The Startup CPG Podcast

In this bonus mini episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Bill Hayes, Director of R&D Applications at Vibrant Ingredients, to finally answer a question that trips up a lot of product developers: what's the actual difference between a tea extract and a tea essence?

Bill breaks it down in the most satisfying way — that irresistible aroma that hits you the second hot water meets a tea bag? That's your essence. The body, color, astringency, and mouthfeel that makes a tea beverage actually taste like tea? That's your extract. Together, they're what makes a great RTD tea tick.

Vibrant Ingredients is the world's largest private equity-owned natural ingredients provider, and they're doing a lot more than tea. The conversation covers cold brew coffee extracts, natural flavors, functional ingredients like L-theanine, EGCG, and natural caffeine — all using a pure water-based extraction process that keeps things clean and natural. Bill also shares his tips for formulators and brand founders on how to move quickly from concept to commercialization by knowing your "must haves" vs. your "nice to haves" and partnering with ingredient suppliers who actually understand your brand's mission.

If you're working on a tea, coffee, or functional beverage — or just curious how your favorite RTD gets that fresh-brewed character — this one's for you.
🔗 Get in touch with the Vibrant Ingredients team: https://bit.ly/4d9gWjJ 

🔗 Connect with Bill Hayes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-hayes-83008764/

Listen in as they discuss:
The real difference between a tea essence and a tea extract (and why both matter)
How Vibrant Ingredients uses pure water extraction to keep things natural
What categories use tea essences and extracts (hard teas, RTDs, functional beverages, and more)
When and why alcohol or other solvents might be used instead of water
Functional add-ins: L-theanine, EGCG, natural caffeine, antioxidants
Tips for formulators: how to move fast and partner effectively with ingredient suppliers
The full scope of what Vibrant Ingredients offers — from concept to commercialization

Episode Links:
Get in touch with the Vibrant Ingredients team: https://bit.ly/4d9gWjJ 
Guest: Bill Hayes, Director of R&D Applications, Vibrant Ingredients
Website: https://vibrantingredients.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-hayes-83008764/ 

About Startup CPG: Startup CPG is the largest community for emerging CPG brands: 35,000+ Slack members, the #1 podcast in CPG, 100+ events per year, and award-winning resources to help brands grow. Join free today: https://startupcpg.com/sign-up

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)
Follow @startupcpg
Visit host Daniel's Linkedin 
Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
Episode music by Super Fantastics

Host Daniel Scharff introduces the newest addition to the Startup CPG Podcast family: R&D Radio, a brand new segment hosted by food scientist, serial entrepreneur, and podcast veteran Adam Yee. Going forward, Adam will be interviewing product developers, formulators, and R&D experts to bring emerging brands deep into the world of research and development—without requiring a technical background to follow along.

Adam brings 12+ years of food science experience, having founded two food businesses (Better Meat Company and Sobo Foods), hosted 300+ episodes of the My Food Job Rocks podcast, and built his consultancy UmaiWorks around helping people turn ideas into real products. In this introductory episode, Daniel and Adam talk about what R&D Radio is, why it exists, and what brands can expect from upcoming episodes.

Listen in as they discuss:
Why Startup CPG launched R&D Radio and what it aims to do for emerging brands
Adam's background as a food scientist, entrepreneur, and podcast host
The launch of Startup CPG's first-ever Product Developer Directory—and how it was built
What makes a great formulator-brand relationship, and why personality matters as much as technical skill
The different ways product developers work: from 0-to-1 concept development to co-packer navigation to hands-on lab assets
Adam's own "passion ingredient" focus on Asian flavors—and why finding a formulator who's excited about your product changes everything
What brands should pay attention to as they listen to upcoming R&D Radio episodes

Episode Links:

Adam Yee – Food Scientist, Entrepreneur & R&D Radio Host 

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsmeadamyee/ 

🌐 Umaiworks.com
Startup CPG Product Developer Directory: https://startupcpg.com/product-developer-directory

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 
Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Sumeet Shah, founder of VHS Ventures, to explore what founders need to know about the diligence process, from balance sheet health checks to building the kind of trust that makes investor-founder relationships last.

Sumeet brings over 14 years of experience across consumer investing, private equity, and venture capital. His journey spans early work with PE-backed consumer brands, helping launch Brand Foundry Ventures, early backer of Allbirds, Cotopaxi, and Yumi, and Swiftark Ventures, before ultimately founding VHS Ventures in 2023, a firm built around what he calls a "village mentality." VHS fully deployed its first fund into 20 companies in just 18 months.

Throughout the conversation, Sumeet breaks down VHS Ventures' circular thesis across consumer products and commerce infrastructure, explains why contextual commerce is the next evolution beyond omnichannel, and shares his firm's rigorous yet relationship-driven approach to diligence. He dives deep into why he prioritizes balance sheet health over P&L optics, walks through liquidity ratios including current vs. quick ratio and cash conversion cycle, and explains why the "why" behind the numbers matters just as much as the numbers themselves.

