Monica McClellan is the founder of Curd, a modern take on pudding made from real cottage cheese. She started the company during her postpartum period, when she was looking for foods that were both deeply nourishing and genuinely satisfying, but kept coming up short.

Frustrated by options that leaned heavily on protein powders, artificial ingredients, or didn’t actually keep her full, Monica set out to create something better. Curd was born from that need: a high-protein, fiber-rich pudding made from real, whole ingredients that feels indulgent, but supports how you actually want to eat.

With over a decade of experience in marketing and product strategy, Monica has spent her career launching and scaling products, but Curd is her first venture building something entirely her own. She’s currently bringing the brand to market through early retail launches and partnerships, with a mission to make nostalgic foods genuinely nourishing again. Follow Curd on Instagram.

Erica Small and Nikki Huganir are the co-founders of Yes Way Rosé, a modern wine brand rooted in creativity, community, and female friendship. The lifelong friends launched the brand in 2013, first building a highly engaged online audience and lifestyle community before introducing their first wine in 2018. Today, Yes Way Rosé has grown into one of the leading rosé brands in the U.S., with more than 13 million bottles sold to date and a portfolio spanning still, sparkling, canned, and non-alcoholic wines.

Drawing from backgrounds in editorial, fashion, graphic design, and creative direction, Erica and Nikki built Yes Way Rosé with a distinct point of view that helped redefine what a modern wine brand could look and feel like. Erica’s experience as a fashion editor and writer for publications including Interview, Esquire, Glamour, and The New York Times informed the brand’s voice and cultural relevance, while Nikki’s background in design and art direction shaped its instantly recognizable visual identity and aesthetic world.

Together, they have grown Yes Way Rosé into a category-defining brand known for its crisp, dry French rosé, strong creative vision, and loyal community. They are also the co-authors of Yes Way Rosé: A Guide to the Pink Wine State of Mind. The brand has been featured in Forbes, Food & Wine, Vogue, Wine Enthusiast, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Cherry Bombe, and more. Erica lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son, and Nikki lives in Baltimore with her husband and two daughters. Follow Yes Way Rosé on Instagram.

In this episode:

• How the best friend duo built buzz as a lifestyle brand before they were a Rosé brand.

• The strategic partnership that gave them an unfair advantage

• Why they have doubled down on Rosé

Amrit Richmond is a strategist who studies consumer goods for work and play. You can find her on Instagram at Indie CPG where she creates content and community for humans building brands. Reach out to her when you're launching something new or if you want to meet like-minded founders to collaborate with on your next flavor, product, event or campaign.

Emma Weeden is the founder of Emma’s Snacks, a Los Angeles based snack brand known for its chocolate-covered potato chips made with kettle-cooked chips and high-quality, thoughtfully sourced ingredients. She started the company while working a full-time job, building it from the ground up through grassroots sampling, organic marketing, and early retail partnerships. What sets Emma's Snacks apart is its commitment to clean, whole-food ingredients — think organic fair trade chocolate, avocado oil instead of seed oils, and no natural flavors or additives — proving that indulgence and intention don't have to be mutually exclusive. Emma spotted a gap in a category that had been largely untouched by the better-for-you movement and set out to upgrade every part of the chocolate-covered chip, from the oil it's fried in to the chocolate it's dipped in. Emma's Snacks is focused on redefining indulgent snacking with a premium, modern approach.

Nikta Mansouri is the Founder and CEO of La Saum, the Los Angeles-based dirty martini brand she launched in 2025. La Saum is built around the idea that the martini is more than a drink, it's a ritual, a mood, and increasingly, a cultural signal. The brand sits at the intersection of taste and intention, for the thoughtful consumer. Before founding La Saum, Nikta spent nearly a decade in entertainment, working at Gloria Sanchez Productions and Saturday Night Live, where she developed a sharp eye for culture and what makes something feel undeniably of-the-moment. She holds a dual degree from NYU's Tisch School and Stern School. Her dog’s name is Humphrey Bogart. Follow La Saum on Instagram.

Liana Krasnow is the co-founder of Noodo, a better-for-you sauce brand reimagining pantry staples with clean, functional ingredients, featuring bone broth as a core component for added nutrition and depth of flavor. She is building the company alongside her dad, Enzo, combining family roots with a modern approach to food. With a passion for wellness and entrepreneurship, Liana has taken Noodo from concept to retail shelves, sharing an honest look at what it takes to grow a brand from the ground up.

Afternoon Toast was founded by Kimmy Pace, a technology audit consultant turned beverage founder whose lifelong health challenges inspired a line of ready-to-drink teas that support digestion and effortless hydration.

Crafted from steeped ginger, roasted barley, and water, Afternoon Toast has a slightly nutty, toasty, and warming flavor. Gentle on the gut, it helps ease bloating and supports digestion with a touch of natural fiber— all without caffeine, sugar, or carbonation.

For Kimmy who has managed chronic dehydration since childhood, the brand was born from a search for a nourishing way to stay hydrated. With a sensitive gut, she found most electrolyte or “better-for-you” drinks too sugary, carbonated, or hard to digest. After reading a novel about a Korean family who drank roasted barley tea, she began brewing her own at home and fell in love with its subtle taste and soothing benefits.

