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: Remember the U.S. craft distillers’ consternation over a potential trade war? The CPG Week team is joined by BevNET Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman to understand how tariffs are impacting nearly all of the CPG industry after a whirlwind Monday paused the 25% import taxes on Mexican and Canadian products. After a quick discussion about Super Bowl food and beverage choices, the group unravels how CPG brands from spirits to food makers to contract manufacturers are preparing for an uncertain future. Show Highlights: 0:30 – This Sunday marks the annual February tradition of drinking beer and eating Buffalo wings while watching advertisements and famous musicians perform in the middle of a field (plus a bit of football). The group discusses whether they will be noshing on Kansas City BBQ or Philly cheesesteaks during the Super Bowl. 4:20 – Jeff explains why tariffs are an especially important topic for many U.S. CPG brands. He explains that it is not just concerning from a cost perspective but also impacts the long-term sales of American products abroad. 7:30 – It goes deeper than raw ingredient sourcing for many brands but reverberates in other aspects of manufacturing like the equipment and machine parts that U.S. suppliers buy from China, Mexico and Canada. 9:30 – Brad talks about how potential tariffs could impact U.S. producers with aluminum pricing which is largely sourced from China and Canada. 11:00 – How are international brands reacting to the looming trade war? Some Canadian startups are weighing moving operations to the U.S. Jeff shares insights from supply chain experts about how brands can adapt to a fluid import environment. 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 podcast team discusses the emerging trends spotted on the show floor at the final Winter Fancy Food Show and why the Specialty Food Association is replacing the long-running tradeshow with a new event next year. Then, the group talks about the adult non-alcoholic beverage category, including sales data and standout brands. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous recaps the trends from the Winter Fancy Food Show and explains why the Specialty Food Association is retiring the event after a nearly five-decade run. 10:00 – Senior reporter Lukas Southard discusses his Damp January and shares NIQ data on the adult non-alcoholic beverage category. 11:45 – Senior reporter Brad Avery details his experience with the growing sober-curious movement and highlights a mass market retailer expanding its assortment of booze-free beverages. 13:50 – The group debates the pronunciation of a new celebrity-founded brand in the near-beer segment. 15:40 – The Surgeon General denounces alcohol as “one of the leading preventable causes of cancer.” Will this lead to a decrease in consumption? 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 CPG Week, the podcast team talks about Danone’s repeated attempts to acquire kefir brand Lifeway Foods and a pending lawsuit pitting an ice cream brand against its parent company. The podcast begins with a conversation about Pizza Hut, tomato wine and why Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous has a soft spot for the pizza chain’s salad bar. The team goes on to discuss Danone North America’s offers to acquire kefir brand Lifeway Foods and how it relates to the family battle surrounding the company. Then, the hosts discuss a lawsuit filed by Ben & Jerry’s against its owner, Unilever. Show Highlights: 0:30 – The group discusses the potential drinkability of Pizza Hut’s Pizza Wine launch and Brad’s love of banana pepper and pineapple-laden pies. 3:30 – Lukas explains the back-and-forth that has taken place in the last two months between Lifeway Foods and its minority shareholder Danone North America, which has offered two bids to acquire the kefir brand. 5:15 – Brad provides some background on the feud between Lifeway’s controlling family, the Smolyanskys. 7:15 – The team discusses why Lifeway Foods thinks Danone’s offers are undervaluing the probiotic dairy company. (Since recording the episode, Lifeway has rejected the second acquisition offer). 9:00 – Monica describes why Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is suing its parent company Unilever and how it sets up a fraught conversation over business versus mission in relation to the war in Gaza. About the 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 CPG Week, the podcast team talks about a number of lawsuits across food and beverage including another chapter in the PB&J wars and a couple deceptive labeling complaints for growing brands. Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous kicked off the episode highlighting her hometown football team’s star athletes’ various food and beverage brands. The podcast hosts go on to talk about the bubbling battle between J.M. Smucker’s Uncrustables brand and emerging competitor Chubby Snacks. Then, senior reporter Lukas Southard explains why a three-year-old class action lawsuit against Flowers Foods’ Dave’s Killer Bread is back in the news, before the team discusses the latest lawsuit to hit better-for-you soda brand Poppi. