Deven Machette

🌟 Launching a Dispensary in an Emerging Market? Invest in PR and Influencer Strategy with Marino. 🌟 Opening a #dispensary in a new market is no small feat, but with the right PR and influencer strategy, success is within reach. At Marino, we specialize in helping dope brands make a big splash in emerging markets across the country. Here’s how we’ve made a difference: 🚀 Boosting Visibility: Through top-tier media placements and collaborations with influential voices in the cannabis community, we’ve elevated brand presence and ensured impactful launches. 🔗 Engaging the Community: Our customized PR strategies resonate with local communities, fostering authentic relationships and ensuring sustainable growth from day one. 💡 Innovative Approaches: From grand opening events to continuous engagement campaigns, our creative and award-winning strategies make sure our clients stand out in competitive landscapes. 🌿 Proven Success: Our track record speaks for itself, with successful dispensary launches in various states, driving foot traffic and creating lasting buzz. If you’re planning to launch a dispensary in an emerging market, investing in a robust PR strategy is crucial. Let Marino help you navigate the complexities and achieve remarkable success. #CannabisPR #MarinoPR #DispensaryLaunch #EmergingMarkets #PRStrategy #InfluencerMarketing #CannabisIndustry

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CNBC reports “As booze alternatives take off, more nonalcoholic drink makers promote health benefits as the next buzz” "A more health-conscious younger consumer and an aging older demographic are contributing to a growing interest in nonalcoholic drinks, according to Nielsen IQ, and to the rise of a niche subset called “functional beverages.” Is functionality and health benefits the future of non-alcoholic drinking? What are some of your favourite functional beverages right now? We might be biased, but we think gut benefit boosting drinks like Agua de Madre and Mother Root Drinks are two of the best! 🏆 https://lnkd.in/eSjA23Kt

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For CPG brands, transparency with buyers is critical. You need to be transparent about what your capabilities are, as well as what they ARE NOT. Promising a buyer you can do something and then not delivering on that promise is the surest way to lose their trust forever. I was reminded of the importance of transparency by the latest of Ryan Holiday's books, titled, "Right Thing, Right Now." It's part of his Stoic Virtues series, and it focuses on the value of doing good in this world. One quote from the book on this topic really stood out to me: "How many marriages would survive our spouse looking at our phone? Or our boss seeing what's in our email? How many reputations would survive a lawsuit that made it to discovery? If we are inclined to hide it, we probably shouldn't do it. If we dread the publicity, maybe we are not living or doing right. " We should strive for the opposite. We want people to see what we are doing. We want to be the city on a hill. We should be the kind of person [or brand, in this case] who the more they hear about us, the more they respect and admire us." Can your company survive being an "open book" to your buyers and consumers? If not, perhaps it's time to take a look inward. #business #smallbusiness #cpg #retail #ethics #ecrmrangeme ECRM RangeMe

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https://lnkd.in/ePqUGiFT 💡 Sugar reduction, health and wellness trends prompt innovation 🤔 “Energy drink growth is on par with other functional drink categories like sports and nutrition drinks,” Riebe says. “While a smaller market, the performance drink category is growing more rapidly, focusing on health as well as energy enhancing claims that indicate a continued blurring of categories due to common consumer interests across beverages.” 🌱“Consumer interest in health has driven the energy drink market toward more natural, functional and fitness-oriented products that are marketed as a lifestyle and are attracting traditionally less engaged category consumers like younger women,” 💡 Sugar reduction trends are impacting the energy drinks and shots market. 🍬 An overall rise in the use of natural sweeteners and improvement of their tastes look to make sugar-free options more appealing. 🔝 Energy drinks with no-, low- or less sugar claims grew in dollar sales 22%, with unit sales up 19% in U.S. multi-outlets and convenience stores for the 52 weeks ending May 19. 🏋‍♀️ It seems that there's been a slight shift from emphasizing sports drink cues such as branched chain amino acids and more towards general health attributes such as immunity and brain health.  #EnergyDrinks #HealthTrends #SugarReduction #Innovation #functionalbeverages #Stevia #Cognitivehealth #Energyingredients #naturalbeverages #nootropics #performancebeverages

