Andrew Burke

Interesting take on the battle for consumers during months like Sober October and Dry January from Stephanie Cain 👇 Her commentary below with link in comments 🍻🥂🍹 The wine industry has launched an assault on #SoberOctober and non-alcoholic beverages as if the sole existence of the booze-less category is to put a hit against wine. With its new campaign, Come Over October, wine folks are declaring you should grab a glass instead of going sober, because wine brings people together. Instead, #wine should really be looking at their core messaging because that's why wine is declining. At the #ComeOverOctober kick-off party, I had a conversation with a salesperson of a wine distributor. He attempted to be ok with the evolution of wine by explaining that ready-to-drink, single-serve wine brand, BeatBox, marketed to the 21 to 25-year-old set, was crushing the market. He was all for it. While the brand has wacky flavors like blueberry lemonade wine, he felt that every wine consumer “starts somewhere.” It was promising to him because he said they would “continue their wine journey” and start “drinking real wine.” So many problems here but here is the big one: They don’t often continue the wine journey. News flash, wine people! Consumers don’t have time. We don’t desire it. We want to build connections, not spend the evening only discussing what we want to drink. We have jobs and travel and bills to pay and kids and dogs and aging parents and hell, we just want to buy a house. We have no job security. We have been hit with recession after recession. Right now, inflation is making our groceries cost some 40% more. You really think we are jumping at the time-consuming task of learning about wine? Get real. We’ll grab a #Martini. And start ranting. Which is exactly what I'm doing in today's The Mad Ones 👇 Link in comments. #health #wellness #marketing #alcohol #alcoholfree

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UNFI just reported a surprisingly good Q3. Everyone in our industry should be celebrating. Their earnings call outlined how their larger Natural/Organic/Specialty accounts (WFM/TFM/GFH) are performing well. It’s a good thing, that these accounts are continuing to perform well and showing consumer resilience against persistently high pricing. This opens more innovation into more doors, and allows for the transfer of market share from Big CPG to emerging brands. It’s also a good thing their simplified fee structure (SSA) is paying off and producing more sustainable EBITDA rates for them because the stability of their supply chain network is important for retailers. There’s a nascent cottage industry built around helping small brands navigate UNFI’s “deduction” process. It’s important to understand that this 7% “Inside Income” forms the basis of their core profitability model. Nobody is going to “outsmart” or “outhustle” that 7% model long-term. Every brand signs the Policies and Procedures document and the details are all in the minutiae there. It’s important to understand that UNFI does not make its profits selling product…they earn more than 100% of their EBITDA by BUYING product. Their fees aren’t “predatory” they are just optimized for mature, larger brands who make up more than 80% of their sales. If you want a simplified no deduction model, and you don’t want to have to patchwork together 5-10 smaller distributors to reach national scale, you should work with us instead. We only make money when we sell product and we only work with emerging, growth brands. ALL of our fees are posted on our website, and we explain them to every brand that onboards with us in a 30 minute call. We can onboard you by the end of the day today if you want. Otherwise, UNFI is a very competent incumbent, and they are here to stay. Pod Foods #innovation #unfi #grocery

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“Growing a CPG company, especially in the food and beverage space, ‘is astronomically harder today,’. ” Paul Voge you said it, man. So many truth bombs dropped in this article about the challenges and difficulties growing and scaling a CPG brand in today’s world. The cruel reality is that it takes a whole lot of money or a whole lot of time (and most times both) along with a fair amount of luck to have a chance at making it. If you dont have a ton of money then you better have a ton of time, some good fortune, and a product that can withstand many changes of the seasons (and "trends"). For most emerging brands today its all about survival and just finding a way.  There are lots of traps out there– lots of shiny objects– lots of vanity metrics hoping to be noticed and cared about–but at the end of the day sometimes its just about living to see another one. Here’s to all you day-to-dayers and week-to-weekers out there that are all just finding a way. Keep finding it.

