Food Chained

In this episode of Food Chained, Vasa interviews Fred Hart, founder of Hart Brands, discussing his journey from growing up in Hawaii to becoming a prominent figure in branding and design within the consumer goods industry. Fred shares insights from his agency experience, the importance of trade shows, and the evolving landscape of design trends. The conversation also touches on the significance of nostalgia in branding and the challenges faced by legacy brands. Fred offers valuable insights on agency selection and the crucial role of packaging in consumer engagement.TAKEAWAYS:Fred Hart emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes in a supportive environment.The design journey often starts from personal passions, such as sports and sneakers.Agency experience can accelerate learning and growth in the branding field.Independent consulting allows for flexibility and creativity in project work.Trade shows are vital for understanding industry trends and consumer behavior.Design trends are shifting towards more original and restrained aesthetics.Nostalgia plays a significant role in branding, but it must be balanced with modernity.Brands need to differentiate themselves in a crowded market to stand out.The importance of cohesive branding across all consumer touchpoints is critical.Legacy brands have opportunities for reinvention through strategic design.CONNECT WITH US:Connect with Vasa on LinkedInConnect with Fred on LinkedInPerfy's websiteCPGSPN by Growthbuster, a CPG newsletter with a sports themeCheck out Hart BrandsSPONSOR:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage brands grow. Check out Growthbuster's newsletter, CPGSPN here. 

In this episode of Food Chained, Vasa interviews Nicky Seaman, founder of Freestyle Snacks, discussing her journey in the food industry, the creation of her innovative snack products, and the challenges and successes she faced during the pandemic. Nicky shares insights on retail strategies, the importance of packaging, and her latest product launch of pickle chips. The conversation also explores personal growth, the importance of following through on commitments, and the future of food trends. NOTE: The audio is a bit spotty, but Nikki drops some amazing information. WHAT WE GO OVER:The idea behind Freestyle Snacks Scrappy, winning retail strategiesHow Nicky's experience at Whisps helped her launch her own brandWhat drove the recent launch of pickle chips?The importance of packaging in attracting new consumersHow to leverage exclusivity with retailersNicky's superpowerGrowing trend of pickles in the food industry.Growth during the holidaysCONNECT WITH US:Connect with Vasa on LinkedInConnect with Nikki on LinkedInPerfy's websiteCPGSPN by Growthbuster, a CPG newsletter with a sports themeCheck out Freestyle SnacksSPONSOR:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage brands grow. Check out Growthbuster's newsletter, CPGSPN here. 

Willy is the Founder at Krack'd Snacks. A delicious, sweet snacks company that makes better-for-you Butterfingers and Samoas. WHAT WE GO OVER:When Willy pursues retail opportunitiesPod Foods as a distributorSelf-manufacturing vs. co-manufacturingThe evolution of Krack'd Snacks' brand nameWilly's hopeful next retailerMiscellaneous logistics and ops conversationCONNECT WITH US:Connect with Vasa on LinkedInConnect with Willy on LinkedInPerfy's websiteCPGSPN by Growthbuster, a CPG newsletter with a sports themeCheck out Krack'd Snacks Check out Krack'd Snacks on AmazonSPONSOR:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage brands grow. Check out Growthbuster's newsletter, CPGSPN here. 

Jed is the Founder at Pirawna, Uptickk, and Refund Hawk. Pirawna is a performance agency for Amazon. Uptickk is a performance agency for TikTok. And Refund Hawk claws back erroneous fees from Amazon. WHAT WE GO OVER:Must-read tips for Prime DayAmazon reviewsManaging 3rd-party sellersJed's 3-step checklist for BFCMCONNECT WITH US:Connect with Vasa on LinkedInConnect with Jed on LinkedInPerfy's websiteCPGSPN by Growthbuster, a CPG newsletter with a sports themeCheck out PirawnaCheck out UptickkCheck out Refund HawkSPONSOR:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage brands grow. Check out Growthbuster's newsletter, CPGSPN here. 

