# #91 Becoming the Willy Wonkas of Marshmallows with Funky Mello’s Delisa Harper

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2023-05-16
- Length: 50m
- Episode: 68
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/1e9a7516

## Summary

Delisa Harper, co-founder of Funky Mello with her husband Zach, explains how they developed a refrigerated, plant-based marshmallow cream using aquafaba after a year of R&D to avoid gelatin and soy. They discuss their decision to self-manufacture in-house to maintain a competitive advantage, navigating their first national rollout with Sprouts, and scaling production with a 40-quart mixer named Gizmo. The episode covers their fundraising efforts, product launches like the Dippsterz, and strategies for retail expansion and food service channels.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=0) Introduction and Sponsor Reads
- [3:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=183) Introduction: Delisa Harper and Funky Mello
- [6:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=370) Product Development: Aquafaba and R&D
- [9:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=555) Self-Manufacturing and Equipment
- [12:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=760) Retail Strategy: Sprouts and Accelerators
- [15:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=926) Scaling Production and 3PL Logistics
- [19:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=1191) Social Media and Content Strategy
- [26:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=1598) Expo West and Event Marketing
- [32:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=1942) New Product: Dippsterz and Packaging
- [37:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper#t=2266) Fundraising and Team Dynamics

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Funky Mello (product)
- Sprouts (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Skew (company)
- Naturally Austin (company)
- EPAC (company)
- ThrillPL (company)
- Social Nature (company)
- Strategy Maven (company)
- IFT (company)
- tbh (product)
- Shameless Pets (company)
- FitJoy (company)
- Gizmo (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [nutpods: Madeline Haydon](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-13-nutpods-madeline-haydon) (How I Built This)
- [Yasso: Amanda Klane and Drew Harrington](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-09-25-yasso-amanda-klane-and-drew-harrington) (How I Built This)
- [Perfect Snacks: Bill and Leigh Keith](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-06-09-perfect-snacks-bill-and-leigh-keith) (How I Built This)
- [Halo Top Ice Cream: Justin Woolverton](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-04-17-halo-top-ice-cream-justin-woolverton) (How I Built This)
- [How I Built Resilience: Kara Goldin of Hint](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-01-how-i-built-resilience-kara-goldin-of-hint) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-16-91-becoming-the-willy-wonkas-of-marshmallows-with-funky-mellos-delisa-harper. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Startup CPG Podcast.