Sumeet also opens up about what a first investor meeting should actually feel like, a conversation not an interview, why transparency is non-negotiable in the founder-investor relationship, and why not every great company needs to be venture-backed. He closes with a reminder that investors, including himself, are approachable and encourages founders to reach out genuinely.

If you're fundraising, evaluating potential partners, or just want to understand how experienced investors think about your business's financial health, this episode is packed with both insight and heart.

Listen in as they discuss:
Sumeet's journey from PE to Brand Foundry to Swiftark to VHS Ventures VHS Ventures mandate: pre-seed to seed focus, $250K–$500K checks scaling to $1–3M through Series A 
The "village mentality" and how LPs, board members, and founders all share in success
 Contextual commerce and the evolution beyond omnichannel 
Commerce infrastructure and the role of AI in supply chain and customer profiling Diligence deep dive: why balance sheets matter more than P&Ls Current ratio vs. quick ratio and what they reveal about financial health 
The cash conversion cycle and what it means for wholesale brands 
Why transparency in diligence is the foundation of the founder-investor relationship 
What a first investor meeting should feel like and what fit really means 
Advice for founders: eternal curiosity, resisting ecosystem pressure, and finding your believer 
Breaking into consumer investing: building your platform and finding your passion

Episode Links:
Sumeet Shah — Founder & Managing Partner, VHS Ventures 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumeethshah/ 
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vhs-vc/ 
Website: https://www.vhs.vc/ 

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

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Keya Wingfield—founder of Keya's Snacks—a brand bringing Indian heritage to beloved American potato chips. From accidental pandemic pivot to stunningly designed bags landing on shelves at Sprouts and Fresh Thyme, Keya shares the full journey: the origin story behind her Bombay Spice and Black Salt flavors, the deeply intentional design choices behind her iconic packaging (yes, that's her face on the bag—and there's a whole lot more to it than that), and why she's on a mission to break through what she calls the "sea of sameness" in the chip aisle.

Keya opens up about going from custom desserts and a Food Network championship to overnight CPG founder, how her husband's reluctance to eat Indian food became the unlikely spark behind her flavor philosophy, and why making bold, cultural flavors accessible and affordable to everyone is at the core of everything she does. She also gets candid about burnout as a solo founder, the lessons she's still learning, and what she hopes her seven-year-old daughter takes away from watching her build something from nothing.

Whether you're a founder, a retailer, or just someone who needs a better chip in their life, this episode delivers.

Listen in as they discuss:
How a pandemic pivot from custom desserts accidentally launched a chip brand
The origin of Bombay Spice: making Indian flavor approachable for an American palate
The deeply symbolic design behind Keya's packaging—and why her face represents every woman who has ever fed anyone
Why she fought hard to keep the MSRP accessible, and what happened when a shopper thought it was $12.99
What single-origin organic spices from India have to do with respecting the consumer
The "sea of sameness" in the chip aisle and what Keya wants retailers to hear
Burnout, walks, and buying too much makeup: how she stays grounded as a solo founder
A third flavor on the way and what's next for Keya's Snacks

Episode Links:

Keya Wingfield — Founder & CEO, Keya's Snacks 

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keya-wingfield/ 
🌐 Website: https://www.keyaandco.net 
📸 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/keyaandco/
https://www.instagram.com/keyassnacks/ 

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

In this mini episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff breaks down everything you need to know about the Founders & Funders Roadshow — a brand new series of accessible, city-based fundraising events coming to four cities in 2026. After the massive success of the December Founders & Funders event in New York City, Startup CPG is bringing the same energy and caliber of investors directly to founders across the country.

Daniel walks through exactly how the events work — from filling out your one-pager to getting matched for 10-minute 1:1 meetings with active VCs — and makes a strong case for why getting your ticket early is essential. He also shares the impressive VC lineups already confirmed for Los Angeles and New York, and gives practical tips for how to show up prepared and make the most of your time.

Whether you're actively fundraising or just starting to build relationships with investors, this episode will help you decide if the Roadshow is right for you — and how to get the most out of it.

Listen in as Daniel covers:

What the Founders & Funders Roadshow is and how it differs from the flagship December event
How the one-pager and 1:1 meeting matching process works — and why you can't wait until the last minute
The VC lineups confirmed for Los Angeles (April 27) and New York City (May 12)
What to expect at the event: 1:1 meetings, panels, and open networking
How to approach early VC conversations even if you're not actively raising
Tips for making the most of your 10-minute meeting
Upcoming cities: Austin (June 9) and San Francisco (August 17)

Episode Links:

🎟 Founders & Funders Roadshow — Los Angeles, April 27: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/founders-funders-roadshow-los-angeles-tickets-1982555454734?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎟 Founders & Funders Roadshow — New York City, May 12: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/founders-funders-roadshow-nyc-tickets-1983269882607

🎟 Founders & Funders Roadshow — Austin, June 9: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/founders-funders-roadshow-austin-tickets-1983637326642

🎟 Founders & Funders Roadshow — San Francisco, August 17: Coming soon

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 
Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
Episode music by Super Fantastics