Elan and Kiki are the Co-founders at Sourmilk, a modern Greek-style yogurt made for your gut. WHAT WE GO OVER:Co-Founders' origin story at StanfordCease & Desist, Benny -> Sourmilk The bet on yogurt, reverse engineering the product to truly support gut healthThe Sourmilk "Drug Deal Model" - 5k units in 7 weeks! Who the founders look up toThe dairy company they think gets acquired nextCONNECT WITH US:Connect with Vasa on LinkedinConnect with Elan and Kiki on LinkedInPerfy's websiteCPGSPN by Growthbuster, a CPG newsletter with a sports themeCheck out Sourmilk SPONSOR:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage brands grow. Check out Growthbuster's newsletter, CPGSPN here. 

Nate is the Founder at Express Checkout, a newsletter covering all things CPG, one of the most respected voices in CPG, and a friend to all. WHAT WE GO OVER:Newtopia NowSharing booths at tradeshowsNate's favorite brandsSome hot take acquisition predictionsNate's thoughts on Pepsi's new gut health sodasCONNECT WITH US:Connect with Vasa on LinkedInConnect with Nate on LinkedInPerfy's websiteCPGSPN by Growthbuster, a CPG newsletter with a sports themeSubscribe to Express CheckoutSPONSOR:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage brands and local businesses grow. Check out Growthbuster's newsletter, CPGSPN here. 

Wade is the VP of Brand Management and Business Development at Vdriven Consulting. He has had a decorated career in the grocery industry, including stops at Buehler's, Rouses, Jimbo's, and The Fresh Market. WHAT WE GO OVER:Wade's storyA buyer's perspectiveVasa's POV on streamlining review schedules OBJECTIVELYIntegrating loyalty members into category management Innovation setsCONNECT WITH US:Connect with Vasa on LinkedInConnect with Wade on LinkedInPerfy's websiteCPGSPN by Growthbuster, a CPG newsletter with a sports themeGet in touch with Vdriven ConsultingSPONSOR:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage brands grow. Check out Growthbuster's newsletter, CPGSPN here. 

Brian is the Managing Partner at FirstLook Ventures and the founder of FirstLook, a monthly box that connects founders to investors. WHAT WE GO OVER:The state of capitalRecent FirstLook InvestmentsPitch deck advice for founders raisingPredictions on future acquisitionsFirstLook Monthly BoxCONNECT WITH US:Connect with Vasa on LinkedinConnect with Brian on LinkedInPerfy's websiteCPGSPN by Growthbuster, a CPG newsletter with a sports themeGet in touch with FirstLookSPONSOR:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage brands grow. Check out Growthbuster's newsletter, CPGSPN here. 

Eli Weiss is the VP of Retention Advocacy at Yotpo. He previously worked at Jones Road Beauty, Olipop, Simulate, and more. He is the founder of the All Things CX and Retention newsletter on Substack. WHAT WE GO OVER:Eli's beginning, from home life to luggageFavorite marketing campaignsMobygate: The Triple Whale DramaDavid launches CodFounder vs. Founder NegativityCONNECT WITH US:Connect with Vasa on LinkedinConnect with Eli on LinkedInPerfy's websiteCPGSPN by Growthbuster, a CPG newsletter with a sports themeSPONSOR:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage brands grow. Check out Growthbuster's newsletter, CPGSPN here. 

In this episode of Food Chained, Matt Orr, Partner at Amin Talati Wasserman, joins us to discuss a new wave of civil lawsuits against CPG brands.  Things we discuss:What is Matt's background?What started these ADA Lawsuits?Early on = physical Nowadays = digital What happened with these types of lawsuits in California?What recourse do brands have?Proactive vs. Reactive plansWidgetsAre these lawsuits defensible?What is the best proactive approach?Accessibility PolicyAccessibility PlanMonthly or quarterly audits w/ published resultsBonus if you have multiple 3rd party auditsHave a specific worksheet for specific remediation effortsShow Notes:Connect with Bruce on LinkedInConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedInConnect with Matt on LinkedIn Check out Amin Talati WassermanCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokShop Perfy on Amazon PrimeSponsor:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast. A big thank you to our sponsor, Growthbuster. Growthbuster is a team of creatives and strategists that help food & beverage companies grow. Get 20% off your first month of services when you mention FOOD CHAINED here.