# #136: Growing Jaju Pierogi with Social Media Pro Vanessa White

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2024-04-02
- Length: 1h 07m
- Episode: 28
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-04-02-136-growing-jaju-pierogi-with-social-media-pro-vanessa-white
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/3037ecab

## Summary

Vanessa White, CEO of Jaju Pierogi, details the brand's evolution from a grassroots farmers market operation to national distribution in 2,000 stores, including Sprouts and Whole Foods. She explains how leveraging viral social media content focused on Polish-American culture and nostalgia helped them compete with incumbents like Miss T's and Kasia's while maintaining premium pricing. White also discusses the strategic transition from in-house hand-making to using co-packers to meet volume demands, and her approach to managing online hate through community engagement and the Polish American Women's Scholarship program.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Vanessa White and Jaju Pierogi's Journey
2. From Farmers Markets to National Distribution
3. Product Positioning and Competitor Analysis
4. Transitioning from Handmade to Co-Packing
5. Social Media Strategy and Going Viral
6. Handling Online Hate and Community Building
7. Regional Distributors vs. National Giants
8. The Polish American Women's Scholarship

## 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)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Jaju Pierogi (product)
- Miss T's (product)
- Kasia's (product)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Sprouts (company)
- UNFI (company)
- KeHE (company)
- Stop & Shop (company)
- Big Y (company)
- Harris Teeter (company)
- Fresh Market (company)
- North Atlantic (company)
- Moms Routes (company)
- Associated Grocers (company)
- Bosouttos (company)
- Hannaford (company)
- Northeast Specialty Foods (company)
- Dorothy's Specialty (company)
- Marty's Local (company)
- Imperfect Foods (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 1](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-18-what-it-really-takes-to-build-a-food-business-part-1) (How I Built This)
- [354 - Beyond the dieline with the incomparable Jake Karls from Mid-Day Squares](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-07-22-354-beyond-the-dieline-with-the-incomparable-jake-karls-from-mid-day-squares) (People of Packaging)
- [Advice Line with Jeni Britton of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-03-27-advice-line-with-jeni-britton-of-jenis-splendid-ice-creams) (How I Built This)
- [Pipcorn: Jennifer and Jeff Martin](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-26-pipcorn-jennifer-and-jeff-martin) (How I Built This)
- [Happy Family Organics: Shazi Visram (2020)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-07-04-happy-family-organics-shazi-visram-2020) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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