Retail, wholesale & distribution
Building the business
676 episodes across 27 shows cover retail, wholesale & distribution. The shows that cover it most are The Startup CPG Podcast, How I Built This and Product Startup. The most recent, from 13 Oct 2026, is “#270 Insights from 34,000 in-store demos with Grassroots Marketing” from The Startup CPG Podcast.
Getting into stores and channels: retailers, wholesale, distributors, trade shows, big-box and channel economics.
676 episodes from 27 shows, most relevant and most recent first.
676 episodes
#270 Insights from 34,000 in-store demos with Grassroots Marketing
David Heiser, Co-Founder of Grassroots Marketing, explains how his company analyzed 34,000 in-store demos across Whole Foods, Sprouts, Central Market, and Erewhon to create a data-driven report for CPG brands. Heiser details key findings…
#269 Retailer Spotlight: Mariano's, with Amanda Puck
Amanda Puck, Vice President of Communications and Brand Development for Roundy's (parent company of Mariano's and Metro Market), explains how the Midwest-focused grocery chain sources and supports local vendors. She details the 'What's…
#264 How Foundation Foods Became One of SoCal's Most Trusted Grocery Distributors
Louis D'Angelo, founder of Foundation Foods, explains how a rattlesnake bite and a previous distributor's bankruptcy led him to take a $25,000 loan and launch the Southern California-based natural products distributor in 2018. He details…
Building Stronger Relationships With Your Manufacturing Reps w/ Chris Atwell
Chris Atwell, founder of Mindset Conquest, explains why manufacturers often mistakenly evaluate their independent rep agencies based on activity metrics like call volume rather than revenue-generating pipeline. He argues that tracking…
e.l.f. Cosmetics: Joey Shamah. The Dollar Store Formula That Built a Cosmetics Giant
Joey Shamah, co-founder of e.l.f. Cosmetics, explains how he and partner Scott Vincent Borba launched a $1 makeup brand in 2004 by cutting out celebrity endorsements and premium packaging to focus on product quality and low-cost…
T-25-006 : Yohan Jacob - Consumer Electronics Buyer to Retail Channel Product Launcher
Yohan Jacob, founder of Retail Bound, shares insights from his 32-year career as a consumer electronics buyer and consultant, helping brands launch into major retailers like Best Buy, Costco, and Target. He discusses the critical…
Advice Line with Susan Griffin-Black of EO Products
Susan Griffin-Black, co-founder of EO Products, joins host Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders on scaling their physical product businesses. She helps Dr. Ruchi Gupta of Yobi navigate distribution channels for her probiotic…
Advice Line: New Offerings, Bigger Markets
Guy Raz is joined by Che Wong, founder of Boxed, to help Christina Latroverse of Seagrass Pottery decide how to scale her local pottery studio and wholesale business nationally. Next, Hernan Lopez, founder of Wondery, advises Jim Kursley…
163: The Evolving Role of Industrial Distribution in a Manufacturing Ecosystem with E&H Electric Supply's Nate Bucklew
Nate Bucklew, district manager at E&H Electric Supply (a division of CED), explains how industrial distribution has evolved from simple box-shipping to providing critical service, inventory management, and digital transformation support…
204: Build a List of Wholesale Buyers for Your New Invention
Collin Mitchell, Managing Partner at Leadium, explains how hardware startups can build and manage a list of wholesale buyers to scale sales. He emphasizes defining an Ideal Customer Profile, using databases like ZoomInfo and Apollo to find…
#256 - What Is Grocery Run? with Dan Choi (NA Beverage Co) and Stephanie McGregor (Ringa)
Dan Choi, founder of NA Beverage Company, and Stephanie McGregor, founder of Ringa, discuss their extensive experience attending Startup CPG Grocery Run events to secure retail distribution. They explain how these regional and…
#253 - Private Label Arrangements: What CPG Brands Should Know Before Signing the Deal | Hillary Hughes, Foster Garvey
Hillary Hughes, who leads the Consumer Brands Industry Group at Foster Garvey, explains the legal and operational complexities of private label arrangements for CPG brands. She details how to structure contracts to manage risks like margin…
Opportunity Knocks: Get Direct Access to Top Retailers
Daniel Scharff and Caitlin Bricker, a former retail buyer at Startup CPG, announce the launch of Opportunity Knocks, a new platform designed to give emerging CPG brands direct access to retailers like Raley's, The Fresh Market, Hungryroot…
AMA: Fuel cells, geopolitics, and the solar growth curve
Shayle Kann, host of Catalyst and investor at Energy Impact Partners, discusses the surprising bipartisan backlash to data center growth, noting that local community opposition has moved faster than expected. He highlights Bloom Energy's…
Advice Line with Daymond John of FUBU
Guy Raz is joined by Daymond John, founder of the streetwear brand FUBU and a judge on Shark Tank, to answer calls from early-stage founders. Cristopher Navarro of Sabor a Mexico seeks advice on expanding his salsa brand from farmers…
IMTS After Hours: Your Unofficial Guide to IMTS 2026 featuring Jim Mayer and Emily Wilkins
Chris Luecke hosts IMTS After Hours with Emily Wilkins of Marketing Metal and Jim Mayer of the Manufacturing Connector to discuss the unofficial social scene of IMTS 2026 in Chicago. The guests share favorite memories from past events…
Insomnia Cookies: Seth Berkowitz
Seth Berkowitz, co-founder and CEO of Insomnia Cookies, recounts the 21-year journey of building a $350 million late-night cookie delivery business. He details early pivots, including a failed partnership with the frozen yogurt brand Tasty…
183: Getting a New Hardware Product into Retail Stores
Yohan Jacob, founder of RetailBound, explains how emerging hardware brands can leverage retail stores for legitimacy and volume, drawing on his 30 years of experience as a buyer for Sears and OfficeMax. He argues that retail is not dead…
EP 140: NVIDIA's $300B chart, CAPEX to the MOON FOREVER!
