The Startup CPG Podcast

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Jessica Assaf, founder of All Natural Flavor, a new candy brand built on clean ingredients and a very simple purpose: joy. Jessica is a self-described professional pivoter who previously co-founded the CBD wellness brand Prima.

Jessica’s career began at 13, when a newspaper article about rising breast cancer rates sent her door to door as a teenage activist and later helped pass a California law requiring cosmetic makers to disclose carcinogenic ingredients. She went on to work at clean beauty companies, earned her MBA at Harvard Business School, and moved to Los Angeles to build a career in cannabis, where she co-created a show with Snoop Dogg and built a women’s community of around 80,000 followers. She co-founded Prima in 2019, launched it into stores including Sephora, Nordstrom, Erewhon, and Vitamin Shop, and was also featured in Sean Penn’s documentary The Human Experiment.

Caitlin and Jessica dig into what went wrong at Prima after COVID and unresolved CBD regulations, a failed merger, and how Jessica found a buyer after 80 conversations. They also cover what business school doesn’t teach founders, what it is like raising money for women’s products, and why she is self-funding All Natural Flavor, a candy brand with no refined sugar, sugar alcohols, artificial colors, or seed oils, built for people who simply love candy.

Listen in as they discuss:

• How a newspaper article about breast cancer rates at age 13 launched Jessica’s career as an activist
• How her activism helped pass a California law requiring cosmetic makers to disclose carcinogenic ingredients
• Why she moved from activism to building cleaner products, from clean beauty brands to Harvard Business School
• How a Harvard cannabis case study led her to Los Angeles and eventually to Prima
• How Prima launched into Sephora, Nordstrom, Erewhon, and Vitamin Shop right before COVID
• Why CBD marketing, advertising, and payment processing limits stalled growth for Prima
• What she learned from a failed merger, and how she found a buyer for Prima after 80 conversations
• Why All Natural Flavor is a candy brand for people who love candy, not another functional gummy
• Why Jessica is self-funding her new brand, and what she values about staying in control
• Why a small first run and flexible packaging make it easier to pivot based on customer feedback

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? 

Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Jessica Assaf LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaassaf
• All Natural Flavor LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/all-natural-flavor/about
• All Natural Flavor Website: www.allnaturalflavor.com
• All Natural Flavor Instagram: @allnaturalflavor
• Prima Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/prima-co 
• Prima Website: www.prima.co
• Prima Instagram: @prima 

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 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 (40K+ 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 Matt Merson, President of Once Upon A Coconut, for a deep, practical primer on retail pricing: how to set a shelf price, what it means for your wholesale price, and what actually lands in your pocket.

Matt has spent about 35 years in food and beverage. He started with 15 years of classic CPG at Dannon Yogurt, Sara Lee, and Coca-Cola, then joined his first startup at Glaceau Vitaminwater and has focused on better-for-you, disruptive emerging brands ever since. Daniel’s first CPG role was global pricing and promotions at Mars Chocolate, and he shares his own research methods alongside Matt’s on-the-ground experience negotiating with retailers and distributors.

Daniel and Matt walk through how to do store and online price research, why you should price-slope across every channel you might one day sell in, and how to model your cost of goods at scale. They break down the pocket price waterfall (retailer margin, distributor markup, trade spend, and marketing), how promotions work with distributors like KeHE and UNFI, and how to handle price increases and buyer pushback.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Why Matt says to think broadly across channels and long term, and why price missteps in the first couple of years cause pain in mass and club later
• How to do day-one research with store checks and retailer websites, logging weights, SKUs, price points, and facings
• What “magic price points” are, and why pack size and common formats matter
• Why you should model your costs at 10,000, 100,000, and 1 million units before you launch
• How the pocket price waterfall works, from retailer margin and distributor markup to trade spend and marketing
• Why Matt says brands will not survive on sub-50% margins, and why you need a clear path to 50%
• Why retailers and club buyers check your website price first and Amazon second
• How to model higher and lower price scenarios, and how NIQ Byzzer data can show expected promotional lift
• The difference between off-invoice and scan-back promotions with KeHE and UNFI, and why an anchor account can protect you from heavy promo commitments
• How to change prices, from distributor lead times to how buyers react

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Startup CPG Retail Tracker, with retailer margins, store lists, and estimated distributor markups: bit.ly/4idan1T
• NIQ’s Byzzer™, with three free reports through Startup CPG’s partnership: bit.ly/4jAHAl9
• Circana: bit.ly/4yafl5h
  
  

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? 

Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Matt Merson LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-merson
• Once Upon A Coconut LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/onceuponacoconut
• Once Upon A Coconut Website: www.onceuponacoconut.com
• Once Upon A Coconut Instagram: @onceuponacoconut
  
  

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 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 (40K+ 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 Founder + Funder episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Lindsay Leopold, Founder and CEO of Joy Supply, and Brandon Alster, Founder and Managing Partner of Sling Ventures, to unpack how the two met at a Startup CPG Founders & Funders Roadshow event and went on to close an oversubscribed pre-seed round.

Lindsay comes from a culinary background that includes pastry at one of Tom Colicchio’s restaurants, the Martha Stewart Kitchen as a recipe tester and food editor, and product development for Martha Stewart, Home Chef, and Sakara. Joy Supply brings back a crisp oat cookie from her great-grandfather’s family bakery, which he opened in Illinois after emigrating from Sweden in 1908. Brandon’s firm, Sling Ventures, invests in active lifestyle, “food is health,” and offline experience businesses, and Joy Supply is its first investment in the cookie aisle.

Hannah, Lindsay, and Brandon dig into what made Joy Supply stand out, how a five-minute roadshow meeting turned into months of relationship-building, what Brandon looks for in diligence, and the fundraising lessons both of them would pass on, from embracing rejection to knowing your investor’s thesis. They also tackle a Slack community case study on what to have ready in a data room.

Listen in as they discuss:

• How Lindsay and Brandon met at a Startup CPG Founders & Funders Roadshow, with cookies in hand
• Why Brandon looks for the right founder and a category that needs innovation
• Why Joy Supply leads with “we’re delicious” before “we’re healthy”
• Why the cookie aisle can feel crowded yet stale, and what that means for new brands
• How Lindsay funded the first year of R&D and packaging before raising her pre-seed
• How a five-minute meeting grew into a coffee, a steady stream of updates, and a close in August
• How early retailer enthusiasm and consistent updates built Brandon’s conviction
• Why fundraising is “a match, not a prize,” and why researching investors matters
• Why Brandon says to embrace rejection and build supporters through regular investor updates
• What to have ready in a data room, from a monthly P&L to retailer pipeline and unit economics

Brands and names mentioned in this episode:

• Jesse & Ben's 
• Sauz
• Rainforest Distribution
• Tate's Bake Shop
• Central Market
• Palm Tree Crew
  
  

Hiring: Lindsay is looking for a content creator or brand marketer in the New York area to work directly with her on activations and content. Sling Ventures is also always looking to meet talented people in social media, operations, sales, and marketing across its portfolio.

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? 

Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Lindsay Leopold LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayleopold
• Joy Supply LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/joy-supply
• Joy Supply Website: www.joysupply.com
• Joy Supply Instagram: @getjoysupply
• Brandon Alster LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brandonalster
• Sling Ventures LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/slingvc
• Sling Ventures Website: www.slingvc.com
• Contact Brandon directly: [email protected] 

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 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 (40K+ 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 Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Isabella Hoag, founder and CEO of OSIA, a caffeine-free energy drink made with real fruit, no natural flavors, and a functional blend of ingredients, to talk about building a brand through feedback, bold pivots, and heart.

Isabella came from the design world and fell into beverages after a health journey in 2022 sent her reading labels and searching for products without fillers or natural flavors. She started making drinks in her kitchen, then launched OSIA before manufacturing, selling at around 500 pop-up events in eight months and reinvesting what she made after starting with just $50. Her first line was a set of four “mood” beverages, and customer, retailer, and distributor feedback has now led her to a single caffeine-free energy drink and a full rebrand.

