21 - Jonathan Bybee - The Creative Director with a killer stache!

People of Packaging · 28 May 2020 · 49m

What this episode covers

Jonathan Bybee, VP of Creative at Lakanto Foods, discusses the company's mission to replace sugar with monk fruit and the strategic role of packaging in its brand identity. He details the design philosophy behind Lakanto's packaging, focusing on 'shelf talk,' tactile finishes like soft-touch varnish, and sustainability considerations such as flat-shipping boxes to reduce carbon footprint. Bybee also shares insights on the future of packaging, advocating for reduced reliance on traditional packaging and highlighting his work with Viori on reusable bamboo containers.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 34m

    Founder Feature: Brian Bethke of BEAR Maple Farms

    Brian Bethke, founder of BEAR Maple Farms, explains how he combined sustainably hydroponically grown ginseng with maple water to create a zero-caffeine functional beverage. He details the pivotal moment at Bevnet where harsh feedback on his original packaging led to a complete rebrand with designer Paula Grant, which was crucial for shelf appeal. Bethke also discusses his strategy for national expansion in 2025, leveraging a dedicated field sales team and data-driven storytelling to secure tier-one retail placements like Whole Foods and UNFI.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 28m

    Founders Feature: Lucy Dana of One Trick Pony

    Lucy Dana, founder of One Trick Pony, explains how her brand pivoted from a standard jar to an upside-down packaging design that eliminates oil separation in their two-ingredient Argentinian peanut butter. She details the operational headaches of early production, including lid fitment issues and a container shipment disaster, and how solving this customer pain point shifted the brand from fighting for retail placement to receiving inbound interest from major club retailers. Dana discusses leveraging viral social media content to drive this demand, her background at Uber and Blue Bottle Coffee, and her strategy as a solo founder scaling from natural channels to mass retail.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 17m

    #63 Meet the 2022 Shelfie Award Winners

    Host Jesse Freitag presents clips from the 2022 Shelfie Award winners, highlighting innovative CPG brands such as Nowhere Bakery, Uproot Teas, G's Ginger Beer, and Papadelics. The episode covers diverse product categories including gluten-free baked goods, regenerative teas, dry hard ginger beer, mushroom snacks, and upcycled beverages like Reveal's avocado seed brew. It also features sustainability-focused condiments from AWSM Sauce and nutrition products for children from Tiny Sprouts and For Good Granola.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 27m

    Founder Feature: Keya Wingfield of Keya's Snacks

    Keya Wingfield, founder of Keya's Snacks, explains how a pandemic pivot from custom desserts to shelf-stable chips launched her brand, leading to a relaunch with professional packaging in 2025. She details the intentional design of her packaging, featuring her face to represent every woman who feeds others, and her strategy to keep the MSRP accessible despite premium perceptions. Wingfield discusses sourcing single-origin organic spices from India and potatoes from the East Coast, while highlighting the 'sea of sameness' in the chip aisle and her mission to break through it with bold, culturally rooted flavors like Bombay Spice and Black Salt.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 29m

    Founder Feature: Lex Evan of Lexington Bakes

    Lex Evan, founder of Lexington Bakes, discusses his transition from a 20-year graphic design career at Johnson & Johnson to creating luxury baked goods with radical ingredient transparency. He explains his trademarked 'no naughty ingredients' philosophy, the decision to print supplier logos like Nielsen-Massey and Artisana on packaging, and the recent shock of his co-manufacturer going out of business. Evan shares how staying true to his vision led to winning a NEXTY Award at Expo West and offers advice on protecting time as a solo founder.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by People of Packaging. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.