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

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-05-06
- Length: 57m
- Episode: 149
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-05-06-195-what-do-health-and-sustainability-really-mean-to-consumers-dana-kim-sam-kass
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e2431b9b

## Summary

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.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Sam Kass and Dana Kim
2. Sam Kass's White House Experience and Policy Work
3. The Obamas' Eating Habits and Cultural Barriers to Change
4. Dana Kim's Data on Consumer Purchase Drivers
5. Sustainability Signals and Packaging Guilt
6. Tastemaker vs. Mass Consumer Differences
7. How Highlight's Platform Works
8. Plezi's Product Testing and Formulation Challenges
9. Advice for Founders on Messaging and Testing

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Packaging design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/packaging-design)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Plezi (product)
- Highlight (tool)
- Acre Ventures (company)
- Erewhon (company)
- Coke Zero (product)
- Poppi (product)
- Olipop (product)
- Celsius (product)
- Mars Chocolate (company)
- Nestle (company)
- Pepsi (company)
- png (company)
- Momofuku (company)
- Sol de Janeiro (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [12 - Season 1 wrap up](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2019-12-17-12-season-1-wrap-up) (People of Packaging)
- [252 - Brandi Parker discusses her journey in sustainability and entrepreneurship](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2024-04-01-252-brandi-parker-discusses-her-journey-in-sustainability-and-entrepreneurship) (People of Packaging)
- [69 - Sara Miltenberger - Making Climate Cool](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-08-12-69-sara-miltenberger-making-climate-cool) (People of Packaging)
- [194 - The GREAT Paul Jenkins from PackHub](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-05-21-194-the-great-paul-jenkins-from-packhub) (People of Packaging)
- [Advice Line with Jeffrey Hollender of Seventh Generation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-05-28-advice-line-with-jeffrey-hollender-of-seventh-generation) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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