#274: Post-Mortem: Lessons from Closing Pastazerts

In this Investor Spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Jake Boyd, a Consumer Investor focused on early-stage CPG brands, to talk about what investors look for in founders and what brands need to show in diligence.Jake has been in CPG for about 16 years. He is a former founder who launched the food brand AllGood Provisions in 2010, grew it over roughly eight years, and exited in 2018. He calls the exit the learning experience of his life. After facing distributors that paid late, supply chain issues, and broker challenges, he moved into investing to bring a founder and operator lens to a space that is often led by financiers.Hannah and Jake dig into his focus on seed to Series A brands, the traction he wants to see, and the lessons he’d apply if he were building again, from investing in DTC first to choosing value-add strategic investors. They also cover the three founder traits he looks for, the consumer trends on his radar, how to be ready for diligence, and a Slack community case study on when investors want to see profitability.Listen in as they discuss:Why most CPG brands fail to reach an exit, and why it’s usually operational complexity rather than productHow an operator-led investor looks at brands differently from a finance-led oneThe traction Jake wants to see at seed to Series A, including about $500K in sales with one channel workingWhy building DTC first can make retail conversations easier and allow for more patient retail expansionWhy founders should look for value-add strategic investors for their cap tableWhy it’s so hard to say “not yet” to a big-name retailer, and why a little patience pays off laterThe three founder traits Jake looks for: curiosity, confidence, and resilienceWhy building an ecosystem of peers, strategic investors, and fractional operators is undervaluedThe trends Jake is watching, including longevity, women’s health, and agentic AIWhat brands need in diligence, from knowing your numbers and your value prop to the learnings from before you raisedWant to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Links:Jake Boyd LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jakeboydDon’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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Hannah’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-dittman-011b844bQuestions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Lily Gean and Jarrod Herscu, co-founders of Caff Off, the world’s first dedicated decaf matcha brand, to talk about turning a late-night caffeine surprise into a brand built around matcha without the caffeine.Lily was a registered nurse working shift work when she swapped coffee for matcha, started drinking far too much of it, and couldn’t sleep. She says she discovered a single cup of matcha has almost as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, and when she couldn’t find a decaf option, she and Jarrod, then a commercial real estate agent who was also drinking too much matcha, decided to build one. They quit their jobs, flew to Japan with backpacks and a translator, and met with over 100 matcha farms before finding partners willing to decaffeinate matcha without chemical solvents.Caitlin, Lily, and Jarrod dig into how the decaffeination process works, why traditional Japanese farms were hesitant, how the team develops new flavors like their rooibos blend, why decaf matcha is incremental rather than cannibalizing for retailers, and why education is the biggest challenge for a brand in a new niche. They also cover who is buying Caff Off, from pregnant and breastfeeding moms to teens and people told by their doctors to cut caffeine, and what comes next.Listen in as they discuss:How a nurse’s caffeine surprise inspired the world’s first dedicated decaf matcha brandWhy Lily and Jarrod quit their jobs and flew to Japan with a translator to find a manufacturing partnerHow Caff Off decaffeinates matcha with hot water and no chemical solvents, then returns nutrients to the leavesWhy decaf is not really a thing in Japan, and what that meant for finding partnersWhy equipment, not ingredients, is the real challenge, with machinery that takes up factoriesHow Lily develops new flavors in her kitchen, including a blend with South African rooibosHow to prepare Caff Off at home, from a whisk to an electric frother or even a forkWhy decaf matcha is incremental for retailers and has earned reorders without taking sales from traditional matchaWho is buying Caff Off, from people cutting back on caffeine to pregnant moms, teens, and families making matcha a weekend ritualHow Caff Off educates shoppers, from blind taste tests on the street to a “Wait, matcha comes decaf?” sign at a coffee expoWant to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Links:Lily Gean LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lily-gean-9b5711358Jarrod Herscu LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jarrod-herscu-colliersretailCaff Off LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/caff-offCaff Off Website: caffoff.comCaff Off Instagram: @caff.offContact Lily directly: [email protected] 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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Caitlin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker/Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this mini episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Kirsten Baumberger, founder of Minisocial, to explain how early-stage CPG brands can work with creators, what makes good content, and how to turn that content into real results, including at retail.Minisocial is a fully managed UGC and micro-influencer platform that partners CPG brands with micro-influencers to get high-quality content that can be used across all of a brand’s marketing channels. Creator posts drive reach and build community, and the