Shelf Help: The Tactical CPG Podcast

On this episode, we’re joined by Chris Bauer, CFO at Catapult Commercialization Services, the product development and commercialization “fixer” for the CPG industry - from R&D and formulation to supply chain setup, manufacturing, co-packers, and go-to-market strategy.

Chris provides a masterclass on the world of co-packers. He breaks down how to actually pick the right co-packer, how to structure the agreement, why so many brand-owner expectations go sideways, and what good looks like when it comes to transparency, contracts, and operational readiness.

We talk about why most brands are over-optimistic about production timelines, what co-mans won’t tell you, and how to spot the red flags before you sign. Plus: whether it’s better to use a single turnkey partner or build a modular supply chain with separate vendors for R&D, production, and fulfillment.

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Episode Highlights:

🏗️ What Catapult Commercialization Services actually does
🔍 How to find and approach the right co-packer
💬 Getting a co-manufacturer to take you seriously
🧪 Vetting co-packers without relying on vibes
📝 What should (and shouldn’t) be in your co-man agreement
🔒 How to protect your IP before you scale
📉 Avoiding runaway COGs before it's too late
⚠️ “Take or Pay” clauses and how to negotiate around them
👩‍🍳 Going from kitchen-made to co-manufactured
📊 What KPIs you should track with your co-man

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Table of Contents:

00:05:30 – Sourcing co-packers
00:10:44 – How to properly vet co-packers
00:13:30 – Structuring a co-packer agreement
00:16:58 – Protecting your IP
00:21:03 – How to avoid runaway COGs
00:30:13 – Tracking co-packer KPIs
00:33:38 – Risk planning

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Links:

Catapult Commercialization – https://www.catapultservices.com
Follow Chris on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-bauer-4623b55a/
Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/
 

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees. 

On this episode we’re joined by serial entrepreneur, Sorosh Tavakoli, the Founder and CEO of Stockeld Dreamery, a bold food-tech brand reinventing cheese without animals, using fermentation and legumes (this ain’t your typical plant-based cheese).

Stockeld first launched in food service with their own take on cream cheese and MELT, sliced yellow cheese that actually melts. A big retail push is now under way.

We dig into brand positioning, go-to-market strategy, raising ~$25M out the gate, the decision to prioritize quality over speed, and what it takes to build trust with both chefs and consumers in a category with an historically terrible reputation.

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Episode Highlights:

🧀 Stockeld’s mission to reinvent cheese without animals
🌱 Why quality is key in the “third wave” of plant-based dairy
🍔 How they launched through iconic NYC foodservice spots
📦 Packaging and messaging in a skeptical category
🏭 Building a pilot plant and scaling fermentation tech
📊 Category stagnation and where innovation is heading
🛒 Preparing to scale the retail channel
💰 Raising ~$25M out the gate

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Table of Contents:

01:05 – Intro, Sorosh’s Background, Origin Story
03:05 – Products in Market
05:50 – Building in CPG as a Former Exited Tech Entrepreneur
08:06 – Commercialization
13:50 – Why Legumes
17:00 – Launching in Food Service
27:40 – Kicking Things Off With Distributors
31:30 – Packaging Design
40:48 – Raising ~$25M Out the Gate

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Links:

Stockeld Dreamery – https://www.stockeld.com
Follow Stockeld – https://www.instagram.com/stockeld_dreamery/
Follow Sorosh on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sorosh/
Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/
 

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Andrew Thomas, VP of Marketing at Archer, the fast-growing meat snack brand formerly known as Country Archer. With a new name, bold new packaging, and a fresh retail strategy, Archer is repositioning itself from niche natural to mainstream powerhouse on track to hit ~$400M in sales in 2025.

Prior to Archer, Andrew led marketing at brands like KeVita, PepsiCo, and Chicken of the Sea

In this episode, he breaks down the strategy behind dropping “Country,” the rebrand process from beginning to end, and what it takes to execute a full pack change across mass, club, and natural channels.

We also dive deep into how to win and what’s changing at Target, Walmart and Whole Foods, and C-stores, and  how Andrew uses an “agency recruiter”.

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Episode Highlights:

🎯 Why the name “Country Archer” had to go
📦 How Archer’s new cream-and-orange packs were built for shelf impact
🏪 What mass retailers want to see before approving a packaging change
🛒 Multipack strategy for club vs. conventional grocery
🔄 Resetting 30,000+ facings without breaking everything
📈 How to time a national rebrand to hit seasonal buyer resets
🚫 The flavor that didn’t make the cut—and what replaced it
💬 Key language shifts that helped Archer win broader household appeal
🔥 Tactics for launching new SKUs in Target and Walmart
📊 Retailer scorecards, velocity benchmarks, and what buyers really care about

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Table of Contents:

04:11 – Why the Rebrand
07:04 – Rebrand: Visual ID and Packaging Design
21:40 – Rebrand: ExpoWest Launch
24:40 – Rebrand: Key Metrics
26:16 – Rebrand: Packaging Changeover
37:05 – The Difference Between the Key Retailers
42:10 – Trends

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Links:

Archer – https://www.archerjerky.com
Follow Andrew on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-j-thomas/
Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/
 

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

On this episode, we’re joined by Bryan Shelton, the VP of Sales & Marketing at Giorgio Fresh — the largest grower, shipper, distributor of fresh mushrooms.

