The Nombase Podcast

Expo West is a massive event, and it can take weeks to fully process what you saw and what it actually means. There is a lot of noise, but if you look closely, the real signals start to emerge and point to where the industry is headed next. In this episode, we sit down with Sherry Frey of NielsenIQ to make sense of it all through the lens of real consumer data. We break down what is really happening with protein and how consumers are thinking about it in their diets, why regenerative and transparent sourcing are gaining traction, which flavor trends are sticking, and how the ongoing GLP 1 conversation is reshaping product design around satiety and nutrient density.

In today’s CPG landscape, profitability isn’t always the first milestone founders should focus on. As capital markets and deal structures, investors and acquirers are often looking for something earlier in a brand’s lifecycle: clear product market fit, strong velocity, and the potential to scale efficiently. In this episode, Ryan Williams, founder of Northall and creator of the Fabid deal database shares what recent investment and acquisition activity reveals about how value is actually being built in food and beverage CPG. Together they explore why some brands attract premium valuations while others struggle to raise, how founders should think about capital efficiency, and what recent exits say about the paths companies take to reach a successful outcome.

What happens when three CPG investors decide to build a brand themselves? Kiva Dickinson of Selva Ventures joins fellow cadootz! cofounders Jordan Carpenter and Rachel Mansfield, all seasoned CPG investors, with Rachel also bringing her perspective as a leading creator, to share how experienced industry insiders launch differently. They break down how they defined their non negotiables before formulation, modeled margins and profitability from day one, and avoided common pricing and channel strategy mistakes. The cadootz! team also unpacks key decisions around manufacturing, reformulation for scale, retail sequencing, capital discipline, and building real demand through community before hitting shelves.

You may have a winning beverage you perfected in your kitchen or sell at the farmer’s market, but it’s a long road to making it work at scale. In this episode, MSI Express leaders Chuck Woods and Greg Schildmeyer share what it really takes to turn a bold idea into a profitable, manufacturable product. They’ll reveal how to avoid costly formulation and packaging mistakes, when to consider formats like stick packs versus liquids, and which trends actually have staying power. Plus, find out why aligning innovation with production reality is the key to building beverages that last.  This episode is a paid collaboration with MSI Express.