#131 The Rise of Carbone Fine Food with CEO Eric Skae

The Startup CPG Podcast · 5 Mar 2024 · 43m · Episode 21

What this episode covers

Eric Skae, CEO of Carbone Fine Food, details his 35-year career in CPG, from early distribution ventures to leading brands like Rao's and now Carbone. He explains how he leveraged the existing brand equity of the Carbone restaurant to launch a premium pasta sauce, focusing on hyper-local velocity in New York before scaling nationally. Skae emphasizes the critical importance of securing strong margins early to withstand supply chain inflation and discusses the challenges of penetrating major retailers like Whole Foods despite the brand's prestige.

Mentioned

Companies
Carbone Fine Food, Rao's Specialty Foods, Fresh Samantha, Popcornopolis, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, Vida, Erewhon, Walmart
Products
Arizona Iced Tea, Iceland Spring Water, Naked Juice

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