Before joining Giorgio, Bryan held senior sales roles at legacy CPG companies like Del Monte, Pinnacle Foods, and Kellogg. At Giorgio, he’s leading a modern transformation of a nearly 100-year-old company, pushing mushrooms into the spotlight with value-added innovations like stuffed mushrooms, savory sauté kits, and new grill-friendly formats.

We dive into how Bryan’s background in frozen and shelf-stable CPG informs his strategy in fresh produce, the challenges of building a brand around what’s often seen as a commodity, and how Giorgio is repositioning mushrooms as the ultimate superfood.

Bryan shares lessons on launching new SKUs with limited shelf life, how to avoid landmines in the foodservice channel, the tradeoffs of packaging refreshes, and why being great at the fundamentals — quality, service, relationships — still wins in produce.

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Episode Highlights:

 🍄 The 100-year story of Giorgio and its global reach
 📦 Building brand equity in a category most people consider unbranded
 🛠️ Why packaging form factor matters more than you think in produce
 🧑‍🌾 How shelf life, QA, and crop cycles change how you sell
 📈 “Yes, if…” — Bryan’s philosophy for navigating retail requests
 🚚 What goes wrong when brands scale too early
 🍴 Why foodservice is a low-barrier brand flywheel
 🧠 The product launch framework Giorgio uses
 🧃 The origin story of Giorgio’s global bottling business
 ⚖️ Why your best work won’t always show up in your year-end numbers

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Table of Contents:

 00:00 – Bryan’s background and Giorgio overview
 04:00 – Key differences between CPG and produce
 07:00 – Brand-building in commodity-driven categories
 10:00 – Shelf life, retail strategy & e-comm influence
 14:00 – Product innovation, testing, and scale challenges
 20:00 – Packaging design: visibility, structure & sustainability
 25:00 – Foodservice vs. retail: how to think about each
 30:00 – Mistakes, mentorship & leadership lessons
 34:00 – Why mushrooms are the world’s most underrated superfood

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Links:

Giorgio Fresh – https://www.giorgiofresh.com
Follow Bryan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-shelton-14b45413/

Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg
 

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

On this episode, we’re joined by Ryan Gill, the Director of Marketing at Three Chord Bourbon, and a spirits industry veteran with deep roots in off-premise retail.

Before joining the team at Three Chord, Ryan spent over a decade running top-tier off-premise locations across the South, managing $XXM+ stores and building high-performance teams. That front-line retail experience gave him a rare lens on what really moves bottles - insights he now brings to one of the fastest-growing bourbon brands in the U.S.

Ryan unpacks how his time on the floor shaped his philosophy on brand building, distributor management, and the power of field marketing. He shares tactical advice for emerging brands trying to stand out on crowded shelves, plus his playbook for training retail staff, building local market awareness, and executing limited drops that actually drive velocity.

We also dive into Three Chord’s unique origin story, why music plays into their blending process, and how they’re scaling into 40+ states while staying connected to the whiskey community.

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Episode Highlights:

🏪 What 10 years in off-premise retail taught Ryan about winning in spirits
 📊 Why so many brands misunderstand the off-premise buyer
 🛒 Tactical tips for activating in retail without huge budgets
 🏀 How spirits distribution has become like the NBA
 🥃 How Three Chord Bourbon trains retailers to become brand evangelists
 🎸 From guitar riffs to mash bills: Three Chord’s musical roots
 📍 Building a national brand with limited resources
 🔁 Navigating the 3-tier system from the brand side
 🧃 Lessons in merchandising, demos, and field marketing

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Table of Contents:

00:00 – Intro & Retail Background
05:00 – Lessons from Off-Premise Retail & Frontline Sales
12:00 – Joining Three Chord & Shifting to Brand Side
18:30 – Field Marketing & Retail Training
25:00 – Limited Drops & Community Building
30:00 – Scaling Distribution with Focus
40:00 – Final Thoughts & Industry Advice

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Links:

Three Chord Bourbon – https://www.threechordbourbon.com
Follow Ryan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-gill-3chord/
Follow me on LinkedIn – Adam Steinberg
 

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

On this episode, we’re joined by Tara Foster, the COO of Evergreen (a better-for-you waffle brand), and the former COO of nutpods.

