Hardware Podcasts

#64 Expo East 2022 Recap: Liquids abound, lost voices, and sustainable puns

The Startup CPG Podcast · 10 Oct 2022 · 50m · Episode 41

What this episode covers

Monica Watrous, Managing Editor of Food Business News, and Startup CPG’s Patricia Menegoto and Jenna Movsowitz recap Expo East 2022, highlighting key trends such as the proliferation of non-alcoholic beverages from brands like Three Spirit and De Soi, and the shift toward 'plant-forward' messaging by Actual Veggies and Wicked Kitchen. The hosts discuss the success of Startup CPG’s first booth, featuring a lounge and vending machine, and the 'Backpack Brands' program which supported small companies like GoNanas and Pricklee. They also cover specific product innovations, including animal-free dairy from Perfect Day/Coolhaus, regenerative sports drinks from Smootch, and sustainable sauces from AWSM Sauce.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Mondelēz International, The Urgent Company, Spero, New Breed
Products
Three Spirit, De Soi, Actual Veggies, Wicked Kitchen, Atlantic Sea Farms, Neptune Snacks, Chia Smash, Smootch, Bored Cow, Coolhaus, Perfect Day, Culina, GoNanas, Pricklee, AWSM Sauce, Reprise Health, The Farmer Foodie, Kokada, Oat Haus, Pocket Latte, delOrigen, Katie's Pizza & Pasta, Sweet Nothings, Chubby Snacks, Dream Pops, Core Foods, Lesser Evil, Aura Bora, Soom, 8 Myles, Mid-Day Squares, No Bull, Machu Picchu, Eat the Change, Just Ice Tea, Baozza, Growee Foods
Also
Food Business News, Food Entrepreneur, Startup CPG, NielsenIQ, Settle, SnackFutures CoLab

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • People of Packaging · 44m

    48 - Aimy Steadman, Co Founder and CGSDO at Future Proof

    Aimy Steadman, Co-Founder and CGSDO at Future Proof, discusses the evolution of Beat Box Beverages from a local Austin startup to a national brand, highlighting their pivot from 5-liter boxed wine to single-serving 500ml Tetra Pak cartons. She details the company's crowdfunding campaign on WeFunder, their pursuit of B Corp certification to verify sustainability claims, and how they navigated the 2020 aluminum can shortage by relying on their Tetra Pak supply chain. Steadman emphasizes that Future Proof prioritizes carbon efficiency over perfect circularity, achieving plastic neutrality while maintaining a focus on fun and community engagement through the Naturally Network.

    Packaging designCrowdfunding & preorders
    7 chapters

  • People of Packaging · 31m

    259 - It's definitely NOT beer with Not Beer founder Dillon Dandurand

    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.

    Packaging designDirect-to-consumer & e-commerce
    8 chapters

  • How I Built This · 45m

    Advice Line with Travis Boersma of Dutch Bros

    Dutch Bros co-founder Travis Boersma joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders: Sean Chang of Mukja Korean Fried Chicken, who is struggling with delivery app margins; Trenton Yoder of Pine Ridge Coffee, deciding between DTC and wholesale; and Yasmin Santos of Altar Native Bar, seeking to scale her non-alcoholic elixir business. Boersma and Raz suggest Mukja pivot to corporate catering and unique street snacks, advise Pine Ridge to differentiate through storytelling and local university partnerships, and encourage Altar to consider ready-to-drink formats like cans or bottles to reach the mainstream. The episode highlights the importance of adapting business models, protecting margins, and educating consumers on new product categories.

    Direct-to-consumer & e-commercePricing, margins & unit economics
    5 chapters

  • People of Packaging · 35m

    257 - Digital can printing with Anna from Corpse Reviver!

    Anna Zesbaugh, CEO and co-founder of Better Buzz Brands, explains how a brief Denver liquor store closure during the pandemic inspired her to launch Hooch Booch and later Corpse Reviver. She details the strategic rebranding of Corpse Reviver from a confusing 'boneless cocktail' to a functional hydration beverage, emphasizing the importance of clear market positioning. The episode highlights the use of digital can printing by Can Works to achieve lower minimums and eco-friendly packaging, while discussing the specific formulation of minerals and electrolytes in the product.

    Packaging designMaterials & manufacturing processes
    6 chapters

  • How I Built This · 48m

    Advice Line with Ben Goodwin of Olipop

    Ben Goodwin, co-founder of the prebiotic soda brand Olipop, joins Guy Raz to answer calls from early-stage founders. Goodwin advises Darren Alpert of Gheelish on how to market ghee-based snacks by prioritizing taste over ingredient education, and helps Sarah Godfrey of Sarah's Gluten Free Goods navigate the scaling challenges of fresh, allergen-safe baked goods. He also counsels John Groner of the Bexley Natural Foods co-op on revitalizing sales through community engagement and curation rather than e-commerce.

    Marketing & brandScaling production
    5 chapters

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.