The CPG Operator Podcast

Every brand eventually changes something big — price, packaging, format, the category it sits in — and that puts existing distribution on the line. After raising its prices to match true production costs, Vermont Creamery walked away from an unprofitable Walmart relationship, then earned its way back into 400 stores. Tuyyo Foods fell off roughly 1,100 doors of shelf space after a merger brought a full rebrand and repackaging. Harrison Kahn, President and GM of Vermont Creamery, and Stephanie Garcia Turner, co-founder and CCO of Tuyyo Foods, break down how to make a major change and still get your retail partners to come along for the ride.You will learn:How to notify and prep retail buyers before a repackaging or UPC change, so your product doesn't quietly fall off shelfWhat to do when a retailer's promotional demands push your pricing below what your product actually costs to makeHow to build a compelling case for re-entry after leaving a retailer, including what data and proof points actually move a buyerHow to prioritize which retail partners and categories to carry forward after a merger or repositioning, instead of trying to keep everyoneWhat to do the moment a retailer signals your velocity is too low and discontinuation is on the table

Kendall Kransdorf, founder of Cotto, a whipped cottage cheese dip, on a hero ingredient with a short shelf life and high demand - a combination that forces hard operational decisions. Mary Kate Kloeblen, a supply chain consultant and co-fouder of Golden Thread Operations, walks through where Cotto is actually losing shelf life (it's not always the formula) and what to fix instead.You will learn:How LTL refrigerated shipping can quietly eat days of usable shelf life before a product even reaches a warehouseHow to build formulation flexibility so a supply shortage on your hero ingredient doesn't stall productionWhen to move production closer to your distribution centers, and how colocation reduces both transit risk and quality issuesWhy GS1 rules mean even a small product change can force a new UPC, and how to avoid retail errors because of itHow to structure IP and manufacturing agreements during a tech transfer so you don't lose ownership of your own process

Building products with better ingredients is easy to talk about. Building a successful business around them is much harder. Join Tom First, Founder of Culture Pop, and Heather Wood, SVP of Marketing at Goodles, as they discuss the realities of formulation, sourcing, branding, retail growth, and operations, and how they’ve turned clean label products into brands that drive trial, repeat purchase, and sustainable growth.You will learn:How to decide whether an innovation solves a real consumer need or is simply chasing a trendHow to make ingredient decisions that balance taste, consumer value, manufacturing feasibility, and brand positioningHow to simplify an unconventional production process so it can scale without compromising the productHow to choose the right pace and path for growth based on your capital, team, and ability to support new distributionHow to make sure your product and packaging can drive trial and repeat before spending heavily on marketing

Most founders think getting a distributor is the hard part. Scott Rosenbaum, co-host of the Business of Drinks podcast, has spent 20 years in beverage alcohol distribution and knows landing one is just the beginning. In this episode, he mentors Daeyna Grant, a first-time founder building Gold Crush, an RTD rum-based cocktail, one bar and liquor store at a time. Together, they break down what it actually takes to land the right distributor — and how to make the relationship work once you do.You will learn:What a distributor actually owes you — and what you still have to earn on your ownHow to get a distributor’s attention before you have much leverageThe trade-off between a bigger distributor and one that can give your brand more attentionWhat data and reporting you should expect — and how to fill the gaps when you don’t get itHow to build enough demand that distributors start coming to you instead of the other way around