Caitlin and Isabella dig into why finding a manufacturer for a no-natural-flavors product hasn’t been the obstacle many expect, why OSIA uses juice concentrate, how the functional blend works, what she learned from early pricing and flavor missteps, and how her design background shaped the new can. They also cover the story behind the name OSIA, her pitch to retailers, and why she believes the best advice for any founder is to just put it out there.

Listen in as they discuss:

• How a design background and a 2022 health journey led Isabella to start making drinks in her kitchen
• How OSIA launched before manufacturing, with around 500 events in eight months and a $50 start
• Why OSIA is moving from four mood beverages to a single caffeine-free energy drink
• Why Isabella says finding a manufacturer for a product with no natural flavors hasn’t been an issue
• Why OSIA uses juice concentrate, and how to formulate a drink that tastes real without being overly sweet
• The functional blend of rhodiola, L-theanine, magnesium malate, vitamin B6, and taurine, and how Isabella explains the difference between stimulating energy and blocking tiredness
• What retailer, distributor, and customer feedback taught her about pricing, sweetness, and flavor balance
• How the can design drew inspiration from perfume, skincare, and fashion, and why she added callouts and a warm metallic palette
• The story behind the name OSIA and its connection to ambrosia, the nectar of the gods
• Why Isabella is raising her first round, and what she tells retailers about in-store tastings

Join the OSIA waitlist: Sign up at drinkosia.com for a special gift and perks at launch.

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? 

Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Isabella Hoag LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/isabellahoag
• OSIA LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/drinkosia
• OSIA Website: drinkosia.com
• OSIA Instagram: @drinkosia
• Investors interested in OSIA’s first round can contact Isabella directly (reach out to [email protected] for an intro)

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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Caitlin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker/
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] 
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with foodservice sales expert Jenna Cameron, founder of Jenna Cameron Consulting, to walk through Startup CPG’s brand new, free Foodservice Tracker and how early-stage brands can use it to build a smart foodservice strategy.

Jenna has spent more than 12 years in foodservice sales, with experience at brands including JUST (formerly Hampton Creek), Alpha Foods, and Wild Earth, and has been consulting full time for about a year. She and Daniel worked together at JUST for about five years, and Jenna helped build the tracker, a first-of-its-kind resource of about 1,500 operators, distributors, and redistributors with contract management, distributor, segment, unit count, and early brand prioritization details, plus LinkedIn profiles for key contacts.

Daniel and Jenna break down what’s inside the tracker, who is and isn’t on the list, and how to choose between back of house and front of house opportunities. They also cover how to pitch foodservice buyers, which trade shows are worth your money, how scrappy tactics like campus ambassadors and station takeovers can unlock your first accounts, and the mistakes that waste time and money in this channel.

Listen in as they discuss:

• What’s inside the free Foodservice Tracker, from distributors and contract managers to early brand prioritization
• Why a tracker alone won’t get you into doors, and why focus matters more than hitting every account
• Why a Dot Foods contact told Daniel the list’s 1,500 entries are “the right 1,500” to start with
• How to decide between back of house and front of house products, and which distributors fit each
• Which job titles to target, and why calling or texting chefs often beats email
• Why a foodservice pitch should be three to five slides, and why cooking alongside the culinary team beats a long deck
• Which trade shows suit early-stage brands, and how a regional distributor win can grow into a national program
• How scrappy tactics work, from asking a friend at a corporate office to enlisting campus vegetarian groups
• Why products must be plug and play, hold up in a high-heat oven, and solve a real operator problem like labor, cost, or prep time
• How to run a college station takeover that reaches 200 to 300 students at almost no cost

Download the full tracker for free: bit.ly/cpgfoodservicetracker 

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? 

Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. 

Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Jenna Cameron LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-cameron-a3253732
• Jenna Cameron Consulting Website: jennacameronconsulting.com
• Jenna Cameron Instagram: @the_jenna_cameron
• Contact Jenna directly: [email protected] 

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 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 (40K+ 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 the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Marc Jonna, Co-Founder and President of Plum Market, for a deep dive into the grocer’s founding story, its ethos, how it sources brands, and how emerging brands can get on its radar.

