Podcast Summary: The CPG Guys

Episode: Scaling a Beverage Startup with HOPWTR's Jordan Bass
Date: September 6, 2025
Hosts: Peter V.S. Bond & Sri Rajagopalan
Guest: Jordan Bass, CEO & Co-founder, HOPWTR

Overview

This episode dives into the journey of building and scaling HOPWTR, a non-alcoholic, hop-infused sparkling beverage brand. Jordan Bass shares his personal inspiration, challenges of entering a beverage space dominated by giants, the art and science behind flavor development, D2C versus retail scaling, community building, and keys to authentic brand growth. Listeners gain actionable advice for CPG founders and insight into trends shaping the functional beverage category.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The HOPWTR Origin Story

[04:10]

• Jordan Bass and his co-founder, both outdoorsy and health-oriented but beer lovers, didn't see an option in the market for a non-alcoholic, hop-forward beverage that satisfied like beer but without the negative side effects.
• The "aha moment" was deeply personal: "My wife had actually gotten pregnant with our first and I found that I was drinking a bunch of double IPAs on the couch at night and that didn’t really align with my fitness routine." – Jordan Bass [05:00]
• Backyard experimentation led to the creation of Hop Water, catalyzed by a lack of marketplace alternatives and a desire for moderation without missing out.

2. Crafting Functional Beverages That Actually Taste Good

[06:59]

• Jordan stresses taste is non-negotiable in CPG: "If your product doesn't taste good, you're done for."
• Although HOPWTR’s beverages feature functional ingredients (adaptogens, nootropics), taste comes first, function second.
• Digital research highlighted that 82% of consumers seek “functional” in their daily beverages, reflecting a broader “get more from everything” trend.

3. Iterative Flavor Development & Real-World Testing

[08:58]

• The initial lineup: Blood Orange (still the bestseller), Mango, and Classic.
• Flavors are chosen based on proprietary digital testing methods, blending desktop flavor trend research with direct social media consumer feedback.
• E-commerce provides a nimble environment for testing and quickly launching flavors before bringing winners to retail.
• Memorable Story: Pandemic-era formulation involved Jordan and team in a parking lot, sampling from hazmat-suited partners. "We taste it. We’re like, look at each other. Like, this is it. High five. We got it." [11:17]

4. Gathering and Integrating Feedback

[11:39]

• Multiple feedback streams: retailers, trusted distributors, and a loyalist tasting panel.
• Early, real sample sharing with retail and distribution partners informs both product and go-to-market decisions.

5. D2C vs. Retail: Complementary, Not Competing

[13:17, 16:32]

• D2C enabled rapid iteration, direct consumer connection, and built conviction before investing in retail scale.
• Notable retail breakthroughs: Erewhon (first), Wegmans (major crossover), H-E-B (first big conventional grocer).
• Two operations (D2C and retail) started separately, but gradually merged logistics/warehousing for efficiency.
• Key Learning: Retail execution is “so, so critical.” In e-comm, fulfillment is easier, but retail demands precision in supply and presence.

6. Omnichannel Marketing: Tailoring the Message

[18:00]

• At shelf, messaging must be singular and sharp (e.g., “positively refreshing”).
• Online, the message is more nuanced and can be customized for various segments.
• "We can have 20 different messages tailored to our specific consumer group.” – Jordan Bass [18:42]

7. Balancing Structure & Innovation

[19:27]

• Process is critical in logistics, manufacturing, and QC, but marketing and innovation require flexibility.

8. Building Authentic Brand Awareness

[21:52]

• As an emerging brand without big budgets, digital is the primary tool for spreading awareness and building community.
• Authenticity flows from firsthand connection: “We built this brand for ourselves…We are the consumer.” – Jordan Bass [23:57]
• "Getting cans in hands" at events like the All-Star Game is vital for exposure.

