#47 Authenticity 101: Developing a clear & authentic brand identity at SOMOS with Miguel Leal

The Startup CPG Podcast · 7 Jun 2022 · 43m · Episode 24

What this episode covers

Miguel Leal, Co-Founder and CEO of SOMOS, discusses launching an authentic Mexican food brand alongside co-founders Daniel Lubetzky and Rodrigo Zuloaga. Leal explains the decision to launch with a broad portfolio of SKUs across rice, beans, chips, and salsas, the challenges of building a gluten-free supply chain in Mexico, and the strategy of using DTC data to drive retail adoption in major chains like HEB and Kroger.

Mentioned

Companies
KIND Snacks, Cholula, H-E-B, Kroger, Sprouts, Select Product Group, Georgia Pacific, Pepsi, Albertsons, Amazon
Products
SOMOS, Unusually Think and Crunchy Tortilla Chips, Cheetos
Also
Alebrijes

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • How I Built This · 1h 18m

    Siete Family Foods: Miguel and Veronica Garza

    Veronica and Miguel Garza, co-founders of Siete Family Foods, explain how a family health crisis and a failed CrossFit gym pivot led to a grain-free tortilla brand. They detail the scrappy early days of manufacturing in a shared kitchen, the critical mistake of shipping moldy product to Whole Foods, and the strategic decision to rename the company and raise capital to scale. The episode highlights their journey from a Laredo backyard to a $200 million Mexican-American food brand distributed in major retailers like Costco and Walmart.

  • How I Built This · 37m

    What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 2

    Becca Millstein of Fishwife, Brian Rudolph of Banza, and Caue Suplicy of Barnana discuss scaling their food brands from direct-to-consumer origins to national retail presence. They detail strategies for product-market fit, including influencer seeding, packaging design, and navigating supply chain disruptions and misinformation crises. The founders also share advice on co-founder dynamics, customer segmentation, and the importance of brand moats in the competitive CPG landscape.

  • How I Built This · 42m

    Advice Line with Steve Ells of Chipotle

    Guy Raz is joined by Steve Ells, founder of Chipotle, to answer calls from early-stage founders. Rebecca Smith of Streaky Bay Distillers seeks advice on differentiating her small-batch spirits in a crowded market, while Sri Holima of Mat Zero asks how to balance commercial growth with her humanitarian mission for her heated mats. John Rarek of Cantina Di Rosina discusses strategies for marketing organic wine to younger consumers despite declining alcohol consumption trends.

  • How I Built This · 49m

    Advice Line with Sarah Kauss of S'well

    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.

  • How I Built This · 1h 05m

    MadeGood: Salma and Nima Fotovat Lost Their First Business. They Grew Their Next One Into a Snack Giant.

    Nima and Salma Fotovat, along with their sister Saba, recount how they rebuilt their business after losing their family's co-packing company, Taste of Nature, in a 2012 buyout. They launched MadeGood, an allergen-free organic snack brand, by financing a $2 million factory with personal assets and bank loans. The episode details their early struggles, including manually reworking 200,000 mislabeled bars with alcohol wipes, and their strategy of saying 'yes' to difficult retailer requests to gain traction in Whole Foods and Costco.

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