Startup To Scale

Hosted by Foodbevy

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Episodes

279

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Startup To Scale is your resource for growing your food, beverage, and CPG company from a young company to a successful business.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 28, 2026Episode 28222 min

282. How GOOD GOOD is Building a Global No-Sugar Brand in a Category Dominated by Giants

In this episode, I sit down with Gardar Stefansson , Founder and CEO of GOOD GOOD , to talk about how he grew an Icelandic startup into a global no-sugar brand now sold at retailers like Whole Foods, Sprouts, Kroger, and H-E-B. We talk about finding product-market fit, competing with legacy brands through taste and better ingredients, the realities of scaling in U.S. retail, and how GOOD GOOD is using AI to make smarter decisions. Gardar also shares practical advice for CPG founders on testing small, learning fast, and building a product people genuinely love. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

August 24, 2026Episode 28122 min

281. Creator Marketing That Actually Scales: Building Programs That Drive Long-Term Growth

Most creator marketing campaigns fail because they’re treated like isolated marketing tactics instead of long-term growth strategies. Austin Clare has spent the past 15 years helping brands build creator programs that consistently generate content, drive awareness, and support retail growth. As founder of Shepard Strategies and now leading creator strategy at Endlss , he’s worked with brands across every stage of growth to develop systems that deliver results beyond a single campaign. In this episode, Austin shares how brands should think about creator partnerships, measuring ROI, building scalable programs, and avoiding the expensive mistakes that many companies continue to make. Whether you’re just getting started with influencers or looking to improve an existing creator program, this episode is packed with practical advice for CPG founders and marketers. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

August 17, 2026Episode 28020 min

280. Packaging That Sells: Redesigning Your Brand for the Retail Shelf

Packaging is one of the most important sales tools a CPG brand has. But the packaging that gets you started isn’t always the packaging that will help you scale. In this episode, I’m joined by Eve Ackerley, Co-Founder and CEO of Evie’s Snacks, and Taja Dockendorf, Founder of Pulp & Wire , the design agency behind Evie’s packaging redesign. We explore the evolution of Evie’s packaging, including moments when the original design created confusion about the product, and what ultimately led Eve to rethink how the brand showed up on shelf. From there, Taja shares how Pulp & Wire approaches packaging strategy, product communication, visual hierarchy, and shelf presence. We’ll unpack how founders can recognize when their packaging isn’t working, what actually matters in a redesign, and how to create packaging that stays true to the brand while helping it grow at retail. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

August 10, 2026Episode 27922 min

279. How to Turn In-Store Demos Into Retail Sales

Getting your product on the shelf is only the first step. The real challenge is getting shoppers to notice it, try it, and buy it. In this episode, I sit down with Matthew Kubick of Local Demo Service to break down how CPG brands can use in-store demos to drive sales, learn from customers, and build stronger retail velocity. We talk about Matthew’s simple four-step framework for turning samples into purchases, why founders should do their own demos early on, and how your strategy should change across retailers like Sprouts and Costco. If you’re trying to improve sell-through, make the most of your retail launch, or turn sampling into actual sales, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can use. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

August 3, 2026Episode 27820 min

278. Building Good Journey and the Mindset to Do It Again

What does it look like to build a CPG brand when you’ve already seen both success and failure? Kristoffer Quiaoit, founder of Good Journey Foods , shares how he’s approaching this company with a new mindset grounded in self-awareness, mental health, and long-term sustainability. We start with how Good Journey is being built today, from decision making to daily practices, and why staying even keel has become a core part of his leadership style. Then we go back to Nui Foods, the company that came before, and unpack what happened, what he learned, and how that experience forced him to confront parts of himself that ultimately made him a better founder. We also get into the role of nutrition, parenting, and personal development, and why building a business often becomes the catalyst for deeper personal growth. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

July 27, 2026Episode 27719 min

277. From Locker Room to National Retail: How Coco5 Scaled an Athlete-Owned Hydration Brand

Coco5 started with a simple mission: create a better hydration drink for athletes. What began inside the Chicago Blackhawks organization has evolved into a fast-growing, athlete-owned brand distributed across the country. In this episode, Marc Doggett , CEO of Coco5 , shares the realities of scaling a beverage brand today, from retail strategy and channel expansion to innovation decisions and leadership hiring. We explore why Coco5 is investing beyond grocery, what they learned from Costco roadshows, how they think about product innovation, and the systems required to build a lasting brand in a crowded hydration category. If you're building a beverage brand, navigating retail growth, or thinking about your next stage of scale, this episode is packed with actionable lessons. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

July 20, 2026Episode 27620 min

276. Why AI Alone Can’t Fix Your CPG Deductions

Distributor deductions can quietly drain a CPG brand’s margins, especially when there is no clear process for planning, reviewing, and disputing them. In this episode, I sit down with Yuval Selik, co-founder and CEO of Promomash , to explore how AI is changing deduction and trade spend management. We discuss where AI can save time, why clean data and proactive planning still matter, and why experienced people must remain involved in every decision. Yuval also shares why relying entirely on AI could lead to inaccurate accruals, incorrect promotional matching, unnecessary disputes, and damaged distributor relationships. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

July 15, 2026Episode 27522 min

275. Why Great Products Get Ignored: How CPG Brands Can Earn Attention and Drive Sales

Creating a great product is only the beginning. The real challenge is getting people to notice it, remember it, and ultimately buy it. In this conversation, I sit down with Duncan Alney , founder of Firebelly Marketing , to explore what it takes to grow a CPG brand in today’s crowded and fast-moving market. We discuss why founder-led storytelling matters, how brands can turn one core story into consistent content, and why consumers need to see your message multiple times before they take action. Duncan also shares lessons from launching his own tea brand, Brown Warrior , and explains why smaller brands can use speed, creativity, and authenticity to compete with much larger companies. Listen in to learn how to build awareness, create familiarity, support sales, and develop content that connects with real people, not just algorithms. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

July 13, 2026Episode 27423 min

274. Can AI Create Packaging That Actually Sells?

AI is rapidly changing the packaging design world, but most founders are still trying to figure out where it actually creates value. In this episode, I sit down with Michael Keplinger from SmashBrand to break down how AI is being used in packaging design today, where it helps accelerate creative workflows, and where human strategy and expertise still matter most. We discuss: The biggest misconceptions founders have about AI-generated packaging What AI is genuinely good at in the design process Why strategy and consumer psychology still can’t be automated How founders can use AI to communicate ideas more clearly to agencies The risks of relying too heavily on AI-generated concepts How agencies are adapting their workflows internally What packaging design could look like over the next 3–5 years Whether you’re designing your first package or managing a growing retail brand, this episode offers a practical look at how to use AI as a tool instead of a shortcut. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

July 6, 2026Episode 27321 min

273. How I Get Grocery Buyers to Actually Respond

Getting in front of retail buyers can feel impossible, but it does not have to be a guessing game. In this episode, I sit down with James Pippin of Good Now Foods and Harvest Hub to talk about what actually gets a buyer’s attention, how to send better pitches, when to follow up, and how brands can use the right data to improve their chances of getting on shelf. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.