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

Yuka is increasingly influencing what gets bought and what gets put back at shelf, with millions of consumers using it in real time while they shop. In this episode, we’re joined by Gabriella Sebag-Weingrad, who leads Yuka’s US business, to break down how it all works and what it means for food and beverage brands trying to stay competitive. For founders, understanding Yuka is no longer optional, it’s a competitive advantage.How Yuka’s scoring system actually works and which ingredients can instantly cap your score or drag it downThe specific additives and formulation choices most likely to get your product put back at shelfWhat happens after a scan, including when consumers switch, trade up, or abandon products entirelyHow brands are reformulating in response and what they’re removing without replacingWays to improve your score without destroying margin, taste, or shelf lifeHow to turn Yuka from a risk into a growth lever by positioning your product as the winning alternative

Expanding beyond the US is one of the biggest growth opportunities for CPG brands, and one of the easiest ways to get wrong. In this episode, Ruth Fittock, managing partner of Tomorrow Brands, breaks down what it actually takes to launch successfully in the UK, a market worth billions in annual food and beverage sales. Drawing on experience with brands like Vitamin Water, PopChips, and Harmless Harvest, she shares what separates brands that scale from those that stall. This conversation goes far beyond geography. It’s a deep dive into assessing true product market fit, identifying category white space, and determining if your brand is actually ready to scale. It also covers how to pace retail expansion, build demand before distribution, navigate strict regulations, and adapt positioning for a more skeptical consumer. Whether or not global expansion is on your roadmap, you’ll hear practical information to help build a brand that can win anywhere.

Airline partnerships are a unique growth channel for food and beverage brands — and they operate very differently from traditional retail or on-premise sales. They offer unmatched consumer attention, meaningful trial, and widespread visibility, but they also come with their own rules around procurement, logistics, forecasting, and data access.In this episode, Cy Cain, co-founder of Straightaway Cocktail Co., shares a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to work with an airline. From pitching and onboarding to forecasting demand, navigating compliance, and scaling operations, you'll find out how airline programs function in practice, and how brands can evaluate whether this channel makes sense for their business.

In this special crossover episode of the Nombase podcast and Taste Radio, Lucía Conejo Mir of Inés Rosales, the century old Spanish bakery behind the classic torta de aceite, and Jennifer Donnellan of Lakrids by Bülow, the Danish confectionery introducing Americans to chocolate coated licorice, share their journeys bringing their European CPG brands to the United States. One brand has spent decades establishing its presence here, while the other is just beginning its intentional expansion, yet both face similar challenges in adapting heritage products for a new audience, navigating price pressures and logistics, and educating consumers in a crowded market. They open up about the work required to succeed in the U.S. while staying true to the traditions that make their products special.

TikTok offers a big opportunity for food and beverage brands, but it also brings real challenges. It moves fast, culture shifts daily, and creativity matters more than polish, all while the path from discovery to purchase gets shorter. In this episode, Mike Westgate, Vertical Director of Food, Beverage and Alcohol at TikTok, shares what he has learned as the platform has grown into a major space for discovery, community, and commerce.  He breaks down discovery commerce, the role creators play as an extension of your sales force, the creative tools that help brands produce content efficiently, and the trends shaping what people buy. Mike also touches on organic versus paid content, early mover advantages, and how brands of every size can compete on the platform. 

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. 

Foodservice can be a powerful marketing arm to lift retail and DTC, but only when brands choose the right partners and know how to use it to build awareness. Poorva and Rajus Korde, co-founders of Aaji's, join Clay Lichterman, VP of Business Development at Sol-ti and former chef, to explore both the opportunities and pitfalls for emerging brands. The group explores how to select the right segments and securing menu mentions to creating trial that ultimately drives retail velocity.