Tara was part of the founding team at nutpods, where she helped scale the plant-based creamer brand to a nine-figure run rate and the #2 brand in the category.

With over a decade of experience across ingredient sourcing, supply chain strategy, and operational leadership, Tara brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.

Tara dives into her co-manufacturing playbook. From evaluating partners and negotiating agreements to scaling production without losing control, she unpacks what most brands get wrong about COGS, how to manage risk through supplier redundancy, how ops teams evolve as brands scale, what she learned from bumpier moments like warehouse moves and formulation changes, and why continuous improvement is key.

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Episode Highlights:

🥥 Scaling nutpods to a nine-figure brand
🏭 What to look for in a great co-manufacturer
⚠️ “Take or pay” clauses and how to avoid them
🚚 Hidden costs that destroy your margin
📦 Packaging decisions that drive retail success
📉 Redundancy and de-risking the supply chain
📊 Forecasting COGS with real-world benchmarks
🚀 When it does make sense to vertically integrate
👥 Hiring your first ops lead vs. building a full team

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Table of Contents:

00:00 – Intro & Evergreen Overview
02:00 – Early nutpods Journey & Co-Man Lessons
06:00 – How to Source and Pitch a Co-Packer
10:00 – Scaling, Formulation Shifts, and Loss of Control
14:00 – Supplier Redundancy & Risk Mitigation
18:00 – COGS, Margins & Avoiding Common Pitfalls
21:00 – New Product Launch Best Practices
24:00 – Packaging for Efficiency vs. Shelf Appeal
28:00 – COO Role Evolution from Startup to Scale
33:00 – Trends Tara’s Watching in CPG
34:00 – Where to Follow Tara & Evergreen

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Links:

Evergreen – https://www.eatevergreen.com
Follow Tara on LinkedIn – Tara Foster
Follow me on LinkedIn – Adam Steinberg
 

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Will Nitze, the Founder and CEO of IQBAR, a functional nutrition brand pioneering “brain + body” fuel for the modern consumer.

Launched in 2017, IQBAR is on track to hit $125M this year with just nine full-time employees, spanning 10,000+ retail doors including Walmart, Costco, and Target.

Will unpacks how he built one of the most capital-efficient brands in CPG, his unique “hub and spoke” operating model, and how he engineered each year of growth around a new business “unlock.”

We dive deep into IQBAR’s multi-category expansion strategy, pricing philosophy, agency management tactics, and how Will strips cost out of his supply chain while still scaling velocity.

Will also reveals a pretty game-changing upcoming product launch (that’s now in market as of today).

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Episode Highlights:

📦 Building a $125M brand with just 9 employees
📊 The “hub and spoke” model that drives $7M+ revenue per head
⚡ How faster iteration unlocked IQBAR’s biggest growth leaps
💰 Pricing to maximize volume (and a 50% velocity bump at Walmart)
🏷️ Rebrand learnings that doubled shelf velocity
🌱 Supply chain control as a gross-margin unlock
📈 Why category “durability” matters more than trend-hopping
👨‍🍳 Tease: upcoming product collab with chef Thomas Keller

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Table of Contents:

00:00 – Intro & IQBAR Origin Story
04:00 – Lean Team, Big Business: The $125M Org Chart
08:00 – Broker Management & Third Party Ecosystem
14:00 – Agency Diligence & Accountability
18:00 – Rapid Iteration vs Long-Term Strategy
23:00 – COGS Reduction via Ingredient Sourcing
27:00 – Product Roadmapping & Category Selection
31:00 – Functional Ingredient Strategy
34:00 – Premium vs Value Pricing Strategy
38:00 – Rebrand Strategy That Boosted Velocity
42:00 – Trends (Liposomal Gels, etc.) 

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Links:

IQBAR – https://www.eatiqbar.com
Follow Will on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-nitze/

Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/
 

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Jim Baudino, the President of Iconic Tonics - a joint venture with Snoop Dogg - and Partner at Harmony Craft Beverages, an incubator focused on cannabis and hemp beverages.

Jim joined Shelf Help to break down one of the most exciting categories in CPG today. From velocity benchmarks and dosing trends to on-premise strategy, retail readiness, and the ever-changing compliance landscape, we dive deep.

We also talk about the state of the market, the misperceptions, what’s overhyped, and what’s actually working for scaling brands.

