# 343 - Returning guest, Manya Rubinstein on her new BIG venture!

- Show: [People of Packaging](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging)
- Published: 2026-03-17
- Length: 27m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-03-17-343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein-on-her-new-big-venture
- Listen: https://encase.substack.com/p/343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein

## Summary

Manya Rubinstein, CEO of Isco Spirits and Providence Distilling, discusses the launch of Big Dick’s Banana Whiskey, a playful banana-flavored bourbon created as a 'naughty little sibling' to her serious sustainability-focused brands. She explains the product's genesis as a humorous riff on the male-dominated spirits industry, detailing the use of real ingredients to create a smooth, ready-to-drink spirit available in 100ml nips and an upcoming 1-liter bar size. The episode covers the 1950s Americana branding designed by Kiki Schulo, the strategic use of fruit-style QR stickers, and the logistical challenges of shipping alcohol across US state lines, particularly to Utah.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-03-17-343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein-on-her-new-big-venture#t=1) Introduction: Manya Rubinstein and Big Dick's Banana Whiskey
- [2:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-03-17-343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein-on-her-new-big-venture#t=138) Isco Spirits, Providence Distilling, and the Brand's Genesis
- [5:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-03-17-343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein-on-her-new-big-venture#t=313) Humor, Community, and the Golfing Market
- [14:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-03-17-343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein-on-her-new-big-venture#t=853) Kiki Schulo's 1950s Americana Branding and Design
- [17:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-03-17-343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein-on-her-new-big-venture#t=1022) Fruit-Style QR Stickers and Marketing Strategy
- [18:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-03-17-343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein-on-her-new-big-venture#t=1098) Retail Launch, Online Sales, and Shipping Regulations
- [21:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-03-17-343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein-on-her-new-big-venture#t=1303) Product Taste Profile: Banana Bourbon and Ingredients

## Topics

- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Isco Spirits (company)
- Providence Distilling (company)
- Big Dick’s Banana Whiskey (product)
- Kiki Schulo (other)
- Woolly Fair (other)
- Hatch Show Print (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Bonus: Raising the bar in the alcoholic beverage category with G’s Dry Hard Ginger Beer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-02-07-bonus-raising-the-bar-in-the-alcoholic-beverage-category-with-gs-dry-hard-ginger) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey: Fawn Weaver (2021)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-04-uncle-nearest-premium-whiskey-fawn-weaver-2021) (How I Built This)
- [#113 Brewing Crooked Owl Hard Tepache with Founders Cam & Dave Bailey](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-11-07-113-brewing-crooked-owl-hard-tepache-with-founders-cam-dave-bailey) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Spencer Hoddeson, Gay Water](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-12-27-founder-feature-spencer-hoddeson-gay-water) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Ranwei Chiang of Abstinence Spirits](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-03-07-founder-feature-ranwei-chiang-of-abstinence-spirits) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## 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/2026-03-17-343-returning-guest-manya-rubinstein-on-her-new-big-venture. 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.