By day, Kimmy leads IPO-readiness consulting projects for global consumer products and manufacturing companies, ensuring their financial data is secure.and investor-ready. That same precision now informs her approach to building Afternoon Toast, blending her expertise with a deep personal commitment to better-for-you beverages.

Now a staple on her table, Afternoon Toast reflects Kimmy’s desire for a beverage that’s more interesting than water, gentle on the stomach, and easy to sip all day and pair beautifully with meals.

Gina Moore is the founder of Pantry Gems, a modern pantry brand on a mission to solve the very specific, very relatable problem of leftover tomato paste. Pantry Gems creates perfectly portioned tablespoons of organic tomato paste so home cooks can use exactly what they need without wasting the rest. Gina is based in San Diego and is a mom of three young kids. She is building the brand from the ground up while sharing her journey on socials. When she’s not working on Pantry Gems, she’s walking her dog Ravioli, talking about tomatoes on the internet, or cooking for her family.

Daniele Orellana is the co-founder of Mitts, a design-forward brand creating sleek, non-abrasive sponges for delicate glassware and fine kitchen tools. By day, she works full-time as a pediatric dentist and serves as an attending at a hospital in Brooklyn. Alongside her clinical career, she also helps run Mitts, leading efforts across marketing, social media, and partnerships.

The daughter of immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in the late 1980s, Daniele grew up learning how to navigate unfamiliar systems, ask bold questions, and carve her own path. That early independence shaped the scrappy, fearless mindset she brings to entrepreneurship today—despite having no prior experience in the industry.

As a first-generation founder, she didn’t grow up surrounded by entrepreneurs or startup culture. Instead, she built Mitts from the ground up while balancing a demanding medical career. What started as a point of frustration—broken wine glasses, unattractive sponges, and a lack of well-designed options—sparked the idea for the brand.

Today, Mitts is a reflection of that journey: practical, thoughtful, and design-driven. While she continues to figure things out in real time, Daniele is guided by a clear belief that even the most everyday objects deserve intentional, beautiful design.

Sandra Diez is the founder of BRISCA, a premium Spanish extra virgin olive oil brand bringing the culture and flavor of Mediterranean olive oil to the American table.

Originally from Barcelona, Spain and now based in Portland, Oregon, Sandra created BRISCA after realizing that in the U.S., olive oil is often treated as a background ingredient rather than something to savor. She set out to change that by producing small-batch oils made from olives milled the very same day they are harvested, preserving freshness, flavor, and the traditions of Spanish olive oil making.

Through BRISCA, Sandra is on a mission to help people rediscover olive oil as a central part of the table, not just something to cook with, but something to taste, share, and enjoy together. Inspired by the Mediterranean tradition of sobremesa, the time spent lingering around the table after a meal, BRISCA celebrates food, conversation, and connection.

Since launching, BRISCA has been featured in national publications including Food & Wine and Vogue and has been growing across specialty retailers, markets, and direct-to-consumer channels throughout the United States.

Sandra lives in Portland with her husband and four children, and when she is not building BRISCA, you will likely find her cooking, hosting friends, or planning the next gathering around the table.

In this solo episode with Danielle, we break down how to actually get a return on your investment at Expo West — and it’s not just about buyer meetings or badge scans. Using our Expo West itinerary as a guide, we talk through how to approach everything from the Innovation Summit and Pitch Slam to CPG Sisterhood, Ladies Lounge, Anti-Expo, and the after-hours house parties with real strategy and intention. The biggest takeaway? ROI at Expo is built through proximity and community. The founders who win aren’t standing on the sidelines — they’re putting themselves in the middle of conversations, building relationships before they “need” them, making introductions, and becoming part of the ecosystem. This episode will help you shift from short-term transactional thinking to long-term momentum building, so you leave Expo with more than leads — you leave with positioning, visibility, and real community equity that compounds long after the show floor closes.

Alyssa Fernandez is the founder of Ollin, a cake mix company that is making cakes real again with better grains. She's bringing stone-milled heritage wheat from Texas farmers to your kitchen— because gluten isn't the problem, it's what we did to it.

Ollin (pronounced all-in) is a Nahuatl word meaning "movement" or "to come full circle"—which is exactly what Alyssa is doing with baking. She's calling a truce with gluten by bringing heritage grains back where they belong: in your kitchen, at your celebrations, on your Sunday table.

Every box is hand-packed in North Texas. Every grain is sourced from Texas farms. Every cake you bake tells a story—one that connects culture with celebration, tradition with taste, and Texas soil with your table.

Cotto reimagines classic dips with high-protein whipped cottage cheese and clean, simple ingredients to create lighter, fresher versions of nostalgic flavors. Designed to be enjoyed straight from the container, added to everyday meals, or shared with friends, Cotto brings ease, elevated flavor, and clean protein to modern eating.