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Shanken News Daily Impact Databank: RTDs And Tequila Resilient As Spirits Market Slows .........Tequila is another bright spot. While growth has slowed into the single-digits, agave-based spirits are expected to surpass vodka for the first time and become the industry’s largest category in dollar value terms by sometime next year. Tequila marketers are investing in innovation to keep the momentum going. Jose Cuervo, the nation’s largest-selling Tequila, recently released Devil’s Reserve, a spicy-flavored 30% abv offshoot, retailing at a suggested price of $21 a 750-ml.................... Passing Vodka????????? Thats impressive. If you arent in the tequila or mezcal game you should be. Beverage Solutions || Big Dog New York LLC can help. I think quality flavored tequilas and different expressions will be the next wave of growth within the agave category. Jose Cuervo Proximo Spirits

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Millennials make purchasing decisions that reflect their ethical beliefs and budget constraints. Brands can cater to Millennials' ethical and budget preferences by offering functional foods and multi-benefit products. These products not only resonate with the health and wellness values of Millennials but also provide significant additional value, making them highly appealing to this cost-conscious demographic. As Millennials seek products that align with their values without breaking the bank, there’s a unique opportunity for innovation in the functional food sector. Understanding this shift is key to meeting their expectations. Read more about this consumer group here: https://bit.ly/3VCHrDQ FoodNavigator USA Ryan Daily #valueshoppers #consciousconsumers #functionalfoods

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I think consumer feedback is often under used by emerging CPG brands… Coming from a Kraft Foods general management upbringing and then experiencing start-ups for many years, I’m often thinking about which “big company” practices could bring value to young emerging companies while not screwing up their great entrepreneurial culture and founder brilliance. The one area I continue to see a gap in is “entrepreneurial” consumer feedback/market research—the lack of fast/low cost consumer research options (or even confirmation research) discussed to prevent a low velocity SKU to get delisted, to maximize brand communication, and avoid wasted spend or lost opportunity on the back end. There are some great research companies out there, but their costs (while valid and worth it) are just not in the ballpark for what many founders want to spend for or go through the time on. Sometimes it’s a lot more natural for founders to go with their gut and not get bogged down by research. And I totally get this, and it does work in many instances.   I just wish there were more options out there to efficiently confirm purchase interest between two packages or between new innovation ideas to complement founder gut. In the end, it could save the emerging brand money…. Thought I’d reach out to the linkedin community, PLEASE not from research companies selling their research, but from founders/emerging brand marketers who have been through this dilemma and have found some consumer feedback very helpful and fitting for emerging brand bootstrap budget and speed (even if their own tools or alternative ways they’ve brought in consumers more)?  This sharing might help more companies maximize their moves in the future…so hope it helps… thanks! #ConsumerFeedback #jcbgrowth

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Hey Network: "There is no silver bullet to guarantee product adoption in the marketplace. However, businesses can implement strategies before launch to improve market readiness and increase the likelihood of securing a place in consumers' weekly dinners." If product adoption is something that your company struggles with, please listen to this episode CPG Launch Leaders featuring TPG's own Eleni Shipp and reach out to Eleni or I so that we can share strategies that can help you secure your place in the weekly dinner rotation. #food #CPG #newitems #newitemlaunch #ecommerce

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I’ve been a part of hundreds of NPD and innovation sprints throughout my career...and it seems to never fail that a CPG industry colleague asks me about my personal flavor preference. If they knew my favorite childhood pop growing up was Squirt or that I probably ate my weight in orange and lemon Starburst...it would be a silly question to ask! Even as an adult kid…my go-to powdered supplements, hydration beverages, or energy drinks usually center around citrus flavors. I’m mentioning all this because you’d think, a citrus lover like me, that I would be acutely aware of Matt McLean and his company Uncle Matt's Organic. But with the decadelong massive proliferation of products/brands across the different functional CPG categories that I deeply analyze…it unfortunately creates blind spots. Though that’s the great thing about these conversational content pieces… I get to find those fascinating individuals that are indirectly related (but pivotal) to my core functional CPG categorical focuses. And I think you’re going to love hearing Matt’s inspiring entrepreneurial story that spans a quarter-century… - family farm side hustle that grows into a national CPG brand - gets acquired by Dean Foods - buys Uncle Matt’s Organic back several years later during the Dean Foods bankruptcy Moreover, Matt explains how he "leads from the front" to push the citrus industry forward...whether that's: - helping solve the citrus greening disease challenge - organic and regenerative agriculture practices - innovation product in a "health and wellness consumer era" But these are just some of the interesting topics we chatted about in this episode... #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #beverages #juice #organic #agriculture #leadership #sustainability #sportsnutrition #supplements #wellness #nutrition #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship https://lnkd.in/gFGvzGeq