platform works primarily with food, beverage, health, wellness, and beauty brands.Daniel and Kirsten cover what UGC and micro-influencers really are, why retailers increasingly care about your social reach, and how emerging brands can start on a small budget by activating their own community. They also share how to brief creators, why scripts backfire, how to use local creators to drive velocity at retail, and what working with Minisocial looks like from brief to licensed content.Listen in as they discuss:What UGC and micro-influencers are in plain language, and why 1K to 10K followers is a sweet spotWhy retailers increasingly care about a brand’s social reach and its ability to bring shoppers into storesHow early-stage brands can start by activating their own customer community on a tight budgetWhy a one-off post does little, and why consistency, like a workout routine, builds momentumWhy the number of touch points needed to convert a shopper has grown, according to Kirsten, into the 20sHow to brief creators by working backward from where the content will live, and when to go lo-fi versus polishedWhy scripts hurt authenticity, and how creator content shows how customers actually describe your productHow to use local creators to drive velocity at retail, including showing shoppers exactly where to find you in the storeWhat the Minisocial experience looks like, from submitting a brief to approving creators and receiving fully licensed assetsHow Bero, Tom Holland’s non-alcoholic beer brand, has used creators in store at TargetAbout Minisocial: Minisocial is a fully managed UGC and micro-influencer platform that partners CPG brands with micro-influencers to get high-quality content you can use across all your marketing channels, while posts from creators drive reach and build community. Startup CPG brands get 15% off their first project: bit.ly/4BlQo8QWant to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Link:Kirsten Baumberger LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kirstenbaumbergerDon’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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Daniel’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danscharffQuestions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Stephanie Berwick, founder of Pastazerts, a frozen chocolate ravioli dessert brand, for a candid post-mortem on what went wrong, what went right, and what she would do differently, while the lessons are still fresh.Stephanie spent about 20 years in corporate finance and technology before building Pastazerts, which grew out of a chocolate ravioli recipe she developed in amateur cooking competitions over a decade ago. She tested it at pop-up markets, invested her savings, raised a small friends and family round in late 2024, and launched into distribution and chain retailers in the Northeast. After a large unpaid receivable and the loss of her manufacturing partner in mid-2025, she wrapped up the business in early 2026.Daniel and Stephanie dig into the two events that led to the closure, what the data showed about which retailers and consumers were the best fit, why independent stores through regional distribution stretched her thin, how optimistic early velocity data skewed her models, and why a food scientist, a co-founder, and a wider view of financing options are now non-negotiables for her. She also shares why she would do it all again.Listen in as they discuss:The two events that led to closing Pastazerts: a large unpaid receivable and a manufacturer that doubled its tollingWhy an innovative, frozen product faces a steep consumer education challenge behind the freezer doorWhat the data showed about where the product worked, including Italian grocers and higher-end consumersWhy early foodservice signals, including Compass Group and Disney interest, pointed to a different pathHow Stephanie got approved at Whole Foods but could not reach shelf without a manufacturerWhy one retailer’s early velocity data made her models too optimistic, and how to stress-test a forecastWhy 250 independent doors really meant about 50 she could support, and what an in-store demo costs for frozenWhy she now sees a food scientist and small-scale production as a non-negotiable for a new productFinancing options she wishes she had known about earlier, including purchase order financing, AR factoring, and CDFIsWhy she says to have a co-founder, go slow, and not ignore your dataStephanie’s blog and writing: Stephanie writes about her experience, including this journey, on her blog at berwickfinancial.com/blog and on Substack as “Stephanie in Progress.” Substack link: stephanieinprogress.substack.com Browse the free Product Developer Database: Startup CPG’s database of freelance and agency product developers is free on startupcpg.com under the Resources page.Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Links:Stephanie Berwick LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-berwickStephanie’s Blog: www.berwickfinancial.com/blogBerwick Financial (advisory practice): www.berwickfinancial.comContact Stephanie directly: [email protected] 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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Daniel’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danscharffQuestions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this episode of R&D RADIO, host and food scientist Adam Yee sits down with Bob Pankey, owner of Castlewood Food Innovation, to talk about what it takes to turn a product concept into something that survives manufacturing, retail, and real consumers.Bob has spent more than 40 years in food, including 14 years helping build Hot Pockets into the powerhouse it became. He has worked on canned chili and stew, corn dogs, waffles, baby food, confections, compound butters, and most recently protein popcorn, and for the past six years he has consulted for emerging and