Startup CPG

New Grocery Run Alert: FreshDirect in NYC 🛒 Join us for an evening of mingling and sampling with the FreshDirect team and the wider NYC CPG community. Midway through the event, we’ll host a short panel so brands can hear directly from FreshDirect on what they’re looking for, how to get on their radar, and the best ways to partner and grow on the platform. It wouldn’t be a Grocery Run without VIPs and we’ll have plenty because FreshDirect’s entire team will be there! Sampling at a Grocery Run is hands-down the best way to get in front of buyers, so if you’re at all curious or interested in FreshDirect! 👉🏽 APPLY TO SAMPLE HERE: https://lnkd.in/dr3EYagw #StartupCPG #GroceryRun #FreshDirect #CPGCommunity

📰 Newswire Roundup is here! It’s been a busy yet exciting time for our emerging brand community, and these latest press releases are seriously worth celebrating. From nationwide launches to award-winning moments, there’s no shortage of big wins happening in CPG right now. See below for a peek at some of the headlines: ✨ Olizzi x Erewhon: The Ultimate "Liquid Gold" Cafe Collaboration Hits the Hot Bar. ✨ Chlorophyll Water Secures First Institutional Investment to Accelerate Nationwide Growth. ✨Belle's Gourmet Popcorn Launches in More Than 1,000 Walmart Stores Nationwide. ✨Rare Breed Coffee Debuts Brain Waves: A High-Performance Functional Coffee. ✨Cactus Foods Expands Nationwide with Launch in 320+ Kroger Stores. ✨Steak, Not Jerky: Sidari Artisan Brands Partners with Guinness to Bring the Steakhouse to the Snack Aisle. ✨Introducing Oath Nutrition® Sparkling Energy + Protein: Launches in Target April 19th. ✨The Cycle Introduces a New Category of Functional Beverages for Period & Perimenopause and Expands Nationwide in Sprouts. ✨The Lucky Ox Launches into Whole Foods Across the Northeast. ✨Gelato Festival Becomes the First and Only Organic Gelato in the Cpg Category Got a milestone worth sharing? The Startup CPG Newswire is a FREE publishing service for emerging brands to get their news in front of the entire CPG community. Submit today: https://bit.ly/3WC9jsS #StartupCPG #NewswireRoundup #CPGNews #PressRelease #EmergingBrands #CPGCommunity #BrandAnnouncements #CPGFounders #CPG #HeathandWellness #FoodandBeverage

🎥 🎥 🎥 WEBINAR NEXT WEEK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT Gawronski Media 🎥 🎥 🎥 If you attended our webinar with Kevin Gawronski back in December, you'll remember we walked through the paid media ecosystem for CPG brands and how to build an effective strategy on each platform.... BUT NOW it's time to talk about how to actually set up paid ads & strategize around campaigns across IG, Meta, Google & YouTube On May 27th at 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT, Kevin will cover: ➡️How to structure campaigns that drive purchases for DTC ➡️What creative works (+ what doesn’t) ➡️How to think about keyword targeting and rankings ➡️ How paid social supports retail sell-through (!!!!) ➡️What campaigns to start with on every platform (+ the diff between awareness vs. conversion campaigns) 👉 REGISTER HERE FOR HOW TO RUN A PAID AD: https://lnkd.in/eDuC2595 #StartupCPG #CPGIndustry #ConsumerGoods #CPGBrands #PaidAds #PaidMedia

Hot Brands of 2026: BARIS Try keeping your freezer door shut when its filled with handpicked indulgence-covered Patagonian raspberries, grown in volcanic soil with glacier-fed water straight from the Andes. The berries are juicy, sweet, and packed with antioxidants, and paired with the finest chocolate. BARIS (references Bariloche, the city in Argentina they're from, combined with the word "berries") is growing strong in top regional retailers, and just launched two hot new flavors- Pistachio & White Chocolate, and Hazelnut & Milk Chocolate. Big congrats to Marcos Della Pia and Luca Molinari, we are looking forward to seeing big growth this year! Have you tried BARIS yet? #StartupCPG #HotBrands #CPGCommunity #FoodandBeverage

APPLY NOW FOR THE STARTUP CPG SECTION @ EXPO WEST 2027! We're excited to announce that the FIRST ROUND of applications is now open for emerging brands to join the exclusive Startup CPG section at Natural Products Expo West 2027! At this point it can't be denied: the Startup CPG section is the place to be. Some nearby brands even told us they picked their booths specifically to be close to our section. Great strategy if you ask us — but we can do you one better, because applications are open to get a booth IN our section at Expo West 2027. 👇 Application Process: 1. Fill out the application form. 2. If selected by our team, you'll receive instructions to complete New Hope's application (see our application form for more details). 3. New Hope's approval is required for brands to participate (this can take up to 2 weeks). Don't miss this opportunity! We'll be selecting brands promptly — if you're not chosen in the first round, you'll still have time to pursue other exhibition options. The first round of applications closes on June 12th. Our section gets confirmed by August. Apply early to keep your options. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/ecFMWHFk #StartupCPG #ExpoWest #ExpoWest2027 #EmergingBrands

Most founders don't think about building a board until they need one. By then it's usually too late. 👀 In this episode, Daniel Scharff talks with Seth Goldman, Co-Founder of Honest Tea, about how founders should actually think about building a board from day one. From knowing when you finally need a board, to finding members who fill real gaps, to avoiding investors who quietly want control, Seth breaks down the mistakes most founders make — and the systems that helped Honest Tea scale with world-class guidance long before they were a massive company. If you're raising capital, scaling a brand, or thinking about long-term company building, this episode is worth the watch. Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/e_2Uc3pz #StartupCPG #BoardOfDirectors #Entrepreneurship #JUSTIceTea #StartupCPGPodcast

