there is a problem- don't pass the buck. Own it, begin working on the solution, and keep your account up to date on resolution.- After each meeting- jot down what you learned. Not just what was discussed. Did you hear about a delay to a plan o gram? Are line reviews being delayed for some reason? Are there going to be personnel changes inside the retailer? A strategy shift? Listen carefully.- Don't waste your time fighting to the death for a poor performing sku. If it hasn't been making the sales hurdle- acknowledge this point and take the issue off the table. It proves you "get it" and you can focus on the strong parts of your business and new innovation. You only get so much time each year with your retailer- use it wisely!- Retailers have many meetings. A couple of days in advance- send a reminder of your upcoming meeting, the purpose of the meeting, and who is coming from your company. Do not bring too many people! All in a meeting should have a role. Buyers can be put off if they walk into a meeting with many people from the supplier that they were not made aware of in advance.Running a retail business means making nonstop decisions—inventory, staffing, marketing, tech. The SKUpe is the weekly newsletter designed to help you make smarter calls, faster.Curated by industry experts, The SKUpe delivers clear, trustworthy insights on what’s working for small and mid-sized retailers today. Join 20,000 owners and operators who rely on it to stay sharp and ahead of the game.Subscribe at t-h-e-s-k-u-p-e dot c-o. Please subscribe : https://www.theskupe.co Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.

Episode # 100. On today's show we are joined by Scott Emerson - Founder of The Emerson Group: A Consumer Products Equity Organization. Scott and his team have paved the Road 2 Retail for many, many brands over the years. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Today we speak with Scott and get his views on topics such as: - His belief that with proper TLC, small brands can reach their true potential - The impact and growth the digital universe has had on CPG brands: 'digital enabled sales', marketing, launching of new products. A brand must understand this environment- Packaging is everything! - Why having the right sales representation is key: these pros know the path with each retailer- The keys to success! Simple to state- harder to practice. But well worth it if you can - The true story of a baseball ticket taker to becoming the founder of a massive brand Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.

Episode # 99. Today our guest is George Brown - Vice President of AcuPoll Precision Research. George takes us through the importance of concept testing, the research an emerging brand really should execute to build their business off of a firm base of understanding, and the research findings a retailer will find informative when considering taking your brand into distribution. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Among the topics covered with George today include: - The importance of a well-structured concept test that can help a brand understand which elements of their product offering are resonating with which specific consumer groups. Understanding purchase probability is vital! - The speed and cost or research has come way down over the years. A lot of learning is within your reach for fair prices.- "Is the question worth the cost of the answer?" A great way to frame your research needs!- An in-depth discussion around product benefits, how to determine (and validate) what your primary benefit is and then asking whether or not you can 'own' this benefit?- The research findings a brand should have in their sales deck when trying to introduce their brand to retailers. Prove you are different and will bring incremental business to the category. Retailers believe facts and numbers.- And finally- references to the old TV shows "Bewitched", "Taxi" and an illogical pledge of perpetual loyalty to the Cincinnati Bengals. Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.

Episode # 98. Today we visit with Paul Vraciu - CEO of the hydration product, Salt Stick. Paul walks us through the history of Salt Stick- which started as a product for runners and bikers needing effective hydration before and during their activity and has now evolved via their innovative FastChews product. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Among the points we hit on today with Paul include: - The humble beginnings of the product being sold store to store to running and bike shops. Only way to get into these places is for the product to work and be preferred by customers.- The importance of your product packaging. It has to do a lot of heavy lifting and clearly communicate your product benefits and point of difference.- A discussion around the clinical study they executed to prove the efficacy of their FastChews product form. People believe their own experiences and facts!- The importance of the demographic/shopper match when taking a brand into brick & mortar retail.- The power of sampling.- The role their DTC website, Amazon and brick & mortar retail each play in building their business.- And lastly- hope for the Denver Broncos and their 2025 NFL draft choices. "In Sean Payton" Paul trusts! Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.

Episode # 97. Today the Road 2 Retail team provides a recap of the 2025 NACDS Annual meeting which took place at The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL April 26-29. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Observations from the meeting include: - What is this meeting? Who attends? What do attendees hope to accomplish? - The consulting firm Kearney presented "Winning Amid Consumer Uncertainty". This work synched nicely with "The Tradeoff Consumer" work Big Chalk has done.- Retailer presentations from Wakefern, Walgreens, and Walmart. Interesting discussions of their key initiatives for the upcoming year.- The entire industry is waiting for M&A to pick up. Lots of pent-up interest for sure!- Lots of discussion around Retailer Media Networks: effectiveness, how to measure, and how to best utilize. Our friends at Incremental can help brands work through this complex matter.- Like all industry meetings and trade shows- you get out of it what you put into it. Strategic discussions started at NACDS Annual can bear fruit at the August NACDS TSE meeting when more of the retail buying teams are present. Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com

Episode # 96. Our guest on today's show is Brooks Powell - the Founder & CEO of Cheers Health. A high energy discussion around the genesis of the Cheers brand and the unique way Brooks and his team drive growth. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. We cover many topics with Brooks in this episode- including references to "Bill Nye the Science Guy", competitive swimming, and Southwest Airlines Herb Kelleher. Other discussion points include: - A very interesting brand origin story that came out of a college assignment. - The importance of building the brand YOU want and hope others will like it too.- A chemistry lesson about how Cheers works in the human body and the story of getting the product approved in the US for sale.- With regard to marketing- don't move on to 'the next thing' until you have nailed 'the current thing'.- Why having a profitable DTC business was vital prior to the move into brick & mortar retail. - A billion impressions anyone? Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.

Episode # 95. On today's show we speak with Dan Frieber - the Founder & CEO of Tango Chile Sauce. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Dan shares the unique origin story of his brand- from his grandmother's recipe to its launch in local bodegas and street fares. Topics covered include: - In the spirit of true entrepreneurship- Dan discusses tuning out those that said he had no shot- he followed his instincts and looked for opportunities to get his brand into people's hands.- The importance of believing in yourself.- Hear about his big break at Smorgasburg in Brooklyn.- The importance of taking feedback and remaining curious- led to several packaging breakthroughs!- Don't assume all equipment purchases are out of reach! An induction sealer was a great investment!- Interestingly, Nancy Kalish of Rule Breaker Snacks led us to Dan & Tango Chile Sauce when she named it as a favorite brand!- Always great to have a Deadhead on the show! Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.