The Startup CPG Podcast

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Craig Dubitsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Happy Products — a modern beverage brand reimagining how coffee can make us feel. Craig is one of CPG's most iconic brand builders, having created category-defining household staples like eos and hello. With hello, he built the fastest-growing oral care brand in North America before its acquisition by Colgate, where he went on to serve as Chief Innovation Officer. His newest venture, Happy Products, was co-founded alongside Robert Downey Jr. and launched in partnership with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) — the largest grassroots mental health organization in America.

Craig brings decades of hard-won experience across brand building, capital management, fundraising, and navigating strategic partnerships through acquisition. In this episode, he shares the lessons that shaped him, what founders should have in place before embarking on a fundraise, and the mental models he uses to build things people genuinely fall in love with.

Craig and Hannah dig into the full arc of building a brand from zero: why advisory boards are one of the most underused fundraising tools, how to pitch investors without your hat in hand, and why the obsession with valuation and dilution often misses the point entirely. He also unpacks what made hello attractive to Colgate, why "exit" is the wrong word for what happens when a strategic acquires your company, and why everything costs more and takes longer than you think — no matter how many times you've done it.

Listen in as they cover:

Craig's winding career path: derivatives trading, relocation startups, Method, eos, hello, Colgate, and now Happy Products
Why Happy isn't a coffee company — it's in the "Happy business," with coffee as the delivery system
How NAMI ended up on Happy's cap table from day zero — and what makes that different from typical purpose-driven brand partnerships
Why the magic of a brand is harder than the math — and why getting the magic right usually takes care of the math
The advisory board strategy: how to stack the deck before you have traction, revenue, or a full team
What investors actually want to see: identified manufacturers, cost of goods, margin assumptions, retailer interest, and team
Why founders who obsess over valuation and dilution are asking the wrong questions
The story of hello's first toothpaste bottle — a packaging pivot that almost never happened, and why it's a masterclass in listening to the market
What made hello irresistible to Colgate: cross-channel distribution, strong repeat, brand differentiation, and a team that could execute at pace
Why Craig calls the Colgate deal an "entrance," not an exit
His most important piece of capital advice: always plan for it to cost more and take longer

Whether you're a first-time founder or on your fourth company, this episode is a masterclass in building with intention, raising with humility, and creating things people want to have in their lives forever.

Episode Links:
Happy Products: happyproducts.com 
Craig Dubitsky on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/craig-dubitsky-40612 
Happy Products on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/we-are-happy-products
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): nami.org / 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
Follow @startupcpg
Visit host Hannah's Linkedin 
Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
Episode music by Super Fantastics

If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,
Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Matt Beaman, co-founder of Goodburn Sauce Co., a regenerative, farm-focused hot sauce brand based in Austin, Texas with a deep love for rare and exotic chili peppers from around the world.

Matt shares how a career that took him from writing for kids' television to Disney marketing to Facebook brand management ultimately led him back to Austin — and into the world of hot sauce. He introduces co-founder Carson Hoovestol, a reggae dub producer and longtime natural products retail veteran who has been plant-based for decades and brings an encyclopedic knowledge of produce and ingredients to the brand.

Together, they dig into the origin of Goodburn's anchor ingredient — the Papa Dreadie Scotch Bonnet pepper, a legendary Austin variety with roots in Jamaica and a backstory that involves a beloved local character, a reggae scene, and a frozen stash of heirloom seeds that arrived like something out of Jurassic Park. Caitlin shares her own personal favorite, the Arbol Primo, and makes a strong case that the hot sauce market is far less saturated once you actually taste what's inside the bottles.

Listen in as they cover:

How a friendship, a garden, and a legendary pepper variety became a hot sauce brand — How dates and fruit replace sugar in Goodburn's sauces — and why there are zero natural flavors, artificial flavors, or preservatives — The regenerative farming philosophy behind the brand and the Texas and California farm partners making it possible — What the "Goodburn zone" actually means and why finding that heat sweet spot is harder than it looks — The branding story behind Goodburn's standout label, from the OG designers to creative director Zach Shapiro — Where Goodburn is currently carried, including a recent acceptance into Central Market — What's coming next: South American, African, and Chinese pepper-inspired sauces and a first funding round

Whether you're a founder navigating a crowded condiment aisle, a buyer looking for a premium hot sauce with a real story behind it, or a heat lover who's tired of sauces that are either too mild or too punishing, this episode is for you.

Episode Links:
 
Goodburn Sauce Co. Website: https://www.goodburnsauce.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodburnsauceco
Matt Beaman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmatthewbeaman/
Faire: https://bit.ly/3QecJ53

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
Follow @startupcpg
Visit host Caitlin's Linkedin 
Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
Episode music by Super Fantastics

If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,
Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.

In this special episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff and Managing Editor Caitlin Bricker — a former retail buyer — run a live pitch practice session recorded on YouTube Live, where founders jumped up to deliver their 30-second pitch and got direct, actionable feedback in real time. The result is one of the most broadly useful episodes we've ever put out: whether you pitched or just watched, the feedback applies to you.

Eleven brands across food, beverage, supplements, and pet stepped up: an Ayurvedic wellness tea, a kava seltzer, a low-carb donut and cookie brand, an umami seasoning, a women's hormonal health supplement powder, a pet training treat in a portable tube, a dessert butter, and a salon-quality cuticle oil line. Every pitch got something different — and every piece of feedback is worth hearing.

Together, Daniel and Caitlin break down the mechanics of a strong pitch: why your energy matters more than your talking points, how to proactively answer the buyer's unspoken questions, why uptalk will quietly kill your credibility, and what it means to actually lead with your product.

Listen in as they cover:
Why energy and confidence beat a perfectly memorized script every time
The single question every buyer is thinking but won't always ask: will this actually sell?
Camera setup, lighting, and the small technical details that make a big impression on Zoom pitches
Why "first ever" is a phrase to avoid — and what to say instead
How to use proof points, velocity data, and repeat purchase rates to earn trust fast
What adaptogenic actually means — and why you need to know before you say it
When your founding story helps you and when it costs you valuable pitch time
Why D2C traction and social following should come up earlier than most founders think

Brands featured: 
Ayursome Wellness, Kaviva, Good Journey, Zenbroth, Bagelverse, Ramen Bae, Cali Nutrition, Doggo Sessions, Oh My! Dessert Butter, Theniya, Tiara Natural Deodorant

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
Follow @startupcpg
Visit host Daniel's Linkedin 
Visit host Caitlin's Linkedin 
Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
Episode music by Super Fantastics

If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,
Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.

In this episode of R&D Radio, hosted by Adam Yee, Adam sits down with Travis Zissu, founder of Scale Food Labs — an FDA-registered pilot food manufacturing facility in Golden, Colorado helping emerging brands turn benchtop formulas into scalable, production-ready products. With over a decade of food industry experience spanning culinary school at the CIA, GNT Natural Colors, and Chew Innovation, Travis has made it his mission to democratize the product development knowledge he's accumulated and make scalability a first principle, not an afterthought.

Travis walks through his end-to-end process — from ingredient sourcing and prototype development to consumer testing, pilot runs, and full production — and explains why discovering problems before you hit a manufacturer is worth far more than any single formula tweak. He also shares why 90% acceptance is the real launch threshold, and what founders get dangerously wrong when they fall in love with their home kitchen recipe.

He also dives into two standout client stories: a founder who came to Expo West with four vague ideas and left with a launched, distributor-ready hot-filled acidified product — and a farmer's market entrepreneur who went from buying spice jars at Whole Foods to opening a $12 million facility.

Listen in as they discuss:
Why sourcing from scalable suppliers must happen before you ever touch the bench
The danger of switching ingredient suppliers at scale — and the real cost of finding out too late
Why you'll never launch exactly what you made at home, and why that's okay
How Scale Food Labs stress tests pilots: turning up heat, skipping stirs, and pouring off at multiple intervals
Protein trends: the rise of animal-based protein, BLG (beta-lactoglobulin) whey, and a supply chain already running dry through 2027
Fiber as a parallel trend — and why GI distress is the thing that kills fiber-forward products
Cell-based meats: what it's actually like to taste cultured chicken, and why Travis is rooting hard for the category

Episode Links:
Travis Zissu – Founder, Scale Food Labs
🌐 Website: www.scalefoodlabs.com
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zissu

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.
Show Links:

Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
Follow @startupcpg
Visit host Adam's Linkedin 
Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
Episode music by Super Fantastics

If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,
Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Elly Truesdell, founder and Managing Partner at New Fare Partners — a seed and Series A venture fund investing exclusively in food and beverage across the value chain. Elly brings one of the most distinctive full-stack perspectives in consumer investing: she spent nearly a decade at Whole Foods leading local brands and product innovation across the Northeast region and then globally, ran a co-manufacturing facility for 18 months, and co-founded Made by Nacho — a premium cat food brand launched with Bobby Flay that recently closed a successful acquisition. That rare combination of retail buying, operating, and founding experience is the backbone of what New Fare brings to its portfolio.

New Fare Fund 1 is a $20M vehicle (plus a couple of SPVs, bringing total AUM to around $25M), and the fund writes first checks of $500K to $1M at seed and Series A, with the intention of getting to know founders for months — and often years — before investing.

Hannah and Elly dig into what the Venn diagram between retail buying diligence and investor diligence actually looks like, how founders should adjust their pitch when moving from buyer conversations to investor conversations, and what the right team structure looks like when gearing up for a fundraise. They also tackle the question straight from the Startup CPG Slack community: what matters more — sales growth or profitability?

Listen in as they cover:
Elly's path from Whole Foods local brands and innovation to co-manufacturing to co-founding Made by Nacho with Bobby Flay to launching New Fare Partners
New Fare's fund structure, check size, stage focus, and investment thesis around the modern eater and premiumization
The Venn diagram between retail buyer diligence and investor diligence — where they overlap and where they diverge
How founders should adjust their pitch when moving from buyer conversations to investor conversations
The power dynamic difference: why your investor relationship should not look like your retailer relationship
What Elly looks for in founders — motivation, conviction, and why she wants to see a little pushback in term sheet negotiations
Portfolio spotlights: Lucille (senior nutrition), NARA Organics (infant formula), and Bachan's (Japanese BBQ sauce)
Team structure advice: two paths to building — formidable infrastructure from day one vs. lean and fractional with finance as the non-negotiable first hire
The Slack community case study question answered: sales growth vs. profitability — and why it's life stage dependent
Why the overcorrection toward profitability has not lowered growth expectations — the bar is just higher now
Consumer behavior and macro trends driving New Fare's thesis: premiumization, time collapse, and the shift in how people receive food

Whether you're a founder preparing for your first fundraise, an operator navigating the retail-to-investor pivot, or someone building in food and bev who wants to understand how the smartest investors in the room are actually thinking — this episode is a must listen.

Episode Links: 

New Fare Partners: https://www.newfarepartners.com
Elly Truesdell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elly-truesdell-5106b65b/ 
New Fare Partners on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-fare/ 

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.
Show Links:
Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
Follow @startupcpg
Visit host Hannah's Linkedin 
Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
Episode music by Super Fantastics

If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind Cognizin,
Head to www.cognizin.com to learn more.