Founders 101: Building a Food & Beverage CPG Brand

This foundational course with Eric Schnell, founder of BeyondBrands,  gives aspiring founders a real-world overview of what it takes to build a successful food or beverage CPG brand from the ground up. Drawing from three decades of experience founding and advising category-defining brands, Eric walks through every stage of the journey: identifying product-market fit, conducting pilot runs, refining branding and packaging, understanding category dynamics, and managing the transition from startup to scalable business.

Understand the financial realities behind launching a CPG brand — from startup costs and production planning to investor expectations and funding milestones. The course also explores how to assess velocity, navigate retail placement, build loyal brand evangelists, and position for long-term growth or acquisition.