Hardware Podcasts

#53 Tsubi Soup! Bringing Plant-Powered Gourmet Soup Cubes from Japan to the US

The Startup CPG Podcast · 19 Jul 2022 · 44m · Episode 30

What this episode covers

Tsubasa 'Tsubi' Nishitani and Alex Novak, founders of Tsubi Soup, explain how they pivoted from a failed Japan launch to a successful US e-commerce brand by leveraging freeze-dried soup cubes and the Startup CPG community. They detail the operational hurdles of exporting from Japan, including FDA compliance and complex logistics, and describe their transition from home-packing to a dedicated West Coast warehouse. The episode highlights their recent rebrand, the launch of new flavors like a gumbo-inspired soup, and their strategy to secure outside investment for retail expansion while maintaining strong direct-to-consumer growth.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Hakuba White Fox, Whole Foods, Amazon, IBM, UBS
Products
Tsubi Soup, Four Fox Saké
Tools
Shopify
Also
Expo West

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