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the semiconductor industry's massive capital expenditure surge, focusing on NVIDIA's projected $300B revenue and the strategic shift of hyperscalers like Amazon and Google toward custom silicon…
Briogeo Hair Care: Nancy Twine (2020)
Nancy Twine, founder of Briogeo, explains how a personal tragedy and her mother's legacy inspired her to launch a natural hair care brand after leaving a career at Goldman Sachs. She details the struggle to find a contract manufacturer…
#244 - Live Pitch Practice & Feedback
Host Daniel Scharff and former retail buyer Caitlin Bricker provide live feedback to eleven CPG founders pitching at Expo West, including Divya Kumar of AyurSome Wellness, Spencer McManus of Kaviva, and Kristoffer Quiaoit of Good Journey…
#241 - Breaking Into Misfits Market: What the Buying Team Actually Wants
Steve Edelman, Jessie Kimsey, and Emma Dineen of Misfits Market explain how the platform has evolved from a rescue-produce site to a curated grocery destination with ~1,100 SKUs. They detail three pathways for brands to enter…
#236 - Expo West Tips for New Exhibitors
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…
EP 164: ARM, ARM Earning, Agentic CPU Inflections, A World of Constraints
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the semiconductor industry's 'agentic CPU' surge, driven by the need to execute AI-generated code, which is causing massive demand for high-core-count CPUs from ARM and AMD. They analyze the 'ultimate…
Advice Line with Mark Ramadan of Sir Kensington's (June 2024)
Sir Kensington's co-founder Mark Ramadan joins Guy Raz to advise three founders: Pat of Dripsy LLC, who struggles to enter retail with a single innovative sink strainer; Lucas Mantecum, owner of Taco Shop, who faces competition from…
296 - From Wall Street to Food Street: Sid Banthiya's Transformative Journey into Consumer Brands
Sid Banthiya, an advisor and investor with executive experience at Blue Apron and Milk Bar, discusses how packaging intersects with finance, operations, and marketing in consumer brands. He explains that while direct-to-consumer channels…
#453: Sustainable Material Selection in MedTech with Lucas Pianegonda
Lucas Pianegonda, founder of Gradical, explains that MedTech sustainability is driven by investor pressure, hospital customer demand, competitive FOMO, and EU regulations like the Green Deal. He details how materials and use-phase account…
Advice Line with Jeff and Curran Dandurand of Jack Black Skin Care
Jack Black Skincare co-founders Jeff and Curran Dandurand advise early-stage founders on retail strategy, product focus, and community building. They discuss the challenges of entering the crowded men's skincare market, the importance of…
135. Retail Fights Back With Connected Tech 🛍
Hosts Daniel and Forbode discuss how brick-and-mortar retail is using connected technology to compete with e-commerce, citing an article by Lorenzo Amacuchi of Nordic Semiconductor. They explore specific applications such as Walmart's…
The Future of Reprocessed Used Medical Equipment
Scott Carson, founder of US Medical, Inc. and a key architect of the eBay Healthcare Marketplace, discusses the rapid acceleration of the secondary market for used medical devices, driven by the pandemic and recessionary pressures. He…
#234 - Startup CPG's Expo West 2026 Preview
Daniel Scharff and Patricia Menegoto of Startup CPG preview the organization's extensive lineup of events for Expo West 2026 in Anaheim. They detail the Monday Grocery Run with Gelson's 2.0, the Tuesday Kickoff Dinner and Industry Leader…
#223 - Startup CPG Innovation Sections at UNFI Selling Shows ft. Jubilee’s and Loopini Pizza
Ashley Waldman of Jubilee’s and Damiano Messineo of Loopini Pizza discuss their success at the Startup CPG Innovation Sections at UNFI Selling Shows, where they secured major distribution deals. Waldman explains how her strategic focus on…
#222 - Buyer Spotlight: Pastas, Pasta Sauces, Oils, and Vinegars, with Brooke Gil of Whole Foods Market
Brooke Gil, Category Merchant for Pastas, Pasta Sauces, Oils, and Vinegars at Whole Foods Market, discusses current trends and buyer expectations. She highlights the rise of functional vinegars, the 'tallow takeover' driven by beauty…
The Lip Bar (TLB): Melissa Butler (2020)
Melissa Butler, founder of The Lip Bar (now TLB), and her partner Rosco Spears explain how they launched a bold lipstick brand from a kitchen in New York, overcoming a disastrous Shark Tank appearance to secure a partnership with Target…
148: Grow Your Hardware Product Sales Via Trade Shows
