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The Startup CPG Podcast

The Startup CPG Podcast

De: Startup CPG
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The top CPG podcast in the world, highlighting stories from founders, buyer spotlights, highly practical industry insights - all to give you a better chance at success.Startup CPG Economía Gestión y Liderazgo Liderazgo
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  • #244 - Live Pitch Practice & Feedback

    #244 - Live Pitch Practice & Feedback
    Apr 14 2026


    In this special episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff and Managing Editor Caitlin Bricker — a former retail buyer — run a live pitch practice session recorded on YouTube Live, where founders jumped up to deliver their 30-second pitch and got direct, actionable feedback in real time. The result is one of the most broadly useful episodes we've ever put out: whether you pitched or just watched, the feedback applies to you.


    Eleven brands across food, beverage, supplements, and pet stepped up: an Ayurvedic wellness tea, a kava seltzer, a low-carb donut and cookie brand, an umami seasoning, a women's hormonal health supplement powder, a pet training treat in a portable tube, a dessert butter, and a salon-quality cuticle oil line. Every pitch got something different — and every piece of feedback is worth hearing.


    Together, Daniel and Caitlin break down the mechanics of a strong pitch: why your energy matters more than your talking points, how to proactively answer the buyer's unspoken questions, why uptalk will quietly kill your credibility, and what it means to actually lead with your product.


    Listen in as they cover:

    • Why energy and confidence beat a perfectly memorized script every time
    • The single question every buyer is thinking but won't always ask: will this actually sell?
    • Camera setup, lighting, and the small technical details that make a big impression on Zoom pitches
    • Why "first ever" is a phrase to avoid — and what to say instead
    • How to use proof points, velocity data, and repeat purchase rates to earn trust fast
    • What adaptogenic actually means — and why you need to know before you say it
    • When your founding story helps you and when it costs you valuable pitch time
    • Why D2C traction and social following should come up earlier than most founders think


    Brands featured:

    Ayursome Wellness, Kaviva, Good Journey, Zenbroth, Bagelverse, Ramen Bae, Cali Nutrition, Doggo Sessions, Oh My! Dessert Butter, Theniya, Tiara Natural Deodorant



    Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.


    Show Links:

    • Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
    • Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
    • Follow @startupcpg
    • Visit host Daniel's Linkedin
    • Visit host Caitlin's Linkedin
    • Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
    • Episode music by Super Fantastics



    If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,
    Head to     www.cognizin.com to learn more.
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    52 m
  • R&D Radio: Travis Zissu from Scale Food Lab

    R&D Radio: Travis Zissu from Scale Food Lab
    Apr 13 2026

    In this episode of R&D Radio, hosted by Adam Yee, Adam sits down with Travis Zissu, founder of Scale Food Labs — an FDA-registered pilot food manufacturing facility in Golden, Colorado helping emerging brands turn benchtop formulas into scalable, production-ready products. With over a decade of food industry experience spanning culinary school at the CIA, GNT Natural Colors, and Chew Innovation, Travis has made it his mission to democratize the product development knowledge he's accumulated and make scalability a first principle, not an afterthought.


    Travis walks through his end-to-end process — from ingredient sourcing and prototype development to consumer testing, pilot runs, and full production — and explains why discovering problems before you hit a manufacturer is worth far more than any single formula tweak. He also shares why 90% acceptance is the real launch threshold, and what founders get dangerously wrong when they fall in love with their home kitchen recipe.


    He also dives into two standout client stories: a founder who came to Expo West with four vague ideas and left with a launched, distributor-ready hot-filled acidified product — and a farmer's market entrepreneur who went from buying spice jars at Whole Foods to opening a $12 million facility.