Marc is a third-generation grocer who started working in his family’s wine and gourmet store at 14 and left college at 19 to run operations when his father got sick. After the family’s business was acquired by Whole Foods in 1998, Marc worked with John Mackey, joined the leadership team, and later left with his brother Matt to launch Plum Market in 2007 in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Today Plum Market operates in Michigan and Florida and has over 40 outlets, including airports, offices, private schools, and the Detroit Pistons Performance Center.

Daniel and Marc dig into how the Plum Market name and icon came to be, where Marc sees grocery heading, why Plum carries virtually no private label, how the team helps emerging brands launch, how airport locations work, and what founders should do if they want to get in front of Plum Market’s buyers.

Listen in as they discuss:

• The three-generation grocery story behind Plum Market, from a family wine store to a sale to Whole Foods and a fresh start
• How the Plum Market name and plum-and-swish icon were created
• Where Marc sees grocery heading, from preventative health and traceability to shoppers wanting fewer, higher-quality ingredients
• Why Plum Market treats grocery as an experience, with brands as the “true stars”
• Why Plum carries essentially no private label, outside of food cooked in house from scratch, and why Marc thinks consumers will increasingly want to know who makes their food
• How Plum sources natural, organic, local, and gourmet brands, and why logistics decide whether a startup can get in
• How Plum helps emerging brands launch, starting with the “magic wand” merchandising question, and why a win with an independent grocer can create FOMO among larger retailers
• How Marc finds new products, from trade shows and travel to competitor stores and founders who DM him directly
• Why airports, offices, and schools are growth channels, and why authorized wholesalers like UNFI and KeHE are essential for airport placement
• Where large-format and small-format stores fit into Plum Market’s growth plans

Brands and names mentioned in this episode:

• Hot Girl Pickles - Leah Marcus and Yasaman Bakhtiar
• Clean Dough Cookies - Jake Bagnall
• Gato Dates  - Gabriella Gains and Tonya Reznikovich
• Loonen water - Clara Sieg and David Kimmell 
• Miracle Noodle 
• Zingerman's 
• Bell & Evans
• Snake River Farms 
• Diamond Ranch
• Sea Smoke 
• Merchant of Vino
• Trade Winds 

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? 

Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Marc Jonna LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marc-jonna-3a9b4649
• Plum Market LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/plummarket
• Plum Market Website: www.plummarket.com
• Plum Market Instagram: @plummarket
• Contact Marc directly: [email protected] 

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 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 (40K+ 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 Adam Yee sits down with Zachary Cartwright, Principal Food Scientist at AQUALAB by Addium, to break down one of the most important but least understood metrics in food science: water activity. They cover what water activity is, what the numbers mean, how it affects safety, texture, and shelf life, and how brands of any size can start testing for it.

Zach holds a PhD in Food Science from Washington State University, where he also serves as adjunct faculty in the School of Food Science. Over the past seven years at AQUALAB, he has worked with thousands of food scientists across low-moisture food categories, and has applied moisture science to pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, cannabis, and even gunpowder and batteries. AQUALAB provides water activity, moisture analysis, and moisture sorption solutions that help food companies improve product quality, stability, shelf life, and food safety.

Adam and Zach dig into the 0.6 water activity threshold for microbial growth, critical water activities that cause caking, sogginess, and sticky gummies, the difference between moisture content and water activity, and why packaging, temperature, and humidity matter so much. They also share practical ways for smaller brands to access testing, what to look for in a water activity meter, and how large manufacturers use water activity from incoming ingredients through production.

Listen in as they discuss:

• What water activity really measures: the capacity of water to cause biological, chemical, and physical changes in a product
• Why a water activity above 0.6 creates an environment where mold, yeast, and bacteria can grow
• How critical water activities drive caking and clumping in powders, lost crispness in snacks, and sweating in gummies
• How a water activity test works, from closed-chamber equilibrium to readings in as little as 60 seconds
• The difference between moisture content and water activity, and how a moisture sorption isotherm helps predict shelf life
• When water activity matters less, like beverages, and where it still plays a role, from condiments to ice cream inclusions
• Why packaging should be decided before shelf life testing, and how sustainable packaging can change water vapor transmission rates
• How brands can access testing through universities, testing labs, or AQUALAB, and why in-house testing is ideal
• What to look for in a meter: direct versus indirect sensors and temperature control
• Why clean label and preservative-free trends make water activity more important than ever
• How large manufacturers test incoming ingredients and every batch, and why smaller brands should “act like a bigger company”

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? 

Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Zachary Cartwright LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-cartwright
• AQUALAB LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/aqualab-by-addium
• AQUALAB Website: www.aqualab.com
• Contact Zachary directly: [email protected] 

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 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 (40K+ 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 Moira O’Connell, Vice President at Astō Consumer Partners, to unpack what late-stage consumer investors look for in a brand, how founders can tell whether an investor is the right fit, and what early-stage brands can learn from companies that have already scaled.

Moira started her career in investment banking at Bank of America’s financial sponsors group before moving to the growth fund at L Catterton, where she worked across food, beverage, beauty, fitness, and consumer tech. She joined Astō during its first fundraise, drawn to the operator mindset of its founding partners, whose operating careers include Sweet Leaf Tea, Deep Eddy Vodka, and SkinnyPop. Astō is wholly focused on CPG and typically backs profitable brands above $40 million in sales through minority investments of $25 million to $75 million.

Hannah and Moira dig into what “late-stage growth” means, the profile of a sweet spot company, and case studies including Clean Skin Club, Bloom Nutrition, and Starface. They also cover primary versus secondary capital, what it takes to grow from $1 million to $25 million and beyond, why alignment on valuation and growth levers saves everyone time, and how to find an investor who truly plays in your lane.

Listen in as they discuss:

• How Astō’s late-stage approach sits between growth equity and private equity, with minority stakes and $25M to $75M checks
• How the operating backgrounds of Astō’s partners shape the way they support founders
• Why brands with proven product-market fit still need a partner to manage execution risk
• What Clean Skin Club and Bloom Nutrition show about customer loyalty and growth levers like retail and new categories
• Why Astō’s board members work alongside management on hiring, budgets, and channel strategy
• Primary versus secondary capital, and why letting founders take some chips off the table can help them focus
• What it takes to get from $1 million to $25 million: nail the product, nail the messaging, and make a pivotal early hire
• Why quality of revenue matters more than growth for its own sake, using Costco as an example
• Why aligning on valuation and growth levers early saves founders and investors time
• How to find the right investor: study portfolios and check sizes, reach out on LinkedIn, and use resources like fractional CFO firms

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time?

 Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Moira O’Connell LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/moira-o-connell
• Astō Consumer Partners LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ast%C5%8D-consumer-partners
• Astō Consumer Partners Website: www.Astoconsumer.com  
• Contact Moira directly: [email protected] 

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 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 (40K+ 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 Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Kai Lim and David Yu, co-founders of Reprise Health, a modern gummy brand making Eastern herbal wellness accessible and approachable, to talk about how they built a brand that now spans natural and conventional retail.

Kai and David met in business school and bonded over the same childhood memory: grandmothers on two continents feeding them bitter herbal teas and soups. Kai grew up in Singapore, studied accounting and finance, and started his career at Boston Consulting Group. David studied math at UCLA, then spent his 20s abroad, including six years in Johannesburg managing international supply chains for hospitals and schools. After visiting Chinatown herb shops in New York and San Francisco, they noticed curious younger shoppers leaving empty-handed, and Reprise was born.

Caitlin, Kai, and David dig into why gummies were the right format, how their formulas were developed with certified herbalists and a fifth-generation Taiwanese herbal medicine company, how every batch is lab tested three times, and what it took to pass Whole Foods’ quality and legal review. They also cover the strategy behind launching into Walmart with travel-size packs, growing from about 200 to over 2,000 doors in 12 months, and the founders agreement and weekly retrospective they use to keep their co-founder relationship strong.

