Podcast
ShelfLife – The CPG Podcast
Hosted by Phyllo · EN
Welcome to ShelfLife – The CPG Podcast, where we sit down with the builders, operators, and brand leaders shaping the future of consumer goods. Hosted by Shubham Tiwari and Akhil Bhiwal, ShelfLife explores what it actually takes to build, scale, and sustain winning CPG brands.
Each episode dives deep into brand strategy, category growth, retail execution, revenue management, insights, innovation, and the growing impact of data and AI on modern brand building.
If you’re a brand manager, category leader, insights professional, founder, or operator trying to grow a CPG business in a competitive, margin-pressured world, this podcast is for you.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How Naked Wines Built a $100M+ Business ft. Lisa McDowell
4w ago01:15:36Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Shelf Life, we sit down with Lisa McDowell, Chief Growth Officer at Naked Wines, to unpack what it really takes to build a modern, community-driven brand in a challenging industry.From her journey across companies like Deliveroo and Ocado to leading growth at Naked Wines, Lisa shares deep insights on:🍷 How the subscription-based wine model actually works📖 Why storytelling—not just product—drives modern brands📊 The reality of marketing data, attribution, and “quadrangulation”👥 Building customer-first systems through community, not just metrics🚀 Lessons in leadership, growth, and decision-making under pressureWe also dive into:The biggest mistakes leaders make with dataWhy brand trust matters more than ever in the AI eraThis is a must-watch for founders, marketers, and anyone interested in building meaningful businesses in today’s noisy world.🔗 Connect with Lisa McDowell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mcdowell-7063857/🔗 Check out Naked Wines: https://www.nakedwines.com/📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
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How Beverage Brands Actually Scale (Lemon Perfect, Ex-Red Bull)
Apr 2401:20:23Tap to summarize🎙️ Welcome to Episode 10 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/In this episode of Shelf Life, we sit down with Laura-Lynn Freck, VP of Commercial Sales & Strategy at Lemon Perfect (and former Red Bull & Zevia leader), to unpack how modern CPG brands are built, sold, and scaled.From working inside billion-dollar giants like Red Bull to now leading strategy at an emerging brand, Laura brings a rare perspective on how data, retail, and consumer behavior intersect to drive real growth.We dive deep into:1. How beverage brands win shelf space and scale distribution2. Why “boring basics” like distribution & velocity still matter most3. The real role of data vs intuition in decision-making4. How Gen Z is reshaping consumer brands (and why “Instagrammable” matters)5. Lessons from Red Bull, Zevia, and Lemon Perfect6. Mistakes emerging brands make when scaling too fast7. How to think about product, packaging, and positioningWe also explore how Lemon Perfect is building a clean, zero-sugar hydration brand in a competitive market—backed by strong fundamentals and sharp execution.If you’re a founder, marketer, or just curious about how brands grow behind the scenes, this episode is packed with practical insights.🔗 Connect with Laura-Lynn Freck on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauralynnfreck/🔗 Check out The Lemon Perfect Company: https://lemonperfect.com/📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo🔔 Like, comment, and subscribe for more brand stories that go beyond the shelf. 🔔
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Is Influencer Marketing Dying? Industry Expert Explains
Feb 2301:35:06Tap to summarize🎙️ Welcome to Episode 09 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/In this episode of ShelfLife, we sit down with Maria Plaza, CMO at MiiN Cosmetics, the brand that helped bring Korean beauty culture to Europe and turn it into a scalable omni-channel business.Maria shares her unconventional journey from law and economics to leading marketing and digital for a fast-growing beauty brand. 🎯 She breaks down:• Why brand vs performance is a false trade-off• How marketing is becoming conversational• The real role of AI in a CMO’s decision-making• Why influencer marketing (as we know it) might disappear• How to localize strategy across different European markets• What community-led growth really means• How to connect qualitative sentiment with hard performance metricsWe also explore her personal philosophy, from trekking near Everest Base Camp to silent retreats, and how clarity, intuition, and purpose shape leadership decisions.This episode is for founders, marketers, brand builders, and anyone curious about the future of marketing in an AI-first world.If you’re building a brand, managing growth, or navigating marketing today — this conversation will challenge how you think. 🔗 Check out Miin Cosmetics: https://miin-cosmetics.com/en📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
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How Consumer Insights Drive Decisions Inside Top CPG Brands
