# #78 Forij adventures: meeting customers on land, air, sea, and online with Parker Olson

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2023-01-31
- Length: 43m
- Episode: 55
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/b807d357

## Summary

Parker Olson, founder of Forij, discusses building a functional granola brand infused with medicinal mushrooms like Lion's Mane and Brown Button, and expanding into a holistic cognitive health platform with digital products. He details his unconventional sales strategy of living in a green van for a year to secure retail distribution, leading to placements in Kroger banners (Fred Meyer, King Soopers) and Sprouts Farmers Market. Olson also shares stories of intense customer engagement, a legal scare involving a stolen boat, and evaluating international expansion opportunities in Asia.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=3) Introduction: Parker Olson and Forij's Cognitive Health Platform
- [3:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=212) Product Development: Mushroom Granola and Digital Expansion
- [5:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=339) Founder Journey: Diet Experiments and Neuroscience Background
- [13:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=782) The Van Strategy: Living in a Green Van to Secure Retail
- [16:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=978) Hiring Jared: Meeting a Co-Founder in a Grocery Store
- [18:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=1138) Unconventional Marketing: Airplane Giveaways and Customer Stories
- [23:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=1402) Legal Scare: Arrested for Grand Theft Vessel
- [28:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=1682) Retail Distribution: Kroger Innovation and Sprouts Launch
- [32:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=1963) International Opportunities: Evaluating Expansion in Asia
- [38:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-31-78-forij-adventures-meeting-customers-on-land-air-sea-and-online-with-parker-ols#t=2296) Future Outlook: New Products and Team Scaling

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Forij (company)
- Monterey Mushrooms (company)
- Ryze Superfood Coffee (company)
- Neptune Snacks (company)
- Kroger (company)
- Fred Meyer (company)
- King Soopers (company)
- Sprouts Farmers Market (company)
- Publix (company)
- Lion's Mane (product)
- Brown Button Mushroom (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Advice Line with Daymond John of FUBU](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-08-27-advice-line-with-daymond-john-of-fubu) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Ben Goodwin of Olipop](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-03-advice-line-with-ben-goodwin-of-olipop) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Andrew Abraham of Orgain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-16-advice-line-with-andrew-abraham-of-orgain) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Sarah Kauss of S'well](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-06-20-advice-line-with-sarah-kauss-of-swell) (How I Built This)
- [Orgain: Andrew Abraham](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-08-07-orgain-andrew-abraham) (How I Built This)

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