Jim Cermak, founder of Trade Show University, explains how hardware startups and small manufacturers can maximize ROI at trade shows by focusing on strategic planning, clear messaging, and active booth engagement. He emphasizes the…
Advice Line with Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali of Chomps
Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali, co-founders of the meat stick brand Chomps, discuss the 'proteinification' of the food industry and how a recent, costly product recall reinforced their commitment to consumer safety. They advise Yari Dariz…
141: Product Sales Process for Hardware Startups
Scott Brogan, founder of Company Expert, explains how hardware startups can build a structured B2B sales process to sell to wholesalers and retailers. He emphasizes starting with clear goals, identifying target companies and key…
Advice Line with Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring (2025)
Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring advise three early-stage founders on scaling physical product businesses. Tannen and Siminoff counsel Melita of Q for Quinn on the trade-offs between bootstrapping and venture…
139: How to Scale Your Physical Product in Retail Stores
Marc Inkol, President of Explorer Research, explains how startups can scale physical products in retail by focusing on a clear, simple selling proposition rather than feature creep. He details how consumers only view 15% of a shelf and…
BONUS: Why you should attend Automate 2022
Alex Shikany, VP of Membership & Business Intelligence at A3 - The Association for Advancing Automation, joins host Chris Luecke and co-host Jake Hall to preview Automate 2022 in Detroit. They discuss the event's scale, featuring over 500…
#215 - Ask-Me-Anything with Sales Pro Matt Merson
Matt Merson, Head of Strategy and Sales at Once Upon a Coconut, shares 35 years of CPG sales expertise with host Daniel Scharff, covering sales compensation, distributor management, and trade show strategies. They discuss negotiating DSD…
#205 - CPG Brokers 101 with Matt Merson
Matt Merson, Head of Strategy and Sales at Once Upon a Coconut, explains how early-stage CPG brands should navigate relationships with sales brokers. He details the differences between national, regional, and specialty brokers, emphasizing…
Startup CPG's Grocery Run with KeHE
Daniel, founder of Startup CPG, announces the upcoming 'Grocery Run' event in Denver on February 3rd, 2026, held the night before the KeHE Summer Show. The event connects 70 pre-launch brands with regional grocery buyers and the KeHE team…
Where it comes up0:09
Advice Line with Danny Meyer of Shake Shack
Danny Meyer, founder of Union Square Hospitality Group and Shake Shack, joins Guy Raz to advise early-stage founders on scaling physical product businesses. He helps Janelle Bass of Pony Boy Slings design a brand persona for canned…
123: Selling A Hardware Product on B2B Platforms
Gil Bar-Lev, founder of the B2B marketplace HomeRoots, explains how hardware startups can scale by leveraging online business-to-business platforms to reach furniture stores and distributors. He emphasizes that success requires passion…
Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024)
Lara Merriken, founder of LÄRABAR and co-founder of Anther, joins Guy Roz to advise three early-stage founders on scaling, retail strategy, and fundraising. She guides Alison Rep of Joy Breeders on maintaining brand authenticity while…
111: Selling & Growing Your Product at Retail Stores
Yohan Jacob, founder of RetailBound, explains how emerging hardware brands can scale sales after securing retail placement with major chains like Walmart, Best Buy, and Costco. He outlines three critical KPIs for buyers—top-line revenue…
Advice Line with Kip Tindell of The Container Store
Guy Raz is joined by Kip Tindell, co-founder of The Container Store, to answer calls from early-stage hardware founders. Juliette Bruce of CoolaWand asks how to build awareness for her reusable cooling wand without ad spend; David Hyam of…
Early Stage Territory Planning for Medical Device Companies
Skylar Talley and Mark Mescher of MedScout discuss early-stage territory planning for medical device companies, arguing that sales teams should move beyond static Excel spreadsheets and Salesforce to use revenue intelligence platforms that…
Fixing the Manufacturer-Distributor Relationship w/ Tom Paul
Tom Paul, Founder & CEO of BAM! (developed by Pop Art Inc.), discusses the fractured relationship between manufacturers and their independent dealer/distributor networks. He argues that manufacturers must view distributors as strategic…