In this special R&D Radio episode, guest host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Casey Bauer, COO of Bobbie, one of only four infant formula manufacturers in the United States, to dig into what "test obsessed" really means when your product is a baby's sole source of nutrition.

Casey has spent almost a year at Bobbie overseeing quality, regulatory, and supply chain, following roles as COO at Kate Farms, a leading medical nutrition company, and operations leadership at Pharmavite (Nature Made) and Nutrabolt. That background in sole-source and medical nutrition shaped how seriously he takes food safety at Bobbie, where the company runs over 2,000 safety and quality checks and manufactures under one roof at its facility in Heath, Ohio.

Caitlin and Casey cover what it means to be one of only four infant formula manufacturers in the U.S., how Bobbie tests raw materials, bulk powder, and finished cans for redundancy, why the company still partners with a contract manufacturer even with in-house production growing nearly 300% year over year, and how the Bobbie promise protects subscriber inventory during shortages and recalls.

Listen in as they discuss:

• The added pressure and responsibility of being one of only four infant formula manufacturers in the U.S.
• What "test obsessed" looks like in practice, including 2,000+ safety and quality checks per product
• Why Bobbie tests at multiple stages, from raw materials to bulk powder to the finished can
• How evolving test methods and lower detection limits continually raise Bobbie's own safety bar
• Why Bobbie still partners with a contract manufacturer even as in-house production scales
• How Bobbie's transparency tracker lets any customer look up testing results by lot number
• What the Bobbie promise is and how it protects subscriber inventory during shortages and recalls
• Lessons from the 2022 infant formula shortage and what other food and beverage brands can learn from it
• Why domestic manufacturing and staying close to the supply chain matters for food safety
• How Bobbie vets and continuously monitors new supply chain partners through audits and ongoing reviews

Episode Links:

• Casey Bauer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/casey-bauer-557b44/ 
• Bobbie LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/bobbie-baby
• Bobbie Website: www.hibobbie.com
• Bobbie Instagram: @bobbie
  
  

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

In this Founder Fundraising Journey episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Troy Bonde, co-founder and CEO of Sauz, to trace the winding path from a college side hustle to building one of the fastest-growing brands in the tomato sauce category.

Troy's road to Sauz started with a hand sanitizer and thermometer dispenser he and childhood friend and co-founder Winston sold to schools during COVID, using the proceeds to fund early angel investments and, eventually, Sauz itself. Frustrated by a commoditized tomato sauce aisle with no flavor innovation, Troy and Winston sold their cars to bootstrap the brand, launched at Erewhon in July 2023, and scaled from 10 doors to 3,500 in just 12 months, landing Whole Foods, Central Market, and Target distribution along the way.

Hannah and Troy dig into how Sauz built a data story compelling enough to win over major retail buyers, when and why the brand knew it needed institutional capital, the emotional and practical challenges of fundraising, and what Troy wishes he'd done differently around unit economics and hiring.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Troy's unconventional path from teenage car salesman to M&A banking intern to tomato sauce founder
• How a pandemic side business selling hand sanitizer dispensers funded Sauz's earliest days
• Why Troy and Winston felt tomato sauce was overdue for the same reinvention seen in beverage brands like Poppy and Olipop
• The surprising science behind flavors like hot honey and summer lemon marinara, and why they make dinner special
• How Sauz turned demo data at Erewhon into distribution at Central Market, Whole Foods, and Target
• The moment Sauz knew it needed to bring on institutional capital to fund growth
• What made Coefficient Capital the right venture partner for Sauz
• Why Troy believes velocity alone doesn't guarantee a smooth fundraise, and what else matters
• Lessons learned about unit economics, hiring an ops lead sooner, and building a high-trust team
• Troy's approach to deciding when to take outside advice versus trusting his own gut

Episode Links:

• Troy Bonde LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-bonde/
• Sauz LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/getsauz
• Sauz Website: getsauz.com
• Sauz Instagram: @getsauz
  
  

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Hannah's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-dittman-011b844b
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

In this special two-guest Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Gonzalo Bisquerra, founder of Happy Caapi, and Chris Kilham, the botanical expert known as Medicine Hunter, to talk about the first non-hallucinogenic supplement made from the ayahuasca vine.

