Road Trips with People Building and Growing Emerging Brands.

Discussion points

• What led her to write her new book The Ozempic Revolution (available at local bookstores and Amazon)?
• Many users of GLP-1's discontinue using the products within a year due to side effects
• Dr. Sowa explains what the body needs to replenish while on a GLP-1 in order to keep the body properly nourished and to minimize side effects
• The importance of being very discerning when partnering with a contract manufacturer
• How she and her team are thinking about when to seek growth capital and what they will look for in an investor

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Discussion points

• A welcoming address by CEO Scott Melville outlining the issues in front ofthe industry during these interesting times and a reminder of CHPA's importantmission.
• A great presentation by Circana discussing industry trends andobservations. Learn about what makes a trend a trend vs a fad! Arecap of ROIs for self-care products across advertising platforms.
• Professor Joe Fuller from Harvard offered a very interesting take on the statusof AI and how it is currently impacting business as well as some thoughts onfuture impact.
• A couple of CEO panels. Trends were discussed by Ron Lombardi (PrestigeBrands), Tiffany McLaud (Ultima) and Greg Bradley (Foundation). SusanRoddy of Perella Weinberg hosted an M&A panel with Abigail Buckwalter (CEO-Nestle Health Science) and Mike DeBiasi (CEO of Arcadia Consumer Health)where they shared 'lessons learned' over the course of the various deals theyhave participated in: tips and watchouts!
• Scott Melville led an insightful discussion with "Face the Nation"host Margaret Brennan around navigating today's political landscape.
• A very informative presentation of the ever evolving retail landscape. The rate of change continues to be high and consumers have never had greateraccess to information to help them remove at least some of the uncertainty inmaking their self-care choices.
• Leading retailer HEB closed the activities with a discussion by Chief MerchantScott Mitchell and then a store tour so all could see and learn about theirfirst class operation.

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Discussion points

• Emerging brands generally need a sales agent or broker sooner than later! The smart play is to engage early and to be properly prepared to launch or expand your brand.
• Signs that an emerging brand is ready to go for growth: brand claims & benefits are identified and validated with the consumer detailing that the product will actually serve a financially viable market segment. Manufacturing partners are vetted and capable of supporting your launch or expansion. You have the funding to drive demand and build inventory.
• The questions you as a brand should ask a broker to ensure they are the match to help you drive growth. This match includes capabilities, experience and personality. Relationships matter. A lot.
• We also address the questions you should expect a broker to ask of you as a brand. They will have expectations as well.
• A good broker brings much more to the table than simply representing your brand to retailers. They can help with marketing, data analysis, business development, and constructing high quality go to market strategies.
• We also discuss the importance of communication on many fronts- often the key ingredient to any successful business partnership.

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Discussion points

• An overview of the Expo West show: who attends and the primary purpose of theshow
• Before you decide to exhibit- you may be best served by going for the firsttime as an attendee. Hear his rationale
• Aside from exhibiting or walking the show- what else goes on at Expo West froma content standpoint?
• A point of view on hot trends and some unusual products
• And finally- how to best go about following up with contacts from theshow. Spoiler alert: don't send them your 80 page deck in an email!

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Discussion points

• If you want to be successful with using influencers- you need to do math! Set goals and establish metrics for success.
• Math will help you understand both the cost to acquire an effective influencer and the lifetime value of your consumers.
• Influencers can help you shape and tell your brand story- but the core of the brand story comes from the brand!
• It takes some time for an influencer program to take root and show results. Not an overnight homerun. Planning and some patience are critical.
• There are infrastructure tools in the influencer space (such as GRIN) that can help you manage and measure the business impact of your efforts.

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Discussion points

• Understanding the scope of capabilities of your contract manufacturing partner. Many have a broad array of capabilities. Others don't.
• A great contract manufacturer wants to be a long-term partner with client brands- not just take a one-off order.
• Vet your potential manufacturing partner carefully. Tour their facility, ask detailed questions about capabilities and certifications, breadth of services, etc.
• Many contract manufacturers have products ready to go that may be able to help you expand your business and accelerate your brand's innovation cycle.
• Know that a quality contract manufacturer will have expectations of YOU as a client- so be prepared to discuss these upfront to ensure a smooth start to a business relationship.

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Discussion points

• We discuss the different kinds of trade shows and conferences there are and the purposes they serve. They are not all alike.
• The importance of having a plan and objectives for the shows and conferences you decide to attend. Simply standing in a booth all day will not cut it.
• Some shows are for selling, some conferences are topic specific such as updates on Regulatory matters or ingredients shows.
• If you decide to have a booth at an event- how do I attract people to my booth, get meetings, and differentiate my booth from others in my category? Hints: samples are great! As is motion and action. Two people standing behind a draped card table....not exciting!
• We cover the importance of working the meeting from the very beginning to the very end of each day. Opportunity presents itself to those that work the entire time.
• And finally- some key points about the importance of precise, personalized follow up.

