The Nombase Podcast

Building products with better ingredients is easy to talk about. Building a successful business around them is much harder. Join Tom First, Founder of Culture Pop, and Heather Wood, SVP of Marketing at Goodles, as they discuss the realities of formulation, sourcing, branding, retail growth, and operations, and how they’ve turned clean label products into brands that drive trial, repeat purchase, and sustainable growth.You will learn:How to decide whether an innovation solves a real consumer need or is simply chasing a trendHow to make ingredient decisions that balance taste, consumer value, manufacturing feasibility, and brand positioningHow to simplify an unconventional production process so it can scale without compromising the productHow to choose the right pace and path for growth based on your capital, team, and ability to support new distributionHow to make sure your product and packaging can drive trial and repeat before spending heavily on marketing

New York's density makes it one of the best cities to build retail distribution — and one of the hardest to crack. Namik Soltan, founder and CEO of GNGR Labs, spent six years self-distributing into hundreds of NYC bodegas, independents, and chains before handing accounts to a distributor. Sean Rosenberg, founder of Goldie, is about to do the same. In this episode, Namik shares tips with Sean through the exact playbook, store by store.You will learn:How to build a retail footprint in NYC without a distributor, starting from zeroWhat it actually takes to get into bodegas, independents, and regional chainsWhen to bring on a distributor, and how to prep your territory before they arriveHow to use free product, sales sheets, and intro deals to drive trialWhat separates brands that scale past their first 50 stores from those that stallHow self-distribution today sets you up for regional and national growth later

Building a differentiated brand is only half the battle. The other half is making sure consumers actually understand why it matters.Join Sahra Nguyen, founder & CEO of Nguyen Coffee Supply, and Kyle Nguyen, co-founder of Lucky Ox, to discuss one of the biggest challenges growing brands face: how to stay true to what makes your product unique while communicating it in a way that resonates with mainstream consumers. You will learn:How to figure out what consumers actually care about—and build your messaging around it instead of your assumptionsHow to use Meta ads, Google Search Console, and customer reviews to test positioning before investing in itWhy "meeting consumers where they are" isn't always the right strategy—and when to lean harder into what makes your brand differentHow to decide where limited retail marketing dollars will have the biggest impact on trial and velocityHow to simplify product names, packaging, and messaging without losing what makes your brand uniqueHow to identify merchandising problems that quietly hurt sales—and what brands can do to fix themWhy PR should support your business strategy, not become your business strategy

Today's grocery aisle is splitting between shoppers looking for the best deal and those who are happy to pay more for brands they believe are worth it.In this episode, Scott Sanders, Business Intelligence Lead at Carbone, and Jeff Lovering, Chief Data Scientist at Customer Marketing Group, talk through what that shift means for CPG brands. They share practical ways to think about pricing, promotions, and growth—and how to figure out whether your biggest opportunity is pricing, awareness, positioning, distribution, or something else entirely.You'll learn:How to determine whether your brand has earned a premium priceThe difference between a pricing problem, an awareness problem, and a positioning problemWhy premium brands can thrive—even in a value-driven economyHow consumers decide whether your product is "worth it"When promotions drive growth—and when they simply mask bigger issuesHow to use data to diagnose what's really limiting your growthWhat today's split economy means for your long-term brand strategy

Founders are constantly told they need to build in public - but is it actually the best way to grow?In this episode of the Nombase Podcast, Nick Elliott, Founder of Esprizio, joins Sara Brooks, Co-Founder of Goldilocks, to discuss the role of founder-led content, social media, PR, and brand strategy in building a successful CPG business.You Will Learn:When building in public makes sense—and when it doesn'tHow to develop a repeatable social strategy instead of posting randomlyLow-cost ways to build awareness and generate PRHow to create content that builds community instead of just chasing viewsWhy consistency matters more than posting frequencyHow to decide where founders should spend their limited marketing resources

Getting onto retail shelves can feel like a big accomplishment—but what happens when strong velocity, national distribution, and real sales still don't add up to a profitable business?Lauren Chew of Love + Chew Superfood Cookies shares the story behind her decision to exit 2,500 retail doors through UNFI and KeHE—even with velocities buyers were happy with. Abby June Richards of The CPG CFO breaks down where the P&L falls apart for emerging brands and what founders need to understand about cash conversion cycles, trade spend, and channel-level profitability before signing a retailer contract. And Liana Krasnow of Noodo, a premium bone broth pasta sauce just 21 doors in, asks the questions every early-stage brand should be asking right now. You Will Learn:Why a brand can have great velocity and still be losing money on every caseThe hidden cash conversion cycle that can turn a modest monthly loss into a $3M cash problemHow to evaluate whether a specific retailer is actually a fit—before you sign anythingWhat trade spend really is, why it's not an operating expense, and how misreporting it can hurt you in due diligenceThe factors Lauren would weigh differently with her next brand, including shelf facings, direct shipping, and which retailers to avoid entirelyWhy regional, direct, and foodservice channels may deliver more profit than national distribution—and how to know when you're ready to scale

