Improving something should be inherently innovative, but within the food and beverage world, what really fuels the "better for you" space? As a young company, what support exists to help you stick to your vision and values?

What really makes a product stand out to investors and customers? Gregorio Santiago has spent his career getting to know the ins and outs of what makes a great product succeed, and why some of the most innovative products never make it to market. Formerly the head of Acceleration and Discovery at Distill Ventures and a serial entrepreneur himself, Gregorio shares some tactical stories and tips with us.

What is a Co-Man, Co-Manufacturer, or Co-Packer? If you’re a budding CPG business, should you consider partering with one to save overhead? Turns out, they can be super helpful in securing deals within your supply chain, but there’s a few things you should know before approaching a contract manufacturer. In this week’s episode of the Startup CPG podcast, we sit down with Matt Suggs, the founder of Partner Slate. He walks us through everything you need to know about getting your recipe off the ground and into stores.

Today's episode is a conversation with Clara Paye, Founder of UNiTE Food. UNiTE packs globally inspired flavors and wholesome, gluten-free ingredients and superfoods into nourishing, high-protein snacks. Clara is technically a one-woman show but she's clearly building something so much bigger than herself, and on this episode we talk about the inspiration and process of shaking up a pretty basic niche of CPG, bringing diversity and inclusion to the protein bar space. 

Partnerships come in many forms and, with a little creativity, can present themselves in pretty unique ways! In this episode, we sit down with Caroline Cotto, the COO of Renewal Mill, to discuss the power of partnerships, keeping an open mind, and building a circular economy for food.

Oatly founder Bjorn Oste is launching a new functional beverage, Good Idea Drinks. Bjorn and I discuss what he learned about building an authentic brand at Oatly, and how that is shaping strategy for Good Idea. 

This episode features Zach En'wezoh, the Co-Founder and Head of Product for Bissy Energy. They're creating social equity for small holder farmers in Nigeria through the use of caffeinated Kolanut products. Zach shares their origin story, how they built their supply chain, and how they're building a brand on a foundation of care and transparency within the supply chain. 

Everyone is asking... what does a sales broker do, anyway? Are they worth incorporating into your business model, and if so, when? Jake Huber from The Better Food Group breaks it down for us on why you should work with one, and how to have a successful partnership.  

A brief introduction to the Startup CPG Podcast, from your host, Amanda Rodriguez, and Daniel Scharff, founder of the Startup CPG Network.