The Startup CPG Podcast · 1 Feb 2021 · 22m
Melanie Kahn, founder of Poppilu Lemonade, explains how she secured national distribution at Walmart and Target by taking sales into her own hands and launching a shelf-stable kids' pouch alongside her refrigerated bottles. She details the strategic decision to use Eronia berries for antioxidant benefits and the marketing trade-off of focusing on taste over the unfamiliar superfruit. Kahn also discusses the operational challenges of managing two distinct supply chains and her philosophy on using bold brand identity, specifically fuchsia, to drive recognition and retail success.
early-stage companies
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S'well founder Sarah Kauss joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders on positioning and growth. She helps Chiara Moonzi of Chigi navigate grocery placement for a chickpea-based hot cereal, Jesús Rualcaba of Paper Tacos expand his Latino-inspired greeting cards beyond specialty stores, and Adam Barker of Bolt Skin and Shave determine his growth strategy for a razor brand targeting men who shave their legs.
Kyle Hollenbeck, co-founder of AZ Lemonade Stand, explains how the brand evolved from a food truck side-hustle into a shelf-stable beverage company by leveraging its distinctive mason jar packaging for premium appeal. He details the technical challenges of transitioning from cold-fill to hot-fill processes to achieve shelf stability, the strategic pivot to plastic bottles for smaller formats, and the ongoing debate between glass, plastic, and cans for national expansion. Hollenbeck also discusses flavor development, retail distribution strategies, and the importance of maintaining product quality over cost-cutting.
Guayakí co-founders David Karr and Chris Mann explain how they built a $100 million beverage company by introducing yerba mate to the U.S. market, starting with hand-packing loose tea and touring in a VW bus to demo the product. They detail the strategic pivot to bottled and then canned ready-to-drink formats, which allowed them to scale beyond niche natural food stores into broader retail channels. The founders also describe the difficult decision to build their own direct store distribution network using Chevy Bolts to maintain control over their brand and supply chain relationships.
Kate McLamb and Lauren Alexander, co-founders of Sistine Spritz, explain how they built a beverage brand by treating it like a fashion house, prioritizing brand aesthetics and community before finalizing the liquid formula. They discuss the design of their 750ml champagne bottle with a hand-applied blue wax seal and the technical challenges of transitioning to a 222ml slim can while maintaining their 'sexy' brand identity. The founders detail how they achieved the drink's natural ruby-red color using beets and carrots to match their computer-generated ideal, and describe their strategy of launching through intimate events and LA retail partnerships rather than traditional alcohol distribution.
Dillon Dandurand, founder of Not Beer, explains how he launched a zero-carb, zero-alcohol sparkling water in Dallas, Texas, leveraging his background at Brazi Bites and Jack Black. He details the operational challenge of sourcing a full truckload of 155,600 tall boy cans to meet minimum order quantities, opting for a turnkey manufacturer to simplify logistics. Dandurand discusses the brand's humorous packaging design, which mimics beer aesthetics, and his strategy of using sampling and influencer marketing to drive retail distribution in Texas before expanding nationally.
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