Road Trips with People Building and Growing Emerging Brands.

Discussion points

• The differences in the two types of people that start an emerging brand and their approaches: CPG veterans and pure entrepreneurs
• The importance of a 'habits & practices' study so that emerging brands can understand the category they are entering and where they fit
• Bringing the right research to the table when pitching a retailer is critical: is your pricing logical, is your communication strategy clear, and will you drive incremental category performance?
• Once again, we hear from another expert the importance of your brand packaging: is it working hard for you?
• A/B testing can tell a brand which executions within their marketing programs are working better, but research is still needed to understand the consumer and shape communication strategy
• A reference to The Cure, Yeti, and the Miami Dolphins? What a combo!

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Discussion points

• A recap of LUNR's origin having been spun out of an investment firm. So they know what emerging brands need to succeed!
• LUNR has just passed some major milestones in their own growth: $100MM in funds deployed to help clients build inventory, working with 20+ major retailers, and facilitated the growth of more than 50 brands
• A discussion around the traits they look for in a brand prior to taking them on as a client and business partner
• How they help clients understand how to best deploy their capital and understand what their cash conversion cycle might look like based upon the category a brand is in
• LUNR's clear, easy to understand pricing model
• An endorsement of the book: Radical Candor

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Discussion points

• What tells a brand that they are ready to do business with a large distributor like UNFI or KeHE?
• What does a distributor look for in an emerging brand before taking them into distribution? A commitment from a significant retailer is extremely helpful!
• What questions did you ask an emerging brand (or what up front research would you do) while considering accepting them into distribution? Sufficient funding for operations is critical.
• What does a brand have to get right to be successful with UNFI?
• What are the watch outs a brand should be aware of when working with a big distributor? There are many fees, markups, and promotional expectations a brand needs to understand and account for in their P&L.
• Understanding all the fees and terms associated with securing distribution: slotting, payment terms, promotional support requirements for both the distributor and retailer.
• What are the pros and cons of an emerging brand “going it alone” when working with a large distributor? Spoiler alert: going it alone is not recommended!

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Discussion points

• We learn about the many health benefits of Lupini beans.
• The importance of differentiation versus other granolas: high protein, grain & gluten free ingredients, and a formula that does not impact the glycemic index.
• The importance of launching with retailers whose shoppers' demographic profile matches that of your brand. Be in the right place versus being every place.
• An honest take on the highs and lows of starting a CPG brand. All the challenges to overcome and work through as well as the role luck plays with a brand.
• The important role sampling and demos have played in building her brand and the learning she has gained from listening to consumers immediate feedback after trying the brand.
• And finally- she educates us on the band 'Slightly Stupid' and tells us of her favorite airports to fly to.

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Discussion points

• What do you look for in a small/emerging brand?What tells you a brand is ready for retail? What are the requirements and capabilities an emerging brand needs to work with a regional distributor?What are the promotional support elements and assets an emerging brand must have to be successful? What is the best way to work with a regional distributor?

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Discussion points

• The importance of preparation for a meeting, communicating the purpose of the meeting in advance, and nailing your follow up.
• Know the key personnel within your retail account: buyer, assistant buyer, head of merchandising, inventory, promotion, logistics. Your responsibilities go way beyond just knowing your buyer's email address.
• Be accountable for everything at your retail account. When there is a problem- don't pass the buck. Own it, begin working on the solution, and keep your account up to date on resolution.
• After each meeting- jot down what you learned. Not just what was discussed. Did you hear about a delay to a plan o gram? Are line reviews being delayed for some reason? Are there going to be personnel changes inside the retailer? A strategy shift? Listen carefully.
• Don't waste your time fighting to the death for a poor performing sku. If it hasn't been making the sales hurdle- acknowledge this point and take the issue off the table. It proves you "get it" and you can focus on the strong parts of your business and new innovation. You only get so much time each year with your retailer- use it wisely!
• Retailers have many meetings. A couple of days in advance- send a reminder of your upcoming meeting, the purpose of the meeting, and who is coming from your company. Do not bring too many people! All in a meeting should have a role. Buyers can be put off if they walk into a meeting with many people from the supplier that they were not made aware of in advance.Running a retail business means making nonstop decisions—inventory, staffing, marketing, tech. The SKUpe is the weekly newsletter designed to help you make smarter calls, faster.Curated by industry experts, The SKUpe delivers clear, trustworthy insights on what’s working for small and mid-sized retailers today. Join 20,000 owners and operators who rely on it to stay sharp and ahead of the game.Subscribe at t-h-e-s-k-u-p-e dot c-o. Please subscribe : https://www.theskupe.co

