Episodes

Faire is a wholesale platform that connects brands with sellers, and it's becoming one of the most effective ways for CPG founders to grow, scale, and build lasting relationships with small and independent retailers. Joining the conversation are Kyle Hughes, who leads retailer partnerships at Faire, and Caroline Grace, founder of Product and Prosper & The Prosper Lab, who helps brands refine their strategies and boost sales on the platform. Together, they reveal how top-performing brands are turning Faire into a powerful growth engine: optimizing listings, building retailer loyalty, and driving consistent revenue. 

Specialty coffee pioneer George Howell shares how a long-term vision and a commitment to quality over trends helped reshape American coffee culture, even after Starbucks acquired his original brand. He also reveals the little-known origins of the drink that would become the Frappuccino, critiques why many cafés fall short on customer experience, and explains his unapologetic views on flavored coffee.

Is Target about to normalize THC drinks? The team unpacks a potentially game-changing move by the retail giant, and what it could mean for the future of cannabis beverages. They explore the regulatory roadblocks and why the move might be a tipping point. Plus, why PepsiCo is calling fiber “the next protein,” and a look at CPG innovations, including a surprisingly convenient twist on tomato paste.

How can a patient, craft-centric mindset give brands a competitive edge? Cy Cain, the founder and CEO of premium RTD cocktail brand Straightaway Cocktails, outlines a strategy rooted in deliberate, thoughtful growth over the pursuit of viral trends, and emphasizes the long-term value of investments in quality and brand integrity alongside partnerships with Costco, Alaska Airlines and Shake Shack.

Fresh off an exhilarating meetup in London, the team shines a spotlight on some of the standout brands at the event. They also delve into how fiber-forward brands are reshaping categories and why Gen X might be your brand’s unexpected secret weapon. This episode also revisits interviews from our San Diego meetup, including leaders from Sol-ti, Recoup, Innerbloom, Hydr8 and Erva Brew Co.