Startup To Scale

Launching a CPG brand is never easy—but talking with Morgan Rucker and Olivia Stevermer of PSquared Foods reminded me just how rewarding the journey can be. In this episode, I sat down with them to hear the full story behind their shelf-stable, banana-flavored protein pudding in a spouted pouch—from awkward picnic samplings and 80+ product iterations to the uphill battle of finding a manufacturer and scaling a format that’s often dismissed as “just for kids.”

We talked about how they went from solo kitchen experiments in college to co-founders building a brand rooted in purpose, flavor, and community. You’ll hear insights on formulation, shelf-stability, and how they’re building customer excitement from the ground up.

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.

This episode is sponsored by Cin7 — the operating system for food and beverage brands. Foodbevy listeners get 50% off for 3 months when you sign up. Learn more at cin7.com/foodbevy

TÖST went from a simple, elegant idea to a global beverage brand — and the key to their growth wasn’t just demand, but operations. If you’re ready to take control of your COGS and scale with confidence, consider what tools like Cin7 can unlock for your team. 

Learn more at cin7.com/foodbevy and grab a bottle of TÖST at tostbeverages.com. Thanks again to Chie Addington for joining us — and we’ll see you next time on Startup to Scale.

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.

Getting media coverage for your CPG brand can feel overwhelming—especially with limited budgets and time. In this episode, I chat with Heather and Austin Holmes, the co-founders of Signal Raptor and Publicity for Good, about a new, more accessible way to do PR. We dive into how AI, niche media, and earned storytelling are reshaping the landscape, and how their platform helps brands like yours get featured and grow visibility without breaking the bank. 

If you're looking to boost your brand awareness, you won’t want to miss this—plus, we’re offering a free month of Signal Raptor for the first 50 signups!

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.

In this episode, I sit down with Sabrina Kautz, a fractional CMO who helps emerging food and beverage brands grow their retail footprint. With a sharp focus on Whole Foods, Sabrina shares tactical strategies to drive sustained velocity—from in-store marketing to managing buyer relationships and executing demo programs that actually convert.

We cover:

• Why velocity matters more than ever at Whole Foods
• What new brands get wrong about retail marketing
• How to evaluate the ROI of promotions, demos, and field marketing
• Building a retail strategy that scales beyond your launch

If you're on shelves at Whole Foods or planning to be soon, this is a must-listen.

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.

 Angie Kaminky launched Minky Muffins just months before giving birth—and never stopped moving. 

In this episode, we dive into the reality of launching a food brand while navigating parenthood, production challenges, and early retail wins. A must-listen for founder-parents balancing growth and grit. 

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.

When I launched my first brand, I made the mistake a lot of founders do—I built the entire brand around a hero ingredient. We were called TeaSquares, and yep, the name locked us into tea and a square shape, which made it tough to grow beyond our initial idea.

In this episode, I’m joined by Adam Feller, founder of Avidity Creative, to talk about why leading with your ingredient can actually hurt your CPG brand. We unpack how to focus your messaging on what customers actually care about—and it’s usually not chickpeas or apple cider vinegar.

We get into:

• The real reason people buy your product (hint: it’s not the label)
• How packaging can shape perception and drive trial
• Why “better-for-you” isn’t a brand—it's a baseline
• Tactical tips for testing your messaging in stores, at markets, and online

If you’re ready to move from niche to next-level, this one’s for you.

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.

Tariffs have been top of mind for every CPG founder I talk to—including myself. In this episode, I’m joined once again by my friend and frequent guest Yuval Selik, co-founder and CEO of Promomash, to unpack how tariff pressures are impacting our businesses beyond just the bottom line.

We dive into how tariffs are exposing hidden inefficiencies in supply chains, why blindly raising prices can damage your brand, and how distributor deductions can quietly drain your profits. Yuval shares his own story of navigating economic shocks, including the collapse of his brand during the 2008 financial crisis, and what founders can do now to build stronger, more resilient businesses.

If you’re running a CPG brand and feeling the pressure from rising costs, supply chain disruptions, or confusing chargebacks, this conversation is a must-listen.

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.

Accounting for beverage brands isn’t just about balancing the books — it’s about understanding the unique financial challenges that come with scaling a physical product business. In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Howes, founder of Wizard Accounting, to unpack the essentials of CPG accounting tailored specifically for beverage brands.

Jessica shares her insights on how to properly account for co-manufacturer fees like tolling and setup charges, how to calculate true gross margin across channels like retail, DTC, and Amazon, and how to manage inventory — including what to do about spoilage and outdated products. She also breaks down common accounting mistakes she sees early-stage beverage brands make, and offers one simple but powerful change founders can make today to boost their financial health.

Whether you're just getting started or looking to tighten up your financial operations, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you run a smarter, more sustainable beverage business.

Looking for a new accountant? e-mail intros@foodbevy.com for an introduction to Jessica.

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.

Mallory Patton, co-founder of Saint Spritz, shares how her team turned a post-vacation craving into a fast-growing RTD aperitivo brand.

 Learn how they launched with no beverage experience, landed retail deals with Target and Total Wine, and built a standout brand through design, family, and focus.

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.