Feb 1101:38:11Tap to summarize🎙️ Welcome to Episode 08 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/In this episode of Shelf Life, we sit down with Amit Singh — a global marketing leader and founder of BrainJump AI, who has worked across brands like Cadbury, Lay’s, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and McCormick — to unpack how high-stakes decisions are actually made inside FMCG and CPG companies.If you’re a founder, brand manager, CPG operator, or building AI for enterprises — this episode gives you a rare inside look at how billion-dollar brand decisions are actually made.🎯Key Topics Discussed:1. Why insights often get ignored in CPG2. The “HIPPO effect” (Highest Paid Person’s Opinion)3. The chaos of annual planning cycles4. How innovation funnels really work5. Why context matters more than raw data6. The “frozen middle” problem inside large organizations7. Whether AI tools can actually improve decision-making8. How BrainJump is turning expert judgment into decision-ready AI 🔗 Check out BrainJump AI: https://www.brainjump.ai/📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
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How Consumer Insights Drive Decisions Inside Top CPG Brands
Feb 101:11:38Tap to summarize🎙️ Welcome to Episode 07 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/In this episode of Shelf Life, Shubham Tiwari and Akhil speak with Jinghuan Liu Tervalon, a consumer insights and strategy leader with experience across brands like Dollar Shave Club and Coca-Cola. The conversation explores how consumer insights turn into real business decisions, the differences between US and Chinese CPG markets, the role of retail and segmentation, and why human judgment still matters in an AI-driven world.🎯 Key Topics Discussed:1. How consumer insights move from data to real decision-making inside modern CPG organizations2. Key differences between mature markets like the US and growth-driven markets like China3. Why product differentiation matters in saturated categories, while behavior change drives emerging markets4. The role of segmentation—and why activation matters more than the framework itself5. How retail and shopper insights reshape brand strategies beyond DTC thinking6. Where insights often break down: synthesis, storytelling, and communication7. The real (and limited) role of AI in consumer insights versus human judgment8. Why trust, influence, and narrative-building are core skills for insights leaders 📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
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The CHOMPS Story: Protein in Sticks
Jan 1401:33:58Tap to summarize🎙️ Welcome to Episode 06 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/In this episode of Shelf Life, we sit down with Nick Miller, Director of Innovation at Chomps, one of the fastest-growing protein snack brands in the US.Nick shares how innovation actually works inside a modern CPG brand—from deciding what products to build next, to balancing data with intuition, and understanding why consumers often say one thing but do another. Drawing from his experience at Chomps and previous roles at large CPG companies, Nick breaks down how brands identify white spaces, avoid over-innovation, and build products that last.We explore topics like human-centered research, brand personality, willingness to pay, innovation pipelines, and why taste still beats everything else. The conversation also dives into the limits of traditional consumer research, the role of AI and synthetic consumers, and how insights really move across teams at scale.This episode is especially valuable for anyone working in CPG, brand strategy, product innovation, marketing, research, or consumer insights, as well as founders and builders thinking about long-term growth.🎯 Key Topics Discussed: 1. How innovation works inside a fast-growing CPG brand2. Big CPG systems vs insurgent brand thinking3. Avoiding over-innovation and focusing on what truly matters4. Quality as a non-negotiable in product development5. Building innovation pipelines and long-term growth strategy6. Identifying white spaces and expansion opportunities7. Brand personality and inclusive positioning8. The limits of consumer research and trusting real behavior9. Human-centered research, empathy, and creativity10. The role of AI, data, and intuition in modern innovation🔗 Learn more about Chomps: https://chomps.com 📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
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The Untold Story of Carbliss
Nov 2300:56:21Tap to summarize🎙️ Welcome to Episode 04 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/In this episode of Shelf Life, we sit down with Adam Kroener, the founder of Carbliss — one of America’s fastest-growing private beverage companies.From experimenting with drinks in their kitchen to scaling a multi-million–case RTD brand, this couple’s story is an unfiltered masterclass in discipline, strategy, and grit.🎯 In this deep-dive conversation, we talk about:How Carbliss went from zero to selling millions of casesWhy flavor — not trends — became their biggest competitive weaponThe operations mindset that helped them outrun billion-dollar brandsHow they built a profitable business without relying on VC moneyWhat founders should never do when launching a CPG brandThe emotional side: imposter syndrome, family, and scaling chaosThe future of the RTD cocktail space and where the industry is headedIf you're a founder, operator, investor, or just someone who loves startup origin stories, this episode is packed with real insights — not the sugar-coated version.🔗 Learn more about Carbliss: https://drinkcarbliss.com 📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