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Today's #Foxtrot & #Dom's news is shocking and such a bummer for emerging CPG brands, as they've been early adopters. It does, however, serve as such a good reminder that: 1) Being sexy & raising tons of money does (necessarily) ≠ success. (Catherine tells me that being cool "can be a nice-to-have" though so maybe I should back off here. 😅) 2) Ops & execution matter (and I will happily show you not just co. ops any time.) 3) A reminder to stay true to my personality - all the way from HS sports to now - I have always cared more about fundamentals than flash. (Shoutout to my basketball coaches for working with me after hours on defense and post moves.) 4) Slow, thoughtful growth isn't the worst thing. Thoughts? Drop 'em below!

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The dust is settling in the aftermath of non alc specialty importer and retailer Boisson’s retail closures and pull back from e-commerce, and this post from Marcos Salazar 🍺🍷🥃 at Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA) is exactly what we need to be reading and discussing. In just two years I’m witnessing a much greater uptake and interest by U.S distributors and retailers I work with in the RTD market. The likes of KeHe and GFI for example. And the wheat is getting sorted from the chaff. Finding the white space will get harder as this category matures, but I still see that’s there’s huge potential. Not to get into the gory details of monies owed, what Boisson did in terms of the trade marketing and PR helped put a lot of hard working brands on the map and shouted about the emerging category. They also eased the passage for a lot of emerging brands, especially international ones where the barriers to entry are high. Thanks to them, other options are eminently more affordable for import as traditional players have pivoted to take advantage. Thanks for sharing the stats Grüvi . Could you share their origin or are they proprietary?

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What food trends are on the horizon for 2025? While still a few months out, people have started laying out their predictions and, I've got to say, we're looking at a packed year. Here's just a few of the insights gathered from the Summer Fancy Food Show: ✅️Swicy foods are going to be everywhere… and I do mean everywhere! ✅️Freeze dried foods have become a popular staple and the apocalypse mentality behind it hasn't quite died out! ✅️Fancy groceries are going to continue to be a decent replacement for the experience of eating out! #FoodAndDrinks #Trends #Snacks #FutureOfFood

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The 3 most important ingredients to a successful campaign: 1️⃣ A problem. 2️⃣ An insight. 3️⃣ An idea. Here's why I think our team has cooked up something special! ⚡️ Our Problem → In a highly competitive #QSR environment, operators need to drive *NEW* traffic. But how and with who? Our Insight → The US is home to nearly 70MM Gen Zs, who hold ~$450B of disposable income, a lack of brand loyalty, a love for food experiences, a dependency on social media, and a growing trust in influencers – with more than half saying they have bought something based on an influencer’s recommendation. Our Idea → Instead of using influencers to recommend new products or restaurants, why not partner with them much earlier in the process to tap their highly engaged Gen Z audiences for unfiltered access into their flavor wants + needs, and then work with them directly to bring it all to menus - FAST. Flavor development at the speed of social... This is the NEXT Flavor Network 🟧

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There was a moment in last week's Roundtable when Emily Flannery declared, "that's right: beverages are officially a snack, too." The way we see category lines blurring, overlapping and/or completely falling away is fascinating, and a huge opportunity for food & bev brands with the nerve to keep up. Did you see it yet? Give the convo a watch right here: https://okt.to/XpGrUZ And if this glimpse into the future inspires you, let's chat! #futurefluent #futureofsnacking #cpgtrends

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Mintel's latest post tackles the big question everyone is asking. Consumer behavior doesn't exist in a vacuum—it’s shaped by culture, politics, and the headlines that dominate our feeds. So what happens when you throw a polarizing political landscape into the mix? Spoiler: It's not business as usual. This piece dives into how brands can stay relevant when consumer values, spending priorities, and even shopping habits are influenced by political dynamics. Whether it's navigating divisive messaging or tapping into unifying themes, the brands that win will be the ones that understand what their audience needs now—not five years ago. For me, the key takeaway is clear: authenticity and adaptability aren't just buzzwords—they're survival tactics. Curious how your favorite brands will navigate? Or better yet, how will YOU handle shifting consumer priorities? Let me know what you think!

