The Nombase Podcast

Getting onto retail shelves can feel like a big accomplishment—but what happens when strong velocity, national distribution, and real sales still don't add up to a profitable business?Lauren Chew of Love + Chew Superfood Cookies shares the story behind her decision to exit 2,500 retail doors through UNFI and KeHE—even with velocities buyers were happy with. Abby June Richards of The CPG CFO breaks down where the P&L falls apart for emerging brands and what founders need to understand about cash conversion cycles, trade spend, and channel-level profitability before signing a retailer contract. And Liana Krasnow of Noodo, a premium bone broth pasta sauce just 21 doors in, asks the questions every early-stage brand should be asking right now. You Will Learn:Why a brand can have great velocity and still be losing money on every caseThe hidden cash conversion cycle that can turn a modest monthly loss into a $3M cash problemHow to evaluate whether a specific retailer is actually a fit—before you sign anythingWhat trade spend really is, why it's not an operating expense, and how misreporting it can hurt you in due diligenceThe factors Lauren would weigh differently with her next brand, including shelf facings, direct shipping, and which retailers to avoid entirelyWhy regional, direct, and foodservice channels may deliver more profit than national distribution—and how to know when you're ready to scale

Getting ready for BevNet Live June 10–11 in New York City? Or on the fence? BevNet's Editor-in-Chief, Jeff Klineman, walks through a practical "how to do BevNet Live" guide — covering the agenda, key speakers, and how to make the most of every hour at the show.We cover:Tips on how to get the most out of networking, speaker presentations, 1:1 meetings with retailers and investors, and everything else at the showWhat you need to do at BevNET Live and what you can catch up on when you're back homeAgenda highlights from Athletic Brewing, Culture Pop, and Dirty Shirley on building without outpacing your businessRetail sessions with Walmart, Whole Foods, and Vitamin Shoppe on getting — and staying — on shelfFive investor-focused sessions including a term sheet tutorial and a former PepsiCo M&A leadThe delta-9 hemp category under the microscope as Congressional pressure threatens its futureEarly intel on AI and agentic commerce — what CPG brands need to do now before big players lock it inThere's still time to register at Bevnetlive.com - see you there!!

Rachel Krupa, founder of The Goods Mart, shares what emerging CPG brands can learn from small format retail, curated placements, and real shopper behavior. She also breaks down the reopening of The Goods Mart in Brooklyn, a new South Williamsburg location with double the space, expanded grab and go, frozen, pantry, beauty, home, vintage snack finds, and a front row view into what consumers actually buy.You will learn:How small format retail can help brands test packaging, price, and positioningWhy taste and founder hustle matter more than launch hypeHow placement at small format retail stores can lead to press, investors, and new accountsHow to think about hotels, offices, coffee shops, and other nontraditional channelsWhy operational readiness matters before expanding into new outletsHow to use customer feedback to understand what drives repeat purchase

Chris Robb, founder of Supernatural Ventures and early investor in brands like Bachan’s, shares how he evaluates founders before revenue, what separates breakout brands from the rest, and what most CPG companies waste money too early.What founders will learn:• Why unit velocity matters more than total revenue in early retail growth• How to price your first fundraising round without hurting future raises• What kind of packaging is the one area early brands should overspend on• How to use retailers and store buyers as real world product validation before scaling• What Chris looks for in founders before investing pre-revenue capitalChris also breaks down how Supernatural Ventures approaches pre-seed investing, why he avoids heavy marketing spend early on, and how brands can build momentum organically before raising larger rounds.

Landing a major retail account can change a brand overnight, but only if the operational foundation is ready to support it. Join Paul Verdu and Mitch Wedemeier from Octopi, a co-manufacturing partner backed by Asahi Group, to break down what really happens when brands scale into large national and club retailers. You'll learn:• Why landing a retailer like Costco or Target often creates a 90 to 180 day production sprint and what must happen within that window• The critical documentation required including specs, certifications, and material data to enable a smooth transition between co manufacturers• How differences in co-manufacturer equipment and capabilities impact product quality, timelines, and scalability• Common surprises around packaging, lead times, and retailer requirements and how to plan for them early• How to balance forecasting, inventory risk, and production flexibility to avoid stockouts amid unpredictable reorder cycles

Building a great product is not enough, especially in a category that actively works against you.In this episode, Ayeshah Abuelhiga of Mason Dixie joins Hey!Hunger's Shireen Khera to talk about what it actually takes to win in one of the toughest environments in grocery. From getting customers to physically find your product to navigating low awareness, inconsistent merchandising, and long repurchase cycles, you'll see behind the scenes into the real work behind building a brand that sells: What it actually takes to get customers to find, try, and buy your product in a challenging categoryWhy getting on shelf is only the beginning and how to actively drive demand through demos, local marketing, and constant presenceWhy early brands should prioritize velocity and depth over expanding into more doors and how to know when you are truly ready to growHow to think about distribution, brokers, and expansion so you don't outgrow your ability to support the businessHow to understand your customer in a way that drives decisions on ingredients, pricing, and marginsHow to win the long game of building a brand in a category with high costs and slow repurchase cyclesWhether you are in frozen or any competitive category, you'll learn what it really takes to turn early traction into real, lasting growth.

Ultra-processed foods are facing growing pressure from policymakers, retailers, and consumers who are rethinking what belongs on shelf and in their carts. In this episode, Bill Creelman, Founder of Spindrift, and Megan Westgate, Founder of the Non-UPF Verified program and the Non GMO Project, discuss a new certification designed to evaluate both ingredient integrity and how products are actually made.  Spindrift recently became the first beverage brand verified under the Non-UPF standard. Bill shares what the verification process required behind the scenes, how sourcing and manufacturing decisions affect certification, and why it offers a clearer way to communicate long standing formulation choices. Megan explains how the standard works, including limits on added refined sugar, a ban on non-nutritive sweeteners, restrictions on refined oils and gums, and why most shoppers say they want to avoid ultra processed foods but don't know how to identify them.

Health is no longer just a marketing claim. It is becoming part of how retailers evaluate products, guide shoppers, and shape category growth. Kroger’s rollout of a new health scoring system powered by FoodHealth reflects this shift. In this episode, Laura Brown, Director of Nutrition at Kroger, and Sam Citro Alexander, founder of FoodHealth, break down how the system works, why Kroger adopted it, and what it means for brands building at retail. Founders and operators will learn how the FoodHealth Score is calculated, how nutrient density and ingredient quality factor into evaluations, how health scores appear across Kroger’s digital and in store experiences, and how Kroger buyers use health data at the category level to influence shopper discovery, buyer and merchandising decisions, and long term growth.