As brands grow, it's easy to focus on the next retailer, the next marketing initiative, or the next distribution opportunity. But sustainable growth starts with a deeper understanding of your brand identity, who it's for, and what makes it truly different.In this episode, Eric Ramstad of Farmwell Drinks, Shaakira DeLoach of Ginja Snap, and brand strategist Kelly Criswell of Mudge to discuss how emerging brands can build around a niche, attract the right consumers, and create a foundation for long-term growth.From rebrands and packaging decisions to demos, consumer feedback, and community building, the conversation explores the questions founders should be asking as they refine their positioning and prepare to scale.You will learn:• How to identify the consumers most likely to become loyal customers• Why simplifying your messaging can strengthen your brand and improve consumer understanding• How to use demos and direct customer feedback to refine positioning and packaging• What creates meaningful differentiation when competitors can copy your ingredients or category• How to evaluate whether your current positioning can support future growth and expansion

Getting ready for BevNet Live June 10–11 in New York City? Or on the fence? BevNet's Editor-in-Chief, Jeff Klineman, walks through a practical "how to do BevNet Live" guide — covering the agenda, key speakers, and how to make the most of every hour at the show.We cover:Tips on how to get the most out of networking, speaker presentations, 1:1 meetings with retailers and investors, and everything else at the showWhat you need to do at BevNET Live and what you can catch up on when you're back homeAgenda highlights from Athletic Brewing, Culture Pop, and Dirty Shirley on building without outpacing your businessRetail sessions with Walmart, Whole Foods, and Vitamin Shoppe on getting — and staying — on shelfFive investor-focused sessions including a term sheet tutorial and a former PepsiCo M&A leadThe delta-9 hemp category under the microscope as Congressional pressure threatens its futureEarly intel on AI and agentic commerce — what CPG brands need to do now before big players lock it inThere's still time to register at Bevnetlive.com - see you there!!

Chris Robb, founder of Supernatural Ventures and early investor in brands like Bachan’s, shares how he evaluates founders before revenue, what separates breakout brands from the rest, and what most CPG companies waste money too early.What founders will learn:• Why unit velocity matters more than total revenue in early retail growth• How to price your first fundraising round without hurting future raises• What kind of packaging is the one area early brands should overspend on• How to use retailers and store buyers as real world product validation before scaling• What Chris looks for in founders before investing pre-revenue capitalChris also breaks down how Supernatural Ventures approaches pre-seed investing, why he avoids heavy marketing spend early on, and how brands can build momentum organically before raising larger rounds.

Yuka is increasingly influencing what gets bought and what gets put back at shelf, with millions of consumers using it in real time while they shop. In this episode, we’re joined by Gabriella Sebag-Weingrad, who leads Yuka’s US business, to break down how it all works and what it means for food and beverage brands trying to stay competitive. For founders, understanding Yuka is no longer optional, it’s a competitive advantage.How Yuka’s scoring system actually works and which ingredients can instantly cap your score or drag it downThe specific additives and formulation choices most likely to get your product put back at shelfWhat happens after a scan, including when consumers switch, trade up, or abandon products entirelyHow brands are reformulating in response and what they’re removing without replacingWays to improve your score without destroying margin, taste, or shelf lifeHow to turn Yuka from a risk into a growth lever by positioning your product as the winning alternative

Building a great product is not enough, especially in a category that actively works against you.In this episode, Ayeshah Abuelhiga of Mason Dixie joins Hey!Hunger's Shireen Khera to talk about what it actually takes to win in one of the toughest environments in grocery. From getting customers to physically find your product to navigating low awareness, inconsistent merchandising, and long repurchase cycles, you'll see behind the scenes into the real work behind building a brand that sells: What it actually takes to get customers to find, try, and buy your product in a challenging categoryWhy getting on shelf is only the beginning and how to actively drive demand through demos, local marketing, and constant presenceWhy early brands should prioritize velocity and depth over expanding into more doors and how to know when you are truly ready to growHow to think about distribution, brokers, and expansion so you don't outgrow your ability to support the businessHow to understand your customer in a way that drives decisions on ingredients, pricing, and marginsHow to win the long game of building a brand in a category with high costs and slow repurchase cyclesWhether you are in frozen or any competitive category, you'll learn what it really takes to turn early traction into real, lasting growth.

Expanding beyond the US is one of the biggest growth opportunities for CPG brands, and one of the easiest ways to get wrong. In this episode, Ruth Fittock, managing partner of Tomorrow Brands, breaks down what it actually takes to launch successfully in the UK, a market worth billions in annual food and beverage sales. Drawing on experience with brands like Vitamin Water, PopChips, and Harmless Harvest, she shares what separates brands that scale from those that stall. This conversation goes far beyond geography. It’s a deep dive into assessing true product market fit, identifying category white space, and determining if your brand is actually ready to scale. It also covers how to pace retail expansion, build demand before distribution, navigate strict regulations, and adapt positioning for a more skeptical consumer. Whether or not global expansion is on your roadmap, you’ll hear practical information to help build a brand that can win anywhere.