# Founder Feature: Liv Truesdell of FROST Buttercream

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-12-12
- Length: 28m
- Episode: 233
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-12-12-founder-feature-liv-truesdell-of-frost-buttercream
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/4037dff6

## Summary

Liv Truesdell, founder of FROST Buttercream, and her mother, co-founder, explain their transition from investment banking to creating a meringue-based buttercream with 57% less sugar and real ingredients. They discuss the challenges of small-batch manufacturing, the strategic importance of in-store demos to educate consumers, and their retail expansion into New York City retailers like Fairway Market and Butterfield Market. The episode highlights their iterative packaging design process, collaborations with brands like Bite and Brownie, and the operational discipline required to scale production for food service while maintaining quality.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Liv Truesdell and FROST Buttercream
2. Formulation: Meringue-based buttercream and ingredient transparency
3. Family Dynamics: Co-founding with her mother and brother
4. Packaging Design: Iteration and the Shelfie Award strategy
5. Product Science: Meringue stability vs. American buttercream
6. Scaling Production: Small-batch constraints and food service plans
7. Consumer Education: In-store demos and trade show feedback
8. Retail Strategy: Local expansion and retailer partnerships
9. Advice for Founders: Timeline expectations and community

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Packaging design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/packaging-design)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- FROST Buttercream (product)
- Fairway Market (company)
- Butterfield Market (company)
- Pop Up Grocer (company)
- Glist Markets (company)
- Bite and Brownie (company)
- Cornell (company)
- SFA (company)
- Janovic (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [Live From The HIBT Summit: Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-27-live-from-the-hibt-summit-jeni-britton-bauer-of-jenis-splendid-ice-creams) (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)
- [SmartSweets: Tara Bosch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-08-05-smartsweets-tara-bosch) (How I Built This)
- [Halo Top Ice Cream: Justin Woolverton](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-04-17-halo-top-ice-cream-justin-woolverton) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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