Elizabeth Crawford’s Post

Good morning! To start off the week, wanted to share some inspiration from the hugely informative The CPG Guys podcast that we've been soaking up here at Ripple Street--thank you for demystifying complexities in our industry and inviting dialogue across the ecosystem! In a recent episode with Cindy Blum, VP, Marketing at Eagle Family Foods (home to big, beloved brands such as Hamburger Helper, Suddenly Salad, Popcorn Indiana, Eagle Brand Condensed Milk, and more), Cindy shares her prolific career as a multi-faceted growth marketer, and how she's perfectly positioned to help refresh and rebuild Eagle Food's iconic portfolio. Our Key Takeaways: 1. Working in the food industry is not for the faint of heart! Since food is one of the most basic human needs, it can't rely on image or brand perception as much as a lot of other categories; additionally, for the most part, it can be easy replicated by competitive companies. These create real substantial challenges in differentiating. 2. For branded products, finding your purpose and point of difference is increasingly imperative as direct competition and private labels heat up. What is it about your products that is different or is compelling enough to draw someone's interest to your brand? 3. Eagle Foods is constantly exploring new flavors and ingredients, and coming to Walmart in June is an exclusive co-branded Popcorn Indiana Netflix product line that's going to bring flavors as unique as shoppers' Netflix watch lists. What a brilliant, nostalgic collab that taps into multi-generational families gathering in the comfort of their own homes. Thanks for sharing your story, Cindy--and to Peter V.S. Bond & Sri Rajagopalan for growing this educational platform of leading voices! Link to the episode 👉🏼 https://lnkd.in/eu43PCD9

On this week's BRAVE COMMERCE Podcast, Athletic Brewing Co.'s Andrew Katz joins hosts Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter to talk about tailoring marketing efforts for brand success. Together, they discuss: ✨ Discovering the brand's target audience as a non-alcoholic beer brand ✨ Athletic Brewing Co.'s omnichannel approach to engaging consumers and fostering loyalty ✨ The importance of maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit while scaling #MarketingPodcast #eCommerceMarketing #MarketingInsights #NonAlcoholicBeer

From Underdog to Food Industry Disruptor: A CPG David and Goliath Story On the latest Omnichannel Marketer podcast, Dillon Ceglio, CEO of Chubby Snacks shared an inspiring story of how he hustled from modest beginnings to take on a CPG behemoth. Dillon had a grew up in a blue collar neighborhood. His mother was a fitness instructor so healthy choices were instilled. His friends used to joke that he had the least exciting pantry on the block and he didn’t have a microwave until he was 13! He didn’t do well in high school. But he worked hard in junior college and got in to USC. In college, he hung with a crowd who was were running side businesses like selling beanies and t-shirts out of their bookbags. And while he realized while he wasn’t book smart, he was street smart and could figure things out. He started out as a freelance marketer which turned into an agency that focused on e-commerce brands. That’s where he had a front seat to the evolution of better-for-you food and beverage products. Which got him thinking about launching a CPG brand. And thought a lot about foods he wasn’t allowed to have in his hour. The Uncrustable peanut butter and jelly sandwich from Smuckers was one of those snacks. He reviewed Smuckers financials and realized they we doing $500M/year in revenue on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches without crust! So he set out to parlay his digital marketing skills to start Chubby, a healthy superfood peanut butter and jelly sandwich alternative. He started out by making his own prototypes and going sports camps, giving them to moms and their kids! It was an immediate hit, but 30 days after launching, they got a cease and desist from Smuckers, because they had a patent on the circle sandwich shape. After consulting with an IP attorney, they had two options: fight Smuckers OR just change the shape of the sandwich. It took a few months, but they rebooted the product to be cloud shaped, and filed a trademark on the shape too! Since they, the business is booming. They are in almost a thousand stores across the country and going strong! #CPG #founderstory #omnichannelmarketer watch full episode here -> https://buff.ly/3pDnT6t

I've been told I have a face for podcasts, but I still need to work on my podcast host voice! A few weeks ago I had the chance to guest host CSP Daily News "At Your Convenience" podcast and lead a discussion with Kristin Sword from Jacksons Food Stores and 🏪 Adit Gupta from Lula Convenience where we discussed digital transformation and technology in the convenience store industry. Check it out via the link below. Having established and led successful digital commerce businesses at two retailers over the last 10 years, I believe there is a tremendous opportunity for C-store retailers to serve customers with even more convenience through mobile ordering - for delivery, curbside pickup, and in-store pickup. Some positives: ✅ Store density - can deliver to customers faster ✅ 24-7 - early, all day, and late night hours ✅ Foodservice & grocery - pizza and an energy drink, yes please Some watch-outs: ⚠ Economics across order channels and occasion types ⚠ In-store order fulfillment and customer service ⚠ Ensuring the experience is seamless with your loyalty program Some potential game changers 🚀 Increase new customer acquisition 🚀 Drive incremental sales 🚀 Combined with loyalty, set the stage for your retail media network Have a listen and let me know your thoughts.