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☎️Calling all CPG friends☎️ Preparing for a line review can be scary 🫣 Or it can feel tedious and uninspired 😩 That’s why we’re hosting our upcoming webinar: How to Build a Compelling Line Review on May 1st at 1pm CT There will be a focus on durables categories, however, the principles and use cases for panel data will be relevant to any brand or category looking to defend or grow shelf space 💪 Come check it out if you’re curious about Numerator or have an upcoming line review to prep for 🫶 #cpg #linereviews #buyermeetings https://lnkd.in/gPwGJMGJ

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This 👇👇 The myth of small brands can be trying to apply ‘big brand building’ approach of ‘say the BRAND over and over’ and wondering why results don’t immediately flow. The reason? People don’t know WHAT you are let alone WHO you are. Focus on the one thing you want them to connect you with. Alcohol free cocktail? Call it out Free AF | AF Drinks (the BEST example) Naturally sweetened soft drink? Call it out Sidekick Soda High protein cookie? Call it out Justine's Cookies Brain drink? Call it out Ārepa This might feel odd but when you’re starting out and trying to break through, but finding the thing they already have high awareness of and then connecting your brand with it is a great tip. Laura Feavearyear (DINZ) Barry Wylie Chanel Clark Anna Subritzky

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We've all seen the power of user-generated content in action when Nathan Apodaca posted a TikTok of himself riding a longboard while sipping a bottle of Ocean Spray Cranberries while lip-synching to a Fleetwood Mac song playing in the background. The video went viral, bottles of Ocean Spra flew off the shelves, and Fleetwood Mac's song, "Dreams," which was released in the 70s, hit the top of the iTunes charts. Authentic content like this packs a very powerful punch when it comes to influencing consumers, and Brooklyn-based Crafted taps into this user-generated content to drive sales of CPG products at the store shelves with a service that taps into local influencers that create authentic content for brands ranging from startups with local distribution to national brands selling in thousands of stores. Restaurants also leverage the platform, 100! Here's how it works: 1. Users post brief with talking points, target locations and a digital rebate landing page to track attribution 2. They then select which creators they would like to use 3. Drafts are reviewed 4. The content goes live 5. Users collect data on the content's performance The brands also get usage rights to the content in perpetuity to deploy as they wish. In this video interview, Crafted Co-Founder Sarah Nesheim shares why user-generated content is important for brands, details on how the platform works and what brands need to get started! #socialmedia #marketing #cpg #smallbusiness #ecrmrangeme Vir S.

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As drinking culture evolves with new alcohol brands and emergent categories, are Americans shifting their preferences? YouGov’s new US alcohol rankings report identifies the core drinking demographic in 2024, before examining the beer, liquor, RTD cocktails, hard seltzers & lemonades that various groups Americans of drinking age are most likely to buy. Grab your copy here https://okt.to/uSKAB9