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https://lnkd.in/gzdsPiVB - Thom King, chief innovations officer at Icon Foods, Portland, OR, says that functional carbonated beverages with prebiotic fibers, such as poppi, OLIPOP PBC, Mighty Pop and Perfy, have benefited. Beverages containing electrolytes also have reaped the benefits of clean label interest. “Nutrient-dense, high protein, ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages are also growing with the clean label trend,” King notes. “Many are more than 30 grams of protein per serving, with no added sugars, prebiotic fibers, as well as some with greens.” He suggests that RTD, clean label, protein meal replacement beverages are a big trend that will continue to grow. Icon Foods is here to help you clean up your ingredient declaration and nutritional fact panel with sweeteners, fibers, sweetening systems, and sweetness modulator all design to make deep clean cuts to #addedsugar

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Great introduction to the inevitable advantages of using #incredo sugar-based sugar reduction solutions!

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Interesting read. How are you mitigating financial swings during these tumultuous times? What are your thoughts on trade and tariffs? https://lnkd.in/gYBjf5QA

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Casalú- Named "Best Rum Seltzer" by Rolling Stone. How we got to our final flavor profile was a crazy ride. No expert advice followed, no industry experience. Just culture...and a keg. Here's the story: In 2020 Ricardo A. Sucre is sitting by the pool, Bad Bunny blasting in the background and High Noon in hand. That was the light bulb moment: "Why in the world is there no hard seltzer for latinos (or like fancy industry people like to call them now: RTDs) and why in the world is there none made with what we drink, real Rum??" He goes full Breaking bad mode and heads to Target to buy a Soda Stream. He starts mixing ron añejo, sparkling water, and juices which gave us the first versions of Casalú. Fast-forward a year and we find ourselves in North Carolina State University startup Accelerator. Our peers were all tech companies who could validate demand pretty quickly. Us...well, we were trying to explain the relevance of Latino Culture and brand. We had to do something! We packed our bags and headed to Miami. A second(or first) home for many of us Latinos. We rented a tiny house that was behind a tiny house in a semi-ghetto area (will tell you that story another day). But basically, we start crashing parties and get feedback directly from customers. We tweaked our ABV and lowered our Lemon concentration from our home made formula. That's the true beginning for what's in our Limón can of Casalú today. We still listen to our customers and make tweaks accordingly. But more importantly, with the flavors coming, we keep the same principles. We crash parties and do our grassroots events with home made mixes and see what happens. That's our R&D and we wouldn't change it for anything else. If it connects with our roots, then we know it will work. And who knows, it might actually make it to a major spot in Rolling Stone - Salú https://lnkd.in/ewF35PPB

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A simple quote from Mike Tyson and one of my favorites of all time: "Everybody has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." It rings true in the day to day battles of business, especially in CPG. Here are some examples many CPG founders go through or ones I've personally battled: 🥴 You launch a product, did all the research for R&D, focus group testing, and reviewed the packaging thousands of times before launching, but still something went wrong either with shelf life, negative consumer/retailer feedback, or weak sales on shelf 💰 You had cash flow projections in place and expected that with X amount raised, it would last you for Y Months, but ran short of runway and were scrambling to raise more cash to keep the company going in difficult times 🤝 Formed partnerships, only disappointed to find out the partner backed out, or it wasn't the partnership you envisioned and now you are doing damage control and it's causing emotional pain to be with this person 🚛 Brought on a distributor thinking they would push the brand and it would be an estimated cost, but they didn't do their job, and the costs ended up sky-rocketing from chargebacks, thus losing money on every unit 😲You release a great product, and then a competitor comes up with a version of yours that is a lower price point and they have all the marketing dollars in the world to out-compete you. I can go on and on, but in this business, like any business, you have intentions when you go into it, and many times, it doesn't turn out the way you envisioned. What's your story of getting punched in the mouth?

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What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: This is the story of many CPG brands that once enjoyed profitability and significant market share but are now struggling to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving competitive and technological landscape. For a CPG brand that once thrived but now finds itself grappling with low cashflows, shrinking margins, and a stagnant topline, the future depends on decisive, strategic shifts. It’s a classic catch-22: do you invest in brand building to stay top-of-mind, or refocus on reformulating products or upgrading machinery to stay competitive? Here’s a strategic playbook to help navigate these complex choices: ◀️ Laser-Focused Investment: Develop a clear game plan. Prioritize investments in the brand, product innovation, and operational efficiency—but stay selective. Every dollar should bring measurable impact. ◀️ Modern Brand Building: Leverage content creators over traditional media. They bring authenticity and targeted reach, often at a fraction of the cost of TV or other conventional ads. ◀️ Lean Inventory Management: Adopt Just-in-Time practices, reduce slow-moving products, and optimize your inventory to save on warehousing and carrying costs. ◀️ Strengthen Cash Flow: Tighten working capital by reducing customer credit terms, exploring receivables financing, and negotiating extended payment terms with vendors. ◀️ Smart Reinvestment: Channel profits back into quality improvement, sustainability initiatives, and cost-efficient warehousing, transportation, and supply chain improvements. Waste reduction should also be a priority to further enhance margins. A full-time or Fractional CFO can be a game-changer in guiding this journey. They bring accountability, track key KPIs, and implement a Balanced Scorecard to keep tabs on your brand’s financial and operational health. It’s time to take a bold, structured approach to stay relevant—and profitable—in today’s evolving market. ****************************************** P.S. I am a Fractional CFO helping businesses take informed financial decisions with peace of mind while having some fun in this process. Please contact me at [email protected] if I can be of any help in your CPG Transformation Journey. Brain Expansion Group Startup Ecosystem Canada Fractional CFO The CFO Centre Canada

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Standing out in today’s crowded CPG market? It’s tough. Here are my top 5 tips to shine: 1. Know Your UVP ↳ Define what sets you apart. Example: Dollar Shave Club – “High-quality razors delivered for a low price.” 2. Leverage Consumer Insights ↳ Use data to understand your audience. Example: PepsiCo’s success with Lay’s “Do Us a Flavor” campaign was driven by consumer feedback, resulting in new, crowd-sourced chip flavors. 3. Focus on Quality & Consistency ↳ Build trust through quality. Example: Apple’s unwavering commitment to product quality and user experience has built a fiercely loyal customer base. 4. Innovate Continuously ↳Innovation isn’t just about new products; it’s about continuously improving and adapting your existing ones. Example: Coca-Cola’s introduction of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and constant recipe tweaking keeps the brand relevant and aligned with health trends. 5. Build Authentic Relationships ↳ Engage genuinely with your audience. Example: Jake Karls and the team at Mid-Day Squares have created a strong, authentic connection with its audience, reinforcing brand loyalty. Competing isn’t just about being different; it’s about being better. What strategies help you stand out? Share below! #CPG #MarketingStrategy #Innovation #ConsumerInsights #QualityControl #Authenticity