growing CPG brands through Castlewood Food Innovation. Many of his current clients found him through Startup CPG’s Product Developer Database.Adam and Bob dig into why simple formulas scale best, how to coach founders through the hard truths about cost and timing, when it makes sense to skip retail and sell direct, and what separates the product developers clients choose. They also cover protein and fiber trends, the whey supply crunch, the psychology of ingredients like hemp, and Bob’s lessons from Hot Pockets about how consumers really use products.Listen in as they discuss:Why the simplest formula is the one that survives the jump from benchtop to manufacturingHow Bob coaches founders on whether consumers want what they are offering, and why a change in format can matter as much as the recipeWhy Bob tells clients not to expect to make money in the first year or twoWhen to skip retail and start direct to consumer, including a client who got 12 inquiries in the first week of her websiteHow dropping gluten-free guardrails changed a protein and fiber cereal projectWhy speed of response and momentum are a product developer’s best differentiatorsHow batter experience from corn dogs transferred to waffles, and why waffle batter has a short working lifeWhy protein popcorn is booming, and how a tight whey supply is pushing developers toward other proteinsWhy parents happily ate a hemp protein product but hesitated to serve it to their kids, and why retailers said they were not ready for hempWhat Hot Pockets taught Bob: consumers say they want more meat, but choose more cheese when they taste bothBrowse the free Product Developer Database: Startup CPG’s database of hundreds of formulators and product development agencies is free on startupcpg.com under the Resources page.Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Links:Bob Pankey LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bob-pankey-335aa218Castlewood Food Innovation LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/castlewood-food-innovationContact Bob directly: [email protected] 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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Adam’s LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this Founder Fundraising Journey episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Griffin Spolansky, Co-Founder and CEO of Mezcla, the plant-based, puffed, crispy protein bar brand that puts taste and texture first, to walk through how he raised multiple rounds of capital and what he would do differently.Griffin grew up in New York City in a family of entrepreneurs and started bottling and selling his grandmother’s salad dressing at 13. While playing lacrosse at the University of Virginia, he found post-practice protein bars chalky, dry, and boring, and he met his co-founder in an entrepreneurship class, where she was building a granola company inspired by her hometown in Mexico. The two named the brand Mezcla, Spanish for “mixture,” and Griffin began building it as a college student, with no CPG experience.Hannah and Griffin dig into how he raised small tranches tied to specific revenue goals, why angels came first, how he vetted investors for each round, and what finally resonated with investors as the brand grew. They also cover how to handle rejection, why conservative projections protect your cash, how advisors act as people who “look around corners,” and a Slack community case study on the single thing that helped most with fundraising.Listen in as they discuss:How Griffin went from selling his grandmother’s salad dressing at 13 to launching Mezcla as a college studentWhy Mezcla is “taste first and protein second,” and where Griffin sees white space across aislesHow he raised $500K, then $2M, then $4M to $5M, with each round tied to an 18-month revenue goalWhy the first rounds were angels, and why Griffin waited two and a half years before raising ventureWhy raising is a two-way relationship, and how he vetted investors instead of taking any check that came in the doorHow consistently hitting his numbers and sending quarterly updates built trust with investorsWhy Griffin says to nail the product and the positioning, and to look for clear white spaceHow he handled hundreds of no’s, and why messaging matters as much as the number of people you reachWhy conservative projections protect your cash position, and how to train a growing team on your operating modelHow advisors a few steps ahead of you help you look around cornersHiring: Mezcla is hiring a Director of Conventional Sales and a Director of Food Service Sales. Interested candidates can reach out to Griffin on LinkedIn.Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Links:Griffin Spolansky LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/griffinspolanskyMezcla LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/eat-mezclaMezcla Website: www.eatmezcla.comMezcla Instagram: @eatmezclaDon’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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Hannah’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-dittman-011b844bQuestions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Jessica Assaf, founder of All Natural Flavor, a new candy brand built on clean ingredients and a very simple purpose: joy. Jessica is a self-described professional pivoter who previously co-founded the CBD wellness brand Prima.Jessica’s career began at 13, when a newspaper article about rising breast cancer rates sent her door to door as a teenage activist and later helped pass a California law requiring cosmetic makers to disclose carcinogenic ingredients. She went on to work at clean beauty companies, earned her MBA at Harvard Business School, and moved to Los Angeles to build a career in cannabis, where she co-created a show with Snoop Dogg and built a women’s community of around 80,000 followers. She co-founded Prima in 2019, launched