# 90 - Why did a brand change from rigid plastic to steel packaging with Dr. Shannon O'Grady from Gnarly Nutrition

- Show: [People of Packaging](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging)
- Published: 2021-12-14
- Length: 44m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon
- Listen: https://encase.substack.com/p/90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-3f1

## Summary

Dr. Shannon O'Grady, Chief Product Officer and COO of Gnarly Nutrition, explains the company's strategic transition from rigid HDPE plastic tubs to tin-plated steel cans to improve sustainability. She details the research process involving an intern, the rejection of biodegradable and compostable films due to barrier limitations, and the decision to switch to recyclable plastic pouches for stick packs. O'Grady highlights the operational challenges of finding responsive vendors, the importance of customer feedback in justifying the capital investment, and the ongoing search for recyclable film solutions for single-use stick packs.

## Chapters

- [0:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon#t=10) Introduction: Dr. Shannon O'Grady and Gnarly Nutrition
- [4:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon#t=243) Dr. O'Grady's Background in Biology and Sports Nutrition
- [14:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon#t=878) Gnarly Nutrition's Athlete Sponsorships and Retail Strategy
- [17:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon#t=1057) The Decision to Switch from HDPE Plastic to Steel Packaging
- [22:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon#t=1366) Researching Materials: Rejecting Compostable Films for Steel
- [26:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon#t=1590) Vendor Selection and the Importance of Customer Service
- [33:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon#t=1989) Transitioning Stick Packs to Recyclable Pouches
- [40:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon#t=2451) Future Sustainability Goals and Unsexy Packaging Issues

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Gnarly Nutrition (company)
- Dr. Shannon O'Grady (other)
- HDPE (material)
- tin-plated steel (material)
- TerraCycle (other)
- Loop (other)
- Illy (product)

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- [Founder Feature: Alison Cayne of Haven's Kitchen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-08-30-founder-feature-alison-cayne-of-havens-kitchen) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
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- [126: Ten Years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2025-09-11-126-ten-years) (Thoroughly Considered)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-14-90-why-did-a-brand-change-from-rigid-plastic-to-steel-packaging-with-dr-shannon. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to People of Packaging.