# Founder Feature: Leanne Viola and Jesse Barruch of WHIMS

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2024-10-04
- Length: 38m
- Episode: 83
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-10-04-founder-feature-leanne-viola-and-jesse-barruch-of-whims
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a1fd9b63

## Summary

Leanne Viola and Jesse Barruch, co-founders of WHIMS Delights, explain how personal health crises led them to create low-sugar, gluten-free, and dairy-free confectionery products like peanut butter cups and caramel cookie bars. They detail their journey from prototyping in a home kitchen to securing a pastry chef and manufacturing partners, emphasizing the importance of financial responsibility and unit economics from day one. The founders discuss their retail strategy of self-distributing to independent stores, using aggressive sampling to drive trial, and preparing for Expo West 2025 to expand distribution partnerships while maintaining long-term relationships.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Leanne Viola and Jesse Barruch of WHIMS Delights
2. Health Journeys and Product Concept
3. Product Development and Recipe Formulation
4. Manufacturing, Packaging, and Unit Economics
5. Retail Strategy and Self-Distribution
6. Scaling, Expo West 2025, and Distribution Partnerships
7. Work-Life Integration and Team Culture
8. Proudest Moments and Community Building

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- WHIMS Delights (product)
- Expo West (other)
- Fair and Air Goods (other)
- WH Smith (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [Live Episode! Milk Bar: Christina Tosi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi) (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)
- [244 - Jody Polishchuk from Sundays on how they made the first zero sugar creme cookie](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2024-02-16-244-jody-polishchuk-from-sundays-on-how-they-made-the-first-zero-sugar-creme-coo) (People of Packaging)
- [Advice Line with Marcia Kilgore of Beauty Pie](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-06-19-advice-line-with-marcia-kilgore-of-beauty-pie) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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