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Episode Highlights:

🍹 Why Minnesota became the blueprint for national hemp drink growth
🏛️ How inconsistent state regs are shaping brand strategy
📦 Why high-dose drinks (10mg) are outselling microdose (2–3mg)
🎤 What makes a celebrity partnership actually work
🧾 What retailers want to see in your pitch (and what they don’t)
🍋 Why lemonade and tea are gaining on seltzers
📈 The future of infused beer, wine, and functional beverages
🤝 Why compliance + ops are your first two hires

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Table of Contents:

00:00 – Jim’s background & Harmony/Iconic overview
03:30 – State of the THC beverage market
07:00 – Hemp vs Regulated cannabis channels
10:30 – Why high-dose SKUs dominate today’s sales
14:00 – Overhyped vs underhyped trends
18:00 – Retail distribution & buyer expectations
22:00 – Best-performing sales channels right now
26:00 – Demo strategy & retail tools
30:00 – On-premise + festival performance
34:00 – DTC marketing, Meta strategy, & sampling laws
38:00 – What flavors & formats are resonating
41:00 – Who to hire first & where talent is needed most

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Links:

Iconic Tonics – https://www.instagram.com/drinkiconictonics
Follow Jim on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimbaudino/
Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg
 

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Laura Morris, VP of Marketing at Sempio Foods, Korea’s oldest registered food brand.

Sempio was founded in 1946 on a simple promise: never sell a product the founder wouldn’t serve his own family. Today, they’ve grown into a global powerhouse in fermented sauces, noodles, kimchi, teas, and more that’s distributed in 75+ countries.

Before Sempio, Laura led marketing at Kayco, the owner of iconic Kosher brands like Manischewitz and Dorot Gardens. 

Now at Sempio, Laura’s helping bridge the gap between Korean authenticity and U.S. consumer behavior.

Laura breaks down how to localize global brands, adapt packaging for a new audience, plan around ambiguous inventory lead times, and why sometimes the right move with retailers is saying “not yet.”

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Episode Highlights:

🌏 What it’s like marketing a fully international brand in the U.S.
🧂 Why Sempio stays true to its fermented roots
📦 Packaging tips for balancing authenticity and accessibility
🇰🇷 How to market gochujang without losing its Korean identity
🚢 Why global logistics shape campaign planning
💡 Lessons from the Dorot Gardens rebrand (“Pop, Drop, Done”)
🛒 Retail strategy: when to say yes, when to say “not yet”
📊 Sales tools, aisle violators & using data to win shelves
💥 The product launch flop that became a 10x comeback

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Table of Contents:

00:00 – Laura’s Background
01:00 – Sempio Origin & U.S. Expansion
04:00 – Working with a Global HQ
07:00 – Naming & Packaging Strategy
10:00 – What Gets Prioritized in the U.S.
12:30 – Aisle Placement: Ethnic vs. Center Store
16:00 – Tips for Import Brand Marketers
18:30 – Campaign Planning Around Global Transit
21:00 – Dorot Gardens Rebrand Case Study
25:00 – Packaging Strategy Questions to Ask
27:30 – Retail Tools: Decks, Data, and Displays
30:00 – Managing Retailer Requests vs. Margins
32:00 – Learning from a Product Launch Flop
34:30 – Trends Laura’s Watching
36:00 – Where to Follow Laura & Sempio

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Links:

Sempio Foods – https://www.sempio.com
Yondu (plant-based umami) – https://www.yondu.us
Follow Laura on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-morris-cpg

Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Tyler Mayoras, Managing Director at Manna Tree Partners.

Tyler has spent over 15 years in private equity CPG, partnering with brands like Simple Mills, Health-Ade, New Primal, and Verde Farms. But he’s also been on the operator side, building Cool Beans from scratch, launching into retailers like Sprouts and Wegmans, and learning firsthand how to navigate the frozen aisle, regenerative sourcing, and repeat purchase velocity.

Tyler dives into the reality of regenerative, demo strategies, hero SKUs, what he focuses on when working with management teams, how he evaluates potential investment opps, and how the CPG PE landscape has changed over the past decade or so. 

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Episode Highlights:

 📦 Digital demos vs. in-store: what actually works
 📊 Unit economics red flags (and how to fix them)
 🔥 Why taste is the #1 investment filter
 🧠 What makes a founder “coachable” and a brand a real target for Manna Tree
 🛒 The problem with early national rollouts (velocity vs distribution)
 💥 How one brutal Expo West conversation changed a founder’s trajectory
 🐶 Two categories Tyler “missed”

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Table of Contents:

 00:00 – Intro & Background
 02:00 – Regenerative Ag: Promise vs. Reality
 06:00 – Digital Demo Strategy & Social Nature
 11:00 – Velocity vs. Distribution: What Founders Miss
 16:00 – COGS, Margins & Pricing Power
 18:00 – Hero SKUs and Hyper-Focus
 27:00 – Investment Criteria & Team Dynamics
 34:00 – Why PE Targets $25M–$75M Brands
 39:00 – Trends Tyler Missed & What He’s Watching Now
 41:00 – Where to Follow Tyler

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Links:

Manna Tree (join their newsletter!) – https://www.mannatreepartners.com
Follow Tyler on LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/tylermayoras

Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg

For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.

Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.

Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees.