Startup To Scale

Today, we’re tackling one of the most critical—and often misunderstood—aspects of growing a food or beverage company: the relationship between brands, distributors, and retailers.

Think of this ecosystem like a three-legged stool—each leg plays a vital role, and if one isn’t strong, the whole thing collapses. To help us break this down, I’m joined by Howie Sher, a seasoned expert in the CPG industry and a leader at JPG Resources, a firm that helps brands navigate growth from startup to scale. Howie has seen firsthand what makes these relationships work—and what causes them to fall apart.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

• What’s in it for each party—the brand, the distributor, and the retailer
• Why you need each of them and why they need you
• The biggest misconceptions brands have about distributors and retailers
• How to align your strategy so all three legs of the stool support growth

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

In this episode of Startup to Scale, I dive into the essential backend tools that brands need to streamline their operations, manage cash flow, and access working capital.

I sit down with the Mel and Branden from Settle to discuss:

• ✅ The key challenges brands face when scaling—especially aligning sales, operations, and financing.
• ✅ When to transition from spreadsheets to more robust business management tools.
• ✅ The must-have tech stack, including sales orders, bill pay, inventory management, and procurement.
• ✅ The best ways to fund growth, including the pros and cons of different debt funding options.

Interested in Settle? Get started HERE

Want to connect?
👉 Reach out to Mel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissacafagna/
👉 Or connect with Branden: www.linkedin.com/in/brandenfoote/

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

Struggling to run effective e-commerce ads? It might just be your landing pages and offer. I’m having this problem with Joyful Co, so I reached out to Andrew at AdCrunch to break down how to build effective landing pages that actually drive sales.

We cover:

• Creating Compelling Messaging
• Landing Pages that Answer All Your buyer’s Questions
• Making an Irresistible Offer

Unlock Winning Hooks & CTAs for Your Brand For FREE!

Watch Now

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

How do you turn an ancient Italian superfood into a modern snack brand that stands out in the crowded U.S. market? Aaron Gatti, founder and CEO of Brami, set out to do just that.

Inspired by the Mediterranean diet and his Italian roots, Aaron discovered the lupini bean—a protein-packed, fiber-rich legume with incredible health benefits. But while lupini beans were popular in Europe, they were virtually unknown in the U.S. In this episode, Aaron shares how he built Brami from the ground up, from introducing an entirely new category to American consumers to scaling in retail, Amazon, and direct-to-consumer.

If you’re an emerging food brand founder, this episode is packed with real-world lessons on bringing an innovative product to market and growing it into a national brand.

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

Eric Skae is the CEO of Carbone Fine Food, the premium pasta sauce offshoot of New York’s Iconic Carbone Restaurant. Over his career, Eric has led and scaled multiple consumer brands across beverages, snacks, and specialty foods – think New Leaf iced tea, Iceland Spring water, Popcornopolis popcorn, and the famous Rao’s Specialty Foods sauce line, where he took over as CEO and led the company through a rebrand and exit.

With that track record, Eric knows a thing or two about taking a startup and scaling it to new heights. In our conversation today, we'll dive into actionable insights on everything from crafting growth strategies for emerging CPG brands to cracking the code on distribution and retail expansion. It’s going to be a dynamic, insight-packed discussion for any founder looking to scale up their brand.

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

I thought TeaSquares’ unique multi-serve pouch would stand out—it did, but for the wrong reasons. Customers were confused by the packaging, and sales suffered. We switched to single-serve bars that aligned with category norms, and sales improved significantly.

In this episode, I sit down with Sanders, founder of NUEX Creative, to discuss how packaging design can make or break your product on the shelf and online. We’ll dive into strategies for creating packaging that attracts customers and drives sales.

🔗 Connect with NUEX Creative:

Website: NUEXcreative.com

Instagram: instagram.com/nuex.creative

X/Twitter: x.com/nuexcreative

🔗 Connect with Sanders:

Sanders Personal X/Twitter: x.com/sanderswashere

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

 Soon, AI will just become a commonplace tool in business. Are you prepared? Join me as I talk with Andreas Duess, from 6 Seeds about the structure of the CPG industry and how emerging brands can utilize AI to navigate data complexities and drive growth. We discuss the importance of integrating AI tools while ensuring that these technologies enhance rather than replace the human touch that is so critical for brands. 

Tune in to learn practical strategies for employing AI in your CPG brand without losing the personal connection that customers value. 

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

Expo West is coming up, and it’s like the Super Bowl for CPG. while I won’t be there, I invited on Heather Holmes to share some tips and suggestions on how to make the most of the show. We discuss:

• Setting clear goals and outcomes
• Creating a content plan
• Being proactive about building relationships
• Gathering data and feedback
• Generating press and PR

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

Retailers are raising the bar when it comes to liability coverage, and the process of securing the right insurance is becoming more complicated than ever. Not only are brands facing higher coverage limits, but the third-party companies verifying Certificates of Insurance don’t always understand how coverage works—leading to unnecessary denials and costly delays.

To help us make sense of this evolving landscape, I’m joined by Russ Taylor from SecureCPG, an insurance company specializing in coverage for consumer packaged goods brands. We’ll unpack what’s happening behind the scenes, how you can ensure compliance with retailer requirements, and what you need to know to avoid costly pitfalls.

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

In this episode, I’m joined by Yuval Selik, CEO of Promomash, to explore the challenges and strategies of securing investment for CPG brands in today’s tight market conditions. Despite the availability of capital, the CPG sector often struggles to attract investment. Yuval shares expert advice on making your brand more appealing to investors by honing in on crucial aspects of your business, particularly profitability.

We'll delve into the essential actions CPG founders need to take, the key metrics they should be monitoring, and the reporting standards that can make or break investment opportunities. Additionally, Yuval provides valuable resources on crowdfunding and other financing alternatives that could be vital in navigating these challenging times.

Tune in to gain practical lessons that can help position your brand for success in the investment arena. Whether you're preparing for your first round or looking to scale up, this episode is packed with guidance to maximize your appeal to potential investors.

Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.