9. Defining and Engaging the Core Community

[25:03]

• HOPWTR targets the “enlightened overachiever”—health-conscious, active, but still wants to socialize.
• Community-building includes direct-to-consumer engagement (email, direct feedback), active social listening/responding, founder accessibility, and frequent event participation.

10. The Evolution of the Non-Alcoholic & Functional Beverage Space

[28:25, 29:56]

• Jordan predicts moderation is a long-term shift, not a fad. Non-alcoholic beverages currently are a small fraction of the beer category (<2%), but likely to grow meaningfully.
• 75% of HOPWTR customers still drink alcohol—they’re seeking moderation rather than abstinence.

11. Trendspotting & Continuous Learning

[31:42]

• Jordan keeps informed by reading trade and business periodicals, talking to consumers, retailers, and distributors, and (humorously) says, "The CPG Guys podcast, my number one source for CPG news." [31:42]

12. Advice for CPG/Beverage Entrepreneurs

[32:50]

• “Building a brand is very hard. Get ready to grind, get ready to, you know, put everything into it.”
• Top Tips:
  • Raise more capital than you think you’ll need: “Consumers are not going to give you any forgiveness for poor quality… they’re going to compare a Coca Cola product to your product and you need to…be up on the game.” [33:43]
  • Don’t get paralyzed by analysis: “Do the analysis… but then just make the decision and go.” [34:24]
  • On equity: “You can own a smaller piece of a big thing, or a big piece of a small thing… Investors can add a lot of value.” [35:08]

13. Roadmap for Growth

[36:27]

• Focus: Go deeper in US retail distribution, expand channels (e.g., C-Stores), launch exciting new SKUs (recent iced tea/lemonade collab, upcoming Spiced Apple seasonal).
• "We have a really exciting retail launch in the next couple of months. A big retailer nationally we’ll be launching with in October." [37:02]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If your product doesn’t taste good, you’re done for.” – Jordan Bass [06:59]
• “We built this brand for ourselves… We know what our consumer likes. We ARE the consumer.” – Jordan Bass [23:57]
• “Getting cans in hands is such a critical and maybe overlooked area in beverage. Just getting the liquid to lips is one of the most important things.” – Jordan Bass [22:53]
• “Raise more capital than you think you’ll need. It is definitely a capital-intensive business.” – Jordan Bass [33:43]
• “I think moderation is a long-term trend and it’s certainly not a fad.” – Jordan Bass [29:56]
• “75% of our consumers drink alcohol… the largest portion is consumers that are moderating.” – Jordan Bass [30:36]
• “You can own a smaller piece of a big thing or a big piece of a small thing.” – Jordan Bass [35:08]
• “Do the analysis... but then just make the decision and go.” – Jordan Bass [34:24]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [04:10] – HOPWTR origin and entrepreneurship leap
• [06:59] – Balancing taste and function in product development
• [08:58] – Digital-first flavor development and pandemic high-five story
• [13:17] – Lessons from D2C to retail and key retail wins
• [16:32] – Merging D2C and retail operations/logistics
• [18:00] – Messaging differences: At shelf vs. online
• [21:52] – Digital-first brand building and authenticity
• [25:03] – The “enlightened overachiever” and deep community engagement
• [28:25] – Future of functional/non-alcoholic beverages
• [32:50] – Hard-won advice on capital and decision-making
• [36:27] – Roadmap ahead: Channel expansion, new launches

Tone & Banter

The episode is lively, good-natured, and relatable, with Jordan, Sri, and Peter exchanging friendly jokes about personal branding, retail war stories, and can’t-miss CPG truisms. Authentic entrepreneurship advice is veined with practical realism, humility, and humor.

For Listeners

This episode is essential for anyone seeking first-hand accounts of modern beverage brand building, retail scaling, omnichannel operations, authentic community creation, and the future of functional CPG.
Key takeaways: Capital is king, taste is non-negotiable, community is built can-by-can, and authenticity has to come from within.