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Hey friends,

Our guest today is Chris Kirby, Founder of Ithaca Hummus. Ithaca Hummus is known for its super fresh, clean-label approach. One of my favorite parts of this conversation was hearing how Chris grew the brand—staying in a handful of retailers for years before turning on the gas and scaling nationally. We also get into how he achieved a negative cash conversion cycle (which is wild), and his thoughtful approach to choosing strategic partners.

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Time stamps:

* 03:24 - From Fine Dining to Culinary Burnout

* 06:36 - Discovering a Gap in Ithaca’s Food Scene

* 10:46 - Launching Ithaca Hummus from a Camp Kitchen

* 13:54 - The Addictive Energy of Farmer’s Markets

* 19:15 - No Brokers: Selling to Co-ops Door-to-Door

* 24:33 - Sampling, Promotions & Retailer Education

* 28:10 - $1M to $3.5M: Strategic Investment from Co-Man

* 33:50 - Saying No to VCs: Building Without External Pressure

* 37:17 - What Strategic Actually Means in CPG

* 41:50 - Branding, Packaging & the Power of “Owning Taste”

* 45:33 - Creating Viral Flavors (e.g. French Onion Hummus)

* 47:59 - Graza x Ithaca: Strategic Co-Branded Launch

* 50:00 - Long-Term Vision: Legacy, Not Liquidity

* 53:50 - Lightning Round: Books, Beliefs & Brands

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