Matt Bunce joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

Matt has 18 years experience in CPG R&D from Fortune 500 to B2B to Consulting and Startup. He is passionate about CPG, Food and R&D. His dream is to help businesses grow through making happy customers. Matt grew up lower middle class, first-generation college grad, grandparents immigrated from Europe.

Matt started his entrepreneurial journey in middle school buying gum in bulk and selling during class for 3x the cost. When he was old enough, he began mowing lawns in high school before starting his first job at a pizza shop where he landed in the ER from a meat slicer incident.

Matt has been with Whoa Momma from the beginning. He started as a consultant in 2019 and reformulated for scalability and quality, did trials and finalized flavors until taking a pause during Covid. After receiving an SBA loan for capital to launch, Whoa Momma Protein entered 300 retail locations in 2024. Matt became part owner in 2024 and developed several new innovations to fill the pipeline for the next 3-5 years. If all goes well, their next big launch will be with popcorn in January 2025!

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Matt:

• You have to get in front of your target customers, and that's the hardest part of marketing. It's trial and error, but getting in front of the right customers is a real challenge.
• Grocery has a real opportunity to start to dedicate sections to new brands so consumers know exactly where to go. Consumers can then see what's new and get really excited.
• Any entrepreneur needs to understand what their strengths and weaknesses are. Making those changes could potentially double or triple business just from implementing some of those changes.

Joe Rotondo joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

Joe is the Founder & CEO of Smearcase, the first frozen cottage cheese ice cream (FroCo) on the market. Smearcase is the most protein-dense ice cream on the market with over 40 grams of protein per pint and boosted with collagen. Launched in July 2024 in NYC, Smearcase has quickly expanded to over 60 stores in the tri-state area and is set to debut in Sprouts and Whole Foods in 2025.

Joe’s entrepreneurial journey began in college, where his transition from exercise science to apparel designer inspired Rocky Clark, a luxury sustainable denim brand. He is a passionate advocate for product innovation, branding, and entrepreneurship and won the title of "Best Bagel of NJ" in 2018. Joe proudly ran the 2024 NYC Marathon earlier in November, channeling the same drive that fuels his groundbreaking ventures.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Joe:

• Community engagement is crucial for CPG marketing success. When your values are at the forefront of your relationship with those in your community, you will see a magnetic connection start to form.
• Building a unique brand requires innovation and disruption. If you're looking to get into CPG, find your niche and get really clear on how you're going to be different to drive that unique value proposition.
• We're just starting to scratch the surface on what personalization in food supplements can be. Consumers need to continue to learn what works for them. Be mindful of the noise that's out there, but don't just be a follower.

Brooke Cullison joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

Brooke is a seasoned digital media strategist with a track record of driving exceptional results. With a decade of experience in the digital media landscape, she has spent the last 8 years leading media strategy and planning, while also building and managing high-caliber teams. As the Director of Ecommerce & Media at Liquid I.V., she plays a key role in overseeing acquisition, retention and media channels, helping drive growth on the company’s website, along with brand campaigns, paid social, television, streaming and out-of-home advertising. Brooke initially joined Liquid I.V. in March 2021 and has been instrumental in helping fuel an innovative, test-to-scale mindset that has made Liquid I.V. a true breakthrough brand.

In a digital landscape that's more competitive and crowded than ever, especially in the post-pandemic era, Brooke firmly believes that brands must be agile. The days of a singular path from Awareness to Conversion are over. There are more channels than ever to reach your audience, and you must create dynamic paths to purchase by reaching the right audience, at the right time, with the right message. This philosophy is at the core of Brooke’s approach to growth marketing, and it's what sets her apart.

As a proud UCLA alum, Brooke is committed to innovation, continuous learning, and driving impactful change in the industry. She is always excited to connect with like-minded professionals, so don't hesitate to reach out!

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Brooke:

• The brands that are doing the best right now, really standing out, and thinking of the consumer first, are those that embrace innovation.
• Balancing performance marketing with brand awareness is crucial.
• AI is transforming how consumers shop and search.