New Episode — Expo West Pitch Slam Winner: Chiara Munzi of ChiChi Foods 🏆🥣 Chiara and her co-founder Izzy started ChiChi Foods by mushing chickpeas in their college dorm room. They showed up to Expo West without a booth, applied to every competition they could find, and walked away with $150,000 in services after winning Startup CPG's first-ever Pitch Slam powered by Advantage FDM Sales. Daniel Scharff sat down with Chiara to hear the full story — from the five-minute pitch in front of 200 people they weren't expecting, to the surprise question from Sprouts, to exactly how they plan to put the prize to work. A few things that stuck: 🏆 Skip the booth, apply for everything. One pitch slam win can do more for your brand than a trade show floor ever could. 🏆 Grit and a genuine origin story travel. The judges didn't just love the product — they loved that it came from two founders who actually needed it. 🏆 Demos are the best marketing tool for a product people need to taste to believe. ChiChi is putting the prize straight into in-store sampling. 🏆 Play the long game. The relationships you build at shows today might change your business three years from now. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eJjp7JNA #StartupCPG #CPGPodcast #ChiChiFoods #ExpoWest #PitchSlam #CPGFounders #FoodInnovation #EmergingBrands #BetterForYou #NaturalFood

📦📦📦 NEW STARTUP CPG PARTNER WEBINAR: INVENTORY BLIND SPOTS 📦📦📦 LATER THIS MONTH - May 26th at 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT Our partners at Muffin Data by Confido are breaking down for us common execution gaps that may be costing your brand revenue...... which by the time you realize (out-of-stock happened, velocity dipped, distributor gap went unnoticed, etc.), the damage ($$$) may already be done During this session, the team will walk us through: ➡️ Common distributor and retail execution gaps (+ why they're so hard to catch) ➡️How to know where your inventory actually lives ➡️A practical framework for closing execution gaps: what to track, how often & what action to take ➡️How brands are handling this manually vs. with automation (+ what the difference looks like in practice) 👉 SIGN UP FOR THE WEBINAR HERE: https://lnkd.in/eSfFpAx4 #CPGIndustry #RetailExecution #InventoryManagement #RetailData #SupplyChain #ConsumerGoods #CPGBrands

We’re excited to welcome another group of incredible brands to the Startup CPG community! 🍷 BlindVine - A wine tasting game that turns a bottle of wine into an interactive experience 🌿 Bravado Spice Co - Hot sauces, margarita mixers, and seasonings with unexpected ingredients, adding depth, versatility, and heat to everyday meals ☕Pon de Crem - Better-for-you coffee creamer brand built for people who love coffee but want cleaner ingredients and real functional benefits 🧴 Àuda.B - Science-backed skin-first sunscreen formulated safely for acne-prone/sensitive skin, backed by a Board-Certified Dermatologist 🌟NuMuti - African Inspired Social Tonics 🫧Halo Dot - Premium pimple patches 🍊Josie Beverages - Adaptogen energy drink powered by lions mane mushrooms, cordyceps and 65mg of caffeine 🌟RICA Cold Brew Coffee - Ready-to-drink cold brew made with 100% Mexican coffee and 250mg of caffeine 🫧Pushee - Hydration powders specifically made for the stages of motherhood: pregnancy, labor and postpartum 🍒Andreina - Premium non alcoholic wines from Tuscany 🫘SugarBean Candy - Coffee Bean Brûlée — a crunchy caramelized coffee candy made with freshly ground coffee beans 💪🏼Healthy On You - Premium, gourmet spice and salt blends 🥃MEDASE COCKTAILS - Premium organic ready-to-drink zero-proof cocktail designed to mirror the taste, complexity, and sophistication of traditional spirits, without alcohol 🥣SHUFU Oatmeal - Functional oatmeal designed specifically for skin health and to support longevity ✨Par Bar Protein - Protein bar company made to cater to the unique needs of golfers, fitness enthusiasts and everyday adventurers 🫒Neolea - Greek Olive Oils and Vinegars  💦BALI CURLS - Hair care brand for curly hair 💧Whey Water - Sparkling protein beverage 🥥salsi - Miami-born sparkling cocktail brand made with 100% blue agave spirit plus ingredients like coconut water, sea salt, and green tea 🌸MOLO- Prenatal, Conception, Hormone Balance, and Ovulation Blends that deliver essential nutrients to support fertility, pregnancy & fetal health, and overall women's hormone production & regulation Want your brand featured? Join our Slack community and introduce yourself in the introductions channel. Be sure to share your socials, website, and have your product images live. Once you’ve checked all the boxes, you’ll be added to the feature queue. We’re welcoming new brands every day, so we appreciate your patience as we work to spotlight as many as possible. . . . #StartupCPG #NewBrands #CPGFounders #Community #EmergingBrands

New Episode — Investor Spotlight: Bill Schultz, Beliade Consumer Partners Bill spent a decade at Goldman Sachs watching the DTC wave reshape consumer from the outside. Now he's seven years into backing the brands doing the reshaping at Beliade Consumer Partners. Host Hannah Dittman sat down with Bill to get into how early-stage consumer investors actually think — what they underwrite, what they overlook, and what quietly separates the founders who scale from the ones who stall. A few things that stuck: 💡 Know which path you want before you raise. Venture-backed growth and a founder-owned cash business are fundamentally different journeys. 💡 Financial savviness predicts success more than almost anything else. 💡 Contribution margin is the north star. Everything else gets easier when that number is strong. 💡 Build relationships before you have a capital need. The best deals don't start with a pitch deck. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eq4UrR-s #StartupCPG #CPGPodcast #BeliadeConsumerPartners #InvestorSpotlight #VentureCapital #CPGFounders #Fundraising #ConsumerBrands