CPG Week Podcast

  In this episode: This week, the podcast team is turning its attention to how small brands are navigating tariff turmoil. The CPG Week podcast hosts talked with several food and beverage founders about the issues most pressing for their respective businesses amid the rapidly changing environment. From pulling back on trade spend to changing packaging solutions and tariff-related spring sales, emerging brands are getting creative in how they plan to survive a potentially protracted period of import taxes. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Is Pirate’s Booty on its way back to its founder Rob Ehrlich? At the moment, the brand appears to be staying under Hershey ownership, but Ehrlich continues his nearly two-year campaign hinting that it will be back in the Vegan Rob’s portfolio. 4:15 – Tariffs are all the rage right now, but how are small food and beverage brands dealing with added costs? Senior reporter Brad Avery explained what Just Ice Tea founder Seth Goldman said about his company’s moves to ease the burden of new import taxes. 7:00 – The dynamic nature that tariffs have been announced to the public has caused not only uncertainty but also a fear that demand shock will cause prices to rise steeply. 10:30 – Packaging is a major concern for CPG entrepreneurs because much of it comes from China, which is facing over 100% tariffs currently. For many brands, pivoting to a domestic supplier is not available, leaving limited options to counter elevated costs. 14:00 – There are only so many ways to squeeze cost-savings out of a startup’s supply chain, especially when many of these costs are being felt weeks or months after orders were made. About CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: In this episode, the CPG Week team discusses industry and regulatory efforts to define and restrict ultraprocessed foods in the U.S. food supply. Spoiler alert: There’s a lot of gray area. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous declares April Fools’ the worst day of the year. The group discusses a few of the best and worst brand pranks. 3:00 – Assistant managing editor-Newsletters Adrianne DeLuca details efforts by the Food Integrity Collective to develop guardrails around the designation of non-ultraprocessed food. 5:45 – Senior reporter Brad Avery cites the nutritional differences between raw potatoes and Pringles to explain the impact of processing. 8:45 – What policies are in the works at the state and federal levels to restrict ultraprocessed foods? The group discusses recently passed bans on certain food additives and why a state-by-state patchwork could create major headaches for food manufacturers. 14:20 – Brad and Adrianne point out the challenges that lie ahead for a largely deregulatory administration seeking to regulate ultraprocessed foods while conducting mass layoffs across the agencies involved. About CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: On this episode, the CPG Week team discusses Bain & Company’s Insurgent Brands class of 2025. The group goes through similarities among new insurgent brands and how operators can derive successful growth strategies from Bain’s yearly list. Show Highlights: 0:30 – It’s March Madness, so the podcasters chat about college hoops and Kellogg’s bracket challenge where a lucky contestant could win a year’s supply of one of the company’s cereal brands. 3:30 – Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous introduces how Bain classifies its Insurgent Brands list and what a scaling insurgent brand means. 7:15 – In many ways, the Insurgent Brands list is a temperature gauge of certain CPG categories and can be a bellwether of successful growth strategies. 8:45 – Eighteen of the brands in this year’s class of insurgent brands were also part of Bain’s emerging brands category. In total, there were 103 emerging brands this year. 11:00 – Monica and senior reporter Brad Avery point out that this list has grown over the years, showing not only trendsetting but also the pace of growth in many categories. About CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: On this episode of CPG Week, the team unpacks PepsiCo’s unsurprising acquisition of better-for-you soda brand Poppi. The podcasters break down what is known so far and what might be on the horizon for the gut-health soda set due to the deal. Show Highlights: 1:00 – Diving right in, the CPG Week team launches into PepsiCo’s acquisition of Poppi. What does the “Popsi” deal, as Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous calls it, mean for the category moving forward? 4:00 – The group discusses how this changes the trajectory of other soda strategics like Coca-Cola in the category. 7:30 – Senior reporter Lukas Southard flags how the deal could shift the category deeper into foodservice where competitor Olipop has been investing heavily. 10:15 – Can Poppi continue to be cool within a large beverage conglomerate’s system? The podcast team discusses why Poppi has succeeded in making itself one of the most recognizable brands in the better-for-you soda set and whether it can maintain that image. About CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: Hot honey, hot pink totes and hot takes. The CPG Week team is back from Anaheim and ready to discuss all the new things they saw at the yearly Natural Products Expo West show. From bubbling trends to maturing categories, the podcast hosts discuss protein popping up in everything, meat snacks, a further distancing from seed oils, next-gen sodas and the surprising innovation tasted within the convention halls. Show Highlights: 0:30 – BevNET has launched its latest platform, Nombase, a centralized hub for the CPG industry with resources like a directory of over 10,000 brands and partners, job boards and a new place to post important company announcements. 2:15 – The team jumps into its Expo West recap discussing “Big Kefir,” protein snacks and surprising (and unsurprising) brand collaborations. 9:30 – Senior reporter Brad Avery talks about saturation of the better-for-you soda set and his impressions of Perfy’s Pepperoni Pizza and Cherry Cola flavors. 12:00 – The CPG Week hosts share what they heard from stakeholders about the impact of tariffs, supply chain issues and inflation they are expecting this year. 16:30 – One hot take being echoed in the wake of Expo West was a lack of innovation on the floor. The podcasters share the best innovations they tasted including candy-flavored dates, new bao buns and instant scrambled egg cups. About CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: The annual Natural Products Expo West trade show might spell tired feet and too much hand sanitizer for some, but it’s also one of the biggest events for new product unveils and a chance to take the temperature of the CPG industry. The podcast team discusses what they are looking out for at this year’s show. Show Highlights: 0:45 – Along with treadmill weight-training and chugging kombucha, the CPG Week team talks about how they are preparing for this week’s big show. 3:30 – Senior reporter Lukas Southard will be checking in on meat snack makers while also checking out the new better-for-you snack brand Wild Fox Foods, launched by the founders of Kevin’s Natural Foods. 5:00 – Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous will be keeping an eye out for some of the trends the team has been tracking in the last year including GLP-1 companions and seed oil-free products. 6:30 – Amid an uncertain trade landscape, senior reporter Brad Avery will be tracking what brands are saying about looming tariffs. For more ways to prepare, check out last year’s Unofficial Guide to Expo West: Surviving (And Thriving) at Expo West: An Investor’s Perspective The ABCs of Expo West How to Stay Healthy, Safe and Sane at Expo West Expo Etiquette: From Hawkeye to Hijack No Booth? No Problem: Backpacking at Expo West About CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: The CPG Week team discusses the launch of a new soda line from sparkling water maker Spindrift just a month after its sale to a private equity group. Then, the group digs into the details of Celsius Holdings’ $1.8 billion acquisition of competitor Alani Nu and examines how the deal could impact distribution in the energy drink category as well as what the sale spells for prior owner (and PRIME maker) Congo Brands. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Pepperoni pizza soda – sip or spit? The group opines on Perfy’s limited-edition savory soft drink and why flavor novelty is a solid strategy for standing out in a crowded segment. 3:55 – And speaking of soda… Spindrift SODA is finally here. BevNET and Nosh senior reporter Brad Avery details the latest launch from sparkling water brand Spindrift just a month after its acquisition by Gryphon Investors. 7:40 – Celsius Holdings is set to acquire competitor Alani Nu for a cool $1.8 billion. Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous ponders how these two female-positioned beverage brands will benefit from the deal. 8:45 – Brad charts Alani Nu’s performance in the energy drink category compared to other emerging players. 9:10 – BevNET and Nosh senior reporter Lukas Southard questions how the deal will impact distribution, and Brad analyzes what the sale means for Alani Nu’s previous owner Congo Brands. About CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts