The Nombase Podcast

As brands grow, it's easy to focus on the next retailer, the next marketing initiative, or the next distribution opportunity. But sustainable growth starts with a deeper understanding of your brand identity, who it's for, and what makes it truly different.In this episode, Eric Ramstad of Farmwell Drinks, Shaakira DeLoach of Ginja Snap, and brand strategist Kelly Criswell of Mudge to discuss how emerging brands can build around a niche, attract the right consumers, and create a foundation for long-term growth.From rebrands and packaging decisions to demos, consumer feedback, and community building, the conversation explores the questions founders should be asking as they refine their positioning and prepare to scale.You will learn:• How to identify the consumers most likely to become loyal customers• Why simplifying your messaging can strengthen your brand and improve consumer understanding• How to use demos and direct customer feedback to refine positioning and packaging• What creates meaningful differentiation when competitors can copy your ingredients or category• How to evaluate whether your current positioning can support future growth and expansion

Expo West is a massive event, and it can take weeks to fully process what you saw and what it actually means. There is a lot of noise, but if you look closely, the real signals start to emerge and point to where the industry is headed next. In this episode, we sit down with Sherry Frey of NielsenIQ to make sense of it all through the lens of real consumer data. We break down what is really happening with protein and how consumers are thinking about it in their diets, why regenerative and transparent sourcing are gaining traction, which flavor trends are sticking, and how the ongoing GLP 1 conversation is reshaping product design around satiety and nutrient density.

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.

With new regulations expanding the use of glass in spirits-based RTDs and growing consumer demand for clean, quality packaging, glass has reemerged as a strategic advantage. Join the Glass Packaging Institute, Jimmy Bruton of Via Carota, and Sandstrom Partners to learn why glass is non-toxic, inert, and the most sustainable material, especially when domestically made. Discover how glass affects consumer perception, protects product integrity, helps brands innovate and stand out, appeals to health-conscious consumers, and how to navigate its unique challenges.

It’s hard to build a brand when the rules keep changing, and few categories test founders like the emerging cannabis beverage space. Hear how Anna Baskin, co-founder of hightail., a newly launched low-dose beverage designed for women, and Angus Rittenburg, co-founder and CEO of Wynk, an established brand known for its consistent quality and innovative mobile production model, are tackling that challenge.They share how they’re building trust in a category still defining itself, navigating complex regulations and limited ad options, educating consumers who are new and cautious, and using storytelling, sampling, and community events to drive awareness - demonstrating how you can grow a brand even when the playbook doesn’t yet exist.

THC and CBD fueled the early growth of the cannabis beverage world, but today an expanding palette of cannabinoids is giving formulators license to design experiences that build a feeling and create distinct mood states. Cannabis brand FABRIC’s Tom Eddleston, Magic Cactus founder Jonny Locarni and SōRSE Technology’s Michael Flemmens explore how minor cannabinoids and other emerging compounds are reshaping flavor, feel and functionality, discussing the science behind emulsions, stability and sourcing while sharing real-world lessons from building next-generation drinks. Find out how minor cannabinoids shape mood, how formulation choices influence flavor and effect, and how evolving regulations are driving the next wave of innovation.

How does a top-tier design studio reimagine a fast-growing brand? In Part 2 of our brand refresh series, Suite 9C founder Paula Grant—joined by team members Jessy Qussar and Melissa Piombo—unveils five final design directions created for Dappy, a non-alcoholic functional beverage brand on the rise. Maddie Frank, Dappy’s founder, shares her candid reactions and reveals which concept ultimately became the new face of the brand. Together, they unpack the creative strategy behind each direction, what made the winning look stand out, and how the final identity captures Dappy’s mood-lifting mission in the growing non-alc space.

In part one of this two-part series, DAPI founder Maddie Frank teams up with Suite 9C—the design studio behind brands like BodyArmor, Lemon Perfect, and Core Hydration—to rethink her packaging and bring the brand closer to its vision. This episode covers how to make your packaging design work smarter, not harder; how to position a non-alc product in a fast-evolving category; how and why to infuse your brand identity into the design; and how to communicate essential info quickly enough to catch consumers in the moment of purchase.

How do you scale a culturally rooted brand while preserving authenticity and brand identity? Kartik Das of Doosra, a modern take on Indian chai-time snacks, brought this question to our recent Community Call, where innovative brands like Nguyen Coffee Supply, Brooklyn Delhi, MìLà, and DayDayCook joined the discussion. We discussed how to balance authenticity with accessibility, use data and testing to make informed decisions, and implement scrappy, budget-friendly tactics to grow while staying true to your roots.

UNFI's UpNext program is designed to curate and incubate emerging brands. Aaron May, Senior Manager of the UpNext program, explains their criteria for brand selection, the most common mistakes brands make when starting out with UNFI, and how to directly access the UNFI team for advice and support.

Soom Foods is well known for their tahini sourced from Ethiopian sesame seeds that produce a smooth and delicious tahini. Soom has a chocolate sku that's not turning as quickly as they think it should, and we're bringing in the experts to troubleshoot. Join Fred Hart of Interact Brands, Adam Levit of Velocity Sales, and Amy Zitelman, founder of Soom Foods, and listen as the team assesses the situation and brainstorms solutions.