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Starting with the Kelce brothers’ Garage Beer brand and moving onto their “Kelce Mix” cereal in partnership with General Mills, the group talked about athlete-endorsed food and beverage and why electrolytes might not belong in RTD coffee. 4:00 – The team discusses the most recent lawsuit from J.M. Smucker aimed at Chubby Snacks and why it relates to “healthy” food labeling. 10:00 – Senior reporter Lukas Southard explains what is happening with a multiyear class action lawsuit against Dave’s Killer Bread’s protein claims and why there seems to be more of these types of cases being brought against CPG brands. Hint: There’s one law firm throwing a lot of fuel on the fire. 12:15 – Senior reporter Brad Avery relates this all to soda maker Poppi’s multiple deceptive labeling lawsuits leading to a discussion about how much these various lawsuits relate to the products’ perceived health benefits and how much that is driving sales. About the 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 podcast team talks about “zombie brands,” a rumored mega-merger of snacks and sweets, a recap of earnings, and another lawsuit for PRIME. Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard are joined by BevNET managing editor Martín Caballero in a packed episode where they talk about the idea of zombie brands and how it relates to other CPG categories (and Steven Seagal movies?). The group also discusses a rumored acquisition of Kellanova brands by Mars and what this could mean for both food companies. Afterwards, the team goes on to review recent beverage company earnings reports and yet another legal case filed against Logan Paul’s PRIME beverage company. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Nostalgia is in and the podcast hosts discuss what discontinued CPG products should make a comeback. They share their favorite long-lost items from bubbly beverages to one of the OGs of the bar category. 3:15 – After reading a recent story in Modern Retail focused on the increasing amount of “zombie brands,” the team discusses how this idea relates to alternative meats and its links to the influx of new brands that came out of the pandemic and have since stalled as investment has waned. 8:15 – What could it mean for Kellanova to be acquired by sweets maker Mars and what does this foretell for both companies? The CPG Week podcast jumps into the rumors swirling around these food giants’ possible merger. 12:30 – Marty goes over recent earnings from Celsius and BellRing Brands with a look towards how the large strategics are utilizing their distribution networks to buoy revenue. 15:00 – PRIME is in more legal hot water after beverage manufacturer Refresco filed a $67 million lawsuit alleging Logan Paul’s brand backed out of a production deal. Marty goes through this latest suit and what it could mean for others in the energy and sports drink categories. About the 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: This week, the Nosh and BevNET team talks about how a marketing campaign to boost cereal sales might be imploding for Kellogg’s and what it means for the greater food maker’s empire as it moves into a new era as Kellanova and WK Kellogg Co. Senior reporter Brad Avery takes the temperature of the performance energy category through the most recent quarterly reports of Monster and Celsius. The team talks about two plant-based companies’ financial losses and finishes up discussing Whole Foods Market’s new smaller-footprint store concept. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Is cereal a viable option for dinner? WK Kellogg’s attempt to bring the breakfast staple to other day occasions has led to some unexpected social rancor. Senior reporter Lukas Southard explains how the recent outrage on social platforms over the “cereal for dinner” campaign is related to the first standalone earnings calls for both Kellanova and WK Kellogg. 6:20 – Senior reporter Brad Avery discusses what the most recent quarterly reports from Celsius and Monster tell us about the state of energy beverages and why workout enthusiasts are driving growth in the category. 8:20 – What’s the state of plant-based? Two of the biggest plant-based meat and beverage brands posted losses in their most recent earnings. Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous pointed out, as revenues were up for one company and stock prices soared for the other. 10:35 – The team talks about the news that Whole Foods Market is launching a smaller store concept (again). Is this a reaction to other small-footprint retailers like Foxtrot or Erewhon, or a play for juicing sales of its 365 branded products? About the 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