Bonus Episode! At Startup CPG, we recently curated another new & free resource - the first list of freight carriers and brokers just for CPG companies. I (Host Jessi) had the pleasure of helping build this resource, and I thought it'd be fun to bring on one of the many brands who submitted their freight providers to be added to the list to chat about how some of the challenges and tips they've encountered related to freight. We'll start the episode with an interview with Alex Cree, co-founder of Baozza, followed by a few stories and insights from me. Listen in as Alex and I share about the process of finding freight partners, stories of freight gone wrong, and tips for getting your pallets from Point A to B safely and on time in a challenging environment.

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This is the first episode of a very special new podcast series from Startup CPG. Seth Goldman, Startup CPG's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, will be joining us once a month for the next few months to talk about hot topics in CPG. Today we kick off by talking all things Expo West. With twenty-one Expo West events under his belt, who better to answer our community's Expo West questions! You may know Seth as the co-founder of Honest Tea and author of Mission in a Bottle, and Seth is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Eat the Change, Co-Founder of PLNT Burger, and Chair of the Board for Beyond Meat. Listen in as Seth covers how to stand out among thousands of brands, how to craft your ten second pitch, a simple yet game-changing follow up/lead tracking plan, how to maximize Expo West even without a booth, why you should treat everyone like the most important buyer, and more.

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Less than a year ago, I (Host Jessi) had an insurance emergency at LivBar. I searched "insurance" in the Startup CPG slack and found Danielle Holyoake's name. I sent her a quick email and we jumped on a call. In record time, she solved a problem that other brokers had told me wasn't possible (full story in the episode!). I was so excited when Amelia Risk became a proud partner of Startup CPG because it meant we could do a podcast episode packed with game-changing knowledge. Danielle, is the COO and co-founder of Amelia Risk, the better-for-you insurance broker. Listen in as Danielle shares the key roles of an insurance broker, the most common types of insurance applicable to CPG and when they become relevant (think product liability, workers comp, D&O, recall, general liability), navigating insurance requirements for retailers, how to find the best policies, how umbrella insurance might not be what you think it is, and more.

Amelia Risk is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG.

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Today we get to talk about one of the newest Startup CPG resources - a list of CPG accelerators and incubators with all the details to help you find the perfect program for your brand. Sarah Nathan, founder of Bloom CPG, a CPG consulting group, helped build this resource and joins us to talk all things accelerators and incubators. Listen is as Sarah shares how to find the right accelerator or incubator for your brand and best practices for completing your application, participating in a program, and building long-term relationships. 

This resource is proudly sponsored by Buttermilk Creative, a leading packaging and design studio.

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43 percent of small businesses in the United States don’t track inventory, or do so using a manual system. In CPG, our inventory has the added complexity of lot/batch tracking, expiration dates, recalls, compliance, and certifications. Brands who win have a handle on their inventory, margins, and operations. That's why we had Ken Ojuka join us to talk all things inventory and physical product movement. Ken is the CEO of Fiddle, modern inventory operations software for CPG brands and manufacturers. Listen in as Ken walks through how to think about inventory in CPG, how and when to choose an inventory system, and other best practice tips to manage your inventory like a pro.

Fiddle is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG.

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What are the major watch-outs for a co-man contract? What should be there, and what shouldn't? What's boilerplate, and what might hurt you and the relationship in the long-run? Lauren Handel joins us to cover both the legal and the common-sense side of these agreements. Lauren is the Principal Attorney of Handel Food Law, a law firm dedicated to food, beverage, and farming businesses. Listen in as Lauren walks through the process of forming a great contract with your co-manufacturer from key contract provisions, to common red flags, to planning for amicable endings, and more.

Handel Food Law is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG.

Note: This presentation provides general information, not legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice suitable for your specific needs. Unless you have entered into an engagement agreement with a specific law firm, you are not a client of that firm.

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The earliest records of herbal tea date back nearly 5,000 years, yet when Zahira Marmar moved her family to the US from St Martin, she could not find anything like the medicinal bush teas she grew up with to send with her kids to school. On the edge of tea brewing burnout from keeping her family and community stocked with herbal tea, Zahira founded Hrbvor (pronounced her-bi-vore), so that her sparkling herbals teas would be readily available in cans and to be able to more widely spread the message of the benefits of herbs. Listen in as Zahira shares the challenges and surprises of getting her creation to shelf - from the can shortage, to label challenges, to sourcing, to the inspiration behind each brew and more.

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Exciting News: The Startup CPG Podcast has been named the #2 CPG-Themed Podcast! Thank you for all of your support!

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79% of consumers have bought a new product in the last month; how do you make sure your brand is one of the the new products in a consumer's cart? Today we welcome Annalea Krebs, founder and CEO of Social Nature, a product discovery and trial platform in the better-for-you space. Listen in as Annalea covers the landscape of product discovery and trial amidst the pandemic (including demos, subscription boxes, coupons), her recommendations for top consumer insights questions to ask, her tips for building communities (Social Nature's community has nearly 1 million people!), and actionable ideas for how to best create online brand awareness, drive offline purchase, get consumer feedback, and turn consumers into brand advocates.

Social Nature is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG.

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Special offers from Social Nature for Startup CPG members:

Exciting News: The Startup CPG Podcast has just been named the #2 CPG-Themed Podcast! Thank you for all of your support!

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Have you heard of Oreos? Ritz? Cadbury? Then you know just a few brands in the portfolio of Mondelēz International, one of the largest snack companies in the world. Today we get the chance to talk with Brigette Wolf and Jackie Haney from SnackFutures, Mondelēz International's innovation and venture hub, about CoLab, SnackFutures’s start-up engagement program designed to support early-stage well-being brands. Brigette is the Global Head of SnackFutures, and Jackie is the Innovation and CoLab Program Manager. Listen in as Brigette & Jackie cover how to prep now for future potential acquisition, tips for forming lasting strategic partnerships, and everything you need to know about how the CoLab program works and how to apply to the 2022 cohort. 

SnackFutures is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG.

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Exciting News: The Startup CPG Podcast has just been named the #2 CPG-Themed Podcast! Thank you for all of your support!

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With 200 million prime members worldwide and 60% of online purchases starting with an Amazon search, CPG brands can't ignore the opportunities available on Amazon. At Startup CPG, we're committed to helping small brands succeed on all channels, including Amazon and that's why we've partnered with Marketplace Ops. Today we welcome Fernando Campos, co-founder of Marketplace Ops, a leading online marketplaces brand management agency that helps CPG companies accelerate their growth on Amazon and Walmart. Listen in as Fernando covers pre-launch and launch tips, how to handle negative reviews, Amazon's VINE program, data-based strategies for optimizing your main image, a better way to think about ACOS targets, tips for choosing an Amazon vendor, and strategies for Black Friday, Cyber Monday.

Marketplace Ops is a proud sponsor of Startup CPG.

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