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The BuzzBallz Story ft. Merrilee Kick
Nov 601:00:38Tap to summarize🎙️ Welcome to Episode 03 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/In this episode, we’re joined by Merrilee Kick, Founder of BuzzBallz and CEO of Gourmetland Foods — a powerhouse in the ready-to-drink alcohol space. Merrilee shares how a moment of poolside inspiration turned into a globally distributed, category-defining brand with its iconic spherical packaging and bold mission to “reinvent the happy hour.”We dive deep into how she designed her packaging from scratch, scaled operations without external funding, built a vertically integrated business, and cracked high-margin growth — all while staying scrappy and rooted in culture. Merrilee also reflects on the Sazerac acquisition, her Forbes-featured journey, and what’s next with Gourmetland.🎯 Key Topics Discussed: 1. How a high school teacher created one of America’s top RTD brands 2. Why packaging is the real product in CPG 3. Her approach to distributor relationships & retail success 4. The surprising story behind the “BuzzBallz” name 5. Balancing brand, culture, and operations as a solo founder 6. What Gourmetland Foods is cooking up next 7. Why she believes in “fairness over equality” as a leadership philosophy 8. What really moves shelves: pricing, displays & impulse buying behavior 9. Lessons in brand building, culture, and how to keep it fun🔗 Learn more about BuzzBallz: https://www.buzzballz.com/ 📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
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How Once Upon a Farm Redefined Kids’ Food
Oct 2801:27:46Tap to summarize🎙️ Welcome to Episode 02 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/?utm_source...In this episode, we’re joined by Hayden Coussens, Director of Category Management & Insights at Once Upon a Farm — the organic, cold-pressed baby and kids’ food brand known for elevating food standards for the next generation.Hayden shares how the brand went from being a challenger in the baby food aisle to becoming a category creator in refrigerated baby snacks. We discuss their approach to category management, building brand trust with both kids and parents, how they use data and AI to make retail decisions, and why mission-first innovation is at the heart of their growth.From being WIC/SNAP accessible to launching the best-selling Tractor Wheels, this episode explores how Once Upon a Farm balances taste, pricing, and purpose to win over retailers and parents alike.🎯 Key Topics Discussed:1. Why taste and mission are non-negotiables for kids’ food2. How Once Upon a Farm uses data to drive category strategy3. What makes a product launch successful (and redeemable!)4. Building for WIC/SNAP without compromising quality5. Why dry baby snacks became their breakout product line6. How retailers respond to new SKUs & innovation timelines7. The role of AI in category insights and product forecasting8. Redefining category norms: from refrigerated baby food to snack bars 🔗 Learn more about Once Upon a Firm: https://onceuponafarmorganics.com 📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
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The Greek Beauty Brand That Outsmarted the Industry
Oct 1801:46:31Tap to summarize🎙️ Welcome to Episode 01 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/?utm_source...In our first episode, we sit down with Konstantinos Papalexandris, Chief Business Officer at KORRES — the Greek beauty brand that turned local tradition into a $100M global empire.From its humble beginnings in a small Athens pharmacy, KORRES has grown into one of the world’s most trusted natural skincare brands — blending Greek flora, science, and sustainability to compete with giants like L’Oréal and Estée Lauder.Kostas shares how the brand scaled to 52 countries without relying on celebrity endorsements, what it takes to build global trust from a small nation, and how authenticity, R&D, and storytelling continue to drive KORRES’s success.🎯 Key Topics Discussed:1. The origin story — from a Greek pharmacy to a $100M global brand2. How KORRES built a skincare empire without celebrity endorsements3. Harnessing the power of Greek flora & innovation in R&D4. How tourism became a natural top-of-funnel for brand awareness5. The balance between sustainability, authenticity & scale6. What sets KORRES apart from global beauty giants like L’Oréal7. Building consumer trust through storytelling and efficacy8. The role of AI, R&D, and data in the future of beauty9. Why authentic heritage beats trends in long-term brand building🔗 Learn more about KORRES: https://www.korres.com 📢 Learn more about Phyllo:🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
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