Hardware Podcasts

#236 - Expo West Tips for New Exhibitors

The Startup CPG Podcast · 17 Feb 2026 · 24m · Episode 260

What this episode covers

Daniel Scharff, Founder & CEO of Startup CPG, provides a tactical playbook for early-stage CPG brands exhibiting at Expo West, emphasizing that product quality and temperature are the primary drivers of buyer engagement. He advises founders to build targeted buyer lists, use scrappy pre-show outreach to create FOMO, and design cost-effective booths where the product itself serves as the main visual element. Scharff highlights specific operational details, such as using collapsible coolers for cold beverages, leveraging volunteers to conserve founder energy, and executing a strategic, non-pushy follow-up cadence to avoid 'stripping the screw' with retail buyers.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Startup CPG, Kroger, Whole Foods
Also
Expo West, Expo East, Kahi Trend Finder Awards, Amazon, LinkedIn, Eventbrite

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