The Startup CPG Podcast · 13 Feb 2024 · 47m · Episode 15
Dwight Richmond, Director of Center Store at Town & Country Markets, shares insights from his 30+ year career in grocery retail, including his time at Whole Foods Market and Dean & DeLuca. He discusses the strategic process of building retail sets, emphasizing the importance of data analysis (units vs. dollars), understanding consumer trends like the rise of cold-pressed juice, and the shift toward regenerative agriculture. Richmond also provides actionable advice for CPG brands on how to successfully pitch to buyers, navigate trade shows like Fancy Foods Las Vegas and Expo West, and the critical need for transparency and realistic expectations regarding packaging and distribution.
large enterprises
Other shows on the same ground, closest first.
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.
Pete Maldonado, co-founder and co-CEO of Chomps, advises three founders on scaling their physical product businesses. He counsels Jennifer Ballin of Badass Bagels on navigating the complexities of CPG retail, including slotting fees and trade spend, while advising Brandi Shelton of Just Add Honey Tea Company to leverage its premium story and target Whole Foods before big-box retailers. Finally, he encourages Jake Meyer of Annie Alaska to prioritize direct-to-consumer sales through relentless door-knocking and authentic storytelling to build a stable customer base for his wild salmon business.
Jeni Britton, founder of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams and her new fiber company Floura, advises three early-stage founders on marketing, fundraising, and PR. Jesse Koenig of Jesse & Ben’s discusses how to market his healthy frozen fries to grocery buyers without relying solely on the 'seed oil' narrative. Casey White of Jaju Pierogi asks how to sustainably grow her dumpling brand to big-box retailers like Costco without losing control to outside venture capital. Callie Zeher of Ube.co seeks guidance on hiring a PR firm for her purple sweet potato pet treats while balancing her full-time science career.
Guy Raz is joined by Daymond John, founder of the streetwear brand FUBU and a judge on Shark Tank, to answer calls from early-stage founders. Cristopher Navarro of Sabor a Mexico seeks advice on expanding his salsa brand from farmers markets to retail without losing margins. Darcy of Raised Nutrition asks whether to pivot his protein bar's messaging away from its jiu-jitsu origins as the customer base shifts to general health enthusiasts. Finally, Seema Sangavi of Cooks Who Feed wants strategies to increase B2B sales for her ethical kitchen linen company.
Mark Shanahan, a former Vice President at Staples with 25 years of retail buying experience, explains the 'HIT' framework (Homework, In-person, Trust) for pitching products to major retailers. He emphasizes that inventors must demonstrate market viability, bring tangible prototypes, and maintain transparency about their capabilities to build trust with buyers. Shanahan advises entrepreneurs to be concise, respect the buyer's time, and leverage their own innovation to create a competitive advantage in the retail environment.
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.