    Listen in as they discuss:

    • Why sourcing from scalable suppliers must happen before you ever touch the bench
    • The danger of switching ingredient suppliers at scale — and the real cost of finding out too late
    • Why you'll never launch exactly what you made at home, and why that's okay
    • How Scale Food Labs stress tests pilots: turning up heat, skipping stirs, and pouring off at multiple intervals
    • Protein trends: the rise of animal-based protein, BLG (beta-lactoglobulin) whey, and a supply chain already running dry through 2027
    • Fiber as a parallel trend — and why GI distress is the thing that kills fiber-forward products
    • Cell-based meats: what it's actually like to taste cultured chicken, and why Travis is rooting hard for the category


    Episode Links:
    Travis Zissu – Founder, Scale Food Labs
    🌐 Website: www.scalefoodlabs.com
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zissu

    Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

    Show Links:


    • Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
    • Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
    • Follow @startupcpg
    • Visit host Adam's Linkedin
    • Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
    • Episode music by Super Fantastics


    If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,
    Head to     www.cognizin.com to learn more.
    Más Menos
    31 m
  • Investor Spotlight: Elly Truesdell, New Fare Partners

    Investor Spotlight: Elly Truesdell, New Fare Partners
    Apr 11 2026
    In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Elly Truesdell, founder and Managing Partner at New Fare Partners — a seed and Series A venture fund investing exclusively in food and beverage across the value chain. Elly brings one of the most distinctive full-stack perspectives in consumer investing: she spent nearly a decade at Whole Foods leading local brands and product innovation across the Northeast region and then globally, ran a co-manufacturing facility for 18 months, and co-founded Made by Nacho — a premium cat food brand launched with Bobby Flay that recently closed a successful acquisition. That rare combination of retail buying, operating, and founding experience is the backbone of what New Fare brings to its portfolio.New Fare Fund 1 is a $20M vehicle (plus a couple of SPVs, bringing total AUM to around $25M), and the fund writes first checks of $500K to $1M at seed and Series A, with the intention of getting to know founders for months — and often years — before investing.Hannah and Elly dig into what the Venn diagram between retail buying diligence and investor diligence actually looks like, how founders should adjust their pitch when moving from buyer conversations to investor conversations, and what the right team structure looks like when gearing up for a fundraise. They also tackle the question straight from the Startup CPG Slack community: what matters more — sales growth or profitability?Listen in as they cover:Elly's path from Whole Foods local brands and innovation to co-manufacturing to co-founding Made by Nacho with Bobby Flay to launching New Fare PartnersNew Fare's fund structure, check size, stage focus, and investment thesis around the modern eater and premiumizationThe Venn diagram between retail buyer diligence and investor diligence — where they overlap and where they divergeHow founders should adjust their pitch when moving from buyer conversations to investor conversationsThe power dynamic difference: why your investor relationship should not look like your retailer relationshipWhat Elly looks for in founders — motivation, conviction, and why she wants to see a little pushback in term sheet negotiationsPortfolio spotlights: Lucille (senior nutrition), NARA Organics (infant formula), and Bachan's (Japanese BBQ sauce)Team structure advice: two paths to building — formidable infrastructure from day one vs. lean and fractional with finance as the non-negotiable first hireThe Slack community case study question answered: sales growth vs. profitability — and why it's life stage dependentWhy the overcorrection toward profitability has not lowered growth expectations — the bar is just higher nowConsumer behavior and macro trends driving New Fare's thesis: premiumization, time collapse, and the shift in how people receive foodWhether you're a founder preparing for your first fundraise, an operator navigating the retail-to-investor pivot, or someone building in food and bev who wants to understand how the smartest investors in the room are actually thinking — this episode is a must listen.Episode Links: New Fare Partners: https://www.newfarepartners.comElly Truesdell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elly-truesdell-5106b65b/ New Fare Partners on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-fare/ Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.Show Links:Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Hannah's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.
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    40 m
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Just started listening to this podcast and I’m finding it incredibly helpful as I build my startup cpg company.

It’s both terrifying and thrilling but your show has made me feel more confident that it is do-able!

Highly recommend if you are in the cpg industry.

Loads of wisdom and actionable tips

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