The Startup CPG Podcast · 10 Jul 2024 · 45m · Episode 56
Namik Soltan, CEO of GNGR Labs, details how he launched his spicy ginger shots in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic by building an in-house field sales and distribution team. He explains the operational challenges of managing routes, collecting payments, and merchandising with just one truck, which allowed the brand to reach 400 stores and generate $400,000 in its first year. Soltan describes the strategic pivot to partnering with regional distributor Dora Naturals to scale to 1,200 stores, highlighting the unit economics and trade-offs between self-distribution and third-party logistics.
early-stage companies
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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.
Guayakí co-founders David Karr and Chris Mann explain how they built a $100 million beverage company by introducing yerba mate to the U.S. market, starting with hand-packing loose tea and touring in a VW bus to demo the product. They detail the strategic pivot to bottled and then canned ready-to-drink formats, which allowed them to scale beyond niche natural food stores into broader retail channels. The founders also describe the difficult decision to build their own direct store distribution network using Chevy Bolts to maintain control over their brand and supply chain relationships.
Kelly Costello, founder of Puppy Cake, explains how she launched an all-natural cake mix for dogs in five months with under $5,000, manufacturing in-house from her kitchen. She details her strategy of lowering barriers to entry for retailers through small case sizes and free shipping, and how adding product lines like Puppy Scoops ice cream mix doubled her sales. Costello also shares a critical lesson from a near-bankruptcy event with H.E.B. grocery store, emphasizing the importance of never fulfilling orders without a legally binding purchase order.
Kat Hantas, co-founder of 21 Seeds, explains how she turned a home infusion hobby into a $160 million tequila brand sold to Diageo in 2022. She details the strategic decision to target moms with a cleaner, less sweet alternative to wine, navigating the complex three-tier distribution system by initially partnering with Bevmo and later Southern Glazers. Hantas discusses the operational challenges of scaling production in Jalisco, Mexico, and the critical role of timing and influencer marketing in achieving rapid growth and exit.
Serial entrepreneur Mark Cuban, who is revolutionizing the prescription drug market through Cost Plus Drugs, advises four founders on scaling their physical product businesses. Lucy of One Trick Pony discusses her upside-down peanut butter packaging and the dilemma of entering big-box retail, while Macy Schmidt of Girlyish Skincare navigates marketing to parents versus teens for youth-safe skincare. Dan Jansen of Imperium Shaving pivots his handcrafted wooden razors to a high-margin, artist-centric model, and Kristen Rood of Northern Classics focuses on supply chain optimization to mitigate tariffs for her children's winter wear.
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