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Discussion points

• Unleashing the Power of Social Commerce: Driving Omnichannel Growth with TikTok Shop. Presented by Oliver Bogner of MPG
• From Aisle to Amazon: Amplifying Your Success on the World's Largest Marketplace. Presented by Bryson Buck of MPG
• Navigating Growth & Innovation: Insights from Whole Foods' Local and Emerging Brands Team. Presented by Casey Gaston of Whole Foods Market
• Unlock Growth: Strategic Capital Access and Scaling for CPG Brands in a Competitive Landscape. Presented by Mollye Santulli of Springdale Ventures
• Data, Analytics & Storytelling for the Modern Merchant Mindset. Presented by Heather Grantham of MPG
• Marketing Transformation: How a Full Funnel Approach Unlocks Growth. Presented by Cheryl Policastro of MPG

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Discussion points

• Getting on the shelf is only the start of the selling game. Selling through to the end consumer is the key! And the retailer timeline to prove brand success is getting shorter all the time.
• Traditional media vehicles are still excellent to drive a large volume of impressions against your target audience fast to drive the awareness level quickly in order to accelerate consumer trial of your brand. There is no repeat purchase without trial.
• Hear how Retail + Response go about building a de facto unwired network to focus efforts in a very tight geographic region or to drive your business with a specific retailer.
• Traditional media is more affordable than you may think if you are trapped in legacy thinking or have heard the cost to play is out of reach.
• If you are a great brand with a great story- listen to how traditional media can play a key role in your advertising mix to drive sales.

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Discussion points

• The company was founded by an entrepreneur challenged by the need to fund their inventory purchases. So Kickfurther truly understands the pressures small & emerging brands feel
• Kickfuther offers multiple solutions as they know different brands have different cash cycles
• They work with clients to help them maintain a steadier level of cash on hand with their bank
• Kickfurther can scale with your brand as you expand your business across channels If your brand has a need to fund your inventory- contact David directly at Kickfurther to learn more!

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Discussion points

• Are all of your promotional plans properly loaded into the retailers system? Is the timing accurate? Are the budgets set?
• Do you understand the key dates for each retail partner: line reviews, promo planning, new item meetings, adds & deletes, date new plan o gram hits their stores?
• Is your pricing consistent across all channels/platforms/retailers? Consistency matters!
• Do you understand what success looks like? "How will the paper be graded?" Do you know your velocity hurdle rates? Trade spend expectations? Elements that go into your brand scorecard?
• Are you working with a broker or sales agent that really knows how to get things done inside your retailer? Work with people that KNOW what they are doing. Remove uncertainty in the mind of your retail buyer: there is always risk when making a bet on an emerging brand. While they may not say it- they will wonder "Can they execute and do what they say they are going to do?"
• Don't get spread too thin and out run your funding to both make product and to invest in marketing to drive demand. Your brand must sell through- not justy sell in.

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Discussion points

• A key component to product research is understanding the existing brands in (or near) the category you want to enter is to buy competing products and see what is working. And in the case of a healthy snack- what tastes good!
• Differentiation is critical! Superior taste, good & clean ingredients, and an allergen free production facility are part of the brand story.
• Understanding what it takes to 'win' at retail. Such as reformulating to extend shelf life.
• How critical it is to understand financial performance in all of your retailers and across all channels. Can't get involved with money losing channels or retailers.
• Practice humility and hire people that are strong where you are weak.

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Discussion points

• Research is important, but so is getting your product into 'real people's hands' and getting their feedback directly. Art meets science!
• Octonuts' key points of difference were "nutrient density", clean label, high protein and unique flavors.
• Don't launch with too many skus! It leads to many problems such as a lack of focus, consumes cash, and over complicates an emerging brand's operations.
• Understand that each retailer has different criteria for a successful partnership. And (spoiler alert) you don't necessarily want to be everywhere.
• The importance of controlling pricing across channels and retailers. Practice "radical empathy" for the consumer.

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Discussion points

• When should an emerging brand consider hiring a broker? Spoiler alert: sooner rather than later!
• What exactly will a broker do for my brand and why do I need them?
• What questions should you ask when hiring a broker? What questions should you be prepared to answer from them?
• How to best manage the broker-brand relationship
• How are brokers compensated?

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