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The non-alcoholic drinks market continues to grow and grow (and mature). Check out recent insights + stats from our friends at Grüvi: March Off Premise Retail Sales: → $48.6M > Identical to February, up 23% YoY → You can see subcategory performance in the chart below. Gruvi predicts: → 30-35% of YoY NA category growth. → 25%+ in off-prem and 50%+ in on-prem. → Premium, high quality craft or import NA beers will capture most of the growth of the NA beer market. → Big bet on NA RTDs to surpass NA wines by end of year. Gruvi has some more great stats in their blog post (link in comments). I’m hearing this same type of growth from members of the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA). There's been some questioning about the growth of the category because of the recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy by non-alc beverage retailer Boisson and the closing of their retail locations. I was going to share some thoughts on this but the Gruvi team summed it up well: “Having served as a supply partner for Boisson, and being intimately familiar with their retail locations, it became apparent that they faced challenges across their retail and e-commerce channels. Boisson positioned itself as the upscale destination for NA beverages, boasting premium locations and a curated assortment. However, despite the overall growth in the NA market, it remains predominantly composed of NA beer (80%) and NA wines/RTDs under $12 (10%). As larger retailers expanded their NA offerings to target the mainstream consumer—the 90% of the market as seen above - Boisson was left with a small addressable market. Unfortunately, the demand proved insufficient for Boisson to sustain its operations.” Andrea Hernández also has a great take on it in her most recent Snaxshot (link in the comments). The adult NA category is maturing. Brands that do not have good business models, have bad product-market, or average quality products will need to adapt or close their doors. And this is not a bad thing. Because what rises out of this are business and products that better serve the consumer. I’m always impressed by the continued release of higher and higher quality NA products, with each raising the bar for the category. And this is great for people looking to moderate or not drink alcohol for whatever reason, and in whatever situation that best suits them. The adult NA category is getting bigger and better each day. And ANBA, our members, and I are here to continue to create a world where everyone has access to great tasting adult non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy in every social situation. And that is something we can all celebrate! 🍾 🥂 🍻 You can join us in growing the category and this movement by visiting ANBA's website and signing up for a soon to launch newsletter (link in comments). And you can follow me, Marcos Salazar 🍺🍷🥃, (& click the bell under my profile banner) to get regular insights and news about NA drinks. ♻️ #Repost if you like this post :-)

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'Regenerative' is all the rage in CPG these days... But what does it even mean? What is happening with leading brands, retailers, and certifiers? It was fun to flip the script, be podcast guests instead of hosts, and have the chance to answer some of these questions! ⭐️ One listener already sent me a note saying "this was a great regen CPG 101 for me!" Kyle and I joined Isaac & Ryan on The Retail & Social Podcast to chat about the following: 🤔 What is regenerative agriculture? 👉 The contentious current state of regenerative claims in CPG 🍉 Why fresh produce is lagging behind other categories in regen adoption 🤯 The diversity of brands and products with regen claims 💪 Are regenerative products more nutrient-dense? 🛍️ How are retailers supporting regenerative brands? 👍 Why we need multiple points of market validation in the regen continuum 👀 Who are some brands to watch in the space? 🙅‍♂️ Why consumers won’t buy products just because they’re regenerative 🤝 Balancing inclusivity and integrity for the biggest possible positive Check it out and let me know what you think! 🎧 Listen HERE: https://lnkd.in/eJkViuSw #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #regenerativefoodsystems #cpg #regenbrands #food #beverage #podcast #sustainability #innovation

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This is sweet victory (with zero sugar)! No Soda Has Grabbed More Market Share in the Past 20 Years Than Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Very cool article by Adweek detailing the remarkable market share growth of Coke Zero Sugar over the past 20 years. Getting to work on Coke Zero Sugar has been a masterclass in never being satisfied and pushing the limits. It might have seemed crazy at first reformulating the product twice to get as close to the real Coca-Cola flavor as possible, but superior taste will always drive demand. One of the boldest moves (IMO) was strategically repositioning Coke Zero Sugar closer to the Coca-Cola brand. This alignment created a powerhouse duo, allowing both brands to amplify each other’s success. This is the power of a cohesive brand strategy and execution with excellence. Nothing was off limits and the incredible design teams pushed for more innovative package design were also crucial. Staying bold, continually evolving to drive long-term brand growth and capture market share. The incredible, smart, crazy talented team that it takes to pull something like this off demonstrates the power of a clear vision, collaboration, shared passion, and relentless ambition. #CocaCola #CokeZeroSugar #BrandGrowth #TeamWork #MarketingSuccess #MarketLeader #ConsumerGoods #Leadership

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News: 📉 Boston Beer Co. sees a 6.4% drop in shipments for Q2.  The continued growth of Twisted Tea helped offset the decline in Boston’s beer portfolio. Twisted Tea now accounts for 57% of The Boston Beer Company total volumes in the latest Nielsen data. Click to get the full story ➡️ https://zurl.co/VbMv #CraftBeer #BeverageIndustry #BostonBeer #FinancialReport #BeerNews #CraftBrewery #BusinessUpdate #IndustryInsights #BrewingBusiness #MarketTrends

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