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. 

In this gripping tale, Jenna, a tenacious entrepreneur, finds herself on a collision course with her new business partner, Snowman, Inc., a co-manufacturer shrouded in mystery and deception. As Jenna unearths chilling details about The Snowman, she finds herself on a dangerous journey through the shadows of the manufacturing underworld.Submit Your Horror Story:Your CPG Diary will be anonymized and dramatized so the story can see the light while you remain in the shadows. Email podcast@drinkperfy.com with your story to be featured. Show Notes:Connect with Bruce on LinkedInConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedInCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokShop Perfy on Amazon PrimeSponsor:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by 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. Growthbuster, wrote, produced, and designed this series of Food Chained. 

In the midst of an economic downturn, determined Food & Beverage CPG founder Chuck must navigate the treacherous challenges of Fundraiser Manor, where securing investments takes on a sinister twist. As he battles the malevolent forces of the manor and his industry's struggles, Chuck must prove that even in the darkest times, entrepreneurial spirit can triumph.Submit Your Horror Story:our CPG Horror Story will be anonymized and dramatized so the story can live while you remain in the shadows. email podcast@drinkperfy.com with your story to be featured. Show Notes:Connect with Bruce on LinkedInConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedInCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokShop Perfy on Amazon PrimeSponsor:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by 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. Growthbuster, wrote, produced, and designed this series of Food Chained. 

In this episode of Food Chained, Cody Berenson, VP of Operations & Services at Siddhi Capital, joins us to discuss common pitfalls that startups find themselves in and how to navigate them. We also introduce the podcast's new co-host, Bruce Cardenas, former Chief Communications Officer of Quest Nutrition.  Things we discuss:What is Siddhi Capital?What is its investment Thesis?PitfallsMultipacks: When? Why? Implications?Identifying your co-man and warehouse: Relationship capital. Preventing issues w/ thorough communication. Repairing vendor relations. When are brands ready to scale? digital/print cansprosconsimplicationsShow Notes:Connect with Bruce on LinkedInConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedInConnect with Cody on LinkedIn Check out Siddhi CapitalCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokShop Perfy on Amazon PrimeSponsor:Food Chained is a Perfy podcast brought to you by 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. 

In this episode of Food Chained, Vir Satyan, SVP of Supplier Success at RangeMe shares his expertise on using LinkedIn to connect with buyers and brands, getting products into stores, and keeping up-to-date with emerging brands.Things we discuss:How Range Me got its name.Using LinkedIn to connect with buyers and brands.Networking events to separate the haves and the have-nots.Cool kids vs. the uncool kids on LinkedInGetting into the storesStaying on top of emerging brandsShow Notes:Connect with Vir on LinkedInCheck out RangeMeCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedIn and Twitter

On this episode of Food Chained, we're joined by Stacey Lee & Tiffany Yang from Sweety Ice Cream, how does being an attorney help with starting a CPG brand and what does food do in bridging cultures.Things we discuss:Being an attorney to start in CPGBridging cultures in foodConsulting for brandsThe Ethnic AisleShow Notes:Connect with Stacey on LinkedinConnect with Tiffany on LinkedinCheck out Sweety Ice CreamCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedIn and TwitterCheck out Triple WhaleSponsor: • Use code PERFY for 15% off Triple Whale. Triple Whale's powerful analytics platform clarifies your ad performance across channels, keeping you instantly in the know.

On this episode of Food Chained, we're joined by Aaron Luo from Mercado Famous, discussing the intricacies of importing and exporting, as well as the importance of branding.Things we discuss:Shownotes:Aaron's finance and global supply chain backgroundImports/ExportsMeat vs. Anti Meat consumersThe importance of brandingMaking your brand feel humanThe process and regulations of IbericoShow Notes:Connect with Aaron on LinkedinCheck out Mercado FamousCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedIn and TwitterCheck out Triple WhaleSponsor: • Use code PERFY for 15% off Triple Whale. Triple Whale's powerful analytics platform clarifies your ad performance across channels, keeping you instantly in the know.

On this episode of Food Chained, we're joined by Alec Jaffe from Alec's Ice Cream, discussing the importance of sustainable agriculture and regenerative ingredients in the food industry.Things we discuss:How college sports drives culture at Alec'sA2 dairy - what's so special about it?How does Alec's come up with flavors?Owning your own production facilityWhat could Big Dairy be doing better?Running a frozen DTC channelQuality of life for farmersSustainable agricultureRegenerative ingredientsShow Notes:Connect with Alec on LinkedInCheck out Alec's Ice CreamCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedIn and TwitterCheck out Triple WhaleSponsor: • Use code PERFY for 15% off Triple Whale. Triple Whale's powerful analytics platform clarifies your ad performance across channels, keeping you instantly in the know.

In this episode of Food Chained, Justin Queen ( Merchant Development @ Snack Magic) joins us to discuss building stories behind the brand and the early days of launching a brand.Things we discuss:Brand AmbassadorsEarly days of launching a brandB2B AudienceData Driven CPGAnd more!Show Notes:Connect with Justin on LinkedInCheck out Snack MagicCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedIn and TwitterCheck out Triple WhaleSponsor: • Use code PERFY for 15% off Triple Whale. Triple Whale's powerful analytics platform clarifies your ad performance across channels, keeping you instantly in the know.

On this episode of Food Chained, Zoe Kahn (CX at Chomps) joins us for a conversation about customer experience, retention, and gaming.Things we discuss:Zoe's StoryGamingChompsRetentionWho would your brand be if they were a celebrity?And more!Show Notes:Connect with Zoe on LinkedInCheck out the Oopsie PodcastCheck out Chomps w/ code: ZOE15Check out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedIn and TwitterCheck out Triple WhaleSponsor: • Use code PERFY for 15% off Triple Whale. Triple Whale's powerful analytics platform clarifies your ad performance across channels, keeping you instantly in the know.

On this episode of Food Chained, Chris Moe (Founder of Cartograph) opens up the Amazon marketing playbook for us and shares an immense amount of wisdom.Things we discuss:Amazon vs. DTCBuy w/ PrimeAmazon Affiliate pushesFBA vs. FBMAmazon remarketingAmazon Private LabelAnd more!Show Notes:Connect with Chris on LinkedInCheck out CartographCheck out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokConnect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedIn and TwitterCheck out Triple Whale