Hardware Podcasts

#195 - What Do Health and Sustainability Really Mean to Consumers? | Dana Kim & Sam Kass

The Startup CPG Podcast · 6 May 2025 · 57m · Episode 149

What this episode covers

Sam Kass, former White House Chef and partner at Acre Ventures, and Dana Kim, founder and CEO of Highlight, discuss how consumers perceive health and sustainability in CPG. Kass explains his work with Plezi to create better-for-you hydration for youth, while Kim presents data showing that taste, cost, and convenience remain primary purchase drivers, with health and sustainability acting as secondary factors. They emphasize that brands must use rigorous physical product testing to avoid greenwashing and ensure their messaging resonates with specific audience segments, from mass market to tastemakers.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies and companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Acre Ventures, Erewhon, Mars Chocolate, Nestle, Pepsi, png, Momofuku, Sol de Janeiro
Products
Plezi, Coke Zero, Poppi, Olipop, Celsius
Tools
Highlight

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