Gonzalo spent two decades in sourcing and supply chain for major CPG companies before an ayahuasca ceremony in Panama changed the course of his life. After connecting with two friends developing an early prototype, he spent four years navigating the regulatory, sourcing, and formulation challenges of bringing Happy Caapi to market - a legal, shelf-stable way for people to access the vine's benefits without the hallucinogenic experience associated with full ayahuasca ceremonies. Chris Kilham, who has studied medicinal plants around the world for over 30 years and sat in 135 ayahuasca ceremonies himself, joined as an early advisor and friend of the brand, bringing decades of botanical sourcing expertise and his own published sustainability research on the ayahuasca vine.

Caitlin, Gonzalo, and Chris dig into the important distinction between psychoactive and psychedelic, how the vine alone delivers focus and mood benefits without the visionary effects of the traditional brew, the real story behind ayahuasca vine sustainability and sourcing, and what it takes for brands to work responsibly with botanicals.

Listen in as they discuss:

• What Happy Caapi is and how it differs from traditional ayahuasca ceremonies
• The critical distinction between "psychoactive" and "psychedelic," and why it matters for consumer education
• Gonzalo's personal ayahuasca experience and what inspired him to build a shelf-stable, non-hallucinogenic product
• Chris's multi-year field research on ayahuasca vine sustainability, published in the American Botanical Council's HerbalGram
• The science behind how the vine's alkaloids affect mood and focus without producing hallucinogenic effects
• Why the growing consumer openness to psychedelics and natural alternatives is shaping the timing of this launch
• Product format decisions, from the current liquid extract to an upcoming single-serve sachet
• Gonzalo's vision for Happy Caapi as an ingredient platform for other brands, not just a standalone product
• Chris's advice for CPG brands sourcing and working with botanicals responsibly
• The safety profile of Happy Caapi and how its alkaloid concentration compares to everyday psychoactive substances like caffeine

Episode Links:

• Gonzalo Bisquerra LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jose-gonzalo-bisquerra-mora-50552523
• Happy Caapi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/happy-caapi
• Happy Caapi Website: www.happycaapi.com
• Happy Caapi Instagram: @happycaapi
• Chris Kilham LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskilham/
• Medicine Hunter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/medicinehunter/
• Medicine Hunter Website: www.medicinehunter.com
• Medicine Hunter Instagram: @medicinehunter
  
  

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] 
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Ashley Fields and Kim Anderson, co-founders of Fields Good, and Katie Emerson of Kyowa Hakko USA (the makers of Cognizin) to unpack how a new functional cookie brand is trying to prove that healthy and heavenly don't have to be a trade-off.

Ashley Fields grew up as a self-described "nepo baker," the daughter of the founders behind the classic Fields cookie brand. She met co-founder Kim Anderson as roommates at Stanford, and together they spent 18 months developing Fields Good's line of functional cookies, including a protein peanut butter cookie, an oatmeal raisin sleep cookie, and a mocha dark chocolate focus cookie featuring Cognizin Citicoline. Katie Emerson, senior manager of scientific and regulatory affairs at Kyowa Hakko USA and a registered dietitian, brings the ingredient supplier's perspective on why branded functional ingredients are becoming mainstream.

Daniel, Ashley, Kim, and Katie dig into why functional foods and brain health ingredients are having a moment, how Fields Good flipped the usual "function first" formulation model to prioritize taste, and what actually goes into a brand's decision to feature a branded ingredient like Cognizin front and center on packaging.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Why functional foods and brain health ingredients are becoming mainstream, and what's driving the shift
• How Cognizin Citicoline compares to more familiar functional ingredients like protein and creatine
• Why Fields Good flipped the typical formulation model to prioritize taste first, function second
• The 18-month, thousands-of-pounds-of-dough journey to get the cookies right
• How Fields Good matched each cookie's flavor profile to its functional goal, from mocha for focus to oatmeal raisin for sleep
• What "permissible indulgence" means as an emerging subcategory in snacking
• How Fields Good approaches packaging and branding to feel trustworthy without feeling overly clinical
• What the shopper journey looks like across DTC and the brand's upcoming retail expansion
• The brand trust factors that go into choosing a branded ingredient like Cognizin over a generic alternative
• What's next for Fields Good and where brain health-focused products may be headed

Interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin? Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.