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Diageo doubles down on non-alcoholic spirits with the acquisition of Ritual Zero Proof & now owns three of the five world's largest non-alcoholic spirit brands Ritual Zero Proof was founded in 2019, and became the #1 non-alcoholic spirits player in the US after joining Diageo’s accelerator program in 2020. Five reasons why this deal makes sense: 1) Fast growing: The US non-alcoholic spirits has been the fastest growing category with +31% L5Y CAGR. 2) Incremental: 94% of non-alc buyers in the US also purchase alcoholic beverages, spending on avg $292 more than households exclusively purchasing alcohol demonstrating the incrementality of the category to beverage alcohol. 3) High Right-to-Win: Ritual is already a #1 non-alcoholic spirits player in the US, with a strong market position and tailwinds 4) Synergistic: being a #1 player globally in both alcoholic and non-alc spirits Diageo is well positioned to build on Ritual’s current success and scale it up further leveraging its GTM muscle and category expertise 5) Close to the Core: being a part of Diageo’s accelerator (Distill Ventures) since 2020, Ritual already knows what it takes to make cooperation with a spirits giant successful, limiting risks of integration challenges Exciting times for Diageo 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝘀: FF&A solves the most complex strategic problems of the world's largest FMCG companies across Corporate Strategy, Organic Growth, Digital RTM (eCommerce, DTC, and eB2B) and M&A. 14 out of the world's 20 largest FMCG companies are repeat Clients 𝗧𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝗰𝗳. 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗠𝗖𝗚 𝗠&𝗔 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄: https://lnkd.in/efD5RNWX 𝗧𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 & 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗠𝗖𝗚 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: https://lnkd.in/ea4gy65y #fmcg #cpg #mergersandacquisitions https://lnkd.in/dXAZQ242 Pernod Ricard The HEINEKEN Company AB InBev Carlsberg Group Campari Group William Grant & Sons The Coca-Cola Company PepsiCo

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GOT SCORES? (Updated with link to PDF of full document): https://lnkd.in/enBx4WX6 Here's this year's post of all the information you need to enter wine and spirits into the competitions that matter in the U.S. market. The first question suppliers, importers, retailers will often ask is "Got Scores?" And there's only one answer to that question. Because if you say "No" the conversation can stop right there. So the procedure I recommend is for my clients to enter the competitions that make sense for your brands and hype the results that matter to the market (90+ scores, Gold/Double Gold etc.) and ignore the rest. The competitions listed here are the ones that are most recognized by the trade. And I've presented them with a key column identifying whether they accept not-currently-imported brands. Since many of my clients are just starting their U.S. market entry. That's because you'll need scores before you can even start conversations. If you can't access the link to the Excel sheet, connect with me on LinkedIn or email me a request at [email protected] and I'll send the file directly to you. Best to all for a successful O/N/D and fiscal 2025 Steve

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Today on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast, we're joined by Peter Wells, Chief Strategy Director at Elevated Foods, who shares insights into the company's innovative approach to agriculture. Listen in as Peter discusses the challenges faced by family farms and the importance of data gathering in market development. Discover how Elevated Foods navigates enrollment processes, provides technical assistance to growers, and fosters collaboration and partnerships in climate-smart agriculture. International Fresh Produce Association #climatesmartag #innovation USDA

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Following is a recap of a great Progressive Grocer article on Dairy category challenges and the opportunities that exist in this household staple category. Dairy products remain essential for most consumers, but the category is undergoing significant changes. Despite recent challenges, dairy solidifies its place as a household staple, now an $80 billion industry according to Circana’s data. Dairy dollars are slightly down due to egg deflation, while unit sales are up by 1.4%, making it a strong performer. Standout segments include cottage cheese +12.2% in unit sales, driven by health-conscious diets and social media trends. Whipped toppings are also strong in growth, benefiting from cross-merchandising with fruits and bakery items. Looking ahead, the dairy category faces challenges of maintaining its value proposition amid rising costs and competing with alternative beverages. Experts suggest emphasizing dairy's health benefits, such as high protein content. Innovative product development, including limited-time flavors and functional foods for digestive health, will be crucial. Marketing strategies should focus on transparency, sustainable options, and creative in-store experiences like dairy bars and personalized vending machines. By aligning with health and sustainability trends, the dairy industry can continue to thrive and evolve. Check out the full article below. Happy learning! Keeping Dairy In Demand | Progressive Grocer https://bit.ly/4ezQQ87

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