The Nombase Podcast

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. 

Does social media feel like one more thing you need to tackle when everything else is already so busy? You’re in good company. Chikka Chikka co-founders Arif Khan and Sabeen Hassan share their challenges showing up online, while Isaac Brody (Socialike) and Francine Voit (Pistakio) offer real-world advice. Hear ideas on how to simplify content creation, build consistency without burnout, connect authentically with your audience—and maybe, just maybe, even enjoy the process along the way.

Getting into a retailer is a win—but without foot traffic and velocity, your shelf space can quickly go to another brand. Emily Steele (CEO & Co-founder, Hummingbirds) and Arianne Dora (Social Lead, Mush) talk about how local creators helped Mush make a success at Costco and Sprouts. They break down regional targeting, creator briefs, content reuse, and lessons learned—including why simply sending creators into stores can generate real product velocity for a guaranteed win.

Sherry Frey of Nielsen IQ provides an insider’s guide to the 2025 CPG landscape, covering key trends and opportunities. Sherry delves into the latest ingredient and flavor trends, evolving snacking habits, the growing influence of global flavors, and the sustainability factors driving consumer loyalty. Highlights include growth opportunities for small BFY brands, the rising demand for sustainability, trending ingredients like collagen and electrolytes, emerging flavors such as pickle, dragon fruit, and hibiscus, and growing concerns around seed oils.

Maya French, founder of HappyPop and Koia, and Kendra Bennett, CMO of Bon Bee Honey, each turned unexpected hits of PR exposure into sustained brand growth. They’ll share the key decisions they made—and wish they had made—on prioritizing accounts when you're tight on product, ramping up production for unexpected demand, and using pre-orders and customer service tactics to retain new customers, even if you can't service them immediately. They also share how to leverage viral exposure beyond e-commerce by strengthening retail partnerships.

Holly and John Arbuckle, founders of Singing Pastures Farms, are building a unique, clean-label, pasture-raised, woman-owned meat snack brand. They’re navigating the complexities of earned PR to gain meaningful exposure and drive brand awareness that translates into sales. Sara Brooks, from Goldilocks and Fridays digital marketing firm, joins to share the latest PR strategies, including affiliate marketing, social media tactics, and influencer partnerships, to help your brand shine.

Kimberle Lau, founder of Bake Me Healthy’s upcycled, allergen-friendly baking mixes, is preparing to launch a new product line but wants to set herself up for success by ensuring it answers a consumer need. Robyn Carter from Jump Rope Innovation brings her experience from big CPG to help Kimberly figure out what her core consumers like about Bake Me Healthy and how to use that information to launch a new set of products that will hit the ground running.

Dan-O's viral TikTok videos transformed the brand from a struggling business to a social media sensation. Learn the straightforward content tactics, algorithm insights, and influencer strategies that exponentially grew the brand's digital presence and sales, proving that sometimes, a little creativity goes a long way.