Podcast Summary: The Investor With Joel Palathinkal – Episode Featuring Kofi Ampadu of Skew’d Ventures

Release Date: August 3, 2025

Introduction to the Episode

In this insightful episode of The Investor With Joel Palathinkal, host Dr. Joel Palathinkal sits down with Kofi Ampadu, the founder of Skew’d Ventures. The conversation delves deep into Kofi’s unconventional journey into venture capital, his experiences as a CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) entrepreneur, and his strategic approach to investing in the CPG landscape. This episode is particularly valuable for emerging managers and individuals looking to break into the venture capital (VC) space, offering firsthand insights from someone who has successfully navigated the challenges of both founding a startup and investing in others.

Kofi Ampadu's Background and Journey into Venture Capital

Kofi Ampadu’s path to venture capital is anything but traditional. With an educational background in industrial engineering and packaging science, Kofi initially worked as an operations engineer at Kraft Foods for four years. Realizing his desire to be a decision-maker rather than an implementer, he pursued an MBA from Carnegie Mellon and transitioned into strategy consulting at Accenture, working with major CPG and retail clients.

"I was an implementer. I wasn't really a decision maker," (00:00) Kofi shares, highlighting the catalyst for his career pivot.

After several years in consulting, Kofi sought ownership and direct impact, leading him to entrepreneurship. He launched a beverage company while still at Accenture, gaining valuable hands-on experience in the CPG sector. However, facing scalability challenges and stringent margins, Kofi realized the limitations of running a lifestyle business.

"We realized we were going to have a hard time scaling it when we actually went try to go the venture route to raise capital," (16:42) Kofi explains.

This realization spurred his transition into venture capital. Despite initial setbacks in landing a VC role due to stiff competition, Kofi leveraged his entrepreneurial grit to start angel investing, eventually raising Skew’d Ventures—a fund dedicated to pre-seed CPG companies.

Insights from Running a CPG Beverage Company

Kofi’s firsthand experience as a founder provided him with deep insights into the operational and financial challenges of running a CPG business. He discusses the intricacies of managing a beverage company, from product development to distribution.

Product Development and Challenges

Kofi co-founded "H2 Melon," a cold-pressed watermelon juice company. The uniqueness of their product—juicing entire watermelons, including seeds, without adding preservatives—positioned them uniquely in the market. However, they faced significant hurdles:

"Our net margins were around like 20%. It was just such a tough business to be in," (16:24)

The product’s 45-day shelf life posed a constant challenge, requiring high-velocity sales and expensive in-store demos to ensure the product didn’t expire before it could be sold. Additionally, marketing was a critical pain point. Kofi candidly admits:

"I sucked at marketing… I was not a marketer," (28:36)

The high costs associated with promotions and the need for strong unit economics ultimately made scaling the business untenable.

Distribution and Retail Challenges

Securing distribution was another significant hurdle. Kofi compares pitching distributors to securing venture capital:

"Pitching a distributor is like pitching a VC," (23:25)

He emphasizes the importance of differentiation in the distributor’s portfolio and the necessity of negotiating favorable terms to maintain margins. Promotions and volume discounts demanded by grocers further strained their financials.

Lessons Learned and Their Influence on Investing

Kofi’s entrepreneurial experiences profoundly shaped his approach to venture capital. Understanding the operational challenges and financial constraints of CPG businesses allows him to be a more empathetic and effective investor.

"Because a lot of times I talk to founders who don't have great margins, and they say the classic business school line, which is we're going to hit economies of scale. And that's never really true," (17:13)

This firsthand knowledge helps Kofi identify viable investment opportunities and support founders in navigating common pitfalls.

Skew’d Ventures and Investment Thesis

Skew’d Ventures, founded by Kofi, focuses on pre-seed investments in the CPG space. To date, the fund has executed 14 deals, with 12 public and two in stealth mode. Kofi outlines his investment philosophy, emphasizing the importance of margin play, marketing capacity, and scalability in CPG companies.

"In CPG physical products companies, you need a lot of margin play because marketing is what's going to drive people to buy it," (16:42)

Kofi’s criteria for investment include:

1. Health and Wellness: Products that align with the growing consumer demand for healthier options.
2. Sustainability: Companies addressing environmental and climate change impacts.
3. Specific Demographic Focus or Cultural Nuances: Brands that cater to particular cultural or demographic segments, leveraging authentic founder stories and built-in audiences.

Current Trends in the CPG Industry

Kofi identifies several key trends shaping the CPG landscape, driven by evolving consumer preferences and technological advancements.

Health and Wellness

Health and wellness remain paramount, with consumers seeking products that offer better nutritional profiles without compromising on taste. Kofi highlights investments in companies like Pim (Prepare Your Mind), focusing on mental health, and Agua Bonita, offering healthier versions of traditional beverages.

"Anytime someone pitches me something around health and wellness, I'm super, super interested," (33:03)

Sustainability

Sustainability is another critical focus area. Kofi discusses his investment in a sustainable chocolate company producing lab-grown chocolate, aiming to reduce deforestation and eliminate unethical labor practices.

"Anybody who is working on how to slow down deforestation gets me excited," (38:52)

Cultural and Demographic Nuances

Skew’d Ventures is keen on brands that resonate with specific cultural backgrounds, leveraging authentic stories and established consumer bases to drive growth.