Listen in as they discuss:

• How grandmothers on two continents and a trip to Chinatown herb shops sparked the idea for Reprise
• Why Reprise is a story of rediscovery, not family recipes passed down
• Why gummies make ancient herbs approachable, with over 70% of customers having never tried ginseng before
• How formulas were developed with herbalists and a family company in Tainan, Taiwan that has made herbal medicine since 1892
• How every batch is lab tested three times, with up to 70% of raw herbs rejected before extraction
• What it took to pass a five-month quality and legal review at Whole Foods
• How Reprise climbed to top-three rankings in sleep, turmeric, and menopause gummies at Whole Foods California
• Why a Whole Foods launch proved quality, and why Walmart tests the brand’s mission of access
• Why Reprise chose a 10-gummy travel pack for Walmart to make trial easy
• The founders agreement, quarterly reviews, and Friday retrospectives that act as “resentment prevention devices”

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Kai Lim LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kai-lim-reprise
• David Yu LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/davidsyu
• Reprise Health LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/reprise-health
• Reprise Health Website: www.reprisehealth.com
• Reprise Health Instagram: @reprisehealth
  
  

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 (40K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Caitlin’s LinkedIn: https://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 Megan Castellon of Syren Spreads, Andrew Kuzera of Ono, and food scientist Andrew Firestone of Firestone Consulting Group to give an inside look at Startup CPG’s first-ever Founders & Formulators event, where brands could get unlimited product feedback and find their ideal formulator match.

Megan is Co-Founder and CEO of Syren Spreads, makers of Skinglow, a chocolate hazelnut spread built around Tremella and a blend of botanicals. Andrew Kuzera is the founder of Ono, a better-for-you protein soda with 12 grams of protein per can. Andrew Firestone is a food scientist with a background at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, TreeHouse Foods, and Comet, where he worked on upcycled fiber technology. He launched Firestone Consulting Group to give smaller founders flexible access to food science expertise.

The group walks through how the event worked, from 70 brand pitches at the mic to formulators raising paddles auction-style, and what each guest got out of it: honest taste and texture feedback, new packaging and shelf life insights, a new food science vocabulary, supplier and co-manufacturer introductions, and in one case a brand-new formulator partnership. They also share practical tips on filtering feedback, choosing the right formulator, and preparing for a future event.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Why Daniel created Founders & Formulators after watching brands spend years on products that weren’t ready for retail
• How the event worked, from 70 brand pitches at the mic to formulators raising paddles for the briefs they could help with
• Why food scientists give the honest taste and texture feedback that friends, family, and strangers won’t
• How feedback on oxidation and light exposure has Syren Spreads considering a lighter botanical load and foil sachet packaging
• How Andrew Kuzera went from self-formulating with AI tools to finding the language for what was off in his protein soda
• Why supplier certificates of analysis for the “same” ingredient can differ, and how sourcing affects cost of goods
• How formulators broker co-manufacturer and supplier relationships, not just recipes
• What independent formulators get out of the event, from leads to meeting clients face to face
• How to evaluate feedback from multiple formulators: check their past projects, trust the vibe, and go with your gut
• How to prepare: review the formulator list, reach out on LinkedIn ahead of time, bring samples and a certificate of analysis, and exchange phone numbers

Thank you to our Founders & Formulators sponsors:pure caf

• Applied Food Sciences (AFS) (makers of PurCaf®, a green coffee caffeine)
• FlavorSum  (flavor solutions)
• Marine Biologics (makers of SeaTex, a clean label seaweed ingredient)

Browse the free Product Developer Database:
Startup CPG’s database of hundreds of formulators and product development agencies is free on startupcpg.com under the Resources page. Product developers can use the submit button to be listed.

Interested in sponsoring a future Founders & Formulators event?
Email [email protected] 

Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? 

Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. 

Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.

Episode Links:

• Megan Castellon LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/megan-castellon-943530174
• Syren Spreads LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/syren-spreads-llc/home
• Syren Spreads Website: www.syrenspreads.co
• Syren Spreads Instagram: @syrenspreads
• Andrew Firestone LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-firestone-a84699192
• Firestone Consulting Group LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/firestone-food-beverage-consulting/home
• Firestone Consulting Group Website: www.firestoneconsultinggroup.com
• Contact Andrew Firestone directly: [email protected] 
• Andrew Kuzera LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kuzera
• Ono Website: www.drinkono.com
• Ono Instagram: @drink.ono
  
  

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 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 (40K+ 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