Founded by Kendall Kransdorf, Cotto was inspired by her journey to recreate classic foods with wholesome ingredients that supported her wellbeing. After her cottage cheese–based dips became favorites among friends and family, she realized there was an opportunity for a new kind of dip—nostalgic, delicious, and genuinely better-for-you.

Kendall brings deep CPG experience to the brand, from strategy work with major retailers at Boston Consulting Group to hands-on product development with food scientists and co-manufacturers at a supplement startup. She brings this expertise and passion to Cotto.

With 16+ years in CPG, Danielle has scaled brands from zero to $40M, revived a legacy brand, guided 100+ brands to $75M+ in sales, and secured hundreds of SKUs with top distributors and retailers.

It’s All Happening™ was built for founders who refuse to watch from the sidelines. From the CPG School to the high-touch Brand Catalyst Advisory, everything is powered by the proprietary IAH Launch Formula™. Build sales and marketing systems that drive velocity, repeat purchase and increase company valuation is what we do. This isn’t a theory, it’s the proven path to shelf, margin, and scale.

Emily Steele is the CEO and Co-Founder of Hummingbirds, a venture-backed platform that connects CPG brands with over 30,000 everyday content creators. With a deep belief in the power of authentic partnerships, Emily and team have scaled Hummingbirds to dozens of U.S. cities, helping brands drive shelf-level awareness by matching them with creators eager to try & share their products with friends.

What started as a love of sharing things in her own backyard in Des Moines, Iowa has turned into thousands of people across the U.S. sharing the brands near them that they love.

Francesca Pittaluga founded Ciao Pappy in 2022, inspired by her first-generation Italian roots and her love for both the California and Italian coasts. Growing up between these two worlds, she developed a deep appreciation for the beauty of Italian tradition and the laid-back vibrancy of the West Coast. Following a 14-year career in luxury fashion, Ciao Pappy brings those influences together—blending old-world flavors with a fresh, modern sensibility to introduce a new kind of Italian American story, rooted in quality and authenticity. Ciao Pappy’s premium marinara sauces are made with non-GMO ingredients, no added sugar, and California-grown tomatoes. A true people person, Francesca finds her greatest happiness in gathering and sharing meals, believing that food has the power to bring people closer and enrich everyday life. Today, Ciao Pappy is available online and in more than 300 retail stores across the U.S., including Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, Goop, Farmshop, and Gjusta Grocer. The brand has been featured in Goop, Eater, Town & Country, and the LA Times.

Blakely and Jordan are best friends, creative pros, and food lovers who met in art school fifteen years ago. Jordan is an award-winning designer and entrepreneur with a sharp eye for branding, while Blakely has spent over a decade running creative operations at a top global ad agency. Together, they created SaladSprinkles—born from a shared love of clean ingredients and clever shortcuts, and built to make everyone fall back in love with lettuce. We recorded this episode a few months back and a lot has changed in their business. Since then, Jordan & Blakey decided to stop production. Here is a note they sent out to thier followers this week:

We've hit a wall: our production costs are too high to make larger retail expansion work. To get our price point where it needs to be, we'd need to produce at a much larger scale—which requires capital we don't have. We've explored every angle (different suppliers, packaging options, cost models), but without significant funding upfront, we can't solve this puzzle on our own.

Rather than take on debt we can't sustain, we're pausing production to find the right partner—a larger company with the infrastructure and resources to produce SaladSprinkles more efficiently and get it into stores nationwide at a price that works.

Tune in as we have a really raw conversation of why they came to this decision and whats next for Jordan, Blakely and SaladSprinkles.

Clara Veniard is the co-founder and CEO of Coro Foods, a premium salami brand that marries old world techniques with unexpected flavors like Orange Cardamom and Lemongrass. With a life and career that has taken her all over the globe, it's no surprise that Clara has a deep passion for food and international ingredients. Sharing food is a way of life, whether it’s assembling after school snack plates for her kids, a thrown together charcuterie board to tide everyone over while dinner is cooking or an impressive-looking spread for company-Coro comes to the rescue every time. Clara is dedicated to making the best product possible. That includes only using pork from US family farms that are humanely raised without any hormones or antibiotics.

Sisters Meena and Tabi, first-generation Afghan Americans, founded Tursh to share the bold, soulful flavors they grew up with. Inspired by their mother Furoozan’s cherished recipes, they’ve reimagined traditional Afghan chutneys for the modern kitchen. Every small-batch jar of Tursh is handcrafted with real ingredients, no shortcuts, and a whole lot of heart—bringing tang, tradition, and a taste of home to tables everywhere.

From Uber to Blue Bottle to peanut butter powerhouse— Lucy Dana’s journey is all grit, vision, and a love for doing things differently. As the co-founder + CEO of One Trick Pony, she’s turned two simple ingredients (Argentinian peanuts + a whole lot of dedication) into the kind of peanut butter you’ll hide from your family. In our interview, Lucy shares how she built a brand rooted in quality and fun — and why the new packaging feels like the perfect reflection of the bold, playful spirit behind One Trick Pony. Trust me: this isn’t your average PB jar. It’s smooth, it’s gritty (in all the right ways), and it’s here to shake up the aisle.