Episode Links:

• Kim Anderson LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kimmieanderson
• Ashley Fields LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/msfields
• Fields Good LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fieldsgood
• Fields Good Website: www.fieldsgood.co
• Fields Good Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fieldsgoodco/
• Katie Emerson LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/katie-m-emerson
• Kyowa Hakko USA LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/kyowa-hakko-usa
• Cognizin Website: www.Cognizin.com
• Cognizing Instagram: @cognizinciticoline  

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danscharff
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] 
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Mackenzie Muth and Nolan Spencer, co-founders of HOL Health Club, makers of the first and only bone broth protein bar - with 20 grams of protein and no protein powder.

Mackenzie and Nolan met in an accounting class at Indiana University and are now married co-founders. Both spent six years in investment banking on Wall Street before starting HOL - Mackenzie in consulting and then at Lazard's consumer group, where she worked on the Siete Foods sale to PepsiCo, and Nolan in technology investment banking. It was the public backlash to the Siete deal that pushed them to leave finance and build a "better-for-you" brand designed to scale without ever selling out. They ditched their jobs, bought an RV, adopted two golden retrievers, and hit the road to sell HOL bars in person across the country.

Caitlin, Mackenzie, and Nolan dig into what the Siete sale revealed about the better-for-you category, why they built their bar around bone broth instead of protein powder, the surprising R&D process that led to a real-food formula, and what it's actually like to run a fast-growing CPG brand out of an RV - from 0 to over 200 retail doors in a matter of months.

Listen in as they discuss:

• What the public reaction to the Siete Foods/PepsiCo sale taught Mackenzie about consumer trust in "better-for-you" brands
• Why they chose bone broth as their protein source instead of pea, soy, or whey powder
• The gut, joint, and skin benefits of bone broth - and why traditional protein powders didn't work for Mackenzie's body
• Their first bone broth bar prototype ("complete sandpaper") and how they landed on a real-food formula instead
• Why they rejected the "no sugar, artificial flavors, still tons of protein" trend in favor of whole-food ingredients
• Going from 0 retail doors in January to over 200 doors and 90 demos in 90 days
• Why being founders on the ground, personally running demos, has driven so much of their retail growth
• The upside and identity adjustment of running a CPG company while living nomadically in an RV
• Their strategy of focusing on natural and independent retailers before pursuing larger conventional chains
• Where they see HOL Health Club - and themselves - in five years

Episode Links:

• Mackenzie Muth LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mackenziemuth
• Nolan Spencer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nolspenc
• HOL Health Club LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/holhealthclub
• HOL Health Club Website: www.holhealthclub.com
• HOL Health Club Instagram: @holhealthclub
  
  

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

In this mini episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Keith Seiz of the National Honey Board to unpack why honey has become one of the most in-demand ingredients in food and beverage right now - and what that means for brands and formulators looking to work with it.

Keith has spent 17 years working with the National Honey Board, traveling the country to talk with food manufacturers, distillers, brewers, and bakers about how to formulate better products with honey. In that time, he's watched the conversation shift - what used to be a handful of questions about honey itself has grown into an equal mix of curiosity about honey and the honeybees behind it, as consumers pay closer attention to where their ingredients actually come from.

Daniel and Keith dig into the data behind honey's rapid growth, the new product categories it's showing up in, the functional (not just flavor) benefits formulators are leaning on, and the free resources the National Honey Board offers CPG brands - from troubleshooting to ready-made product concepts.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Why honey has become one of the hottest ingredients in food and beverage right now
• The consumer shift toward traditional and natural sweeteners over zero-sugar alternatives
• INOVA data showing a 16.7% increase in new products launched with honey in 2025
• How honey has expanded well beyond baked goods into beverages, snacks, frozen foods, dairy, and confections
• Why brands are proudly featuring honey (and honeybees) on front-of-package, unlike most other sweeteners
• The shift from single-purpose synthetic ingredients toward multi-functional natural ones like honey
• Honey's functional roles beyond sweetness, including binding in bars and emulsification in dressings
• Why honey's 24 different carbohydrates make it such an effective flavor masker for nutrient-fortified products
• What the National Honey Board offers CPG brands, including troubleshooting, innovation support, and consumer data
• How emerging brands can get free product development support, including ready-to-use honey product concepts from the National Honey Board's innovation team

Interested in learning more? Check out www.honey.com or follow along on IG @honey4pros for more tips and updates from The National Honey Board. Or, you can email Keith directly today at [email protected].