it into stores including Sephora, Nordstrom, Erewhon, and Vitamin Shop, and was also featured in Sean Penn’s documentary The Human Experiment.Caitlin and Jessica dig into what went wrong at Prima after COVID and unresolved CBD regulations, a failed merger, and how Jessica found a buyer after 80 conversations. They also cover what business school doesn’t teach founders, what it is like raising money for women’s products, and why she is self-funding All Natural Flavor, a candy brand with no refined sugar, sugar alcohols, artificial colors, or seed oils, built for people who simply love candy.Listen in as they discuss:How a newspaper article about breast cancer rates at age 13 launched Jessica’s career as an activistHow her activism helped pass a California law requiring cosmetic makers to disclose carcinogenic ingredientsWhy she moved from activism to building cleaner products, from clean beauty brands to Harvard Business SchoolHow a Harvard cannabis case study led her to Los Angeles and eventually to PrimaHow Prima launched into Sephora, Nordstrom, Erewhon, and Vitamin Shop right before COVIDWhy CBD marketing, advertising, and payment processing limits stalled growth for PrimaWhat she learned from a failed merger, and how she found a buyer for Prima after 80 conversationsWhy All Natural Flavor is a candy brand for people who love candy, not another functional gummyWhy Jessica is self-funding her new brand, and what she values about staying in controlWhy a small first run and flexible packaging make it easier to pivot based on customer feedbackWant to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Links:Jessica Assaf LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaassafAll Natural Flavor LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/all-natural-flavor/aboutAll Natural Flavor Website: www.allnaturalflavor.comAll Natural Flavor Instagram: @allnaturalflavorPrima Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/prima-co Prima Website: www.prima.coPrima Instagram: @prima 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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Caitlin’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbrickerQuestions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Matt Merson, President of Once Upon A Coconut, for a deep, practical primer on retail pricing: how to set a shelf price, what it means for your wholesale price, and what actually lands in your pocket.Matt has spent about 35 years in food and beverage. He started with 15 years of classic CPG at Dannon Yogurt, Sara Lee, and Coca-Cola, then joined his first startup at Glaceau Vitaminwater and has focused on better-for-you, disruptive emerging brands ever since. Daniel’s first CPG role was global pricing and promotions at Mars Chocolate, and he shares his own research methods alongside Matt’s on-the-ground experience negotiating with retailers and distributors.Daniel and Matt walk through how to do store and online price research, why you should price-slope across every channel you might one day sell in, and how to model your cost of goods at scale. They break down the pocket price waterfall (retailer margin, distributor markup, trade spend, and marketing), how promotions work with distributors like KeHE and UNFI, and how to handle price increases and buyer pushback.Listen in as they discuss:Why Matt says to think broadly across channels and long term, and why price missteps in the first couple of years cause pain in mass and club laterHow to do day-one research with store checks and retailer websites, logging weights, SKUs, price points, and facingsWhat “magic price points” are, and why pack size and common formats matterWhy you should model your costs at 10,000, 100,000, and 1 million units before you launchHow the pocket price waterfall works, from retailer margin and distributor markup to trade spend and marketingWhy Matt says brands will not survive on sub-50% margins, and why you need a clear path to 50%Why retailers and club buyers check your website price first and Amazon secondHow to model higher and lower price scenarios, and how NIQ Byzzer data can show expected promotional liftThe difference between off-invoice and scan-back promotions with KeHE and UNFI, and why an anchor account can protect you from heavy promo commitmentsHow to change prices, from distributor lead times to how buyers reactResources mentioned in this episode:Startup CPG Retail Tracker, with retailer margins, store lists, and estimated distributor markups: bit.ly/4idan1TNIQ’s Byzzer™, with three free reports through Startup CPG’s partnership: bit.ly/4jAHAl9Circana: bit.ly/4yafl5hWant to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Links:Matt Merson LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mersonOnce Upon A Coconut LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/onceuponacoconutOnce Upon A Coconut Website: www.onceuponacoconut.comOnce Upon A Coconut Instagram: @onceuponacoconutDon’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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Daniel’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danscharff/Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this Founder + Funder episode, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Lindsay Leopold, Founder and CEO of Joy Supply, and Brandon Alster, Founder and Managing Partner of Sling Ventures, to unpack how the two met at a Startup CPG Founders & Funders Roadshow event and went on to close an oversubscribed pre-seed round.Lindsay comes from a culinary background that includes pastry at one of Tom Colicchio’s restaurants, the Martha Stewart Kitchen as a recipe tester and food editor, and product development for Martha Stewart, Home Chef, and Sakara. Joy Supply brings back a crisp oat cookie from her great-grandfather’s family bakery, which he opened in Illinois after emigrating from Sweden in 1908. Brandon’s