"There are a lot of built-in audiences… and anybody that uses it and benefits from it is going to evangelize that product," (38:34)

Technological Integration

While primarily focused on traditional CPG products, Kofi acknowledges the potential for hardware devices that integrate with software, though he remains cautious.

"I considered it, but I probably would not... it's purely too technical," (63:05)

Specific Investments and Portfolios

Kofi provides examples of promising investments within his portfolio, showcasing the diversity and innovation within the CPG sector.

Avec: Premium Drink Mixers

Avec is a premium drink mixer brand with lower sugar content, designed to complement high-end liquors. The product's versatility as a mocktail appeals to health-conscious consumers.

"They've taken a spin on all the most popular mixers and done their own version of it," (34:28)

Sustainable Chocolate Company

Inspired by his Ghanaian heritage and concerns over cacao production’s environmental impact, Kofi invested in a lab-grown chocolate company.

"Real chocolate is supposed to be like really, really better," (40:11)

PM (Prepare Your Mind)

Focused on mental health, PM offers products aimed at stress reduction without relying on pharmaceuticals.

"How can we kind of de-stress people? It's a chew that you have 20 minutes before maybe you go into something that's going to be a stressful meeting," (44:22)

Agua Bonita

Agua Bonita provides healthier versions of traditional beverages using upcycled fruits, addressing both health and sustainability.

"They're using upcycled fruit, the fruits that would otherwise be discarded because they don't look good enough to have in a grocery store," (45:34)

Current Trends in Marketing and Customer Engagement

Kofi discusses effective marketing strategies that are driving success for modern CPG brands, emphasizing the blend of digital and traditional approaches.

• Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) and Omnichannel Approaches: While DTC remains popular, many brands are shifting towards omnichannel strategies to reach a broader audience.

• SMS and Email Marketing: These channels are proving effective for converting engagement into sales. Subscription services leverage these tools to prompt reorders based on consumption cycles.

• Social Media Engagement: Platforms like TikTok offer avenues for discovery and engagement, particularly for new brands seeking visibility.

• QR Codes and Barcodes: These tools enhance customer interaction by providing valuable information, coupons, and easy reorder options directly from product packaging.

"SMS and email have been working like really, really well," (30:15) Kofi notes, highlighting their effectiveness in driving conversions.

Audience Q&A Highlights

Towards the latter part of the podcast, Kofi engages with audience questions, offering practical advice based on his extensive experience.

Evaluating Pre-Revenue Startups and Managing Valuations

One critical question addressed is how to assess and mitigate risks when evaluating pre-revenue startups that present speculative metrics and lofty valuations.

Kofi recommends a data-driven approach:

"What's your valuation based on? What were your last three months? What was your best month's revenue?" (58:54)

He emphasizes using run-rate projections and industry-specific multiples to ground valuations in reality. Additionally, Kofi advises founders to be cautious of raising capital at excessively high valuations without a solid growth plan, as it increases the risk of down rounds in future funding stages.

Outsourcing Production Overseas in CPG

Another question pertains to the pros and cons of outsourcing CPG production overseas.

Kofi advises understanding the target market deeply before expansion:

"You're expanding into a whole different consumer set. So you need to figure out what actually works well there," (54:44)

He suggests leveraging local insights and testing market dynamics through strategic distribution channels like airport retail to gather valuable data before committing to large-scale international expansion.

Assessing the Value of Wearable Health Devices and Innovative Insurance Products

Kofi shares his thoughts on the efficacy of devices like Fitbit and the potential of products that quantify personal life risk management.

While acknowledging that adherence is key to the success of wearable health devices, he remains skeptical about investing in products that are more B2B-focused rather than consumer-centric.

"I probably would not consider that as an investment," (62:31) Kofi responds, emphasizing his preference for consumer-focused business models.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with Kofi expressing gratitude for the opportunity to share his journey and insights. His experiences underscore the importance of understanding both the operational challenges of CPG businesses and the strategic considerations essential for successful investments in this space.

Kofi’s story is a testament to the value of resilience, continuous learning, and the ability to pivot when faced with challenges. For listeners aspiring to enter the venture capital realm or navigate the complexities of the CPG industry, Kofi’s insights offer a roadmap for building sustainable and impactful businesses.

Notable Quotes:

• Kofi Ampadu:

  • "In CPG physical products companies, you need a lot of margin play because marketing is what's going to drive people to buy it." (16:42)
  • "We're going to hit economies of scale. And that's never really true." (17:13)
  • "I was not a marketer." (28:36)
  • "Anybody who is working on how to slow down deforestation gets me excited." (38:52)
  • "SMS and email have been working like really, really well." (30:15)

• Dr. Joel Palathinkal:

  • "You probably don't know this because I don't, I probably didn't lead with this, but I worked at General Mills for a short amount of time." (08:53)

This episode encapsulates a wealth of knowledge from Kofi Ampadu, merging entrepreneurial grit with strategic investment acumen. His journey from engineering to entrepreneurship and finally to venture capital provides a blueprint for aspiring investors and founders alike, emphasizing the critical interplay between operational insight and investment strategy in the dynamic world of CPG.