Episode Links:

• Keith Seiz LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/keithseiz
• National Honey Board LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/national-honey-board
• National Honey Board Website: www.honey.com
• National Honey Board Instagram: @honey4pros 

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danscharff 
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] 
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Bob Williams of BevSource - a beverage industry veteran Daniel calls "the beverage Oracle" - to unpack the most common (and costly) manufacturing mistakes beverage brands run into with co-packers.

Bob has spent over 25 years in the beverage industry, most of it around co-packing, quality, and manufacturing operations. He's built out eight high-speed can lines and spent his career getting called in when something has already gone wrong - troubleshooting everything from mysterious can leaks to failed micro tests. Daniel, who previously ran a beverage brand himself and worked with Bob directly, brings his own founder experience to the conversation, pulling real examples from his time scaling into thousands of retail doors.

Daniel and Bob dig into why "leakers" are almost never actually a can problem, what really happens when a co-packer cuts corners on pasteurization, how to properly vet a manufacturing facility before you sign anything, and what documentation every brand should be asking for - before and after something goes wrong.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Why brewery-turned-co-packers often struggle with the regulatory and equipment shift into non-beer beverages
• The real root cause behind most can "leakers" - and why it's almost never actually the can
• What seam check reports are, why they matter, and how outdated equipment can produce unreliable results
• A real case where a co-packer skipped tunnel pasteurization entirely - and what happened as a result
• Why brands should never sign a co-packing agreement before physically touring the facility
• What to look for on a co-packer site visit, from RO systems to master sanitation programs
• Real warning signs Bob has seen on-site, including uncalibrated equipment and neglected water filtration systems
• Why full documentation - batch records, QA reports, maintenance logs - should never be treated as proprietary
• What to expect (and not panic about) during your first production run and taste-matching process
• Why shelf life and stability testing should start the moment your formula is finalized, not after launch

Episode Links:

• Bob Williams LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-williams-88ba5312/
• BevSource LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/bevsource
• BevSource Website: www.bevsource.com
• BevSource Instagram: @bevsource
  
  

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danscharff/
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

In this episode of R&D Radio, host and food scientist Adam Yee sits down with Hermi Galstian, founder of The Food QA, to break down the real difference between food safety and quality - and what founders should actually be looking for when they walk into a co-manufacturer's facility.

Hermi's path into food safety wasn't a straight line. She started as a business major on track for law school, worked in HR recruiting, and only discovered food science after training for a marathon as a vegetarian sparked her interest in nutrition. She helped build her own graduate program in food science before spending years at Follow Your Heart, a vegan food company later acquired by Danone, and eventually launched The Food QA to help CPG brands navigate food safety, quality, and manufacturing partnerships.

Adam and Hermi dig into the core difference between food safety and quality, how to properly vet a contract manufacturer, what third-party audits like SQF and BRC actually mean, and exactly what to look for (and ask about) during a facility tour - from pest control and employee hygiene to ingredient sourcing and pre-op equipment checks.

Listen in as they discuss:

• The core difference between food safety and quality, with real product examples
• Hermi's winding path from pre-law to food science to 15 years in the field
• Why referrals are the best first step when vetting a co-packer
• Why founders should never assume a manufacturer takes full responsibility for their product
• What third-party audits like SQF, BRC, and GFSI actually tell you
• What to do if a manufacturer won't share audit reports or allow a tour
• What to look for during a facility walkthrough, from corners and hot spots to pest control
• Why employee hygiene, handwashing stations, and equipment nooks matter more than founders think
• How ingredient sourcing and substitutions can quietly compromise safety or quality
• How certifications and product claims (non-GMO, kosher, seed oil free) shape what gets tested

Episode Links:

• Hermi Galstian LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hermineh 
• The Food QA Company LinkedIn: www.linkedin.comcompany/thefoodqa/ 
• The Food QA Company Website: www.thefoodqa.com 
• The Food QA Company Instagram: @thefoodqa 

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Adam's LinkedIn
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] 
• Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this Investor Spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Ryan Ball, founder of Sperian Ventures, to unpack the data, mindset, and founder qualities he looks for before writing a check into an early-stage CPG brand.

