Should You Apply for Startup CPG's Founders & Funders?

The Startup CPG Podcast · 23 Sept 2026 · 20m · Episode 376

What this episode covers

Daniel Scharff, host of The Startup CPG Podcast, explains the value and mechanics of the upcoming 'Founders & Funders' event on December 10th in New York City. He details how the application-based summit connects early-stage CPG brands with top venture capital firms and retailers like Walmart and 7-Eleven Ventures to streamline the fundraising process. Scharff advises founders to apply early, emphasizing that the goal is building long-term relationships with investors rather than closing deals on the spot.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Startup CPG, Walmart, 7-Eleven Ventures, Albertsons Growth Accelerator, Sprouts, Thrive Market, Leisure Hydration, Melitas, Midnight Venture Partners, Amberstone, ASTO Consumer Partners, Barrel Ventures, BFG Partners, Bluestein Ventures, Brand Project, Kavu Consumer Partners, Sarity Partners, Coefficient Capital, Cult Capital
Products
Founders & Funders

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • People of Packaging · 32m

    290 - Taylor Foxman is the master connector for CPG's!

    Taylor Foxman, founder of The Industry Collective, explains her unique business model of connecting 80 beverage and cannabis CEOs with investors, media, and partners without traditional marketing or a public-facing persona. She details her background in PR for brands like Jameson and Beyond Meat, and how she leverages this network to help underrepresented founders navigate fundraising and brand visibility. Foxman emphasizes the importance of creating 'good news' through consistent press releases and maintaining levity to support founders through the high-pressure CPG landscape.

  • How I Built This · 40m

    Advice Line with Eric Ryan of Method returns

    Eric Ryan, co-founder of Method and now a venture investor at Graycroft, joins Guy Raz to advise early-stage founders on branding, product differentiation, and fundraising. He discusses his new $15 million consumer fund and the current challenges of investing in CPG, noting that while starting is easier, scaling to $100M+ is harder. Ryan advises callers on building trust for an allergen-free fragrance brand, creating experiential marketing for customizable kids' flip-flops, and determining when to raise capital for a light-up jewelry startup.

  • How I Built This · 48m

    Advice Line with Jeni Britton of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (2025)

    Jeni Britton, founder of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams and her new fiber company Flora, advises three early-stage CPG founders on marketing, fundraising, and PR. Jesse Koenig of Jesse and Ben's discusses marketing frozen fries made with tallow and avocado oil, Casey White of Jaju Pierogi weighs the pros and cons of outside capital for scaling to big-box retailers, and Callie Sayher of ube.co seeks advice on hiring a PR firm for her purple sweet potato pet treats.

  • How I Built This · 51m

    Advice Line with Andrew Abraham of Orgain

    Orgain founder and CEO Andrew Abraham joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders on product positioning and growth. Bryn Snyder of Slate Electric Flosser discusses her $79.99 electric flosser and strategies for simplifying complex oral health benefits for consumers. Turner Lewis of 4 Craft Cocktails, a radiologist launching golf-inspired canned cocktails, seeks advice on scaling distribution and finding value-add investors. Catherine Smart of Not Just Co, a pasta sauce brand in 240 Target stores, asks how to secure seed funding despite investor skepticism about her $1 million sales run rate.

  • How I Built This · 48m

    Advice Line with Brett Schulman of CAVA

    CAVA co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders on scaling challenges. Devin Strahan of Spike Root Beer discusses overcoming imposter syndrome and managing rapid growth with limited bandwidth. Sophia Bowden of Little Me Allergy explores expanding sales channels for her allergy accessories through retail partnerships. Sean Murray of Rootless Coffee Company weighs the decision to seek outside investment to fund a national coffee shop expansion.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Startup CPG Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.