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Discussion points

• The importance of a well-structured concept test that can help a brand understand which elements of their product offering are resonating with which specific consumer groups. Understanding purchase probability is vital!
• The speed and cost or research has come way down over the years. A lot of learning is within your reach for fair prices.
• "Is the question worth the cost of the answer?" A great way to frame your research needs!
• An in-depth discussion around product benefits, how to determine (and validate) what your primary benefit is and then asking whether or not you can 'own' this benefit?
• The research findings a brand should have in their sales deck when trying to introduce their brand to retailers. Prove you are different and will bring incremental business to the category. Retailers believe facts and numbers.
• And finally- references to the old TV shows "Bewitched", "Taxi" and an illogical pledge of perpetual loyalty to the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Discussion points

• The humble beginnings of the product being sold store to store to running and bike shops. Only way to get into these places is for the product to work and be preferred by customers.
• The importance of your product packaging. It has to do a lot of heavy lifting and clearly communicate your product benefits and point of difference.
• A discussion around the clinical study they executed to prove the efficacy of their FastChews product form. People believe their own experiences and facts!
• The importance of the demographic/shopper match when taking a brand into brick & mortar retail.
• The power of sampling.
• The role their DTC website, Amazon and brick & mortar retail each play in building their business.
• And lastly- hope for the Denver Broncos and their 2025 NFL draft choices. "In Sean Payton" Paul trusts!

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Discussion points

• What is this meeting? Who attends? What do attendees hope to accomplish?
• The consulting firm Kearney presented "Winning Amid Consumer Uncertainty". This work synched nicely with "The Tradeoff Consumer" work Big Chalk has done.
• Retailer presentations from Wakefern, Walgreens, and Walmart. Interesting discussions of their key initiatives for the upcoming year.
• The entire industry is waiting for M&A to pick up. Lots of pent-up interest for sure!
• Lots of discussion around Retailer Media Networks: effectiveness, how to measure, and how to best utilize. Our friends at Incremental can help brands work through this complex matter.
• Like all industry meetings and trade shows- you get out of it what you put into it. Strategic discussions started at NACDS Annual can bear fruit at the August NACDS TSE meeting when more of the retail buying teams are present.

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Discussion points

• A very interesting brand origin story that came out of a college assignment.
• The importance of building the brand YOU want and hope others will like it too.
• A chemistry lesson about how Cheers works in the human body and the story of getting the product approved in the US for sale.
• With regard to marketing- don't move on to 'the next thing' until you have nailed 'the current thing'.
• Why having a profitable DTC business was vital prior to the move into brick & mortar retail.
• A billion impressions anyone?

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Discussion points

• In the spirit of true entrepreneurship
• Dan discusses tuning out those that said he had no shot- he followed his instincts and looked for opportunities to get his brand into people's hands.
• The importance of believing in yourself.
• Hear about his big break at Smorgasburg in Brooklyn.
• The importance of taking feedback and remaining curious- led to several packaging breakthroughs!
• Don't assume all equipment purchases are out of reach! An induction sealer was a great investment!
• Interestingly, Nancy Kalish of Rule Breaker Snacks led us to Dan & Tango Chile Sauce when she named it as a favorite brand!
• Always great to have a Deadhead on the show!

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Discussion points

• What drove him to sell a vitamin infused brand of water in a can?
• The B-12 in Acid Rain Water offers a hydration product that is part pure water with a trait of an energy drink
• How he overcame the brand's first huge challenge of launching during a pandemic when cans were tough to source
• The importance of testing, learning, tracking and course correcting with regard to your marketing spend in order to find where your target consumers can be found
• Jason discusses how working with good people right from the start helps you find (and build a network of) other good people. There is no substitute!
• 'Welcome to the Jungle' - you will have to listen to get his view on this one!

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Discussion points

• What do you look for in an emerging brand? Spoiler alert: a great story, solid marketing, and the potential to add incremental performance to the category.
• How to get a meeting with a buyer and what should be included in a presentation deck.
• She discusses GNC's commitment to high quality products- all brands are vetted through their legal and science team members.
• Roberta shares the variety of ways they launch products at GNC and how she helps brands navigate the onboarding process and her performance expectations.
• A common theme across successful emerging brands is the presence of a solid and effective marketing plan put in place at the start (and ongoing) to drive demand.

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Discussion points

• How Backstroke utilizes AI to customize messaging for their clients, so they speak to different consumer targets in their voice
• Email marketing can effectively be utilized to drive both new sales conversions and as a very effective retention tool to keep your consumers inside your brand franchise
• Backstroke's tech driven process delivers 31% more revenue than email campaigns cobbled together "the human only way"
• Backstroke can design and target your email campaign to a specific geography and even target it to drive business at a specific retailer. Another account specific tactic to utilize
• The Backstroke team's experience and their use of AI will free up your team to work on other business building initiatives versus building out email campaigns in house using old technology

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