Ryan's path into investing started almost by accident, coordinating a group investment while getting his MBA at the McCombs School of Business. That first deal evolved into Sperian Ventures, an angel network that pools capital into individual deals. Ryan brings a founder's perspective to every evaluation - he's started a spice company of his own and now runs a freight logistics company that gives him a front-row seat to the operational realities CPG brands face day to day.

Hannah and Ryan dig into the metrics and data Ryan needs to see before considering an investment, why he sees pivots as a good sign rather than a red flag, the founder qualities that consistently stand out in a pitch, and what founders across different CPG subcategories should expect when it comes to fundraising.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Why Ryan almost always requires sales velocity data - especially pre-, during-, and post-promo - before considering an investment
• Why Ryan sees pivots as a positive signal rather than a red flag
• The revenue range and business maturity Sperian typically looks for in a CPG brand
• How Ryan's own founder and logistics experience shapes his diligence conversations
• The founder qualities that get Ryan excited, from listening skills to staying level-headed under pressure
• What "give the investor no reason to say no" means in practice when preparing to raise
• Why LTV and category-specific limitations (like kids products founders age out of) matter to investors
• The consumer trend Ryan is most drawn to right now: simple, clean-label products with few ingredients
• What a special purpose vehicle (SPV) is and how Ryan's angel network structures individual deals
• How to get in touch with Sperian Ventures if you're raising or interested in joining the investor network

Episode Links:

• Ryan Ball LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-ball7
• Sperian Ventures LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sperian-ventures/about/
• Sperian Ventures Website: sperianventures.com
  
  

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Hannah's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-dittman-011b844b
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

Host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Halli Sigel, co-founder of Quincy, to talk about how a jar of olive brine turned into a category-defining mixers and garnishes brand. Quincy's mission is simple - build brand love for the other half of the glass by redefining mixers and garnishes for the modern consumer.

Before Quincy, Halli spent nearly a decade inside high-growth, venture-backed startups like Casper and Chief, working at the intersection of operations and member experience - she was employee number seven at Chief. That mix of scaling businesses and building community stuck with her, and it planted the seed for what would eventually become Quincy. The idea itself came from her own fridge - after making a batch of dirty martinis for friends, she realized the brine ran out long before the olives did, and no one was making a jar built specifically for people who actually drink martinis.

The conversation covers Quincy's origin story and the "why" behind the name, how the brand built three distinct revenue channels across retail, on-premise, and food service, what actually goes into a jar of Quincy, and how the brand has positioned itself to grow alongside both the alcohol and non-alcoholic markets. Halli also shares what's next for Quincy's single-SKU strategy and what she learned from her first Summer Fancy Food Show as an exhibiting brand.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Why Quincy chose Spanish queen olives over the trendy Castelvetrano
• The real story behind the name Quincy - and the actual person it's named after
• How a "beertini" collab with a Brooklyn brewery became Quincy's first co-branded product
• Building three separate revenue channels: retail, food service, and on-premise bar accounts
• Why Quincy views the sober-curious and NA movement as a tailwind, not a threat
• What's actually inside a Quincy jar - the ratio of brine to olives, and why it's flipped from a typical olive jar
• How buyer feedback at larger retailers is shaping Quincy's expansion plans
• Lessons from exhibiting at Summer Fancy Food for the first time
• How Halli and co-founder Shelby Sims reconnected in 2023 after a false start in 2020
• Halli's go-to at-home recipe, featuring a dill-infused gin

Episode Links:

• Halli Sigel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/halli-sigel-1b436395/
• Quincy Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/drinkquincy/ 
• Website: https://drinkquincy.com/ 
• Instagram: @drinkquincy  

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here(click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)
• Join the Startup CPGSlack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Caitlin's LinkedIn
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics