We chat with Mia Medina from Gather Brands and with chat her about her background in CPG and distribution, how she launched her own brand, and how she is going all-in on women-owned brands with Gather Brands. 

https://gatherbrands.com/

We chat with Erica Liu Williams from Gr8nola about how she pivoted from food service to DTC and retail once office buildings shut down due to covid. She goes over how they approached the pivot and how the strategy has paid off for their brand in the long run. 

https://www.gr8nola.com/

We chat with Christina Appleton from Appleton Consulting about sampling and how to effectively use sampling to grow your brand. We also talk about measuring ROI from sampling, pitfalls to look out for, and best practices when picking a sampling program. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinaappleton/

https://christinaappleton.wixsite.com/website

https://www.westock.io/

We chat with Katie Hotze from Shopii on the importance of prioritizing the first mile and how they streamline the meal-planning and grocery shopping process so shoppers can plan and purchase a week of home-cooked meals in just 5 minutes. 

https://www.groceryshopii.com/

https://www.westock.io/

This week we chat with Amin Anjedani and Kai Drewry from BOMANI Cold Buzz. This brand has opened over 1000 doors in a year and positioned itself to succeed even during the pandemic. We ask them what the secret to their fast start, how they planned their initial launch success, and how timing has them set up for a strong 2021.

https://drinkbomani.com/

https://www.westock.io/

We chat with Matt Bennett from Dreams Aren't This Good about how he has built his brand up to over 400 stores in two years. 

He also tells us how he has made his brand stand out in the crowded salsa space while trusting that customers are looking for more than just mild, medium, and hot when it comes to their salsa options. 

Lastly, we dive into the key elements of building a brand and how salsa can be so much more than the product itself, but also a lifestyle brand. 

https://dreamsarentthisgood.com/

https://www.westock.io/

We got the chance to speak with Nick Auzenne from INFRA. He talked to us about what makes INFRA special and how to approach pitching them. 

He also dives into what he wants to hear in a buyer presentation and how brands that come equipped with data are poised to win. 

Finally, we cover promotions and how to approach trade spend post-pandemic. 

https://www.naturalfoodretailers.net/

https://www.westock.io/

We sit down with Dan Levison from Vibal Energy Tea and Apple and Orchard Labs to talk about the right time to find a food scientist for your brand. 

https://drinkvibal.com/

https://www.westock.io/

https://appleandorchard.com/

This week we chat with Adam Pollack from Rodeo CPG on the importance of defining your customer early and how it can help you make better decisions for your brand in the future. 

Show Notes: 

This week we sit down with Justin Miller of Showplace to see how brands are driving product trial through short-term rentals and how this channel has grown during covid. 

Showplace gives brands a unique opportunity to expose their brands to new potential customers and driving sales results. 

https://www.westock.io/

https://showplacehq.com/