firm, Sling Ventures, invests in active lifestyle, “food is health,” and offline experience businesses, and Joy Supply is its first investment in the cookie aisle.Hannah, Lindsay, and Brandon dig into what made Joy Supply stand out, how a five-minute roadshow meeting turned into months of relationship-building, what Brandon looks for in diligence, and the fundraising lessons both of them would pass on, from embracing rejection to knowing your investor’s thesis. They also tackle a Slack community case study on what to have ready in a data room.Listen in as they discuss:How Lindsay and Brandon met at a Startup CPG Founders & Funders Roadshow, with cookies in handWhy Brandon looks for the right founder and a category that needs innovationWhy Joy Supply leads with “we’re delicious” before “we’re healthy”Why the cookie aisle can feel crowded yet stale, and what that means for new brandsHow Lindsay funded the first year of R&D and packaging before raising her pre-seedHow a five-minute meeting grew into a coffee, a steady stream of updates, and a close in AugustHow early retailer enthusiasm and consistent updates built Brandon’s convictionWhy fundraising is “a match, not a prize,” and why researching investors mattersWhy Brandon says to embrace rejection and build supporters through regular investor updatesWhat to have ready in a data room, from a monthly P&L to retailer pipeline and unit economicsBrands and names mentioned in this episode:Jesse & Ben's SauzRainforest DistributionTate's Bake ShopCentral MarketPalm Tree CrewHiring: Lindsay is looking for a content creator or brand marketer in the New York area to work directly with her on activations and content. Sling Ventures is also always looking to meet talented people in social media, operations, sales, and marketing across its portfolio.Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Links:Lindsay Leopold LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayleopoldJoy Supply LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/joy-supplyJoy Supply Website: www.joysupply.comJoy Supply Instagram: @getjoysupplyBrandon Alster LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brandonalsterSling Ventures LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/slingvcSling Ventures Website: www.slingvc.comContact Brandon directly: [email protected] 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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Hannah’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-dittman-011b844bQuestions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Isabella Hoag, founder and CEO of OSIA, a caffeine-free energy drink made with real fruit, no natural flavors, and a functional blend of ingredients, to talk about building a brand through feedback, bold pivots, and heart.Isabella came from the design world and fell into beverages after a health journey in 2022 sent her reading labels and searching for products without fillers or natural flavors. She started making drinks in her kitchen, then launched OSIA before manufacturing, selling at around 500 pop-up events in eight months and reinvesting what she made after starting with just $50. Her first line was a set of four “mood” beverages, and customer, retailer, and distributor feedback has now led her to a single caffeine-free energy drink and a full rebrand.Caitlin and Isabella dig into why finding a manufacturer for a no-natural-flavors product hasn’t been the obstacle many expect, why OSIA uses juice concentrate, how the functional blend works, what she learned from early pricing and flavor missteps, and how her design background shaped the new can. They also cover the story behind the name OSIA, her pitch to retailers, and why she believes the best advice for any founder is to just put it out there.Listen in as they discuss:How a design background and a 2022 health journey led Isabella to start making drinks in her kitchenHow OSIA launched before manufacturing, with around 500 events in eight months and a $50 startWhy OSIA is moving from four mood beverages to a single caffeine-free energy drinkWhy Isabella says finding a manufacturer for a product with no natural flavors hasn’t been an issueWhy OSIA uses juice concentrate, and how to formulate a drink that tastes real without being overly sweetThe functional blend of rhodiola, L-theanine, magnesium malate, vitamin B6, and taurine, and how Isabella explains the difference between stimulating energy and blocking tirednessWhat retailer, distributor, and customer feedback taught her about pricing, sweetness, and flavor balanceHow the can design drew inspiration from perfume, skincare, and fashion, and why she added callouts and a warm metallic paletteThe story behind the name OSIA and its connection to ambrosia, the nectar of the godsWhy Isabella is raising her first round, and what she tells retailers about in-store tastingsJoin the OSIA waitlist: Sign up at drinkosia.com for a special gift and perks at launch.Want to connect with buyers, investors, and industry experts in real time? Join our free Slack community with over 40,000 members. Get access to exclusive events and trade shows where you can meet buyers and investors in person, plus free resources and more. Just text CPG to 833-605-7002 and we’ll get in touch.Episode Links:Isabella Hoag LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/isabellahoagOSIA LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/drinkosiaOSIA Website: drinkosia.comOSIA Instagram: @drinkosiaInvestors interested in OSIA’s first round can contact Isabella directly (reach out to [email protected] for an intro)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 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 (40K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Caitlin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker/Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] Episode music by Super Fantastics