Really interesting perspective here for CPG Brands. If a consumer "friction point" is also memorable, can it be a net positive for the brand? The Whiteside house is regularly stocked on Grillo's Pickles. The problematic packaging is a weekly topic in our house. Especially when it leads to pickle juice splashing throughout the refrigerator... However, the pickles are outstanding so we keep on buying. Curious to see how the new & improved packaging works for Grillo's. I know that Kaitlin Whiteside is going to be pleased with this news! Great work to our friends at Grillo's & Irresistible Foods Group. #cpgindustry #innovation

A case study for new brands and new formats to create new opportunities

This is a fascinating CPG case study. I have been a big fan of Grillo's Pickles going back to my WFM days, when they were a small beloved local vendor in Boston. Great product, consistently good year after year and a staple in our fridge. If you haven’t tried them, you should. It’s always been a running joke among Grillo’s fans that the packing is absurd; it’s impossible to open without splattering pickle juice everywhere every time you open it. 👊Now, 10+ years in the making the pickle packaging paradigm (say that 3 times fast) has shifted. Rachel Karten makes a very astute point here: the packaging change got 2M+ views on TikTok, which quantifies exactly how much pent up demand there was for this change, for years. Boston.com wrote an interesting article this week about this. Here is the most interesting question: was it worth it to have a “bad” package all of this time, just so the brand can have a viral moment amongst legions of fans now? At Pod Foods we’re seeing DOZENS of early stage brands every month who have otherwise good products, but bad packaging/labeling. It’s the most common feedback we get from buyers, when they decline a product. Not every brand with a packaging flaw is as fortunate as Grillos. 👉Was it worth it for Kraft Heinz ketchup bottles to be impossibly slow for 50 years, so they could eventually invent the inverted squeezie ketchup bottle? 👉Is there ever a case where “bad packaging” can be a lovable asset to an innovative brand? Something that endears it to its early adopters and gives the brand a chance to intentionally “correct” the issue at a time of it’s choosing? #emergingcpg #grillospickles #heinz #wholefoodsmarket #bostonbrands #podfoods Anna Ison Brian Albert Roger Perrett Caroline D'Amore Lex Evan® Errol Schweizer Boston.com Flowspace Total Quality Logistics Taylor Elizabeth Walker Shawn Berg Kate Cash

I talk with a lot of Founders of emerging CPG brands. They are full of passion and energy, but every single one has struggled (or is struggling) to get on store shelves. I just listened to a great podcast from The Sporkful Podcast WNYC and Planet Money that can help helps demystify some of the tricks. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, there's wisdom here that can catapult your brand onto grocery shelves. 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gX32WCiD 💸 Understanding Slotting Fees: The podcast sheds light on the financial and strategic hurdles of slotting fees. Larger companies might have the upper hand, but the episode reveals how innovation and consumer demand can level the playing field for smaller brands. 📖 The Power of Storytelling: Consumers connect with stories, not just products. The episode highlights how unique brand narratives can capture the interest of grocery buyers and differentiate your product in a crowded market. 📊 Leveraging Data for Product Placement: Insights into how grocery stores use data to make stocking decisions show the importance of understanding shopping patterns and consumer preferences. Aligning your product with these insights can enhance its appeal to retailers. 🤝 Navigating Retailer Relationships: Building strong relationships with retailers is key. The episode offers strategies for approaching negotiations and presenting your brand in a way that aligns with the retailer's goals and customer base.Innovative 🌟 Marketing Strategies: From engaging with social media influencers to creative in-store promotions, learn how to create buzz around your product and drive consumer demand, making your brand too enticing for retailers What strategies have you found effective in your journey to retail success?

While snacking is crucial to consumers, the brands aren't. Like trends, brands can come and go. Consumers have favorite flavors, they have favorite textures, which all brands can attempt to recreate. What makes them worthy? "Brand loyalty is weakening," explains Axios as, "around 40% of consumers say that store-branded products are a good alternative to branded items, while 35% believe private labels are higher or equal in quality to name brands." So for all the marketers we need to stand out and make real connections. #Snacking #CX #Trends

Are you an alcohol supplier who has thought about tapping into online sales? In the latest episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Derek Correia, CEO of ReserveBar, shares his thoughts on the benefits of e-commerce for beverage alcohol brands, which include: 🔍 Insight and Information - Provide invaluable data and insights into consumer behavior, preferences, and trends. 💡 Efficient Ways to Launch Products - Provides beverage alcohol brands with a streamlined avenue to launch new products. 🎯 Targeted Digital Communications - Offer beverage alcohol brands the opportunity to engage in highly targeted digital communications with consumers. 📊 Consumer Data - Yield valuable consumer data that can inform marketing strategies and drive business growth. Listen Here 🎙️: https://lnkd.in/eK-6i8Zp #ReserveBar #Ecommerce